Understanding your clients is the ultimate secret to success
Did you know the first step to truly understanding your clients lies in understanding their love languages? This is not only limited to the dynamic between a partner, friend or family member. It can also apply to your clients.
Deborah from Oxfordshire may value your words of affirmation when you reassure her that wedding planning is running smoothly. Theresa from Wallington may prefer you allocate enough time for your bi-weekly Zoom catch-up calls to discuss floral arrangements, as her wedding is 5 months out (quality time).
The truth is that understanding your client’s love language can go a long way to creating an amazing relationship during the planning process. Imagine telling your client, whose love language is acts of service that you are unable to update her seating chart with 15 additional people by tomorrow. We know that this means you will have to update place cards, re-print the master seating chart, and inform the caterer; this could equally be challenging if the caterer closes in 15 minutes!
What can you do to ensure you and your clients are on the same page from the start of your relationship? As good practice, you should ask them to take the Wedo Planner Love Language Quiz. This will help you understand how your clients express and receive love. Therefore helping to curate a wedding experience that resonates deeply with them.
4 Things You Need to Know About Your Client Early On
Getting to know your clients is more about asking the right questions at the right time instead of playing the guessing game which does not play out very well in the end. It is more about asking questions and paying attention to what they don’t say. Mastering this skill upgrades you from being an “ok planner” to an “exceptional” one. By wearing this specific hat, you’ll not only be a planner but a mind-reader, problem solver, and stress reliever all in one. An exceptional planner grips this hat tightly and wears her hat with pride and the widest smile to reassure her clients that they can fully trust her!
1. Client vision vs actual budget
This is simply the game of balancing what your client wants with what their budget will allow for. We all dream of a fairytale wedding. However, if the budget won’t allow for it, a skilled planner can scale things down, choosing only the necessities without sacrificing style. 85% of engaged couples underestimate the true costs of things, so their wedding planner must manage their expectations throughout the planning process.
2. What are their core values?
Striking a balance between your clients’ vision and their budget lies in understanding their values. What do what they desire for their big day, and why do they want it? Asking open-ended questions during consultations can help you understand their ideas. Asking questions like:
- What 3 words would you use to describe your ideal wedding?
- What kind of experience do you want your guests to have?
- What are your absolute non-negotiables?
will help you to dive beyond the surface to uncover the true desires of your clients.
3. What are their hidden fears?
65% of couples fear no-vendor shows. Some fear bad weather while others simply want their wedding to run smoothly. With the right wedding planner, every fear can be managed, and a backup plan can be carefully created to keep everyone’s mind at ease.
4. Their personality types
Asking the right questions will let you know what kind of couple you are dealing with. The experience of working with a bridezilla vs. a laid-back couple is very different. Just as the couple has to decide on whether the planner will be a good fit for them, the wedding planner must decipher early on whether they are happy to work with any client they are presented with. This is key to understanding your clients.
How CRM can help you to understand your client better?
A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system like Wedo Planner is a game changer for understanding your clients as a wedding and event planner. The right CRM system will allow you to understand your clients by:
- Keeps communications centralised in one place
- Manages vendor details and complex budgets
- Live track client information, which can be shared with your clients and vendors in real time
- Automate reminders and follow-ups so no details are missed
The right CRM is designed purposefully to keep you organised, manage vendors effectively and impress your clients with a perfectly executed event. A good CRM system should be the only solution you reach for in understanding your clients!
