The real wedding numbers

Are wedding budgets increasing?…Yes!  Are they increasing because people are financially doing better, not necessarily!

Just like the cost of living goes up, so does the cost of having a wedding.  I recently saw a major wedding resource that said wedding businesses are doing better and forecasting better sales and profits for 2013!  This is great news, right?  Well, lets analyze this for a moment.  Unfortunately in 2008, 09, 10, and 11, many new wedding businesses opened up because people could not find jobs.  So, when a wedding business opens up most businesses increase their sales considerably each year for the first 3-5 years.

The real test is how are the businesses doing that have been around for 10+ years.  In my opinion, I think the forecast looks brighter, but not as bright as some people and so-called experts are forecasting.  Again, many businesses are going to see sales increase as much as 100-200% if they are less than 5 years old!

Another question to ask, are you getting what you are worth or are you doing as well as you were before 2006?  I worry when people forecast such a major increase in profits in the wedding industry because the majority of businesses are small, and forecasting can make or break a business.  We must look at how other industries are doing also (hospitality, real estate, service industries, etc.).  How is the real estate market doing now?  How are other large businesses doing in the wedding industry?  How are Nationwide wedding companies doing such as weddingwire.com, Martha Stewart Weddings, David’s Bridal, Men’s Warehouse, and others who have been around longer than 5 years?  Look at what kind of businesses is up and coming in the wedding and event industry.

The reason it’s important to forecast is because this allows you to budget for your business.  Many signs point to an increase in the economy, but it’s slow, and it’s incredibly important to look at the businesses that are seeing increasing sales, again, how long have they been in business?  Forecasting incorrectly has hurt many businesses before because the market can slow down and sales then decrease yet you have marketing obligations, orders to fill, and equipment to buy.  Don’t get overjoyed by hype, instead think nice and steady.

Create a channel for the money you earn to make more money each year by investing, saving, and advertise wisely and carefully, this is where you lose the most money!

An Overview of the Successful Wedding Industry Beer and Blog Night

First Off. . .

There is nothing quite like beer, great food, an awesome venue, fellow wedding professionals, and one amazing speaker–Lorelle VanFossen for the first Wedding Marketing NOW! event.  The Wedding Industry Beer & Blog night was a huge success!

First, I would like to personally thank Lorelle for giving her time and expertise to all of us wedding professionals.  She is a gem, and that is why I call her Mrs. WordPress!  If you have not already book marked her website, here you go: http://lorelle.wordpress.com.

Also, we could not have done this event without BridgePort Brew Pub sponsoring this event.  The food, the drinks, and the staff were over-the-top amazing to work with.  If you are in need of an awesome venue for any kind of event, wedding, or rehearsal dinner you must consider The Heritage Room at BridgePort Brew Pub in NW Portland.  Kyle and Kelsey from BridgePort Brew Pub were so fun to work with.

Also, a very special thank-you to Erica from Erica Hartman Photography!  She rocked it!  Here is a link to all the spectacular photos she took of the Beer and Blog night: Wedding Marketing NOW! Beer & Blog Night.  Erica captured all the fun that was had but also the great learning experience we all encountered and enjoyed.

What Lorelle Talked About . . .

I call Lorelle VanFossen Mrs. WordPress for a reason, she’s a genius, yet she knows how to explain WordPress and blogging to anyone!  Here are the points that Lorelle hit on:

1. 1975 (not the year, but now many blog posts Lorelle had last year!)

 

 

 

 

2. Blogging is about writing so go and checkout ProBlogger.

3. Use nouns and synonyms when writing your blog.

4. Learn how to write keyword-rich content to help search engines find your blog.

5. Present a problem, the solution and the results in your blogs.

6. Blog paragraphs are short!

7. Never assume your reader knows what you are talking about, therefore, explain jargon.

8. Use command verbs.

9. AVOID SCREAMING!!!!! <——-

10. Remember your content should have intent.

That is All Folks . . .

Until next time!  It was great seeing some familiar faces and to meet new ones.  Thank you so much for coming to the Wedding Industry Beer & Blog night on August 27!

Simon Blanco and myself (Meagan Hope Blanco) are busy preparing for The Wedding Experience, the luxurious mock wedding at the Benson Hotel on October 27.  If you would like more information about the Wedding Experience please email us at weddingexperienceusa@gmail.com or go to www.weddingexperiencepdx.com to learn more.

