Working as a Wedding or Event Planner, Designer or Stylist means working with a team of other professionals, with all of you contributing your skills to the wedding, or event you are booked for. From the Photographer, to the Florist, Planner & Caterer, you all need to be able to collaborate with one another, to ensure you all do the best job you can for your collective client. As the Planner you may very well take the lead role in this ‘team’ and have booked the Vendors yourself, but even if you are the best Planner, Designer or Stylist anyone has ever worked with, it won’t mean a thing, if the suppliers/vendors you surround yourself with, aren’t up to the job you have given them. The other thing you need to keep in the fore-front of your mind always is, the buck stops with you. Your clients hire you to make sure every detail of their wedding comes together. If a vendor doesn’t do their job in the way you need them to, it is you who will need to ‘deal’ with that. This makes choosing those vendors you work with crucial.
But there is another, important thing for you to be mindful of when choosing vendors and that is, do they complement your brand?
Choosing Vendors That Complement Your Brand
Most of us working in the industry, have a network of vendors we admire, trust and respect and these are the people we choose to work with. Building that network takes time, but it is something you can start doing even before you have a client, by going out there and pounding the pavement. Yes, find vendors that fit with your brand/style online, but wherever possible meet them and if they are not located near you, pick up the phone and talk to them. Good relationships start with a personal connection, so put in the time to develop that. Learn as much as you can about the vendor and view examples of their work. If you can, talk to other or past clients. Essentially, interview anyone you are considering bringing into your network to ensure they have the same standards of professionalism as you, that you get along and that their brand identity complements yours and the clients you are looking to attract. There is no point choosing a vendor who works with ‘luxury’ clients, if your target market is ‘budget. You need a team around you that helps you create the type of weddings and events that your clients want and that appeal to the demographic you are pitching your brand to.
When it comes to choosing vendors for your brand, also look for vendors who push you creatively and inspire you to be the best you can. You will know you have the right mix of vendors when every wedding or event you work on benefits from each piece of the puzzle coming together in the right way.
Learn more about choosing your team of vendors with us, by taking a course. Simply select one of our online courses from the list to find out more. Our Course Specialists would also love to chat to you about which course will best suit your career or business goals. You will find their contact details on our campus websites.
