Doing my first bridal show this weekend!
happysmileylady
Registered Users Posts: 195 Major grins
I recently posted about crashing a bridal show.
And now I am doing my first one this weekend! I am pretty nervous.
I think I have my booth set up planned out, it's almost all together. I cheated a bit....I did a bunch of image searches, found one I liked, and modified it to fit my space and logo/color scheme. I sewed up my background for the booth just today (and am so proud of myself for that:D) and have got a total of 6 16X20s to hang. Plus I have a bunch of 5X7s, 8X10s and one or two 11x14s to display. I have chocolate to share, lots of easter chocolate:D and am picking up a small tv to run a slide show as well as a shelf display to put pics/brochures etc on. I wanted one or two of the photobook style albums, but I just didn't get it ordered in time. So, "regular" will have to do. For now anyway. I have two more shows, so I will have to get my photobooks before those. But since I am not selling those anyway, I suppose it's not a bad thing to not have it there, right? (I might offer them at some point, I am just not there yet.)
I have been searching out all the bridal show threads here, lots of great tips.
Currently, my hang up is, what to offer? I would like to run a contest, which will give a lot of contacts to follow up with, and then I would also like to offer something for booking a show that day. Perhaps maybe another special offer to schedule a consultation? I am just not sure what to offer for each situation. What sorts of things have you offered, what seems to work best for you?
Also, I am a pretty bad networker. I would love to chat it up with other vendors, get friendly with them, etc, since often referrals come from other vendors. Once I get talking, I can be really friendly, I am just AWFUL at introducing myself and getting the conversation going, particularly when I am looking to get something out of it, you know? Advice with that?
And now I am doing my first one this weekend! I am pretty nervous.
I think I have my booth set up planned out, it's almost all together. I cheated a bit....I did a bunch of image searches, found one I liked, and modified it to fit my space and logo/color scheme. I sewed up my background for the booth just today (and am so proud of myself for that:D) and have got a total of 6 16X20s to hang. Plus I have a bunch of 5X7s, 8X10s and one or two 11x14s to display. I have chocolate to share, lots of easter chocolate:D and am picking up a small tv to run a slide show as well as a shelf display to put pics/brochures etc on. I wanted one or two of the photobook style albums, but I just didn't get it ordered in time. So, "regular" will have to do. For now anyway. I have two more shows, so I will have to get my photobooks before those. But since I am not selling those anyway, I suppose it's not a bad thing to not have it there, right? (I might offer them at some point, I am just not there yet.)
I have been searching out all the bridal show threads here, lots of great tips.
Currently, my hang up is, what to offer? I would like to run a contest, which will give a lot of contacts to follow up with, and then I would also like to offer something for booking a show that day. Perhaps maybe another special offer to schedule a consultation? I am just not sure what to offer for each situation. What sorts of things have you offered, what seems to work best for you?
Also, I am a pretty bad networker. I would love to chat it up with other vendors, get friendly with them, etc, since often referrals come from other vendors. Once I get talking, I can be really friendly, I am just AWFUL at introducing myself and getting the conversation going, particularly when I am looking to get something out of it, you know? Advice with that?
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Congrats on your first one
I have 3 coming in the next couple of month
From my past experience, you need to give future brides such an offer they can't resist in order to book you right there and there, but don't be disappointed if that doesn't happen. How many photographers will be there? Around here, bridal shows are over saturated, and it's kind of hard to book someone on the spot with all the offers everyone is giving.
I personally will have a Free engagement ruffle, no strings attached. The winner will be announced right there at the show. If winning couple decides to go with the offer, it's an opportunity to book them for a wedding.
I will also offer $$ off a wedding package if they set up a consultation. I have 5x7 card printed with the offer they can take with them, of course with an exp. date.
As far as networking, if you're going to have someone with you to tend the booth, i would suggest just walk around and say hi, bring your cards with you. Vendors don't want to talk to much at the shows, a quick hello and introductions should be good enough. Usually i do it towards the end of the show.
