I'm attending an upcoming bridal show soon, and would like some advice about what to use as a demo video. Last year we just had a few highlight videos repeat over and over again. But this year i'd thought of cutting up all the different videos and throwing them into one big compilation video, cutting from one wedding to the next, then back to the first one, mixing all the weddings up into one big highlights video.

The idea is that the brides walking by would see a wide range of shots and wedding styles quickly without having to stop and watch all the different wedding videos. But at the same time, each wedding has it's own style and feel to it, especially with the music. So it's hard to know what to do, it's also hard to be objective to the situation since I know what those shots are supposed to cut to, what music they go with etc, and changing it kind of messes up the "feel"

What do you think? Thanks.

Paul, this is a subject on which most people will have a different view so accept this as just mine.

Decide first what your objectives at the fair are. In ascending priority ours are to a) get our demo pack into the hands of prospective purchasers b) to talk to them also and to convey the main USPs of our product and service, encourage them to watch the demos and to call us and c) to get contacts for a followup. Our demo pack is a double DVD, two brochures and a value comparison chart which you can see on our website if you wish. Our experience is that the pack and especially the demos do the main client conversion so we don't expect or get many on-fair confirmations.

In our view the video shown at the fair is a completely different animal - essentially a series of TV ads for us. They are short and repeat continuously. The objectives of the ads are :

1 to attract attention and thus delay people as they walk past giving you time to deal with them in person.

2 at peak times, to convey in 15-20 seconds using text as well as images some key points about our service and product;

3 along with other posters on the stand to invite people to help themselves to a demo pack at busy times. We package the demos in a silver foil envelope which is easy to spot and saves you giving two demos or even taking time with people you've already seen

You'll gather that the on-stand video we don't call the demo.

One thing we found was that despite our name and the four or five different screens running on the stand, some people would still pause and say "Oh, video" as if they'd thought we were selling favours or fascinators. We therefore bought a large vertical banner which says in huge letters, "The best value in three camera wedding videos". Blatant perhaps but it's stopped any confusion. And it also sums up our product.

Whatever you do don't be precious about your promotional material. If it's good it's probably also expensive, but no matter how expensive it is, it does no good in your store cupboard. Get it into people's hands where it can do some good. Some will be wasted. Accept it.

The adage that half of all advertising and promotion is wasted is fundamentally true and the trick is still to know which half. When you discover it let me know won't you?

Paul,

I cut several together but worked through a typical day in order. Bridal prep, dress shot, venue, ceremony, photo shoot, speeches, cake cutting, first dance... that sort of thing. I run it in a loop at a show, mines a little longer (2 songs worth). I don't think that there is a definitive answer. My current one is on my home page Love Stories On Film (http://www.lovestoriesonfilm.com)

Hi Paul,

My approach in wedding showcase is more of showing the different weddings that we have shot while having a bit of storytelling in it as it is really what we are showcasing in our work.

Here is our take on wedding showcase, hope it helps :)

Paper Cranes Wedding Showcase 2010 on Vimeo

Santo

Susanto, I love the way you show the additional benefits of video that you don't get with photos. That's much more powerful than just saying it. Have you ever been mugged by a photographer when you were leaving a bridal show? ;-)

Hi jim,

We never did a bridal show. But we have got many positive feedback from everyone who watched it, including photographers :) then again, we only showed what we think is true. Its up to others to think otherwise.

We have booked quiet a few brides who teared up just watching the showcase and didnt feel the need to see our other work. I believe the showcase has done its purpose quiet well.

great video. the beginning is much like the Canon commercial comparing stills to video. It's awesome and a great idea to show brides that aren't interested in getting a video.

Santo,

Great work. Absolutely love the way you use the still grabs...

Santo, this is great video, and good point to many brides who still doesn't treat video in the same way as photo!
I'm having my first wedding fair on 11 March 2012! Very excited! Place looks great: Warren house in Kingston.

Hey Edgar

More importantly Santo has done the one thing there that all advertisers strive for and that's getting the buyers attention in less than 30 seconds...you want your video's start section to invoke a desire in the bride's mind probably within 15 seconds that "Gosh, I really have to have video at my wedding" ...After she has that thought implanted in her mind you can then show off your skills for a short while with a brief showcase of your work. I don't do bridal shows here but on the start page and very first paragraph of my website I do the very same thing. Just showing your work, regardless of how brilliant it might be, doesn't get the message across to someone that "you really should be looking at this because......"

