Hi, I am in the UK and I have done several Bridal Shows (or Weddings Fairs as they are called over here), I actually exhibit at two of the biggest, The National Wedding Exhibition and the UK Wedding Shows. I exhibited at the UKWS last week and the response has been phenomenal, even in these fiscally turbulent times.
Some words of advice.
1.Make your exhibition stand look good, its the first impression people will get of you, so if you are standing behind a tressle table with a piece of cloth thrown over then it will look rather naff, and you dont want people thinking that.
2.Don't offer discount/cuts just to make the sale, if the people like your work and more importantly, they like YOU, then people will book. If you start cutting a hundred dollars here and there then you will look desperate.
3.Make your wedding packages simple to understand. Whilst it may seem great to be able to offer them a basic package and then add loads of bit and pieces on for extra money it all ends up rather confusing for the punter, remember they will be talking to other photographers so dont overload them with information, you want them to remember you and the best way to do that is by keeping it simple.
4. Dont hard-sell. When people approach your stand just say hi and make small talk such as "enjoying the show?", Then ask when the big day is etc.. finally bring it around to "so, any ideas what you want from your wedding photography?".. however, always try to find out the wedding date quite early on in the conversation, there is nothing worse than spending 15-20mins talking to someone then asking them the date only to find you are already booked. If you are booked on their date DON`T lose interest right way and fob them off. (but dont spend too long talking to them :)
5. Understand and memorise your product - if you cant recite it off the top of your head (whilst still sounding natural) then it wont look very good to the potential customer. Have 5 reasons ready why they should book you over the guy a few stands down.
6. Never slag off any other photographers who are exhibiting - a big no-no.
7. SMILE!! There is nothing worse than sitting on your exhibition stand with a face like a slapped arse.
8. The pitch - try to make it sound fresh everytime - whilst after the 50th time when you are extolling the virtues or your packages and your sexual prowess as a photographer you may be sick of the sound of your own voice, to them its the first time they have heard your pitch.. (smile!)
9. Be ready for questions they ask - the main one being "In the event of you being ill, what do you have in place to cover the wedding.." Also questions about insurance and your level of cover pop up quite a lot.
10. Dont get carried away and promise something you cant deliver - such as 600 photoshopped images or whatever.
That should do you for starters. I base the above on the shows that I do that in some cases have over 350 exhibitors.
Let us know how you get on!
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