Whether you’re a seasoned wedding professional or just starting out, bridal shows are an excellent opportunity to connect with potential customers, the brides and grooms to be. But, there is another customer at these events that are equally important for you to connect with to grow your business and is one of the most overlooked. It is also the one who can make or break your business and one who can help your business exponentially grow in a very short amount of time ~ the complimentary wedding professional.
In this post, we’ll give you tips for maximizing your exposure and generating leads at bridal shows, including the ninja move that most wedding professionals don't do and its one of the most important things to do to grow your business exponentially.
1. Create a welcoming environment for your booth is essential since it will be the first impression of your business
Your booth should be a space that is warm and welcoming, with a simple aesthetic that’s easy to understand at first glance. Brides may not have time to read through your product descriptions or know their way around your website before the show ends, so you need to give them an idea of what you offer right away! Here are some tips for creating an eye-catching display:
Use a backdrop behind your table. This can be anything from an elegant curtain with clear acrylic rod holders (for those who want a more finished look) to simple tape on the wall, painted white. If you use tape instead of plastic rods, consider sealing the edges so they don't get ruined by the humidity in the room or by people touching them multiple times throughout the day.
Cover your tables with tablecloths or runners — this will help keep them clean while still allowing guests something soft on which to rest their hands while considering which vendors' products they'd like more information about. If possible, pick up some disposable ones at local craft stores; these usually come in packs of 50-100 pieces depending on size. You can also get custom-printed versions online that will surely impress potential clients!
Attach signs to your table saying “Ask me about our service packages” or “Get started today!” These are good ways for couples looking for wedding planning services like yours but not yet ready for contracts yet—or those who simply aren't sure what kind of services would best suit their needs—to feel comfortable approaching exhibitors about pricing information without feeling pressured into signing right away.
2. Raffle Prizes, Contest, Drawings
Have a contest to encourage attendees to drop their contact info in a drawing.
Have you ever been to a bridal show and seen the person handing out free stuff? That's usually done for good reason; people want things, so they're more likely to give you their information if it means they'll get something out of it.
The same goes for social media giveaways: People love getting stuff, especially if it's relevant and useful! With that in mind, why not create some sort of contest around your booth? A simple drawing can work wonders, or maybe even give away some kind of prize (like gift cards).
3. Promotional Items? Choose an effective giveaway item.
One of the most important things you can do to promote your bridal show exhibitor is to offer a giveaway item. This will get people talking about your booth, which will help generate more leads than if you just had a blank space on the table.
But not every giveaway is created equal; when selecting an item that people want, consider these points:
Giveaway items should be useful. Think about what kind of person would come to a bridal show—they’re looking for a wedding photographer or caterer or floral designer and they want it now! Make sure your giveaway can make someone’s day by solving one of their biggest problems (like finding the best vendor).
Giveaway items should be something that people actually want. Think about what kind of person would come into contact with your booth at a bridal show—they’re already engaged and planning their wedding! So give them something they can use after the big day comes: personalized mugs or pens are great options here because they aren't too expensive and don't feel like overkill; plus gifts from vendors such as these have great value because they're practical too!
Don't give away free stuff that isn't useful! If you're going through all this trouble giving away prizes then make sure they're actually worth giving away--after all, vendors will likely spend thousands on advertising materials during these events so why not give customers something useful instead?
4. Making the right impression is crucial
Brides use bridal shows to start planning their dream wedding, so making the right impression is crucial. Here are some tips on how you can make a positive impact:
Have good signage that draws people in and makes them want to stop by your table.
Keep things simple and clean looking; this will help convey professionalism and organization. Include any details about what you offer on a sign or brochure that’s easy for people to read at a glance.
Offer samples of anything that might be appealing to brides—like cake samples, bouquets, or chocolate truffles (if it’s part of what you sell).
5. The Ninja Move! Network with every wedding professional in the room AND Seek out those who can offer complimentary services.
The importance of becoming known in the bridal industry is crucial to the growth of your business. Not just your great services and great reputation, but getting "your peers" to know you, trust you and ultimately refer you
Introduce yourself to every wedding professional in the room - let them get to know you and you need to get to know their services - you never know when you can be a referral source
Follow up with every wedding professional AFTER the event - send an email, forward some of your literature, connect with them on social media, set up an appointment to meet with them so you can understand their business better and find ways to be a referral source for each other
Look for wedding professionals who can offer complimentary services to yours - a photographer and make up artist, an entertainment company and a photo booth company, decor and photographer, etc. By building a network of complimentary service companies, you become more valuable not only to your customer, the bride and groom, but to the wedding professionals in your network
Conclusion
We hope these tips will help you reach more brides and grooms. We know from experience that bridal shows are a great way to get your business in front of potential clients and make it easy for them to find out more about what you do. So don’t wait, start planning now! For more information on this topic, new ways to market your business or brainstorm on how to grow your business, contact Charlene Chiaro at Clear Vision Productions 203-848-9456, charlene@theclearvisionagency.com