Bridal Expo….. Is it really worth it?

Joel Campos · June 16th, 2008, 06:47 PM

I've been considering participating in the local expo myself but have always heard mixed messages from fellow videographers here locally. They all tell me the positive to doing an expo is the opportunity to build relationships with other vendors in the industry. With that alone, i'm considering doing an expo just for the sake of getting to know all of the coordinators, photographers, etc in the hopes of building bridges to other pools of referrals.

Blake Cavett · June 16th, 2008, 09:25 PM

I did TWO shows this year. One was $600... the other a cool GRAND. Ugh.
I priced my services competively, had a nice booth, a nice sample DVD, etc.

I had several phone calls, people saying they loved what was on the DVD, etc.

But in the end... I booked ONE wedding.

Yes... ONE. As in: '1'

And she cancelled three weeks ago! [sarcasm]Please kill me[/sarcasm]

The lesson I learned here is that we don't have the people who want to spend a lot on a video... which sucks to be me! Either that or they don't mingle at a bridal show...

So in the meantime I've cut my prices a TON... Heck, 60% of something beats 0% of nothing!

Would I do it again? Not a chance! Especially when one of those shows had another deal where for $300 bucks you could put a sample DVD (or flyer) in the 'gift bags' they hand to every person who walks thru the door!

Hmmm.... 10+ hours and a $1000 bucks vs. $300 dollars for a guarantee that everyone gets something of yours! No brainer!

The good thing to come out of it was the networking with other vendors. THAT is a plus!

Carl Walters · June 17th, 2008, 02:39 AM

Kate, just because you have bought the gear doesn't mean that you're going to get bookings overnight.
You say you've been in business 1 month. Certainly here in the UK it's not unheard of to NOT get any bookings throughout the "wedding" season. We do all our marketing between the end of September and beginning of April, when, here in the UK, the majority of the bridal fairs are held. This is the time when we take bookings. Our clients normally book for the following year or two.
My view on wedding fairs is that if we get just one booking from it then it's been succesful. Obviously you usually get more than that.
As regards marketing,don't neccessarily price your product at market value. If you're offering a good product don't be afraid to price it at a little bit more than your local competitors. You may be suprised at the effect this has. SImilarly, if you haven't much experience at shooting weddings then pricing under current market price may bring i last minute jobs where the video has been an afterthought. Just be aware though, it's not always easy to raise your prices if you have a reputation for being cheap.
There is a DVD by Mike Colon, "Reaching the High end bride". It's aimed at photographers but the marketing strategy is valid for both photography and video. Since watching and studying this a couple of years ago, and practicing what Mike our business certainly took a turn in the right direction, well worth watching.
Continue to get your name out, quality leaflets, not pieces of A4 printed on a home computer and ripped i half, and you will find that the work will start to come in, but be patient, after all, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Michael Liebergot · June 17th, 2008, 08:07 AM

Kate it doesn't matter what equipment you use to shoot with or edit.
It takes time to get your name out there.

The most important thing, in this day and age is marketing the right way.
In my opinion the most important advertising tool that you have at your disposal is your website.
1. A good SEO optimized (for search engines) website is a must.
2. Video samples on your website is a MUST (video is an audio/visual medium so web samples are WAY better than any print medium will be)
3. Having quality websites link to yours is a must (wedding sites)
4. Advertise your services on quality wedding websites.
5. Pricing. If you are starting out then getting work and your name out there is the first hurdle. If you have to then lower your prices (not necessarily slash them). Doing some jobs for lower pay is better than doing no jobs at all.
6. Join your local PVA. Networking with local professionals can boost your business and improve your skills.

These are only some ideas that can help you out in business.
I was never a believer in Bridal Shows, as these generally bring out price shoppers and tire kickers. I would rather put my eggs in other baskets to stimulate my business (networking, quality advertising, referrals).

