The Not So Secret Habits of Wedding PR Savvy Pros

by Meghan Ely  

I’ve always been particularly envious of wedding pros who could grab a 120″ linen, a handful of flowers and some table numbers and turn it into a thing of beauty. Me? I’ve always been an excel spreadsheet girl.

My couples’ Grand Entrances always started on time and my post-reception “what do we do with all these leftover candles and tulle” checklists could rival anything NASA is churning out. I learned long ago that I simply wasn’t design savvy so I relied on the experts around me to show me what looked fabulous, leaving me more time to fine tune my spreadsheets.

Wedding PR is a popular strategy among wedding pros for increasing their brand awareness and unlike my ability to pair colors, wedding PR savviness is a learned skill. Wedding pros need only to incorporate a handful of habits and strategies into their everyday thinking to better position them for the press they desire.

So what are some of the no so secret habits of wedding PR savvy pros?

1. They understand their goals. Simply having the goal “of just getting picked up” is just not an option. Throwing PR strategies against the wall to see what sticks is an ineffective use of one’s time. It’s time to ask yourself the big question- what do you really want to get out from increased press? One you’re able to come to a solid conclusion, you’re then able to fine tune your efforts for maximum impact.
2. They do their research. A blind media pitch is as good as no pitch at all. Wedding pros who enjoy a steady stream of press have taken the time to research their top blogs and magazines for content. A pitch or submission customized to a given media outlet is far more likely to be well received versus one that looks like it was created for the masses.
3. They think like the media. Journalists are constantly on deadline and the sooner you can start thinking like an editor, the better. Learn their rules for submission, as well as upcoming editorial deadlines. Keep your pitches brief, timely and to the point, and you’ll be far more competitive in the long run.
4. They see potential in their story. Not every piece of news to come out of your business is worthy of a press mention and it is imperative to understand that. On the flip side, a wedding PR savvy wedding pro can see the potential of a story forming within their company and act on it.
5. They aren’t afraid of the word NO. Let’s face it- wedding PR is designed to be a heartbreaker. You could have the swoon-worthiest wedding out there, and it may not be the right fit for your dream magazine or blog. The fact is, if you’ve done your due diligence, you will more than likely find a home for that fabulous real wedding submission or pitch.

Wedding PR can be a fantastic addition to a strong wedding marketing campaign and by picking up just a few good habits, you too will reap the press rewards enjoyed by your wedding PR savvy colleagues.

Meghan Ely is the owner of wedding marketing and wedding PR firm OFD Consulting. She is the exclusive wedding PR columnist to wedding marketing journal WedLock magazine and will be traveling to Europe in the coming weeks to speak at The Business of Weddings Ireland and the First Annual Association of European Wedding Professionals Wedding Industry Workshop. Photo Credit