It’s bridal fair season! Every year at this time there are many bridal fairs planned to catch the attention of brides who have gotten engaged during the holiday season. And every year at this time wedding planners and other wedding vendors get calls from bridal fair producers offering the opportunity to join the exhibit at the last minute at a drastically reduced rate.
The offers may sound enticing, they look like an opportunities to meet brides and get lists of brides you can market to at an inexpensive price.
But before you invest in these last minute opportunities, ask yourself these 5 questions:
1) Am I really ready to exhibit at a bridal fair?
If you haven’t determined your niche, don’t have your website up, and not sure what services you’ll be offering, you’re probably not ready to participate in a bridal fair. You should have a well-developed idea of who you want to serve, what their needs are, and the services you want to offer before you buy a booth at any fair.
2) How much would this “opportunity” really cost?
You won’t be just investing in renting the booth. You need to also spend money decorating it, creating marketing materials to distribute, and hiring staff to work with you.
3) Is this the bridal fair that brides in your target market group will visit?
Check out the advertising that the fair producers have used and determine if they are aimed at the brides whom you want. Fairs sometime target specific ethnic groups or they may appeal only brides who can afford luxury weddings. The fair you exhibit in should be one that has been marketed to the brides you can serve.
4) Do you have the time to plan and execute a post-show marketing program?
One wedding planner told me she exhibited at a number of shows every year but never got around to following up because she got too busy planning for the next fair! Any leads she received were gone.
You need to set up appointments with interested brides while you are at the show so your calendar must be free for the next week or two. You also need a plan to reach all brides who give you their contact information so you can keep them interested in your services.
5) Do you have realistic expectations about what this fair can give you for your investment?
I’ve spoken to many wedding planners and other wedding vendors who thought they would get brides signing contracts worth thousands of dollars while at the fair. The reality is that brides don’t necessarily hire someone on-the-spot. They are ofen just collecting information to look at later so your follow-up is as important as your presence at the fair.
By the way, it doesn’t hurt to ask fair producers why booths are available at a late date. Their answer may help you decide whether or not you want to participate.
You can learn more about marketing at bridal fairs in my downloadable action guide, “Exhibiting at Bridal Shows and Wedding Expos.” It’s also available on Kindle.
