This might be a hard pill to swallow: you can’t use internet freebies to cobble together words that will even come close to what you’d get by hiring a professional copywriter.
Dun dunn dunnnn.
How many times have you put off hiring a pro–whether it be a copywriter like me, a website designer, a branding strategist, or heck, even getting a non-gmail email address–because “it costs thousands of dollars and you can just use free resources and learn to do it yourself”…?
What could go wrong!? Turns out, a lot. And wedding and event pros? I love you, you all are my people, but this mindset is rampant in our industry. I see way too many wedding vendors who have no qualms about charging premium pricing for their own services, and then they balk at the prospect of paying other service providers. There’s something wrong with that picture.
Tell me: how would you respond if one of your clients said they’d just learn to DIY a bunch of big, important details instead of investing in a pro? Picture it with me:
- “A wedding photographer costs thousands of dollars, so I’ll just learn to do it myself and take my own wedding photos.“
- “Catering costs thousands of dollars, so I’ll just learn to cook and prep everything the night before in my studio apartment kitchen.“
- “Ceremony and reception musicians and DJs cost thousands of dollars, so I’ll just put together a song list on my laptop and have my cousin hit play.“
- “Event planners and managers cost thousands of dollars, so I’ll just learn to plan and execute every single detail of one of the fullest days of my life myself. While holding down a demanding job. And nurturing this lifelong relationship. No big deal.“
Sounds kind of absurd, right?
As an event pro, you know exactly how most of these scenarios are gonna go: Stress. Tears. Frustration. Regret.
- Photos that didn’t capture how beautiful the day actually was for the grandkids to admire years down the road. (Selfie stick at the altar, anyone!?)
- Half-raw chicken and food poisoning for all of your friends and extended family.
- A Spotify ad about diaper blowouts playing during your ceremony because your cousin got distracted by a text from a girl in homeroom.
- Orrrr you can’t enjoy getting your hair and makeup done with Mom and Grandma, because you’re overwhelmed with calls from vendors asking where to go and how to set up. By the time you finally see your partner, you’re in a full-body sweat and haven’t had a second to relax or enjoy any of the beautiful details you spent so much time and money curating.
That’s not the outcome anybody wants.
The same is true when it comes to refusing to invest in the big things your business needs. One of those big things? The words you use on your website, in your emails, on social media, and in your client communications.
I can definitely tell you what happens when the words on your website aren’t clear, don’t speak to the hearts of your dream clients, and don’t give them a reason to get in touch with you now: they click away and spend their money elsewhere.
And hell yes there are things you can learn to do yourself because you’re bootstrapping and don’t have the cash flow yet. I’ve been there and I respect that! This isn’t about spending money you don’t have or chasing courses and supplies you think will finally make your business “take off.” It’s about realizing that you don’t have time the time or skills to excel at everything, and quality usually costs money.
So when you’re ready to get to that next level, leave behind what’s not working, and spend your days in your zone of genius instead of trying to wear 4,200 hats? HIRE. A. PROFESSIONAL.