General tips

There are lots of decisions to make - your target market, your image, your style, your approach to your celebrancy work and thus what things you need to do to attract the couples and families you want. Your stationery reflects you also.

10 Things to consider
*	Business name & ABN	click here
*	Image	click here
*	Style	click here
*	Photograph	click here
*	Website	click here
*	Logo	click here
*	Addresses	click here
*	Personalised stationery - eg business cards, letterheads etc	click here
*	Presentation folders	click here
*	Name Badges, Albums to read your ceremony from, Ceremony registers and other products	click here

Before you order business cards, spend some time thinking about your image and style, and just as importantly who you want to attract. And does that match the demographics of where you work ?

One way of looking more professional is to have a consistent approach to all your promotional materials including your website.

Business Name

You do not need to register a business name if you are using your own name.

However, if you choose to trade under another name such as Stunningly Stylish Selebrant, then you would be advised to register that name to protect it, and in some cases, to have the right to purchase a website in that name.

Once a trading name has been registered in the state where you live, then no one else has the right to trade in that name in your state. And legal action can be taken, if that happens.

Most celebrants would not be earning over $ 75,000 per annum and thus not need to be registered for GST. However there may be some instances where having an ABN is useful eg purchasing a DOTcomDOTau

Applying for an ABN from the Australian Tax Office is difficult, because it seems the ATO is trying to discourage small income earners from applying. Do not be put off!

To obtain an ABN you need to be aiming to gross $20,000 per annum or more - which is an honest aim for us as professional civil celebrants to be aiming for. This does not have to be achieved, but you do need to state this as your aim.

Before filling out the application form, you will need to
* read their Privacy statement
* fill out the form to assess your entitlement to apply for one.

Here is an example of the responses a professional celebrant would make

* to be entitled to an ABN ABN_entitlement.pdf"
* to apply for an ABN ApplicationABN.pdf"

it is recommended you download these forms and print them out so you are familiar with what will be required,

Then go to the Australian Tax Office website on:http://calculators.ato.gov.au/scripts/axos/axos.asp?CONTEXT=&KBS=ABN_ENTITLEMENT.XR4&go=ok to fill out the

* Eligibility Form then
* Application Form.

Being prepared should save you a lot of time on line! The ATO expects this will take you less than 40 minutes.

It can take up to a month to be approved.

Contact Rona if you have any concerns about this process.

There are pros and cons in using your own name versus a trading name. Sometimes a personal name is an advantage eg Dick Smith Electronics. Seems friendlier and more personal. But could be a problem when one wants to on-sell. Though not necessarily a problem for celebrants! :-)

However, a catchy name may be more memorable and useful for marketing in some situations. The choice is yours.

But an important decision to be made before organising any celebrant stationery.
Consider too how long the name is and what domain names you could use for the net. Long names may be a disadvantage for space on a business card.

Top of page

Image

Research shows that people do make decisions based on first impressions.
How we speak on the phone; our style of language in emails and on our website; our photographs on our promotional materials; our grooming, clothing and appearance on first contact will all influence potential couples and families impressions of us.

If we need advice in any of these areas to ensure we present as well as we can, maintaining our integrity and personality, then it is important to explore these options.
Top of page

Style

Things to consider:
What style of person are you - pragmatic, romantic, intellectual, social ?
What style of person do you wish to attract?
What ceremonies will you be aiming to do ?
Where are you based ?
What is its social, cultural and economic characteristics ?
What couples and families do you see yourself as aiming your services ?

What style of font reflects those characteristics ?
What one or two colours do you consider convey the style you wish to promote ?
(Remembering that a general rule is that the more colours the higher the offset printing and bubble jet print costs)
Top of page

Photograph

Make sure you consider carefully the photograph you will use for promoting yourself.
This is probably the most important item in your PR range.
Couples and families will want to know what you look like, at least to know you do not have a mole on the end of your nose !
For some people looks are very important, so you may be best to have photos at a little distance if you really consider your wrinkles will go against you!
After all you ARE a large part of the product people are buying.
Consider
* the style of clothing (very formal, semi formal, casual) and
* the background (garden, beach, office, library)
* your expression (friendly, stern, serious, pensive)
- all convey impressions of what people can expect of you.
If you can not afford some professional photographs, ask a friend to take several digital photographs and critically examine them from the point of view of someone looking for a celebrant.
A little tinkering with the image is permissible - but be careful not to have a huge disparity between the image and what you are like ie not 40 years or 40 kilos :-) Top of page

Website

A must for every celebrant. And economical in the long run. Prices on the web are reducing all the time. Using templates and low cost hosting can suit many celebrants, but may not be good enough for targeting the gen X and Y who are very web savvy. Once your website is established, ongoing costs are relatively low.

