Who uses Dual Branding at DVinfo.net

Chris Harding · May 27th, 2012, 07:53 PM

Hi All

I watched a video a while back on a company that ultilises dual branding so they can cater for both budget brides and high end brides... if a bride visits the "high end" website and feels that their services are way out of their budget they are given an option to visit "our sister site" where they can browse around less expensive packages ... I think the hubby did the high end and the wife did the budget packages.

Anyone work this way ? if so, is it better than offering packages from budget right through to high end???

Chris

Noa Put · May 28th, 2012, 03:18 AM

I do have separate websites for wedding and corporate work but they are not linked together in any way as I don't want my corporate clients to see that I do weddings, in my country doing weddings is often regarded as being "amateur" and that could cause me to loose corporate assignments.

Having a low end and high end weddingsite does make sense but only if you would create 2 different company names so your brides are not able to see it's one and the same company. I think referring to a cheaper sister site on the high end site is not such a good idea, it's like telling that you do high end but if you don't have the money, we do cheap and low end as well :)

If you go for high end, you should go all the way and use a different business-name so clients can recognize you as that company that doesn't make any sacrifices to quality, you pay a lot, but you get something in return. In this way you can get the same amount of clients you do every year through your low end site (and that's your main steady income) and if you are lucky you get a few very high end clients from the other site giving you the opportunity to buy that Sony f3 you always wanted :D
You just need to be sure you have the right demo's to back that "high end" claim up.

Chris Harding · May 28th, 2012, 04:48 AM

Hi Noa

I have the same situation.. my commercial work is a different domain and not even linked in any way to weddings ...I think brides like you to be an exclusive wedding videographer not a commercial shooter who does weddings on the side.

I only have one wedding site so there is no dual branding on the wedding side at all...I was just curious as to who uses the technique and essentially runs two different wedding businesses catering for both budget style and hollywood style. I saw the video a while back on dual branding by a well known videographer in the USA and his wife and was simply wondering if anyone here does the same.

Chris

George Kilroy · May 28th, 2012, 06:56 AM

Hi Chris.

My thoughts on operating under two separate identities (i.e. different named websites). The fist worry would be that as a solo operator I may end up loosing a top-end wedding to a low budget one. My in-flow of enquiries is very unpredictable and I never know before just what expectations couples have. In my eagerness to secure a booking for the date I may accept the low priced one and then regret it when the next phone call is for the same date with a much bigger budget.
Even more concerning though is that if couples discover that I am offering different pricing, depending on how they contact me I will loose reputation and credibility. Many of my enquiries are from previous weddings and it would take some feat of memory to find out which price plan the couple who'd referred were on. I work solo in a quiet small geographical area and it's not unusual to meet clients with future or previous bookings at weddings. My worry would be that when talking one would find they'd paid half the other. I don't think it would matter that the package is smaller, as far as they'd know the same person is doing the work and charging differently.

This approach would be suitable for someone who runs a team or uses freelances or sub-contracts to others, but as someone who's gained a reputation for honest straight-forward dealings with people I'd be reluctant to mess that up.

Like you I do try to promote my wedding/domestic and industrial/commercial and community work separately. Though I have picked up a surprisingly good number of business jobs through chatting with people at weddings, and vice-versa getting weddings from people who see me filming at their place of work. I think that if your presence at a wedding is professional it does no harm to your commercial standing. Often the way we think other perceive us may be in our own head.

Chris Harding · May 28th, 2012, 07:29 AM

Thanks for the input George!

That was my take on the issue as well and unless one had someone, preferably unrelated to you, running your different business it could be tricky.... I too get a lot of referrals and more often than not the bride I did a year ago is a guest at the new wedding...I actually did one a few months apart where the bridesmaid at the first became the bride at the 2nd and the previous bride was the matron of honour so that sort of situation would be tricky.

I wasn't really contemplating it actually but I was interested if it actually did work...you often see retail outlets that are owned by the same company that trade against each other and clients will swear that one is so much better than the other too!!

At weddings I'm more than happy to talk commercial with guests too..it's not often you get the opportunity to roam around a venue with 100 potential clients!!!!

