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.

Valuing Your Wedding Services: Am I Undercutting?

It's my sincere pleasure to welcome my friend and colleague Shayna Walker Weddle, founder of Williamsburg Wedding Design. I enjoy visiting her Wedding Business Blog Life in Weddings, and am thrilled she is guest blogging today about the ever important topic of undervaluing your wedding services.

Take it away Shayna...

Weddings Are Not Snack Foods
Intentional undercutting is a bane on an industry where quality is critical. You can look for the cheapest possible source of tortilla chips at a mega-store because you know that regardless of price, two bags of the identical brand of snack food will taste the same.
Weddings aren’t tortilla chips. Between geographic markets, there are definitely variations in pricing that result from differences in cost of living and overall affluence. Within a market there are starting points in each vendor category that are established based on experience level, time in business and product quality. These are natural variances and are healthy for any market.

However, if you are presumably comparing apples to apples, there should not be ridiculously dramatic differences in rates, and where there are, someone is losing (be it the client, the wedding pro or both).

Do Not Fix Prices
No one can dictate your rates and yes, it’s against the law to make agreements with your competitors to charge the same amount. That’s price-fixing and it’s not okay.

Do Not Undervalue Yourself Either
But it’s not okay to so seriously undervalue yourself or your client that you are charging pennies on the hour either. Sure, you may work a lot, but for what? And how long will you last at rates that don’t produce any kind of measurable profit?

It’s appealing to claim that you have booked 40 weddings in a year – but how appealing is it to work 40 weddings in a year and make only a handful of cash (or maybe even lose money) because your prices are impossibly low?

I’m So Proud! They Chose Me Because I’m Cheap!
And how fulfilling is it to be chosen by clients based on your cheap prices rather than your incredible quality of service?

The Factors that Should Determine Pricing
Prices should be determined based on standard factors including:
• A calculation of how much you want to earn in a year
• The cost to you of the products or services that you sell
• A factor of your overall annual business expenses including marketing, office supplies and labor

• Reasonable adjustments for your experience level and market conditions

You Can Demand Your Value and Still Be Successful
Once you have determined a fair price for your services, your job is to figure out how to educate your consumer. If you are doing that job well, and you are providing excellent service, you should do a happy dance every time someone rejects you based on price. You’ve just weeded out someone who does not value your product the way you do and are one step closer to the happiest possible customer.

You won’t last long in any industry if you undervalue yourself and teach your consumer base to do the same. Establish fair pricing that rewards your standards and reject the temptation to undercut.

Can you do it? If your prices are intentionally low right night to help you boost your sales, can you revisit your value and re-educate your consumer? Tell us in the comments section of this blog post!

Shayna Walker owns Williamsburg Wedding Design. She writes the World According to Weddlady blog, The Williamsburg Wedding Blog and Life in Weddings blog. She publishes the annual Where to Wed bridal guide for Williamsburg, Yorktown, Providence Forge and Newport News. She is also a passionate speaker and educator for the wedding industry, an established professional wedding planner and her most important job: a single mom of twin kindergartners.

OFD is heading to Ireland!

Welp, I'm just going to spill it- OFD is heading to Ireland (if you couldn't gather it from the above subject line)!

I've had the sincere pleasure of getting to know Annie from Aislinn Events, a wedding planner from South West Ireland, through the wonderful world of Social Media.

Recently, Annie asked me if I'd be willing to develop a two day business seminar for the Ireland wedding industry. My only question- where do I sign?

Thus, The Business of Weddings Ireland, was born and will take place this coming November.
We'll be discussing everything from the state of the wedding industry and Social Media, to profiling the Generation Y Bride and Marketing in the Recession.

I'll share more information as we get closer, but in the meantime, had to share this wonderful news before I burst. Many thanks to Annie for the opportunity.

Until next time,
Meghan

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, Contributing Writer to Virginia Bride Magazine and has a regular spot on Bridesight TV.

Surrounding yourself by the Right People: An Ode to my Graphic Designer

Ok, I'll admit it- I cheat.

I cheat on my diet (although both Ben and Jerry are partially to blame), and I cheat by reading the last page of most books before I get started. And I may have used FreeTranslation.com every now and then while obtaining my Spanish Minor. A lot.

But do you know who I don't cheat on (besides the obvious- my hubby and hairdresser)- my graphic designer Sarah. No lie- I panic at the thought of having a project and passing it off to someone else.

