2006-08-23 11:28:50 · 4 answers · asked by PRECIOUS ONE 1 in Business & Finance ➔ Small Business
Name the business.
Print business cards (make sure you have a business phone line and have them printed professionally -- no one will trust a wedding planner with 'homespun' looking business cards)
Put your business on the web (even a small 3-5 page business-brochure type site will help)
Submit your website to search engines.
Write wedding tip articles (put them online and offer them to the local paper - with your business name and contact info in your byline)
Blog online if you are so inclined -- and blog on wedding topics. The more you show that you "know your stuff" the more likely people will be to hire you, so don't worry about "giving away" information -- it's a good thing!
Tell your family and friends what you are doing, give them business cards to offer to anyone that may need a wedding planner.
Make friends at the local wedding gown shops, ask to leave your business cards there.
Do the same with local jewelry stores.
You may want to create a "Top 10 Things You Need to Know When Planning Your Wedding" brochure to distribute at area wedding stores, jewelers, china shops, etc. (be sure your contact information is on the back and attach a business card to the inside)
Write a press release about your new business and approach the local paper to add it to the business section of their paper.
Take out a small business-card sized ad in the wedding section of your local paper on Sundays (or whichever day they run announcements)
Those are a few "getting started" ideas.
Visit my website for more articles on starting your own business (although they won't be aimed at a Wedding Planning business -- most are for Virtual Assistants and Real Estate Agents -- the concepts will be helpful for any small service-based business).
2006-08-23 12:37:49 · answer #1 · answered by WickedWordCraft 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.
I recommend checking out the SBA, Entrepreneur, The Start Up Journal & Nolo. All 4 are great informational resources for the new/small business owner. I posted links for you in the source box.
Associations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet. See the source box for some relevant links.
Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:
* How To Start A Wedding Planning Business by Cho Phillips, Sherrie Wilkolaski
* Start Your Own Wedding Consultant Business: Your Step-By-Step Guide to Success by Eileen Figure Sandlin
* FabJob Guide to Become a Wedding Planner by Catherine Goulet
* How to Start a Home-Based Event Planning Business by Jill Moran
* Start Your Own Event Planning Business: Your Step by Step Guide to Success by Krista Turner
I also posted links to some free articles in the source box.
Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!
2006-08-24 06:17:03 · answer #2 · answered by TM Express™ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
advertise in local papers, online, in the phone book, make flyers and put them on public bullatin boards, ask people you know if they know anyone who could use you, get booths in local fairs and buisiness fairs with flyers as to what you do and have buisness cards to hand out
2006-08-26 10:56:28 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
go up to people and ask them if they want to be married
2006-08-23 11:34:07 · answer #4 · answered by PhatCat 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