Marketing at DVinfo.net

Danny O'Neill · August 27th, 2008, 05:55 AM

What marketing works best for you. Im asking here as its a nice international forum so might be a little more open than some UK based ones.

Ive tried wedding fayres but there so many of them over here the numbers through the doors are just tiny.

Im looking at partnerships with suppliers but most bridal shops are happy to have you advertise but charge £1500 for a small place in their magazine alongside everyone else in my area. Im looking for a recomendation because they like us, which is why we recommend suppliers.

What other options work? Strangley, even with the current credit crunch were looking at raising our prices. Our current pricing seems to be making people suspicious as to why were cheaper than our compeition. At first we thought this would work to our advantage but maybe not.

Whats worked for you? I know there will be cultural differences but all ideas are good ideas.

John Moon · August 27th, 2008, 06:59 AM

Danny....each market in the US is different to some extent and can even vary from State to State. It all depends on what people react to. One thing that is important is to develop some close relationships with some photographers. Find a handful that you like and respect their work and might even learn from how the compose shots and network with them. Bridal shows are very hit and miss but it does get your brand out there and that is how we approach Bridal shows. We never go in with the mindset that we are going to book a wedding from it. Its just exposure for us. But in your case, if the numbers are small it might be best to spend that money somewhere else. Maybe consider forming a group of your own that might have great vendors in each category and help each other out. Networking for us is so very important.

It seems in the US there is a huge trend of Brides doing a large amount of there search for vendors online. Google Adwords is a great start. Do a search on "Viral Marketing" and try some. You need to generate a buzz about your company, your product and you. If you look at many of the successful photographers around they are a brand in and of themselves. Branding is a huge part of our creative businesses.

The one thing we always try and remember is never, never stop marketing. Even when you have a ton of business, you can't pull back on marketing.

Have fun with it. Good luck.

Steve Shovlar · August 27th, 2008, 07:37 AM

HI Danny I am a wedding videographer in Dorset.

I advertise on Somerset and Bournemouth and Poole Yellow Pages at a cost of £1200 a year. That brings in 3-4 weddings so pays for itself. Be selective with wedding fayres. I do about 6 staring in a couple of weeks time and the bigger the better. If there's another videographer at the same fayre, make sure you are better in all aspects. Couples will look at both and the price shouldn't come into it.

Google adwords work as well. PLus there's a few decent online wedding sites worth taking out advertising with. Keep your sample dvd right up to day. Give out nicely printed brochures. I have checked out the local opposition and I am head and shoulders above them. And because of that I charge a lot more as well.

Noel Lising · August 27th, 2008, 07:37 AM

Hi Danny,

Based on experience I find networking with other suppliers works well with me. I befriend DJ's during receptions, ask for their business card and mail them DVD clips of their "performances" during the wedding. They can show this to clients when presenting. In return they give you referrals. I also have a deal with a flower shop, take nice pictures of their boquets, corsage and give them copies. In return they will give you a nice space in their shop for you to place business card. The flower shop has so far given me 4 weddings this year. We also developed a 10 % deal, if they book us and get their flowers from her, the couple gets a 10 % discount. Right now we are trying to get a cake shop into the mix.

I am also a church goer, Catholics requires couples getting married to attend a 1 day seminar, this is usually announced after the end of the mass. The priest would announce the date, time and location of the seminar, all I have to do is be there 30 minutes before the seminar and hand off buisness cards and flyers to couples attending the seminar.

Hope this helps.

Richard Wakefield · August 27th, 2008, 08:14 AM

Steve,

ur kidding me right? £1200 a year and only 3 or 4 bookings generated from it?!....i'm sorry to say it but that's a RIP-OFF! web advertising is really cheap and IMO much more cost-effective. i'm with free ones, or ones that cost at most £14.99/month, and i'm getting bookings all the time from those.

wedding fayres (large or small) are also a complete waste of time, money and effort IMHO (unless u enjoy them and value the networking), sorry Steve, i just hate to see people getting ripped off unnecessarily.

google adwords really work well for me, i'll join u on that comment :)

Steve Shovlar · August 27th, 2008, 10:04 AM

Richard I don't see it as a rip off. 4 weddings = 4800 for a 1200 outlay and getting my name out to the biggest source of people in my area.

I use the weddingservices4u site and sites similar and they bring in good bookings. Trouble with Google adwords is they bump up the per click price every few weeks and some end up at £2.50 a click!!

Richard Wakefield · August 27th, 2008, 02:39 PM

hi steve,

but my point is, surely £4800 for less than £100 a year is way better for you financially?
and yeah, it's getting your name out, but not to as many people as you'd like....i for one never pick up the yellow pages for anything, esp for a service like ours...everyone uses the web nowadays don't they?

but i promise you, i'm saying this all with nice intention, i just feel sick with how much some advertisers can get away with asking and giving cr#p over the phone about 'reader/viewer numbers/stats'. another example is the CONf#tt# website (from what i've heard anyway)....

