p.1 #1 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
As I'm coming to the end of my first year as a full-time wedding photographer, I realize I need to do one or two bridal shows this fall to pump up my 2013 schedule. I have 6 weddings booked for 2013, but my goal is to hit 25 at a minimum average of $3k. At my current pricing with a basic shoot and burn package for $1295, that will be a challenge to hit the minimum average.
I'm booking around 90% of clients that I meet with, as it is, which is not bad considering I haven't even printed my first studio sample album yet. I'm working on two right now that will be ready for my fall marketing campaign.
I planned to do the regular national bridal expos, which in Chicago would cost $1295 for a double-space ($1095 for a single), and bring in about 400 brides with an average wedding budget of around $30k.
But now I have an opportunity to do a bridal show that claims to cater to a higher-end bride with 21% of the brides having a budget over $50k, and the rest being between $38-50k. They expect 500 brides and 5-8 photographers exhibiting. The kicker is that it would cost me $3950, but I can be the show photographer and upgrade to a booth space (value $5495) and participate in a bridal bootcamp with 50-80 brides at a high-end boutique on Monday.
I'm a ballsy guy, so my inclination is to go for the higher end brides. For those who don't know me, I used to do wedding videography in Phoenix, and in 18 months went from nothing to doing $3000-plus packages. But I also want to be prudent and make the right decision. I feel if I do the regular national bridal show, I'll be competing with 12-15 photographers and selling sub-$2k packages. If I go higher end, I can bring my prices up to where they should be, and focus on doing fewer weddings for more money.
p.1 #4 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
Honestly, this is a good question Ron. That 4k could easily pay off, but I'd have a hard time dropping the cash without the security of knowing I'd see returns.
p.1 #7 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
tobicus wrote:
Honestly, this is a good question Ron. That 4k could easily pay off, but I'd have a hard time dropping the cash without the security of knowing I'd see returns.
Yeah, this would be an easy decision if I knew I was going to get 10 or more high-end bookings out of it.
p.1 #8 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
Ron, have these guys run a program before? Anyway you can check them out to begin with? Are you sure they aren't taking your money and running? Any chance you can find someone who has done it before and find out if it was worth it?
p.1 #9 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
SloPhoto wrote:
*not a wedding photographer here*
I would think that in order to succeed at a high end bridal event, you had better have amazing photos, booth material, and some stunning albums.
Are you sure you will be ready for that?
That's a good question for me. Fortunately, the space is very limited so it evens the playing field against high-end wedding photographers with tons of canvases and albums. And it's really impossible to say until you've tried it.
p.1 #10 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
ACRe wrote:
Ron, have these guys run a program before? Anyway you can check them out to begin with? Are you sure they aren't taking your money and running? Any chance you can find someone who has done it before and find out if it was worth it?
Andrew
It's Wedding Salon. Looks like they've been doing this since 2005. A lot of reviews are very good, and talk about it being a high-end crowd and high-end vendors. That's where I want to be.
Also, a few photographers who have complained, but there's always going to be unhappy people. This is why I put it out here.
p.1 #11 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
i think the lack of response is because a lot of us don't employ bridal shows for our business/marketing or haven't found them to be profitable. it's very much a regional/municipal thing. around here, brides attending the shows have 1500-2000 budgeted for photography.
p.1 #12 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
I think you should try it if you have the funds. Worse comes to worse think of it as "school fee" because you will be enriched either way. And then share it back to everyone here. Or you make a few bookings which should cover the cost.
p.1 #13 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
Sergio Mottola wrote:
i think the lack of response is because a lot of us don't employ bridal shows for our business/marketing or haven't found them to be profitable. it's very much a regional/municipal thing. around here, brides attending the shows have 1500-2000 budgeted for photography.
That's been my experience as well, Sergio.
I did wedding videos 10 years ago, and did two shows to get myself started, then didn't have to do them anymore. I thought I'd use the same strategy now, but when this high-end show fell into my lap, I am toying with the idea of going for it. These are small spaces, so it's not like I'm competing against a photographer who buys an entire row at the regular bridal show, and then sets up a studio with a dozen albums, couple dozen canvas prints, etc.