Also, when i get lead list, i wait a week or so before i blast them an email. I've encountered the following problems:
1. Many leads are "dead", brides give out fake emails a lot, so don't be surprised if you get lots of bounced and undelivered emails. Brides are very smart these days, they know they will get flooded with emails from vendors.
2. Even if you have an offer, many times it doesn't work. Sure brides are excited to grab every offer possible, and then it goes nowhere
3. Tell your ex-brides or friends to come visit your booth and make a lot of buzz. This gets attention from everyone. The busier your booth, the better for you!
Show us your set after all set and done.
Good luck!!
www.intruecolors.com
Nikon D700 x2/D300
Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8
I have toyed with the idea of free engagement shoot. It's been suggested to me that that is not a good idea because it's quite a bit of extra work for me, with no guarentee of return. I have toyed with the idea of a free engagement mini session (ie just six poses, only like half an hour or an hour of shooting etc.) Or a free wall print, like a 16X20 or something. Or maybe offering them metallic prints at the price of my regular ones. Or maybe like $100 off a wedding. Or something, I just dunno.
And another question. I am just printing my flyers/brochures etc myself. And I have business cards, over 500, is that going to be enough. It's a free show, with donations being accepted for charity. It's also not totally full in regards to vendors. So I am not sure there will be a LOT of brides there. I am trying to decide how many flyers and such to have.
I am thinking perhaps contest to win a free 16X20 print from their wedding...that way in order to get it the winner has to book their wedding with me, if they don't, I am not out anything.
And maybe a free engagement session if they book their wedding that day...that way I already have the big deal when giving them the free stuff.
16/20s are probably passable while not being ideal, 11x14 would be ok as part of a group like as in an individual of all the bridesmaids in a set of 4 pics but there is no way in heck you should put something as small as 10x8's and 5x7's on the wall. They will look like postage stamps and de value the look of your stand.
I would suggest something like a 30x40 on the back wall and then 20x30's surrounding it. There is no better way to make a pic look impressive than enlarge it to an impressive size.
Chocolate or chocolateS?
I would strongly reccomend agains naked chocholate or pieces there of. It's unhygenic, may in fact contrevene some health tregulations and can end up getting all over things especially if it gets warm in the venue or your lights make it soft.
Wrapped sweets or chocolates are a much better offering. Juat make sure you have plenty of them because they will go fast.
Pick up a BIG flatscreen TV and a sound system with a Sub woofer. See my linked post for the reason why.
Don't try too hard, you will look desperate and the potential clients will pick up on the vibe and it will scare them off.
I would NEVER offer anything to book a consultation. The reason i don't have pricelists is so they have to come see me to get an accurate quote. If you give them all the info at the show, no reason to talk to you again and they will just price shop you.
The other thing is that you DON'T want every client. Some just won't be your market so you don't want to be bringing people through the door whom aren't right for you. If you sell yourself right at the show, they should be asking you when they can come in.
Don't try to make all the clients choose you, make sure that you are choosing them in who you want to work with. A bit precocious? Certainly, but thats the way to play the game... with just the slightest touch of arrogance...Slight.
For an incentive I offer a wall print or an engagement print. 20x30" which costs me about $20 from the lab. Thats what they get if they come to see me and book. i don't push to get bookings at the show, takes me away from too many other potential clients. If you get someone real excited etc, sure, by all means close the deal but don't try to get bookings at the show. Simply make appointements for them to come to the studio where you can do a proper presentation.
Get over that hang up quick!
Your in a people industry, you need to be a people person and a salesperson much more than a photographer.
Hint: WEATHER.
The best conversation starter of all. Everyone knows about it, everyone has an opinion and story about it and theres always something to say about it.
Strike up a conversation about thet then you can ease into other things.
Ask about what the people do, mention a LITTE about yourself and then play it by ear. Easiest way to get them to take your cards, ask for theirs.
Tell them your looking to build up a network of referees and you would like to reccomend them. From there you might go visit or offer a special discount for THEIR customers etc.
Not hard to do.
Hope your still awake and this is of some help.
