Helllooo. Yes, I’m starting off with a move quote. But I am not really talking social commentary on apes. I’m talking about being a wedding pro and trying to keep up with Social Media, Website conversion, Facebook Timeline, Video Marketing, SEO, HTML, Google +…

Here’s what’s up: I’ve been self immersed in keep up with the latest marketing trends, SEO, and websites for years now… and it seems like everyday we have to master some new Google thingy.

I swim in this every day and do actually have a bit of a handle on what’s working right now with the mind numbing, over technical gadgets the The Google and Facebook throws at us.

Here’s the crazy part: Most wedding pros are running through the merciless gauntlet of the day to day and have the daunting task of trying to figure out the latest website tricks.

Basically, it’s almost impossible work “in your business” and “on your business” at the same time.

Now I can only scratch the surface in a blog post on what is working now and what is not. Here are a few Ninja tricks that you should be doing on your site and with your marketing. Most wedding pros are missing this so you will be three steps ahead.

Ninja Trick: Have them LIKE your Facebook Page WITHOUT Leaving your website.

Heck, most wedding pros have a website with a Facebook logo that links to their Facebook Page. BAD MOVE.

It’s hard enough to get a bride to visit your site – don’t send her away to get sucked into the never ending vortex. She will visit your Facebook page, get distracted by an ad (that’s why Facebook has Ads), and NEVER return.

Good grief – just how do we keep her on the page and show up in her news feed? The answer is having just a LIKE BUTTON or LIKE BOX. Get rid if the the Facebook logo that takes them away from your message.

They don’t tell you this, but this is what the big time websites do and it’s NINJA how cool how it works. You have seen it too.

With a LIKE BUTTON or LIKE BOX she can simply click the button and like you. You get the benefit of your posts now showing in her news feed and she never has to leave your page.

For a website we created for Earth Blossoms Flowers we put both the box and the button on the site in different spots so that the visitor doesn’t miss it.

Like Button:

Like Box:

So just how do you do this NINA trick? Here are the steps.

Go to your Facebook Admin Panel. Toggle Manage and click Edit Page.

Then -  Click Resources

On the Resources Page – Click “Use Social Plugins”

Here you’ll find the Like Button and Like Box. Put in your Facebook url and it will give you the code to insert into your website.

The Take-Away of all this: The process is not as complicated as it may seem. Every website or web fix-up we do for a client includes a Facebook Like Button.

And you do not need to be a internet/web tech geek to use a Facebook Like Box, either. Use just need to understand the steps (or just tell your web guy to get it done).

This is a tool must for anyone in the bridal business. So now you can harness the power of social media without sending brides away from your site.

Anyways! I hope that helps you out a ton! Stay tuned for an upcoming webinar for wedding pros with more wedding biz boosters.

- James

It’s silly simple when you know the few easy steps. It’s basically upload, then copy and paste.

Be sure and leave me a comment below!

-  James

Hellooooo,

Check out some of the emails that you have received from me and you may notice the format and wording is not like what most wedding pros send.

In fact, what I’m about to bring up here about bridal email marketing is critical to getting your email read by brides (rather than hitting the delete button after getting yet another cookie-cutter, same as everyone else email from typical wedding pros).

Listen: If you understand these few counter intuitive email concepts explained below…

…you don’t have to be a copy writing wiz kid to sneak your message through the media clutter. You will be on your way for brides to actually read your email and then crush it with your booking results.

In other words…

Studies have been done on how people actually read their email  – and tests have been done to determine what formats get the most response.

So, yes, copy what has been proven to work and you can improve those dreadful email results…

… but, Jeez Louise, with Smart Phones, Facebook, Angry Birds and  Words With Friends, it’s getting tougher every minute to have her read your email. That is why it’s so important to have a plan with your emails and not “just wing it”.

•  Critical Rule #1: The 4 Inch Rule Rules:

This is going to be outside the box but follow me here: Keep your email width to no more than 4 inches wide.

I gotta tell ya, when I learned this rule I never went back to the old way.

Let’s explore this a little bit here…

It’s much easier on the eyes to read email in 4 inch blocks then to have to scroll all the way across a page. If a bride opens your email and she has to struggle to read it – she won’t read it.

Basically, you want the width of your emails to be no more than 4 inches or about 25 -40 characters. How long is 30 characters?

30 Characters

Wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

And with reading emails in Smart Phones the viewing screen is much smaller. These devices tend to have small, narrow screens so you don’t want to force people to scroll across to be able to read your message.



