It probably comes as no surprise that I spent a great deal of time with wedding pros- whether I’m working with them, networking amongst them or hiding in the corner of a cafe with them whispering tales of brides gone bad.
I’ve seen the good, the bad and the… well, you get the picture. What’s always been particularly interesting to me however is that time and time again, the best of the best share the very same qualities. It doesn’t matter their specialty- what matters is that at some point, they all have picked up great habits along the way.
So what makes a great wedding pro you may ask? My OFD approved list, in no particular order:
1. They don’t cut corners. When these folks sign up for a bridal show, their respective booths are the cream of the crop. Did they spend more than the rest of the lot? Not necessarily, but they did smart mapping out their design and strategies more than a week out. The same goes for their ads, Facebook pages, blogs, you name it. The mindset being that if given the choice to do something the easiest way possible or do something well, they always go with the latter.
2. They understand the cost of doing business. No one likes writing big checks that don’t ultimately send you on a European vacation, but I find that these wedding pros may grumble like the rest of us, but they understand that investments are necessary to move a business forward.
3. They keep their focus narrow at best. I’ve always contended that one can only do a few things well at any given time. It’s why I only take wedding professionals as clients versus offering my services to the masses. It’s why I had to let go of some other projects when the opportunity to teach at a local university became available. I’ve taken my cues from those around me who stick to what they know and strive to get better at that versus taking on a bevy of new disciplines. Is it wise to expand? Oftentimes, yes. Is it smart to stretch yourself when you haven’t become the very best at what you do? Nope.
4. They will always return emails. Time and time again, I come across wedding industry newbies who took the time to reach out to those also in their specialty and I never need more than one hand to count the number of people who have returned their emails- even if to thank them for their interest and wish them well. No matter how busy, the great ones always write back.
5. They know their roots. The great often go beyond their own backyards but they always remember what got them there. They may get national press or serve as keynote speak at major conferences, but you’ll still see them mingling at the local get togethers.
6. They don’t always know they’re the best. Humility at its best is a wildly talented event professional who has no idea how great they are.
Now bear in mind that like my tendency to post too many photos of my cats, these folks are human too. Not everyone is going to get it right every time. The difference between them and the masses? They certainly try.
So did I nail it? Miss anything? Feel free to share in the comments below.
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.
Photo Credit: Orange Wedding Tour, courtesy of Holland Photo Arts