Veritas Photography
Louisville Wedding & Senior Photographer
Well, I went 16X20s for two reasons-size and cost. I don't have a lot of money at the moment for this, so my booths this year are small, 8X8 spaces. With the 16X20s, I can squeeze in more of them on my back "wall" and they will look bigger because the space is small. Plus, the bigger the pic, the more it costs. The more it costs, the fewer of them I can get. I decided that a few more 16X20s would be better than just two or three larger prints (which is really all that would fit in the booth without it looking overcrowded.)
The smaller sizes aren't for on the wall, they are for standing on the tables and shelves. My 11X14 will be matted to a 16X20 frame and displayed at the front of the booth on a easel.
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I have 7 bags-2 hershey kisses, 1 of the hershey miniatures, and 4 different kinds of hershey easter eggs. All are individually wrapped with pastel easter foils. Do you think that's enough? Maybe I need two or three more bags. it's an 8 hour show.
Here's the thing with going too big...the show I crashed a few weeks ago had a very similar set up to the one I am doing this weekend, and was in the same place as my next show. It's a pretty tight set up-small booths, somewhat narrow walkways. There's not much "from across the room" going on...it's more like a maze and less like a big convention type of room. And, the person right next to my sister's booth at the snow I crashed had a BIG, probably 42" tv right on his table out in front, and it was somewhat overwhelming. Somewhat akin to sitting in the very very front of the movie theater. Actually, I was thinking about it some more...our family computer monitor is I think 19", maybe 20", I might just take that, then I can hook it up to the laptop, keep the laptop under the table, (so it doesn't walk away.) and then just run the slideshow from there. And I could hook up some speakers to the laptop as well. I can't go too loud on the music, both because of the coziness factor and also because there are noise regulations.
But yeah, the general idea totally came from your post:D I am planning to do the slideshow with music, it's just got to be a smaller scale. my thinking was more about incentive to actually show up to a consultation that they book. No shows happen, I was just thinking a mystery gift would make it less likely to happen.
This totally makes sense. I have given the same advice to others in regards to different areas, so it makes sense to apply it here too. I honestly don't expect to book a single wedding AT the show. But I figure it's better to have that offer there, just in case someone is teetering on the line, you know.
Well, talking photography with a client isn't so much a problem, it's more the introduce myself to other vendors and ask them to refer clients to me that's the issue
Weather's been crazy here anyway, so that's something to remember for sure
I should have had a clue when I showed up the night before to set up and only the one videographer was setting up.
There were FOUR brides that showed up. Four.
There were so many issues and any one of them should have been a red flag for me, but I am not really sure what I could have done, I signed up and signed the contract after the refund date, knowing that I would have lost money had I cancelled.
As I said, showed up to set up, only one other vendor setting up (well, plus vendor who was the primary person in charge of the show.) I got mostly set up, everything hauled in (tables and such, with no trolly or anything, which I could have used.) Had issues getting my banner hung and due to some venue restrictions, couldn't do exactly what I had planned with the booth, but was able to improvise.
One of the flags should have been that it was such a small room, and still wasn't full of vendors. But I knew it was a small show and figured that there were just one or two open tables. And, because of what I assumed was just one or two open tables, the lady in charge basically let me pick where I wanted to be. I paid for the smallest table in the room, but ended up with THE BIGGEST space. The room was rectangular with vendors all along the perimiter, and one center section with vendors on each side. At one end of the rectangle was the stage for the fashion show. At the other end, right by the door, only vendor on the end, like the head of a table, was me. So, I figured despite being a small show, I was really in the best set up to make the most of it. It was impossible to miss me, and I had the biggest, flashiest display. At the very least, I figured I would have the opportunity to talk to pretty much every bride that entered, I was RIGHT there.
So, I finish with what I can the night before, head home, print up some last minute stuff, I end up in bed at am. Up at am with the baby, so working on 3 hrs of sleep, but excited and ready to go. My teen (assistant) and I load up a couple of last minute things and head out. We get there, struggle with getting the banner straight, it's set up and we are setting up our frames all around the booth. The other primary person in charge tells me I have to take down my background and banner, the colors clash with the color scheme of the show.
