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A Wedding Business Podcast - Tips and tricks to, grow and sustain a amazingly successful wedding business in a way that's is fun and gives you tons of freedom.
Welcome everyone to the Wedding Pro Academy Podcast. I'm Nicole, your host. I'm an expert in the wedding industry and I've personally built two 6 figure businesses from the ground up. I am obsessed with building businesses that make lots of money but do so in a way that also create luxurious amounts of freedom. So if you're looking to build, grow, or scale a wedding business in a way that doesn't burn you out, and you'd love some guidance from someone who has done just that, this podcast is for you.
Nicole:Each week I'll cover strategies, tips, tricks that will give you your dream wedding business too. Thanks so much for tuning in today. Let's dive in. Hi everyone and welcome back to another episode of the Wedding Pro Academy podcast. This is episode 53!
Nicole:I just got back from New York visiting my sister. It was really really cold there. I am from Hawaii so 18 degree weather is not easy for me. I didn't have any proper clothing, but luckily my sister lives there so I could borrow stuff. It was really fun because I haven't hung out with her like that in a long time.
Nicole:We went to a Korean spa which was kind of really cool. We did rock climbing, we did some shopping, went to Trader Joe's which we don't have in Hawaii. Everybody from Hawaii loves Trader Joe's. They just have cool stuff there like I wish we had one. Right before that I went to Maui and the Big Island.
Nicole:I've just been traveling a lot. Still, I am back here with you guys ready to do another episode. Happy to be home! I think this is a good one so I'm hoping that you guys find this helpful. Today our topic is why brides aren't finding you online and how to fix it fast.
Nicole:So, if you're not getting inquiries, brides aren't reaching out to you, it's not because you're not talented, and it's not because you're not good at what you do it's because couples literally can't find you. Or, it's because they don't understand why you're the right choice. So in today's episode we're going to cover how brides search on the internet, how their brains make decisions, what makes a bride and groom click book or actually reach out to you, and what you can do today to get found more often and convert more lookaloo brides and grooms into buyers. So first let's talk about the psychology of how brides search. I've spent a lot of time thinking about this and understanding how brides are feeling and searching when they first get engaged, they're first looking for all of their vendors is really, really important because if you don't understand that, you're not going to know what they're looking for.
Nicole:You're not going to know how to appeal to them. What usually happens is a bride and groom will get engaged and then usually the bride will go into this sort of panic search mode. This usually happens shortly after they get engaged. First, it's super exciting and then they're looking for the first thing is a venue and a date. What they will start doing after they have the date and the venue set is then they'll start typing into Google looking for things that feel familiar to them but aren't necessarily accurate.
Nicole:That might be: Wedding photographer near me Boho wedding florist Barn wedding planner in Utah or something random like that. They are looking for these specific search terms that are top of mind things and whoever pops up on Google is really going to get them first. If your online presence doesn't match the exact words that the bride most naturally uses, you won't show up. You need to think about what brides are searching for in relation to what you do. So for me I'm a Hawaii wedding planner so I would want to rank for that but I don't just do any kind of weddings I do intimate elopements right?
Nicole:So, I want to rank for those words. So, you want to know what keywords you're trying to rank for, what the bride's searching for, so base it around what the bride's actually searching for and incorporate those words into your website, into your SEO, into your titles of your pages. Those words the exact words that your ideal bride is searching for need to be a part of your website. What happens after that is this comparison phase. The bride will open five to 12 tabs of different wedding photographers that she likes.
Nicole:Then she'll skim through their websites, not read it, just skim through it, just take a glance at it and make an emotional decision in seconds over whether she likes you or doesn't. What they're looking for specifically is relatability, proof that she can trust you, clarity on exactly what you do what you do matches what she wants, and a vibe that she resonates with something that she feels connected to. So she's gotta like your style. Then what happens is there's this fear based filter that comes into play, and brides will eliminate vendors immediately without even thinking twice about it If they don't understand what what you have to offer, if they feel overwhelmed in any way by your website or by your online presence, if your website looks too complicated, if you feel unprofessional because they don't want to be embarrassed or make the wrong choice. So your job, really, as a pro here is to reduce that fear.
Nicole:How do you make it really simple for her to say yes? How do you make your website simple and not overwhelming? How do you make it so that she can trust you right away? How do you show proof that she can trust you? How is your messaging really, really clear?
