Wedding Marketing Tips

Pinterest Mania – Getting to Know The New “It” Girl of Social Media

March 7, 2012 by Jayne Leigh Hallock

Embrace The Frenzy!

A Letter From Jayne Leigh Hallock, Editor In Chief of WedLock

At the risk of dating myself, I often compare the latest Pinterest boom to Beatle mania. (Because I still refuse to acknowledge Bieber-mania.)

Got Pinterest & Social Media Questions? We have answers. Click the image to register for our FREE Webinar!!

Millions of people…especially women…especially engaged women are loving Pinterest. They love it so much that many call themselves “Pinterest Addicts”.

And by the way, it’s not just brides who are stampeding to Pinterest, the whole world is chatting about it.

Mashable.com — which is pretty much the Yahoo News of the Internet — seems to run another story about Pinterest every week. There’s considerable chatter from other outlets like the BBC, Huffington Post…I mean, even The Wall Street Journal is giving Pinterest tips, for Pete’s Sake!

But why? Here are few quick fun facts* about
The Powerful Pinboard That Changed The Web:

• Pinterest Drives More Traffic Than Google+, YouTube and LinkedIn Combined

• Top brands on Pinterest include Nordstrom, West Elm and Whole Foods.

• Almost 70% of Pinterest users are women, and 45% of those women are between the ages for 18-34.

So now do you see that Pinterest users are EXACTLY your demographic? The young, shopping, planning bride? Now lets talk about why your demographic uses Pinterest.

For those of you still trying to wrap your mind around how Pinterest works and why its so addicting, I’ll attempt to describe it in just a few words.

It’s like window-shopping, online.

Think about it. When a bride types “Modern Wedding Dress” into Google’s search engine, she’s served up a page full of copy and blue, underlined links. But Pinterest? This savvy site instead rewards that bride with pages full of gorgeous, inspirational images.

What’s more is that it’s curated! I recently interrogated a Pinterest-addicted bride and asked her why Pinterest was any better than running, say, a Google Image search. She scoffed at me and then told me why Pinterest “kicks Google’s butt” when she’s wedding planning.

How brides plan their weddings is evolving at lightning speed. So when something like Pinterest comes along – it can be a real game changer for wedding pros. If you are an ‘early adopter’ and get out there in front of your brides, the right way, you can leap to the head of the pack.

And look at how savvy you already are! As a WedLock reader, you continue to be kept on the absolute cutting edge of wedding planning trends and technology.  (ESPECIALLY when it comes to copyright issues and Pinterest, which we’ll be addressing during our free webinar on March 28!)

Heck, you deserve a few screaming fans yourself. So get on Pinterest and grab them today!

See you on the WedLock forums,

Jayne

PS – We are hosting a special Pinterest and Social Media Q&A Webinar this month. Have you saved your free spot yet? Visit http://budurl.com/PinterestQs and register asap. Remember to send in your questions, too!

*Source: http://mashable.com/2012/01/29/pinterest-retail-infographic/

Categories: Uncategorized, Wedding Marketing Tips • No Comments »

What Steve Jobs Taught Wedding Pros ~ A Letter from The Editor of WedLock

October 6, 2011 by Jayne Leigh Hallock

I’ve heard a lot of thought-provoking quotes about Steve Jobs since he passed away at the (so young!) age of 56 yesterday.

Steve was *everywhere*.

The quote I think I like the most is that he “…knew what we wanted…even before we knew we wanted it.”

Jobs’ passing is incredibly sad for a whole host of reasons. I understand that he fought as hard as he could, for as long as he could, and his family must be just devastated today. My heart goes out to them.

But I can’t help but think about business, too, when I think about Jobs.

WedLock members often say “Jayne, you tell us to blog, but what do we blog ABOUT?” And to that I reply: A.B.B.

Always be blogging. Wherever you go, whomever you’re talking to, whatever is happening in the news, keep your blogging brain open!  Keep thinking about ways you can tie a news item into a blog topic. (It’s easier than you think!)

I do this myself and I’m doing it today. When I think about Steve Jobs, I can’t help but think about the business lessons he taught us.  And yes – they can and do apply to the wedding industry!