As I am finishing up, it's getting close to start, and there are several empty tables still. There are two tables with stuff set up, but no one there to man them, just a bunch of brochures. Then, we are supposed to start at 10, and there are a couple of vendors who are JUST showing up. All told, including me and the 2 unmanned booths...there are 11 vendors. Yeah, 11.
The first bride shows up at 11. I did get to talk to her, they seemed pretty excited, liked my stuff. And, despite there only being 11 vendors, there was till another photographer. However, her display images were ALL selective color and I overheard the bride telling her mother that "no one does that anymore, it's so old." Nothing at my booth had selectve color, so I was good there. Anyway, she left, there's no other brides in the room, and one of those two coordinators decided to start the scheduled fashion show.
So, we head back to the booths, and another bride shows up around 1. However, she's there specifically to see the one florist vendor, who she has already hired, because the florist had told her that she would have a specific display there that the bride had wanted to see. She already had all her other vendors, so she spoke to no one else.
While we are all waiting around for ANYONE to show up, there's several family and friends of the coordinators hanging out, chatting with all of them, and they start getting drinks from the bar at the hotel as soon as it opened. And the people they were their to visit join them in the drinking. And then the models from the fashion show are grabbing beer bottles and hanging out.
Around 2ish, another family member of a vendor shows up, but she is actually a bride and does actually want to talk to folks. While I am talking to her, I discover that she did just get engaged, but they aren't planning to get married for at least 2.5 years and don't have a date set. Which, ok, I will discuss with you because I really don't have anything else to do, but obviously this is not likely to produce anything.
And of course, while I am talking to her, the 4th and final bride walks in with her mother, moh and fiance. Because I am talking to the 2 yrs out bride, they pass me by and head through the room. I finish up with the one I am talking to, they other bride starts to head my way and the coordinator decides that since we have brides in the room, time to do the second fashion show. By the time they finish that, the mom of the bride is over it and ready to head out the door. The bride stops her, but bride doesn't want to talk, she wants her mom to do everything for her, and her mom is obviously trying to encourage her to do it for herself. Bride won't even fill out my contest form, she wants her mom to do it. Finally the fiance did. But they hadn't picked a date either, and no one would answer any of the questions I asked, so nothing going on there.
After that, I waited around for a bit longer, then packed up and headed out. It was just a total waste of time. No one had any idea what they were doing.
I really want to ask for my money back. The thing is, all the proceeds were to be donated to charity. Apparently that included all the money the vendors paid, and apparently that meant nothing was spent on any advertising. I overheard someone saying they had $1k to donate...but with only four brides, I know that came from vendors fees. So I am supposed to ask for my money that is supposed to be donated to charity back?
I thought I had done some lame bridal fairs but that one really takes the cake! Clearly the organiser could not have done ANY promo of the event at all. Unbelieveable!
I have done some small local shows in commounity halls but they had several hundred people attend at least and i actually did pretty well out of them despite their size.
4 people coming is just insane.
No consolation but I feel so sorry for you. I know the hopes one build up especially for those first few shows you do and to be dissapointed like that just isn't fair.
I remember the first bridal fair I did. Worked out pretty well although wasn't well organised or set up either. I made a friend there, another exhibitor and him and I are like brothers over 20 years later. Not bad seeing I met him through chatting up his girlfriend that was handing out brochures for his reception business! :0)
I would definately be asking for my money back. If the fair was that poorly advertised, i'd be damn suspect on where the vendors fees go. Besides, you make the donation on the expectation of a return, if not directly financial, in promotion at least. Even if you got the " Donted to Charity " line, I'd still be hitting the organiser up for compensation of your promo materials. You won't get it, ( although if you took her to small claims court your definately would) but I'd be sticking the boot in for all your wasted time and effort. That is just wrong! Might pay to contact some of the other vendors and get them on side as well.
One thing I have learned with these thngs is to ask how many brides they are expecting. If they have done the show before I ask how many people attended last year ( and how many were actually brides) and if they haven't done it before, I always question their attendance estimates and where and how the event is being promoted.
