Social media is a blessing and a curse at the same time isn’t it? It’s the most amazing way to be connected with family, friends and in our case, like-minded colleagues from all over the world, but on the other hand, it can be a place where negativity and judgement can lurk, quite often self-negativity and self-judgment. It can be a place where our own insecurities and vulnerabilities can be exposed or in many cases triggered and where we can be easily disheartened.
Social media allows us to see a glimpse into other peoples’ worlds and sometimes these glimpses allow for inspiration, for confidence boosting and for companionship. But other times, our fears are exposed, and we start to compare, make notes and wonder why you’re not doing/saying/thinking/booking/enjoying/receiving this, that and the other, as others are.
This is where social media has its down sides.
Maybe you too have looked at other Celebrants online and seen your levels of admiration make you doubt or worry about your own success as a Celebrant and you start to think of what magic formula you need to know of to ensure your own success.
I hate to tell you this, but no such formula exists. There is no magic formula which can help you to achieve success as a Celebrant, nor a process where if you do X, Y and Z, then you will be a successful Celebrant. There are SO many factors which contribute to a Celebrant having success as a Celebrant, many of which are not tangible and which we’ll never even be able to put our finger on, so we can’t possibly say that by doing this, that and the other that we will have success.
Success anyone?
And what exactly is success? One person’s definition of a successful career, is likely to be very different to another. Is success determined by how many bookings and clients you have? By how many times you’ve featured on a wedding blog or industry publication? By how many 5 star reviews you have? Or how amazing you are at what you do? So how can you have a set formula for success, if everyone’s definition of what success is, is different? There are however without doubt, elements of success which most Celebrants share, namely;
- to be a reputable Celebrant in your area
- to have a strong presence online
- to have good relationships with others within the event industry
- to have a stream of regular bookings
Every ‘successful’ Celebrant has had his or her unique path to success. They each have had their unique set of circumstances that helped them to achieve what they wanted to achieve in their career, and so trying to follow or replicate what they do or did, doesn’t mean that you will have the same level of success. You need to follow your own path. To know you own area, your own audience, build your own connections and do what works and is right for you.
Here is my list of some factors which can contribute to how successful a Celebrant can be.
Location
Depending on where you are in the world, the country, region or area can affect your success as a Celebrant, in good ways or bad.
Competition
Areas with lots of Celebrants could have an impact on how many enquiries and bookings you get
Online presence
The stronger your presence, the more visibility you will have and vice versa.
Offline presence
Your presence away from the internet is just as important as your presence online.
Website image
A professional looking website that is modern, clean and functional is going to help you to stand out in a hugely competitive industry.
Concrete enquiry to sales process
How you deal with your enquiries when they come in is tantamount to the success of your business.
USP
Having a unique selling point can really help you to stand out from the crowds.
Industry collaborations
Forging good relationships with other wedding or funeral professionals can help to establish your reputation
Marketing skills
Marketing yourself without over-selling what you do is a great skill to have and one that can be be easily learnt.
Market forces and the economy
Local-wide and country-wide economies can have an effect on consumer confidence and spending patterns, which of course all affect sales and bookings.
This list is not exhaustive but the elements listed here can definitely contribute to how well you do as a Celebrant. And all of these factors can work together in defining your success or work negatively to impact on your success.
Sometimes it’s not enough just to be a dab hand at social media. Its not enough to have an amazing website. It’s not enough to be an amazing Celebrant. It’s about all elements working together at the same time to create the success you’re looking for.
If you didn’t know it already, I am a huge believer in the power of education and learning and their ability to shape your career and contribute to the successes that you have as a Celebrant. Your education doesn’t stop on the day you become a Celebrant, if anything there is more of a need for it as you progress up the ladder, in order to stay fresh, motivated and increasingly knowledgeable.
Now is an incredibly exciting time to be a Celebrant, because now more than ever are there more resources available to Celebrants and their professional development.
This post is not meant to be negative. It’s meant to be realistic. It’s meant to help you to not think of magic formulas but to think in terms of building your Celebrant business up in a steady way, where all elements of your business are carefully planned, designed and considered. Not rushing to implement the latest technology, or to join the latest social media platform. Not doing something because someone else it but doing it, but because it’s part of a wider, measured plan for your Celebrant business. It’s about learning all that you can, the best processes, the best techniques, the best knowledge that will help you to be the best that you can be. And when you are functioning at you best in all areas, only then are you paving the way for good things to happen in the way that you foresee them.
Being a successful celebrant is a marathon, not a sprint. Have a plan. Make a plan for where you want to be in your business and how you plan on doing it. Don’t expect to be fully booked overnight, to be turning away enquiries in your first few years as Celebrant. Have the courage to start from the bottom and to build yourself up with honesty, integrity, professionalism, commitment, determination and above all, fun.