• Critical Rule #2: Shorty Short Paragraphs

This one is going to be tough – keep your paragraphs to only ONE or TWO sentences. PERIOD.

Quite Frankly, most people don’t read your email…

…they quickly scan your message to decide if it has something of interest. If they find something they may go back and read the full content.

If you have short, small chunks it makes it easier for your reader to scan and digest for content. The long clumped overflowing block of jumble of a paragraph will be practically invisible to your bride.

• Critical Rule #3: You Are Speaking to Only One Person

When bride opens your email it’s a personal communication between YOU and HER. So you are not speaking to a group or mass of people, but ONE person ONLY.

Now, you maybe sending a broadcast email to 500 brides but that does not matter. You want your email to be a one-on-one personal communication.

Consider: She has to feel that you are talking to her only and not an entire gaggle of brides in your email.

• Critical Rule #4: No Business Sounding Corporate Speak

What I am really saying here is talk to her like you would talk to a real person.

However, many people write their email copy trying to sound business like but it comes across as stuffy with no personality. You are selling yourself and you are a real person trying to build rapport with another real person.

Now, a word of caution: It doesn’t matter if you are a high end company or trying to sell high end brides. For her to like you (and that’s what really makes the sale), she has to connect with what you are saying – and trying to sound like a fancy dancy high end company you will turn her off in a New York Minute.

This should be an easy step for any wedding marketer. Just write like you are writing to Homer and Marge Simpson and you will have the correct level for your emails.



• Critical Rule # 5: Just One Confounded Request Per Email

 

Short attention spans are the rule…

… so make your email short with ONE Goal in mind – to have her take action with one thing and one thing only.

Cuz you can’t expect a busy bride to read your email AND Like You On Facebook, Visit Your Gallery, Check Out the Website, Do a Back flip AND expect her to call you for a Consultation.

Thus: If you ask her to to two things her attention span explodes and she ends up doing nothing (well, she does close the email, moves on to the next “thing” and you become a distant memory).

What do do? Have a series of short, friendly emails each with it’s own goal and call-to-action.

Ideally, your first email could be your offer (always with a deadline) with a link to your website to sign up, the next a link to the new pix on the blog or portfolio, then a quickie asking her to Like you on Facebook.



To Sum Up: If your inner brain tells you not to believe these rules, don’t listen. They are counter intuitive but they have been tested over and over by the top marketing Gurus. Put them into play.

Share your quick thoughts below.

- James

Put that coffee down!! Coffee’s for closers only. (Glengarry Glen Ross)

Helloooo there,

OK, I’ll say it… And so it goes in our wedding pro community. The sale doesn’t always go the company with the best product, but many times to the person that knows how to market and yes – sell.

As small business people we have to wear many hats… from running the nuts and bolts of the business to going out and not only finding brides, but closing brides.

Look, I know many in our community that are really skilled at the service they provide to brides – but when it comes down to the nitty gritty of marketing and sales they are clueless. And yet at the same time I know photographers that do not take the best pictures – but do get the most bookings.

As we start 2012 it’s time to look at what we are going to do different from what we did in 2011. If you have been busting your ass in the wedding biz and haven’t been getting the bookings…

… it’s probably from not having the right sales and marketing to capture those brides that are out there.

Yeah sure, the economy was in the gutter, brides were cheaping it out, competitors were charging less and the dog ate my homework yada yada…

And that’s all true. It really is.

However…

After being in the wedding biz for 20 plus years I’ve noticed that wedding pros come and go and the top 20% get most of the brides. All while the other 80% are trying to scoop up the rest of the table scraps.

Here’s the difference: The top 20% of the wedding pros that are getting most of the business not only know their service, but at the same time study and learn whats working now when it comes to sales and marketing. They don’t rely on one method of finding brides… but many being used at the same time.

So, here it is – the list. And you just might not like it.

•  There’s no Magic Bottle.  Stop looking for that cure-all “quick fix” strategy that will get you all the brides you need.

 

Most wedding pros do only one or two things to try and get bookings. They may have a listing on a corporate website and wait for brides to contact. Others do bridal shows and then wait for brides to call. Some may do a show and then send a couple of generic lousy emails and wait…

My idea has always been to have many ways to reach brides all working at the same time. This way you break through the media clutter and short attention span. For getting brides to bridal shows I used 11 different marketing methods. Just some are Weblisting, Page 1 of Google, Facebook and Social Media, Pay per click, Direct mail, mobile marketing…

• Biggest Business Lie: “Build it and They will Come”.

