Why not use free ad options?

For the life of me I can't figure out WHY paying advertisers especialy in the current economy don't use every available resource that they have. PEOPLE! Advertising is expensive! Use the extras to get the biggest bang for your buck. Not sure what extras there are ASK! Do a little comparison shopping. Do you offer free event listing? Bridal Leads? And for goodness sake, if you are lucky enough to win an award get the hi and lo resolution graphics and then USE it! Toot your horn!! It's as good as money in the bank. Ask the magazine or blog or web site that you advertise with if they allow you to promote yourself through an e-newsletter to people who may be interested in their servces. Broker a deal for a giveaway. It doesn't have to be big but that is low cost advertising if your business is seen by your targeted audience. In todays economy these are things every business should be taking advantage of and looking for. Our company for example, offers lots of free services to our advertisers. On our website, advertisers can post event listings at no charge as often as they like. Since we are a wedding website we allow our advertisers to post Real Wedding images (which brides devour!) and offer a link back to their website. Our advertisers also can write an advertorial and have it posted on our website, in our e-newsletter blast to brides and possibly have it blogged or twittered about. In our magazine every single issue has enormous editorial opportunities! I am always amazed by businesses that fail to take advantage of so many opportunities. If you look around it is the savvy business owner who looks for these opportunities and his or her business is the one that even under dire circumstances, such as our current economy, is able to ride the wave better than others.

Get a gmail account

Okay it's free that's a good thing but that's not a unique feature. One of the most useful features I have found is that you can EASILY search your gmail account using an email address or any word in the email regardless of subject or content. So why is that useful? Well because who can remember everything? I use my gmail account to automatically copy all emails that come to my business account. That way I can easily clean out my business email account with peace of mind knowing that if I need something I just go to my gmail account and search it out. Believe me that isn't a rarity! I search info on my gmail account through out the day! Whether it was to clear the air about agreed upon sevices, to research last I spoke with someone or track down a lost email address, general communication or bill. It is at my fingertips. And because gmail gives you a huge amount of storage, for the average and not so average joe, you rarely will ever have to delete anything giving you years of searchable info.

vintage wedding style

Whether you are a bride on a budget or a budgetless bride here is a cool idea that you can use! Vintage is in. It's bigger than big. So if you are planning a vintage wedding start your decor with vintage table design. Mismatched pretty tea cups make beautiful votive holders day or night. For pennies you can aquire these at local flea markets, garage sales, or vintage retail stores or maybe even grandma's house! Add a tin pitcher from an art supply store and some seasonal wildflowers that look like they were freshly picked from the garden and you've got the start of a beautiful shabby chic wedding that your guests will be sharing and duplicating for seasons to come. You can paint the pitcher and stencil a pretty floral design. Go to a local fabric store and pick up "vintage" print design fabrics to cover the tables. If you aren't a seamstress or short on time fabric glue and an iron work wonders for a single event. Have other great ideas? We would love to hear them!

Children in Weddings

Children in weddings are...so cute especially if you are a guest. For the bride or mother of the bride...not so much. Even if they are your own. Why? because they are the one aspect TOTALY out of your control. They may or may NOT walk down the aisle on que. They probably at some point will melt down and there is a pretty darn good chance that at some point they will spill something. Hopefully it won't be before the ceremony, on you or on themselves but you can count on the fact that your little flower girl or ring bearer will step out of line at least once during the day. If that's a problem for you then you may want to reconsider their involvement.

Kids are naturally unpredictable. They say crazy things in loud voices at inopportune times. They like messy things and are naturally clumsy. It's all part of the growing up process. You can't blame them...it's just who they are and how mother nature made them. They are eager to explore and experince the world and have a really hard time with those impluses that make them guzzle (and dribble) the grape drink or roll down the grassy knoll just before they sprinkle flowers or carry the ring pillow down the aisle.

So all I am saying is, you've seen great photos, really CUTE photos of kids in weddings and no doubt your photographer can capture some great shots of your flower girl & ring bearer but you need to know the whole truth and decide if this is really what you want. Because if it's not, it's better to know now or be prepared!

If you do decide to have little kids participate in your wedding there are many things you can do to help make everything go smoothly. First feed them! Kids nibble. They don't eat big meals. And depending on what was going on at their mothers house you have no idea their state when they arrive so bring a basket filled with snacks and water bottles for your little people.(Warning! Avoid messy snacks!) and this is the one time where over packing might be ok. You may also want to have a few little toys or surprises to keep them occupied while they wait. A bored kid is a miserable kid and if they are unhappy chances are you'll know it! Next have a contingency plan! They could get really freaked out when everyone turns to look at them when it's their turn to go down the aisle. Have someone they trust to help them out or have a plan in case they absolutely refuse.

