BRIDAL SHOWS (AND UNDERSTANDING THOSE THE BRIDES DRAG IN WITH THEM)

 

Photo courtesy of Bridal Boudoir Affair

 

Bridal Shows are one of those promotional tactics that will likely never become replaced.  Why?  Bridal Shows offer tangibility. They offer the opportunity to ask questions, get answers and see/touch/feel product and service in real time better than any Social Media platform ever could. Yet Bridal Shows are also one of the more costly means of promotion for your wedding business once you have factored in all the costs involved as well as the strength of competition that surrounds your booth.

That having been said, in order for your Bridal Show to be effective you must understand those whom you want to see your booth. Your booth needs to stand out and speak to the most common attendee...the Bride. But your booth should also grab the attention of those whom they have brought with them...most likely the Maid of Honour, the Bridesmaids, the Best Friend...the MOM.

There are a number of reasons why Brides attend Bridal Shows, mainly:

• Concentrated number of vendors in one place
• Tangibility of products/services
• One on one time with vendors
• Diversity of vendors
• Opportunity to win prizes/services
• To gain inspiration/ideas

But what about those who attend the shows with them? Most Brides will bring along their Maid of Honour, their BFF, their Bridesmaids, Sister or their mother before they would ever consider bringing along their Groom. Why? Because that female compadre will endure the massive crowds, the inflated food prices and the aisles upon aisles of everything 'wedding' out of sheer loyalty to their blissful Bride. Which means that not only will they follow the Bride through endless flowers, veils and cake with a smile plastered across their face the entire time but they will be fiercly protective of their pal's best interests when dealing with vendors.

So what can you do to ensure that you're not just drawing attention from the Bride but from those whom they've dragged with them (let's call them "the loyal comrades")? Here are just a few tips:

SIGNAGE -- ensure that you have adequate sized signage that can be seen not just as one is approaching the booth but that can be seen from further away. 

BE CREATIVE -- understand that eventually every booth will begin to look the same to a Bride and especially to their loyal comrade. Ensure that your booth stands out whether it be by way of creative colour choices, a "wow-factor" stand-alone piece, etc.

BE INVITING -- ensure that your booth invites attendees inside the booth not just in front of it. Couches and coffee tables, bistro tables, crusier tables and bar stools not only encourage attendees to walk into the booth and explore but are enticing to the loyal comrades as a place to rest their weary feet, forcing the Bride to stop at the booth.

BE STRATEGIC WITH YOUR CONTESTS -- if you haven't already figured it out, many contest ballets are filled out not necessarily by the Bride but by their loyal comrades. For truly effective leads, why not include a line such as "I visited your booth with _____________ my _______________" along with a spot to fill in their email for a chance to win a secondary prize?

COMMUNICATION IS KEY -- don't just chat up the Bride, chat up her loyal comrade! The Bride may be looking elsewhere as she approaches your booth but that doesn't mean that the loyal comrade is too. What you have to say may strike a chord with her and she may then encourage the Bride to stop and take notice.

POINT THAT THING ELSEWHERE -- having a slideshow of your work on a big screen is great. Having it face straight out at the aisle isn't. Understand that while a Bride is chatting with a vendor the loyal comrade may not be all that interested and their attention could be wandering down the aisle. Your best bet? Aim that slideshow down the aisle to grab their attention before they even get to your booth.

Most wedding professionals concentrate their Bridal Show efforts on attracting Brides to their products or services. And rightfully so! However understanding those whom they bring along may very well double their efforts and increase the traffic to the booth. After all, what product or service one may not see as a big deal, another will and can convince them.