Email marketing is an effective way to reach potential clients but it is almost never used by fellow wedding planners. Scratch that, used but never used correctly that is. As an entrepreneur, we hear the buzz words like “email list” “free opt-in” and “subscriber” on the daily. But how do you actually utilize an email list correctly? Email marketing for wedding planners comes with a few more challenges compared to more traditional industries. For one, we are a service and not a product. Statistically, email marketing is better suited for selling products. And two, we’re on a time limit.
Email Marketing for Wedding Planners
We have a limited time to make an impact before a potential client’s wedding is over. But just because we have a few more challenges to overcome doesn’t mean this can’t be a rewarding way to market. Email marketing allows you to receive far more engagement on a more personal level from potential clients. It allows you be make a larger impact because you’ll be in someone’s inbox (a very personal place to be) verses seeing you on social media (if Facebook allows you to be seen). So as a wedding planner, how do you make the most impact in a client’s inbox? Today’s I’m sharing with you the bases to starting your email marketing campaign.
1. Must Know their Pain Point
To truly be effective with email marketing we need to understand our client’s pain points. Now, keep in mind, this will be vary tremendously depending on who your ideal client is. For example, if your ideal client is a posh princess, her pain point won’t be finding a barn wedding venue. You need to know this answer because you need to know how to target them so they will find being on your email list enticing. Download our free guide on how to create your ideal client avatar.
2. Must Have a Free Opt-In
So many times I see “sign up for the newsletter” and that’s it. No one wants more unnecessary email in their inbox. Give them a reason to give up their precious email address. This is where understanding their pain point comes in. Help solve their problem right now, whatever that maybe be- a venue list categorized by style or the guest count local venues can hold, a list of where to get cheap gowns or instructions on how to do a DIY centerpiece. I recommend putting together a checklist or a list that your ideal client would want to have.
3. Pick An Email Marketing Provider
If you’re just getting started with email marketing, I recommend trying our Mailchimp. Personally, it’s not my favorite, but it’s a good place to start because it’s FREE for the first 2,000 sign ups. We love free. There are also a lot of widgets/plugin that are compatible with Mailchimp. Mailchimp is not a intuitive as some other email marketing companies but if you understand Mailchimp, changing companies later will be an breeze. I started out with Mailchimp but recently switch to Convertkit and am loving it. Convertkit is a bit pricey so you want to make sure you have a solid plan before investing in an email marketing provider.
4. Must Have A Welcome Sequence
Now it’s time to put together a welcome sequence. This usually consists of 5-7 emails 1-3 days apart, warming up your new subscriber to an offering. These emails want to be personable and educational. Remember hitting their main pain point. You will want to offer one to two more freebies in your welcome sequence that solves a big problem for them.
5. Sending Your Newsletter
After your welcome sequence, they will be funneled into your newsletter. You will need to decided on what you want your newsletter to be about. This could be sharing your latest blog post, recent wedding or giving a new wedding tip each week. The sky is the limit. Remember this is not about selling, but about building an honest relationship.
Last words
To be honest, I love email marketing. I find it a lot more satisfying then posting to social media, hoping someone will see it. Since starting email marketing, I have noticed more engagement through my email inbox than in my online presence. Remember though, to be successful at email marketing you need to be consistent to for it be effective. It’s time to start using email marketing correctly and grow your wedding planning business. And we want to help! We have a Wedding Planner Email Marketing Opt-in Design Templates Bundle that can take all of the guesswork out of designing beautiful, effective opt-ins for your email list. Plus, our templates are customizable so you can make them fit your unique brand. Click here to buy now and start seeing results from your email marketing efforts right away!
2 Responses
Great blog!
Thank you!