Not Your Average Email Marketing: How Wedding Vendors Can Nurture SMitten Sales
True story of how my husband got my number. (It’s relevant to your marketing, I promise.)
We were at a summit for a college organization. A couple of student leaders from each campus were selected to come for training. I was one of those students.
The interns from each campus also got to come. My husband was one of those.
He was interning at a nearby school’s organization, so we had interacted nominally on some trips, but that was about it.
Somehow on one of those evenings, we ended up talking in a lobby. And not surface-level fluffy stuff — it got deep.
But there were lots of meaningful conversations with lots of people. It was a thought-provoking event. Moving on.
The event ended. Which left me with a lot to think about, a lot of sleep to catch up on… and likely to get lost finding my car. (It’s a problem I have.)
So. *Guy clears throat. Adjusts collar.* He offers to walk me to my car. I haven’t fully decided about him, but, again, my success chances on my own aren’t high. And I’m not loving the idea of walking alone.
So, guy walks me to my car (which, friends, is why I’m not still wandering around the campus).
When we get there, he’s concerned about me getting home safely. He gives me his number so I can call him if I have car trouble. Then he asks me for mine so he can check on me.
Uh huh. Smooth, right? Take your opportunities, folks.
Let’s break this down. We had some low-stakes interactions. Then a more meaningful conversation. Then he gave me help I legitimately benefited from. Then he asked to keep communication lines open – for my best interest. And the story continues from there to rings, a cute little mini-us, and more.
That’s how we want to integrate solid email marketing into your wedding business strategy.
Let’s get to it.
Not Just What Everyone Else Is Doing
First, let’s acknowledge: email marketing does not work the same way in the wedding industry as it does in many others.
Weddings are single events. You’re not selling a wedding gown to the same customer every season. You’re not creating the same couples’ floral arch repeatedly. This is a one-time thing. You sell it, or you don’t. You have the chance within a window, and then you move on.
So you might wonder what email marketing can really do for you as a wedding professional.
Everybody else’s weekly newsletters and holiday promotionals don’t make the most sense.
Good observations. You’re going to need to do things a little differently.
But you’re used to that. The wedding industry has always been a different sort of business. And you’ve always been passionately dedicated enough to your craft and the people you serve to make it work. No need to stop now.
Needing to do things differently doesn’t mean the idea isn’t worth pursuing. Email marketing has loads of benefits, even for wedding vendors. Maybe especially for wedding vendors.
With email marketing, there’s an intentionality, a chance for deeper connection. You get to reach out to stay on top of a lead’s mind — above the other vendors who didn’t make the effort. You don’t have to hope they happen upon some of your content that speaks to them. You can directly communicate your care, your professionalism, your unique value, and more.
With so much competition in the wedding industry, email marketing is not something I would abandon. It could very well be the difference between a client booking you or forgetting you.
So how do you do it?
Where Email Fits in Your Marketing Strategy as a Wedding Vendor
You’re trying to build a relationship with leads.
Nurturing them is a process. It’s just like growing any relationship – except the commitment you’re looking for is the sale.
The process:
1. Soft Meeting: Before the Emails
Somehow, you and the lead meet. It could be at an in-person event, like a fun bridal expo. It might be when they hear about you from a friend or relative who just got married. It could be on a vendor listing site. It might be through your website content. It might be on social media.
At this stage, the lead notices you. You’re in the same place at the same time, and they see you.
If they’re interested, they’ll explore.
They might scroll through your posts. They could click over from your directory listing to your own website. They might binge a few of your blogs.
At this point, they want to get to know you in a low-pressure way. So let them check you out. Chat for a bit if they want to.
This is your chance to let them see your style, your process, your philosophy. Leads want to know what they’d be getting into if they pursued you. Are you their type of vendor? Do you work in their area? Can you fulfill their vision? Have you served couples like them? Will your process work with their lifestyle? Can you answer the questions they have? Do you value what matters most to them about their wedding day?
And, frankly, it’s better for you if they’ve done this digging before getting far into the inquiry process. You don’t need to waste your time with leads who aren’t a good fit.
So let them snoop. Chat when they want. Let them feel you out a little bit. Then…
2. Real Value: The Doorway to Emails
You want to offer leads real value. This is like when my husband helped me before he asked for my number. Your leads need help, too. Wedding planning is tough. They need support.
Giving leads something good and meaningful does several things to get you closer to the sale. It’s going to:
Show your expertise.
You’re proving that you can help them. You’re not a worthless drain on their time and money. You will make leads’ lives better. Their planning journey and their wedding event will be *better* because of you.
Display your dedication.
If any industry should be heartfelt, it’s the wedding industry. Couples want to work with vendors who care about bringing their wedding vision to life. They want sincere people who do excellent work. When you give leads value, you show that you care about them.
Create a sense of indebtedness.
When leads receive something from you first, they feel like they owe you. Most leads, anyway. I mean, there are moochers and freeloaders out there. But most people are willing to trade, give back, or offer thanks when someone gives something genuinely valuable. The kind of people you actually want to work with will be that way.
So how do you do that? With an opt-in, my friend. This is your email opt-in.
