With 2019 approaching us before you know it, it’s time to start planning your end-of-year strategy. The end of the year is a time for reflecting on the experiences of the past year, while also preparing to grow and develop in the year ahead. Take a moment to consider the business of weddings and how shifts in society can affect your business.
Here are a few industry trends to look out for in 2019.
Diversity, diversity
Engaged couples come from all walks of life, so shouldn’t our industry education include diversity? Recently, there has been a big push for diverse speakers and educators with a variety of backgrounds. After all, as an industry, we should recognize the importance of viewing perspectives of different cultures, races, genders, and sexualities — these additional points of view can allow us to understand our clients and their needs even better.
A new way with words
Same-sex marriage continues to grow in acceptance and, with that, it becomes the responsibility of wedding professionals to promote an equality-minded environment for their engaged couples. Using gender-neutral language throughout your website, social media, and other marketing outlets is a subtle way to tell both same-sex and opposite-sex couples that you welcome all people, regardless of gender or sexuality.
Boutique education for niches
On the note of education, another rising trend to notice is an increase in boutique education. While national industry conferences bring out hundreds, even thousands, of event professionals, there has been a drive towards smaller, more intimate workshops and retreats. The goal of these boutique events is to provide specially tailored content designed to reach a specific audience, whether it’s based on region, shared values, or a certain niche.
Keep your values in mind when looking for new educational opportunities — these boutique conferences and workshops are great for connecting with like-minded individuals that can expand your network across the country.
A simplified life
Working in the wedding industry comes with its challenges — long work hours, inconsistent schedules, and plenty of time spent on your feet. It makes sense to want to add a bit of simplicity to your life and there are a handful of tools available that can help to streamline your day-to-day processes.
Consider outsourcing opportunities
Sure, you’ve always had an accountant to outsource your finances and you’ve worked with a virtual assistant to take care of those menial tasks. These styles of outsourcing have been around for ages, but the events industry is seeing new, more creative methods of outsourcing. Take Where Will They Stay? for example — they offer complimentary room block procurement at hotels across the country for both couples and wedding professionals. Using their service means one less thing for you to do for each client. On the same note, wedding PR and marketing firms continue to rise as professionals see the need for publicity but lack the time or knowledge to fully commit to it.
Embrace your knowledge
You love what you do and you know your stuff — what if I told you that you could monetize that expertise beyond doing great client work? Wedding professionals are seeking industry education more than ever before. They want to know how to run their businesses better, how to improve client experience, and how to be better at their trade. As an expert in your own field, you hold valuable knowledge that can be shared through mentorship or product development. Take advantage of your brain power and harness it for additional revenue.
Tune into podcasts
If you know me, you surely know that I am hooked on podcasts. In addition to having been a guest on a handful of podcasts, you can often find me listening to new episodes of my favorite series while working or driving. More and more wedding professionals have found podcasts as an effective avenue to connect with their target audience in a raw and authentic way. B2B wedding industry podcasts, in particular, have been on the rise and are a good way to promote your knowledge as a mentor, which, as mentioned above, can turn into a new revenue stream.
These are just a few trends to keep an eye out for in the next year, but the wedding business is always changing. While you’re staying up to date on floral and décor trends, try to stay on top of industry business trends as well. At this time next year, you’re sure to see a difference.
