Listener Question:
How can I create more authority in the industry? I have VIP clients but I’m not great at networking and want to get invited to industry events?
Instead of asking another makeup artist about networking – we’re going straight to the source with Luxury Wedding Planner, Shay Ramsee.
In this episode today we’re talking all about:
- How to make connections! Connecting with other wedding vendors, with potential clients and with yourself!
- How to network if you’re shy or the thought of face-to-face networking events makes you want to quit
- Working on styled bridal shoots
- Things you can do to establish authority as a bridal makeup artist and grow a stronger brand
If you’ve been struggling to find a seat for yourself in the bridal industry – this episode is for you <3
Shay’s been planning beautiful love filled luxury weddings for the past 10 years and now she’s founded the Wedding Insider Society for wedding creatives to share their stories with one another and feel more confident as a business owners. If you jump into her free facebook group, there’s a webinar right now on facebook ad’s I think you’ll find really interesting!
Episode Notes for How to Network with Wedding Vendors and Build your Brand as a Bridal Makeup Artist (ft Shay Ramsee)
What is networking? (According to Shay)
- expanding your knowledge and expanding your circle. You can learn from everyone you interact with, just be a sponge and absorb all that information. As a wedding planner, you know bits and pieces of everyone’s job but you’re not an expert in it so it’s great to be around different vendors and learn something new.
- Learn something new every day, expand your knowledge and your connections
- Networking in the wedding industry as a bridal makeup artist is not about having more people in your pocket, it’s learning from one another, working together and everyone mutually benefiting
How do you network when you don’t know how to or you’re a shy makeup artist?
- Figure out what you’re comfortable with. What’s your comfort zone?
- If you don’t like going to networking events you can plan a styled shoot and reach out to different vendors
- If you’re not comfortable with face to face networking, you can network on Facebook, start adding people as Facebook, friends, reaching out to them, talking with them, engaging with them.
- voice notes on Instagram are so much easier than connecting with somebody face to face
How can I get invited to be a part of styled wedding shoots?
- Create them. Come up with the idea, where you want it to be, what you want the pictures to look like and then start reaching out to vendors with your vision! (just be ok with hearing no too, it’s not personal!)
- Not every vendor will say yes and that’s ok, there’s so many reasons. It may not be the right time (prime wedding season and they’re exhausted), they may have done enough shoots this year and feel like they don’t need the marketing.
If you’re a new makeup artist, new to a city and you want to make more connections what can you do?
- Go to networking events
- Reach out to vendors and offer a free service for them to get to know you
What is a preferred vendor list and how do you get on one?
- A preferred vendor list is a list of vendors that you love. When a wedding planner has a bride come in, they’d give her a preferred vendor list of so they can choose a makeup artist from that first, before we dive in and research for new teams.
- Do great work, be professional and courteous when working with clients and vendors and you’ll likely be added to their list over time.
How can I start networking with other wedding vendors online to get more bridal makeup referrals without being a creep?
- Don’t send a message asking to be on their preferred vendor list if you’ve never met them or worked with them
- Personalize your messages instead of copying and pasting the same thing to everyone
- Make sure your brands match, are you both into boho beach weddings or is your brand full glam and luxury wedding venues?
- Always give, give, give before you take or before you ask. If there’s somebody that you wanna work with, go on their Instagram account, start liking, start commenting and creating genuine conversations on their page, share their posts, and make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons
- build that connection first and automatically, you guys will start fitting together if you guys are gonna fit.
What can makeup artists do to be included in industry events?
- Figure out what events you want to attend, who’s putting them together and then reach out to ask them! There’s so many makeup artists, so many wedding planners, so many of all of us and It’s hard to keep track of all of us- don’t wait for someone to invite you to it. Find a way to get into it.
- If you have a good idea, or see events happening that aren’t as inclusive as you’d like – sometimes you’re the one that actually has to create it.
- If you don’t see something out there that you want. Or you want to be a part of something and you don’t find it, create it yourself and people who, other people who are looking for the exact same thing that you are, will find you.
- don’t be afraid to create your own table and stop trying to sit at everybody else’s table.
- Don’t let imposter syndrome stop you from building something great, get comfortable with getting uncomfortable, don’t take things personally and be ok with hearing no
- Have an open mind to new ideas and new connections.
How can I establish authority as a Bridal Makeup Artist and start building my brand bigger?
- Get testimonials. After you have a bride, client, anyone in your chair – send them a message to leave a testimonial on Google reviews or email you back with that testimonial so that you have a copy of it and you can use it for website, captions, stories, etc
- Take the time to get video clips of the wedding, bts, bridal kit setup when you’re on location so you can pair it to the reviews as content later
- Just be authentic. Don’t be afraid to show mistakes online or show bad days. People will root for you when they see how hard you’re working and what you’re doing behind the scenes, whether they know you, whether they like you or whether they’ve just come across your page… when you’re sharing something that’s authentic and being transparent, people are gonna root for you.
- Showcase your makeup artistry with before and after transformations. Share the look you were going for, the before and after – it shows off your talents without you having to say anything.
- Share how to use everyday products. Think basics because your clients are not pro makeup artists! We’re makeup artists and We may be following tons of other makeup artists but our clients are not following a hundred thousand other makeup artists. Share how to use a product or how to curl your lashes properly. Those little things will give a reason for them to keep coming back and trusting you
- Start looking at our followers, not as numbers but as our community. How do we wanna serve them?
- Host in-person makeup workshops. It can even be 30-45 mins focusing on a single skillset. It’ll help you build your email list because people are going to sign up and get a chance for the community to know you
LINKS:
FREE TRIAL | The Total Beauty Planner | Organize your bridal makeup consults, clients and appointment details:
Continue the conversation inside the Bridal Beauty Business Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/thebridalbeautybusiness/