Finally be patient and understand that stuff happens and sometimes it's the stuff that makes the cutest pictures and the best memories so don't freak out!

Advertising in the new economy

Love is one of the few things that are unaffected by bad economic times. Sure a tighter wallet will certainly stress any relationship but love can also see you through the bad times make you stronger and more focused than you ever thought you could be. So regardless of an economic downturn marriages are still a relatively steady occurrence. For those of us in the Wedding Industry that's a very good thing!

The trick for the Mom and Pop wedding businesses who don't have pockets as deep as the large franchisees that can weather a storm longer is to be smart about marketing their business. Now is the time to re-evaluate every penny spent on advertising. Competition is steep! Who gives you the best bang for your dollar? There are benefits to every advertising medium. TV and radio have a strong impact on an immediate sale but with Tivo and DVR's TV advertising is expensive and risky. Radio advertising is now being affected by IPod and Mp3's. If you choose this route the best time to get your message across is during a scheduled broadcast or popular show that targets an audience you are trying to reach. Newspapers have lost so much of their readership that you have to question really how effective those ads will be at all. Although expensive, Magazine's are still extremely popular and well trusted by their readers. Studies show that people who read magazines make time to spend reading it. They read it cover to cover and generally hang on to it for longer periods of time and go back and reference it frequently. Ezine's are another form of magazines (and generally more affordable) that are really getting stronger and that is tied to the popularity of PDA's. With a Palm Treo, Blackberry, I-Phone or any other PDA you have the ability to get the answers you want right then. Go back to your ezine (or search to see if your favorite publication has an ezine!)and read it in a waiting room, in the carpool line, in stop and go traffic (god help us all!) or at your lunch or coffee break. PDA's put the web at your fingertips 24/7 no matter where you are making web advertising an absolute MUST for every business. Just remember if you have a web ad or any ad you need to have a web site. A website is your #1, absolute, gotta-have-it-no-matter-what part of your advertising and marketing budget. So start there. Make sure your website is up to date, attractive and has clear info. It doesn't have to cost a fortune but it does represent your business so make sure it's attractive and gets your message out there. From there determine your remaining budget. Web advertising is affordable and when placed in the right location can be extremely effective. If you have the budget for print advertising research magazines. Choose one that really goes after your targeted audience and offers more than just ad placement. Find out how your business can be woven into the publication through images, editorials, sponsorships and giveaways, etc... any magazine worth it's weight will happily get you involved in their publication. The Bride's Book magazine looks for ways to incorporate our advertisers throughout our website and magazine. We encourage our advertisers to communicate ideas, participate through images, sponsorship and editorial input. We go out of our way to showcase our loyal businesses and give our readers unique ideas and hippest trends from the leading providers. It's about relationship building with our readers and our advertisers which is why we are an award winning publication with a large and growing readership.

Details, Details, Details

Times are tough and businesses need to be on conserve mode in order to survive. Many businesses especially the new kids will automatically look at their marketing budgets as the first place to slash costs. But is this a smart move? According to many studies out there it is not! Businesses need to look at these times as opportunities to stay strong. People will still be planning weddings and getting married under pretty much any circumstance and they are still spending money. We have not seen a drop in our brides spending habits but we have seen a lengthening of their engagement and planning period. But consumers are scared. They want to give their money to the business that will still be standing when they tie the knot and is still who they were when they contracted with them, not the scaled down skin and bones version. Skimping on your message now is a mistake that means greater opportunity for your competitor down the street.

Smart businesses will now reevaluate all of their marketing plans. Those who find themselves too busy to investigate and stick with status quo will suffer the consequences. When you are looking for who to place your ad with there are many things to consider and they aren't always as clear as your sales person would like you to think. First editorial content is king no matter what. Big pretty pictures get your attention and we love to look at them but what brings you back? What makes you keep the magazine and reference it frequently? It's the content. Fresh, relevant editorials mixed with beautiful useful imagery. As a bride you want good info that's why they pick up magazines. Sure ogling the size 2 beautiful bride in the $15,000 dress sitting at the perfectly styled table in the creek with a chandelier overhead is inspiring but unrealistic and not very useful to 99% of all brides. That magazine is not the one she will reference when the time comes nor is it the one she buys over and over again. That one falls at the bottom of the stack. We refer to it as a Flipper, cause it's the one she quickly flips through and discards. On the other end of the spectrum is the smaller generally strictly local regional GUIDE. Full of resources but short on images and fresh content. It's the one with the seating charts, calendars etc... and the "How to pick a photographer" or the "top wedding..." article. All regenerated stuff. Useful to a degree but far from inspiring or engaging. It generally appeals to a less affluent bride who stumbles across it rather than seeks it out.