I'd love to regale you with a very professional story of how Sarah and I connected at some fancy networking event, or through a Fortune 500 CEO. Alas, we met at JMU land, probably over Natural Light.

We shared a mutual friend (Hi Kristin!), and I liked having Sarah around because she's funnier than Bugs Bunny. And she had a great accent (Ohio!). Imagine my delight when I discovered she was a talented son of a gun to boot.

Once we graduated, like any good Generation Yer’s, we became Facebook Friends. I kept tabs on her web site and portfolio and before long, I asked her to design my future hubby and I's LOST/Star Wars/Socks themed moving announcement, followed later by our
wedding monogram. And admittedly, I was hooked on her designs. So when it came time to get the ball rolling with OFD, I sent a panicked email to Sarah that went something like this:

Hi Sarah- so remember that company I was going to start in a couple years? Well I started it.. yesterday. Can you do my logo and business cards and everything? Like really really quickly?

No only did she oblige, but she did so with gusto, offering encouragement along the way. Yes, I needed someone to walk me through the steps of a logo design, but I think I secretly needed someone to think this company was an okay idea.

Since then, she's done all the design work for Illuminate and Wedology 101, as well as worked with some of my trusted colleagues.

My point in gushing about Sarah (who by the way, did not slip me a twenty to do this)?

As a wedding professional, you are more than likely a one man show. From time to time, you're going to have to contract out for work- whether it be bookkeeping, graphic design,
web design or well, me. When doing so, it's important to surround yourself by the right people. Sarah is one of those good eggs that not only has a tremendous sense of style, but takes it ten steps further by advising on local printers (researching for me? Bonus!) and giving it to me straight when something just doesn’t look right.

So in short- if you don't have the right people in your corner, you won't go anywhere.

Don’t settle for someone just because it seems easy. Worse yet- don’t stick with the same person even if he or she is offering sub par work- just because you don’t feel like going through the hiring process again. Trust me- it’s far more difficult to undo the damage of bad work, then to take the time to find the right people to put in your corner.

So take the time to ascertain your needs, interview, check references and, if applicable, review their portfolio. You deserve the best.

My hope is to take Sarah with me wherever I go- book covers for all my future best sellers, thank you notes to my clients when I make my first million (and by thank you cards, I mean boats), invites to my Retirement party (and by Retirement, I mean when I sell my company to Oprah). Good folks like that are few and far between.

Some of you may naturally asking how to check out her work- well here you go (non sponsored overshare!)- http://www.sarahstanitz.com/. Just remember- when Oprah comes calling, I’m going to have to steal her away.

Until next time,
Meghan

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, Contributing Writer to Virginia Bride Magazine and has a regular spot on Bridesight TV.

Wedology 101- the reveal!

The secret is out.

After months upon months of planning, secret trips to DC and hiding in the corner of Starbucks with laptops and big ideas, the wait is finally over. So what exactly is Wedology 101?

I've never hidden it- I love bridal shows. I love going, I love participating, I love sampling ten kinds of wedding cake. I love bridal magazines- I love the pretty dresses and the content, especially when local.

I've always felt there was a missing link, however. As a bride, it's great to meet fabulous vendors and learn how things can look lovely. But how do you survive it all?

How do you plan seating arrangements when families don't get along? How do you deal with a bridesmaid that wants to wear a cardigan to cover her dress? How do you register when you've lived with someone and already have the essentials?

Thus, Wedology 101 was born over coffee with Jennifer McBride of McBride Events. Between the two of us, we've seen 700 weddings. We may not have seen everything, but we've certainly come darn close.

Wedology 101 is every phone I've ever gotten from my friends at odd hours, about how not to offend families with their invitation wording. It's the times I've had to hand tissues to friends when their wedding parties refuse to play nice.

Specifically, Wedology 101 is an interactive and fun seminar hosted by Jenn and myself. Our plan is to take the stress out of wedding plan by talking about the realities of being a bride.

The fabulous Wyndham Virginia Crossings has agreed to partner with us and host our inaugural event on Sunday, August 15. As you may have seen, Celebrations in the Richmond Times Dispatch is now featuring our monthly column- and there's more where that came from! But you didn't think I was going to reveal all of it in just one blog did you?

So far, the response from the wedding industry locally has been nothing short of amazing- apparently we're not the only ones who see a need for this.

What's next? Jenn and I just put the finishing touches on our next article. The blog will be rolling out soon and behind the scenes, we're working fast and furious to put together quite the event.

