Do you advertise at bridal fairs?

[Oneslowz28]

We have a few bridal fairs comming up and I was thinking about setting up a booth. How many of you attend and advertise at these fairs? What do you take with you? IE: flyers, brochures, slide show playing on computer or tv, album samples, prints, large prints, canvas prints, etc.

I was thinking of attendng all 3 that are comming up and having flyers, brochures, and 10% off coupons printed up. I have several large prints and can do a slide show on a 30" lcd I have in my spair bedroom. This would eat up about 30% of my advertising budget for the year but I am getting the feeling that it will be worth it.

[QX56]

And contract also ...you never know ....may be some one will sign the contract right there .

[iSpark]

Isn't that the point of Bridal Fairs? To advertise your services and your work.

[liza]

I have one coming up on December 1st. I'm taking a long upholstered ottoman, a coffee table, an area rug, a sofa table, candles and other holiday decor, albums, brochures and cards, and an easel with a large framed print. I wanted to put together a display with some 20x30's on gatorboard, but the budget doesn't permit right now.

[liza]

Oh, and a computer for my slideshow presentation. :)

[R_Metzel]

I have never been to one. I use word of mouth only. 0 advertising outside of that. Works for me just fine. I don't even have a website, but people still call and book me, and I have yet to have a complaint about anything from anyone.

A studio I do contract work for goes to everyone they can, has rented wall space in malls, big 1/2 page ads in the yellow pages, ect......From what I have seen, its not worth it. They spend so much in advertising they both have to work full time jobs over the winter just to pay the bills. Their return is very little on what they spend in the long run. I never believed the whole" you have to spend money to make money" bit.

[thewavebb]

I don't the fair like atmosphere and they tend to be a high cost/low return type of marketing. If you are strugling to get business and it may work for you. I have always believed Discount = Desperate when it comes to promotions of our services. If you go, let your work sell you. However I think there are better and far cheaper ways to get clients.

Without knowing what you've done before as far as marketing...I would say get more facetime with people at non-wedding related type events. I do these types of things all the time and it really has created a ton of buzz. Just dont' come off like your pimping yourself. Nobody like's a pimp. Cost is basically just your time and then you could use the money that you'd have spent at the bridal show on a more professional looking webpage.

[fmyers711]

oneslowz28,

I looked at your website and there aren't any wedding photos that I could find. If you are planning on having a booth at a bridal show and you want it to be worthwhile, you will need some samples of the type and quality of albums you are trying to sell. Even brides who do not end up buying large albums, judge your work by them... Make sure you have some complete weddings to show, because all of the "bridal magazines" tell their brides to look for that when they are making a decision on a photographer.

We have done well at shows, last year we booked over 12 weddings as the result of one show.

[notapro]

It is only worth it if it's right for you. I used to run a show and there are some vendors that just don't fit with bridal shows. To make it work, you:

a) have to be able to compete in quality, particularly with other togs there
b) be a charismatic people-person
c) be willing to do the follow-up

A show is a great starting point, but there is a reason they don't guarantee you bookings. If you don't bring certain things to the table, then it is probably not right for you. Go in with a clear plan, and understand that your goal there shouldn't be to book anybody (but if it happens, great!), but to get everyone to see and remember who you are and come back to look at your work and services later.

[MrsOpie]

I plan on it this coming year but I need to come up with about $1,500 for a booth.

[notapro]

I plan on it this coming year but I need to come up with about $1,500 for a booth.

ouch! wish I ran that show....

[spcalan]

I am thinking about going to one, before I actually set up a booth.

[jessiper]

Not yet, but maybe at some point.