The much-awaited latest episode of the DWP Insider Roundtable ended up with pearls of wisdom by Wendy El-Khoury, Founder of Wedded Wonderland, Australia who gave us insights about future-proofing your wedding business, generating leads & everything in between during the current times. The session, exclusive to DWP Insider Premium members, was a full-house webinar packed with insightful details about navigating this year and being ready for the coming ones.
The C Talk
Picture Courtesy: @hipsterwedding.asia
Reflect on the type of content you are creating and create real content. Instagram is emerging as a top priority for many wedding businesses with its various promotional elements. Hence, it’s important to understand the different components of Instagram and post the ones that are the most relevant.
The importance of community management: When the pandemic hit all over the globe, we did not know what to do. As we are getting a hold of the whole situation, reach out to other suppliers and make them feel that you are with them. Collaborate over new business ideas to help each other in these times.
Your Online footprint, new operating hours, COVID safe practices: Your online footprint needs to be stronger than ever. Be responsive online and showcase that you are still in business and available. Wendy suggests having at least 3 direct posts and 10 stories a week on your brand’s Instagram. Keep the dynamics going. Couples expect you to have answers as you are the SME. Tell them about your operating hours and what time you are available for an online appointment on all your platforms. Let your clients know the measures you have taken for offering COVID-safe services. Stay updated with the changing restrictions and keep updating them on your platforms.
COVID specific packages: Design packages that are relevant to the current times. Like micro wedding packages, celebration packages, anniversary celebrations, and bridal showers with safe practices. If you cannot go to the destination, bring the destination home. For eg. replicate the elements of a Tuscany wedding in India. Or offer packages that give choices to the couples according to their comfort levels. Do a styled shoot and let the information out through your social media. For couples who have postponed, think about what you can offer.
Promotional competitions and giveaways: Once we get back to normal, there’s going to be pent-up demand for weddings. Couples will not have time to look out for individual suppliers. Have paid collaborations with other wedding vendors and design a special package and offer them as a consolidated package. Luxury brands are offering a lot of promotions and giveaways around Covid.
Strategies For 2021 & Beyond
Picture Courtesy: @inlightenphotography
Current clients:
- Updated packages on current offerings with options around upsizing and downsizing
- Introduce new avenues such as virtual and digital components of events
Future clients:
- The evolution of your brand and what you could be offering
- What are people purchasing now more than ever
- A shift in mindset and purchasing decisions > the short term
The New:
- Building the news brand and you
- The mobile event experience
- The wedding festival
- Forming new partnerships
- The wedding festival
- Repurposing business assets
- Building database
- What do you look like online?
How To Communicate Online
Picture Courtesy: @weddedwonderland
Highlights: Highlights act as a mini-website for your customers to view quickly, whilst not leaving the Instagram platform. Ensure your Highlights are re-updated to explain and creatively show your new operating hours and COVID safety packages.
Bio: If you’re offering special offers and promotions, customers need to see this as soon as they land on your page. Short, sharp text around the offer should be in your BIO to grab the customer’s attention and encourage them to stay on the page or even message you for more information.
Business details: Ensure all contact details are up to date, especially business descriptions and website links. In particular, you should enhance your ‘About’ section and any changes that have happened during COVID. This could include:
Appointments are via Zoom
Meeting are postponed
Response time if you may be delayed
Pin feature – Special offers or promotions
Wendy suggests offering a graphic that outlines your offers clearly and pinning it to the top of your page. Highlight the time period of your exclusive offer and how the customer should contact you to redeem or enter if it’s a contest.
What Is Trending?
Picture Courtesy: @bisousparis
Micro weddings: Micro weddings will be freer, informal, sincere, fun, creative, and unique with aa lot of details. Plus couples get options to personalize every aspect, hence they are quite a big trend this year.
Elopements: Given a choice who doesn’t want to say their vows behind a Grand Canyon backdrop or a Bali waterfall? We’re starting to see many couples plan small affairs or elopements at the onset, rather than dealing with the potential headache and expense of downsizing due to COVID-19 later.
Home styling & services: With a lot of house weddings happening since 2020, there’s an increased demand to convert the house to a wedding venue. This can be a great opportunity to grab the market sentiments.
Online experiences: Like DWP, have regular online/Zoom webinars with your clients or other planners/vendors to understand how we can convert crisis into opportunity.
Short stay getaways and local honeymoons: With travel restrictions abroad, a short staycation in the home country is trending. Venues and tourism boards are offering attractive packages to local tourists.
Marketing During COVID Times
Multi-Chanel Approach To Dissimentaing The Content: Omni-channel refers to the multi-channel sales approach that provides the customer with an integrated shopping experience. This could include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Website, Directories or Print Advertisement.
Seasonal Marketing: Understanding Cyclical Behavior: Design seasonal packages about festivals, the context approach that needs to be taken and what’s relevant during that particular time has to be highlighted. For eg: A Christmas celebration package or Eid celebration party.
That’s all for this episode of DWP Insider Roundtable. Stay tuned for another thrilling episode! Until then, take care.
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All Images Via: @weddedwonderland
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