We plan on announcing a different event similar to the Beer & Blog night within the next few weeks that will take place in late November or early December!  We are looking for a venue that will work with a licensed company that can watch kids on the premise, so you can bring the kids if you need to because there will be FREE childcare!  I will keep you all updated!

Make sure to follow this blog and like us on Facebook to keep up to date!
Check out those who helped out:

5 stars for Sprout Social–Your new social media content manager and more

Are you in need of a social media management system that has an easy to maneuver interface and dashboard? Would you like one place where you can manage all of your important social media sites? Do you need great analytic content along with helpful advice you can understand and implement immediately to help your social media marketing? Sprout Social is the social media management system you need today. The best part of Sprout is that you can have a free trial with the level that fits your needs for a full 30 days with no credit card.

Other bloggers, managers, and businesses are raving about Sprout Social. There are three major reasons why others are raving about Sprout Social.

1. When you’re a social media manager, an account executive, a business owner etc. you often need to print out a paper report of your social media analytical data. Sprout Social prints out a perfect report for you with your company logo.
2. The customizable inbox is one of the best features. It’s so easy to miss some form of communication from a customer or client when having to oversee so many different social media sites messaging systems. Sprout Social allows you to click on the boxes that you want to receive messages in your Sprout Social inbox.
3. You can compare yourself or your business with competitors. You can compare daily mentions, see who’s talking to your competition, and a few other terrific features.

Here is another non-bias review about Sprout Social from Ask Aaron Lee. Check out the Kidnap Customers website, they give a really great review and breakdown of features for Sprout Social. You really have nothing to lose, it’s a risk-free 30 day free trial with no credit card for setup. Go to Sprout Social now and give it a try.

See this article at examiner.com.

Have you RSVP’ed to Wedding Beer & Blog Night at BridgePort Brew Pub?

Wedding Marketing NOW! & BridgePort Brew Pub Present. . . .

Beer & Blog Night at BridgePort Brew Pub

Wedding professionals come drink beer and blog about your craft for FREE! Learn how to make money from your blog. Also learn how to find more clients using a blog. Blogging is the fastest way to help brand your business. Come blog with some of the best bloggers in the WORLD, no joke! Bring your laptop or tablet and come thirsty for beer and ready to blog.

BridgePort Brew Pub has been so kind to host this event for all the Portland area wedding professionals! Make sure you thank them for their hospitality! Also, they would love to invite you down before the event and enjoy dinner at the Brew Pub! It’s a great way to start the week. The food is amazing, the beer is to die for, and the atmosphere is Portland at its finest!

We do need a head count for this event, so PLEASE RSVP!!

Go and RSVP HERE!

Address:

1318 Northwest Northrup Street Portland, OR 97209

If you have any questions or you would like to sponsor this event for only $50, please contact me at weddingmarketingnow@gmail.com.

Top ten social media sites that can increase your marketing efforts

See my latest article from examiner.com . . .

 

 

Social media is an ever changing monster! One day social media might be your best friend and the next day social media might be your sworn enemy. Whatever day it might be, learn how to use social media marketing to your advantage today. Forecasting for social media marketing or digital marketing is not traditional in any way; you cannot forecast too far ahead using digital marketing, or you might come out way behind. In order to stay ahead of the curve you must be constantly reading blogs, articles, attending webinars, and seminars to stay ahead of the digital marketing game. Below are the top 10 social media marketing sites and mobile applications that you need to utilize daily.

1. Facebook
By now you should be using Facebook for your business. Create a Fan Page and interact with your clients, patrons, fans, etc. Post important events, product launches, industry news, and sales or promotional deals your business might be promoting. Use Facebook as a way to communicate with your fans on a daily basis.

2. Twitter
There’s a place to post 140 characters about what’s on your mind, an article you’ve written, an event you are going to, an opinion you want to share, or a picture you want to post is all in one spot called Twitter. Twitter is a great place to share breaking news or look for breaking news. However, you must utilize Twitter to the fullest, otherwise it might be a waste of time to even set up an account.

3. Pinterest
The fastest growing social media site in history is Pinterest, and it’s very addicting. Pin pictures with a description and see others repine and like your pictures or videos! Re-pin other “pins” that you see your friends post. Most importantly, if you’re a business post pictures of you doing business or at an event. Post a picture and 10 steps to getting rid of the worst wine stain ever, or re-post that awesome recipe onto your board called, “Company picnic ideas.” Get your followers to think outside of the box and post relevant pictures and videos.

