Project Wedding- an Update! The Richmond Wedding Community Joins Forces

What a week- I can hardly catch my breath or stop smiling.

To catch those up who may have not read my last post, I had caught wind of a story of a local bride and groom facing terminal illness and a short time to put together a wedding for 150+ people. The mass email to my wedding industry network went out Tuesday afternoon and before you knew it, my inbox and voicemail were flooded with those who wanted to help.

Suddenly I felt like Santa Claus, calling the Mother of the Bride (and often!) to share with her the awesome response and amazing vendors who are pitching in for what I have affectionately dubbed Project Wedding, on February 21.

I've had many people ask me to keep them up on the latest so in attempt to reach the masses, I thought I'd update everyone on my Blog.

Where to begin?

No sooner had I sent the email, and I had received an email from Lisa Bemusa, owner of the lovely Mill at Fine Creek (http://www.themillatfinecreek.com/) who has graciously offered to host both the ceremony and reception. Party Perfect (http://www.partyperfect.com/) and Classic Party Rentals (http://www.classicpartyrentalsva.com/) has offered to donate any and all rentals needed for decor, while Champagne Taste Catering (http://www.champagnetastecatering.com/) instantly donated their services.

Another one of my first emails was from Monica with By Invitation Only (www.gobyinvitationonly.com), who offered several of her wonderful products. PhotographersMeghan McSweeney (http://www.meghanmcsweeney.com/) quickly offered her services along with Micah Berry, videographer with Guestroom Media Productions (http://www.guestroommediaproductions.com/). Icing on the cake came in the form of a complimentary Photo Booth from Lisa Ann Setchel with Freeze Frame Photo Booth (http://www.freezeframephotobooth.com/).

I've also received notes from those who heard of our story from others- Natalie with avenue 42 designs (http://www.ave42.com/) has offered her make up artistry services.

Speaking of cake, there is plenty! Kara Buntin with A Cake to Remember (http://www.acaketoremember.com/) will be taking care of the wedding cake with Graham Haddock from Cakes by Graham making the Groom's Cake (http://www.cakesbygraham.com/).

If that wasn't enough on the sweets front, Pat with River City Bean Company (http://www.rivercitybean.com/) and Jeanne-Louise Womble with de Rochonnet delights Chocolatier (http://www.derochonnetdelights.com/) will be handling the favors.

When the couple was in need of an officiant, I looked no further than Mr. Meredith Winn, a staple at many of my weddings over the years (www.goingtogetmarried.com/officiant).

I am overwhelmed by the number of wedding planners who have come to our rescue. While we will have many wonderful ladies on hand the day of the event, I did select Lindsay with LK Events and Design (http://www.lkeventsanddesign.com/) as the lead planner to help pull this together in such a short time.

We've also seen a joint effort in the florist community- with assistance offered by Floraculture (http://www.floracultureonline.com/), Flowers Make Scents (http://www.flowersmakescents.com/) and Flower Girls (http://www.flowergirlsinc.com/).

My post is becoming a virtual "Who's Who" of Richmond Wedding Vendors and you'll have to forgive me- I am just thrilled to have such great people on board and wanted to make sure to give credit where credit is due.

Up next- more planning as we go full steam ahead into the Big Day. Many have asked what they can do to help and as I've told others, we would certainly appreciate anyone who can lend a hand the weekend of the wedding- I'd love to try and offset some of the labor costs for our vendors if possible.

Also- Catering. While Lisa and Whitney have both been extremely generous in donating food, I'd be thrilled if I could also offset these costs with other Caterers perhaps willing to donate a tray or two of food.

Above all, I am grateful for the kindness showed to this family in the last week, and can't wait for February 21 to arrive.

My cup runneth over.

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.

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).

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

One Studio- Two Brands

I'd like to send along a big KUDOS to Scott and Stephanie Strimple for their recent successful marketing initiative.

Scott and Stephanie run United Wedding Productions and then they saw that they could fill another niche in the Richmond Bridal Market. Thus, Ella Productions was born!

Click the link below to learn a bit more about their efforts:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid9493665001?bclid=22539520001&bctid=31152775001

Please note that OFD Consulting did not collaborate in the project. This was the brainchild of Scott and Stephanie and I felt they deserved recognition for a job well done.

NASCAR and Brides- an Unlikely Pair

When the Times Dispatch announced this past weekend that the SunTrust Indy Challenge will not be calling Richmond home in 2010, I feverishly began my Google search for what what would have been the anticipated date of this lost event.

NASCAR has never been on of my interests, despite my proximity to a pretty happenin' raceway. So why would I even pick up on the latest from the world of racing? And what does it even mean to the wedding industry?

I finally had to make NASCAR my business when I began to realize that weddings in Richmond always seemed to slow down the first weekend in May and the first weekend in September (depending on Labor Day). When I dove into the Hotel world, it was quickly drilled into me that sleeping rooms on those particular weekends were already earmarked for the avid NASCAR attendees who came to town for Richmond's biggest racing weekends of the year. The room rates were drive up well past the point of reasonable, so the options for out of town guests quickly dwindles, making them unpopular wedding weekends. Let us also remember that 35% of NASCAR fans are female.

Armed with this information, I went aggressively into booking the next wedding season. If I had a bride interested in any date in the month of May or September, I wouldn't hesitate to offer a small discount on room rental for NASCAR weekend, as long as they heard my "the whoahs of room rates on race weekend" speech. I'd even call other hotels on their behalf to get the room block booking started for them, just to keep the reception business.

I've always been surprised by wedding vendors who did not keep up with the local going ons of their community. This is a fantastic way to detect any potential patterns, as well as foresee challenges for the year ahead.

This is an even biggest opportunity to be seen as an additional resource to your prospective bride. For example, do you have a bride who wants to book Richmond Marathon weekend? Be sure to print out the event's timeline and road closures to make sure she gets to where she needs to be on time.

After further investigation, I did find out that the Indy Races normally took place in June and were not one of the two that left our hotel rooms jam packed, and our reception venues empty.

So while this is one less event to mark on our calendar, I would highly suggest taking out your planner or Blackberry, and getting started on your 2010 and 2011 calendars. Or, give me a a call and I'll take care of it for you.

Until next time,
Meghan
meghan@ofdconsulting.com

Short but sweet

New email is up and running- meghan@ofdconsulting.com

The Generation Y Bride

Call them what you'd like-- Generation Y, the Millennials or the Echo Boom- regardless of how you describe them, they're coming your way-- whether selecting their reception site, wedding cake or purchasing their bridal gown.

For years, marketing gurus have kept a watching eye as the focus shifted from one generation to the next. Many may ask, why the big move and why right now?

In short, they are the movers and shakers of the world, with numbers rivaling the Baby Boomers and the technological and media savvy far exceeding their Generation X counterparts. Unlike their predecessors, they're empowered and believe they have a voice that needs to be heard. They're attending college in record numbers, are more affluent and ethnically diverse.

How does this affect the wedding industry you may ask?

Born between 1977 and 1994, Generation Y is the next to generation to get engaged and they have $83+ billion in their pockets to spend annually, according to Yankelovich Youth Monitor. Preferring smaller companies, the group also has a tendency to favor specialty shops over discount and department stores- a big PLUS for the small business owner in the wedding industry.

Generation Y is certainly causing a stir in the American economy and only one question remains-- how are you preparing for them?

To get started, I'd highly recommend reading Rocking the Ages: The Yankelovich Report on Generational Marketing.

And after you get back from Barnes and Noble, give me a call.

Until next time,
Meghan
ofdconsulting@yahoo.com