As I’ve shared before, my first year in business, I made a whopping $1,000. Three years in, I was grossing six figures and enjoying the perks of being named one of Atlanta’s top wedding planners, among veterans to the industry. It was a wild ride that left me with a fierce passion to share what I learned with other women, thus launching in 13+ cities (some successes, some failures), a wedding planner education program and a list a mile long of ways to generate sales for a small business. Whew! It’s a miracle I survived, seriously, but I’m thankful for the journey and all that I’ve learned through it.
I get a lot of questions about my success and expansion. I’ve also read a LOT about the ways other people have grown their business. And, well there is one myth I’d love to debunk for the millennial generation. Being authentic is cool, but it won’t necessarily land you that super sweet client you’ve been dreaming of. You know, the one with champagne dreams and a checkbook in hand?
After years in the luxury wedding industry, I can honestly say that professionalism will get you a lot farther with your dream client, than your favorite flavor of ice cream or cute puppy. Now don’t get me wrong, forming an emotional connection with clients is crucial to a great consultation. In fact, it’s the first thing we do in ours. But, at the end of the day, your client – the one sitting in a cubical or corner office so that they can afford to pay for your services – doesn’t want to know that you’ve got your toes in the sand for the second time this month and just finished off a bottle of rosé! They want to see that you’re not only really good at (but also passionate about) your job, you’re on top of it, you are a clear communicator and working hard for your clients.
Now, if your target client is other freelancers or independent business owners, kudos to you! Post away about your last trip to get margaritas at noon on a Monday and we’ll all be jealous over here and ready to snag your next “How To Make It Big Guide”. But for those of you looking to book your next big client,
keeping your social media feed more business and less vacation mode will do you more favors than you can imagine.
Honest thoughts on this beautiful morning from yours truly!
Cheers Friends!
Sarah
Founder, Creative Director of Chancey Charm
ARE YOU READY TO LAUNCH YOUR WEDDING PLANNING BUSINESS WITHOUT THE HASSLE OF TRYING TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT THE HARD WAY?
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