For auld lang syne..

Frankly, I get a little tired as I begin to even reflect on the events of 2009.

This year has seen many changes but with it, I gained a house, a company, a new name and a fantastic husband. Not too shabby.

New Year's Resolutions are a funny thing. I like to have them but find them outdated before I even get started. That is to say, life just is constantly evolving so a goal set one day may not get me to where I'd like to go the next day.

So for tradition's sake however, I'd like to throw a few out there- and chose to do so through my Blog in an attempt to be held accountable.

In 2010, I hope for the following:

1) OFD to continue to grow locally and beyond as the choice marketing/pr solution for wedding professionals hoping to build their business.

2) A rejuvenated RBA that holds on to all the good parts (wonderful members, networking opportunities, great presence at the bridal shows) and builds on what can make us better. We've already started by welcoming the fantastic Steve Mullen with EndGame PR (http://www.endgamepr.com/) to our January meeting at the *new* Lemaire, to discuss Web Marketing. Down the road, we will continue to offer great educational opportunities to our members.

3) Like many, I hope for balance- of work, family, friends... okay, and the final season of Lost. There, I said it.

And just to give myself a little boost of confidence, I set a short term goal and have already met it! As you can see from the top of the Blog, I've finally named my Blog something other than OFD Consulting. I hope to co-brand Illuminate with OFD in the Richmond Wedding Industry and beyond. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements down the road.

Now you're turn- what are your goals for 2010?

Until next time,
Meghan

http://www.ofdconsulting.com/

Meghan Ely is the owner of OFD Consulting, a niche marketing group geared towards wedding professionals. She is also the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association, and has a regular spot on Bridesight TV.

Holiday Cards- Undercover Sales Tactic

I always have to smile when one of my many business books coaches me to send holiday cards to clients and vendors this time of year. I equate it to placing a tray of freshly made chocolate chip cookies in front of me, and asking me to eat them. In other words, no need to twist my arm.

Today’s blog, however, is not about my love of all things merry, or about the white Christmas tree that gets pulled out of the box as soon as the leftover Thanksgiving turkey finds a home in my fridge. Today is about sales tactics and how the holidays can give you an edge.

Quite often I speak with vendors who simply refuse to make a sales call. And you know what? I don’t blame them. It’s difficult enough to muster the courage to blindside a prospect, and then you also have the opportunity to enjoy the fear of rejection hanging over your head.

I always encourage clients to reach out to others with a purpose. If you have a reason in mind- those jitters start to make way for confidence. With the holiday season knocking at our door, what better reason is out there than to wish our colleagues and clients well?

From a sales standpoint, this allows you to remain relevant in the eyes of your next potential piece of business.

Case in point- during my Catering days, I always took a large gulp when I realized my busy holiday season was behind me. Among our staff, I was always the first to lock my office door for a couple of hours, and work on the 100+ cards to my clients, prospects, colleagues and vendors. Before I knew it, my phones were ringing from people thanking me for the card and the “oh hey, while I have you on the phone, I was meaning to call about booking a…”

Game. Set. Match.

A few tips to get you started:

1) Sending holiday cards isn’t exactly a new thing so dare to think outside of the proverbial tinsel and garland decorated box and send holiday cards for New Years. Or better yet- send out Thanksgiving wishes and you’ll be the first in line.
2) Work the repeat business. Holidays cards should not just be sent to your 2010 brides, but to previous brides and grooms as well. Down the road, they may need you for other jobs, such as family portraits, a birthday cake or a venue for their parents’ wedding anniversary. The door doesn’t have to close once the wedding cake is cut.
3) Don’t forget your wedding industry colleagues- more than likely, your brides are booking you in part because one of them referred you.
4) Finally, be sure to include your own vendors- whether it be your web designer, graphic designer or your insurance broker. Remember- part of your success is due to the people in which you surround yourself.

So, grab your contacts list, a good pen and some egg nog, and see the revenue start filling up your stocking.

Until next time,

Meghan

http://www.ofdconsulting.com/

Meghan Ely is the owner of OFD Consulting, a niche marketing group geared towards wedding professionals. She is also the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association, and has a regular spot on Bridesight TV.

Top 10 Wedding Trends as seen by Get Married- a must read!

With 2009 winding down, it is time to look ahead. In order to stay competitive, it's of the utmost importance to keep with the trends locally and on a national level.

With this being said, I wanted to share an important article I ran across on PRNewswire today.

Until next time,

Meghan

ATLANTA, Dec. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The holiday season -- between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day -- is the most popular time of year for engagements with approximately 35-40 percent (550,000-650,000) couples getting engaged to be married over the next 12 to 18 months, according to The Wedding Report*. With an estimated 2.2 million weddings projected in 2010*, more than 1.1 million brides will discover their unique bridal style as they plan every moment of their celebration. Get Married offers these brides a sneak peek of the top 10 bridal trends for 2010. From runway fashions and edible passions to techie automations and color saturations, the new bridal trends are all about personalization and expressing your unique bridal style.

