I’m a sucker for nice people. More specifically, I’m a sucker for being nice to nice people.
When I worked in the wedding venue world, my assistant quickly became privy to this and before long, I was the lucky recipient of every phone call and email from non-prospects wanting a tour or general information.
College student with questions for his or her term paper? Brand spanking new wedding planner? Venue that simply wanted a tour and talk shop? A class full of wedding planners who wanted to pick my brain? Well, I was your gal.
Did I grumble from time to time? Sure- I worked partially on commission and knew the ramification of what may be considered not so productive hours. Did I have to write some back and ask them to touch base with me during the off season? Sometimes.
But did I always, always respond to every request? Absolutely.
When I dove into the world of wedding marketing consulting, I took that very notion with me. Every intern request received a kind reply back. Same went for LinkedIn contacts who asked for a few tips and tricks, and those who inevitably confused me for a wedding planner.
So imagine my surprise when I found out that my clients’ emails and calls would go unreturned. Correction- there was only one local person who consistently responded time and time again- someone who is well respected for his business know how, as much as his talent.
The fact is- people appreciate acknowledgment. It is far better to write someone a quick “thanks but not thanks” than leave them hanging. You never know who the person on the receiving end may be- the next biggest thing in town, someone who could offer referrals, a bona fide intern extraordinaire.
Plus who wants to me known as the person who never gets back to you?
I know what you’re going to tell me- you’re too busy. Believe me- I get that. But if I could average 1,000 emails a week in my wedding reception hey day and still could muster a brief polite reply to all emails, well I’m pretty sure you can find two minutes out of the day.
So take the time, hit that reply button and make something nice happen.
Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding marketing and wedding pr firm OFD Consulting. She is the exclusive wedding pr columnist to wedding marketing journal WedLock magazine and is a highly sought after speaker in the wedding industry. She loves ruffle table runners and Royal Wedding Tchotchkes. To learn how OFD Consulting can assist you with your wedding marketing and wedding pr, please contact us today.
