Along with visiting with vendors, and attending fashion shows, brides at the Dallas Bridal Show were able to hear three celebrity guest speakers: W. Donnie Brown, celebrity wedding planner from Style Network's "Who's Wedding is It Anyway?", Suzanne Kresse, "The Wedding Lady," and Peter Merry, author of "The Best Wedding Reception, Ever!"

As always, exhibitors at the Dallas Bridal Show had the opportunity to participate in a coupon contest to see which company could bring in the most brides and win discounts on future booth prices. Congratulations to the following winners! (Prizes will be attributed to the July 2009 Dallas Bridal Show)

Congratulations to the following coupon winners that will receive discounts on the 2009 July Fort Worth Bridal Show.

Over 40% of the Fort Worth Bridal Show on July 25-26 is already booked, but there is still space available if you have not reserved your booth. Don't delay, categories close out quickly!

If you are waiting for potential business to come through the door without working your leads properly, you are going to be very disappointed. When we hear someone say their marketing didn't work, it is usually because they failed to thoroughly work their leads. When we check a little further, we find that leads were contacted less than 10 times--usually just 2 or 3 contacts were made.

Please read the article in our October 2008 newsletter, with the information about working your leads 27 times, which really means only 9 times. When you work your leads effectively, you will see results. Continue obtaining and working new leads on a consistent basis without giving up, unless they request for you to quit contacting them. Find ways to stay in contact with all of your leads on a regular basis. There is so much other potential business that so many companies have other than weddings.

In this day and time, it is now more important than ever before to get face-to-face leads. With the age of emails, texting, and all non face-to-face social networking, the customer wants to know who they are doing business with, to know if they feel good about doing business with them, to know if they can trust that company.

Be creative to add value to what your business provides so the customer will want to do business with you. Be a leader and expert in your field-- Read and learn as much as you can about marketing. Be prepared to handle and adapt to changes constantly. Change is going to happen whether we like it or not. When we are doing the right things in the right way, we are prepared for those changes ahead of time.

Gina had the opportunity to attend the January Dallas Bridal Show and worked her first bridal show last weekend in Fort Worth. She is excited about helping business owners achieve success by introducing them to brides face-to-face. Please help us welcome Gina to the Bridal Shows, Inc. family.

New Contact Information:
Gina Anderson
972-713-9920 ext. 207
gina@bridalshowsinc.com

Steve has cemented his place as America's favorite wedding planner by starring on WE tv's "Wedding Central," "Bling on the Bride," "Married by the In-Laws" and "Platinum Weddings." Additionally, Steve has showcased his event planning expertise by leading the "I Do Crew" in ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Wedding Edition" where a remarkable couple was granted a wedding of their dreams, as well as helping couples make their weddings a reality on the Style Network's "Whose Wedding Is It Anyway" and "Married Away." Steve has planned incredible weddings in locations across the globe including Montreal and Ireland. One of his most awe-inspiring wedding celebrations includes the 7/7/07 wedding of Amanda Dermid and former NFL football player Jimmy Ray Robinson, Jr. They were married on the stage of Nashville's Ryman Auditorium with a 46 person gospel choir.

Kemble discovered his passion for special events when he organized his high school senior prom, and he continued to work on events throughout college at Texas State University. After completing school, Kemble turned his creativity from designing prom invitations and organizing college events to working on the event staff for Congressman Jim Collins. He continued working on events within the political arena as he joined the event departments for both the Dallas Chamber of Commerce and the historic restoration campaign of the Statue of Liberty. All of this experience led to the founding of Dallas-based Steve Kemble Event Design, where he has creatively designed, produced and planned events with his own label and unique touches for more than 20 years.

Upon launching a successful business in Dallas, Kemble expanded his efforts to produce and become an expert on designing international events. He currently spends 70 percent of his time producing events outside the Dallas market, which has enabled him to build and form powerful event partnerships with a variety of people and companies throughout the world.

Kemble's involvement with meetings and events industry exceeds far beyond the realm of his company, making him an expert in the international events market. He founded the Dallas chapter of the International Special Events Society (ISES) and served as its first president. He was recently the International President of the ISES.