As a recent bride myself, I know firsthand how difficult it is to determine where to start with the wedding planning process. And to make it worse, there are an abundance of great vendors available, so how does a bride know which is best for her? Whether you are a wedding venue, photographer, florist, or deejay, one of the most important tools that will help you rise above your competition is branding and awareness.
Your brand is perhaps the most important element used to help foster an emotional connection with your target audience; and being in the wedding industry establishing an emotional tie with your brides is imperative. Your brand should reflect who you are, what you believe in, and should be a promise to your customers. Once you are able to establish a strong and recognizable brand, then the second part of the marketing spectrum begins: creating awareness with your customers.
Brides-to-be and grooms have so many options available, that most of the time they don’t even know where to begin looking. If your brand isn’t visible in the resources they are searching (bridal magazines, websites, tradeshows, and even other wedding vendors), you are already at a disadvantage. A crucial element of your business strategy should be developing a targeted and consistent marketing plan each year and ensure you have the budgets to support it. This doesn’t mean that you need to buy a billboard, print ad and web banner on every bridal resource out there. Instead, every year your business should determine where your target audience is going to be searching and create a strategic marketing plan that will target this audience while also supporting your overall business goals.
For example, if you are a local Las Vegas wedding florist and don’t have access to an excessive marketing budget, then choose the media vehicles that will give you the biggest bang for your buck. Although many people think that print is a dying medium, in the wedding industry that is simply not the case. One of the easiest things for a bride to do is sit at the coffee table with a collection of bridal publications and mark down the styles, venues or vendors that are appealing to them. Another great way to reach the brides is at local bridal shows and even in your store. Nothing is more comforting to a bride than having the ability to speak with vendors face-to-face and know that a vendor truly cares about their wedding. This is the most important day of their life, and if the bride thinks they are just another client, then they are much more likely to keep looking. If you have the ability to exhibit at a bridal show and have the opportunity to prove to brides or their families why you are the best fit for their wedding, then you will be light-years ahead of your competition.
Also, keep in mind that in order to really establish brand awareness with your customers, you not only need frequency with your marketing efforts, but your materials also have to be consistent. Everything from your prints ads, website and flyers, must have the same look, feel and messaging in order to begin the recognition process with your consumers. If you simply piece together your marketing materials and don’t use a consistent marketing plan, it will be much more difficult for the brides to remember your company during the Las Vegas wedding planning process.
And finally, remember that marketing isn’t an overnight success and it takes time to make your mark on the industry. The most successful players in the wedding business invest a great deal of time, resources and effort in order to break through all of the clutter.
For more great information on the latest Las Vegas wedding industry trends, be sure to visit www.bridalspectacular.com.
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