Ways to Use Surprise and Delight Marketing With Your Couples

Every day, you’re trying to go above and beyond for each of your couples. You think of ways you can help them make the most of their budget. You spend extra time digging into their story to design something significant. Maybe you even call in a favor with a vendor friend to make something extra special happen. 

Regardless of what you do in the name of overdelivering, your job is to do more than show up and complete the service you were hired to provide. You’re in the business of relationships, and you want each of your couples to have a great one with you. So, today, we wanted to dive into one of the ways you can start your client relationships on the right foot or strengthen them throughout (and past) the wedding planning process with surprise and delight. Read on to learn what surprise and delight marketing is, when and why you should think about client gifting, as well as ideas that can help you build your brand while you build your relationships.

What is surprise and delight marketing?

Surprise and delight marketing is simply anything you do in your marketing, sales or booking process that nurtures your relationship with a potential (or booked) client through unexpected rewards. Whether you call it upgrades, freebies, strategic gifting or bonuses, surprise and delight marketing has become commonplace in marketing strategies since it is a flexible tactic that can be used at different points in the client relationship. But don’t think of it as simply showering potential clients with gifts—this is a business strategy that you can use during your booking process and as another part of your client experience.

When and why to use it 

One of your big marketing goals is to get couples to know, like and trust you—since it is what needs to happen before they book you. And while you are likely doing more than a few things to get your couples to that point, it doesn’t stop once a contract has been signed. Instead, you have to continually work throughout your relationship to maintain the foundation and build upon it. (Sounds a lot like being in an actual relationship, huh?) So, one of the things you can do to keep your relationship strong and moving forward is to give a strategic gift.

There are different points in time and reasons you might want to surprise and delight your couples with a thoughtful gift.

• When you want to welcome your couples as clients shortly after signing a contract 
• As a way to kick off the wedding planning process and your working relationship
• When you want to give them a taste of what’s coming, what’s possible or what you’re capable of creating for them 
• To celebrate big milestones in the planning process or timeline
• As a way to say thank you, shortly after their wedding
• As a way to stay top of mind in the months or years after their wedding (as a way to encourage getting a review or word of mouth referral)

Ideas for client gifts

There are lots of things you can do, create or send as gifts for your couples—you’re only limited by your creativity and budget. But to get the ball rolling, here are a few ideas to consider. 

• Any wedding pro can create a branded gift to send couples after they’ve officially become clients
• Any wedding pro can send a fun Greetabl that is customized with photos and a small gift
• Florists can send couples home with a mockup of a centerpiece after a design meeting
• DJs or entertainers can create personalized playlists 
• Venues can offer complimentary room upgrades or spa treatments
• Caterers deliver a date-night-at-home experience that is inspired by a couple’s wedding menu 
• Bakers can gift the ingredients of something to make, along with the recipe, as a fun activity for the couple
• Beauty teams can gift one of your favorite makeup or skincare products
• Wedding planners can gift or create vow books that coordinate with the overall wedding design
• Photographers can gift an engagement session or extra print from the couple’s wedding gallery

Pro tip: Here are free surprise and delight ideas you can use when marketing your business or gifting to clients!

How to work these gifts into your budget

Speaking of being limited by your budget, we’d be remiss if we didn’t discuss what it might cost to surprise and delight your couples continually. Every wedding pro’s budget is going to be a bit different, but the most important thing to remember is that your client’s gift should not break the bank. And a good way to ensure it doesn’t is to decide on how much you’ll spend on each couple. For example, you can decide on a fixed dollar amount (perhaps $50-$100), a percentage of what they spend on your services (like 5-10%), or a hybrid approach (think 5% or $100, whichever is the least expensive). Regardless of the budget you set, make sure it’s one you can afford so it doesn’t cut into your profit too much.

Want to go beyond surprise and delight to make sure your clients have the best time working with you? Here are ways to upgrade your client experience.

Photo Credit: fizkes/Shutterstock