I was thinking I might need to do one more year of $1500-2000 weddings, but I'm thinking I could kick it into gear with this show, even if I only get 4-8 bookings out of it. Even raising my prices, I'll still be the most affordable photographer among the high end photographers, I would think.
Plus, on Monday, I get to go to a high-end boutique for a boot camp, be on a panel as the photography representative, and meet up to 60-80 brides. So it's almost like I get two shows for the price of one, and this show I'm the exclusive photographer.
p.1 #15 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
I just did my first bridal show this past weekend. I booked two brides on the spot. One is spending $4400 and the other is spending $2600. I will very likely book several more weddings from other brides who really, really liked my work.
Yet just down from me was another photographer who was bitching that he never gets any bookings from these shows. Yet he continues to pay his fee and enter them. We both had the same size booth, multiple prints and albums on display. I like to think my work was better than his but perhaps not significantly so. So why is he not booking and I am? Maybe it's my personality, color of my shirt, my background, or the fact that I had former brides working my booth, and selling the "Colman experience". Who knows. The point is that not every photographer is going to have a great experience at bridal shows. God knows there were plenty of us there!
To be honest, I was very hesitate to enter because I had heard that many photographers don't get a single booking from a show. So I made it a point to try and do everything right. Apparently it payed off. Time will tell if I get more bookings from this show, but after my first experience, I'm convinced that I would rather spend my marketing money meeting real brides instead of throwing it away on other marketing websites that may or may not bring me any business.
p.1 #17 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
jcolman wrote:
I just did my first bridal show this past weekend. I booked two brides on the spot. One is spending $4400 and the other is spending $2600. I will very likely book several more weddings from other brides who really, really liked my work.
Yet just down from me was another photographer who was bitching that he never gets any bookings from these shows. Yet he continues to pay his fee and enter them. We both had the same size booth, multiple prints and albums on display. I like to think my work was better than his but perhaps not significantly so. So why is he not booking and I am? Maybe it's my personality, color of my shirt, my background, or the fact that I had former brides working my booth, and selling the "Colman experience". Who knows. The point is that not every photographer is going to have a great experience at bridal shows. God knows there were plenty of us there!
To be honest, I was very hesitate to enter because I had heard that many photographers don't get a single booking from a show. So I made it a point to try and do everything right. Apparently it payed off. Time will tell if I get more bookings from this show, but after my first experience, I'm convinced that I would rather spend my marketing money meeting real brides instead of throwing it away on other marketing websites that may or may not bring me any business....Show more →
That's pretty impressive to book them on the spot. Normally, you just set appointments. Nice job! Knowing your work, I'm sure your work is a lot better than the other guy. But I think our personality plays a huge role in this as well. I know lots of really really good photographers who are simply socially awkward, and that gets in the way of their success, some of them anyway.
But I'm thinking like you, this will put me in front of brides, and that's a whole lot better than giving someone my marketing money and hoping I get some inquiries. So did you pay your former brides? I think that's a great idea, was probably a huge selling tool!
p.1 #18 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
I gave my former brides prints. I emailed four of them, expecting to get maybe one. All four said that they would love to help me. I was amazed and honored.
p.1 #19 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
friscoron wrote:
Yeah, this would be an easy decision if I knew I was going to get 10 or more high-end bookings out of it.
If you'll be okay cash-wise if you don't book any weddings from it, then go for it. Either way, it'll be a learning experience, and from the sounds of it, even just one booking would break things even.
p.1 #20 · High-end bridal show vs. normal national bridal show
If you are a ballsy guy the first thing to do is stop charging $1295 for a disc of images. That will hurt your efforts right off the bat.
If you don't want clients to book at a certain price point remove the option.
I know you didn't ask for critique on your site so sorry if this offends but i think it ties into your stated goals of charging higher. The front page screams budget. Not the work but the tacky layout looks like a new guy just entering the game.
Getting higher prices is more than just targeting the right client. You need to get a few other ducks in a row first.
