Web design by thinkllike a bride   marketing consulting   other sservices

Press Release: Christine Boulton Named to Wedding Industry Survey Network Advisory Board

Press Release: Christine Boulton Named to Wedding Industry Survey Network Advisory Board.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Christine Boulton Named to Wedding Industry Survey Network Advisory Board

New York – Tucson: July 27, 2010 – In their ongoing efforts to fill the need for timely and accurate information in the wedding business, the Wedding Industry Survey Network (WISN) names Christine Boulton to its advisory board.

Christine Boulton is a 25 year veteran of the wedding industry and is focused on helping small wedding businesses succeed. Through her company Think Like A Bride she has dedicated herself to understanding what today’s wedding professional needs to prioritize in their busy work day. Boulton’s cutting-edge approach in all areas of media takes very complicated information and simplifies it, making it understandable for her readers to digest. Her approachable nature then allows them to stay in close contact with her to get needed details for specific needs in their markets.

For 19 years she was the owner of a successful boutique bakery, Indulgence Custom Bakeshop. Her experience in dealing with the bride and end consumer allows her to interact with her vendor peers, understanding the challenges that face all portions of the wedding industry.

Today Ms Boulton is focusing on creating a group of web products specifically for the wedding industry. Her website and blog design is noted for being user friendly, SEO ready and easily manageable. Over the last year she has started expanding her public speaking and doing seminars across the country. She still continues to write for a variety of outlets, coach clients one on one and manage Social Media Marketing campaigns for wedding professionals, enabling her to stay connected to the latest trends in real time.

Her recently released eBook Bridal Show Success covers everything from how to select the right show for a wedding related business, down to how to properly follow up after the show is over.

“I am head over heels to be working with such an outstanding group of people. I feel together we bring a depth of talent, big picture view and knack for analysis that has never before been seen in the wedding industry,” said Boulton when she was accepted to the WISN group.

Shane McMurray, creator and head of the group said,” We have been working closely with Christine since early 2010. We feel she has the proper mix of knowledge as a vendor but also understands the industry from the Business-to-Business side. Her edginess, always questioning the facts and pushing the envelope lends itself to creating a dynamic environment for our group. We are very happy to have her on board.”

For more information please contact:

Paul Pannone at 516-312-0090

Paul@ewednews.com

Is Branding Still Important?

July 2010

I have been reading some interesting things lately about branding and the Wedding Industry. For years now I have been telling you how important branding your business is, and to a certain extent in your local market , it is.

Where I see it beginning to change in on the larger national level.

Let’s take a look. First you have things like Vera Wang banding together with David’s Bridal. That pretty much dilutes her brand to smithereens. She has done the same thing with her line for Macy’s. Once a brand that epitomized luxury and understated elegance, the Vera Wang label now is within reach of anyone.

While we are on the topic of bridal gowns…

I recently interviewed several of the bridal salons that I have worked with over the years. These salons all carry both moderate and couture labels. The one thing that they all said was that brides were no longer seeking a specific label of designer but a particular style and price point. As opposed to saying, “I am looking for a Reem Acra” they are more like to say I want a trumpet style in the under $1000 price range.  This is a strong departure from just a few years ago when high end brides would often identify themselves on forums as being “ A Reem Bride.”

I am getting a sense of this happening across the board. With such a glut of wedding vendors in the market place today, brides are finding what they want in a variety of price ranges. Those labels don’t mean a lot anymore.

Take for instance invitations. Having Crane invitations once said a lot about your wedding. Now  brides just buy Crane paper and print then at home.

As the average budget for weddings is dropping due to the current economic stress, the label, it seems, has been the first thing to go.

What does that mean for the small local vendors?

For one thing, it means that you can no longer depend on the lines you carry to draw in clients. You are better off trumpeting the fact that you offer goods and services in multiple price ranges than advertizing your lines.

As for branding your own business, I think that is still important in a local market. But you had better be doing it on customer service rather than price. Build your brand and your reputation around an image of being the most dependable and honest vendor in your category. Brides know they can get anything cheaper just down the lane, but it is still true that for this occasion they are willing to pay a bit more for peace of mind and anything to relieve stress.