June 16th, 2008, 06:47 PM	#16
Joel Campos Regular Crew Join Date: May 2008 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii Posts: 32	I've been considering participating in the local expo myself but have always heard mixed messages from fellow videographers here locally. They all tell me the positive to doing an expo is the opportunity to build relationships with other vendors in the industry. With that alone, i'm considering doing an expo just for the sake of getting to know all of the coordinators, photographers, etc in the hopes of building bridges to other pools of referrals. __________________ Joel Campos studio red www.studioredweddingcinema.com

June 17th, 2008, 08:07 AM	#19
Michael Liebergot Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,505	Kate it doesn't matter what equipment you use to shoot with or edit. It takes time to get your name out there. The most important thing, in this day and age is marketing the right way. In my opinion the most important advertising tool that you have at your disposal is your website. 1. A good SEO optimized (for search engines) website is a must. 2. Video samples on your website is a MUST (video is an audio/visual medium so web samples are WAY better than any print medium will be) 3. Having quality websites link to yours is a must (wedding sites) 4. Advertise your services on quality wedding websites. 5. Pricing. If you are starting out then getting work and your name out there is the first hurdle. If you have to then lower your prices (not necessarily slash them). Doing some jobs for lower pay is better than doing no jobs at all. 6. Join your local PVA. Networking with local professionals can boost your business and improve your skills. These are only some ideas that can help you out in business. I was never a believer in Bridal Shows, as these generally bring out price shoppers and tire kickers. I would rather put my eggs in other baskets to stimulate my business (networking, quality advertising, referrals). __________________ Michael www.lvpvideo.com

June 16th, 2008, 09:25 PM	#17
Blake Cavett Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Madison Posts: 330	I did TWO shows this year. One was $600... the other a cool GRAND. Ugh. I priced my services competively, had a nice booth, a nice sample DVD, etc. I had several phone calls, people saying they loved what was on the DVD, etc. But in the end... I booked ONE wedding. Yes... ONE. As in: '1' And she cancelled three weeks ago! [sarcasm]Please kill me[/sarcasm] The lesson I learned here is that we don't have the people who want to spend a lot on a video... which sucks to be me! Either that or they don't mingle at a bridal show... So in the meantime I've cut my prices a TON... Heck, 60% of something beats 0% of nothing! Would I do it again? Not a chance! Especially when one of those shows had another deal where for $300 bucks you could put a sample DVD (or flyer) in the 'gift bags' they hand to every person who walks thru the door! Hmmm.... 10+ hours and a $1000 bucks vs. $300 dollars for a guarantee that everyone gets something of yours! No brainer! The good thing to come out of it was the networking with other vendors. THAT is a plus!

June 17th, 2008, 02:39 AM	#18
Carl Walters Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: East Midlands Posts: 137	Kate, just because you have bought the gear doesn't mean that you're going to get bookings overnight. You say you've been in business 1 month. Certainly here in the UK it's not unheard of to NOT get any bookings throughout the "wedding" season. We do all our marketing between the end of September and beginning of April, when, here in the UK, the majority of the bridal fairs are held. This is the time when we take bookings. Our clients normally book for the following year or two. My view on wedding fairs is that if we get just one booking from it then it's been succesful. Obviously you usually get more than that. As regards marketing,don't neccessarily price your product at market value. If you're offering a good product don't be afraid to price it at a little bit more than your local competitors. You may be suprised at the effect this has. SImilarly, if you haven't much experience at shooting weddings then pricing under current market price may bring i last minute jobs where the video has been an afterthought. Just be aware though, it's not always easy to raise your prices if you have a reputation for being cheap. There is a DVD by Mike Colon, "Reaching the High end bride". It's aimed at photographers but the marketing strategy is valid for both photography and video. Since watching and studying this a couple of years ago, and practicing what Mike our business certainly took a turn in the right direction, well worth watching. Continue to get your name out, quality leaflets, not pieces of A4 printed on a home computer and ripped i half, and you will find that the work will start to come in, but be patient, after all, Rome wasn't built in a day.