Nicole:And how do you create a consistent vibe throughout your online presence and your website that will attract a very specific type of bride, your ideal bride. You've got to be thinking about all of this when you're designing your website, online presence, your social media. Next, what are brides actually looking for online? Here are some things that you can shift or change if you don't already have these things in place so that you can be more in line with connecting and resonating with brides. So number one: Simplicity over aesthetics.
Nicole:I know when we are first building our business we want to have the most beautiful, fanciest website. But honestly, that doesn't matter as much as if your website is very clear and builds clear connection. What do I mean by clear? Brides are looking for a simple navigation so they don't want to go through like a thousand pages. They just want to see your packages, your pricing, your gallery, your reviews, and a contact page.
Nicole:It doesn't need to get more complicated than that keep it simple! They need to see clear packages so that would mean that the packages should be just enough information that lets them know that this is a good fit for me and here's the starting price. I know a lot of you guys are so scared to put your pricing on your website but it's such a clear way to connect with brides that just shows them here's what I do and here's what it costs and brides really really appreciate that. I started putting pricing my website and it just made the inquiries come in so much quicker because you're not playing games with them. You're not going to try to upsell them or trick them or whatever.
Nicole:They know what their price is up front and then if they reach out to you they know that they can afford you. Putting prices out or at least a starting at price is going to be very effective in reassuring brides at this stage when they're super unsure about what things should cost and how they'll even fit you into their budget. Another thing brides look for is real photos. Real professional photos so they don't want to see like fake photos of weddings that they know you didn't actually do. They don't want to see iPhone photos they want to see actual photos of weddings you did and they can tell the difference.
Nicole:They also need to see and feel a personal connection. Your website should have this vibe that they connect with right away and it should be an expression of you. The last part is that they need a quick and simple way to contact you. If they have to search for that contact button, for that get in touch button, then they're never going to get in touch. It needs to be so simple!
Nicole:Every page should have a contact button. It should be really really easy for them to reach out. Number two: you need to have credibility cues. Meaning you got to show them that they can trust you because they're gonna be spending a lot of money with you, they don't want to just spend it with anyone, they want to know that you're good at what you do and that they can trust you. They're going to check your reviews first and then your galleries so your wedding galleries and then your face.
Nicole:Don't be afraid to put your face on your website or about page or show yourself with the bride and groom because they want to trust you they're paying you they need to connect with you. Proof: Do you have social proof that you're a legit business that you've done this before that they can trust you? You want to try to put your strongest reviews at the top of your site and inquiry page and I really find it very effective to put reviews on every page. That could mean that they're sort of intertwined throughout the page or at the bottom somewhere. More reviews you can show, the more times they see proof that other brides have worked with you and they liked that experience.
Nicole:The more they're going to trust you, the more likely they are to reach out to you. The third thing as to what brides actually look for online is personality and relatability. They're thinking, Do I like this person? Do they get my style? Are they kind, fun, calm, professional, good at what they do?
Nicole:They need to say yes to all of those things if they're going to reach out to you. Website is essentially an expression of you and your personality and your personality should be visible in your bio or your about page, in your copy, in your photos, in your videos, in your Instagram stories and what that means really is stop copying and pasting from other people's stuff. Like, it needs to be a reflection of you. Don't use chat gbt for everything. Like, talk from your heart.
Nicole:This is how you connect with brides and grooms. It's the expression of you of who you are that they need to vibe with that's gonna draw in your ideal bride. So don't be afraid to talk in your website, your copy, like write it as you would speak. This is what allows them to connect with you and to feel connected to you. Number four is in what brides are actually looking for online is a clear, simple path to booking.
Nicole:You need to have one obvious call to action on every page like click here to learn more sends them to the contact page or just connects directly. But it needs to be very, very simple and easy for them to reach out to you. Number five is your website should be fast loading and mobile friendly. Click If on it and it's like loading and loading and loading because you uploaded this beautiful video that takes more than ten seconds to start playing, they're not going to wait around. They're not going to wait ten seconds.
Nicole:They're not going to wait five seconds. Your website needs to load quickly. Very, very quickly. It also needs to be mobile friendly because 70% of brides are searching on their phone while they're multitasking. If your website isn't mobile friendly, then they're going to bounce.
Nicole:They're not going to stick around, they're not going to check you out again, they're not going go to their computer and be like, Oh, let me look at their website on my computer because they don't got time for that. They're going to check you out once and if they are not intrigued, not connected, they don't feel like they can trust you because your website looks all janky on the phone, you'll probably never hear from them. Make sure your website looks good on a mobile device. Next, let's talk about converting browsing brides into booked weddings. Okay, first, there is a three second rule.
