To be Filed under the "Seriously?" Category: Wedding Venues and the Great Switch Up

From time to time, I dust off my wedding hat and wear it around town- normally to assist a friend with her Big Day. Yesterday was no exception as my friend and I ventured to her reception venue for a walk through and general chat since we were 45 days out from the event.

We had received word that the in house coordinator had left, so naturally, my guard was up, and thank goodness for that. After meeting with a lovely, if not unseasoned, substitute with three (yes, three) weddings under her belt, I wanted to run for the hills. And I'm not even the bride.

Neil Sedaka put it best- breaking up is hard to do, and it's inevitable in the wedding industry. People move, find better jobs, leave the industry- in other words, the circle of (wedding) life. Staff changes, when not handled well, can lead to a major bruises to the overall brand.

So what to do when you find your company in a similar situation? A few rules for the road:

1) Have a strategy, and quick. Assuming the staff member still has two weeks with you, sit down with him and her as well as anyone else who will be involved in the transition. Discuss and implement a communication strategy. Save it for the next time this inevitably happens, to save yourself a little time.

2) Tell everyone. Be honest and make sure every bride hears it directly from you. The worst thing you can do is let the bride discover it on their own. Even worse- on a message board. If possible, have the person leaving call each and every bride over one day. Get them all before word gets out and suddenly you're fielding angry phone calls.

While this is not always feasible, it's certainly the best way to go when you can. I changed venues three times over the years and made it a point to call every single bride and tell them personally. It was never an easy conversation, but they certainly respected me for it.

3) Assign one (not three) staff member to each event for the transition. When we spoke with the coordinator yesterday, we asked who would be our main contact moving forward and we were told to continue to write the general email address, where any one of three people would respond. Naturally, I stepped in at this moment and insisted just one person be our contact .The fact is- staff changes are as stressful on the bride as they are for you. It's always best to give them one, new point of contact so they can feel like they are in good hands.

4) Give the new person time to adjust. Yesterday, we asked who would be on site for the actual event in mid-September. We were then told they'd have someone hired at the end of August. Surely, I said, they wouldn't be the main contact after being on the job for two weeks? My question was met with a hasty answer and some back peddling. Case in point- the newbie has to do their fair amount of time shadowing before throw into the game. Be sure to stress this with your brides.

5) Brag on the newbie. When you have found "the one," be sure to brag on her/him. A happy announcement on your Blog, blast email to the brides- anything to build their credibility, and fast.

Staff changes can be a stress to all and it's easy to get lost in the transition and forget that you potentially have your reputation at stake. With a few handy tricks, you'll come out on the other side with a sea of happy brides.

And if you forget everything else, just remember this- saying you've done three weddings won't even impress the ring bearer.

Until next time,
Meghan


Meghan Ely is the owner of OFD Consulting, a niche marketing and public relations group servicing the wedding industry. She is also the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association, Contributing Writer to Virginia Bride Magazine and has a regular column in the Richmond Times Dispatch, Wedology 101: the Reality of Being a Bride.

New Kid on the Block

I just love surrounding myself with like minded individuals- those who don't call what they do "work" and those who want to better themselves as a business.

Let's be honest- there's nothing more exciting to me than a solid marketing plan and some partnership marketing strategies. Plus it's fun to tell bridezilla stories- preferably with a glass of good wine in hand, and a captivated audience.

This afternoon, I took my usual spin around Facebook and was excited to see the launch of the Community of Charlottesville Wedding and Event Professionals, a new group designed to bring the Charlottesville wedding community together for networking and education.

Despite my hectic schedule and newfound role and responsibilities, my mind started to go into overdrive and I was giddy at the thought of networking more with our friends to the West.

In short, it's an exciting new endeavor and I'm happy to sing Claire and Jessica's praises for bringing a much needed opportunity to a fabulous area.

If you haven't done so already, I'd suggest you take a moment to visit their brand spanking new web site and learn more about their upcoming event on August 18th. I've already signed up to be a member and if you do any business in the Charlottesville, I encourage you to make the same investment.