An opt-in freebie – sometimes called a lead magnet – is something you offer leads in exchange for their email address. If what you’re offering looks pretty darn valuable, an email address is a small price to pay. And if a lead is genuinely interested in you, giving you their email address is a no-brainer, anyway.
Lead magnets take many forms. There’s no need to stick with what others have done, but some successful opt-in freebies include e-books, quizzes, discounts, webinars, consultations, chances to win a prize, and more.
When you’re designing your lead magnet, remember your goal. You want to offer leads something irresistible to them. A no-brainer that they appreciate. You’re giving a preview of how amazing it is to work with you. And you’re hoping for an “in” to continue the conversation.
3. Keep Talking: The Email Conversion – I Mean, Conversation ;)
Now things are movin’ and groovin’. The lead digs you. The lead appreciates you. And they just happily passed over permission to keep talking.
Oh, yes, ma’am. This is your chance. This is where it goes down.
You now have the ability to reach out, because they invited you in.
You don’t have to hope and pray that leads think about you. You don’t have to wonder powerlessly when you post on social media: “Do they see me? Do they like me? Will they reach out one day?”
You can take initiative now. And you’ve already been told that you’re welcome.
So what do you do with this massive opportunity?
These are going to weave and overlap, but some top goals for your email marketing as a wedding vendor should be to:
Strengthen the connection.
Clients need to feel seen and heard. They need to know that they’re in the right place.
How will you show them? Acknowledge their feelings and struggles. Name-drop some of the things you know are probably on their mind. You know what’s on their to-do list. You know what planning-monsters will create stress and drama if they’re not kept in check.
Celebrate their wins. If they just got engaged, that’s huge! If they’re making progress organizing the day they’ll join their lives together, that’s huge!
Join them in their journey. You’re the friend, cheerleader, and mentor they’ve needed.
Convey your value.
You do need to sell yourself. But really, it’s not exactly you that’s on the table. It’s everything they’ll get because they choose to work with you.
What peace and confidence will they rest in when their wedding is in your hands? What joy will they experience when they walk into the ceremony space you designed? How will they be able to cherish this moment when you bring it about seamlessly for them? How will your helpful attendants and spacious venue affect the day for their Nana? What will it feel like to watch their captivating wedding video each anniversary? What will it be like to show their grandchildren the photos that capture her sparkle and his pride?
Show them that their wedding – with you as their vendor – will be all they could ask for and more.
Continue to offer help and inspiration.
The last thing you want to do is turn into a bum now.
Show leads that you are here for them. This will reinforce that you have the solutions they’re looking for.
Some of your favorite tips that you find every engaged couple needs to know? Share them. The best way to get the most out of services like yours? Spill it. Or tease it, and link to the blog post that spells it out. That’ll let you help leads more thoroughly and increase your touchpoints and boost your SEO.
You’re not giving away your grandma’s secret recipe. You don’t have to tell everything you know for free. But you should help the lead out.
They need to know you’re on their side.
And don’t forget to get them pumped. Help them imagine what their dream-come-true could be like by sharing some of what you’ve done for others.
It can be especially helpful to link to some of your real wedding blog posts. You’re not showing off, per se, but you want to show leads that you value them and can take care of them. With you, their dreams can come true.
Address questions, concerns, and hesitations.
Sometimes in life, we want to ignore negatives and hope they go away. But not in persuasion. Not in genuine connection.
It is one hundred percent reasonable for your lead to have hesitations. You don’t have to be scared of them. Address them.
Explain what the next steps are, so they’re not worrying about them. Give a “why” for anything that could trigger confusion or pushback. Tackle leads’ fears.
Testimonials are powerful for this. If you can find a story where a past client was initially concerned about something – like pricing, your process, or trusting their vision to you – and they came out ecstatic with the result, you have gold. Drop their story shamelessly in your emails.
Make the ask.
Go for it. If you want leads to book you, you’ve got to offer.
When you do, make that offer clear. Don’t confuse them.
Tell leads exactly what the opportunity is. Is it to book a call with you? Is it to put down a deposit to reserve their wedding date? Is it to fill out a form in order to receive a personalized quote?
Tell them exactly what they need to do to move forward with you. If leads have connected with you, given you their trust, and decided you’re worth it — because your email strategy nurtured all of these things — then you’re well set up for a “yes.”
What Are You Waiting For?
You know how important it is to nurture relationships. No one understands the value of connection more than you. After all, your business is weddings. The celebration of love. The promise of commitment. The joy of togetherness.
That’s what you’re after with solid email marketing. You’re dating. You’re serving. You’re offering.
Couples are on the search for the vendors that will make their wedding day perfect. It’s fair for them not to jump blindly into your arms. This is a big commitment, and it deserves a solid foundation.
Leads need to trust you. And leads need to want you.
If you’re serious about giving couples their best day ever, show up for them. Pursue them. Come see them in their inbox. Have real conversations. Imagine your future together.
Letting leads go is a choice you make by doing nothing.
However, that doesn’t mean that you have to stop what you’re doing and create irresistible email sequences yourself.
As a content and email specialist for wedding professionals, I love supporting vendors like you. The kind who are dedicated to doing excellent work for clients whom they genuinely value.
If you want to build connections with your leads that work out to your happy ending together, I can help.
Book your free consultation call here, and we’ll get started.