Nicole:When brides land on your website, they should instantly know what you do, who you help, how you help them, and why you are the best choice. If they don't know that and they need to figure it out, you are not going to hold their attention. They are not going to reach out to you. They are not going to spend time researching you. They are going to move on.
Nicole:Three second rule: they need to know what you do, who you help, how you help them, and why you're the best choice. Number two: you need to have a very simple, unique why you statement. A very bold, simple sentence near the top of your page saying who you help, how you help them, what you do. I help blank couples create a wedding day that is blank. You want this to be very specific to the types of brides that you help.
Nicole:For example, for me I help destination couples create beautiful, intimate, one of a kind wedding elopements in a way that feels easy, simple, and fun. Also have a statement that says all inclusive Hawaii wedding packages at beautiful oceanfront venues. That is very very specific. It is very clear. I am not helping just any brides I help destination brides.
Nicole:I'm not just doing any kind of giant weddings I am doing intimate elopements. I am not just you know doing day of wedding planning I am offering all inclusive Hawaii wedding packages at oceanfront venues. All of that's very specific. It appeals to a very specific bride and it is very clear if that bride is a good fit for me or not when she clicks on my website. All my pictures are at oceanfront venues, brides on the beach, everything looks very luxurious, it's small, intimate, beautiful.
Nicole:All of it is, you know, there's this vibe you feel throughout my website that not only am I saying what I do that match all the photos, but when the reviews match all of that too, so it's all intertwined and connected. If that type of bride a destination bride that's coming to Hawaii wants a simple elope, wants it to be simple, easy, and fun, that wants a beautiful oceanfront venue. If they land on my page, they're going to be like, Holy shit, this is exactly what I was looking for. That's actually the reaction I get a lot when brides reach out to me. They're like, You are exactly what I was looking for.
Nicole:And that's kinda what you want from your brides. So you wanna set up your website to feel that way. Okay. Number three. How you convert, you know, looky loo browser, like brides that are just looking around into booked clients is that you want to make sure you're using all of your photography intentionally.
Nicole:Brides want to see your real work. They don't want stock photography. They don't want you grabbing pictures off of other people's stuff. It needs to be your actual work. They want to see refined but very authentic images that show them what they're going to get.
Nicole:It should be very connected to what they're looking for. They want to see a very clear representation of your style and your vibe. I would use only my best photos and the ones that best represent my style. When you're getting photos from photographers you only want to pick out the best of the best the ones that represent your style can show brides what you do and give them a really clear feeling of the types of weddings you do and your style. Style matters with weddings.
Nicole:Brides are looking for a very specific thing. They want to match your vibe. They want to know that you can do what their vision is. If their vision is boho chic, you better have only boho weddings on your website. If their vision is barnyard weddings and you specialize in barnyard venues, then I would have a lot of barnyard photography on there.
Nicole:Make it specific to the type of bride you're trying to attract. Number four is the inquiry experience. So this is the secret conversion weapon. Your inquiry form, it should feel so this is the form that they, you know, when they click on the contact page, the form that connects them from your website to your email that connects them to you directly that form should feel easy so simple we're going to keep on this you know this mode of everything needs to be simple it should feel easy, warm, fast, and personal. So there shouldn't be so many questions that they're like, look at it and they're like, I'm not filling this shit out.
Nicole:It should feel warm and like they're talking to a real person. It should feel personal. It should feel easy. Your reply should be timely, so it needs to be fast. It should be enthusiastic.
Nicole:You want to get them excited because you are excited for them because that's where they are. Want to show you care. You want to give the next steps. You want it to feel warm and connecting, like very personal. Not just like a copy and paste thing that you send to everyone.
Nicole:It needs to feel personal like connect with them on a real level. And also you need to show next steps and how they either get on a call with you or what they're gonna do next. So the main one of the things I said here is timely. That's really, really important. Make sure that you are responding in a timely manner.
Nicole:Not in a week, not in four days, in one day. Brides need quick responses. If you want to book a bride, better be quick and timely with your responses. Okay, next, let's talk about some actual, real, simple, small tweaks that can make a big difference, so like quick wins that you can do this week if you wanted to. Here are five things that you can fix today that will start drawing in more brides to you.
Nicole:Number one, add in a very clear headline to your homepage. If you don't have one yet, figure out who you help, how you help them, you know, and have that headline right on the top of your page. So, like remember I said for me it was all inclusive Hawaii wedding packages at beautiful oceanfront venues? That was like my heading. And then when I talk about who I actually help, it's I help destination couples create beautiful, intimate, one of a kind wedding elopements that feel easy, simple, and fun.
