Follow-Up
Meeting many brides at Bridal Spectacular is easy. Show after show, year after year, you can expect a good turnout.
The bride has a similar experience. Whatever her needs, she’ll find a wide assortment of businesses to select from. It’s an exciting day.
She walks the aisles with her entourage, having abbreviated discussions with a plethora of wedding vendors. She accummulates propaganda, coupons, discounts, sales pitches, parlor games, fashion shows, and general hoopla.
By the end of the day, she has collected a bagful of printed matter, CD-Roms, DVDs, buttons, stickers, and who-knows-what-else. When she gets home, that bag of information and goodies can land in a corner, to be visited much later, or sometimes, never again. It’s your job not to let that happen.
After the fact
When attending bridal shows, I sometimes register as a groom (for research purposes, on behalf of the show producer). The shocking result is usually the total lack of follow up. No one seemed to do telemarketing. Email and snail mail usually totaling a combined 5%. For example, one pair of shows had a cumulative unique vendor count of more than 200. I received 6 emails and 2 letters.
From my viewpoint, only 2 of the 8 communications were worthwhile. In my estimation, that meant.
- Well written
- Sent in a timely manner
- Included a call-to-action
Plainly put, one should be communicating with every qualified prospect that enters your booth (signing up for something). Second, one should process the show leads-list, and follow up with a slightly more general message.
If a bride has conversed with 5 to 10 wedding vendors in your category, they all start to look like a commodity. By using postcards, personalized letters, or emails, YOU can jump back in front of the crowd with a minimum of effort.
It’s wedding marketing basics, yet very few exhibitors do it.
Will you?
Andy Ebon
Wedding Marketing Expert
The Wedding Marketing Blog
Reach The Las Vegas Wedding Market 