I was in a coaching call recently speaking with a client who is going all in on her business and wants to make sure she’s as booked out as possible.

It’s a common goal for all wedding and event professionals, and really all business owners, of course, and something we talk about here and in our membership all the time.

We were talking about networking and getting referrals, especially by other vendors, when she told me that’s great, and she’s definitely working on it, but what she really needs is help with her marketing.

When we dug a little deeper, what she meant by her marketing, was her social media.

It’s so normal in the world we live in to feel like social media is where we find, attract, and even book our clients, and that it’s what marketing is.

BUT, marketing is so much more than just social media.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love social media. And it IS a form of marketing. It’s just not the only form.

My personal favorite forms of social media are Instagram and Facebook, but I really do love it all.

I love creating for it, posting on it, perfecting my profiles, all the things.

But what I love most about it, is the potential for making connections on it.

And networking and connections and collaborations and referrals are a form of marketing too.

When you do it correctly, it’s the most powerful form of marketing, and the one that pays back in the highest dividends, over and over and over.

The truth is, it’s still the connections that we make that are the absolute most effective way to fill our calendars.

So while social media is one form of marketing, there really are a lot of other elements in marketing, and it can be easy to forget that.

What if you were able to see your social media as kind of a billboard that shows other vendors you’re connecting with what you and your business are all about?

If you were just as focused on the effectiveness of your profile, and who you are able to tag in your posts, as you are about your follower and like counts?

Would this change things for your business? Spoiler alert, it will.

Using the smart marketing techniques to make connections is so critical for the growth of your business.

When I say it fills your calendar, I realize that’s a big claim.

But think about it, when you see a post on social media as you’re scrolling by, are you more likely to book with that business than you would be if a friend or fellow business owner told you that that business is amazing?

Of course not. Referrals are a super powerful thing.

Someone, a future client, when they reach out to because someone told them how awesome you are, is going to be the one who reaches out and asks if you’re available, instead of the dreaded first questions of “how much is it?”.

Hot tip: Make sure you’re always thinking about building (and nurturing) those relationships with other vendors, as part of your marketing strategy.

You can always reach out to me at friends@letsbookclients.com, I love hearing from you.

If you have a question I can answer on the show, or if you leave a review for the show, I just might feature you here soon.

Thank you as always for being here with me where we learn, grow, and connect together!