It doesn’t seem possible that we are already onto the second 2018 issue of the magazine, but we are and I can promise you it’s a good one. Our chosen topic this issue is the Customer Experience. You only have one chance to make a first impression. The first time a potential client interacts with your brand it needs to speak to them. This first touch point could be through an email newsletter, on social media, over the phone, through your website or face to face. Whatever it is you need to have thought about the experience you want your client to have from the first moment they virtually meet you.
There are so many elements to think about when designing a customer experience for your brand. The basic ones include your marketing, your enquiry and booking process, the process after they’ve booked, during the time they work with you and after it has all been completed and the event has happened.
To really create an unforgettable client experience you need to map out the journey on paper and walk through it mentally. Try and experience what a client will experience and really think about each step carefully. The experience is what will set you apart from your competition because it is unique to you. The way your client feels and the experience they have with you will be very different to someone else offering the same service down the road.
So What’s in this Issue?
We are very excited to have our very own Academy CEO, Kylie Carlson, as the feature interview for our April issue. Kylie has been teaching and mentoring wedding professionals from around the world for the last ten years and has now launched her own brand, KylieCarlson.co, where she will be offering CEO School for Creative Entrepreneurs Online.
When it comes to being an experienced wedding planner Cathrin D’Entremont of CD Weddings based in Perth, Australia is one of the best. She is one of the founding members of our Australian Advisory Board and has some great advice for us on how to really elevate your client experience.
Stopping by to talk to us about the Ultimate Wedding Experience are the team from Vivaah Weddings, a premier Wedding Planning & Management company with offices strategically located in the UAE and Thailand. The incredibly talented Michelle from Pocketful of Dreams gives us a glimpse into her world of design and creativity and talks to us about her very personal customer experience.
How you communicate with your client is a big part of the client experience and Elie Berchan of Elie Berchan Wedding and Events Creation shares some crucial advice to help you sharpen up all points of your client communication.
David Merrell of AOO Events has long been leading the way in event design inspiration and is a long time friend of the Academy having created some fantastic video content for our Academy students. Here shares his inspiration and advice in our WedInspire article for this issue.
Andy Kuchner launched the podcast The Wedding Biz and today, he shares how he’s shaping his listener’s experience to stand out in this competitive medium.
Cavin Elizabeth is a modern style wedding and portrait photographer based in San Diego, who has recently published her first book, A Bride’s Guide to a Picture Perfect Wedding, which gives couples the tools to plan their wedding with photography in mind. She has lots of great advice on entering the world of education.
We also have some great advice from Lane’ Richards of Wedding Pro Coaching on wowing your clients and Michelle Schwartz of Modern Jewish Wedding spills the dirt on how your company can think like Disney.
Two of our UK Academy students have some great knowledge to share too. Lauren Strachan chats to us about her experience running Lace Sixpence Weddings and Events in Scotland, and Monica Naclerio of Amalfi Soiree talks about elevating your client experience with workflow.
Louise Rowland of Fleurir Creative gives us some sound advice on creative marketing and Brittny Drye of Love Inc gives us the low down on creating an inclusive client experience.
Our regular columns with Meghan Ely on WedPR, Kathy DalPra on WedSEO, Shannon DePalma on WedSocial, Heidi Thompson on WedPromo, Emma Etheridge on WedBiz, Christina Scalera on WedLegal, Kellie Daab on WedExpert, Lindsasy Lucas on WedVenue, and Sam Lloyd on WedGuru, are also packed with great advice and tips as per usual.
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The beautiful images from this issue of the magazine were from a shoot called Thoroughly Modern Cecilia. Meet the talented team behind the shoot:
- Site Management & Styling: What Peggy Did Next
- Venue: Hill Place
- Photography: Ikonworks
- Creator and MUA: Frances Moore MUA
- Hair: Bridal Hair in Hampshire
- Florals: Judith Searles Flowers
- Props, Stationery & Signage: Beyond Vintage
- Catering: Small Piece Catering
- Bridalwear: Exquisite Bridal
- Jewellery & Hair Pieces: Victoria Ferguson
- Bridal Shoes: Hannah Elizabeth Bridal
- Menswear: King and Allen
- Bridesmaids Dresses: Maids to Measure
- Cakes: Jemima Cakes
- Ring Box: The Mrs Box
- Silk and Silk Ribbons: Silk and Purl
- Silk on Table: Beckford Silk
- Model: Victoria Lindsay Coutts
- Rings: The Exquisite Collection
- Honeymoon Book: The Safekeeping Society