Here is one tip, go back through you testimonials and rearrange them putting the ones that compliment your customer service closest to the top.

Get in the habit of asking your brides what you can do to make their planning easier? It could be something like if you are a florist you can arrange their linen rental for them.  First, you have made their planning easier but you should have also made a little extra coin on it.

Photographers; you could offer to recommend, even set up consultations with make-up and hair professionals for your brides.

Band, DJs, are you recommending dance instructors?

The beauty of all this is that you are offering them help at a time of certain stress in their lives without it costing you any coin, just time.

You won’t have to cut your prices if just holding their hand gets you the sale.

Crafting Your Elevator Speech: 60 Seconds to Fame

Everyone will acknowledge that you need an elevator speech, but do you know how to craft a remarkable one?

The basic elevator speech goes something like this: “My name is Judy Baxter and I own Flowers For All Occasions.”  The listener now has your basic information and a sense of what you do, but no reason to find out more. Suppose instead Judy had said something like, “I’m Judy Baxter and I create thoroughly amazing contemporary floral designs for less than amazing budgets.”  Now I know a lot more about you. You have intrigued me enough to ask for more.

The point of an elevator speech isn’t just to introduce you, it is to say just enough to compel those listening to want to find out more.  Marketing today is about being remarkable. A million people like Judy own flower shops, but how many have the ability to create amazing on less than amazing budgets.  I read an interesting article from one of my favorite marketers, Seth Godin, What Is Your Superpower? Much like the minor superheroes in The Justice League of America, no one knows your superpowers unless you tell them. Yes you do have superpowers.

What is it that sets you apart from the pack? That is what your 60 second speech should has to be about. It is up to you to figure out what it is that you do that makes you remarkable. I know, it’s hard for most of us to think we are remarkable and even harder to state it in front of strangers without feeling arrogant.  It isn’t about arrogance; it is about embracing what it is that makes you unique and stating it with complete inner confidence.

The hard part is often putting your superpowers into words that you can embrace unapologetically and with complete confidence in their truth. What is it that you do better than anyone else? You have to look closely at not only yourself but at your competitors. Trust me, there is something that you do differently or you wouldn’t still be in business. If you are just starting out, what is it that made you think you would be able to establish a competitive edge? Figure it out and boil it down to a single phrase. That is the basis for your introduction. THAT is what goes in your elevator speech.

It doesn’t matter what you do, there is something that sets you apart. Maybe you are a bridal salon that carries the complete line of a certain designer, or a caterer that is fluent in eight different cuisines or a transportation company that specializes in vintage convertibles.  We are all snowflakes, each unique. It is your job to discover your uniqueness.

To Heck with Your Product; Do They Like Your Brand

How engaged with your business/you/your brand are your customers. As the market place gets increasingly crowded and brides are looking more toward price points than design our goods and services fall increasingly into the category of commodity. That simple truth makes the perception of your product no different than anyone else’s.  Notice I said perception.

I know you think your product is different, but in today’s market that is not as convincing as it used to be. Neither is it as strong a selling point as it was 5 or 10 years ago. Two examples. Sitting in the front row of the runway shows at Harrogate were people with sketch pads from the Chinese factories. By that night patterns were being cut and I’m willing to bet those knock offs will hit the market before the real thing. If a bride likes a particular wedding gown there is a darn good chance that she can find a reasonable facsimile at every single price point. It won’t be the same gown, but most of these girls don’t care. To her it’s still a strapless mermaid gown with a beaded neckline, ruched bodice and tulle peeking out under the skirt; or what ever it is she fancies. It may look like a cheap copy out of fabric that you or I wouldn’t line our cat box with but she can’t see the difference.

Same with photographers. I can hear the gasps out there now. Yes I know you are creative and can set the shot perfectly but here is the reality. Brides find shots they like and take them to their photography as a ‘must have’ photo. You captured that once in a lifetime image and now everyone and their duck is doing it too. Will the lighting be the same? NO. Will the color be adjusted just so? NO In some case the composition won’t even be good but the bride is still happy: she got her picture of Grandpa on the steps blowing bubbles. Yawn.