The lie is that if you have a fantastic service or the stunning photography word will get out there and brides will want what you have. It’s true for your business and your website. They are not coming.

However, if you build a consistent plan for bride follow-up and repeat the process over and over… the brides will come.

• The Social Media Myth and Facebook Fans

Facebook is in. Social Media is hot and a must have for your marketing arsenal.

But the Fact is: Stop believing the amount of Facebook page “fans” you have is directly proportional to the number of bridal bookings you’ll have.  The hard core fact is, it’s not.

Having bride Fans is like trying to hold water in your hands. Why? Because brides get married and before long most of your fan are not your target market anymore. Keep the Facebook going to make friends but don’t expect brides to contact you from Facebook.

• Face your fears.

The biggest fear holding wedding pros back is The fear of the telephone… which is not really a fear of an electronic device but actually a fear of rejection.

I’ll admit it. Picking up the phone and calling a list of brides isn’t a walk in the park. You will get that nasty bride that will tell you to “Go f%^k yourself”.

And often you will get hang ups, Moms from Hell and appointments that will never show-up.

Now if you want to be in the top 20% and make money in the wedding business you have to face that fear and call brides (or hire someone to call them). The winners will do the things the rest won’t do.

You can do it. I have called thousands of brides and the way I did it was to remove myself from the outcome. She is actually not rejecting me personally but rejecting some unknown caller.

You have enormous control over your bridal biz, the amount of brides you book and the dollars you bring in.

Once you realize you have control over your future you can start taking action.

Talk soon,

- James

PS. For those of you looking for one of the best ways to get more bookings and take action…

I will be reporting in the next post the top bridal expos in CT that have a proven track record of getting brides in the door.

After doing bridal shows for over 20 years now both as a vendor and a local producer I am still amazed that shows work for some and others do a show once and never do another. I often here that bridal shows “don’t work for me”.

It’s Not Your Fault… Or Is It?

If you are doing a show and not getting lots of bookings it’s NOT your fault… and IS your fault both at the same time. Hmm, how could that be?

It’s not your fault that it wasn’t a home run because most bridal show promoters don’t teach you how to really follow-up from a show. They don’t teach a step by step formula to turn that face to face contact into an appointment. And, quite frankly, that don’t teach you how to follow-up because they don’t know how to themselves.

And, yes, show success is your fault at the same time because as a wedding pro we must all take responsibility for not just learning our craft, but mastering the marketing side of the wedding business. I meet wedding pros that are fantastic at the service they offer but are clueless when it comes to marketing, email follow-up and what to say on the phone. Then they complain that bridal shows don’t work or that they are not making ends meet.

I have always had great success at bridal shows (the ones that had a good turnout of brides of course, but that’s a whole other topic). Having a sales and marketing background (and passion) before I started is what I believe made the difference between doing a show once and doing and producing shows for the past 21 years. With every company that I’ve been in or owned, agressive, quick, steady and friendly follow-up has always turned meeting brides into appointments and the sales.

7 Step Bridal Blueprint for Show Success

So, what to do. Let’s keep it simple. Here is the basic outline that I use for my businesses and teach to wedding pros that display at shows that I have produced.

• Meet and Greet at the show only. I will let you in on a secret. The brides are not coming to the show to see you or to book with you. The brides are there for free prizes, fashion shows, food and a day out with their friends. Stand out in front or your table and be interested in them while they sign-up for your prize. If she asks for prices tell her you’ll get in touch ofter the show. Enough said, do not sell or tell her how great you are at the show – she doesn’t care.

• Email 1 -  Day After Show. Upload your names and emails into your email program (we use Constant Constant and IContact) and send her a friendly “It was great meeting you at the show – here are some bride tips on our website” email. The first email is to show her you are an expert and interested in her by giving something first. I have used free reports, free videos, free bride tips. And in the PS reminder her that you are available for her date and to give you a call.

• Phone Call – Day After the Show. After you send out your Friendly bride tips email pick up the phone… (yes, the phone). You will get mostly voice mails but that’s OK. Leave her a message telling her that it was great meeting her at the show and that you just sent her an email with some free bride tips. Don’t be like your competition and try to force a sale, you will turn her off. Show that you are there for her and that you are the expert in your category by giving some valuable info.

