10 things GM have learnt about Wedding Business Marketing

The wedding business market is unique; whilst niche, it caters to a variety of different tastes, styles, emotions and people who are at the heart of the marketing process.

It is also an extremely competitive market, which means marketing right is essential.

2016 is seeing a number of new angles within wedding marketing and Gemmedia have put together our 10 top lessons learnt from managing the social media of Boho Wedding Festival.

1. Understand the market

This means understanding that marketing for weddings is about more than engaging the bride. There are so many factors to consider within a wedding as well as a huge variety of people involved and all need to be considered when marketing; the food suppliers, lighting companies, florists and dress makers. Each play an important role in creating that special day and will need to be considered and targeted throughout the marketing process.

2. Identify a niche

No two weddings are the same; they are the vision of the bride and groom, their lifestyles and tastes. Whilst some picture the traditional, others opt for unique or wacky. When marketing, it is important to deliver a tone of voice that caters to every taste or identify the niche that you are marketing to and create a voice that speaks directly to them. Considering every element within that niche will benefit your campaign.

3. Use Aesthetics

The aesthetics of a wedding take centre stage. We tend to visualise weddings with colours and themes; it is a sensual experience that is envisaged which means getting visual should be top priority when marketing through all channels, whether in magazines, flyers or online. Using instagram to highlight the aesthetics through quality photography and a variety of images to suit all styles will increase your following and engage a wider audience.

4. Develop an online presence

The online world is vast and gives you access to an extended market at the click of a button. Establishing your campaign online and connecting with as many relevant people as possible will enhance your campaign and create interest in what you do. Using effective SEO and relevant content will grow your presence and ensure you get you seen by an extended audience.

5. Enhance Social Media Channels

Social media has made it easy to communicate online, but the important part is extending channels in the right tone of voice with the right content. Creating eye-catching headlines, targeting niches and following social media trends on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook through the trusted hash-tag will ensure you don’t just target a large amount of people, but that you engage the ones who should be listening.

6. Create a community

The wedding market is an exclusive group, one that members become a part of and can feel excited about. If you can create a community online, which allows people to feel part of something and where they can share ideas, themes and styles you will attract a larger following to communicate to. Creating exclusive groups and member sites or emails will create attention for your campaign.

7. Build relationships

Building relationships is key to any business development. Within the wedding business marketing it is even more important to make sure those relationships are built to last. Getting to know others and creating a mutual business relationship will provide better insight in to the industry and ensure you have more contacts to work and communicate with.

8. Network with influencers

In our digital world there are now key influencers online with huge social following in almost every market. Working with those influencers to promote your campaign will significantly increase your following and popularity. These influencers work across social media channels and communicate with an extremely wide audience with an established niche that will help to support growth and interest.

9. Tell the story

People engage with stories and enjoy learning how something has developed right from the start so that they feel connected to it. This is even more important within wedding marketing; creating the ‘community’ feeling and a sense of meaning. Conveying the story of the campaign right from the initial thought process and including all the special touches along the way allows people to connect on an emotional level, which is key to successful marketing.

10. Convey meaning

Weddings are brimming with meaning. Every detail is so important and every decision needs to be the right one. It is important to show that you understand the value of every element, the emotion involved and the variety of people that you’re communicating to. Conveying this through a tone of voice that speaks to every different person and style, will ensure you make meaningful connections with your audience and encourage them to engage with you.