How to market yourself as a Celebrant

Marketing is the lifeblood of any successful Celebrant business. It’s the activities that bring you new leads and bookings, and like most things, there’s no one-size-fits-all. There are lots of different ways to market yourself as a celebrant and we’ve come up with a huge list of tried and tested ways to market yourself as a Celebrant:

Before you market yourself as a Celebrant, Build your brand

When you’re marketing celebrant services, one of the main unique selling points is, of course, you! So it’s important to get clear on your brand and create one authentically representing you so you’re always leading with your best foot forward. 

It’s important that wherever you market your business, you maintain a consistent brand voice, message, and identity so that people get to know, like, trust, and book you!

Learn more about branding yourself as a Celebrant in our essential guide.

Once you’re clear on what you’re marketing and to whom, pick the marketing activities that suit you:

Offline Marketing Activities for Celebrants

While it can be tempting to dive fully into online marketing activities, we recommend getting yourself out there in person and making genuine connections to build your Celebrant business and network. The time invested in these early relationships can pay huge dividends throughout your career.

1. Create Strategic Partnerships
   • We can’t emphasise this enough…One of the quickest ways to attract new clients is to get your name on the approved supplier list with local wedding venues or funeral directors. Prioritise building strategic partnerships in your area. If you’re a wedding celebrant, seek out the type of wedding venues your ideal clients would love and if you’re a funeral celebrant, find local funeral directors. Once you’ve found out who to contact, we recommend a three-step approach: email, follow up by phone, and then book an in-person meeting to discuss what you can bring to them.
2. Networking Events:
   • If you’re a wedding celebrant; attend local wedding fairs, bridal shows, and networking events to meet potential clients and partners. Naming celebrants can attend family and baby events.
   • Set yourself up for success with a professional booth with brochures and business cards.

Read more: Ultimate Guide to Wedding Fairs for Celebrants 

3. Referral Programs:
   • Offer incentives for past clients and other vendors to refer new clients to you.
   • Provide a discount or gift for successful referrals.
   • Make it easy for people to refer their friends or family to you.
4. Local Advertising:
   • Place ads in local newspapers, magazines, and community bulletin boards.
   • Use eye-catching designs and clear messages to attract immediate attention.
5. Flyers and Brochures:
   • Distribute flyers and brochures in local cafes, community centres, and wedding shops.
   • Include a special offer or discount to encourage immediate inquiries.

Longer-Term Offline Marketing Strategies

Some marketing activities reap faster rewards than others, so choose a mix of activities that will provide short and longer-term results:

1. Partnerships with Local Businesses:
   • Build relationships with wedding planners, venues, photographers, and other vendors.
   • Create a network of referrals and collaborate on joint marketing efforts.
2. Community Involvement:
   • Participate in community events and volunteer opportunities to increase your visibility.
   • Offer to officiate community ceremonies or speak at local events about the role of a celebrant.
3. Public Speaking:
   • Offer to speak at local clubs, organizations, and events about ceremonies and celebrations.
   • Position yourself as an expert in your field.
4. Press & Media: Local PR can be a great way to get your services out there, pitch stories to the local news, magazines and radio stations:
   • Write articles for local magazines, newspapers, and newsletters.
   • Share your expertise on ceremony planning and personal stories to build credibility.
   • Make yourself available for comment on relevant news stories.
5. Client Relationship Building:
   • Maintain strong relationships with past clients through personalized follow-ups and holiday greetings.
   • Encourage word-of-mouth referrals by staying connected and showing appreciation.

Online Marketing Activities for Celebrants

In our digitally connected world, there’s no getting away from having some online presence for your business; whether it’s building a professional website or creating a stellar social media presence, you’ll need to brush up on your digital marketing skills. Luckily, we’ve got some great suggestions for where to get started:

