This was my first year attending the Wedding MBA Convention in Las Vegas. I was unsure of what to expect since the ticket price was so low ($250) for a 3-day convention. There were over 60 sessions that could be attended over the three days. I went to all that I could each day and I have picked my favorites to share with you.

Day one started with four keynote speeches. Topics included marketing, using technology to reach nearly weds, business finance, and what’s next in tech. The major takeaways from keynote addresses were:

• Your website should be your #1 salesman. It should be easy to find contact information on every page.
• Realize that your competition may not necessarily be other wedding planners; it may be the notion that the couple does not need a planner at all.
• Our target market of couples will always be the same age, but we will get older. As an industry, we need to realize that and meet potential clients where they spend their time online. This may mean delving into social media platforms like Instagram and SnapChat.
• 50% of millenials (born 1982-2000) use social media to make major purchase decisions, so you need to make sure that your marketing mix includes a great social media plan.

After the keynotes, there were 3-4 sessions to choose from each hour and a few times per day there were a series of 10 minute WED Talks. Some of the takeaways from my four favorites were:

WED Talk: Turn # into Money

• You can create buzz for your business by creating unique hashtags for your posts. (Ex: #cheersweddingdesign when I post my work at weddings).
• Use local # in addition to your unique # to target your local market.

Session: Misinformed – Handling the Bride’s Pre-Conceptions

• Many potential clients do tons of research before meeting with you; they think they know what you should be charging and what you will do for them. Your job is to listen then figure out exactly what they want.
• Hiring wedding professionals is an emotional decision, not a practical one. The couple needs to feel understood and that you “get them” and their wants and dreams.
• Be direct in what you do and do not do, based on your contract. It is better to be up front about your policies and practices than to disappoint later.

WED Talk: Charging What You Are Worth – When to Raise Prices

• If your calendar is filled easily with no price objections
• If clients comment on how reasonably priced you are

Session: Wedding Confidential – From Appointment to Reception

• This session was a large report based on a study that was done with recently married couples about the wedding planning process.
• 9/10 brides and grooms said that if they knew what they know now about planning a wedding they would have spend MORE to hire vendors who understood their vision.
• Couples also said that even if they had a number in mind that they wanted to spend on a certain service provider, they would spend more if they connected with that individual.

There were many more amazing workshops/sessions that could be delved into. I would recommend attending this conference at least once for wedding planners who would like to learn more about marketing their business.

Today’s post is a guest post from Amber Peterson. Amber is the owner of Cheers Wedding & Event Planning in western Washington. She has a Masters Degree in Integrated Marketing Communications and previously worked as a marketing consultant for wedding industry professionals. Amber is also the co-founder of the Skagit Wedding Society.