After all, we're all in this together right? Plus, I've got some wedding stories that pair well with the right Sauvignon Blanc.

More soon,
Meghan



Meghan Ely is the owner of OFD Consulting, a niche marketing and public relations group servicing the wedding industry. She is also the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association, Contributing Writer to Virginia Bride Magazine and has a regular column in the Richmond Times Dispatch, Wedology 101: the Reality of Being a Bride.

A Little Bit of News

I am a lot of things. Wife. Small business owner. Occasional blogger. Whoopie pie maker.

But, I'm also a caterer at heart.

I was thrilled to hear that the National Association of Catering Executives was forming a chapter in Richmond. Finally, I thought, the often forgotten component of Hospitality gets its own organization. Networking and education customized to fit the needs of event professionals? Don't mind if I do!

So when NACE President Carlos Velez contacted me about the Director of Marketing position, I couldn't say yes fast enough. I'm excited to join an already seasoned Board of local professionals and look forward to spreading the word about this exciting development in Richmond!

And if you haven't done so already, be sure to RSVP for the upcoming Launch party on Wednesday, August 11 at the Westin.

More soon,
Meghan

Meghan Ely is the owner of OFD Consulting, a niche marketing and public relations group servicing the wedding industry. She is also the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association, Contributing Writer to Virginia Bride Magazine and has a regular column in the Richmond Times Dispatch, Wedology 101: the Reality of Being a Bride.

OFD goes National with WedLock Partnership

I'll never forget the first time someone asked me where I advertised my services. The proverbial light bulb went off as I realized that there was literally no publication out there for the wedding industry as whole. Were there cake magazines? Sure. DJ magazines? You bet. But nothing that actually spoke to the Wedding Professional as an industry.

That is, until now.

Coming across WedLock Magazine was a breath of fresh air. After all, I recognize that not everyone can hire me. Currently, Illuminate: the Workshop is available only in Virginia. At the same time, there is still a need for education- tried and true marketing strategies for wedding professionals.

WedLock Magazine offers just that- key strategies, tips and tricks to help you succeed in what is often an oversaturated market. In addition to a monthly magazine, WedLock also offers twice monthly webinars on various topics pertinent to succeeding in the wedding industry.

So what does this have to do with OFD?

Well, a week from today, on Wednesday, July 21, I will be hosting webinar on behalf of WedLock Magazine on one of my favorite topics: Partnership Marketing: Building Business from your Wedding Buddies from 7-9pm. We'll be diving into such ideas as turning your competitors into your sales team, as well as easy strategies to implement into your every day business practices that promise big returns.

It's a thrill, as well as a privilege, as I follow in the steps of such well known industry experts as Sonny Ganguly, CEO of Wedding Wire, and wedding marketing authority Andy Ebon. In the coming months, be sure to keep your eyes out for my article on Wedding PR, which will be featured in the Fall.

Interested in learning more about WedLock and my upcoming webinar? drop me a line at meghan {at} ofdconsulting {dot} com.

More soon,
Meghan

Meghan Ely is the owner of OFD Consulting, a niche marketing and public relations group servicing the wedding industry. She is also the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association, Contributing Writer to Virginia Bride Magazine and has a regular column in the Richmond Times Dispatch, Wedology 101: the Reality of Being a Bride.

A Tale of One Hundred Wedding Web Sites

I feel like I've been to the trenches and back.

As I wrapped up a recent client project, I came to the realization that I had just reviewed one hundred wedding web sites.

With the majority from my very own neck of the woods, I feel like I've seen it all- from the snazzy to the pitifully outdated.

Here's the thing- I'm always rejecting my own Blog ideas because it seems like common sense. Of course then I gently remind myself of the time just a month or so ago when my husband had to stop me from removing a piece a toast from the toaster.. with a fork. So alas, not everything deemed common sense to one means it's necessarily common sense to another.

So after my extended tour of the world wide web , I decided to resurrect the idea of blogging about Wedding Site 101.

Below, you'll find a few simply tips and tricks to steer you in the right direction:

1. Add a Bio: Let me know who you are. Brides need to fall in love with your work, as well as you. Build credibility. Show a little personality. After all, you will be spending quite a bit of time together.

