Have you thought lately about whom your real competitors are? I’ve got a newsflash for you. It’s not the guy across town anymore. More likely than not it’s the mega company across the country or even the brides themselves. Bridal salons are loosing sales to the Internet, DJs are up against I-pods and in a bizarre turn of events florists are competing with the growers who sell to them. How can a small Mom and Pop operation compete with someone who undercuts them on price and can afford a full-page ad in Martha Stewart Weddings? Is there an answer?
You bet there is. And it was my father, many years ago who gave it to me. He always use to say” The only thing I have to offer that isn’t identical to my competitor’s is service”. That statement is truer today then ever. Almost any gown (or it’s knock-off) can be found on line. A bride can load her play list on an I-pod and have nonstop music for a month. There is even a consumer mixing board available for multiple mp3 players. With enough time a bride can design and make her own stunning invitations on a home computer. But wait, I know, you are an artist, and experienced pro. Budget conscious brides don’t care. They don’t yet get the concept of superior service. Wal-Mart and Designer Shoe Warehouse taint them. Today’s brides must be sold on the concept of service and craftsmanship.
I ran across a great ad recently for a bridal salon. There was no photo of the latest designer gown. No shot of the size 2 model posed on the staircase. It was a stunning ad nonetheless. It was selling the salon and its service, elegance and ambience. One look and you immediately knew your experience would not be the same as the one you had at David’s. It let you know that their goal was to pamper you from beginning to end. It would have been even better if it had conveyed the message that a bride should desire this as part and parcel of the wedding planning experience.
A florist should consider focusing their ad on their design skills. Remind brides those beautiful flowers are nothing until artfully arranged, which is not a skill everyone has. Believe me I know, 20 years, as a cake designer and I still can’t arrange my way out of a paper bag.
Photographers, I know what you are up against with the weekend warrior and tech savvy brides. If they want everything on disc ready to print, oh give it to them. But charge a premium price. And when they choke and say “But that’s 3 time hirer then the other guy” look them straight in the eye and tell them that you have shot X number of weddings in your many yeared career and have seen and dealt with every possible glitch and problem that could possibly happen. Do they really want to trust their memories to a rookie??
Remember, you aren’t selling the gown, or the flowers or the prints. You are selling your skills and service. You have to make the brides understand what they are buying.
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