Do you know what to say when a new prospective wedding customer approaches you? Find out more about working with wedding clients by clicking here.
What you’ll discover:
There’s something unique about assisting a couple in realizing their vision for their big day and seeing it through without a hitch. But, since the day is so important, you must exercise caution while selecting your customers. These are answers to often asked legal issues regarding taking on a new wedding client by wedding planners, entertainers, and suppliers.
Every wedding is special. Never assume that a prospective customer wants things done in a specific manner. Rather, treat each wedding event like a detective attempting to learn the nuances of the possible client’s concept. To direct your inquiries for possible customers, start with the basics: who, what, when, where, why, how, and how much.
For example, if you are a wedding planner, you may ask several of the following questions:
These questions are just intended to get you started. You may generate your own questions depending on the services you provide. You might maintain a list of regular questions to ask during interviews. This may prepare you to ask a slew of follow-up questions on the fly and keep the discussion going until you can clinch the transaction.
To begin, it is best to start with a simple Intake Form. Whether you begin via email, phone, or an online intake form, gathering some basic information up front is usually beneficial. For example, you may request prospective customers’ names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, probable wedding date range, budget, and anything else they would want you to know ahead of time. For DJs and performers, this may include specific song requests or musical genres.
You may use this information to go through your regular question checklist and prepare for another phone consultation or appointment. You may also wish to do preliminary research if your prospective customers indicate an interest in something. A musician, for example, may wish to check that they can obtain the music for or play a certain song that the couple has their heart set on.
The information gleaned from your client interview may assist you in determining if you and the prospective client are a suitable match. Before choosing whether to accept them as a customer, consider the following factors:
After you’ve agreed to take on a wedding client, you should put the conditions in writing in a Wedding Planner Agreement or event contract. An agreement normally includes the following provisions:
You may also wish to add the following for wedding clients: