While your relationship with many clients may naturally conclude after the wedding day has ended, there will always be the possibility for repeat work from those clients in the form of holiday parties, baby showers, anniversary events, etc. Additionally, clients will go out of their way to refer vendors who have gone above and beyond and made their wedding day even more special to them.
thank you cards
One of the best ways to continue a relationship with clients is to send handwritten thank you cards out to each couple after the big day. Or, if you’d worked with a family member rather than the bride and groom, send one directly to that person instead. You may even want to enclose a few business cards or postcards if you feel comfortable doing so. And don’t feel shy about doing this. Clients that would have referred you anyway will appreciate having an extra business card to share with a friend or colleague.
Tip: Try to send a thank you card out immediately following the wedding. That way, you’ll still be fresh in the client’s mind and he or she may be more likely to refer you, thank you publicly on your blog or write a favorable review about your company online.
feedback form
Another great way to gain valuable feedback and a larger number of testimonials from your clients is to send out a 1-page (or postcard-sized) customer survey.
Add a line for your clients to enter their name and event date at the top, as well as a line for their phone number or email address, should they request that someone from your company follow up with them after the event.
Tip: You can also create a feedback form on your website and send the link to the form in an email message, or include the URL to the online form on the hard copy form that you send out.
Ask your clients to rate you on a scale of 1-5 on:
- Punctuality (Arrived at event site on time and set up efficiently.)
- Professionalism (Treated you and your guests with respect and remained organized both throughout the planning process and during the event.)
- Customer Service (Helpful, knowledgeable and friendly, and worked to ensure that any special requests were met.)
- Quality of Work (Service or product provided met and/or exceeded the expectations of the client.)
- Overall Rating
Also, leave enough space for them to enter additional comments about your company or voice any concerns or questions.
Finally, include a checkbox at the end of the form, or a simple yes/no question, on whether they would allow you to share their comments with other prospective clients in the form of testimonials on your website or within future promotional materials (using only their first name and last initial, to protect their privacy.)