When you join forces with The Perfect Wedding Guide you receive much more than an ad – you receive a marketing partner committed to your success. The following steps are things that will help you in the marketing of your business:
1. Track all your phone calls
a. Marketing is a vital part of your business. This is one factor that will determine how far your business will go. It is very important to view your marketing dollars spent as an investment. As with any investment, you should want the highest Return-On-Investment possible. In order to know that it is important to track how business is coming to you. Ask all callers how they got your number and record this information on a tracking log. After a few months, you will know how well your marketing budget is working for you and where to market more or less. Invest in the areas that are driving clients your way.
2. Answering Your Phone
a. Answer the Phone Live: Answering Machines and Voice Mails loose 80% of callers. If answering the phone yourself is not an option, consider an answering service.
b. Home Based Businesses: Operating from your home is a great way to keep the overhead of your business down. A separate phone line is recommended for your business, but if it is not feasible then a voice mail or answering machine is necessary, make sure that it answers with your company name. Face it; most of your family and friends will know that you are operating a business from your home so there is nothing wrong with your machine answering "Thank you for calling ABC Company." You must appear to have a storefront to your clients. This will help establish your first contact first impression. We all know how important first impressions are, so make it a great one.
c. Area Codes: First of all, it is wise to know what area you are trying to target within the realms of particular avenues of advertising. If you want your business to reach across a vast area and multiple cities, think about getting a toll free number. You don’t want to loose potential business due to brides not wanting to pay toll charges. The same applies with area codes. Try to get a phone line, or cell phone if necessary, that has the area codes of the area you are targeting with your avenues of advertising.
3. Your Ad Design
a. Make your ad the best it can be: Our art department has state of the art equipment and software that will take care of making sure your ad is quality. It is up to you to make sure your ad stands out. We are willing to help and guide you, but you have the final say so to how your ad looks. Remember, you want your ad to make the bride or potential client contact you to get more information on your services. Better yet, you want that potential client to book with you.
b. Your ad campaign: Track which ads are driving interest your way. Just as you would track your advertising dollars. If an ad is working, do not change it and if an ad is not working change it immediately. It is not always the avenue of advertising that is not working, most of the time it is the ad. Remember, it is not whether the ad looks great to you, but is the ad standing out and making brides call you!
c. Instill an "Eye Catcher" and "Call to Action" in your ad. This will invite the call. The Perfect Wedding Guide features our clients first in our magazine, opposed to featuring articles and editorials first and clients second. The Perfect Wedding Guide is designed as a shop and compare style magazine. Since the bride is comparing your business to the next business you want to make sure you invite her to contact you.
4. Use our Lead List
a. Worth It’s Weight in Gold: Our lead list is one part of our multi-facet marketing program, which drives business your way. The Perfect Wedding Guide registers between 150 and 350 brides per month and makes those names available to our clients. Our leads are available online 24/7. Once you log in, you have 5 options: 1) Print labels 2) Print lead sheets 3) Download our database 4) Email brides using our server with one email 5) Print labels for those brides who do not have emails. View a sample by clicking here. This is only a national on-line sample and a login and password is not needed (just click enter). The actual Triad and Triangle PWG bridal database requires a login and password and has only Triad and Triangle area brides.
When we hand over our lead list to you we give you brides who still need your services. Not contacting them is like not returning a phone call to someone who says they want to give you money. These are NOT COLD leads. They ARE WARM leads – some ARE HOT leads - Work them!!! We have clients that work the leads as soon as they sign up with us and by the time their ad hits the streets, their ad has paid for itself five fold. Remember, 80% of sales are made after the fifth contact!
5. Start a Direct Mail Program
Don’t wait for the bride to contact you: Send a special message. Send out postcards, make follow up phone calls, email the brides. Brides are excited about getting married and planning for that special day. Take the time to send her something special in the mail to remind her about your business. 80% of sales are made after the 5th impression. Get them before someone else does.
6. Use the Internet
a. Web Pages: Today’s modern bride is planning over 70% of her wedding online. She is shopping and comparing, looking at the vast array of services out there to make her day special. Face it; you cannot put everything you want on one page of advertising. Make your web page a compliment to your current avenues of advertising. Keep it informative and easy to use. If you do not have one – get one as soon as possible!
b. Emails: With emails, potential clients can ask to schedule appointments and request more information free of charge. This allows you to free up time and respond at your convenience, but don’t wait too long. You should check your email daily. If you do not have one – get one as soon as possible!
c. Tracking Reports: It is very important to have tracking capabilities. Most hosting companies can track your website for you. They can provide reports to show you how brides are finding you. Often times, you may not thing a link or ad is working, but your tracking report will show otherwise.
7. Do Telemarketing
a. Friendly Phone Call: You must remember, brides are wanting and needing your service-they are a must buy customer. You do not have to make a hard sale. Give them a nice friendly phone call and inform them of your program, specials, unique features and invite them in to take a look. Getting the bride in your front door is the secret.
8. Bridal Shows
a.The Triad and Triangle has many shows to offer brides. We produce the most intimate and elegant shows in the area. So feel free to call us for any information or just check out our calendar of events.
For a nominal fee you can increase your exposure to prospective clients by participating in these shows. Remember, 80% of sales come after the 5th impression. If you are unable to attend other local shows, we will be at as many shows as possible passing out your information via our guide.
9. Something Unique a. Try and offer something that is unique in your line of business. Always give them something. No matter if it is a free copy of The Perfect Wedding Guide. When you give someone something, they usually feel inclined to give back.
10. Attend Networking Groups
As the founder of the Professional Wedding Guild in the Triad and in the Triangle and an active member of several other organizations, we know how important it is to consistently network in our industry. By attending a Professional Wedding Guild luncheon you will have an opportunity to meet other wedding professionals and to learn about their businesses as they learn about yours. You will also have a chance to see a different wedding site each month and sample food from various wedding caterers and restaurants.
After speaking to many wedding professionals who participate in our luncheons they have said that joining our luncheons was the best thing they ever did for their business. So please take advantage of this great opportunity to meet others who are willing to help your business grow.
