The #1 Mistake Wedding Vendors Make With Bridal Show Marketing

Last Monday night Jeff and I interviewed Ken Rabasco, also known as “Bosco” in our neck of the woods, of Bosco’s Bridal Fashion Show & Expo to learn the biggest mistakes wedding vendors make at a bridal show.

After 13 years producing premiere bridal shows for the Metro New York and Connecticut area, Bosco sure has some good stories to tell!

On that call, Bosco revealed the 8 Critical Mistakes Wedding Vendors Make at a Bridal Show and How You Can Increase Your Show Bookings by 20-30%.  He dished out some of the best strategies for marketing at a bridal show that I’ve EVER heard.

According to Bosco…

The #1 Mistake wedding vendors make at a bridal show is NOT following up.

We spend hundreds…or even thousands…of dollars for a booth at a bridal expo where we have exclusive, in person access to 100 or more brides.  A good bridal show generates 5-10 qualified leads per hour at average cost of $4 per lead.

Sounds like a pretty good deal right?  Not bad for the chance to have a one-on-one conversation with a bride who is looking to book our services.

The problem is that a bride typically has to see our business 7-8 times before she even notices us.

If she meets us at a bridal show…and then never hears from us again…it’s like we don’t even exist.  Marketing at a bridal expo is only effective if we FOLLOW UP.  Otherwise we’re throwing away the chance to book those warm, pre-qualified weddings.

Bosco’s Quick Tips For Effective Bridal Show Follow Up

Send a postcard instead of email. Bulk email (even if you only send to only 5 people) almost always ends up in the Spam folder.

1. Include a handwritten note and make sure the image on your postcard ties into your bridal show display to make it easy for the bride to remember you. “Oh, yeah!  He was the cool photographer with the photo of the dog in a wedding dress.”
2. Whether you follow up by phone, email or mail, always reference the bridal show where you met. “Hi, this is Stephanie.  We met at Bosco’s Bridal Expo…”
3. If you are recommended by the bride’s venue, mention it in your follow up.
4. Be mindful of the bride’s schedule when following up. DON’T call her at 7am when she is getting ready for work.
5. Collect multiple phone numbers for the bride: work, home and cell. Use her cell phone number to text her.

Thanks for sharing this killer info, Bosco!

Annoyed Bride Photo Credit