Innovate. Jobs didn’t just think outside the box, he changed the way we thought about boxes. (Especially ones with slick, fun computers inside them.)

Apple was such a successful company because Jobs never rested on his substantial laurels. He was constantly, creatively innovating. Jack Welch, another incredibly successful business icon, also valued innovation. Welch said “Shun the incremental, and look for the quantum leap.”

Finally – lest you think this can’t apply to your wedding business, listen to what Colin Cowie said when I interviewed him for WedLock a few issues back: “Doing things differently (and not just spending more money) is the way to make a name for yourself. Then word gets around that you are very creative, and people start to talk about you. You begin to get recognition for it!”

So ask yourself…Are you content to be just another wedding planner, or DJ, or photographer in your area? Or could you be just a little more innovative in what you offer your bride…and then become a LOT more successful.

Be simple. Everything about Apple’s brand was simple. And simply brilliant. From the sleek, pared down interface of their devices to the very logo itself (what’s more elemental and basic than an APPLE, for Pete’s sake!)…Apple kept it clean, simple, instantly identifiable.

So now look at your logo. Your website. Your brand. Do you have a polished, finished look…or is your brand all over the place? Your site should match your business cards, which should match your marketing material that you hand out at bridal shows and trade shows.

Does it? Isn’t it time to fix that?

Create a Cult. This is one lesson I personally have taken to heart, and one I want *you* to really think about as well.

Jobs and his company didn’t just have customers. They had what I call “Stark Raving Customers.”Mac fans aren’t just loyal, they’re downright obsessive. Whenever a new product was launched, Jobs’ customers were sleeping on the sidewalk! If that’s not a stark raving customer, I don’t know what is.

I strive for that with WedLock. I don’t expect any wedding pros to sleep on the sidewalk every time a new issue comes out, but I do do everything in my power to  overdeliver on WedLock’s promises…and then some. I throw in extra webinars, extra recordings, extra back issues and giveaways and bonuses like it’s, well, my job.

Because it is! It is my job to make sure that WedLock members don’t just “like” what we do for their business. It’s my job to make them LOVE it. (And luckily, judging on the happy emails I get from members every day, they do love it!)

So again…ask yourself.  What do your former brides think of you? What do their families, their guests, their bridal parties think of you? What do your fellow vendors think about working with you?  If you’re answering “Fine. They like me fine!”…guess what?

That’s not good enough.

What can you start doing – today, right now – to have your vendors falling over themselves to work with you? How can you ensure that the bride is crows about you online,  and gives you a 5-star review?

What can you do differently to make sure that the next time the mother of the bride is having lunch with her group of girlfriends, and someone mentions that their son or daughter just got engaged, she thinks of you.

Scratch that – not only does she THINK of you, but she leans forward and says “Oooh, tell your daughter to call mine. We hired the BEST (DJ/Florist/Planner/Officiant) and you have to have them at your wedding too. They made the whole day incredible!”

How do you innovate? What’s the state of your branding? And are you leaving stark raving brides in your wake? Tell me about it in the comments below. Brag if you want to!

I always love talking to wedding pro superstars.

(Photo credit: Daniel Lanton, http://www.darkershadesofbrown.com/)

Categories: Wedding Marketing Tips • 6 Comments »

Hate it or “like” it…Facebook has a new format. – One big lesson to be learned.

September 22, 2011 by Jayne Leigh Hallock

Oh Facebook. You unpredictable little minx.

You’d think someone landed on the moon, for all the attention the new Facebook format is getting.

Most of the buzz is negative so far. So it remains to be seen if this format is here to stay or if Zuckerberg & Co decide to switch things up any time soon.

But for now, we’re ‘stuck’ with this new format. I personally don’t hate or love it. Like all things having to do with Social Media, I understand that Facebook is a fluid, living tool. You have to keep up with each evolution or you’ll be left, well, behind the times.

It’s my job to help wedding pros figure out how to navigate this beast we call social networking, and figure out ways to help them better connect with their brides.

So I have been doing a little research on what – specifically – small business owners need to know about this new ‘Book look.

