4 simple ways to show GRATITUDE for your VENDORS’ hard work
From smallest to biggest impact on our businesses.
Say it!
It may seem implied but actually coming out and telling us just how much our efforts mean to you goes a LONG way. Many of us work solo for 90% of our work week so hearing some encouragement in ANY form will help keep us motivated through the whole week.
Sometimes that little burst of energy is just what we needed to keep going with this dream. And, that is very important!
Tip
Ok. So, there’s an old rule of thumb that says you shouldn’t tip the owner. I’m sorry but for a small business with 3 or fewer employees involved (75% of wedding vendors) this rule should just simply be done away with.
Small business owners work so hard for their clients and so much of our profits go towards taxes, equipment, supplies and software that we make FAR less at the end of the day than you think we do. As a small business we can only take so many clients each year to serve them well. It’s why we are able to give you such specialized human attention. And, we were particularly hit hard during COVID last year because of this business model.
Now, I will say I NEVER expect my couples to tip me and my team but when they do, I can’t tell you how much it means to us. To me, that says, “I saw you hustling for me. You didn’t have to do everything you did and I want to thank you for it.”
I would also never expect 20%...or even 10% but something is thoughtful if you really felt we went above and beyond the call of duty for you. And it doesn’t have to be cash! A gift certificate for a massage or a restaurant for a date night is always nice. Every once in a while someone really pays attention to my likes and interests and gets something small but special...and that’s super sweet too without much cost at all.
In our house we have a rule that we use my tips for one specific thing in our lives that we are saving for at a time. It could be that vacation, piece of equipment, dishwasher, or even the date night we have been saving for.
So, thank you! This makes an even bigger impact on our businesses and lives than #1.
Engage with us on social media
This is one you may not realize but it is a big one. Like, HUGE.
Most of us utilize social media for most of our advertising. Yes, it’s a fun way to feature our clients and give them exciting “sneak peeks” but we are really hoping you will share the photo…from our page. This has an even bigger impact than posting and tagging us in your own post because it counts more towards our engagement and brings people to our page directly.
The way the algorithm works is that it decides how engaging a post is by how many people like, comment, save and share it (people taking quizzes, polls and heart sliders in stories also effect it). If a post (or an account as a whole) is considered “engaging” enough because of these regular occurrences, it is shown to more people. When that happens it in turn means more people see it….and our page. The more people who see our posts, the higher the chance is for someone new to find our page and potentially book with us in the future.
When you think about it, you might tip someone $300 (which is AMAZING) but helping them get their posts out in the world could mean helping them book a new client for potentially thousands of $ in the future. 👌🏻
For this reason, regularly engaging with our page and sharing your pictures from our page makes an even bigger impact on our businesses than even #1 or #2.
Social media is supposed to be, well, social. So, the more social your page is, the more it pleases the algorithm gods = more bookings.
So, if you want to show your vendors you appreciate them, one of the most meaningful things you can do (even more than tipping) is to engage with their posts in the above ways. Comments and shares are “worth” the most in our world. So, even if you are crazy busy, even commenting with a quick ❤️ makes all the difference.
Write a carefully worded review
Click HERE to review Megan Hoffer Photography on the Knot!
Think about when you were looking for your vendors. You probably read some reviews before booking. Reviews are real life!
Anyone can create (or pay someone to create) a carefully curated, beautiful website and social media page that says all the right things (That’s right. Not everyone runs their own social pages). As important as a great website is, real reviews on pages like the Knot tell the real story behind it all to our potential new clients. If someone is at the stage that they are reading your review on our page, they are very much considering booking and your words may tip the scale to a whole-hearted YES!
If your vendors went above and beyond for you, say it in a review to let other people know they should book with them too. THIS along with in-person, word of mouth referrals has the biggest impact on our business and future success. Even more so than #1, #2, or #3.
I will also note that I said “carefully worded” and I meant that part. You can tell which reviews were written in 2 minutes and posted quickly to “get it out of the way” and which ones were spoken from the heart. Potential clients can hear it too.
If your vendor went way above and beyond for you, they probably spent HOURS of their own time doing extra things for you instead of spending time with their family. The least you can do it take 5 intentional minutes to write something really nice that will speak to others who might be considering booking with your vendor in the future.
Did you know you can BOTH write a review? Having a review from each of your different perspectives can be incredibly powerful. 99.9% of times the bride is the one to write the review (and that is SOOOOOO amazing!!!!) but other can too! You can ask your parents and bridal party to write a review. ANYONE can write a review…and they all matter!
There you have it. 4 ways to show your vendors how much you appreciate them. We will be so grateful for any of them but combine for full effect. 😉
Happy wedding planning!
P.S. Though there is a cut-off for review considerations to receive the Knot BEST OF WEDDINGS awards each calendar year (October) it’s never too late to write one for the considerations of future clients.
