Have you ever heard the phrase, the riches are in the niches? What it means is that you can make more by serving a specific audience. It sounds counterintuitive to offer your services to a audience in an effort to book more weddings, but choosing a niche can increase your industry leadership, result in more profit, and make your business easily referable by other wedding professionals.

Why Choose a Niche/Specialty?

Many people in the wedding industry do not want to specialize because there is a concern that they will lose business. I get that! We all want to fill our calendars and it seems like casting the widest net possible is the way to get there. In marketing, there is a saying that if you try to appeal to everyone, you appeal to no one. That means that if you are just speaking to all engaged couples without a clear message to a specific type of client, your message will not resonate with anyone. By choosing a very targeted niche, you can adjust your messaging to address their wants and needs, making it an easy decision to book you as their planner.

Some of the best reasons to choose a wedding planning niche:

Less Competition

Choosing a niche will help differentiate you from other planners in your market. Most planners offer the same types of services (with some modifications), so couples may see you as similar to the majority of other planners in your market. If your specialty is private residence weddings, then anyone who is planning this type of event will know that you have extensive experience in creating a wedding in a space that is not normally a wedding venue and you know all the challenges. When a couple is comparing planners, someone who has experience in their exact type of wedding rises to the top.

Effective Marketing

Niching down makes marketing MUCH easier! For example, if you are a destination wedding planner in Alaska, you can create a specific marketing message that attracts couples planning an Alaska destination wedding. When your messaging is very specific to a particular type of client it is far more effective than a generalized message to all engaged couples. You can be very targeted in the placement of your marketing materials, budget, and the SEO terms used in your content.

Easily Referable

Wedding planners rely on referrals from other wedding professionals and when you have a more general offer, you might be getting referred with a list of a few other planners. When you have a specialty your referral partners will be able to say “I know someone who specializes in this!” Even if you are referred in a group, your specialty helps you stand out on the list.

Having a specialty will also help you when connecting with other wedding vendors. You can align with those who serve the same niche and build relationships the are mutually beneficial.

Premium Pricing

As a niche expert, you can charge a higher price! When clients seek you out because you are the leader in your specialty you will be able to charge a premium for your expertise. Instead of being compared based on price, you are being sought out for your portfolio and how you are known for serving your market.

How to Choose a Niche or Specialty?

So, how do you choose a niche? There are many ways to find a specialty.  A good place to start is thinking about the clients you loved working with in the past. Do they have anything in common? If so, is there a niche they all fit into? If there is no commonalities, check out these simple ways to niche down:  

• Type of Wedding: Is there a specific wedding type you like to plan? You could focus on a destination, fancy elopements, second-time-around weddings, pop-up weddings, etc. 
• Client Budget: Do you want to specialize in high-end or luxury clients? Or do you have a passion for cost-conscious couples? 
• Venue: Are there specific venues in your area that you prefer to work with? Can you be the expert in planning a wedding at those places? 

These are just a few ways to niche down, do some research to determine what niche could be profitable in your market. It is possible to choose a niche that does not have an audience so make sure to do some market research to make sure you are choosing a niche that is needed.

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