2. Photos: On that note, include a professional head shot with your bio. It's far more difficult to say no, when they've got your handsome mug smiling back at you.

3. Testimonials: You rock and hopefully, you've got a drawer full of notes to prove. You can try to dazzle your brides with your photos and impressive credentials, but what they really want to hear is how much other brides have loved you.

4. Stay up to date. In in a similar vein, don't date information like testimonials. You may post a round of kudos from last year's weddings and if you don't touch it again for another year, brides may think that suddenly you've become Mr. or Ms. Unpopular with your current brides. Additionally, if you ran specials for your business last Fall and it's now July, it's time to take a moment to take that down.

5. Press. I'm always surprised when wedding pros don't have a Press page citing media mentions. The wedding market, for the majority, is over saturated and you have to do what you can to stand out from the crowd. If you've been quoted or have had products featured, go ahead and give those PR efforts some extra legs by letting it live on on your web site.

6. Professional Copy. A clear description of your services is paramount. You may have only this one shot at capturing interest and you need to do so in a professional manner. Hire someone to write it for you.

7. Social Media Links. If you're taking the time to put on your social media hat, then make sure brides can find you. Simple widgets will do the trick.

8. Have one. Yes, that's right- have a web site. You'd be surprised how many still don't. Just remember- these brides are more than likely working a million hours a week just like yourselves and will be sneaking in the wedding research during the work day. Having a presence on the world wide web is as necessary as business cards, and swoon worthy linens at a bridal show booth.

The list is truly endless, but the above will certainly get you started. Remember- your web site may very well be a bride's first impression. Make it a good one.

More soon,
Meghan


Meghan Ely is the owner of OFD Consulting, a niche marketing and public relations group servicing the wedding industry. She is also the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association, Contributing Writer to Virginia Bride Magazine and has a regular column in the Richmond Times Dispatch, Wedology 101: the Reality of Being a Bride.

OFD on Girlfriend We Gotta Talk!

Everyone always makes fun of me for carrying my phone on my hip 24-7 so that I can check my email, but two weeks back, I finally felt vindicated.

I happen to find myself at the fabulous wedding of a client and friend, and my best friend happen to be the event planner at the venue itself, Historic Mankin Mansion.

I was taking the umpteenth photo on my camera of the wedding's loveliness, when I broke my own rule and actually checked my work email while the salads were being served- and thank goodness for that!

It was then I had found out that I had won. I had actually won.

Before I get too far into what I actually one, allow me to let you in a bit- although I have a knack for winning raffles (hello front seats to Rent in NYC for $20!), I haven't won many big things in my life. Yet.

So when I filled out the application for the Best Girlfriends Contest for Richmond based radio show Girlfriend We Gotta Talk, I really didn't give it much thought afterwards. After all the contest, part of a larger month-long celebration commemorating the ladies' second anniversary on the air, was surely

So what is the Best Girlfriends Contest? In short, a chance for friends to share times in which their very best friend has helped them (or each other!) through a difficult time in their lives. My story? Well it's no secret to those close to me that OFD began about two years earlier than expected- when my own decision to change jobs when awry. I was lucky enough to have Mary-Catherine as a support system and shortly after my own difficult time, was able to lend an ear when she came upon a similar situation. The story features beer in my purse and a now infamous midnight trip to Kinko's- what is there not to love?

So back to the wedding reception- I had just received the great news via email and dashed off to share our newfound famous-ness with Mary-Catherine. And we proceeded to do a little jumping dance in the middle of the party.

So you see, sometimes it's okay to check your email all the time. :)

Missed out on the show? Just click here for a listen- we're the first story featured on the June 27th posting.

More soon,
Meghan

Meghan Ely is the owner of OFD Consulting, a niche marketing and public relations group servicing the wedding industry. She is also the Managing Director of the Richmond Bridal Association, Contributing Writer to Virginia Bride Magazine and has a regular column in the Richmond Times Dispatch, Wedology 101: the Reality of Being a Bride.