Are you starting to see it now? I’m sorry but that is what is happening in the heads of brides. If you are in the wedding industry for artistic excellence and the profits be damned you can stop reading here. If however you are in the wedding industry to make money and grow your business you have to come to terms with these new brides.

You have to engage them on another level. You have to give them another reason  to want to give you their money. ~sigh~ You have to make then want you on a different level.

A lot of that can be done through branding. Let’s look at some famous brands and see what they mean.

  • Target Stylist and low cost.
  • David’s Low cost, I settled. You can see this in the posts on the forums, they almost apologize for buying at David’s even though the majority of there gowns are not any less expensive than most of what is on the market.
  • Vera Wang High price, cutting edge fashion. This one is so well branded that she can now put her name on anything and sell it, just like a certain lady named Stewart.
  • Reem Acra High style. This is another one backed up by the chatter, “I’m a Reem bride.”
  • Tiffany’s Quality, expensive. This is even though they have many items under $100. Anything in that blue box is perceived to be about 50% more expensive than it is.
  • Bed, Bath & Beyond Lots of variety and available nation wide. You can get 90% of the same products at Sears and they’re nation wide but it just doesn’t have the same cachet on a bridal registry.

Do you see how their branding is helping sell their product? You should consider your brand your promise. Last month I talked about how to boil down the essence of what your brand represents. Now you have a clearer understanding of why it may be becoming so very important. Next month will look at some ways on how to use it.

Why Living Your Brand Matters

I want to start with two little stories. I was at a dinner with 20 planners and no one really knew who I was; that is until we passed around our business cards. The minute they saw my card and my logo, the response was immediate. Everyone knew who I was. In some situations, all I have to do is pull my glasses down on my nose and it happens.

I recently signed on a new consulting client and her reason to finally sign on was that I was everywhere. What she really meant was my brand. It was either being mentioned in a blog or FB or Twitter. To her, I was everywhere. You are your brand and you have to represent it every day in everything you do.

Here is another interesting story about what happens when you don’t represent your brand. In April of 2007, The Washington Post did an experiment. They had Joshua Bell, world famous violinist, play in the Washington, DC subway on his $3.5 million Stradivarius in street clothes like any other street musician to see if anyone would notice. Two days before he had performed at a Boston concert hall before a sold out crowd with tickets averaging $100 a piece. So how much do you think he made in the subway? $32! The moral is that it doesn’t matter how good (great) you are, if your branding isn’t right you won’t make a fraction of what you could. Do you think that Bell’s performance or playing skills were any less that morning in the subway? Of course not, just like any great artist, he excels because of the love of the art, not the surroundings. What was different was the perception of the people listening. He may not need the trappings of a grand concert hall to make his magic, but his market needs it to perceive it. Here is the link to the original Washington Post story.

I want you to take a few minutes to watch this video; ok, 22 minutes but worth every one. It really explains the power of your personal brand better than I can. In it Alex Hunter takes you through the dos and do nots of developing a powerful and positive brand. The speech was presented at a conference for web app developers but it holds just as large a message for anyone in business. The language may be a little coarse for some of you but please don’t discount the message for that reason.

Branding and Marketing Essentials for Your Web App by Alex Hunter from Carsonified on Vimeo.

Here is my point, I come on here and talk about branding on a pretty frequent basis and I still think a lot of you aren’t getting it. Maybe I just haven’t expressed how vital it truly is, not only to your marketing but to your entire business. If you want to make the impact you dreamed of when you started your business you are not going to do it without wrapping yourself in the right branding. In other words, it doesn’t matter how good you are, if the perception among you target market isn’t there, they won’t notice your brilliance. Why the heck do you think the big boys spend so very much money on getting their brand right, promoting it and then protecting it?

You don’t have to spend a fortune on it, but, to quote another famous brand, you have to “Just do it”

Tribes and Word of Mouth

It is a given today that the strongest marketing is word of mouth.  Brides are more likely to trust referrals that they get from their Facebook friends than from any advertising you do. So how do you get that?  You let your tribe do it.

Huh?

We are a vast and diverse population, our brides are no different. At one time, lives were centered on family and small communities. Today the world is global, but we as people still need that small connected community. To fill that need we tend to form into tribes around the things, people, places and ideas that we are passionate about.