Chris

May 27th, 2012, 07:53 PM	#1
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Who uses Dual Branding Hi All I watched a video a while back on a company that ultilises dual branding so they can cater for both budget brides and high end brides... if a bride visits the "high end" website and feels that their services are way out of their budget they are given an option to visit "our sister site" where they can browse around less expensive packages ... I think the hubby did the high end and the wife did the budget packages. Anyone work this way ? if so, is it better than offering packages from budget right through to high end??? Chris

May 28th, 2012, 03:18 AM	#2
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Who uses Dual Branding I do have separate websites for wedding and corporate work but they are not linked together in any way as I don't want my corporate clients to see that I do weddings, in my country doing weddings is often regarded as being "amateur" and that could cause me to loose corporate assignments. Having a low end and high end weddingsite does make sense but only if you would create 2 different company names so your brides are not able to see it's one and the same company. I think referring to a cheaper sister site on the high end site is not such a good idea, it's like telling that you do high end but if you don't have the money, we do cheap and low end as well :) If you go for high end, you should go all the way and use a different business-name so clients can recognize you as that company that doesn't make any sacrifices to quality, you pay a lot, but you get something in return. In this way you can get the same amount of clients you do every year through your low end site (and that's your main steady income) and if you are lucky you get a few very high end clients from the other site giving you the opportunity to buy that Sony f3 you always wanted :D You just need to be sure you have the right demo's to back that "high end" claim up.

May 28th, 2012, 04:48 AM	#3
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Who uses Dual Branding Hi Noa I have the same situation.. my commercial work is a different domain and not even linked in any way to weddings ...I think brides like you to be an exclusive wedding videographer not a commercial shooter who does weddings on the side. I only have one wedding site so there is no dual branding on the wedding side at all...I was just curious as to who uses the technique and essentially runs two different wedding businesses catering for both budget style and hollywood style. I saw the video a while back on dual branding by a well known videographer in the USA and his wife and was simply wondering if anyone here does the same. Chris

May 28th, 2012, 06:56 AM	#4
George Kilroy Major Player Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Midlands UK Posts: 699	Re: Who uses Dual Branding Hi Chris. My thoughts on operating under two separate identities (i.e. different named websites). The fist worry would be that as a solo operator I may end up loosing a top-end wedding to a low budget one. My in-flow of enquiries is very unpredictable and I never know before just what expectations couples have. In my eagerness to secure a booking for the date I may accept the low priced one and then regret it when the next phone call is for the same date with a much bigger budget. Even more concerning though is that if couples discover that I am offering different pricing, depending on how they contact me I will loose reputation and credibility. Many of my enquiries are from previous weddings and it would take some feat of memory to find out which price plan the couple who'd referred were on. I work solo in a quiet small geographical area and it's not unusual to meet clients with future or previous bookings at weddings. My worry would be that when talking one would find they'd paid half the other. I don't think it would matter that the package is smaller, as far as they'd know the same person is doing the work and charging differently. This approach would be suitable for someone who runs a team or uses freelances or sub-contracts to others, but as someone who's gained a reputation for honest straight-forward dealings with people I'd be reluctant to mess that up. Like you I do try to promote my wedding/domestic and industrial/commercial and community work separately. Though I have picked up a surprisingly good number of business jobs through chatting with people at weddings, and vice-versa getting weddings from people who see me filming at their place of work. I think that if your presence at a wedding is professional it does no harm to your commercial standing. Often the way we think other perceive us may be in our own head.

May 28th, 2012, 07:29 AM	#5
Chris Harding Inner Circle Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Perth, Western Australia Posts: 8,441	Re: Who uses Dual Branding Thanks for the input George! That was my take on the issue as well and unless one had someone, preferably unrelated to you, running your different business it could be tricky.... I too get a lot of referrals and more often than not the bride I did a year ago is a guest at the new wedding...I actually did one a few months apart where the bridesmaid at the first became the bride at the 2nd and the previous bride was the matron of honour so that sort of situation would be tricky. I wasn't really contemplating it actually but I was interested if it actually did work...you often see retail outlets that are owned by the same company that trade against each other and clients will swear that one is so much better than the other too!! At weddings I'm more than happy to talk commercial with guests too..it's not often you get the opportunity to roam around a venue with 100 potential clients!!!! Chris