In our training courses we try to emphasise how important PR is to a small business like a wedding planning business. It really can make the difference between success and closing your business down. So it is no surprise that some planners are better than others at promoting themselves. Some might say they are excellent at ‘creating the hype’!

Over time you will begin to see through the ‘hype’ no doubt rolling your eyes every time you see ‘award winning’, ‘UK best planner’ or my favourite ‘celebrity planner’. I remember attending a wedding conference where Siobhàn Craven-Robins was one of the speakers; she was introduced as ‘celebrity wedding planner’, Siobhan stood up and promptly said “I’m not a celebrity, I’m a wedding planner but yes I have planned weddings for celebrities”. This one sentence summed up why I respect Siobhàn as one of the leading planners in the UK. You won’t hear Siobhàn coming out with cheesy one liners!

There is so much negativity around at the moment with planners worried about where the next booking is coming from. It is understandable therefore then when they see certain planners featured in all the magazines or on the web they begin to believe what they see. Next time you attend a networking event and another planner tells you they have 20 weddings already confirmed for the year, smile sweetly and say that’s great. Then ask yourself ‘do you really believe what they have told you?’ We feel it’s important to keep a bit of cynicism when reading or hearing some hype in order to keep your sanity! Instead focus your energy on your own business and what steps you can take to gain more clients.

1.  What are your USPs?
2.  What benefits can you offer your clients?
3.  What are your strengths?
4.  Schedule time each week to implement PR
5.  Be pro active with your PR, using new strategies each month

What hype frustrates you? We’d love to hear your views.