Get connected

You’ve just returned home from a conference… The Special Event, Mobile Beat, NACE Leadership or catersource! (Hmm, sounds familiar). Magically, you find business cards in every pocket, your purse or wallet. What to do?

If you’re an online networker, the first thing to do is head for your LinkedIn, Facebook, and/or Plaxo accounts and search for these folks. If you find them, and they have a photo posted, you should be able to connect the name and face (By the way, YOU DO HAVE A PHOTO POSTED, DON’T YOU?). That connection will likely help you recall the conversation or instance in which you met.

Now, if you think there is an imminent or future business or personal connection, ask for friend or business connection on one or all of these services.

Many people fear that others won’t remember us. It’s always more likely to be ‘top of mind’ if you reconnect quickly. Rubbing shoulders, in person, always making connecting in cyberspace an easier process.

Remember it’s not so much who you know. It’s who knows you.

What else are you doing with those business cards? Inquiring minds want to know.

Andy Ebon

The Wedding Marketing Authority

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: Andy Ebon, CaterSource, connecting, cyberspace, Facebook, LinkedIn, Mobile Beat, NACE, networking, Plaxo, The Special Event, Wedding Marketing Authority

As part of my 3-conference, speaking and trade show marathon, my final stop is Catersource. Having completed my speaking obligations by 4pm, Monday, I’ve had the opportunity to attend sessions and roam the trade show floor.

As you would expect, the exhibitors lean heavily toward food: Serving pieces, dinnerware, cooking methods, and food, itself. However, there are many other categories of special event accompaniments.

I was killing a few minutes, waiting for a scheduled appointment, and snapped the following picture. The exhibitor may represent a quality company… but you sure wouldn’t know it. The staff person had taken possession of the standard but stupid, 2 chairs and a table. She sat calmly, probably checking email on her cell phone, making no eye contact with any of the thousands of attendees.

To make matters worse, she was crackling her gum so loudly, I could hear it across the aisle.

It is a major league investment to participate in a trade show, a bridal show, or any such presentation. If I were her boss, she’d be out of a job before she was on the flight, home.

But that’s just me.

What's wrong with this picture.

Andy Ebon

The Wedding Marketing Authority

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: Andy Ebon, bridal show, CaterSource, trade show table, wedding fair, wedding marketing, wedding marketing blog

This post marks the 2-year anniversary of The Wedding Marketing Blog. Its content, however, is inspired by my friend, Dan Ohrman (Denon & Doyle DJ Service) who asked:

Yes, Dan, you can. Here’s how I have.

NOTE: I recommend that blog posts be 75 – 80% about others and only 20-25% about  oneself or your business. This item may appear to shameless self-promotion. Not exactly. Really read it through and take from it, what applies to you.

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During the decade since selling my second mobile DJ service (Designer Music), I spent the lion’s share of my time operating EBS Virtual Communications. I designed websites and facilitated email marketing for clients, primarily in the hospitality industry. Along the way I had developed some solid speaking and presentation skills, appearing regularly at industry conferences.

Some people like the idea of growth. As a small business lifestyle, I like the idea of being a micro-business owner. I can manage people. I have done it very successfully. I don’t like managing people. I’m quite clear on that.

So, in late 2006, I decided it was time for yet another reinvention of Andy Ebon. Let’s face, it this is no longer the era of 40 years and a gold watch.

The danger of being a successful micro-business owner is that one is established, clearly in the minds of clients, and prospective clients, in your business audience. It took almost a full decade after selling Designer Music before people stopped asking, “Are you still doing that DJ thing?” I knew any transition was going to be a challenge.

I decided to narrow my focus down from Hospitality Industry to Wedding Industry. And to widen the work from just eMarketing to complete marketing, including business and sales coaching.

After considerable strategizing, I took a rather simple tack. I took the Wayne Gretzky approach.

I declared myself The Wedding Marketing Authority, and set about establishing that identity by doing the following.

These actions, and others, have resulted in a domino effect of both expected and unintended random results. While I would tell you that I have a great deal more to do, it is refreshing to have strangers come up to me at a conference and say, “Man, when I do any research on wedding marketing, you’re name ALWAYS comes up.”

Here is what I know about the present, after two years of sustained activity.

Lest  you think that all of this has come easily, on time, or without challenges… it has not. There have been distractions, delays, mid-course corrections, procrastination, injuries, physical therapy, and other unwelcome surprises.

The net result, though, is successful reinvention.

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There is a moral here: As the saying goes, “It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.” – If you are struggling in one or more elements of your business… or if you are just not enjoying ALL of it, like you used to, perhaps it’s time for some change.

After all, this is the year of CHANGE. But unlike big business, don’t just wait for a bailout. Create your own fresh path. Redefine, promote anew, reestablish yourself on better, more satisfying and profitable footing.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: Bridal Show Producers International, BSPI, CaterSource, Dan Ohrman, Denon & Doyle, Las Vegas Convention Speakers Bureau, LVCSB, Mobile Beat, NACE, National Speakers Association, NSA, public speaking, Speakers On Success, the power of the platform, The Special Event, TSE, Wayne Gretzky, wedding marketing blog, wedding marketing speaker