Have a bride who may benefit? Ticket sales will begin shortly, and we'll be sure to announce it when it does.

Interested in getting involved? Email me at meghan {at} ofdconsulting {dot} com for more information.

Until next time,
Meghan

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.

Attention Women Entrepreneurs!

I'd like to give a little shout out to an upcoming event here in Richmond. Shanelle Calvin offers a free quarterly workshop series called "Building your Business." The goal is to empower women to build their business in a recession and includes two 20 minute interactive sessions, networking and a brief interactive session with Shanelle.

I will be one of the speakers as I present the ins and outs of Press Releases- what to include, how to distribute, and other great little nuggets.

The next one is May 22 at the Virginia Center for Architecture from 1-3pm. Space is limited so you must RSVP through- http://www.rsvphere.com/events/735e3de163ad47c9bfde64aeebc8814d

Hope to see you there!

Until next time,
Meghan

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.

Wedding Competitors: Can't we all just get along?

I'm an obnoxiously fast typer. And to be on the safe side, I tested myself online just moments ago. Yep, 90 words a minute.

I'd love to credit my Freshmen year Computer class and various typing games, but really, I owe all my skills to my high school friend Ann.

There were three of us who sat in the far corner of the room and when Ann got to typing, it was a symphony on the keyboard. I was a mix of envy and jealousy with a hint of competition (okay, maybe more than a hint).

Before you knew it, I was typing fast and furious to keep up. And know what? I’m good. Darn good. I’d hate for anyone to run into me in a back alley with a couple of keyboards because I’d wipe the floor with them.

The wedding world can be perplexing when it comes to competition, and I find that each vendor type has its own take on it. Some have no troubles gathering their wedding comrades and hightailing it to the nearest pub to toast their crazy lives. While others manage to spend years circumventing each while attending the same functions.

When I used to wear my Reception hat, I loved getting to know the other venues in town. Brides were always surprised that I was quick to recommend my fellow competitors when our space wouldn't work for them. They were even more surprised when I’d finish the conversation with “oh and tell him I said hi.”

I had no problem embracing my competitor. Why you may ask?

1) Not every bride that comes through your door is going to be a good fit. Show them that extra level of service by offering them suggestions as to other colleagues who may be. Now that, my friends, is what I call a lasting impression.

2) In turn, you may be on the receiving end of a referral should your competitor have to turn down a wedding.

3) Who else is really going to get it when a bride rolls in on the crazy train insisting you repaint your venue to match her wedding colors? Sure you’ve got a sounding board in your friends and family- but isn’t it nice when you can share your bits of frustration with someone just like yourself? Like I used to say to my friends in Freshmen year Statistics, there's company in misery.

Case in point- I had spent about five years in the business and one evening as I’m about to shut down my computer (5:29pm!), my General Manager announces to us all that he needed the Audio Visual Pricing of all our competitors. Oh and by tomorrow morning (panic!).

I wiped the sweat of my brow and got digging- well, begging. I wrote all of my buddies and basically said, Listen, I know you’re all working still because I am always at work at this time. And you know I wouldn’t be pleading if I wasn’t desperate. So how about those AV prices?

By the very next morning, I easily had the full AV pricing for our top five or six competitors.

Now that situation could have gone several different ways but because I had established a trusting relationship among my competitors, I came out on top. And the next time one of my fellow venues needed to know exactly how much our scallops wrapped in shrimp cost? I’d be first in line to send it to them. Maybe even with samples.

Now am I asking you to gather around a camp fire and sing kumbaya? Nope. But I am asking you to consider the idea that in good times, there is enough business to go around. Your competitors are better for knowing you and—get this— you’ll be better for knowing them.

Just like my 90 word per minute hands are better for knowing Ann.

Until next time,
Meghan

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.

Wish Upon a Wedding and Get Married Magazine- a Perfect Marriage!

For those who may not know, I very happily accepted the position of Marketing Chair with the DC Chapter (DC, Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia) of Wish Upon a Wedding (http://wishuponawedding.org/), a non profit organization that grants wishes for couples facing life threatening illnesses.

We have been asked to share the exciting news about our latest partnership with Get Married Magazine! I am most excited to be a part of such a great cause and look forward to sharing more in the future.