Nicole:You need some kind of headline that directly connects to your ideal bride. If you don't have that yet, get that up there. Two. Reviews If you don't have any reviews on your website or if they're not prominent, move reviews to the top of every page. Should have your headline and some reviews.
Nicole:Reviews with photos would be ideal. You want to add reviews to your homepage, to your packages page, to your about page, to your galleries page. Put reviews on every page. I know that sounds crazy, but I'm telling you it works! Brides need to see reviews everywhere and use your best reviews.
Nicole:Number three, simplify your navigation. If it is over complicated, you have too many pages, simplify it. Simplify it to be really really basic. So home page, packages, gallery, about page, reviews, and a contact page. Like that is good enough.
Nicole:You don't need a thousand page on your website it gets confusing. Simplify your navigation. Four. Update your Instagram bio to say who you help, where you work, and what you do. Make it very, very easy for brides to know if you're a good fit for them.
Nicole:Five. Add a direct call to action on every page. And on your Instagram. So, a direct call to action would be like get in touch learn more, reach out today. Something like that.
Nicole:You want it to be really simple for them to get in touch with you. Recap. Why brides aren't finding you online and how to fix it fast. We talked about a whole bunch of things, ways that you can fix why you're losing brides so early. Talked about how brides search emotionally not logically so you gotta catch them quick we talked about clarity being the most important thing and how clarity is more important than pretty and you know how you don't want to keep them from reaching out because your website is too over complicated so keep it simple.
Nicole:Most important thing keep it simple. And we talked about how you should try to incorporate your personality because your website should be an expression of you. The more you you bring into your business and your website even though that feels like counterintuitive because you know the other people when you're looking at other people's websites, other photographers, other wedding planners you're like oh that looks good that's that looks good but that's not you! Try to take a chance on incorporating more YOU into your website because the more YOU that you can bring in, the more connected brides and grooms will be to you the easier time you'll have booking them. Again, simplicity wins.
Nicole:A lot of new wedding business owners business owners in general will over complicate their website and their online presence. They try to put too much stuff in there. I was totally someone who did this, so I know. You just like you wanna like I do this and this and this and this and you should know this about me and also I help these brides and I do this. Brides don't give a fuck.
Nicole:Honestly, they just want to know what you do, who you help, how you can help them, and why you're the best of the best at what you do. What makes you stand out? Why you're the best destination all inclusive wedding planner in Hawaii? Why should they pick you over everyone else? That needs to be very clear.
Nicole:Simpler the better. If you found this interesting and you'd like more, I do have a ton of very specific it's like a roadmap. Here's the things that you need to incorporate into your business in order to get brides to book you, and it goes into depth with this stuff. And I take you through a very simple, like, We're working on this first. We're getting our online presence up to date, then we're working on our website.
Nicole:Here's the things that need to be in place. You have a checklist. Here are the specific things that you need to change in order for brides to reach out to you. Here's the inquiry response. All the things that get brides to book you and for you to actually make money in your wedding business.
Nicole:If you're wanting help with that, definitely need to check out weddingproacademy.com. I have a wedding business masterclass that helps you get your wedding business flowing, gets brides booking you, gets brides to actually reach out to you, makes you feel appealing and connect with brides. I teach you what you're doing wrong and how to fix it. All the things I wish that I had someone teach me when I was first building my wedding business. You can learn more about that at theweddingproacademy.com.
Nicole:If you want a quick win and you're having trouble booking brides, you definitely need to download my freebie, How to Get In with an Established Wedding Planner. It's a free guide, so it's free. Just grab it, it's so good. It's going to teach you three insanely simple step by step strategies to build genuine connection with an established wedding planner. Someone who's been around for a while who has tons of brides coming through, and you want to connect with them because they are going to throw you referrals that can help you book more weddings.
Nicole:This freebie is tailored for wedding planners, photographers, and videographers. If you've been thinking about or wondering how to get on those established wedding planners' radar, this freebie is literal gold. It's so good. Like, I wish someone showed me this when I was first starting because when you build connections like this in the wedding industry, they can help you so much. It's not just like that they'll send you referrals, but just having a a real friend in the wedding industry that, like, can have your back and, you know, help you.
Nicole:That's everything. So grab that freebie at weddingproacademy dot com slash this is gold. It's really, really good. You guys are gonna love it. Okay.
Nicole:That's all I have for you guys today. I hope you have a fabulous weekend. I will talk to you again next week. Bye for now!