10 Keys to Booking More Brides…and getting them to recommend you.
For years, the 4 P’s of marketing – product, price, place, and promotion have ruled the wedding marketing world. When I started in the wedding marketing industry 14 years ago there were just a few things to remember and do when writing and launching marketing campaigns.
Today, however, the 4P’s are no longer all you need to follow. Products abound, pricing is creative, locations are both online and storefront, and advertising media has fragmented into many shapes and forms. Can you say “Social Media?
It’s time to kick the 4P’s out the door and time to embrace the P.O.W.E.R of marketing – People, Ownership, What’s in it for me, Easy, Regular.
In print and electronic format
Let me explain:
People – Market power is no longer in the hands of the seller. Thanks to the World Wide Web buyers hold all the cards. Brides can search, compare, and buy from numerous sources including down the street and around the world. This has meant the erosion in the power of mass marketing and the need to be creative and sophisticated in targeting the brides. I’ll talk in detail later as to why target marketing is so important.
Ownership – If your ads and promotional material sound and look the same as your competition then your marketing campaigns will not be as effective as they could be. I call this “ME TOO” marketing. What does that mean? Let’s say that your competition offers a “no payment, no interest for one full year” deal. If you say, “Well, our competition is offering that so I should too” then all you’re doing is “ME TOO” marketing. You have to give brides a reason to buy from you OVER your competition. I’ll explain why that’s so important and how to do that later in the book.
What’s in it for me? – With the influx of different media including the internet, billboards, television (cable and
networks), radio, newspaper, industry magazines, etc…brides are bombarded with ads. So why should a bride pay attention to your ads and buy from you over your competition? What’s in it for them? Keep this important point in mind when you’re writing your ads and creating your marketing campaigns. Always give brides a reason to buy from you over your competition.
Easy – In this time impoverished world, brides want convenience – drive thru windows, express check out, online shopping and banking, etc. Brides want to access what they want when they want it. Make your product or services easy to buy whenever and wherever brides are..
Regular – When placing advertising always negotiate a regular, long term advertising schedule. Not only will this give you better ad rates, but it will keep you in the minds of brides throughout her entire planning process. Why is this important? Only a handful of people at any given time need your product or service. However, when the need arises (when they become engaged) brides will remember your ads and call you. Soon you will own the market but only if you’re consistently advertising.
An effective marketing plan must consider the P.O.W.E.R in its research, development and execution. Understand your target marketing; provide relevant offers; provide the ability for brides to purchase more conveniently than your competition; communicate and have a consistent offer throughout all the media you place in that means paying attention to demographics and what brides are watching, reading, blogging, buying, etc…and finally understand that a brand needs to “communitize” itself within the business and social groups of brides. In other words, start blogging, tweeting and posting to Facebook right now.
The above mentioned wedding marketing book has some specific ideas for how to put all of this into practice for your own wedding business. Download it free by clicking here.
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Many thanks for posting. Guess I’ll just book mark this blog.
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