I'd never dream of only 4 people though. They could have put a small ad in the local paper and got more than that!!
Had it been me there the organiser would have got a serve from me that she would have never forgot.
The only upside I can think of is that any other show you do will be better than that catastrophie and at least you had some practice putting one of these things together.
I'm sorry I can't say anything more positive and helpful, I'm just blown away with your experience. :cry
I even had a pre-show inquiry. About 3 days before the show, I got an email from a bride getting married April 2012. She had found me through the facebook page for the event. She said she was planning to be at the show, but if she didn't make it she wanted some info. So I responded that I looked forward to seeing her at the show, gave her some basic information, offered to schedule a time to get together so that we already had that set up if she didn't make the show. I didn't get a response before the show, but expected to meet her there. She didn't show up and I still don't have a response. I think I am going to send her one more email to follow up.
But that really fired me up and gave me confidence that there would be people there. My sister does several shows a year, she's never had a pre-show inquiry.
They could have posted an ad on craigslist (free!) and gotten better response, even from just one ad. I have never even had a garage sale with only 4 people show.
From what you said the majority of the people that came were friends of the exhibitors so that makes the thing a complete and utter farce.
I spose if there is an upside to your bad experience it's that you won't ever get caught like this again. I never pay upfront for shows i do anymore and never had trouble stringing the organisers along either as generally they have trouble booking these things not selling out except if they are very big and well established shows that already have good reputations.
How much did you pay for the show?? I would demand the refund.
www.intruecolors.com
Nikon D700 x2/D300
Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8
I always read of sports events in the US that have participant numbers unimagineable here in Oz and they seem the norm rather than one offs so to have tiny bridal fairs seems a big contrast.
So, I sent an email to the coordinator who had been the primary contact listed on the original contract for the show. I just told her that I am sure she realizes that it was a huge disappointment for me. I said I had been thinking about it the last few days and that I am going to need a refund of my vendor fee. I told her that I realize the proceeds were supposed to go to charity but that I would be more comfortable making the donation myself and that I had paid for participation in a bridal show and I don't feel like that's really what I got.
On another note, keeping in mind that this isn't exactly what I wanted to do, can anyone help me improve this?
I want the 16X20s to hang against the background but was having a hard time figuring out how to hang them and where against the background they would go, given the small space between the bottom of the banner and the table.
I have some ideas myself, but am interested in hearing experienced suggestions. Oh, also, I had originally planned to have a tv going with a slideshow, but couldn't get that worked out so ended up with my little bitty laptop in one corner of the table with the slideshow going. A technical glitch I need to figure out.
Just from my first impressions:
I totally did plan to have at least one easel, I was borrowing it from my mom but when she arrived with the stuff from my small display at the cake shop, the easel wasn't with it. The 16X20 frame with the matted 11X14 of the bride on the floor against the left shelf unit is actually a metallic print, that was supposed to sit on the easel out in the front of the booth so that brides to see it well and see the difference between a metallic print and a regular one.
Lemme ask a question about big prints in relation to the size of the room the show is in. The next show I am doing is in a "cozy" room. (I was originally supposed to be in a much "cozier" location than I was for this one as well.) The booths are either 8X8 or 10X10, and I can only afford an 8X8 booth. And the aisle ways are not wide, kinda like a hallway in a house, rather than a hallway in a school. I just am wondering about BIG prints in such a "cozy" area like that. I am not going to have the room to spread out, like I did here. I guess I am more wondering, in that type of space, which is better...just a few BIG prints, or multiple smaller ones?
I think your logo is nice, but your big draw should not be your logo on a banner. You have that entire background as essentially a mat for your logo..... when it should be your beautiful big prints taking center stage. Because in the long run, that is what you are trying to sell: your photography. Logos don't necessarily draw, but well done photography in conjunction with a well done logo... does.
http://andeedesign.com/
For a first timer, it's bloody fantastic!
Ok, enough blowing sunshine in your nether regions, here the bit that lets you know the compliments are genuine because some of this you won't want to hear.