I am nowhere near done understanding every last nuance of this switch, but I wanted to post something that struck me already, early on in my research.

And basically, the most important thing to remember is that Facebook, just like Google, is trying to ensure the best user experience for shoppers and consumers… your brides!

So while it may be easier for brides who have already liked your page to now “Hide all” posts by you (and it is), that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Because when do Facebook users “hide” updates? When do brides tune out? They run away screaming when your updates are annoying. When they are too pushy, too salesy. Too non-helpful.

So stop seeing this “hide all” button as your enemy to be dodged at all costs. Instead let it serve as a wake up call to make sure that your social media efforts are truly social.

You’ll thank yourself later when you’re rewarded with a fan base who becomes so connected to you that they clamor for information about your services…rather than wanting to run and hide from you.

I’ll continue posting updates on my Facebook research. You continue growing your business by staying smart about online marketing – especially social media!

How about you? What do YOU think of the new Facebook format?? (Tell me in the comment box below. And don’t hold back!)

Categories: Uncategorized, Wedding Marketing Tips • 3 Comments »

Masters of the Gig ~ History and advice from Gigmasters.com Marissa Latshaw

January 11, 2011 by Jayne Leigh Hallock

WedLock readers are already familiar with the fabulous Marta Segal Block. She’s written for us for months now and last month she conducted a great webinar about how to respond to online reviews.

Recently, Marta joined the GigMasters.com team and she introduced me to this unique and frankly fabulous website. I wanted to know more, and moreover, I wanted to know what this GigMasters team could teach WedLock readers. Here’s what Marissa Latshaw, the VP of Marketing, shared with us.

What is GigMasters and how did it all get started?

Marissa Latshaw Shares Her Wisdom With WedLock

GigMasters is an event entertainment booking service that combines the efficiency of the web with the personal touch of a private event planner. We’ve helped over 100,000 people find the perfect entertainment and vendors for their life’s most special events – weddings, kid’s birthday parties, anniversary parties and more. That’s today…

In 1997, Michael Caldwell and Kevin Kinyon, like many of us, became fascinated with the Internet and wanted to help bands get exposure in this “new” medium. They started building the site, creating online press kits for bands. For you history buffs, here’s a link to our company story: http://www.gigmasters.com/about/Company-Story.aspx

Today, 20,000 people visit the site each day, seeking entertainment and vendors for their life’s most special events.  I think it’s so cool that the technology developed in the early years has become the platform for what is today — a full-service event booking experience.

What do you think the secret of your success has been, and what do you think other wedding pros can learn from it?

This is a great question – because I am personally obsessed with understanding what makes people and businesses successful.

I believe that the secrets to GigMasters’ success have been persistence and empathy. As many entrepreneurs will tell you, the road isn’t always straight or smooth. There are times when you and others question the validity of what you’re doing. But, having an eye on the future while persistently staying focused on today’s task is key.  As for empathy, we’ve always valued the fact that each performer who lists on our site is relying on us to generate business for them, and each client who books on our site may be planning the most important event of their life.  We constantly ask ourselves what it’s like to be the client or performer – and this (we hope) comes through on the features we design for the site and during the conversations we have with our customers each day.

What’s the smartest thing you see wedding pros doing, when it comes to business building and/or marketing?

In a word – scaling! I think it’s really important, especially in this economy, for wedding professionals to scale their offering up and down for different budget levels. This is not lowering prices just to compete with someone who may not have the high level of service or talent that you provide. Yes, consumers are more budget-conscious, but many don’t want to sacrifice quality, especially on their wedding day.  So, in my opinion, the smartest business owners have a scaled offering with different price levels that appeal to a variety of budgets. I see many examples of this on GigMasters—the most business-savvy bands and ensembles vary the number of performers to accommodate different budgets. I know that I would personally prefer one AMAZING acoustic guitarist to a mediocre trio.

What’s the biggest mistake you see them making?

