Prosperous Wedding Consultants: Are You Managing Your Brand?

By Mary Brophy

What do all successful businesses have in common? They have an easily identifiable brand – an image and feeling that the public associates with that particular company. Branding isn't just for the big soda and sneaker companies. As a wedding consultant, it is important to build a unique brand that showcases what you offer clients. For most bridal consultants, you'll want to give off a feeling of professionalism, class, organization and creative flare.

Creating Your Brand

From your website to your brochure, your wedding planning business needs to be branded with the bride in mind. A bride on the market for a wedding planner is looking for someone who can make her dreams come true. Someone who's well connected, well organized, and will make her wedding a day to remember. How can you reflect all the wonderful traits you possess in your branding efforts? Start with a professional logo, and develop key marketing pieces that showcase your skills. For a professional edge, maintain a level of continuity by selecting some core colors and fonts that will appear on all your presentation materials.

Creating presentation materials is one aspect of creating a brand – and it goes hand in hand with creating the values your brand represents. Think about how you want to portray yourself and take steps to make sure you are seen that way by the public. For example, if you want to be associated with the highest end of weddings, you need to make professionally connections with other vendors that service these weddings. You may want to build your network by scheduling appearances on local talk shows, showcasing nonprofit events you helped produce or weddings you have organized, and attending red-carpet events.

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Work Your Brand – and Make it Work for You!

Now that you have a punchy website and a professional image, you need to stand behind your brand 100%. If you've marketing yourself as "The Most Fashionable Weddings In Town," you need to be just that. Make your name the name future brides associate with modern, fashion oriented weddings. One way to do this would be to develop a relationship with a local bridal boutique. Offer to host a seasonal workshop for local brides with themes such as "Choosing the Right Dress," or "Organizing Your Bridesmaids".

Alxo, stay atune to fashion trends like monogrammed bridesmaid bags. Position yourself as a leader in stylish weddings by submitting tips and how-to's to a local bridal publication, and create an online blog where you offer advice to brides.

Create a stunning portfolio by taking lots of photos of all aspects of the weddings you've organized – from the tables to the flowers. As you become an expert in your niche, brides in the know will go straight to you when it's time to plan their wedding.

Managing Your Brand

It's important that all aspects of your branding efforts remain up-to-date. Make sure your website is kept current, and keep it interactive so brides keep coming back for more. It's important to always maintain your professional image, so always make sure your brides-to-be have the same positive experience when meeting with you. Make them feel like they are your number one priority when you are with them.

Once consumers associate your company with being a leader in your field, you can work on a growth strategy that suits your company's profile. You've established your business as trustworthy and professional. You may wish to create a line of wedding products, such as party favors or linens. Or, you might consider branching out into other events, such as corporate parties.

Creating a brand is all about nurturing the public image of your company, and this can be done in many different ways. Branding your business is not a one-shot deal – it's a rewarding commitment that will evolve as your bridal business takes shape and grows.

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