Brides display this same tendency. There are the DIY brides, the traditional bride, the VFW brides, the Offbeat brides, the Socially Conscious brides and the list goes on.

In every tribe there are the influencers; further, tribes can become influences in their own right. Tribes coalesce because they are passionate about something, not because it’s just OK. It is human nature to want to share those things we are passionate about. Hmm, that’s word of mouth.

Here is the idea, build a tribe around your ‘thing’. That can be you unique style, your particular cuisine, the way you treat brides, that one thing that you do better than anyone else. Market it, talk about it, trumpet it. Shout it loudly enough that the influencers for whom that ‘thing’ matters take notice. Stop trying to be all things to all people.

Seth Godin had an interesting post recently that got me thinking.

Here is part of what he said

“People don’t coalesce into active and committed tribes around the status quo.

The only vibrant tribes in our communities are the ones closer the edges, or those trying to make change. The center is large, but it’s not connected.”

You need to stop looking for your tribe in the center. I don’t remember what movie, some Matthew McConaughey fluff , but the line is perfect

“You have a freak flag…you just don’t fly it.”

If you want to attract a tribe you had better start. As Godin alluded to, tribes don’t form around the status quo. Normal just does not build word of mouth. If you want the influencers to notice you have to be not just better, but outrageously better or you just aren’t worth talking about. Now what the heck is it that you do that you can hone into “outrageously” better?

I don’t really think it matters what form or shape your freak flag takes; if it is outrageously better enough, there are people that will be attracted to it. From those people you begin to build your tribe. Provide information on that ‘thing’. Say for instance you are a photographer that really excels at black and white photography, blog about little things like lighting and texture that brides can include in their wedding that will really stand out in Black & White photography. Sort of feed their habit, play into their passions. As your influencers talk to others in their “I love Black & white wedding photography “  tribe they will pass on your information. Eventually you will begin to see your own tribe forming around you.

People belong to more than one tribe. Some of your tribe of B&W brides may mingle with the offbeat tribe. They will spread your information into that tribe. Some of those members will in turn spread it to even more groups.

Remember, you aren’t trying to be all things to all tribes. You are trying to build a loyal tribe around what you do. A tribe that is passionate about your ‘thing.’

So who is your tribe? Are you obsessed with that massive group in the middle? If you want to change things and build a loyal tribe of brand enthusiasts you had better start looking at the fringes. The fringe is where passion lives.

It’s A Wedding “Business”

“So Then I Shouldn’t Let My 6 Year Old Answer the Phone?”

Ummmm, no. That question was really asked of me recently. Do some wedding vendors just not get that this is a

it's A Wedding "Business"

business or are they clueless as to what a business is?

I truly didn’t know how to respond to the question. Where do you start to correct something like this? The question arose after a DJ had asked me to take a look at his business card from a marketing stand point. He asked me if he should risk putting his cell phone on the card. I told him if he wasn’t around his business phone most of the day then yes.

“Oh no” he said, “That is my home phone. I don’t have a business line.”

How many of you have just fallen into your business? Printed up a few business cards and thought you were good to go? More frighten, how many of you did that 10 or 15 years ago and are still thinking that way?

Think Like a Bride is here to keep you up on the trends in our industry, keep you clued in to your brides heads and spew forth marketing advice. I can’t help you if you aren’t at least looking at what you do from the level of a professional. Today’s brides are disenchanted enough and jaded enough that if they suspect for one minute that you are not professional they are never going to give you the time of day; or if they do they are not going to do it for anything but bargain basement rates.

If on the other hand you want great weddings and larger margins you have to look, sound and act like a professional. If you want today’s bride to hand you over a large check she wants to feel like you have it completely together, not some basement Betty just fooling around on the weekend.

Today’s bride is used to a certain level of professionalism when she spends top dollar. Additionally most of our brides have been in or at least exposed to the corporate world. They know how it works. I fear that many of the vendors I run across today have never been in that kind of business intensive world.

Even the simple things like proper business phone etiquette or how to put together a professional looking proposal seem to have fallen by the wayside. Proper spelling and language use count. It doesn’t matter how pretty you bridal bouquets are if your proposal looks like a 3rd grader typed it you won’t get the good brides. Details matter to these brides. I saw one on line the other day complaining that a caterer she sent an inquiry to misspelled her name in his reply. Her comment “How hard is it to just cut and paste?”

