Conducting your first consultation with prospective wedding couples is nerve racking, let alone the thought of selling your expertise as a wedding planner.
What if you crash and burn?
What questions will you ask?
What if your mind goes blank?
Then there is the fear of not enough bookings this year, and your bank account decreasing, the pressure to convert this consultation is immense. But desperation is not a good look and certainly won’t help you succeed as a wedding planner. Confidence in your abilities and HOW you can help the couple is essential. As a wedding planner trainer for 20 years I continue to be shocked by some of the advice out there with 1 website insinuating manicured nails will land you a “fancy client”.
Lets be real. Hiring a wedding planner is a very personable experience, in fact 69% of couples said personality was important when making their buying decisions compared to just 40% saying quality of your portfolio is important. So it stands to reason showcasing your personality is essential during your consultation.
Be real. Be you. Be authentic.
Now if you have gotten your marketing messaging right you are half way there already. So walk into that consultation with confidence, knowing you are the right planner for them and you will do your damnedest to show this over the next 60 minutes. Get this meeting right and you will be on your way to planning your next clients wedding.
Remember, the information gathered at this stage is then used to create your proposal of services to them so you certainly donโt want to leave the meeting without all the information needed. I promise you once you have mastered your first few you will enjoy them and additionally you will love a higher conversion rate !
Read on for 5 tips to feel more confident in your consultation meetings.
- Remember this is a 2 way meeting, the clients want reassurance you are the right planner for them but also you need to be checking they are the right clients for you. Remembering you are in a position of power can help you exude the confidence needed.
- Choose the location carefully. For me as a marquee wedding planner I met at my couples homes so I could see the site. For my peers who specialised in luxury weddings they would meet in a 5 star hotel lounge, and if you’re a rustic planner perhaps that quirky coffee shop? You are matching the location to your niche whilst ensuring you have the privacy needed.
- Be open and friendly when they arrive greeting them warmly. For some this is a simple handshake but I must admit I always ended up hugging my clients, if not at the start certainly by the end. But that was my style, that might not be right for you!
- Make eye contact with everyone there if the couple have bought along parents who might not be happy a planner is being considered. You need to win over not just the couple but anyone who has the buying power.
- Do your research so be knowledgeable on a venue they may have mentioned in your pre qualifying call. And ensure you are confident with the services you offer, your prices and which one is most suitable to their needs.
If you are ready to master your consultations then read on below for details on my new micro course along with questionnaire template for you to use and personalise.
Mastering Your Consultation: ยฃ37
If you are ready to take back control of your consultations with couples then I’ve got you covered. Through this micro training I share the exact roadmap I used in my own consultations, my formula has since been used by thousands of wedding planners here in the UK and Europe. Learn how to structure the meeting and more importantly “what” questions to actually ask.
This training includes
- How to conduct a consultations (notes)
- How to conduct a consultation (video)
- Personality questions to ask
- Full editable consultation questionnaire in canva
Experienced planner looking to scale?
Further reading
Is your business ready for engagement season?
Unpredictability in the wedding industry
90 day planning with FREE download
Photo from my 2024 Mastermind by Mae Photography
