Are you fully booked for 2022?
Janet Lin Photography
2022 will see the most weddings since 1984. According to The Wedding Report, an estimated 2.5 million weddings will be held next year. Breaking this down, there were about 2.1 million weddings per year before the pandemic so you should already be booked for next year, right?
If so, why not?
Whether you’re a caterer, florist, photographer, or planner, you know that booking new clients is a year-round endeavor. So if you’re a wedding vendor, there’s a good chance you’re already thinking about how to get your next booking — even when it’s peak wedding season and your hands are full.
But where to start? If you’re an experienced wedding vendor, you probably have a playbook of tried-and-true tactics. But it never hurts to revisit your current strategies, examine their success, and build for next year. If you’re new to the game, now’s the perfect time to commit a plan to paper.
Here are my top tips for a 2022 fully booked wedding calendar:
Update your website with fresh photos and don’t forget about SEO and blogging.
Be active and stay consistent on your Social Media Platforms.
Reach out to clients and ask to write reviews for Google, Wedding Wire, and The Knot.
Network with our wedding industry professionals about being on their preferred vendor lists.
Create a system to respond onboard your new clients.
Engaged couples have an overwhelming number of vendors to choose from, so you need to set yourself apart by having a specialty. To do this, figure out what type of weddings you’re interested in and who your ideal clients are. If you’re a wedding planner, for example, do you prefer to plan nontraditional weddings or destination weddings? Or if you’re a photographer, do you like to shoot big, traditional weddings, or more intimate celebrations?
And most importantly, when you do have a new client inquiry hit your inbox, respond ASAP. Brides and grooms are really about shopping around this year and the quick you respond and set-up a consultation. The best way to do this is to have a canned response all ready to go where all you need to change names, date, and location. And then follow up with a phone call and/or email within 48-72 hours of your response.
Lori
Wedding Social Media Manager and Virtual Assistant with The Social Attendant
