Over the last few years the construct of what clients need from their Wedding/Event Planner has changed. When I started this business I had 3 categories of event types that we focused on. However, those three categories, as I look at them now, are laughable because that’s not how things have turned out. If I had to break down all the various services a client has asked us to perform, I’d have dozens.
New clients are giving Wedding and Event Planners a Lifeline, and here’s why:
When a client comes to you it’s not always for a solution you currently offer. Sure Wedding and Event Planners have beautiful packages to meet every need, but that isn’t always the case. What clients want are solutions that answer their specific needs. In fact our “wonderful packages” aren’t actually a good fit for everyone, but clients need our help.
One example I’ve come across and have since added to our list of services is how couples don’t need a Wedding Planner, but a consultant.
You see, there are plenty of couples out there that find planning their own wedding very beneficial. Whether it’s to save money on a planner and spend that elsewhere or because they are good at planning, either reason works for them. However, not all couples are created equal and there is a level of ignorance with each couple.
Ignorance is one thing that I absolutely loathe. If in the event and wedding industry there is no room for you as the planner or client to say you didn’t know. So yes ignorance keeps me up at night wondering how many clients out there are being blindly led into the hornets’ nest.
I decided to create a consultant service because I got tired of clients hiring me at the last minute to help us salvage what was already disastrous, days before their wedding or event. Sure one of our jobs is a Month/Day of Coordinator, but that still doesn’t remove the need for consultancy nor gives us a magic wand to fix what could have been avoided. Having someone by your side from day one to ensure you are not taken advantage of is the #1 benefit of such a service.
Here are more reasons why a pro would be needed.
1 –Venue caught in legal battle and tells you they must close.
2 – Your wedding dress manufacture suddenly closes.
3 – A wildfire threatens your wedding day.
The end result of adding this to our list of services is that we scaled our business. We realized that this lifeline was just what we needed to increase revenue and give value.
Without our clients having different needs, we would have never thought to offer a consultant service. But this isn’t about us and this crazy service. It’s more than that.
The lesson learned from each of our clients is having an open mind. Clients are the most valuable assets to our company. They are truly the lifeline that keeps the lights on to allow us to do what we love the most. Certainly problems will come no matter the client, but we as planners must be willing to address them all even those outside of our predetermined packages.