When reading Preston Bailey’s blog I was particularly agreeable to the below article. When planners start out in this industry I know it can be tempting to almost give your services away, I know some other training schools recommend you should do a wedding for free to begin with, but we just don’t agree. By planning a wedding for free you are in fact saying ‘I’m not worth it’. So even if a potential client is lovely, even if the wedding design will be so wonderful it will be perfect for your portfolio, never forget your WORTH.
Not so long ago, I had a client who I was a little in love with. She had the most amazing dream for her wedding and from the moment she walked into my office, we clicked. There is something very magical and powerful when that kind of connection happens with a client. She trusted me absolutely and I her.
Unfortunately, there was one hiccup: When I started creating my beloved client’s dream wedding, I realized that her expectations were bigger than her pocketbook. But because I liked her so much I gave her that dream wedding anyway. Consequently, I made practically zero profit. I think this happens quite a bit in our industry; we’re so eager to love our clients and see our designs come to life that we forget we also have bills to pay.
Yes, we should love our clients. Yes, we should work hard to see our designs come to life. But I’ve also learned the hard way that if a client cannot afford her dream wedding, she simply cannot have it. We must manage our clients’ expectations, and we can never lose sight of the bottom line.
Credit: Preston Bailey
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