Advantages of having a website:
Increasing younger and older Australians are using the net to find products and services. You may miss out on potential couples and families by not being on the net.
Your own domain and personalised email address can save advertising costs in many ways.
And importantly can remain the same, regardless of what Internet Service Provider (ISP) you use eg bigpond, ozemail; and hosting company; or country you are in !
Smaller ads can be used, provided your website address is provided, because your website can carry a lot more detailed information.
And your web address can be included in all your business stationery from business cards to receipts and invoices. All increasing your chances you may be found for future work

The ACCN Celebrant Shop can assist you in getting a domain name and web page or very basic website established that you can work upon yourself, so reducing maintenance costs in the medium term.
To view in ACCN Celebrant Shop click here
Top of page

Logo

This is an image that can become identified with you and your business. Sometimes the image can be simply a particular font design and colour of your name, or it may like a real or abstract image.
Ensure your logo looks effective in blank and white and well as colour. Remembers off-set printing is more expensive the more colours you use. And grey is part of the colour Black.
There are websites which will help you to design your own logo, and some for free. Google "Free logos" and have a look at what is on offer.
But remember copyright.
Some will require you make a payment to be able to use the logo, others will have other conditions attached as well.
Again trial this with family and friends to see what appeals and gauge people's initial reaction to the design, and their interpretations, before your purchase
Spending time making sure all these above elements are examined, is important so you have a considered and consistent look across all your stationery and promotional materials including your website.
Top of page

Addresses

Residential: Consider whether to use this in general promotion, if security is an issue

Postal: Consider if and where you purchase a postal box or bag. Consider petrol costs for regular access - at least weekly. Most of your communication can be by email, but for official documents a PO Box may be an advantage. Also consider that the next major town may be better known and thus an advantage for potential couples and families to recognise that you are in the area they want their ceremony.

Phone: Investigate an auxiliary phone number, which will have a different ring. This is a number at lower cost that can be piggybacked onto your existing number. Depending on your family situation this may mean more control over how your celebrancy calls are dealt with. ie small children taught not to answer when the phone sound like "xxxxx".
Or only use your mobile on promotional materials for the same reasons.

Mobile: Many potential couples are rather impatient. If you are not home, they move on down their list.

Recorded Message: Consider a message bank service with a friendly greeting. Your voice is something that will be judged as part of our style.

Fax: Investigate Never Busy Fax Forwarding. This service forwards all faxes to your email address. So you do not necessarily need a fax machine, especially if your computer or printer allows you to send out faxes. One advantage is that you save paper. You can access your faxes on webmail when away on holidays.

Email: As recommended above, using an email address via your website, means you can change ISPs without any need for new stationery. It looks professional and reinforces your web address.
For example, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it rather than This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Some prefixes such as info@ or webmail@ are stopped as spam. So it is perhaps more friendly and practical to use a personal name.

Website: DOTcom and DOTcomDOTau now cost about the same. More people are familiar with these than the DOT.biz or DOT.id or the variety of other extensions. DOTcom is also identified with America, so many celebrants opt for the DOTau if possible
Again consider the length of the domain name, ease for remembering it and whether it is generic enough for all the ceremonies and services you will offer. eg www.susiesceremoniess.com.au or www.susiescelebrations.com.au rather than www.susiesweddings.com.au
Top of page

Personal celebrant stationery

Once you have established your position on the above, you are now ready to consider

* Business cards
* Letterheads
* Brochures
* Compliment slips
* Invoices
* Receipts
* Envelopes
* Mailing Labels
* Ceremony planners etc.
Note:
Business cards can be used as promotional items, so make sure your contact details will last well. Brochures and other promotional materials are more economical if designed as a portion of A4. ie a half or third. As the printing and cutting does not involve paper wastage.

You may consider putting your photo on your card if you can afford full colour and you have a photo that is attractive and will last for a while. If you are not sure, then choose an attractive image that will appeal to your market such as flowers, a bridal couple, a family group etc.

Again here you will find places on the web where companies will offer you free business cards or free designs etc.
But be careful - remember copyright. Some will require you make a payment to be able to use the design in other ways and others will have other conditions attached such as being only able to have products produced through that company

Craft stickers:
There are some small craft stickers such as gold or silver hearts, wedding rings, butterflies etc. that could be used to dress up your stationery. Used sparingly to compliment your design this may be less expensive way to personalise your stationery, without needing to go to gold or silver leaf printing.

To view in ACCN Celebrant Shop click here
Top of page

Business presentation folders

These are usually shiny white stiff card folders you may place papers in for your couples or families. They contain a slot for your business card.

The ACCN Celebrant Shop sells plain white ones that you may dress up with gold or silver craft stickers, or you may purchase our ACCN presentation folders with a gold rose or silver rose design stamped on the front.

Very soon for an extra fee, these rose logo folders or the plain folders may be personalised by overprinting in gold or silver "With compliments of Your Name".

To view in ACCN Celebrant Shop click here
Top of page

Name Badges, Albums to read your ceremony from, Ceremony registers and other products

The ACCN Celebrant Shop has a range of these products for you. Our two basic designs are the wedding rings and the rose. For an extra fee other designs can be obtain

To view in ACCN Celebrant Shop click here
Top of page

Please contact us if you would like to discuss your needs.