News: Wedding MBA tips, Get Profiled, Vendorversity

The facts & tips posted from the Wedding MBA last week on our facebook page were well received, so we thought we'd give you a few more...

The Bride

EchoBoomer bride (born 1982-1995, refers to the size of the generation and its relation to the Baby boomer generation): immune to traditional marketing, short attention span, respect quality but at a low cost, expect speed (respond to emails, social media and voicemail quick), flexibility & choice, influenced by today's media and their friends.
Purple continues to dominate as a wedding color with the echo boomer!
DIY is here to stay. Instead of discouraging DIY, guide her on how to do it properly.
According to WE TV Networks Wedding Report, in 2009, 59% of brides spent less <$23,285 on their wedding. Only 17% spent >$46,570.
That means there are more mainstream than "high end" brides.
Retail stores are also realizing the revenue potential of mainstream brides: J. Crew, The Limited, etc. have all added bridal lines

Marketing / Internet

Basics of print material: easy to read, branded properly, call to action, contact info, purpose.
Print material mistakes: no contact info, waiting too long to print new pieces, hard to read Web URL, poor product quality.
BRANDING = CONSISTENCY. Always use the same colors, same logo, same paper quality.
Marketing trends: recording video testimonials of brides, grooms, etc - gives you authenticity. Blogsites with personality and fresh information (photos, video content)
Cliches turn your business into a commodity. When marketing, avoid words like "dream wedding" "unique" fabulous" et. al
How to get more traffic to your Website: advertise/market with your target audience, attend bridal events & shows, links to your site, SEO/SEM, Blog.
Google's keyword tool is an awesome resource for maximizing your SEO efforts on your Website.
People watch 2 billion videos a day on YouTube. It's the #2 search engine in the United States with 3.7 billion searches a month!

Social Media

There are over 1.6 million brides on Facebook. Which means, as a wedding pro, you should be on Facebook.
In 2007 63% of brides were active on social networking....in 2010 85%.
It's not a question of "if" your customers are on Facebook. It's a matter of "can you find them?"
Flowtown.com - great way to find brides via social media. Upload email addresses, and you can find all their social media accounts.
Never take rejection or unsubscribes personally! Keep emotions out of it and work towards the next client.
Facebook Summary: Don't have a static page, manage your privacy settings, create engaging/useful content.
Embed videos on your Facebook page. Videos and photos are two of the most engaging pieces of content for social media!
ALWAYS customize your privacy settings to manage who sees what on your personal Facebook profile. Crucial advice for marketing yourself or business online.
Add your social media info to email signatures, newsletters, marketing materials. Integrate on your Website (add links and buttons for Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc.) Use it in every way you correspond with potential clients.
Video content delivers social media + SEO success! Sites like Animoto.com let you create promotional video within minutes.
Own your real estate. Registering for a Vanity ID pays off!

Sales

1) Know your client, 2) give great service, 3) be visible + share
If the bride isn't the financial decision maker, then make sure you include the ones that are in your meetings.
Advice on discounting services: Price should be movable, but not your main point of differentiation!
3 words that help you close more sales: Ask More Questions. Do more listening than talking to assess needs.
When dealing with sales objections, good question to ask: are you more concerned with price or value?
Incorporate objections in your sales presentation. Don't hide from them.
Wedding professionals must show why they are valuable. Brides will indulge but will do it smartly
Prediction: Collective Buying Power Grows (i.e. Groupon, Living Social, etc). Everyone loves a deal!
Three options for planning a business: high quality, great service, low price. You can only do two of the three.