There is a hybrid magazine that is also out there. It takes a little bit of both. It has the regenerated articles mixed with better images it's sort of a dressed up local resource guide. This one gets middle stack position depending on the articles included. What all of the above lack is true good regional useful content and spectacular images by local photographers to showcase their work. There is only one publication out there that does that in the Carolina's and I am proud to say it's also the only award winning wedding magazine in the Southeast, maybe the whole country (let us know if you know another, we haven't found one!), The Bride's Book magazine.

Advertisers have multiple opportunities in every issue of the magazine. It's designed to weave our advertisers throughout giving them the greatest exposure. From images, spotlights on venues, awards, featured articles, photo heavy editorials that show trends. It does require some effort on the part of our advertisers as we are not mind readers but we frequently remind our advertisers of upcoming articles and photography needs so they have ample opportunity to get involved. When in need of info we go to our advertisers and our details section is available to announce any new cool product, service or location to our bride's. Those advertisers who take advantage of those opportunities as well as our online opportunities are always pleased with the responses they get from our readers. Okay so I got lost in tooting our horn...there is much more that advertisers need to consider in the face of the current economic recession.

Every business needs a web presence. You should be looking at ways to reach the more than 90% of all brides that hit the internet FIRST for their info. Let's talk about this. Most every home has at least one computer and if they don't they can access one at the library, school or at their work. People are working harder and longer hours. When they want info it's generally during a break, early morning or late evening when your store is closed or no one is answering the phone. The web keeps working 24/7 for you if you let it. Your advertising dollars need to be invested in good online presence. Your print options should also provide this for you in one form or another. But their site needs to be sophisticated enough to draw brides to it through additional content and information. Many publications offer a link on their website BUT fail to realize that that link actually pulls the bride off their site. Many won't return because then they'll follow links elsewhere and besides with only a link they really aren't getting any additional info so why return?

The Bride's Book on the other hand has always had a strong web presence and was actually came before our award winning magazine. TheBridesBook.com has even more info online from Real Brides to inspire our readers and up to date wedding events and trunk shows, contests, award winners and additional local wedding resources, etiquette and advice and articles addressing current trends. Every single one of those are an opportunity for our advertisers to showcase their business even more. Yes, each advertisers has a web AD as well with contact info, multiple image opportunities and yes a link is available but a link in a NEW window keeping our website open for the bride to return to over and over again. Okay so this is horn tooting too but I bring it up for other reasons as well.

Advertising now should be more than placing an ad you should be asking how big and how MUCH of an ad CAMPAIGN can my print ad in your magazine buy me? It's about getting the most for your money, in front of the most brides. If you would like more information about The Bride's Book magazine or website please contact our office at (866)630-5176

Status quo is dead. To survive in the new economy businesses must take a more active role in your marketing and advertising. You can hire an agency to do much of this for you but you would be smart to stay with an agency in your market well versed in your field or pay a big enough fee that you can afford to pay them to be educated in the opportunities out there. And one more thing...if you aren't familiar with the social networks and all of the opportunities in that realm that are out there...make sure whoever is in charge of your advertising dollars is well versed...like The Bride's Book!

ALMOST anything goes

People ask me all the time. "What is THE trend?", "What's popular?" "I want to do this or my daughter wants to do this...do you think that is too much?!" I prefer to put them in touch with professionals who know and readily refer. After all, I am really just the messenger bringing experts to the table and getting their knowledge out there through our magazine, The Bride's Book, and website, www.TheBridesBook.com. I certainly have my own tastes and at 43 I am begining to recognize that yes, my tastes may be slightly dated...thank goodness for my business I hire some of the best and let them capture the knowledge.

But I will say that I have seen just about everything! I've seen tattooed brides who get just one more tattoo for the big event and wears it proudly as she walks down the aisle. I've seen (and heard about) some of the funkiest wedding locations. From Graveyards, to bathrooms, fast food restaurants, you name it somebody has probably already thought of it. I've seen weddings with 25 guests and 10 bridesmaids. I've seen the most elegant weddings on the lowest of budgets and I've seen quite the opposite. So I am here to tell you just about anything goes. My best advice to brides who are planning their wedding is to remember that your wedding is about you but it's also about combining two families and building relationships and a future.

If you want to wear or do something a little different that is okay! Just make sure you think down the road a little bit. When the wedding is all said and done and you and your beloved are starting out you want to look back and be proud of your wedding day and some times that means compromising a little with those you love who may be just a tad bit more traditional. Best wishes!