5 Ways to Book More Valentine’s Day Engagements

Tis the season to get engaged!  While ⅓ of engagements happen between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, surveys predict that over 6 million couples will get engaged on Valentine’s Day.

Think about it: all those Love Actually-loving, Notebook-watching couples who will very shortly be starting the bizarrely beautiful and positively stressful process of planning a wedding.

How can you get on their radar NOW before your competitors?

Check out these strategies to be the first in line to book those Valentine’s engagements.

1) Advertise an engagement special on Facebook.

The most important aspect of any ad is the HEADLINE.  It must immediately get the attention of the brides or grooms you’re targeting by talking to what’s already on their minds.  In this case, it’s a Valentine’s Day engagement.

A headline such as, “Valentine’s Day Engagement?” or “7 Things You Don’t Know About Valentine’s Day Engagements” targeted for your client demographic will get noticed and clicked.

A few guidelines for Facebook ads:

• Use the Power Editor to create ads in the newsfeed to increase effectiveness.  Watch this video for more details.

• Target local couples in your market’s age range with a relationship status of “In a relationship” or “Engaged.”

• Send them to a special page on your website that directly relates to your ad headline and a special Valentine’s Day offer.

• Test out variations of your ad (headline, image, offer) changing one variable at a time to discover which works best.

This strategy is perfect for photographers or videographers who offer engagement sessions, as well as wedding planners who offer a “Find Your Perfect Venue” consultation.  Florists should also do this as a strategy for booking the wedding florals down the road.

2) Join forces with other wedding pros to offer a special package.

Approach the members of your wedding “dream team,” the other wedding pros who match your preferred clients and style.  Pool your resources to create an offer just for these February engagements.

For instance, a DJ, photographer and videographer create an all-inclusive style package that they advertise on Facebook, mail to recent bridal show leads and promote to their followers on social media.  Everyone splits the costs and enjoys increased exposure.

3) Partner with a jewelry store to meet couples before they even set the date.

Jewelry stores are hoppin’ around Valentine’s Day.  If you have a relationship with the jeweler, you can get in front of those couples before anyone else.

Here’s how it works:

• The groom (or the bride) goes to the jewelry store to buy the engagement ring.

• At the time of purchase, the jeweler presents him or her with a special free offer: a professional photographer or videographer will capture the proposal moment live, for free.

It makes the groom look good because he’s capturing that romantic moment forever.  The jeweler looks good because he’s given his customer an extremely valuable, emotional bonus, and it’s good for the wedding pro because he gets to meet the couple and give them a first hand experience of his work before anyone else.

This special engagement offer can easily be adapted for other wedding businesses as well.
Some ideas:

• Venues or caterers – a free engagement brunch
• Musicians – a serenade for the proposal moment
• Bakers – an engagement cupcake
• Florists – an arrangement

And the free gift you offer doesn’t have to be your service.  A wedding officiant, planner or a DJ could just as easily give them an engagement gift of a cupcake or floral arrangement.  This is a great place to offer our all-time favorite gift of information in a free report or video as well.

4) Partner with local businesses where couples pop the question.

Most cities have a Most Likely to Have a Proposal hot spot: the Empire State Building, the Grand Canyon, Disney World, Niagara Falls.

If you have a local landmark or restaurant that’s a frequent proposal destination, it’s the perfect place to get in front of those just engaged couples.

• Have the restaurant or landmark management present your special engagement offer.
• Advertise in the menus or brochures.
• Write for their blog or advertise on their website.

5) Get to the groom BEFORE he pops the question.

You can start gathering Valentine’s Day engagement leads before the holiday if you create an offer targeted at the groom-to-be who wants to make that proposal moment unforgettable.

One such groom found Jeff (my talented, guitarist husband) through a referral from Mohonk Mountain House, a local landmark and one of the 1,000 Places to See Before You Die.  (Really.  It’s on the list.)

The groom planned a romantic, proposal dinner where Jeff would accompany him as he sang “Hallelujah” and “Marry Me.”

Wedding venues, musicians, photographers and videographers might offer a “capture the engagement moment” special starting a month or so before Valentine’s Day.

Seize the Valentine’s Day

Timing is everything in life.  Take advantage of seasonal engagements as an opportunity to attract more leads for your wedding business by thinking creatively.

Do you book Valentine’s Day engagements?  Leave a comment.

Photo Credit