Hope you get tons of genuine enquiries and that results in plenty of bookings!!!

Your feedback and results will be interesting to look at after the fair is done and dusted

Chris

Thanks Chris! I will post results might be a week later or so...

Nice work Susanto!

_________________________________________
Studio 213 Films (http://www.studio213films.com)

lovely work Susanto

Amazing Susanto, and such a simple yet overlooked idea! Shove it in their face that Video > Photo. :)

Hey Edgar

More importantly Santo has done the one thing there that all advertisers strive for and that's getting the buyers attention in less than 30 seconds...you want your video's start section to invoke a desire in the bride's mind probably within 15 seconds that "Gosh, I really have to have video at my wedding" ...After she has that thought implanted in her mind you can then show off your skills for a short while with a brief showcase of your work. I don't do bridal shows here but on the start page and very first paragraph of my website I do the very same thing. Just showing your work, regardless of how brilliant it might be, doesn't get the message across to someone that "you really should be looking at this because......"

Hope you get tons of genuine enquiries and that results in plenty of bookings!!!

Your feedback and results will be interesting to look at after the fair is done and dusted

Chris

Ok, about my experience in wedding fair that took place in Warren House on 11 March 2012.

It was a disaster for everyone!

There were no more than 50 registered couples, some of them even didn't knew their dates, some of them were planing to get married abroad. I had might be 4-5 couples who were interested in my service, the rest of them even didn't thought about video....It looks like people still thinking about video as an extra option, and they can leave without it...
Sad...

Hi Edgar

Sorry to hear that but everyone here that does wedding fairs seems to come up with the some sad story!
Yes, there are a few people who seem to score big time at wedding expos but they are in the minority!!

What you have to take into account is the cost of your stall, your own time there, and the cost of preparation and giveaways!! I figured that with stall costs and my time it would set me back at least $5000 for a weekend (taking into account that I would also have been shooting a wedding while the expo is on)
I would have to take a serious amount of "money in the bank" bookings to make it worthwhile!!

I seriously stay away from them..most local expo organisers send me emails offering great deals but I still know I will come out a loser!!

For business leads, as long as you have a decent website FULL of information brides WILL find you!!! The only place I advertise ($350 a year) is a local online wedding directory which also has a discussion forum so you can interact with brides.

Chris

The problem is not wedding fairs per se but the failure of the organisers to recruit the brides & their families. We too attended a wedding fair in London at the weekend as visitors not exhibitors as we wanted to see whether it would be worthwhile for us to take a stand next year. As it turned out show was much like Edgar's with too few brides. However I did get talking to one of the photographers there who told me that earlier in the year he had a booth at one of the large (& expensive) national wedding shows & had booked up almost the entire 2012 wedding season just from that one show. It's a numbers thing & if you have a large national show where there are thousands of potential clients walking past your stand then if you do your job right then you will take bookings & the show will be worthwhile.

There are far too many wedding show organisers who are trying to cash in & are happy to take money from exhibitors but seem to give little thought to the business of actually attracting brides to attend. Shows that are run by local radio stations or local newspaper groups seem to be a pretty safe bet as they have the wherewithal to advertise extensively. Likewise large well established shows. The problem is the smaller shows of which there are far too many. Just take a look at some of the dozens that are scheduled for London London Wedding Fairs, Bridal Fayres & Open Days (http://www.londonweddingfairs.com/) That list is by no means comprehensive as it only includes the ones that company is organising & doesn't include the Luxury Wedding Show that we attended at the Landmark Hotel on the 10th March.

It is also true that many brides do attend wedding shows looking for specific basic things for their wedding. Every bride who has any kind of formal wedding will book a venue, a photographer, a cake & a dress. They go to wedding fairs looking to book those services. Everything else is an optional extra or at least will only be chosen by a minority of brides e.g. horse drawn carriage, chocolate fountain, live band, magician, fireworks, dove release, wedding video etc Wedding videography is generally not in the first rank because they simply haven't thought of it or they have thought of it & based on what they have seen of traditional videos at other weddings they don't want it.

I was thinking that those over £200 spent on wedding fair I could spent on Google ad-words for 3 days and could get more enquiries or even bookings. Plus I could enjoy that day in the garden with my family....
Does anyone knows how much it cost to be in sponsored link on Google? One of my closest friend photographer spends about £1000 a month to be N1.