Bridal show season starts next month. Here are tips for selecting the promotional items to give to brides that will help them remember you.
Question
I’m getting ready to exhibit in my first bridal show. What sort of giveaways should I order to give to brides?
Answer
Using giveaways, with your contact information on them, at bridal shows and wedding fairs will help you keep your business name in front of potential clients, but you need to choose the right ones.
Here are 6 things you should consider when selecting giveaways:
1) It should be good quality and give brides a good impression of your business
Don’t give out something that looks cheap or breaks easily, it will make brides think your service are also low quality.
2) It should be something the brides in your niche would value
Don’t select something just because it is trendy or you’ve seen others with it. Really think about the brides in your niche and what they would appreciate.
3) It should be something a bride would keep and use
If your giveaway is a wedding favor that you created and filled with candy, the item, along with your contact information, may be gone before the day is over.
4) It should be affordable
It’s easy to fall in love with an expensive item that you know all the brides would want. But brides won’t hire you just because you give them a high-end item. If something expensive does catch your eye, buy a small quantity to give to brides who become your clients but find something less expensive to give out at events.
5) You should be able to buy a small quantity
Buying a large quantity will lower the individual price of a giveaway, but don’t allow a vendor to talk you into buying so many that it will take you months, or even years, to give them all away. Order enough to get you through just a few shows. After that you will probably be ready to order something new and different to promote your business.
6) You should think outside-the-box when selecting a giveaway
An alternative to ordering a typical giveaway would be creating a wedding planning checklist or a list of unique wedding planning tips and having them printed on a high-quality, heavy-weight paper or even on a magnet. This is something brides would keep and refer to later so don’t forget to print your contact information on it.
When you use giveaways, don’t just scatter them on a table for everyone to pick up. Give them to brides who give you their contact information or make an appointment with you.
And if you have a pressing question about starting or running your wedding planning business, you can send me an email at [email protected]. I will answer them on this blog or in my ezine, “Wedding Planner Tips,” which you can subscribe to here.
