Ick-Free Ways to Advertise Your Business Through Networking
Photography: A Sea of Love
I know a lot of us feel like networking is a dirty word. We've all experienced that pushy person at an industry event who is just rolling through, shoving their business card into your hand, and moving on to the next target.
Many of us "creative types" don't love the selling aspect of our business, but if we want to make money and book brides, we’ve got to do it—and not feel a bit of weirdness about it!
Today, I'm sharing my favorite ways to make authentic connections and take all of the cringe out of networking and advertising your services. Not only will these insights build your tribe, but they will also help fill your calendar with dream brides.
Photography: A Sea of Love
Floral Pros: Traditional Advertising is Out
I would bet my left shoe that you've recently asked yourself if you should invest time and money in the following:
Bridal show or magazine ad?
The Knot or Wedding Wire?
Photoshoots or advertising on wedding blogs?
Guess what? You don't have to do any of that, and you don't have to spend your hard-earned dollars on traditional advertising methods like this!
If you've been in the industry for a while, you might even have had conversations full of complaints about these methods. Are you getting leads? Are they even good leads? What was the return on investment? Effective networking is all about making connections! (And these connections will send brides your way over and over again.)
How to Kick Butt at Networking (With Advertising in Mind)
So here's the deal: I'm going to give you three no-fail steps to up your networking game (and feel good about it) with the goal of advertising your business!
Step 1: Discover How Your Clients Find You
First up, figure out where your favorite brides are coming from! How do you do this? Ask them!
Send a quick email to your favorite clients and ask how they found you. If a venue or vendor sent them your way, jot that down!
You can even do this proactively by including a spot on your contact form with "How did you find us?" to gather that information from the start!
Photography: A Sea of Love
Step 2: Create Genuine Relationships
Next, remove the ick factor with genuine interactions. When you change your networking mind-set from What can I get out of meeting this person? to How can I add value to this person's business/day/life?, you will see how easy making heartfelt connections can be.
Concentrate on asking real questions. Ask about their business, how they got started, or any horror stories they have!
Are they struggling with anything right now? Can you offer insight to help build them up? Showing a genuine interest in the other person will leave a lasting impression.
My favorite way to engage in this kind of one-on-one networking is going on a coffee date. Skip the crowded, awkward networking events, and get to know people in a more relaxed environment.
Over coffee, it's easy to keep the conversation going, and you've got something to do with your hands like holding a latte. (If you don't feel comfortable meeting for coffee under the current global situation, grab a cup to go and head to the park for a sit under the trees or a short walk!)
For networking with venues, try bringing some leftover blooms to your favorite wedding spots with your business card. You can strike up an easy conversation and deliver a sweet gift they can enjoy.
And whenever you meet with someone, don't forget to follow up with an email. The more connection points you can make, the more likely they will be to remember and recommend you!
Step 3: Return the Favor by Recommending Others
Lastly, return the favor! Email your favorite vendors and venues (you know, the ones you Instagram stalk and are dying to work with) and ask them for their pricing information.
Let them know you are putting together your recommendation list for when your clients ask about options, and you want to include them so you can work together more often. They'll be flattered, and it's just one more connection point that you can make to stay top of mind!
Photography: A Sea of Love
Photography: A Sea of Love
You Can Do This!
Believe me, I know you didn't get into this business to network, but if you want to keep that calendar filled with dream brides, you've got to get out there and shake that money-maker.
You already make beautiful flowers—people just have to know about you! Use these tips for ick-free networking and let the good times roll.
