On the 4th of July (Independence Day), many Americans think of  Baseball, Hot Dogs, and Apple Pie. They have barbecues, set off fireworks, and consume large amounts of beer. I think of the good fortune of United States citizenship.

I didn’t have to acquire mine. I had the good fortune of being born in New York City. My parents, on the other hand, both made the trip from Europe.

My dad, Martin Ebon, made the edgy move from Hamburg, Germany in 1938, moving the rest of his immediate family, shortly there after. My mother, Koutsie Ebon, met my dad in her native Athens, Greece, in 1948. They married in 1949, and returned with him to New York City.

Both of them became naturalized citizens the old fashioned way. They came here legally, applied for citizenship, and completed the process. From a very early age, through high school, I traveled with them, over much of Europe. I came to believe that many people born into United States citizenship didn’t have a full appreciation of the good fortune of being born here.

Over time, I have come to appreciate both the variety of cultures and countries around the world, and the regional individuality of states and cities across the United States. I have only South Dakota to visit to complete my travel to all fifty states.

Enjoy today and if you are a United States citizen, pause awhile to think about how lucky we are.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: 4th of July, Andy Ebon, apple pie, baseball, citizenship, hot dogs, Koutsie Ebon, Martin Ebon, United States, Wedding Marketing Authority

In business, it’s difficult not to get caught up in the numbers: Sales, dollars, bookings, inquiries, appointments. In blogging, one measures success by the impact of the blog on its readers.

Blogging impact can be measured in a number of ways:

With all that said, I’m proud to announce that this morning, The Wedding Marketing Blog surpassed 10,000 visitors for the month of June. I probably should have waited until the end of the month for a final total, but this was too exciting.

Besides the soaring number of visits, it’s exciting to see improvement in all areas, especially comments and questions from readers… like you.

As The Wedding Marketing Blog continues to grow in activity, there are a number of features, benefits and goals that will roll out during the second half of 2009.

They will include

I’ll stop there, because it will take quite a bit of effort to launch all of that. Your suggestions and ideas are always welcome. I do my best to read every inquiry, comment, and email.

Each post and reader are important to me. I’m conscious of the fact that different people are interested in different issues. I will continue to give my best effort to provide valuable and stimulating content to you.

With my deepest appreciation for your readership!

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: Andy Ebon, blogger, content, impact, measuring success, readers, success, Wedding Marketing Authority, wedding marketing blog

In recent few weeks, I’ve given a great deal of thought to the dynamics of the wedding industry. Here are just five that came to mind.

One can like or dislike any item on the shortlist. With a little thought, the list could grow by 10 or 20.

If you want to be on a preferred vendor list in Las Vegas, building a great relationship with the Director of Catering is a nice thing, but that person doesn’t make the decision. The discussion and final decision is typically made a couple of levels higher up, by a regional manager for several of a company’s hotels.

Reality Check: Things are as they are. not as you would like them to be. Instead of taking on the massive task of changing an entire industry, why not just become a force in your sphere of influence?

Everyone  has been told by a parent that ‘Life is not fair.’ When you’re a business owner or manager, it’s annoying to remind you of a conversation you had with one or more parents, decades ago. But it’s important.

Changing an industry, or one slice of an industry is like getting an elephant to roll over.

If you are not one of the absolute business leaders in your segment of the wedding industry, then all the annoying unfairness applies to your business, too. You can complain about the referral food chain, commissions and kick backs, or uninformed brides. Doesn’t make a damn bit of difference.

Actually, you don’t have to change the whole industry, just your immediate wedding world. Make your business the absolute best it can be, build and renew rock solid relationships with more people in all walks of the wedding industry, tighten up and focus your marketing, and then stand back.

This should not be a news flash, but somehow, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, it is important to press the pause button, and look around. It’s not 10 or 20 years ago, it’s today. In the words of the great baseball player, Satchel Paige, “Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you.”

Go get ‘em!!

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

written by Andy Ebon