That’s easy – talking and selling too much. Clients WANT to tell you about their dream wedding – they are bursting at the seams to share their vision with anyone who will listen. So…ASK AND LISTEN!!! I believe that every wedding professional, regardless of whether you’re selling flowers, gowns, DJ services, or food – should open the conversation with questions like: “Tell me about your dream wedding? What does it look like? How will it sound? How will the food taste? Who will be there?” Then, this gives the wedding professional time to think about how  they can (or can’t) help create that dream. Weddings are so magical – and increasingly more individualized and personal to the couple. Wedding pros who tap into the uniqueness of the couple are the ones who ultimately find the most success.

How large of a company are you and what has your growth trajectory been like?

The company’s growth has been amazing to watch. In 2005, Mike and Kevin were the only two people working on GigMasters. At that time, the company had 2,000 entertainers in the database, and 6,000 bookings for the year. Our first 4 employees came along in 2007. We’re closing out this year with over 8,500 entertainers and vendors, 17 employees and 30,000+ event bookings – of which one-third are weddings. Needless to say, GigMasters is an exciting place to be!

Talk a bit about your personal print publishing background.  (WedLock readers love the printed medium, you know!)

I’ve worked in print publishing for a significant part of my career – my experience includes a major news weekly, a children’s book publisher, and a shelter market niche magazine.  I know firsthand the challenges of print in a digital world. I believe that publishers today are faced with two major questions instead of one – 1) what content will appeal to my readers? and 2) how do my readers want this content delivered? The publishers who think about both of these questions, in tandem, are the ones who thrive.

Wedlock is doing just that. By delivering the “tactile” content in print form, you allow your readers the chance to truly USE the content — dog-ear the corners, highlight favorite parts, and cut out info to tack to their bulletin boards.

But, what I love about Wedlock is that you’ve also thought about which content is better delivered online – tutorials, videos, blog posts are obviously ideal for the kind of content that we view or read once or twice but that doesn’t need to become a physical part of our day. I love seeing the offline and online world work in harmony.

MORE ABOUT…

Marissa Latshaw is the VP of Marketing at GigMasters where she’s responsible for brand positioning, marketing strategy, and customer experience.  GigMasters has been the perfect place for her to marry her passion for party-planning and music. Read more from Marissa and the GigMasters team at http://gigmasters.com/blog.

Categories: Featured Wedding Interviews, Uncategorized, Wedding Marketing Tips • 1 Comment »

WedLockTV is on the air!

November 10, 2010 by Jayne Leigh Hallock

We are thrilled to announce the debut of WedLock TV! Every few weeks we’ll be sneak peeking an excerpt from the most recent issue of Wedlock.

Check out our first episode now! It’s all about what wedding marketing actually is, and how you can get started working on YOURS.

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“Fall” for wedding marketing with this next issue of WedLock.

October 12, 2010 by Jayne Leigh Hallock

Get it?

So what if I’m using the same bad autumn pun you see in every TV commercial these days. It’s autumn! Beautiful foliage time!

Back to School time!

And we’re not just talking about the kids, here. Continuing education is absolutely critical for any wedding business owner as well. So let’s educate ourselves on the wedding marketing education you’re going to receive in the next month of WedLock. Here are some fresh, as yet unprinted, proofs of our next issue!

Categories: Wedding Marketing Tips • 1 Comment »

WedLock Magazine Sneak Peek! Issue 2 Is On Its Way!

June 15, 2010 by Jayne Leigh Hallock

It’s Anticipation Central around here these days…

It always is around this time of the month.  Because after the weeks of conducting loads of wedding marketing, writing, editing, emailing, webinaring and designing…it’s done!

We’re ready to ship out Issue 2. And – if we may say so ourselves -  is it ever a great one.

For instance, this month we debut our fantastic new feature called the “WedLock Bridal Panel.” This is where our group of real, live, current brides weigh in on samples of what our readers send in for feedback. Like: one reader sent in two logo options that they just couldn’t make a decision about.

So we asked our brides…. do they like Option A better…or Option B? And more importantly….why??

That’s just one of the many cool, helpful, easy-to-incorporate-into-your-wedding business features that appear in this month’s issue of WedLock Magazine. But why should I tell you, when I can just show you?

Check out that nifty Issue 2 preview video our brilliant in-house editor put together, seen above.  (And thanks Alex!)

Categories: Wedding Marketing Tips • 1 Comment »