"Bringing your unique wedding inspirations to life is as exciting as it is essential when creating the 'wow'-factor," said Stacie Francombe, founder and CEO of Get Married, a tri-media wedding lifestyle platform for passionate brides. "We encourage brides to be bold and adventurous, infusing the elements and styles that excite them in life in this momentous lifecycle occasion."

Following is a look at the top 10 bridal trends for 2010 as determined by Get Married's editorial and production teams as well as leading industry experts:

1.Non-linear aisle: Brides are personalizing the procession by altering the traditional aisle with a circle or a triangular double aisle, enabling the couple to enter from multiple spots with a central meeting point. Stephanie Davis, Get Married magazine editor-in-chief and new bride, wedded lake-side on a circular dock from which she and her groom entered. "Our family no longer has two sides, so everyone sat together and, as an added bonus, there wasn't a bad seat in the house!"

2.Comfort foods with a kick: Chef Wolfgang Puck believes that comfort foods have become more popular in the current economy. Think burgers, pizza, ribs, pot pie, and risotto -- but comfort does not have to mean pedestrian. "Upgrade ingredients and prepare them with great expertise. Serve hors d'oeuvres like Kobe burgers, wild mushroom risotto, smoked salmon pizzas, slow-braised short ribs or a simple chicken pot pie with lobster," advises Puck.

3.Gifting techie gadgetry: Registries and wedding gifts have increasingly become more high tech. Brides want electronic recipe finders, books and charging plates, and matching his-and-hers PDA cases--all examples of great gadgets for the couple as well as thank-you gifts for parents and the wedding party.

4.Texture-inspired invitations: Top bridal designer Monique Lhuillier shares inspirations and details from her various collections: "A lot of fabric details from the dresses translate into the invitations. We use techniques of embossing to mimic textures and incorporate the same colors from the gowns into the invitations." Look for details you would see on the runway on your wedding invitations.

5.Old, new, borrowed and cobalt blue: From hints of blue in bridal fashion to saturated color throughout the wedding decor, "blues will be the most requested color in 2010," according to Shane Murray of The Wedding Report. Bright cobalt blue is a hot hue for 2010, offering fresh, bold and atmospheric twist on the bluesy tradition.

6.Wear-again bridesmaid dresses: The urban legend of wearing a bridesmaids dress by choice after the wedding is a reality with the new silhouettes that mirror what is happening on the runway. Gorgeous and glamorous dresses with drop waists, bubble skirts and ruffles add an additional sense of style for bridesmaids to wear -- and wear again.

7.Three-dimensional save-the-dates: Inform your friends and family of your wedding day with a twist. Three-dimensional elements on the save-the-dates, like a paper umbrella (signifying a destination wedding), adds character, humor and relevance.

8.Old Hollywood glam, for men!: A return to Cary Grant's sense of style is making a comeback this year for grooms, looking charming and dapper in a white tuxedo with black-rimmed lapels. This cool old-school look brings back the sharp-looking vest and nostalgic pocket watch.

9.Blogger brides abound: Now more than ever, Get Married is seeing brides enjoy sharing snippets of surprises, ideas and images throughout their wedding planning experience. Personal blogs offer a space for brides to share, gather inspirations and explore. Check out Get Married's robust and newly-skinned wedding blog.

10.Personalized plus: From the decor designs and inspirational invites to a great gifts and super-fab favors, Get Married is observing brides' aspiration for distinctly personalized wedding details. Designing invitations, save-the-dates and thank-you cards and adding monograms to guest books, aisle runners and gifts (like cosmetic and travel bags) offers a hint of personal bridal style. An assortment of personalized decor, invitations, gifts and favors are available at http://www.shop.getmarried.com/.

Get Married offers a bridal style quiz for brides to discover their bridal personalities and express it -- available on the homepage at getmarried.com and reflected on the new season of Get Married's show on WE tv. The series will include real brides learning about their bridal style by partaking in fun wedding planning challenges and activities with expert wedding professionals.

More details and images about Get Married's top 10 bridal trends for 2010 -- and additional hot wedding ideas for the coming year -- will be showcased in the second issue of Get Married magazine available January 2010 on newsstands, online, by subscription and as a free first issue.

Courtesy of:
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/get-married-unveils-the-new-top-10-bridal-trends-for-2010-78674307.html

Thanks Style Me Pretty!

We're thrilled our submission to Style Me Pretty (http://www.stylemepretty.com/) was selected for Backstage, their newer venture into the world of the business of weddings.

Check it out:
http://backstage.stylemepretty.com/

Special thanks to Abby Larson for the opportunity.