If you're a wedding planner, you know that the job is so much more than just planning. You're running a business, and that means bringing your A-game every time. But have you ever thought about how to take things to the next level? How to wow your clients in ways that they never thought possible? In this article, we're going to explore the art of “surprise and delight” and how you can bring more of it into your wedding business. This is one of my favorite topics as a wedding business coach – so grab your favorite beverage and get comfy!

Are you interested in taking this even further after today’s article? I would highly recommend reading The Power of Moments by Chip Heath. It’s one of my favorite book recommendations for wedding planners as a business coach and it’s where I pulled these 5 categories from below!

First – What Does “Surprise and Delight” Even Mean?

Simply put, it's an unexpected moment that nurtures your customers and = defies their expectations. When we think about our customer's journey with us and all the touch points that we have with our customer, we want to find unique ways to do just that, and today, I’m going to share 5 with you!

Why You Should Surprise and Delight Your Customers:

There are so many good reasons why you should be intentional about surprising and delighting your customers, but here are the first ones that come to mind:

1. Improves customer experience
2. When your customers recall working with you, they will remember these moments
3. Enhances your interactions with customers
4. Creates client loyalty (which in turn, increases profitability)
5. Turns clients into raving fans
6. Affirms their purchase
7. Makes the process of working with you fun and exciting
8. Separate yourself from your competitors

Now, let’s move on to the 5 opportunities to surprise and delight your customers!

Elevate Their Experience

Elevated experiences are what make people feel engaged, joyful, amazed, and motivated. In order to achieve elevated experiences, we must focus on the experiences that matter most to our clients. Data mining is a great way to reveal what matters most to your clients. Then, once you know that, focus on enhancing and elevating those experiences. Understand what they value and deliver on those values. 

Another way to elevate their experience is to simplify their experience. And this might seem counterintuitive, but I will say that I’ve seen firsthand how simplification really changes the game in a client experience. As business owners, we all have this tendency to want to throw more at our customers, but what if you could simplify the experience for them and make it easier? Would that surprise and delight them? After all, they’ve likely been told a thousand times that wedding planning is supposed to be hard.

Boost Their Senses

What can you do to make your couple smile? Whether it's a random act of kindness or a carefully selected gift, adding an extra sensory element can really surprise and delight someone. Sending a gift is a great touchpoint, but you should also think carefully about the experience of receiving it. Will it smell good? Taste good? Feel good? Sound good? All of these factors can create a truly memorable interaction with your customers.

Of course, the best way to create a memorable experience is to meet with your customers in person. I think at this point, we have ALL gotten a little too comfortable with Zoom and people are itching to go out again. Instead of a simple office meeting or meal, consider more creative options. Take your customers out for a drink in an environment designed to delight their senses. Treat them to dinner or bring a special gift to their house. By creating positive sensory experiences, you can build a deeper connection with your customers and truly make your interactions extraordinary.

Whether you're presenting a mockup, delivering a photo album, or just getting together for a chat, try to go above and beyond to give your customers an experience that they'll always remember. With a little thought and effort, you can create a truly unforgettable connection with the people you serve.

Defy Expectations

Next, how can we surprise and delight our customers by defying their expectations?

The secret to exceeding customer expectations lies in anticipating their needs before they even ask. This can be challenging, especially with demanding Type-A customers in the mix. Take this as your opportunity to get ahead of the game and deliver the wow factor by surprising them. This doesn't have to involve any costly gifts, just something of value that your unique business can offer.

For instance, if you are a cake designer, what can you offer as a surprise for a cake tasting? You could also surprise them by holding back on some of the services you provide and over-delivering by giving extra value at no additional cost. Instead of listing out every single bullet point of service, changing the customer mindset by delighting them with an unexpected service can lead to remarkable results.

Another way to surprise and delight your customers is by providing help in unexpected areas. By thinking of ways to be more helpful and implementing streamlined processes, you can deliver excellent customer service and exceed their expectations.

Ultimately, the key is to deliver the best possible work and keep promises. Underpromise and overdeliver to continuously exceed customer expectations, and focus on maintaining the highest level of organization and efficiency possible. By putting these principles into place, you can take your customer experience to the next level and build long-lasting relationships.

Recognize Them

Understanding your customers at a deeper level is key to building strong relationships with them. You don't need to push them to the point where boundaries are blurred but try to create connections where you can. Take the time to chat with your clients and learn more about them. Small things can make a big difference. If you know your customer's favorite coffee order, surprise them with a gift card. Do they have a favorite flower? Send them a little arrangement on their anniversary. By paying attention to these details, your customers will feel acknowledged and appreciated.

Showing your appreciation doesn't have to be complicated. Sending a simple handwritten note or checking in on them unexpectedly can make a huge impact. The goal is to recognize your clients and show them that you value their business. I always make sure to end my emails by thanking clients for the privilege of earning their business. It's an honor when someone trusts you enough to exchange hard-earned money for your services. By acknowledging this, you demonstrate your commitment to providing the best service possible.

Basically, take the time to build genuine connections with your clients. By noticing the little things, showing appreciation, and acknowledging their value, you can create a positive and lasting relationship with those you serve.

Multiply Milestones While They Work With You

As a business, it's important to keep your customers happy and feeling appreciated. One way to do this is by creating milestones for them in their journey with you. If you haven't already done so, take the time to map out your customer journey. Identify key moments where there's a milestone occurring and create a roadmap for your customers to see how their journey with you will unfold.

But it's not enough to just create these milestones – you need to celebrate them as well. Find ways to surprise and delight your customers when they reach a goal or milestone, whether it's through a personal email, sending a little gift, or simply saying “good job”. Celebrating these milestones will not only make your customers feel appreciated, but it will also affirm the work that you're doing and remind them why they hired you in the first place.

Making Sure You Surprise and Delight Your Customers Every Time

Are you ready to surprise and delight your customers and enhance their experience? You don't have to spend a ton of money to achieve this! Simply over-deliver on your existing offerings, find ways to make them happy, and make them feel appreciated.

Here’s what I want you to do next. Begin by reviewing your systems and processes and identifying areas where you can elevate their experience, boost their senses, defy their expectations, get to know your customers better and celebrate more milestones with them. And here’s the good news – you don't have to do everything in one go. You can start by chipping away at this bit by bit, experimenting with new ideas, and seeing what really makes your customers feel happy and surprised. It's all about trying to find little ways to exceed their expectations and make them feel special. It’s one of the most exciting parts of the wedding industry!

In the end, all the hard work will be worth it. Your customers will feel more loyal to your brand, and the recommendations they provide to their friends and family will become more sincere and heartfelt. So go ahead, put these ideas into practice, and make sure to report back and let me know how it goes! I guarantee you will love the results!

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