What do you do at Easy Weddings?
I’m the designer on Easy Weddings’ IT team. It’s hard to describe what I do in a few words since my role here is so varied (and fun!).
I joined Easy Weddings almost a year ago and have been working on redesigning the entire Easy Weddings brand. Only a few of the things I’ve been working on are public at the moment, but it won’t be long until we launch our top secret new project and, then, everyone will be able to see what I’ve been up to.
What did you do before joining Easy Weddings?
I’ve been a graphics/web designer since leaving university and have worked with a lot of small business over that time.
One thing I’ve noticed is that many small businesses ignore visual design. Depending on their target market, this can really hinder their bottom line because the way your business looks is often the first point of contact for your potential customers, so it’s important to give some thought to it.
If your business is about making brides feel beautiful, it will be harder for brides to see that if your brand itself isn’t beautiful!
What are the three most common questions you hear from EW clients?
In my role, it’s often me who is asking the questions! However, I’ve been lucky to be invited to a few weddings recently, and I’ll always ask the bride and groom how they found the experience of planning their wedding, which gives me an idea of what they think of suppliers in the wedding industry.
At the top of their lists is always that they needed LOTS of information, be it basic wedding advice or a wedding supplier’s details.
They often cite EasyWeddings.co.uk as being a useful resource for finding great suppliers and, inevitably, they love to read supplier reviews.
Next is customer service. Nothing seems to annoy brides and grooms more than receiving no response to an enquiry, especially if they really liked that supplier’s profile.
Finally, pictures are important to them, too. It can be difficult for couples to visualise what they want, but if they can point at a picture and say ‘I like this,’ then it’s all the more easier for them – and you.
On the flip-side, a question that often comes up from small business is ‘Why is a brand so important?’
In the simplest terms, it’s what makes up your business’ personality and soul. It’s what says ‘pick me, I’m the one you need and here’s why,’ without actually making your customer read anything.
Your brand should reflect your business’ core values and can be indicative of the level of service you’ll deliver. Most importantly, your branding should be consistent.
Carry your branding across everything, from your envelopes and email signatures to the way you answer the phone and display banners at trade shows – and, of course, how you display your Easy Weddings profile. 😉
What three tips do you have for maintaining an EW profile?
I’ve covered the importance of branding and profile content briefly, but it’s worth mentioning them again as they’re just so important!
Take a look at the most successful companies around us today and you’ll notice a common factor – they’ve all got super-genius marketing teams and a significant budget.
While it’s possible to be successful without spending as much as they do, the takeaway message is don’t ignore the marketing and design aspect of your business. Business Victoria is a great resource for advice, regardless of your marketing experience.
The old adage ‘Content is king’ still rings true on the web.
In addition to your profile content that you write, your customers also have valuable content to add to your profile in the form of reviews! Whether they found you via EasyWeddings.co.uk or not, get them to leave a review of your business on your profile. As mentioned earlier, couples love the EasyWeddings.co.uk Reviews and, often, these reviews can be the deciding difference between two equally awesome suppliers.
Tell us something about yourself we don’t know…
When not making EasyWeddings look awesome, I love to relax. I taught myself to sew a few years back and, since then, I have had a shot at designing my own clothes, but not all my attempts have been successful.