August 27th, 2008, 05:55 AM	#1
Danny O'Neill Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Northampton, UK Posts: 915	Marketing What marketing works best for you. Im asking here as its a nice international forum so might be a little more open than some UK based ones. Ive tried wedding fayres but there so many of them over here the numbers through the doors are just tiny. Im looking at partnerships with suppliers but most bridal shops are happy to have you advertise but charge £1500 for a small place in their magazine alongside everyone else in my area. Im looking for a recomendation because they like us, which is why we recommend suppliers. What other options work? Strangley, even with the current credit crunch were looking at raising our prices. Our current pricing seems to be making people suspicious as to why were cheaper than our compeition. At first we thought this would work to our advantage but maybe not. Whats worked for you? I know there will be cultural differences but all ideas are good ideas. __________________ mintyslippers.com

August 27th, 2008, 06:59 AM	#2
John Moon Major Player Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 446	Danny....each market in the US is different to some extent and can even vary from State to State. It all depends on what people react to. One thing that is important is to develop some close relationships with some photographers. Find a handful that you like and respect their work and might even learn from how the compose shots and network with them. Bridal shows are very hit and miss but it does get your brand out there and that is how we approach Bridal shows. We never go in with the mindset that we are going to book a wedding from it. Its just exposure for us. But in your case, if the numbers are small it might be best to spend that money somewhere else. Maybe consider forming a group of your own that might have great vendors in each category and help each other out. Networking for us is so very important. It seems in the US there is a huge trend of Brides doing a large amount of there search for vendors online. Google Adwords is a great start. Do a search on "Viral Marketing" and try some. You need to generate a buzz about your company, your product and you. If you look at many of the successful photographers around they are a brand in and of themselves. Branding is a huge part of our creative businesses. The one thing we always try and remember is never, never stop marketing. Even when you have a ton of business, you can't pull back on marketing. Have fun with it. Good luck. __________________ John J. Moon www.northernlightfilmworks.com - Event DV Top 25 Recipient

August 27th, 2008, 07:37 AM	#3
Steve Shovlar Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Dorset UK Posts: 697	HI Danny I am a wedding videographer in Dorset. I advertise on Somerset and Bournemouth and Poole Yellow Pages at a cost of £1200 a year. That brings in 3-4 weddings so pays for itself. Be selective with wedding fayres. I do about 6 staring in a couple of weeks time and the bigger the better. If there's another videographer at the same fayre, make sure you are better in all aspects. Couples will look at both and the price shouldn't come into it. Google adwords work as well. PLus there's a few decent online wedding sites worth taking out advertising with. Keep your sample dvd right up to day. Give out nicely printed brochures. I have checked out the local opposition and I am head and shoulders above them. And because of that I charge a lot more as well.

August 27th, 2008, 07:37 AM	#4
Noel Lising Major Player Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 789	Hi Danny, Based on experience I find networking with other suppliers works well with me. I befriend DJ's during receptions, ask for their business card and mail them DVD clips of their "performances" during the wedding. They can show this to clients when presenting. In return they give you referrals. I also have a deal with a flower shop, take nice pictures of their boquets, corsage and give them copies. In return they will give you a nice space in their shop for you to place business card. The flower shop has so far given me 4 weddings this year. We also developed a 10 % deal, if they book us and get their flowers from her, the couple gets a 10 % discount. Right now we are trying to get a cake shop into the mix. I am also a church goer, Catholics requires couples getting married to attend a 1 day seminar, this is usually announced after the end of the mass. The priest would announce the date, time and location of the seminar, all I have to do is be there 30 minutes before the seminar and hand off buisness cards and flyers to couples attending the seminar. Hope this helps.

August 27th, 2008, 08:14 AM	#5
Richard Wakefield Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 680	Steve, ur kidding me right? £1200 a year and only 3 or 4 bookings generated from it?!....i'm sorry to say it but that's a RIP-OFF! web advertising is really cheap and IMO much more cost-effective. i'm with free ones, or ones that cost at most £14.99/month, and i'm getting bookings all the time from those. wedding fayres (large or small) are also a complete waste of time, money and effort IMHO (unless u enjoy them and value the networking), sorry Steve, i just hate to see people getting ripped off unnecessarily. google adwords really work well for me, i'll join u on that comment :)

August 27th, 2008, 10:04 AM	#6
Steve Shovlar Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Dorset UK Posts: 697	Richard I don't see it as a rip off. 4 weddings = 4800 for a 1200 outlay and getting my name out to the biggest source of people in my area. I use the weddingservices4u site and sites similar and they bring in good bookings. Trouble with Google adwords is they bump up the per click price every few weeks and some end up at £2.50 a click!!

August 27th, 2008, 02:39 PM	#7
Richard Wakefield Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Surrey, UK Posts: 680	hi steve, but my point is, surely £4800 for less than £100 a year is way better for you financially? and yeah, it's getting your name out, but not to as many people as you'd like....i for one never pick up the yellow pages for anything, esp for a service like ours...everyone uses the web nowadays don't they? but i promise you, i'm saying this all with nice intention, i just feel sick with how much some advertisers can get away with asking and giving cr#p over the phone about 'reader/viewer numbers/stats'. another example is the CONf#tt# website (from what i've heard anyway)....