Help! My clients want everything yesterday and then are so slow to reply and slow to make decisions when it matters.
Oh friend, to start, just know you are not alone. This can be really common with busy couples struggling to balance the stress and do do lists of life, work and wedding planning.
Reflect On Your Process
Often times our process works for us, but does it work for the couple. How are they reacting to the information you send? How can you adjust to be more clear and better set you all for success? In my initial call, I always share with my couples my planning process: Google drive is their digital wedding folder where we keep everything, Aisle Planner is for the timeline, guest replies and seating. That our calls/zoom meetings or in person meetings are to review, discuss and connect. And finally emails are to communicate options, info and general communication. Then I ask my couples how they feel about that. Are they daily email users, do they have to do a lot of zoom meetings? Do they loath the idea of using google drive or another website they have to log into? Then it’s time to adjust your process to meet their needs.
Have A Conversation
Wedding Planning is stressful! It’s really important that you educate your couples on the process, the realistic schedule and timing of planning. Be sure your education comes from a place of kindness and generosity. They likely have never done this before. They have heard they are late to the game and socials and the internet continue to reaffirm they need to plan faster.
So have a conversation that is three parts- 1. You are not behind. I promise I have your planning schedule mapped out and we are in good shape (then review the planning schedule together). 2. As much as I’d love to get you all the answers instantly, vendors can be slow to respond and it often take 2-6 emails on the back end to give you one organized email with options. 3. What is also important is that you review and make decisions fairly quickly so we can continue on a good pace. You may need to schedule an hour or so a week to review what I have sent over and reply back.
Be Flexible, But Firm
After you have adjusted the process, educated from generosity and started on your new plan- if they are still slow to respond, then it’s time to schedule more regular check ins that hold everyone accountable. I have had planners really push back here that so many meetings is not what they signed up for. But personally, I operate in a place of service and hospitality and I would much rather have a one hour call regularly with my couples than send emails asking for answers every few days which leave us all frusterated.
Make Your Peace
At the end of the day, it’s important to do what you can, when you can. Not every client is going to understand your pace or give you answers when you need them. But the reality is it’s our job to do the best we can.
Learn From This
Every client, every project is a learning experience, what can you learn here? Don’t forget to really ask yourself that during and after every client you serve.
Want to learn more about wedding management and wedding day success? Join me and other planners as we take 2 days to deep dive into best practices for organizing wedding plans and putting them into action. Let’s start the year confident! Learn More Here or Sign Up Here.
Happy Planning! xo, Heather