Tips For Creating a Successful Post-Show Campaign

With another successful Bridal Spectacular Show in the books, it’s now time for you to turn all of those fantastic leads into clients — and, we have a few post-show tips to help you create a successful post-show campaign.

Set Priorities

After you had the opportunity to speak with various couples during show, you should have a good idea of which ones are your best leads. Segment your leads into different categories of importance, such as hot, medium and cold. First begin following-up with your hot leads and once you have been able to connect with them, you can then move on to the medium and cold leads.

Follow-Up in a Timely Matter

Now that you have determined which couples to begin following up with, it is essential to contact them in a timely matter while you are still fresh in their mind. Whether it’s an email or phone call, a quick response is a great way to help your company stand out from competitors, who may take several weeks to follow-up with couples.

Be Unique and Professional

Just as you put time and effort into creating a unique and professional quality booth to help you standout at the show, you want to put the same effort into creating a great follow-up piece.

Consider mailing a small gift with a personal letter congratulating the couple and request an in-person meeting to further discuss ideas for their big day. If you can’t send a direct mail piece, then you can send a creative email personalized for each couple that also requests an in-person meeting. Also, be sure to use a professional email address, as opposed to a Yahoo or Gmail account. Yahoo and Gmail do not allow bulk e-mails to lead lists, so your efforts will be wasted if you distribute out this way. If you do not have a professional e-mail, hire someone to create one for you!

Create Various Touch Points

The more a couple hears and sees your company’s name, the more they will remember you. In your post-show plan, be sure to include multiple communication touch points with the couple. For example:

• Send an email blast thanking everyone for visiting you at the show. Keep in mind that emails may go to spam or brides may not read them, so it’s important that you don’t rely entirely on this method.
• Call your hot leads personally thanking them for speaking with you and request an in-person meeting.
• Send postcard and/or packet with more information and invite them to your next open house.

Don’t Forget the Call-to-Action

However you choose to follow-up, it is always a good idea to include a bold and compelling message (such as a limited-time offer to book by a certain date) and a strong call-to-action. You can even offer couples an incentive to meet with you in-person, such as a $20 gift card. This will increase the response rate immensely.

Track Your Progress

Be sure you have a way to track all of your leads so no one is accidentally forgotten. In your marketing database or in a spreadsheet, keep track of how many times you have reached out to a couple and how you communicated with them. Trying a different form of communication may produce better results.

Remember, persistence is key! If you don’t hear back right away, don’t give up. Depending on what planning stage the couple is in, you can send a special offer a few months down the road, invite them to a future open house, or even the next Bridal Spectacular Show in January!