Here is part 2 of my 10 Tips for Bridal Shows. Today’s installment is all about the day of the show.

6. Network with vendors. Some of your strongest referrals come from other wedding vendors so arrive early and network with them. In that hour before show time walk the floor and connect; pass out business cards and pick up theirs. Make as many friends in the industry as you can. As a baker, I always held back some samples to feed the vendors I was working later in the day, when the floor clears for the fashion show is a great time to do something like this.

7. Gather leads. To tell the truth, the lead list you get from the show is usually garbage.: toss it and get your own. Gather real leads in your booth; offer something that brides want and get their real email address in return. For a good list, all you really need is their email and first name. Put together a white paper on a topic that relates to your category that you can send out by email after the show. For example, I working with the Director of Sales at a local hotel yesterday, I suggested he put together a two or three page paper on the ins and outs of booking you hotel for your reception.; things like room block and additional fees brides should be aware of before they decide.

8. Write on your brochures. When you connect with a bride, put a little handwritten note on your brochure. They collect so much clutter that they seldom remember which flyer came from which booth. A little hand written note sets you apart and will remind her what you spoke about. He is an example. I work the booth for an invitation company one year; if a bride seemed interested in a particular invitation I made a point of writing the number and book on a brochure and handing it to her. Nearly every one of them called us.

9. Act professionally. I know this sounds like a no brainer, but apparently it’s not. You are your advertizing at these shows. No eating, no drinking, no sitting down in front of the customers. The first thing I do at set up is get rid of those show issued folding chairs. Keep breath mints in your pocket and stay off your cell phone.

10. Work the entire show. Do not break down early. Work the show until the last bride has left the room. You would be amazed at the girls that want to visit the booths that interest them most on the way out of the fashion show. Be there to catch them. When you do start to break down, be helpful and make connections with the other vendors around you. Shared grief bonds people; face it you just survived 4 hours of hell/stupid/sore-feet all with the same goal. Consider dinner or drinks with your comrades at arms after the whole thing is over to commiserate and connect and de-compress.

I want everyone to have a successful show season. Bridal shows are a lot of work, but done right they can still pay off.

Tomorrow I will take a look at picking the right show for your business.

For more good stuff on bridal shows, subscribers can check out this month’s Marketing Column

at Think Like A Bride.

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