My first job out of college was as a Marketing Director for a law firm in Chicago.  I will never forget sitting down in my first interview and being asked what I thought of the firm’s website.  Of course, I had done my due diligence and looked up the firm prior to my interview.  My response to this question was, “Honestly?  I think it looks more like the store front for a Halloween store than one of the top law firms in the city.”

The firm’s colors were blue and gold, yet the website was a horrible orange and black gradient with way too much content on the home page, the contact information was extremely hard to locate, and the attorney’s biographies and photographs had not been updated in 10 plus years.

Being honest paid off and landed me the role as Marketing Director to which I also accepted the responsibility of re-branding the firm and giving it a major face lift.  This is something that all companies in all industries need to look at once a year.  There may not always be something big that needs changing, but a tweak here and there can make all the different to a potential customer considering you as their wedding planner.

Think about all of the different ways to reach an audience.  In today’s society the internet is full of various social media accounts, websites, videos and blogs. We have printable marketing material such as flyers, brochures, business cards and folders. Billboards, radio and TV advertisements are also possibilities in reaching new business.  One thing I cannot stress enough to business owners is my favorite word – consistency. A bride and groom should be able to look at your company website, then go to your Facebook page and not have any doubts that both belong to the same owner.  Your brand represents you.  No you are not a logo or a color scheme, but it all summarizes your business and the image you want people to have of the kind of work you do.  If you cannot keep a consistent image for your own business, how can you expect a wedding couple to trust you to do that for their wedding?

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram –  they are all available at our fingertips.  With the swipe or touch of a screen we can upload as many images and posts as we want within seconds of taking a picture.  This should allow you to keep your social media accounts current with events you have done recently.  Do not have only the first wedding or event you planned showcased on your profile.  Make sure that clients can see what you are working on today.  It’s also great to share other vendor’s work as well to help each other out.  Social media also allows you to brag a little.  Ask satisfied clients to post happy feedback on the wall of your business Facebook page so that others viewing it can see the great work you did for them.

Earlier I mentioned outdated biographies and images.  While we may not love to take new pictures and the idea of showing that we have aged from the time we first started our businesses to now is not always appealing, it is important for the bride and groom to see who they are hiring.  The biography is important as well, because you’ve probably received awards or recognition throughout the years or obtained new certificates.  Rewrite a description about yourself from time to time to keep it current and inform people about the you of today.

Doing a little house cleaning on your business doesn’t have to be timely or expensive.  Take a day here and there to look over what you have.  Place your marketing materials side by side and compare their elements.  Are the colors the same?  Do you use the same font on all of the pieces?  These are small, but relevant details in the overall image and brand of your company.  This will all benefit you and your future success.  Don’t put off an easy task that will only better you in the long run.  After all, design is all part of what we do and why not have some fun doing it for ourselves!

This is a guest post from Christine Bochniak. Christine resides in Galena, IL where she works as an Author Account Manager for Kendall Hunt Publishing. She also works as a wedding coordinator part-time for her own business Rise Events Planning.