4. Instagram
Take pictures using Instagram on your smart phone and post them on your Instagram feed plus post the pics directly onto your Facebook and Twitter page, too! You can add affects to your pictures instantly from the mobile app. People love pictures, so post often.

5. Youtube
Just as you might be reading this article, you are more likely to watch me talking about this article on a video that I post on youtube.com. Give advice or tips that your clients want to hear and see by taking a video of yourself talking about your product, service, industry, etc. Go to my youtube.com channel here!

6. Google+
You need to be using Google and Google+ to help your business. Google algorithms love those who use Google, obviously. Does your business like reviews, if so, ask your clients to give your business a review on your Google Place page.

7. Foursquare
Check into that lunch meeting at Nobu, allow for your Facebook and Twitter followers to see where you are at, where you are doing business, and where you lunch and dine! Foursquare allows your followers to see what you do throughout the day and it may seem a little “big brother” but it puts your business logo out there, it reminds people about your business and what you do. Also, share or give a review about places that you check-in at. People will start to value your opinion and follow you because they want to know about your opinion and may often share what you say on their own social media sites.

8. LinkedIn
LinkedIn is still a great place to network with like-minded folks. Learn about your industry, stay in the loop regarding the latest and greatest trends, and if you are looking for employment or offering employment, LinkedIn is a great place to be online. LinkedIn groups are a great way to network online, find fellow industry players and continue to learn about your industry and new trends.

9. Soundcloud
Create a podcast, or create a 15 minute interview with someone that is an industry leader and share it on Soundcloud.com! You can share your recording on many other social media sites! Let people hear you.

10. Quora
Be an expert in your industry and answer questions at Quora.com. Ask questions and have numerous people give you answers regarding your industry, social media, marketing, etc.

Take the time to go and learn more about each one of these sites or mobile applications and see how they can help your business now. You can start to see results in as little as a few weeks when you utilize all of these social media tools and start using them in conjunction with one another.

The Wedding Industry VS. High School

Okay, I am finally writing the High School/Wedding Industry blog.  For those of you who follow my blog, you all know I pretty much say it how I see it.  I have nothing to lose by telling the truth, it’s never personal, it’s business.  I am writing this article to raise awareness, give some vendors a perspective of their business they may not thought of, and to help those who may feel there is a glass ceiling affect in the wedding industry (the glass ceiling affect blog is next).

How long ago has it been since you graduated high school?  Has it been 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, how about 40 years since you had the cap and gown on and said “so-long” to high school?

• What did you love about high school?
• What did you hate about high school?
• Were you part of a clique in high school?
• Were you “popular”?
• Were you the jock, prom queen, or were you the awkward kid, the misunderstood kid, or the nerd?

Whatever you were like in high school, I think we can all agree that we wouldn’t want to do that experience over!  Do you remember the bullies?  Do you remember the popular kids that made fun of new people?  What about that one girl who thought she was the queen diva and was always complimenting the popular kids in front of others, but could make some kids (unlike her) feel unwanted and unimportant?  Remember that person who would say horrible things behind your back and then be really nice to your face?  Oh wait, am I talking about high school or am I talking about the wedding industry?

The wedding industry is often times much like high school all over again.  Instead of hormones running wild from teenage changes, women are technically always going through hormonal changes that can directly affect business.  Read this article and more from this author (all about hormones and life) HERE!  Men and their hormones have been linked to industry trends on Wall-street, take a look at this article about men and Wall-street.  Plus the client planning the majority of the wedding is 97% of the time female, and she is stressed out because planning a wedding is like adding another job to your life!  Men go through hormonal changes too, but not nearly as drastic as women can every month.  The wedding industry is one of the few industries where female owned businesses has been climbing steadily.  There are many studies looking into hormones and how they affect major life decisions from the age of 10 to death, and how it affects business, politics, and more.  It’s an issue that is not talked about because people are very sensitive about the topic of hormones, for both men and women.

So, why write about the comparison of high school and the wedding industry?  I am writing this article to remind people to look at their behavior, check-in with yourself often.  Every single day I speak to 20-50 wedding professionals all over the USA.  Some days I speak to almost 80 wedding professionals regarding business, fun weddings, horrible weddings, marketing, wedding expos, social media, and life in general.  One word I don’t like hearing is bullying.  Yet, I talk to business owners saying the term bullying in regards to doing business with other wedding vendors.  I hear this from wedding pro’s all over the country.

