Bridal Expo Show Bags

[sierra_nova]

Hi Everyone,

We have our annual bridal expo coming up, and we are giving away goody bags to the brides. I'm wondering if any of you wonderful people have any good.. inexpensive.. ideas to add to what we are already giving away. Or if you think what we are doing is good/bad, and why.

We are giving a Sierra Nova Pink bag with
- price list
- promo postcard
- CD of portfolio images (thumbnails of course!)
- A magnet
- How to choose a Wedding Photographer Tip Sheet
- love heart or kiss lips foil wrapped chocolate

Any ideas would be fabulous!

Cheers!
Naomi

[JJacula]

A pen and notepad?

Maybe you could get together with some like-minded businesses and throw in discount certificates for wedding-related services - like see if your favorite caterer or florist wants to do some cross-promotional stuff, you put their coupon in your bag, they display your work/brochure/business cards at their place of business. Also consider massage parlors, spas, hairstylists, make-up artists, tux rental, car rental, travel agent ... possibilities are endless.

I have a chocolatier I will be working with for some cross-promotional things, so that's what made me think of it for you.

[tlc]

i w ould get someone like godiva to make up some custom chocolate boxes - they have them for weddings - there are two chocolates to a box and you can customize the box, with a ribbon that has a card with your info on it - i would suggest getting some Moo cards becasue they are the perfect size and are very cheap, but high quality and you can make up several different ones with different images on them.

[JJacula]

You could also offer half-off an engagement session, or free engagement session with booking a wedding.

Freebies ... press-n-stick calendar? Lip balm? I got some ideas off of http://www.4imprint.ca (there's probably an Oz equivalent somewhere).

Maybe have some extra-special gifts for anyone who books you for their wedding then and there? T-shirt or a tank top? Cute baseball cap or visor cap?

[BEWITCHED]

Hi a cd slide show so they can see your style of photos

[LeesaB]

We did a drawing for a Free Engagement session...

The one gret thing about this is that you get a TON of names to contact later for a discounted session.

I spent 2 months calling abuot 600 brides to be. We got a few bookings, from what I was told I think it is less then 10% success rate for referrals like this, but still worth the try.

I LOVE the lip balm idea...

[danpass]

Hi a cd slide show so they can see your style of photos


With fade-in and fade-outs and music too



I was trying the demo version of this last night and it is so simple to use:

http://www.showitfast.com



.

[LeesaB]

With fade-in and fade-outs and music too



I was trying the demo version of this last night and it is so simple to use:

http://www.showitfast.com



.


I use pro show gold, and I like it too..

[liza]

I'm going to use Vista for promotional items, like business cards, promo cards, and magnets. I'll probably look for a vendor for pens, too, since people like to pick those up at shows. Yesterday, I priced flat screen TV's with built in DVD players that would be large enough to showcase my images yet portable for shows. And I'll probably have to invest in a tabletop display and a couple of easels for framed prints. I'd like to do something unique and am always looking for ideas.

[LeesaB]

You know what looks good...glass block...great look on a black table cloth

I am using vista right now..grabbing up all the "free" deals..

Would love to find a real real inexpensive pen site...for about 600 pens or less..

[liza]

Just found this site:
http://www.showyourlogo.com/custom-pens.htm

[Lin-z]

Pens, match books, I think some sort of free of discounted engagement session could be a great idea. I especially like the idea of a drawing so that you will have yourself a list of people to call and offer a free or discounted session. That way they might also book you for the wedding.

[liza]

Drawings are good for building up a customer database. I like the idea of having a variety of things to give away. I think Stuart mentioned a while back that he's had great success with magnets. Vista runs specials on those all the time.

[Ulfius]

Anyone know of a place that makes inexpensive wedding planner/organizers that your business name could be imprinted on? Perhaps have the first item on the To Do page be "Contact XYZ Wedding Photography to reserve your date"...

I don't care for drawings because for everyone but one, you're calling with bad news and a sales pitch. "Sorry you didn't win, but ..." You can try to hide it, but most people see right through it and you possibly get a tinged reputation.

[sierra_nova]

Hey everyone!

Some fantastic ideas, thank you all so much.

I was thinking along the line of a pen and note pad, but for the small print run we would need, they are really really expensive.

I LOVE the idea of cross promo business cards and whatnot - fantastic.

Most of our packages already come with a free engagement sitting, but the promo post cards in the bag have an extra print credit if they book. Also, we are giving an engagement sitting with prints to the organisers for their prize draw, and in return we get all of the names and addresses of all of the entrants. No hassle - love it.

