How To Get Your First Proposal Client

When you are getting ready to add Proposal Planning to your existing services or starting your own Proposal Planning business, one of your first fears will be how you will get your first client. Any entrepreneur feels that way when they start something new.

I was once there myself. When I started The Heart Bandits 11 years ago, no one had even heard of Proposal Planning. So I not only had the stress of finding a new client, but I had to do it when no one had heard of what I was doing. There wasn’t even Instagram or Pinterest back then!

Lucky for you, things are much easier now. Hiring a Proposal Planner is now accepted and guys are eager to get the help you will be offering. So how do you find your first client? There are several ways you can get leads and score your first client. Here are a few:

Reach Out To Your Network

Since you may not have an audience yet, one thing you can do is ask everyone you know if they know of anyone that is proposing soon. You could offer your services for free or at a discounted rate in exchange for using their photos on your website and social media. Normally I would never say to work for free, but when you need photos to start showing social proof, this is an amazing way to get it done.

Introduce Yourself

Send an email or call vendors in your area that would come into contact with your target audience. For example, a jewelry store that sells engagement rings is going to be in constant contact with people that are about to propose. Reach out to them and let them know you are a Proposal Planner. Ask them if you can bring some cards by or offer them a special rate if they refer clients to you.

Utilize Social Media

Correctly utilizing social media can get you clients fast. For example, if you post a photo of a proposal and use a hashtag that is popular (but not so popular that your post will get lost quickly), you will instantly be put in front of perspective clients that are searching for that hashtag. Don’t have a photo of a proposal you have planned? No worries! You can use a stock image and give proposal advice in the post. Or you can create an ad about your Proposal Planning services in Canva so when they search for that hashtag, they will find your services.

Remember, the hardest part is getting your FIRST client. But once you do get that first client and you start having proof of your work, it can really spiral for you there. Download my FREE Checklist For Your Proposal Planning Marketing Strategy here.

I have a couple more FREE resources for you below.

Top 3 Clients From Hell

After planning marriage proposals for 11 years now, I would be lying if I said I didn’t have any clients that were a royal pain in the you know what. But there are a few that stand out and belong in my secret “wall of shame.” So why am I sharing this with you? Well I am sharing these hellish client stories for 3 reasons. 1, If you are a seasoned planner, I know that you have had your own clients from hell and I want you to know you are not alone. 2, if you are new to Proposal Planning, I want you to know that these things WILL happen and you should never let it get you down or make you question yourself. 3, I believe that the worst client experiences help shape you as a professional and help you define your future business practices. So without further ado, here are my top 3 clients from hell.

Why Don’t You Answer My Calls Guy

This client hired us on Friday late in the afternoon. We emailed him to let him know we looked forward to working with him and that we were getting right to work. Immediately upon hiring us, he started calling us non-stop without leaving a message. He would call, hang up, and call right back over and over. On the weekend, he would call all day and night and not leave messages. On Sunday we received a text message that he couldn’t believe that he paid us “this much” and we don’t return his calls. On Monday we called him and addressed his text message. We explained that we do keep normal business hours and that if there was something urgent going on and he left us a message, we would have gladly made an exception. He informed us that he expected call backs right away, day or night, weekday or not. We politely offered him a refund and told him we probably aren’t a good fit.

We felt he didn’t respect or value our time or the fact that we also valued our own family time which that is something very important to us. So we learned that if a client shows signs of that early on, we would rather not take the booking at all.

I Want A Refund Guy

You may know this guy all too well, but this particular client was extra special! He booked a rooftop in NYC for an hour proposal and it turns out his girlfriend said no. However, there is more to that story. He had proposed 3 times before and she had said no each time. So after enjoying the rooftop, even running over his time by a whole hour which we didn’t charge him for because we felt bad for his situation, we were shocked to receive an email where he was requesting a full refund. His reasoning was even crazier. He wanted a refund because there were water spots on the rooftop. NYC is a very old city and midtown is an old area. A true rooftop is exposed to outdoor elements and could obviously have water spots. Also, we include photos of the space and the water spots are not even noticeable unless you are looking hard to find something to complain about. His second reason was that he didn’t like that there were offices in the building on his way up to the rooftop. Tenants in high rise buildings constantly change and he wasn’t renting the building, just the rooftop. We politely declined the refund and he did a chargeback through his bank. We fought the chargeback and provided evidence that it was a frivolous claim. We eventually won!

We learned that it is important to always stand your ground. I would 100% offer a refund in any case that my service was lacking. But not for things I can’t control.

Indecisive & Cheap Guy

We were hired to plan a New Year’s Eve proposal for a guy with 4 days notice. The client did not appreciate the time restraint we were under, that we were planning a proposal on a holiday, and planning an event during a pandemic. He wouldn’t make any decisions and he wanted multiple scenarios presented for every option before he could make decisions. He didn’t even end up finalizing until a day and a half before. He changed his mind so much that the violinist ended up pulling out because they just couldn’t deal with all of the changes. His proposal ended up being a success but that wasn’t the end of it. After the proposal he requested that we return all props that he had used for his proposal to get a refund. After our service had ended, he continued to text us asking to help him return the used items.

