Are you struggling when it comes to communicating with brides ? In my 16+ working in this unique niche of the beauty industry, I discovered the key to success: building a bond with brides that goes beyond the ordinary. Join me as I reveal the secrets to building trust through high-touch communication and use my tips to instantly level up your emails and gain back valuable time in the process!

Watch the episode on YouTube, Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, or read the Highlights in the blog below!

Episode 65: Building Trust with Brides: Mastering High-Touch Communication for Seamless Bookings

In this episode, you will be able to:

• Exploit the power of influential communication tactics to bridge the gap between bridal hairstylists and makeup artists and potential brides.
• Learn how clarity and punctuality in communication lay the ground for successful relationships.
• Unleash the potential of automation in facilitating regular and more effective touchpoints with brides.
• Recognize the strength of high-touch communication in building a strong foundation of trust with brides.

The Challenge of Communication with Brides

In the world of wedding planning, communication is king. Yet, it seems to be a disappearing art, particularly amongst the younger generation of brides. This can leave many vendors feeling disrespected and frustrated, as they often invest a lot of time and effort into personalized responses, only to be met with radio silence. You don't have to be a mind reader to map out effective communication; but you do need to understand these generational shifts. From delayed responses to ghosting, you need to adapt your communication to overcome this complex issue that many bridal hairstylists and makeup artists face. 

Ways to Improve Communication

For many  bridal artists, communication is a delicate balance between setting expectations and maintaining a personable rapport. It's essential to create a framework for consistent communication right from the start of the booking process. This not only helps you as a hairstylist or makeup artist stay organized and on track but also ensures that brides are informed and engaged at every stage. Rather than reaching out to brides only for requirements, shift your communication workflow towards maintaining regular touchpoints to remind them of deadlines well in advance.  

Remember, brides have (usually) never done this before!  Planning a wedding involves a ton of moving parts, and not every bride is super organized. Do not expect them to remember when details are due or when they need to schedule.  Instead, use email templates as strategic times in the planning process to check in, remind, and continue to build trust and rapport with your brides. They will appreciate the extra level of communication, and staying top of mind means they are more likely to remember you when it comes time to refer you to other brides or vendors.

Automating Communication

Automation is a powerful tool that can streamline communication and free up valuable time without compromising on quality interaction. By proactively scheduling or automating certain messages, bridal hairstylists and makeup artists can ensure regular touchpoints without the arduous task of writing every single email. It's about being smart with your time and resources. Break down the booking process into smaller steps and identify which emails can be automated. This way, artists can maintain a steady flow of communication with brides without spending excessive time and energy sending check in or follow up emails. , like automation, that can distinctly improve the overall process.

Creating an Effective PDF

An effective PDF is so much more than just a boring document filled with policies and prices. It should be a valuable tool that can convey your unique value proposition to prospective brides. Including visual aids, concise service descriptions, and a clear outline of the booking process can all help create a more memorable and engaging PDF that leads to much faster and better bookings. This can then help position your business as being both professional and client-focused. It should be much more than merely a list of prices and should focus on describing the unique offerings and overall value of your services instead. Instead of one long PDF, try breaking down the information into smaller, topic-specific PDFs. By providing comprehensive and informative PDFs, you can indeed make a huge impression on potential brides and instantly level up their impression of both your experience and professionalism.

Avoid a Simple Price List

While a price list is convenient, it lacks the personal touch and detailed information that clients need to feel confident in their purchase decision. When all you do is list out your prices, that is the only point of reference you are giving brides to compare you against another hairstylist or makeup artist.  And when your only way of competing is based on price, you will always lose in the end. Even if the bride books, it will likely be because she values price instead of the qualities that make you amazing and unique, and she'll be less likely to be a Dream Bride who makes working together a breeze.

Creating a pricing guide that details the unique offerings and benefits of your services, alongside the prices, is a far more effective way to share this critical information. This enables potential clients to see the value they're getting and the unique qualities that set you apart.  Make sure to include other valuable information, such as how to contact, office hours, and response times, to ensure clients have a clear understanding of the booking process. By being transparent and helpful, bridal hairstylists and makeup artists can not only provide better service but also build trust with their clients.

Want more strategies to instantly level up your communication with brides?  Listen to the full episode here below!

Timestamped summary of this episode:
00:01:31 - The Challenge of Communication with Brides,
Sue acknowledges the common problem of brides ghosting and taking a long time to respond. She explains that this generation of brides lacks a sense of urgency and proper etiquette in communication.
00:03:41 - Ways to Improve Communication,
Sue shares strategies to reduce communication issues with brides. She emphasizes the importance of consistent communication throughout the booking process and advises business owners to set clear expectations and deadlines.
00:08:33 - Automating Communication,
Sue highlights the benefits of automating communication and provides insights into creating workflows and processes. She emphasizes the need for regular touchpoints with brides to maintain a high level of communication and prevent them from seeking alternatives.
00:15:34 - Creating an Effective PDF,
Learn how to create a PDF that sells your services by describing what makes you special and providing detailed information about the booking process. Use visual aids, such as timelines, to help potential clients remember and understand the information.
00:16:18 - Avoiding a Simple Price List,
Don't just provide a one-page price list. Instead, create a pricing guide that includes descriptions of what is included in each service, additional fees, and the trial process. Give potential clients a clear understanding of the value they will receive.
00:17:26 - Using Canva to Create PDFs,
Utilize Canva or another word processing system to create professional-looking PDFs. Break down the information into smaller, specific PDFs for different topics. This will make it easier for potential clients to digest and remember the information.
00:20:49 - Setting Clear Expectations,
Use your pricing guide as an initial communication tool to set clear expectations with potential clients. Include information about the booking process, office hours, timeline, and communication policies. This will impress potential clients and reinforce the value of your services.
00:24:19 - Including Important Information in Email Signatures,
Add crucial information, such as office hours and contract expiration dates, to your email signature. This will ensure that potential clients see this information in every email and avoid misunderstandings.
00:29:57 - Importance of Communication,
Sue emphasizes the importance of clear communication with clients, reminding listeners to discuss important details like extensions well in advance and repeat instructions often to ensure clients remember and follow directions.
00:30:35 - Creating Referral PDFs,
Sue shares her strategy of creating beautiful PDFs to recommend colleagues to clients. She gives an example of creating a PDF of photographers who can work early mornings in DC, making it convenient for clients and saving her time and effort.
00:32:20 - Benefits of PDFs,
Sue explains how using PDFs rather than simply typing information on websites or social media can make a more professional impression on clients. PDFs are visually appealing, easy to retain, and can be updated annually or as needed.
00:34:09 - Templates for Effective Communication,
Sue introduces her bundle of templates, including email scripts and various PDFs, to help professionals communicate effectively with clients. She emphasizes the importance of not letting emotions dictate responses and keeping policies clear and concise.
00:38:57 - Firmly Communicating Policies,
Sue advises professionals to stick to their policies without feeling the need to overjustify or explain extensively. It is important to communicate boundaries professionally and avoid writing from an emotional standpoint. Her templates provide helpful phrases and verbiage for firm yet professional communication.

What's Next?

Save time and automate your admin with my Golden Emails Template Bundle!  Includes pre-written emails and situational responses to help you create more professional communication that allows you to take the emotion out of your responses and establish better boundaries and trust with your brides.  Includes easy-to-customize with Canva PDF templates for your pricing and welcome guides plus wedding day timeline!