We are also putting in a CD slide show.

We will have a flat screen with images playing, and framed prints on the wall. The bags will be given out with all of our info in them, and additional postcards will be available for pick up on the table - we will have postcards promoting our other portrait work as well.

I'm also investing in some bookmarks. They will be generic - for all of our work - so a bookmark will go in each bag too. I'll probably add some sort of tassel for the bridal show bookmarks, to make them a little more special.

Lip balm is such a cool idea, but again it is cost prohibitive at this point.

Cheers!
Naomi

[tony fanning]

As for the prize draw- Make sure EVERYONE WINS! Call the potential clients and tell them they won! ALL of them! What would it cost you to organise an E shoot? The clients feel great because they won and your referrals go up. It`s a win win situation.

[LeesaB]

Tony, yep, that's what we did..worked well.

I am looking into reniting a flat screen and dvd player, took the lap top last year and it was just a bit of a problem...

Glass block to prop up some pics on.

How about an "idea" book. You can make a small booklet yourself on "ideas" for the wedding.

We're pretty smart here, we could come up with something very creative and not done yet.

Not just photo's but, we've seen enough weddings, it could be little tidbits of info from famous and not so famous photographers?

[staciecd]

I went to a bridal show a year ago - to get me to your table, have lots of pictures and books sitting out. To keep me there, talk to me. Ask me the date of the wedding, where, and compliment my ring. Show you are interested in me. I'll take home your CD and watch it, but stuff I don't need, like the mini files and such will go into the trash. Food isn't bad, but there is a chance that I'll eat and throw the wrapping away in the car.

[LeesaB]

Nice to hear that side..

I do the above mentioned..I don't give away a CD..I deal with 600 brides...so I just don't do that, and we talk to everyone that goes by, it's a blast..

So..you don't care about the freebies? are you looking at it as a bride to be?

[liza]

I went to a bridal show a year ago - to get me to your table, have lots of pictures and books sitting out. To keep me there, talk to me. Ask me the date of the wedding, where, and compliment my ring. Show you are interested in me. I'll take home your CD and watch it, but stuff I don't need, like the mini files and such will go into the trash. Food isn't bad, but there is a chance that I'll eat and throw the wrapping away in the car.

Thanks for that perspective, Stacie. Hearing things from the bride's viewpoint is very, very helpful. :)

[richardj7]

I assume that no prospective bride will get the bag of goodies (no matter what's in it) unless they fill in their names, address, and two telephone numbers? You may even include a space for "people you know who are also getting married: name, telephone number.

[sierra_nova]

We will get all the names and phone numbers of all the brides who have entered the main organisers competition. So for us, the stall is about being able to talk to people, to have some fun, some laughs with the brides and sell ourselves on our work and our personality. From previous experience people choose us for our personality. It is relaxed, friendly and fun. Obviously people like our work - but there are A LOT of great photographers in Launceston, so our point of difference is that a bride and groom can see that we will be fun to have around on their wedding day.

So - my point is that seeing as we get the names and numbers without the grunt work - we concentrate on being nice people to deal with. Our brides remember us for that.

Cheers!
Naomi

[danpass]

I went to a bridal show a year ago - to get me to your table, have lots of pictures and books sitting out. To keep me there, talk to me. Ask me the date of the wedding, where, and compliment my ring. Show you are interested in me. I'll take home your CD and watch it, but stuff I don't need, like the mini files and such will go into the trash. Food isn't bad, but there is a chance that I'll eat and throw the wrapping away in the car.


This sounds cool. I agree that it is great to hear the brides perspective.




So if I have 10-12 large pics displaying and say one big album and two pocket albums (same couple perhaps) that would work?


Handout discs:
What would you have like to see on the CD (or DVD) besides pics?
Slideshow(s)?
Movie clip(s) where the photographer is talking, just telling a little about themselves and their work?
Perhaps some video time with a previous client just telling about their experience?

Just Flash type slideshows/videos (computer only) or must it also include the ability to play on TV?



Thanks :mrgreen:


.

[sierra_nova]

So sad. I got the layout today and we are in a crappy spot. We are in the main room, but in a yucky back corner. Blah.

Just thought I'd share my woes!

Cheers,
Naomi

[frzndaqiri]

How about plain notepads, with clear stickers with your name / info on them? The nicer embossed kind similar to invites, less expensive than a full custom printed notepad/pen but still a useful item that's likely to hang around. (I am always short of writing material at those things.)