As a wedding planner, you probably know by now that you can’t do it all alone. You need industry pros you can count on to wow your brides and make their events as stunning as you imagined. You also need a team of the right people to help bring the whole thing together and make it look effortless (even though of course we all know it’s not!)
So, how do you go about building those relationships with the right people? How do you find those vendors that will make you look like a million bucks, and get brides booking your services? There are many ways you can go about finding the right people to partner with. Check out my suggestions below to get you started.
Join FB groups and Meetup groups to find local vendors in your area.
There are many industry focused groups on Facebook, and there are bound to be some for your geographic area. Start looking around for groups of wedding professionals and get in on the fun! When you join a Facebook group remember that it’s all about community and not a place to just pitch your services. Know your audience! These pros are going to be the people you partner with for events, so build relationships and get to know them. If you find a florist you really like, ask her to meet for coffee. Be helpful and offer suggestions when someone’s in a bind and looking for advice. By being the person that shows up and is helpful you will get known. You can also join Meetup groups in your area and attend events to get to know those in your industry.
Ask industry people you like for referrals
If you’ve worked on a few weddings by now you may have found some professionals you enjoy working with. Chances are, they work with others who are like them in style and personality. If there’s a florist you really like ask her for a referral to a cool caterer or a DJ. As you’ll quickly find, this industry is a tight knit group and many vendors will work together on several events. By finding people you genuinely like being around, you are more likely to find other potential partners that you’ll have a blast working with as well. Don’t be afraid to ask for those referrals!
Go to wedding industry conventions/bridal shows
You don’t necessarily need to set up an expensive booth at a bridal show in order to meet potential partners (especially when you’re first starting out). Try attending the show and speaking with local vendors that you’d enjoy partnering with. If you go to any kind of event or bridal show be sure to bring lots of business cards to exchange with other vendors. Be mindful of the rules of engagement for any event you go to, and be sure to mix and mingle with lots of different vendors throughout the day and get a feel for their style.
Partner with people that are up and coming so that you can grow together
When you’re first starting out you might be tempted to “reach for the stars” and try to only partner with those pros that are known in the industry. While it is possible to build quality relationships with known professionals, it can be trickier because they likely have an extensive database of other wedding planners to choose from already. One of the best ways to build your vendor referral list is by finding people that are up and coming, but great at what they do (like you!). If they are in the growing stage like you are, they will understand where you’re at in your business. They may even be more eager to build quality relationships and many of the relationships formed in these early stages of business will tend to be the most loyal partners you have.
Having relationships with other wedding vendors is a great way to grow your business – even relationships with other wedding planners. By not viewing other planners as competition but thinking of them as colleagues you can learn from each other and be there to support and help one another as you grow your businesses.
Are you ready to grow your business to a whole new level in 2017 with a successful wedding planner by your side? How would you like to meet other up and coming planners while you learn and grow your businesses together? If you’re nodding your head along, then girl, we need to talk! The B Academy is currently open for registration (but it’s almost sold out!!!). The B Academy is the mentorship program for wedding planners in any stage (even if you haven’t opened your business yet) who want to grow their business, income, and have fun in the process! Come check out our info page to get all the details and be sure to join us before the doors to the party close for good!