So, you want to learn more about how you can use email marketing as a wedding pro, and if Flodesk might be the right email marketing tool for you? In this article, I'm sharing with you step-by-step how email marketing will help market your wedding industry business in a new way.

As a wedding pro, you've heard all about email marketing, but email marketing techniques don't necessarily work the same for wedding industry business owners.

Why? Because your customers are here today and gone once they get married. And you usually only sell to them once (I hope you're turning them into legacy clients, but that's another blog post!).

Most email marketing strategies are all about building a massive list of qualified buyers and spending the next several weeks, months, and even years warming them up. It's the key to unlocking sales for product-based businesses and online business owners.

That doesn't quite work the same for the wedding industry, where a customer's lifecycle is about a year–or sometimes, just a matter of weeks.

So how can you use email marketing in your business to make more money and attract your dream clients? That's where my favorite email marketing software, Flodesk, comes in. 

If you decide you want to jump into email marketing after reading this article (which, btw, yay!), you can click here and save 50% off Flodesk with my special Flodesk promo code–or use code CANDICE50 at checkout.

Let's start with some questions you probably have about email marketing as a wedding pro.

What Is Email Marketing?

Email marketing is acquiring email addresses through several different means to grow a list of qualified customers that communicate with via email. 

Email marketing is useful on so many fronts, but mostly because these potential customers have opted to hear from you directly.

They want you to connect with them in their inbox and give them some help!

Over time, you can grow an incredible email list of curated customers who buy from you again and again. 

Why Is Email Marketing An Effective Strategy For A Wedding Pro?

You're probably using several platforms to get the word out about your business. I'm positive you're on the ‘gram, and you might be dabbling in Pinterest and some other social media networks.

So what's different about email marketing–and why should you add it to your marketing portfolio?

Email Marketing Helps You Speak To Your Wedding Customers In A More Intimate Way

Email marketing lets you speak directly to your customers in a more intimate way than other mediums. 

Think about it: A wider audience is the subject of your Instagram post. The images you select and even the captions you write are typically positioned for a crowd. (how many times have you started a story with, “Hey guys!” haha)

Pinterest and blogging are also for the masses. Even if your content speaks to that “one customer,” the customer knows it was written to reach many.

Email marketing is different. A customer's inbox is a sacred space; it's where they exchange communication and ideas with others–and they're inviting you into that sacred space to talk to them directly.

Consider all the relationships you have with friends, colleagues, and service providers, where you mostly speak to them via email. I bet it's a lot! You can be one of those unique relationships when you grow an email list and talk to your customers inside their inboxes.

You Can Slowly Nurture Those Wedding Leads Into Qualified Buyers

Unlike other marketing mediums, you've got a direct line of communication with your dreamy clients. Email marketing lets you slowly nurture those leads into raving fans and qualified buyers.

Do you know what that means?

It means you're making more bank!

When you use email marketing to create connection points with your idea clients–like answering their questions, helping them make decisions, and even sharing more about you in a fun way–you're going to be twice as likely to book that customer.

Why? Because…

Email Marketing Helps Accelerate The Know/Like/Trust Factor In The Wedding Industry

You might have heard this term knockin' around (and for good reason). The know/like/trust factor is one of those foundational marketing and sales principles that's been around for eons, and it never goes out of style.

Just in case you're not familiar with this term, let me give you a crash course (because I could write a whole article on this alone–which–hmm, maybe I will!).

KNOW: 

For your ideal clients to purchase from you, they first have to know about you. This is where marketing, advertising, and brand awareness come in.

KNOW = OPT-IN: Your ICA finds you through something of value that you offer, like a sick opt-in that helps them in their wedding journey (we'll get to that in a sec!). The opt-in is what pulls this person to you, elevating your brand into their awareness. It's like being introduced to someone at a party for the first time.

LIKE: 

No one buys from someone they don't like. Fact. If you want someone to hire or buy from you, they have to like you. This is where email marketing and mediums like Instagram stories come in.

LIKE = CONNECTION POINTS: In your nurture sequence, you're going to share more about yourself and try to create a connection point with your customer. This will help to accelerate the like. What do you and your customers have in common? Time to talk about it.

TRUST: 

Trust is earned over time. For some potential customers, they immediately trust you based on what they see and read. But for most customers, it takes some time to earn their trust. Email marketing does this THE BEST out of any marketing medium.

TRUST = CONSISTENCY: With a nurture sequence, you can consistently show up in your ICA's inbox and help them solve their problem. With each informative and helpful email, you build trust with that person.

So there you have it–the know/like/trust factor. Can you start to see how email marketing can help you with all three? 

To get started, be sure to download your free nurture sequence workbook >>

How Can I Use Email Marketing As A Wedding Pro?

Ok, cool, Candice. But how can I use email marketing as a wedding pro?

I'm glad you asked! As I mentioned, email marketing for wedding pros is a little different–because your customer's lifecycle is usually a lot shorter.

But that doesn't mean email marketing can't work.

The easiest way to incorporate email marketing in your wedding planning biz, photography biz, and even floral design biz is to create a nurture sequence that sends emails automatically.

Here's how it works:

STEP ONE: Opt-in

Ditch those “subscribe to our newsletter!” forms and spend a little time creating a highly valuable opt-in that solves your customer's problem. If you're a wedding planner, create an opt-in guide of the top [insert type] of wedding venues in your area. If you're a photographer, create an opt-in guide of your area's best engagement shoot locations. 