If you want to make a living in this industry in 2010 then you have got to be thinking about it from a business like point of view. We only have 52 Saturdays a year.

Before you even begin to start thinking about spending any money on marketing your business take a good hard look at the little things that make a business’ image. I don’t want you to come to me wanting a brand image makeover if you aren’t already doing the basic things that make you look like a pro. No amount of money spent on marketing is going to work if when they do call your 6 year old answers the phone.

Where You Meet Matters

Do you still meet your clients at the local Starbucks? Do you invite them into your living room? That may not be the best plan.

For many of us solo-preneurs having a dedicated off site office is just not something we have thought about or built into our growth plan. Heck, I work out of my bedroom but then I rarely meet with clients, it’s all over the phone and internet for me.  If you meet with clients face to face on a regular basis you need to think about the impression you send with where you meet.

This was prompted by a discussion I was following on a photographer’s forum. The original poster was moving into a new place and was wondering if he should turn his old place into a studio.  Great idea, depending on the location.  It was a 2nd story one bedroom on a side street. No matter how professional he made it, I still worry how comfortable a single woman would be going there alone.  It had better be in a great neighborhood. The thread continued with many people posting about their experiences when they moved into a real office/studio.

Let’s break it down. Brides will tell you that meeting at the local coffee house is OK. It’s a safe, public place that is easy to find. The problem for you is that you project the same image as every other wedding vendor that they meet there. There is nothing there to set you apart, nothing remarkable. There are distractions a plenty and nothing to stick in their mind.

If you meet in your home you are giving them too much information. Every home has its own drawbacks.  Even if you live in a show house designed by the editor of Metropolitan Home there are still a million personal touches that will show. Add to that the safety factor; do you really want to invite perfect strangers into you private space?  I sure don’t. I also don’t know many women that embrace the thought of being alone in a house with a stranger, especially if he is a man. I realize that it is often easier to meet at your home, particularly if you have children.  This is business folks; that isn’t always easy. The exception may be if you have a studio/workspace that is detached from the home.  Then the client is only viewing your home from the outside.

If you have a dedicated, off-site place to meet you set yourself apart. It is decorated in a manner that reflects your style. It screams professional, not amateur. Clients enter the space in a mood to do business, not chat. Unlike a coffee house, you have every possible sales tool at your finger tips. You just can’t carry everything in a briefcase. If it is in a commercial district it is presumed to be safe ground since there are other people near.  Unlike your home, your client only sees what you wish to present them, not everything about your life. All around it is the best solution.

Wait , you say! I can’t afford a place like that! You may be surprised.  I’m not talking about renting a corner office in a swanky high-rise or popping for commercial space in the shopping district; there are a million alternatives.  I know of two different wedding businesses in my small city that have added office suites to their property. They are tiny little spaces design for no more than meeting clients. If there isn’t something like this where you are you may consider doing it yourself.  Rent a place much larger than you need, divide it into small bedroom sized offices and rent them out to other wedding vendors. It pays your rent and they have a “business home.”

Heck, now that I think about it, my editor/publisher started his company this way in a restored mansion near the town square in Franklin, TN. He had one big room on the first floor.  I also remember photographer years ago that landed a similar place. It was a really cool building that a photographer had bought, built a nice studio and divided the rest up into private offices. She rented her office and had rights to schedule use of the studio space.  It worked out well for her for years. You could think of them as small business incubators.

There is a place that can be found if you put your mind to it. Oh, and yes, every single poster to that thread that had moved into professional space had seen a dramatic jump in their close rate. Just though I’d throw that out there.

Branding. What Are You Missing?

I had a most interesting teleseminar last night hosted by Marc Fuller’. Marc had asked me to participate as an expert on branding and the wedding industry. In what became a very lively discussion here is what I came away with: what are you missing?

One of the hardest things for most small business owners to do is see their business objectively. In order to define your brand that is something you have to do. I think maybe we get caught up in what we think our brand should be rather than what our brand is and can be.

