THE BRIEF
Kaj is a successful musician and singer-songwriter based in Cornwall. When I met him, he wanted to position himself in front of a more discerning audience within the wedding industry.
Cornwall boasts couples from all over the UK hosting lavish weddings and parties. Kaj needed to appeal to them, but perhaps more importantly he needed the endorsement of wedding planners and venues who might book him on behalf of those clients.
“I would love to be able to recommend Cornwall-based musicians to my clients.” says wedding planner Jenny Wren. “My clients often book London-based musicians and pay for them to travel. Musicians must have high-end materials to showcase themselves for me to trust they are up to the mark. I don’t really have that resource in Cornwall.”
Challenge accepted. Knowing how accomplished he was, I was keen to elevate Kaj’s visual brand to match his musical talent. We decided to do this with promotional videos, photography, a website and a brochure. I took on the project with earnest.
PHOTOshoot
Kaj understood that professional photography would be key to defining the quality of his brand. He had a clear creative vision, which I captured in moodboards to guide the shoot.
Deliberately dressed in smart attire, the photos of Kaj had a dual purpose: to advertise him as a wedding musician, but also to promote his own music.
We commissioned the talented photographer Sal Mitchel from Ayr Studio to photograph him at various outdoor locations in Cornwall. We didn’t go for the archetypal wedding musician shots as Kaj wanted to be his genuine self. I don’t think he’d mind me saying ‘smart yet kooky’!
photo © Sal Mitchell
photo © Sal Mitchell
FAKE WEDDING VIDEOshoot
Filming a promotional video of a musician at a wedding is tricky. The day belongs to the bride and groom. Their guests may agree to be on film for the happy couple, but they may not consent to being filmed for a musician’s video. The lighting isn’t right, people aren’t standing in the correct place, people get very drunk … the list of why nots is endless.
So, I took on the giant task of organising a fake wedding. We planned to film Kaj entertaining his guests at a ceremony, drinks reception/wedding breakfast and evening reception.
A fake wedding can still involve many costs of a real wedding. You need a bride, a groom, a celebrant (registrar), a make-up artist, guests, outfits, a photographer and wedding flowers. You need these people to be able to attend the ‘wedding’ all day long and you need to feed them. You need these people to be free on a week day when venues are not holding weddings …. and you need a gorgeous venue! I managed to secure all of these things without exchanging a penny. An offer of a fun day out, being on film, a good feed and a mention in the credits.
This was not easy to do, but these people were connections of Kaj’s through the wedding industry. They were keen to support him in good faith, and, the more exposure they gave the videos, the greater exposure this would give Kaj.
We managed to secure a beautiful Cornish wedding venue - Trevenna Barns. They gave their venue to Kaj at no charge as long as it was featured in the video. They even agreed to feed our ‘guests’ at no charge. We could not believe our luck. The only charge Kaj would incur would be from the videographer - the wonderful Tam Johnstone.
On the day itself, I helped direct the videoshoot along with Tam. It was exhausting, fun and nerve-wracking. The result was three short videos which we showcased on Kaj’s website. Kaj was thrilled at the end result and I was very proud of what we had achieved.
COPYWRITING & WEBSITE
With the photography and videography completed, we had all we needed to build the website. We set about writing content for each page and I helped Kaj develop a pricing structure and booking process.
I spent time collecting reviews from couples and venues who had booked Kaj. Their glowing testimonials, alongside their wedding or venue photo, showed Kaj’s authenticity and professionalism. This is something I felt would foster great trust in his brand and resonate with high-end wedding planners in particular.
Web developer Mike Hayes was commissioned to build the site based on my wireframes, and proofreader Lorraine Williams gave a final tweak to the copy.
A separate page was developed for Kaj’s own music, introduced with one of the photos from Sal’s shoot.
Brochure
Most people booking a musician for a wedding would prefer to access information using a website. Yet printed brochures still have value in brand reinforcement. Venues are happy to stock them and couples are happy to take them. With so much imagery to choose from, we kept the design clean and let the photos do the talking.
ALBUM ARTWORK
With a new album imminent, I used the photos from Sal’s shoot to create the CD and inside sleeve artwork for Kaj’s album ‘Everybody Thinks You’re Great’.
Being a singer-songwriter appeals to those who want more than just ‘the wedding singer.’ Including his own music on his website enhances Kaj’s brand with couples who want a credible musician for their special day.
THE OUTCOME
When Kaj launched his new website, the hard work paid off. Bookings have increased. It’s a full-time job.
He’s reached his intended audience - a high-end clientele who understands the value of paying for not only a very talented musician but a professional and organised one.
When Kaj reaches out to wedding planners or venues who move in the upper echelons of the wedding industry, one look at his website gets him the booking. Wedding planners have confidence in him and venues like to recommend him. Kaj’s arsenal of promotional videos, professional photography, website, and glowing reviews have proven highly effective in reinforcing his brand..
“I’ve booked Kaj many times now!” says wedding planner Jenny Wren. “Everything I need is right there, and I’m excited when my couples want to book Kaj because I know he’ll make their day unforgettable.”
With a dedicated webpage to celebrate his own music, Kaj is ready to show the world what he’s about - if they are ready to listen (I recommend that you do - he’s really good!).
Photo © Sal Mitchell
All photos, illustrations & graphics shown on this page are copyright of Kaj, Sally Mitchell & Heather Allen. They must not be reproduced or shared without their permission.