***********************************************
We are so incredibly happy to announce our partnership with Get Married Media. It is an unparalleled union to support the mission of Wish Upon a Wedding and starting today Wish Upon a Wedding will be the charity of choice & the National Media Partner for Get Married Media, Inc.

Get Married Media will increase the organization’s exposure both nationally and within local chapters on behalf of Wish Upon a Wedding by supporting the organization & the wish recipients! Get Married will provide ads in their quarterly magazine to raise awareness and we will be shooting PSAs for their weekly TV show on WE!

Wish Upon a Wedding and will also be featured on the Get Married Blog on Stacie’s page. And if that isn’t enough…they have agreed to consider features on our wedding wishes & videos shot by our wish granters including showcasing our wish recipients weddings on their TV show.

And there’s more!! Get Married will also provide products for our launch parties and printed products branded for WUW for our events.

This partnership is so amazing; we could never have imagined it. Stacie Francombe and the entire Get Married Media family have worked so hard on our behalf, and this just goes to show that they truly believe in our cause and mission. As America’s first non profit wedding wish granting organization, it’s important to us to have such great endorsements from the best of the best and Get Married does that for Wish Upon A Wedding.

Thank you so much to Get Married Media & Stacie Francombe for choosing Wish Upon a Wedding!

The Big Day

How quickly time flies when you're throwing together a wedding in less than 3 weeks!

The day is come and I couldn't be more thrilled to be heading out shortly to the wedding of Kayleigh and Brian.

For those who haven't caught up with us yet, I would encourage you to read the story of this couple and the wedding industry that came together to help, which was featured in Style Weekly's Richmond Giving this past week- http://www.styleweekly.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&type=gen&mod=Core+Pages&gid=E55A4CEBBCC24496B3E8E0D61F770CBB

My thank yous are extensive, but no less sincere. I have been grateful (although not entirely surprised!) by all the amazing people who have reached out to help make today the very best for this deserving couple.

Below, you'll find a list of all those who have offered to assist with the wedding. While we could not utilize everyone, we are grateful nonetheless. If I have missed anyone, it was simply in error so please contact me ASAP so I may revise the list.

A Cake to Remember
Amanda Anthony Photographs
avenue 42 designs
B. Meredith Winn
Jennifer MacKenzie Baker
By Invitation Only
Cakes by Graham
Carrie Bishop
CCS Events
Champagne Taste Catering
Choice Entertainment
Classic Party Rentals
Clover Forest
Christy Cook
Dawn Easters Event
DeRochennet
Travis Ely
Flora Culture
Flower Girls
Flowers Make Scents
Freeze Frame Photobooths
Gregory Studley
Groovin Gourmets
Guestroom Media Productions
Historic Mankin Mansion
James Limousine
Kate Jarrell
The Jefferson Hotel
LK Events & Design
Rian Mayadag
McBride Events
Meghan McSweeney
Mike Topham Photograph
Monkey Grass
The Mill at Fine Creek
Party Perfect
Planning with Excellence
PW Photography
Quarterman Photography
RD Berrie
Richmond Country Club
Richmond Times Dispatch/Celebrations
River City Bean Company
RSVPHERE.com
Heather Sniffin
The Soaring Chef
Weddings by Naomi
Weddings by Windy
Williamsburg Wedding Design

Let's Talk Pricing

During my reception venue days, I used to love when a bride called and her very first question (often interrupting me) was,

"How much do you cost?"

When I first started out, I would answer this in a roundabout way, asking questions about the bride's needs and going on (and on) about what we could offer, before actually giving a price.

Well, I learned quickly that this was not the way to go. I then shifted gears and simply said "$15,000," accept the imminent hasty good-bye and move along with my day.

Now that price tag was by far, the most expensive way to rent my venue by frankly, they didn't see value in what I was doing and I wasn't going to waste my time explaining it. Yes, it's important to get the sale, but it's equally important to work efficiently and qualify clients as quickly as possible so that you may spend your time with prospects who may actually hire you.

Pricing can be a touchy subject, but alas, I'd like to dive headfirst into it today.

When I think about pricing, I can't help but think about my own shopping habits. After all, I'm not only smack dab in the middle of the bridal demographic, but not too long ago myself, I was booking a reception venue, DJ and cake for my own wedding.

Like most, I lack time. I lack time to do laundry, fight dust bunnies and make home cooked meals every night. Secondly, I'm from a generation of short attention spans. If a web site takes more than 10-15 seconds to load, then it's time to move along.