• Email 2 – 2 Days After the Show. Don’t give up now. And, no, you are not being too pushy if you are being friendly and giving advice that she is interested in. For this email you can send her to some new pictures on your Blog, your gallery page or your “Bride Reviews” page. Keep it friendly, give another tip and put your offer in the PS.

• Email 3 – 4 Days After the Show. Yes, it’s the third email this week… and you have permission – she signed up with you and met you at the show. Now that you have given to her first and showed interest in her at the show, it’s time for the blatant “Here’s the Fantastic, limited time, limited date, contact me now for an appointment” email.  Be sure to include a great offer, link to your contact page, phone number and limited time expiration date.

• End of Week 1 – Send a direct mail piece to all of the brides that did not respond during the week. Yes, snail mail. And don’t cheap it out now being that you have already invested into the show. You can send a brochure with a personalized letter with your offer. Do not address her letter with “Dear Bride to Be”. Use a mail merge and put her first name in the letter. I use SendOutCards.com that lets me send a personal 3 fold card online that I can customize with my own pictures and offer (it’s easy and extremely cost effective).

• Week 2 on. Just because she attended a show does not mean she is ready to book your category. Brides are waiting longer and longer before booking services. She will often book with that wedding pro that is in front of her when she is ready, not when you are ready. If you do not keep in touch every week she will forget about you within a few weeks after the show. So for all of the brides that you did not book the first week, repeat the process with 1 or 2 friendly tip emails every week, phone calls and a SendOutCard every month. Put all of your brides from all of the shows after the first into a master list so that none fall through the cracks.

Follow this formula and DO NOT leave any steps out. The most successful bridal pros will do the things the complainers won’t do. And for how many weeks do you send emails, SendOutCards and make calls? Keep with the friendly, tips giving follow-up until she tells you that she already has your service or until she is married.

Good luck with your next show. Stay tuned for my next post where I will go over the best bridal shows for you to meet brides.

A new year is here and that means a new bridal season. Newly engaged brides, bridal shows and lots of new bookings (hopefully).

Brides will be browsing websites and looking for you. But, here is my question for you – Is your website ready for them? Do you have a proven game plan for keeping brides on your site?

Your Website Visitors are in Fact: Zombies (yes, Zombies)

I was watching my 15 year old son play Call of Duty. One of the games involves fighting and being relentlessly attacked by Nazi Zombies. And it was the perfect analogy to the visitors that land on your website surfing the web for wedding services.

Yes, I am comparing visitors that land of your site to Zombies. Why?

The visitors that land on your site have absolutely no attention span. Let’s face it, brides are only focused on what they want only. They will avoid making decisions until the very last minute. Your Web visitors and brides will avoid thinking and need to be led the next step.

And yes, I have been a surfing Zombie too. Think about when you are searching the web, just maybe you have shown those Zombie traits also.

So, what turns a Zombie into a real person and someone who will actually stop and take action on your website? The answer is actually quite simple. It’s having a website that make the bride yell to herself:

 ”Aaahhaa! This is What I’ve Been Looking For!”

Your goal as a wedding pro is to have that site that grabs her attention and keeps her interest. Now let’s go over a few essentials to get your bridal season started.

Bride Web Rule #1 – You Only Have 8 Seconds

Remember the 8 Second Website Rule. When a bride lands on your site you have only 8 seconds to convince her and capture her attention so that she decides to stick around and learn more about you.

The cold truth is that when she lands on your site she does not care about you or your fancy dancy website. She only want to know if your service will help her.

Solution: Keep Attention Getting Important Info Above the Fold. Don’t make her have to scroll and look all over just to decide if she wants to stay on your page.

Bride Web Rule #2 : Always Tell Them What to Do Next

Visitors will make every effort NOT to go and search every page of your site. You have to basically pretend that they are on the internet for the first time and that they do not know what to do next. You may have a beautiful portfolio that is key to your services. But don’t assume that she knows how to find it on your site.

Have text and buttons telling them to:

• Visit the Portfolio
• Get a Quote
• View the Gallery
• Check Availability
• Download the Menus

Keep it simple and show them the way. If you check out the above examples we designed for Celebration and The Omni New Haven you’ll see these examples in action. They both have outstanding conversion rates with brides requesting quotes and more info. You can check them out live here:

Visit Celebration Website Here

Visit Omni New Haven Website Here

And there you have it. Make sure you have these 2 rules on your site to capture brides and get 2012 rolling. Post your thoughts or questions below.