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Maximizing Your Profits With:
Bridal Showcases
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Here's How To Book More Gigs At Bridal Shows!
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Introduction |
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My name is Michael Walter and I own a company called Elite Entertainment in New Jersey. We do 30-40 Bridal Shows a year and they account for about 20% of our annual bookings. My DJ career began in 1988 at Star DJs (also in New Jersey) and they too had tremendous success with Bridal Shows. I believe it is a powerful marketing tool to get your message across to a room full of women who have two things in common:
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What Is A Bridal Show? |
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A Bridal Show is an expo for Brides. They are usually organized by Production Companies (or sometimes by banquet halls directly) who contract different vendors and who market the show to Brides and Grooms to be. Most production companies charge the vendors a fee to offset their costs (renting a Banquet Hall, advertising the show, and staffing for the day.) The fee will vary depending on the size of the show and your involvement. Many companies will charge more if they expect 100 brides as compared to 25. You will probably pay more if you are going to showcase at the show. The fee is important to you because you should enter every show knowing your break even point. If I don’t book at least 8 parties above my break even point from a show I consider it a failure. If I don’t hit my break even point, I consider it a big failure! |
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To Showcase Or Not? |
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If you have the opportunity to put on a 15-20 minute showcase at a Bridal Expo you should consider it. Many companies find these shows to be extremely beneficial at attracting prospective clients. Instead of just handing out literature at your booth, this gives you a chance to "perform" in front of the group and show off what you can do at their wedding. It is recommended that you rehearse a show before attempting it. Get your entire staff involved. If you book three separate DJs, get each one on the microphone at some point in the show to do some kind of demonstration. Also, bring everything you’ve got with you. If your typical show includes lights, have them on display. If you usually give out leis during a conga line, hand them out at the show. There is cost involved here but if you make the right impact what you spend will come back to you many times. |
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Aesthetics Are Important | |
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Just like a gig, how you look and the way you present yourself is important.
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Have An Offer |
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Whether you are showcasing or not, it is recommended that you have some type of "special show offer." This will generate interest at your table and allow you to follow up by explaining the deal. Examples of an offer:
Sign up at our booth today and book within a week and you’ll receive . . . This allows us to very quickly and efficiently evaluate how effective a certain show was. |
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Follow Up |
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It is essential that you have some type of follow up plan for a show. You should get a list of all the brides who attended the show (make sure this is stated in your contract with the production company) at a reasonable time. This list will probably include names, addresses, a phone number, and hopefully a wedding date. You can call off of this list or send a mailer but, once again, It is important to have an offer and a reason for following up! We often have people sign up at our table and let them know we will be contacting them with more information. This avoids the "cold call" concept. Anyone on the complete list that we receive from the production company who didn’t sign up, we follow up with a postcard that offers "a free consultation." |
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When And Where To Showcase |
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My company showcases all the time. I also turn down many, many shows. I believe the decisions you make about where and when to showcase can be just as important as your performance at a show. Winter shows are always the best because a lot of couples get engaged between Thanksgiving and Valentines Day and they begin their shopping process right away. Also, it is important to showcase in your house accounts. If you are recommended by a certain hall, never pass on a show there. Even if it’s a clunker, you need to show the hall that you support their efforts. The shows I pass on are shows that historically we did not do well at which is why it is important to evaluate each show. |
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In Closing |
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If you haven’t gotten involved in shows yet and if you desire to increase your exposure in the wedding market, Bridal Shows can be a great place to start. Go into them prepared, put on an awesome show and follow up aggressively and no doubt you’ll become a Bridal Show regular. If you would like to discuss showcasing, I am available to answer your questions. Email me at EliteDJ101@aol.com or call me at 732-935-7500. And good luck. Mike Walter is one of the most respected mobile entertainers in the DJ industry. He has personally trained over 500 professional mobile Djs. Mike was the director of operations for Star DJs when they were generating nearly 3 million dollars per year in sales. Now, he has brought his company, Elite Entertainment, past the million dollar mark.
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