So it pains me to see wedding vendor web sites that dance around the topic of pricing, as well as vendors who won't give you a clear cut answer when asked the pricing question over the phone.

After all, what is there to hide? Why not be up front with a prospect to save her and yourself time?

Remember- Brides may be discriminatory shoppers but not in the same way as you and I are about our respective crafts. When I worked with a five diamond, five star property, I knew that the majority of brides were not going to see the difference between four or five stars. Since pricing was a factor in their decision making process, I was always quick to give it to them. If we didn't meet their budget, I would happily send them several suggested venues (aka customer service 101).

If I didn't, I knew perfectly well that they would have three of my competitors in their back pocket, of whom, they may have seen very little difference. If they had their pricing and information readily available and I didn't, it was a safe bet that I would be overlooked.

Afraid your competition will catch wind of your pricing structure? Well I've got news for you- if they want it, they're going to find a way to get it, whether you post it or not.

Ultimately, I'm not suggesting that you plaster every single pricing guideline on your web site. Instead, give brides a range so they don't have to go hunting for it. Don't make them call you if you are already out of their budget. After all, you have much better things to do with your time. And so do they.

And here's the thing- if you have taken the time and made the effort to price yourself accordingly, as well as have a great product/service and are showcasing it effectively...

..then what's the big secret?


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.

RBA Announces New Officers

With the new year comes changes for our Richmond Bridal Association. Below, you'll find the press release regarding our newly elected officers for the Executive Board.

Many thanks to Graham Haddock (Cakes by Graham), Bill Gilliam (Choice Entertainment) and Naomi Meyers (Weddings by Naomi) for serving the last two years-- and beyond in some cases!

In other RBA news, we are thrilled to start off 2010 with our monthly member meeting at the *new* Lemaire at The Jefferson Hotel. Our keynote speaker will be Steve Mullen with EndGame PR, who will be discussing Web Marketing.

We are also putting the finishing touches on our winter wedding themed booth for the Richmond Bridal Showcase (www.richmondbridalshowcase) on January 10th. I've been so pleased with the many members who have volunteered their time to help us- it will no doubt be our biggest and best yet!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RBA Elects New Officers

Richmond, VA--The Richmond Bridal Association has elected new officers and directors for 2010. Their respective positions took effect January 1, 2010.

Serving as Membership Director will be TeriLynne Petersen, Director of Catering, Wyndham Virginia Crossings; Programs/Education Chair will be Angela Smith, Director of Bridal Services and Marketing, Classic Party Rentals; Meetings/Events Chair will be Colleen Cook, Owner, CC’s Events and the Secretary will be Kara Buntin, Owner, A Cake to Remember.

Jerry Littleton, Owner, GML Design, was re-elected to serve a one-year term as Community Relations Chair.

Kristen Parr, Sales Manager, Wyndham Virginia Crossings, will continue to serve as the Public Relations/Marketing Chair.

Meghan Ely, Owner, OFD Consulting., will continue as Managing Director.

The Richmond Bridal Association, established in 2003, is a professional organization for the wedding industry, and promotes educations and networking among its peers. . RBA and its members acknowledge the need to preserve and encourage fair and professional business practices. As a condition of membership, all members pledge to adhere to a Code of Professional Ethics. RBA also promotes community involvement among its members, and works closely with its philanthropy, The Association for the Support of Children with Cancer (ASK).

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.

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.

Bridal Panels and Birthday Parties

It's been an exciting week, personally and professionally, for OFD Consulting.

This week marked the 6th Birthday of the Richmond Bridal Association (http://www.richmondbridalassociation.com/), as well as our Annual Bridal Forum, a chance offered exclusively to RBA members to sit down with a dozen local brides and mothers of the brides, to discuss everything any anything as related to the planning process.

Luckily, we have put the finishing touches on what I feel is a successful recipe- brides and moms of various budgets and locales (ranging from hotels and country clubs to backyard soirees and outdoor banquet facilities) combined with vendors eager to learn.

While I feel that the majority of what we learned should be an exclusive privilege to our RBA members, I am happy to share some of the more interesting points we heard:

1) Yellow pages- they serve a better purpose keeping a table steady than they do as an advertising tool. Brides and moms aren't using them. Period.

2) Brides are still turning to the old standbys- wedding magazines, bridal shows and a good solid web site.

3) Vendor and friend referrals are stronger than ever. Might be time to start asking yourself how your relationships with fellow vendors are going.

