It may come as a surprise to you that brides typically spend almost 50% more than they have budgeted (Source: The Wedding Report).

Across America, the average wedding budget is about $20,000. The actual wedding expense totals almost $30,000.

Sometimes you’ll find that if your product or service is key to the success of the wedding reception that you are one of the budget-busters. But don’t expect the sale to just fall in your lap.

If, at this late date, you’re not taking credit cards, you’re prehistoric. If, in a sales situation, you haven’t found a soft way to remind the prospect that you take credit cards, you’re leaving money on the table.

If you believe that your product or service is the right fit for the client, then closing the sale is the right thing for both you and them. That is a good match. That is value.

Oh, and if you’re thinking, even for a moment, about the credit card fee (or don’t offer American Express, because its fee is slightly higher than the rest) than you are squarely focused on the doughnut holed, and not the doughnut.

It’s a simple sales tool. Don’t forget to use it. Ask for the order.

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: closing sales, credit card, wedding budgets, wedding marketing blog

A major challenge in today’s world of wedding marketing is the veritable unlimited number of choices to invest your time, money and marketing dollars.

Disguised as the wedding-marketing-doughnut are opportunities such as: The newest entry of bridal show or wedding publication into your market, bartering clubs, networking groups, trade associations, directory websites or leads exchange groups.

STOP! These are a ‘fool’s doughnut,’ not an actual ‘wedding-marketing-doughnut,’ These are, in fact the doughnut hole.

Ask your self this question: “Am I doing everything possible to follow up on existing leads, to make an appointment, and close the sale?”

‘Everything possible would mean actions, such as: Making an action plan for exhibiting in a wedding show, freshening its presentation, prepping and training your staff, making appointments (or sales) at the show, following up with phone calls and/or email after the show, offering a wedding showcase at your facility….. Shall I stop now?

If your marketing execution is passive: See who calls in from ads, inquires via the web, or stops by your trade show booth, then you’re kidding yourself.

Any of the aforementioned ‘wedding-marketing-doughnuts’ that will create more leads are not really the doughnut, they are the ‘wedding-marketing-doughnut-hole.’

The ‘wedding-marketing-doughnut’ is lead follow up, precise leads tracking, prospect appointments, closing sales, improving your product or service, tweaking your website, and a couple of dozen other actions.

Bottom line: Most businesses don’t really require more leads. The require incremental improvement in their business, and better execution of the sales process.

Don’t confuse the ‘wedding-marketing-doughnut” with ‘wedding-marketing-doughnut-hole.” It will be a costly mistake.

Costly mistakes can be absorbed in prosperous times. Right now, you can’t afford to throw good money at bad marketing.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: appointments, bartering club, bridal shows, closing sales, directory website, leads, leads exchange group, recession strategy, recession wedding marketing, trade association, tweaking your website, wedding publication