If you have a business in the bridal industry, one of the best ways to promote your products or services is by attending a bridal show. These fantastic events will help you to connect with a larger customer base and help to get you noticed by those who would never have otherwise known about what you do or sell.
For the most part, those attending a bridal show are looking for what you have to offer – and many are ready to book there and then. But there are pros and cons to attending a bridal show:
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Pros
- You have the potential to increase sales if you get bookings on the day or contact information which you can follow up with afterwards. Getting to meet potential customers face to face can be a big bonus because it can allow you to build up a rapport, which might be enough to get them to work with you for their big day.
- Even if you do not get bookings on the day, your attendance at a bridal show might put you on the radar of people planning to book at a later date. They might not have known about you were it not for your attendance at a bridal show.
- Bridal shows also provide businesses the chance to network with other vendors. If you develop a relationship with some of the other vendors at the bridal show, you might be able to secure referrals from them, which you can then return.
- If you play it right, you might be able to get on the preferred supplier list of the venue where the bridal show is being held. So, if the bridal show is in the ballroom of a hotel and the hotel itself is a popular venue for weddings, they are likely to have a preferred supplier list that they offer to couples. Getting on this list can be great for business.
Cons
- Attending a bridal show as a vendor can be expensive. There is the cost of the booth or stall itself, decorating the booth to make it attractive to attendees, and then the freebies that visitors always expect. This all adds up, and depending on your product or service, it may mean you need to secure quite a few bookings to make attending worth your while.
- You will need to do quite a lot of work for a bridal show. You will have to get there early to setup your booth, and you will spend a long day speaking to peopletrying to convince them to make you part of their big day. You also need to follow up with people after the event to try to secure their business.
- Some attendees have no intention of booking at a bridal show and will attend to just get ideas or to secure free goods there.
Are Bridal Shows Worth it for Vendors?
The experts at SoCal Bridal Show& Wedding Exposay that how successful a vendor is at a bridal show will depend on a lot of factors including the product or service they are selling and how they are marketing themselves. Those who do welltend to know how to make the most of the bridal shows. California bridal shows are held throughout the year for example, so attending those within your local area might be the perfect way to get your name out there.
Being creative and ensuring your booth stands out from the crowd can help to get you noticed and secure more sales on the day. And don’t forget to follow up afterwards.