Longer-Term Online Marketing activities

1. Website SEO: 
   • Optimize your website for search engines with relevant keywords and high-quality content. Include details of the locations you cover and the services you provide. Also, remember to set up a free Google Business Profile.
2. Blogging: As part of your website SEO, Start a blog to provide value and improve your search engine ranking over time. Make sure your personality shines through so you can attract the people that fit in with your style of Celebrancy. Marketing your Celebrant services through blogging is also a great way to expand on the type of Celebrant you are. Add in tips and advice blogs and any inspiration so people can see you at work. You can also try guest blogging on wedding or funeral websites.
3. Content Marketing:
   • Create valuable content like blog posts, videos, and infographics about the role of a celebrant, tips for ceremonies, etc. Check out our list of Content Ideas for Celebrants.
   • Share this content on social media and your website regularly.
4. Email Marketing:
   • Build an email list by offering a free guide or checklist for planning ceremonies.
   • Send regular newsletters with updates, tips, and client stories.
5. Build a Social Media Following: Your social media pages should be informative, creative, and up-to-date! It can be hard to gain photos of each ceremony you lead, so think about how you can expand and use your knowledge as a Celebrant to make creative content.
   • Regularly post engaging content on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, LinkedIn etc
   • Use a mix of posts, stories, videos and live sessions to interact with your audience.
6. Consider Using Pinterest: Pinterest isn’t technically a social media platform; it’s a visual search engine, and it can be a great aid for Celebrant Marketing. Many people use Pinterest for inspiration, especially when it comes to weddings, so it’s a good idea to be present here, too. It’s also a great place to promote your blog and website. 
7. Online Reviews:
   • Encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews on Google, Yelp, and Facebook. Add these reviews to your website so that prospective clients can see your happy customers’ words.
   • Respond to reviews to show appreciation and handle any negative feedback professionally.
8. Online Directories:
   • List your services on popular wedding and celebrant directories like The Celebrant Directory, WeddingWire, and local business listings.

Read more: How to write a standout celebrant directory listing 

Targeted Online Advertising Campaigns

If you have a strong website or social media following, targeted online advertising campaigns can complement other marketing activities. They can be a nice add-on if you’re a confident marketer but don’t rely on ads to build your business, and remember to set limits so that you don’t end up with a surprise bill.

1. Google Ads:
   • Create targeted Google Ads campaigns focusing on local keywords.
   • Use a mix of search and display ads to capture different audiences.
2. Promotional Offers:
   • Offer discounts or special packages for a limited time to new clients.
   • Promote these offers through social media and email marketing.
3. Social Media Advertising:
   • Run targeted ads on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
   • Use eye-catching visuals and testimonials to attract immediate attention.

Create a Marketing Plan for your Celebrant Business

Save yourself time by building a clear marketing plan for your business. Test and measure which activities bring you the most referrals, enquiries or bookings and adjust your efforts accordingly. 

1. Define Your Brand and Target Audience:

• Identify your unique selling proposition (USP) and what sets you apart from other celebrants. This could be your unique style, specialized services, or extensive experience.
• Clearly define your ideal client by considering demographics, preferences, and the types of ceremonies they are interested in. Tailor your branding and messaging to resonate with this audience.

2. Choose your offline Marketing Strategies:

As we’ve said before (and we’ll say it louder for the people at the back!), strategic partnerships are hands down, the best way to get bookings as a celebrant, so prioritise these when choosing where to focus your offline marketing efforts.

3. Implement Online Marketing Strategies:

Because of the huge array of online marketing activities available to you, we recommend focusing your efforts in two to three complementary areas first, e.g.

•  website, blogging and email marketing, or
•  social media, content and email marketing

Tailor your activities to your ideal client, and constantly measure the success of your activities, tweaking or pivoting your content until you find what works best for you.

By combining these online and offline strategies, you can create a comprehensive marketing plan that builds your brand, attracts your ideal clients, and establishes you as a trusted and distinguished celebrant in your community.

Get Inspired: The 10 things you need to be a successful celebrant in 2024

Getting your marketing right as a Celebrant

Get the right marketing strategy for your business might take some trial and error. It’s important to find the right mix of activities and places that attract your ideal client. Be brave, bold and prepared to pivot, but once you find what works for you… keep doing it and be consistent.

Ask your celebrant community for recommendations and monitor your enquiries from your different activities to decide if they’re worth it. If you train with The Academy of Modern Celebrancy, you have access to our exclusive Facebook group filled with our knowledgable mentors and alumni.

If you’re looking for ongoing mentoring or advanced celebrant training to get your business off the ground, we’d love to help; we’re passionate about helping Celebrants create thriving, successful celebrant businesses and we’ve already helped hundreds of Celebrants do just this. Check out our Advanced Celebrant Training course and CPD for more details.