4) Value is big and Brides/Moms need to see it in your work- now more than ever.

Interested in joining us for next year's panel? Then mark your calendar for March 10, 2010- our annual RBA meeting for Prospective Members.

And what, may you ask, happened to OFD personally this week? Well that's me up there- finally putting my feet up at The Jefferson after my wedding to the guy behind the lens.

Until next time,

Meghan

meghan@ofdconsulting.com

Who is my bride...really?

Go ahead- ask any one of your wedding pro friends who their bride is. Not always the one they have but the one they want.

And you know what they are going to say? "Oh, I'd like the more high end bride."

Well wouldn't we all.

Today I'd like to talk about targeting your bride. Brides come in all sorts of packages, attitudes and checking accounts. Some are local brides while others travel a great distance to get married in their home state. Some have been married before and some haven't. Some have gone to college and some haven't.

The fact is- we'd all love that elusive high end bride, but guess what? So does everyone else. And- this will really blow your mind-- most of them are not. Yet, they are still booking vendors and getting married. So why aren't your marketing efforts geared towards them?

When working on connecting with your bride, it's important to make sure your message is getting to the right people. And how do you go about that?

For starters, utilize the information from your existing database. Where are they from? How old are they? Who's sending in those checks? These records could offer you a wealth of answers without traveling any further then your computer.

When you have prospects in the door, be sure to ask the right questions. Who else are you speaking with about these services? Who are your other vendors? If they are looking at you and then the part time DJ with the ipod, then we have a problem. If you're up against other reputable vendors in town with similar pricepoints, then you're heading down the right road.

Visit your Facebook Business Page and look at the Insights section, listed on the left. Facebook offers you a free service which literally takes your Fan base and breaks it down by age, gender, location, etc.

Above all else, be honest with yourself. If you are a reception site that only seats up to 80 guests and you are desperately pining for that high end bride, well then you're only hurting yourself in the end.

The good news? Well I'm happy to report- it's not all or nothing. If you don't capture the bride with the platinum budget, there are plenty of great ones out there. And they are waiting for you.

The question is- do you know how to reach them?

Until next time,
Meghan
Meghan@ofdconsulting.com

Linkedin- Social Media's Uncool Kid

If Facebook is the cool kid that always gets invited to the Friday night game and has a pick of at least three dates for prom, then Linkedin is... well, Jan Brady.

Don't get me wrong- I love Facebook. In fact, I was one of the first to embrace it- and steadfastly stood by it when My Space really came rolling into town. Facebook is an amazing channel for getting the word out to your clients and prospects. I often teach people how to create their Business Page on Facebook, as well as tricks on truly maximizing your marketing efforts. Facebook and I? Really good terms.

As for Linkedin, I couldn't tell you exactly when I signed up for it. I let my profile sit, unloved, for a substantially long time. I find this is the case for many, the more I talk to people.

Slowly, I started updating my profile- work history one day, my profile pic another. Then, I started joining groups such as my alumni network, groups for my industry and so forth. Suddenly, I started aligning myself with really good people. Before long, I'm networking with great, insightful people as well as prospective clients all over the country. I'm responding to inquiries in the Midwest from wedding professionals trying to build off season business. A colleague recommends a book on selling strategies? Don't mind if I do.

More importantly, I'm getting my name out there.

Then, I meet an Internet guru, whose business's success lies in her deft Internet research strategies. When she began speaking about Linkedin in her seminar, I sat up in my chair and paid attention because in my book, if you meet an Internet guru, you need to do everything online she's doing.

I come to find out that not only does she love Linkedin, she pays for an upgraded account.

Sold.

Linkedin has different benefits for different industries. Ultimately, Linkedin is not necessarily where you're going to find the wedding business. Brides are on Linkedin for their own business networking purposes while they sit on Facebook looking through your galleries and reading about how your events are going for the season.

With marketing, however, it's about the big picture. Yes, it's about sales, but it's also about being good at what you do and always being relevant. If you're a photographer, join some photography groups online and trade tips. Share new, innovative ideas. Be a resource to your industry.

Looking for some new faces to add to your company? Run filters through these groups for local talent. It's just as free as Craigslist, and you aren't bombarded with 600 emails.

So go ahead and join Linkedin- or, reactivate your poor, misunderstood account, and let it know that, once in awhile, you promise to sit with it in the cafeteria during lunch.

Until next time,

Meghan

meghan@ofdconsulting.com