Be sure to put a clause in your Proposal Planning contract that if your client causes delays in the planning, you can’t be held liable.

Although these clients were a bit of a nightmare, most of my clients are amazing. My clients generally are very appreciative of the fact that we are there to help them through one of the most stressful moments of their life. They typically send me heartfelt emails, cards, and sometimes gifts as they are so grateful for our service. If you want to be a part of an amazing industry, check out my free resources below. In my Proposal Planning school you will learn all about being a Proposal Planner and how this profession can change your life.

Pros & Cons To Being The First Proposal Planner

I was doing a Facebook Live this week and one of my members asked if there were any other Proposal Planners in their area. At first, I was confused at the question because in my mind, I didn’t see why this would matter. But as I talked to her, I realized that she was asking because she was hoping to be the first Proposal Planner there.

Now, I get it. I understand the excitement that comes along with being a trailblazer in your industry. However, along with that excitement comes a lot of pressure, uncertainty, and stress that you might not be aware of. I decided to write a blog today and go over the pros and cons of being the first Proposal Planner in your area.

Pro: Bragging Rights

It goes without saying that there is a special feeling that comes along with being the first to do something. You can brand yourself as “The Original Proposal Planner in …” or tell people that inquire about your services that you were the first planner in your area.

Con: You Have To Do Everything Yourself

If you are the first Proposal Planner in your area, you have to do everything yourself. You have to educate the market that Proposal Planning exists, convince vendors that they should partner with you, and drum up your own customers.

Pro: You Set Pricing

Probably the most exciting thing about being the first Proposal Planner in your area is that you make all the rules. One of those rules will be about pricing. It is awesome to be able to set your own pricing and be able to charge whatever you want for your services.

Con: You Set Pricing

But as EXCITING as it is to be the one to make all the rules, it is MUCH easier to follow them. If you are NOT the first Proposal Planner, you can simply do market research and find out what other Proposal Planners in your area are charging.

Pro: You Never Have To Bend

When you are the only Proposal Planner in your area, you never have to bend if a client asks you to lower your rate or to something off-brand because there is no competition.

Con: It Won’t Last

Proposal Planning is an amazing idea, and others in your area will see your success and want in on it too. So enjoy being the first Proposal Planner but don’t get discouraged when others move in. That means your idea was awesome, keep doing you.

Pro: You Set The Bar

When you’re the first Proposal Planner, you set the bar for your area. You could come in the industry planning over the top, amazing proposals and then anyone coming in after you will have to compete with that.

Con: It Can Take Longer To Be Profitable

When you are the first Proposal Planner in your area, it could take a little bit longer to get your name out and be profitable. Be patient, it will come. But it is good to set realistic expectations in the beginning.

Are you interested in adding Proposal Planning to your wedding business? Download my FREE resources below and find out why adding Proposal Planning is a must!

PSA: Stop Judging Your Competitors

Most everyone keeps an eye on their direct competitors, and I think you should. When you watch your competitors you can keep a pulse on trends in your industry and be motivated to stay on your game. But what happens when keeping an eye on your competitors turns into an obsession? What happens when you start watching everything your competitor does and it even starts making you upset?

I remember when I started my proposal planning company 11 years ago. I had a client instruct me to wrap boxes in Tiffany blue colored paper and to stack those presents next to a table for 2 for his proposal. I did exactly what was asked of me. But to my surprise, when I posted photos of the proposal later, one of my competitors accused me of copying their idea! The thing is, I hadn’t copied their idea, I was taking the direction of my client.

And that is what leads me to the topic of this blog. I urge you, not to judge your competitors and here’s why:

You Don’t Have The Whole Picture

When you see a photo of your competitors work, you may think, “they copied me,” “that is ugly,” or some other negative thought. But the reality is, you don’t know what the client asked for. You don’t if the client came to that planner with an existing vision and the planner was merely executing the vision. You don’t know if the client had a specific budget and the planner had to substitute things to accommodate. You simply don’t know any parameters that the event planner was working under.

You Don’t Know What Information They Had

With Wedding Planners, they are allowed to work with the bride AND groom to create their vision. A Proposal Planner has a serious challenge in that we are ONLY allowed to work with the Proposer yet our goal is to satisfy the Proposee. It may be easy to look at a proposal and think it was missing or lacking something, but sometimes the clients do not provide correct or ample information and the event planner doesn’t have much to go on. We have to assume that the information they provided about their partner is thorough and accurate.

We All Start Somewhere

Proposal Planning is a relatively new niche that is expanding and growing by the day. New Proposal Planners are entering the industry on a daily basis and they aren’t going to be the Dave Tutera of Proposals coming out of the gate. We all start somewhere and you may see a proposal and think “meh” but remember, the newbies are learning and fine tuning their craft too. We should be supportive and remember, we all started somewhere.

It Is Negative Energy

Hating on someone else is a non-productive habit. We should be lifting each other up and not tearing each other down. So keep these things in mind next time you think about your competitors. And hopefully they will do the same!

Proposal Planning is an amazing niche in the Wedding Industry and completely changed my life. Do you wonder if Proposal Planning might be right for you? Looking for a Proposal Planning school? Download my FREE resources below to learn more.