Personaly I'm not at all fussed on the Purple backdrop. Colour isn't great for me but if it's your business colours, try to use some laterial that the creases are at least more even in or cover it up more.
Definatley Big prints there.
To hang prints off your background stand, go to the hardware and buy some light figure 8 decorative chain. You can open this stuff up with pliers, make or get a hook to go over the top support and then hang the chain all teh way down teh backdrop.
For the 30x40(s) you will use in the " cozy" room
You have some large brides in your pics. I wouldnt use them.
And before anyone gives me politicaly correct grief save your breath, i'm no anerexoic and my wife buys me the biggest clothes the shop has so i'm not being mean to anyone, i'm stating proven marketing fact.
I did a display with a photo association years ago at a shopping centre which was to get feedback from teh public on that they liked.
Most shooters there agreed the best pic of the sizeable exhibit was of a large girl. We all thought she was pretty hot BUT, several hundred women of the average age of a bride did not. Funny enough, I personally spoke to a good number of women that were larger than teh girl in the pic ( and no where near as good looking) and they were the most scathing of all.
Big women complain they don't get featured in advertising but as I saw then and have done since, the fact is they don't seem to like them themselves.
Personally I keep all my example shots of very " Middle" stature people, neither anerexoic or that look like me. :0)
I'm torn with the use of the white cabinets.
They look good but marketing wise are wrong. So are the 8x10 prints.
Get as many big prints as you can afford, put them on easels and get rid of as many small prints as you can as fast as you can.
8x10s are for albums not for display prints at wedding fairs.
Looking at the pic I can see all the 16/20's and could appraise them but the small prints are a blur.
When you get in an 8x8 stand ( I take it that is the normal 3 walled Shell?) you will have plenty of wall to hang prints so make the most of it with the biggest prints you can. In a shell stand don't even think of using the book cases.
I would suggest your thinking with the 8x8 stand in the small room is off base. Put up the biggest prints you can. If the people are a bit close they will look even more powerful. Plus, if your doing the show circuit you will use the prints over and over and the next show could well be in a basketball stadium and you will have a 12 ft stand so don't think one off, think consistancy and repeatability.
Go for the big prints that have the wow factor and will pull the people in rather than trying to show a bunch of small prints. You don't need to prove your experience at this point, all you need to do is impress them enough to come see some more and get all the info at the studio. Then they can look at lots of prints in the albums.
For an open space like you have here rather than a shell stand, i would look at putting the table on one side of the space or at and angle and use it more like a counter. Put your albums, entry forms, sweets etc on that so people will have a focus point to walk up and talk to you. in my experience, people are reluctant to come into open stands and tend to stay well back.
It creates some sort of a space people are unsure of invading and has the wrong feel to it.
If you have another light stand, use that to form a second wall behind you. set them up so you have 2 walls 90degrees to each other. You can use something cheap like a curtain rod as a top support for the background. I would also consider using a different fabric. My favourite is calico or dyes cotton. Black brings out the prints and if you have a 2 walled stand you can shoot spotlights from one to the other on the prints.
For a booth, you can refrence my other post on the other thread you have seen already.
Get a sign printed 20x30" at least with your offer on it and put it on the back wall under your main print. Lift the banner up as i explained in teh other thread so you have the banner up top, the main print high on the back wall and then the sign under that with a smaller print (16/20) either side of the sign.
Don't put prints on the floor. Yes i know you had no other choice in this case, but we are trying to help you improve as you go. :0)
I think i can see a B&W in the small prints, get one done in a 20x30 which should be your smallest size you have made from now on.
Yes, small shows are not that common, this particular venue is just getting into wedding business, they do a lot of other stuff, but he decided to make a small show for local towners and invited handful of vendors and did a small advertising to get brides. That is his second show, and i'm sure as venue gets more popular it will get more attention.
Majority of the shows are huge and i don't care too much to participate in them. They are oversaturated with vendors and too darn expensive!
www.intruecolors.com
Nikon D700 x2/D300
Nikon 70-200 2.8/50 1.8/85 1.8/14.24 2.8