Two of the participants on the call have huge opportunities to do some truly break away branding but they just didn’t see it. I hope I was able to open their eyes just a bit.

The first one is a wedding photographer on the West coast. If I recall correctly she has been shooting weddings for about 2 years. I asked her what made her decide to start doing weddings and that’s when I got her back story. She told me that she decided to concentrate on weddings as a kind of antidote to all the horror she had seen in her long career as a photojournalist. The problem was she wasn’t having much success getting this new career off the ground. Do what?!?

Let’s back up a minute. What is the single biggest buzzword in wedding photography today? That’s right, photo journalism. Here is a woman that is an honest to God, war covering photojournalist, yet any information about that is buried deep with in her website. Why?

The why is because she didn’t see it as special. She wasn’t published in any wedding magazines so I don’t think she thought it would matter. Wrong. Let me tell you, being paid for your work in National Geographic is a whole lot harder than getting into Modern Bride. She has done and lived the photojournalist life that so many only aspire to; shout it from the rooftops.

Needless to say she and I went in and reworded some of her advertising today.

The second is a Bridal Salon owner in Connecticut. The image she is marketing for her salon is along the lines of “We’ll make your day more relaxed.” Doesn’t everyone say that?  As she started to talk a bit about what she does it became evident that she does a lot more than that. First off she understands more about her cliental than most businesses do. The nearby university doesn’t allow cars until the junior year so she does most of her fittings on campus for the clients that need gowns for formals. She also picks up and delivers to campus for things like tuxes. She doesn’t think a thing about it.

She is also aware that the one thing that larger girls want in a salon is to be able to try on gowns. Consequently she stocks a large selection of plus size in bridal, formal and prom. The lady is very good at finding a need or a problem and solving it. That is what she needs her image to be, the problem solver. “We see your needs. Leave it to us to take care of them.”

I would suggest to her that she make a testimonial page one of the centerpieces of her marketing. She should go through all her testimonials and highlight any that tell how she filled a need that was going unmet else where. To here way of thinking she was just doing what came naturally so she didn’t see it as remarkable.

What are you doing that is remarkable today? Maybe you need another set of eyes to see it.

Branding. Again.

Is it time to get a second opinion on your branding? Probably.

Most of the time we are too close to our own company to really see it.  Sometimes it is wise to get someone else, even if they aren’t a professional marketer to take a look at your brand image.

 

Here are a few of the thing to study.

 

  • Does it express what you really do?  Look at your body of work, does your branding represent that.
  • Is your branding true to your mission statement? If your mission is to be a laid back, casual bridal salon does your name and branding reflect that or does it shout Bling?
  • Does your branding speak to the clientele you wish to attract? If you want hip trendy brides are you using vintage images?
  • Can someone look at your branding and know instantly what you stand for or is it too vague?

 

If you are not sure what I mean by branding I am talking about all the different things that represent you. Your logo, sign, business cards, packaging, shop or office interior, voice mail message and even you and your employees clothing.

 

As I said most times we are just to close to it to see our branding objectively. I attended a seminar in Atlanta recently that was presented by the owner of a rather large ad agency in Australia. Needless to say she had a wealth of creative talent already in house; still she hired another agency to do their branding. Why? Because they were more objective and they didn’t have any preconceived notions. The speaker said that they uncovered angles and ideas that her own team had never thought of because they look at it from the inside. 

Here is another example. I met a videographer at a bridal show and in addition to the requisite giant plasma screen his booth was full of antique camera equipment. I had to ask him why because for me that was just a huge disconnect. Why would someone whose segment of our industry is always on the technology forefront have vintage cameras in his booth? His answer was that he was trying to express that he was creating heirlooms. Ok, so tell me that. I suggested that he incorporate a tag line along the lines of “Using cutting edge technology to create the heirlooms of tomorrow”. By adding that one line to his sign, cards and brochures it instantly made sense. Not only did it make sense, it was down right brilliant but with out it there was that disconnect. Before I heard his answer I had started thinking if he is so into antique cameras how up to date is his equipment? Don’t make your customers have to ask because most of them won’t.

Today’s brides are very loyal to brands that they find to be honest and authentic and that match their vision. Isn’t it time you took a long hard look at your branding?