My first career was in the music industry, and I see many similarities between musicians and wedding professionals.  Why?  The creative RIGHT BRAIN (link goes to an amazing new arts organization)!  The right brain can sometimes get in the way of making a LIVING!  The right brain can lead us off the path of success, believe it or not!  Your creative talent will get your noticed, but will it make your business great?  Would Apple, Mercy Corps, Wieden+Kennedy and other great companies and organizations consider hiring you based off your education, marketing track record, sales skills, accounting knowledge, PR background, etc.?  Most of you will answer, no.

Back on track…So, why is the wedding industry so much like high school?  Right brains, creativity, lack of hard-core business/sales/marketing innovation leading the industry, hormones, working with brides on a regular basis, LOTS of competition in a flooded market (many cities experiencing this), incoming businesses, outgoing businesses, a learning curve like you have in a 4-year high school…and the list goes on.  These factors all contribute to the high school-like atmosphere in the wedding industry.  From bullying to popularity contests…WELCOME BACK!

Now, go play nice, and don’t go back to high school.  You do have a choice TODAY to act mature, and pave your own path and not care what others think or say about you!

Martha Stewart, Weddingwire.com, David’s Bridal, Mywedding.com: What’s going on?

What is the current state of the wedding industry?  Are you worried?  Do you think the wedding industry is on the brink of something new?  It’s not just the wedding industry that is looking at some major changes.  There is so much speculation going on in the wedding industry.  There is even more speculation going on in the social media world.  Let me guess, some of you might be thinking, NO, I just conquered social media’s big players: Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!  Well, folks, I predict that you need to keep looking at the biggest player of them all…Pinterest.

Facebook has pretty much run the course of the social media lifespan, some speculate.  Come on, you can now promote your own status!  Facebook is an overabundance of advertising overwhelming the masses.  So, where is social media going?  Check out this link to 30 Social Media Predictions for 2012.  Lets get back to the topic, the future of the wedding industry.  First, lets take a look at Martha Stewart.  Who read back in December 2011, Martha Stewart dumped her share in Weddingwire.com?  Read this article that goes into more detail about why she did it: Martha Stewart.

Lets talk about weddingwire.com.  I will admit upfront, I have a very serious issue still pending with WW and my business, MEGA Music Entertainment.  All I can say is that my concern with companies like WW is that they should not be taking money from wedding vendors and also allowing and monitoring reviews from their customers.  I HIGHLY recommend you read this article: Wedding Wire.  Another big one dropped a bomb on the wedding industry this week, David’s Bridal is for sale!  Yep, you read that right, David’s Bridal is for sale, and the owners admit business had not been doing well.  Read more here!

What’s wrong with Mywedding.com?  Nothing is wrong, except the formula for these sites.  Read more here.  You might be seeing a decent ROI with Mywedding.com, but be careful before you sign a 1-year contract.  1 year is like 7 years in marketing years right now.  The market is moving so quickly that the old formula like Weddingwire.com, mywedding.com and The Knot are quite possibly going to be yesterday’s news.

10 Years in the Future of the Wedding Industry

This is a blog posting from my husband and better business half, Simon Blanco. 

To see more posts like this one please go to The Wedding Experience.

10 Years In The Future – Stats Of The Wedding Industry

Published on May 4, 2012 by Wedding Experience in bad, Bridal event, bridal expo, Bride, bridesmaids, Ceremony, decorations, expectations, good, Groom, guests, Industry, Male, marketing, Mobile App, networking, Reception, Social Media, technology, website, wedding, wedding event, Wedding Expo, wedding show

We at the Wedding Experience are constantly looking at stats, numbers, and results in not just the wedding industry, but also in social media, and the general economy. You always need to be looking ahead and thinking ahead, otherwise you fall behind. As technology keeps changing almost every year, you either adapt or lose business. This is going to become ever harder in the wedding industry in the next 10 years for several reasons.

People in their 20′s-30′s-40′s are going through something that their parents generation never had to deal with . . . they aren’t retiring. The Baby Boomers celebrated a time when their parents retired and it cleared the workforce for a new generation to take the place of the “Greatest Generation.” Recently on CNN (http://money.cnn.com/2011/11/16/retirement/age/index.htm) we have seen that the Baby Boomers are going to work late into life and not retire for quite a while, if at all.

