Our savvy little consumers have figured out a way to get just what they want and still stay with in budget. By throwing the traditional budget out the window. Every website, planner or advice book has a standard budget in it somewhere. This percent should be spent on this, and that much on the other thing. But our girls are too smart for that. “I don’t care about flowers, why should I spend that much on centerpieces.” Poof, gone is the floral arrangement in favor of a candlescape the bride did herself. Pop that money over to the food budget. “Ohh, I really love that Vera Wang gown, so what if it’s twice what I budgeted. I’ll just lose the videographer.” Rather than have a mediocre bit of everything, they want the best of the things that are most important to them. And they have taken the time to find out what those things are.
What has brought about this change in perspective? Information. They may read an article on what they have to have for their wedding, but they read it with a jaded eye. The experts are no longer trusted. Tradition means very little to today’s bride. They are more likely to take advice from recent brides on where to spend their money then from their mother. This is their wedding and they intend to have it their way. Every website I have visited has a thread along the lines of “What do you wish you would have spent less on and what splurge were you glad you made.” So before you try to sell them anything, they already know if they want it or not.
“How the heck am I supposed to zero in on my target market when it could be anyone?” you’re probably asking right about now. You do it by making sure the image you are projecting says what you want it to say. Take a look at an ad for Tiffany’s and compare it to an ad for say Wal-Mart. They both sell jewelry, but you know with just one look, that they are vastly different. As you craft your image, make sure it expresses the level of product or service you offer. If you are a top end photographer whose images are classic and timeless, reflect that in everything from the font you use to the paper your cards are printed on. You can’t bag an elephant with a pea shooter. If you pride yourself on being the affordable option, reflect that. Choose a simple font and an inexpensive paper stock, use clean simple lines. Limit your use of color in your marketing materials. If you are a consultant whose claim to fame is being organized to a level bordering on a personality disorder, think of the way the ads for the Container Store look. All neat and compartmentalized. No patterns, simple clean colors. What ever it is that makes you different, make sure your image says it loud and clear. And them put that well crafted image everywhere your name appears.
Everything you use to market your company should have the same theme. If you are using an image in your print ads, use it on the home page of your website, put it on your business card, heck, put it on your shopping bags if you have them. A photographer I have been working with told me at a recent show that brides would come up to her booth and say they had not heard of her. The minute she handed them a business card, they said “Oh yes, I’ve been to your website, Great work.” The same image is on her business card as in on her website.
My point is, you have to target those brides for whom your product is important.
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