There are tons of ideas you can use, and these are just a few examples. No matter what you decide, make sure that your free download is valuable, and solves your IDEAL clients' problems.

Ok, sweet! You got your opt-in idea, which is a much more attractive way to gain subscribers to your email list. Now what?!

STEP TWO: Create a Nurture Sequence

A nurture sequence is a series of emails scheduled to go out to someone who opt-ins to your freebie. You write them once, and when someone signs up for your free download, they're automatically added to a sequence of emails that nurture the heck out of them.

So no, you don't have to send out a weekly newsletter to your subscribers. I mean, who TF has time for that, anyway?

You can pre-write a series of emails that go out over a time period you choose and let your copy do the work for you.

Here's how your nurture sequence should work on a 5-week timeline.

The First Email: Delivering Your Wedding Related Freebie

Your new subscriber gets the download in their inbox.

Write them a short note and remind them of what you do–and that you're going to pop into their inbox over the next couple of days or weeks. Consider encouraging them to follow you on the ‘gram if they don't already!

The Second Email: Accelerating The Like

In 24 hours, they get a follow-up email introducing them to you and what you do.

This is a great way to accelerate that know/like/trust by sharing some personal details about yourself and why your business exists to serve them.

You're talkin' to your ideal client, just like you would in a consultation. Use this email to warm them up, make them laugh, and create a connection.

Don't be afraid to infuse your spunky personality–no one wants to get some corporate email!

The Third Email: Get In Their Heads

3 Days after your intro email, nurture them with some FAQ questions they'll probably have after downloading your opt-in.

This email is a great way to show them you're a pro–and that you're IN their head. You know the questions your customers usually ask regarding venues, engagement photos, or paper types. Whatever your opt-in is about–use this email to answer questions they probably have after reading it.

They'll think–wow, how did s/he know I didn't understand that? Because you're a mind reader, of course. You make magic happen all day, every day!

The Fourth Email: Serve Them Again

In one week, after your helpful FAQ email, consider directing them to another resource you've built. Maybe it's a blog post or a podcast episode you've been featured on. Having them click and engage with you is a great way to keep the conversation going.

The Fifth Email: It's Time To Sell

A week after the last email, send out an email that sells.

Yes, I said now it's time for you to start selling. You've helped them out a ton, and you've been a consistent presence in their planning. Now's the time for you to sell a service directly related to the opt-in.

Don't be afraid to go all-in on the sale and encourage them to “click here to book your appt/consultation/session.” This nurture sequence's whole point is to warm up a cold lead and turn them into a customer. You can't do that if you don't ask for the sale!

The Sixth Email: Ask For The Sale Again

We never just ask for the sale once! In a week's time, ask for the sale again but in a new way. Maybe they were busy when they saw your last email–or perhaps they deleted it by accident.

Gently nudge them toward the next step in your booking process and share with them why your product/service is the answer to their problems AND what life will be like for them once they click this link.

The Seventh Email: One Final Encouragement + Selling

One week later, send a final parting email in your nurture sequence. Thank them for downloading your free guide, send them to your product/services page one more time, and wish them all the best in their crazy planning adventure!

Can you start to see how email marketing is a SUPER effective way to land more sales in your wedding industry business? I thought so!

Why is Flodesk Perfect For Wedding Pros' Email Marketing?

There are tons of email marketing platforms out there–why Flodesk? Oh, my friend, that's simple.

Because the eye buys.

You and I both know the wedding industry is a VISUAL industry–your customers are continually buying with their EYES, and Flodesk delivers. In Flodesk, you can create BEAUTIFUL, customized emails that will help your ideal clients buy your products and services with their eyes.

No email marketing software on the market can compare with Flodesk's platform. How do I know? Because I've used them all!

Click here to start a free trial with Flodesk and give it a go yourself. I promise you in just a few clicks, you're going to be a believer and convert! When you sign up with Flodesk using this link or code CANDICE50, you'll receive 50% OFF Flodesk.

Yup, that's right. 50% off Flodesk. No matter how big your email list gets. No matter how many emails you send out. The price never increases (and it's just $19 a month, which is cheaper than that ad you've got on a wedding directory we won't name–but it sends you the worst leads all the time!)

And if you're wondering the difference between Flodesk vs. Mailchimp – check out this article!

Explore More Wedding Industry Resources

• How To Create An Offboarding Process In Your Biz
• Why You’re Not Attracting The Right Clients and How to Fix It
• 50% off Flodesk Promo Code
• How to Create An Automated Email Marketing Funnel That Sells With A Nurture Sequence
• 7 Best Habits For Wedding Pros To Adopt
• Five Wedding Planner Tools You Need to Use In Your Business
• In a Marketing Funk? Tayler Cusick Hollman from Enji Has The Answer To Creating Your Marketing Plan
• The Truth About Wedding Directories And If They’re Worth The Money… Here’s Everything You Need To Know
• What Are The Best Resources For Wedding Planners?
• How To Sell Your Wedding Planning Services: The 7 Stages Of The Sales Cycle

Some of the links used in this blog post are affiliate links. When you purchase something, our company receives a small compensation at no cost to you. This compensation helps to maintain the cost of creating helpful content, like our podcast, so you can build a profitable business with purpose.