This is a problem because that means the people that should be retiring and making way for the new generation is still working and taking clients.Right now there is a generation that is making it’s mark, and in 10 years another generation that will be pushing in. The whole time the number of people getting married is not rising proportionally to how many vendors there are. You will have 3-4 generations of vendors going after the same number of clients. This means you need to be on the cutting edge, doing something different, reaching the clients in a different way . . . and you better be doing it now! If you don’t you will be left behind.

I can’t live without my . . .

Sorry, today is MY Monday like many of you, it doesn’t feel like Tuesday.  I hope you all had an amazing Memorial day.  I did by observing the holiday spending time with my family and watching war movies.  My husband is a history buff and so we enjoy watching the movies about war; it reminds me to be very thankful to those who serve and to those who served or lost their life serving this great country.

Monday’s are usually all about what I cannot live without when it comes to my wedding business.  I know it’s Tuesday evening, but I still wanted to post my weekly ‘what I cannot live without’ blog.  I like to share great products, great people, and other inspirational things that I cannot live without.  Last week I told you how I cannot live without my iPhone.  Well, this week it’s another Apple product.

I absolutely don’t know what I would do without my MacBook Pro!  I probably use this computer 5-8 hours a DAY!  My business actually owns 3 Apple laptops.  My personal computer is my MacBook Pro, then we have two other white MacBooks.  My husband is the next one to get a MacBook Pro this summer.  After that purchase, this holiday season we plan on purchasing either a Mac Mini or a Mac Pro.  Huge difference in price and performance, so we’ll see what we can afford at that time.  There is a song that comes to my mind when I think of my Mac Book Pro…”Anything you can do, I can do better!”  I used to be a PC person up until 7 years ago.  I will toss any PC out the window after being on a Mac all this time.  I will NEVER go back!  I can still use Microsoft products on my Mac just fine.  However, I don’t like to use Microsoft products unless I have to.  I heart Mac!

Let me know what you cannot live without when going about your day-to-day business.

 

It’s Time You Understand What’s Going on in the Wedding Industry You Work In!

1. Do you feel that you are an expert in the wedding industry?
2. Do you understand and can you empathize with both the customer/consumer and the other businesses in the wedding industry?
3. Are you aware of the politics in your local wedding industry?
4. Do you know how to play the so-called games that are played in your local wedding industry?
5. Are you a person who cares about what’s going on in your industry or like to stay out of the so-called “drama” of it all?

Some say ignorance is bliss, while others say the better educated you are the better off you’ll be.  I tend to be the person that likes to stay educated, but that’s my personality type, according to the Myers Briggs personality test I am a rare ENFP (Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving) personality type.  I thrive on networking and helping others.  So, I like to know and understand the industry I work in to the best of my ability.

I talk to professional wedding vendors every single day, and many of you are not aware of many business practices, tactics, and unsaid rules of the industry you work in.  Many of you are living in a blissful world thinking that no business would try to sabotage your business, that people don’t pay-to-play, and other unethical issues.  You might say to yourself, that tactic seems awfully childish.  Well, welcome back to high school as some might say, the land of childish behavior, popularity contests, and bullying.  Before I started working in the wedding industry I worked in the music business, one of the worst businesses to work in when it comes to integrity, greed, honesty, and loyalty.

Back when I worked in promotions in the music business, there was a well-established music venue that had their own sound board and in-house sound technician.  Many bands bring their own sound technician/sound engineer to mix their live act.  The in-house sound tech didn’t like the fact that there was going to be another sound tech on “his” sound board.  Just to be a jerk, the sound tech would re-wire the sound board to mess up the touring band’s sound tech.  He would do this by re-wiring the soundboard so the band would sound bad in hopes that the band would hire the in-house sound tech the next time they would come to the venue, instead of bringing their own sound tech.  Sad, but true.

Guess what?  This happens in the wedding industry, too!  Some businesses make an event more difficult for other vendors because they don’t want to work with them.  Venues have been known to not accommodate DJ’s, photographers, and other vendors in hopes they won’t be back.  Some of you may say I have never seen or heard of such childish acts, but please understand just because you may not have experienced sabotage or been bullied in the wedding industry, it happens.  Many of you call me, email me, and message me telling me about your stories and asking me what to do.  All I can say is be honest, have strong values, work hard, and educate yourself about your local industry.  Be empathetic with your clients, and put yourself in other vendors’ shoes.  Educate yourself.  You don’t have to be part of any drama, just know what’s going on around you.