Photographer
Shelby Rich
Posts: 208
Vancouver, Washington, US
What is the best marketing tool you have found success with at a Wedding Fair?
Photographer
Patrick Walberg
Posts: 45475
San Juan Bautista, California, US
Shelby Rich wrote:
What is the best marketing tool you have found success with at a Wedding Fair? A lot of GREAT Photos enlarged and in books! Also print up some fliers offering a FREE engagement session to all couples who book their wedding with you. That's how I do it.
Happy New Year!
Photographer
Searcher
Posts: 775
New York, New York, US
Shelby Rich wrote:
What is the best marketing tool you have found success with at a Wedding Fair? Diet wedding cupcakes laced with herion. The'll be back to your booth in no time.
Photographer
Habenero Photography
Posts: 1444
Mesa, Arizona, US
Shelby Rich wrote:
What is the best marketing tool you have found success with at a Wedding Fair? Just be sure to take advantage of having your flyer prestuffed into the bags given to the brides when they enter the hall. Odds are they won't remember who they saw, but will at least have your flyer.
Photographer
Larry Brown Camera
Posts: 1081
Atlantic Beach, Florida, US
Try using a nice (flat screen) TV with a CD player. Your CD should have a lot of your best images (candids and formals) with music background. Kind of a slide program with each image changing every 2-3 seconds. That, in addition to wedding albums will usually get a lot of attention.
Design a booth that will allow you to hang 4-6 framed images.
Booth Design:
This really took me over the top! Have someone help you design it to look as much like the interior of a home with portraits hanging. I had an interrior decorator help me with the over all design with table lamps and accessorites.
IMPORTANT.... "Showing less is MORE!" Select only your "best of the best" and make them pop out with mini spot lights.
Overwhelming them with too many images and they will not remember any of them! They will become "confused" with all the other photographers there. However if you really do it right and highlight only a few really "WOW" images they will remember you.
Yes it does take quite and investment.... I have about $4000.00 in mine now but I also charge a minimum of $3000.00 per wedding.
Trust me, that stratagy will work if you can deliver consistant quality work to back it up.
I have two bridal fairs coming up next month and I will book an average of 10 weddings at each bridal fair..... you do the math!
In addition I give each prospective bride a very nice folder with prices, services, a bio sketch, and samples of work... (always one or more that you have on display).
Within a week my phone starts ringing; then the cash register starts ringing.
Yes, give them everything up front..... that way you won't have a lot of calls from brides who just can't afford you. Let the other photographers have them.
I have been doing this now for over 30 years and I've tryed everything.
Photographer
Larry Brown Camera
Posts: 1081
Atlantic Beach, Florida, US
Oh.... one other thing, I never offer anything free! "Free" means it has no value!
It will not book weddings unless you want brides wanting something for nothing and that is not the kind of client I am looking for. So I do not agree with the advice to offer anything free. If they want to book you they would book you wheather you made a free offer or not. So why undermine the value of your work?
Photographer
Patrick Walberg
Posts: 45475
San Juan Bautista, California, US
Larry Brown Camera wrote:
Oh.... one other thing, I never offer anything free! "Free" means it has no value!
It will not book weddings unless you want brides wanting something for nothing and that is not the kind of client I am looking for. So I do not agree with the advice to offer anything free. If they want to book you they would book you wheather you made a free offer or not. So why undermine the value of your work? So you don't think a free engagement session is good then?  I thought everyone loves free stuff? It's my time that is free ... not anything else.
Photographer
mjkhfryimhg
Posts: 2974
Tucson, Arizona, US
i've never done a wedding but I heard a really good wedding photographer (nikon legend behind the lens) say that he offers an engagement portrait in the package. (I guess some would call that free) if they don't take advantage the photog wont lower the price.
He explainded its because he wants to make a bond and feel out the couple before hand so that he's not the weird guy with the camera
Photographer
mjkhfryimhg
Posts: 2974
Tucson, Arizona, US
and if its not free ur paying too much
Photographer
Patrick Walberg
Posts: 45475
San Juan Bautista, California, US
Daniel Woolfolk wrote:
i've never done a wedding but I heard a really good wedding photographer (nikon legend behind the lens) say that he offers an engagement portrait in the package. (I guess some would call that free) if they don't take advantage the photog wont lower the price.
He explainded its because he wants to make a bond and feel out the couple before hand so that he's not the weird guy with the camera Meeting and doing a shoot with the couple before the wedding is sort of like meeting a model before doing the "big" shoot. Gives a chance to see if they run late or don't even show up!
It's how I get the chance to avoid flakes! Damn those couples who don't show up for their own wedding! 
Photographer
mjkhfryimhg
Posts: 2974
Tucson, Arizona, US
Photographer
Larry Brown Camera
Posts: 1081
Atlantic Beach, Florida, US
Patrick Walberg wrote:
So you don't think a free engagement session is good then? I thought everyone loves free stuff? It's my time that is free ... not anything else. Your are right.... it's your time that is "free".
Why tell a prospective client that your time is "worthless"?
I think you missed the point. If you want to offer something free make it a small token gift (other than photography).
Believe it or not a famous "escort" told Larry King in an interview ... "If you give it away you can't sell it"!
Photographer
David Linke
Posts: 488
Woodville, Ohio, US
Patrick Walberg wrote:
So you don't think a free engagement session is good then? I thought everyone loves free stuff? It's my time that is free ... not anything else. I have to agree with Larry on this one. If you give away your services, you lessen your perceived value. Plus it's an overused marketing tool that everyone uses, and it doesn't gain any recognition from the potential customer.
Photographer
Larry Brown Camera
Posts: 1081
Atlantic Beach, Florida, US
Thanks David, that was the point I really wanted to make "Perceived Value". I just couldn't remember that term.
Many photographers undermine their true value by not understanding how that really works.
Photographer
Patrick Walberg
Posts: 45475
San Juan Bautista, California, US
Larry Brown Camera wrote:
Your are right.... it's your time that is "free".
Why tell a prospective client that your time is "worthless"?
I think you missed the point. If you want to offer something free make it a small token gift (other than photography).
Believe it or not a famous "escort" told Larry King in an interview ... "If you give it away you can't sell it"! Very good point!
I can see how it create problems with marketing a product or service. For example, a website that is free (yes, I know we are on one!) then the website owner(s) decide to charge a membership for the website (umm ... OMP!)
It goes for my service as a photographer. If I offer free sittings to couples who have booked weddings with me, then how do I expect couples who come to me for an engagement session to react to that?
Thanks! Happy New Year!
Photographer
Larry Brown Camera
Posts: 1081
Atlantic Beach, Florida, US
Patrick.... doesn't it feel good when the "light comes on"?
Clients should always feel that your work is worth paying for, that is the essence of your goal if you hope to stay in business. Good luck to you!
Oh...... and another thing:
"Every photographer knows what his work is worth."
Use that line if anyone tells you another photographer is offering "free sessions"!
Say it politely but as a matter of fact.
That does not put them down, you have only agreed with them!
Photographer
Patrick Walberg
Posts: 45475
San Juan Bautista, California, US
Larry Brown Camera wrote:
Patrick.... doesn't it feel good when the "light comes on"?
Clients should always feel that your work is worth paying for, that is the essence of your goal if you hope to stay in business. Good luck to you!
Oh...... and another thing:
"Every photographer knows what his work is worth."
Use that line if anyone tells you another photographer is offering "free sessions"!
Say it politely but as a matter of fact.
That does not put them down, you have only agreed with them! "Every photographer knows what his work is worth."
I LOVE THAT! It is so true!
Thanks! I wish everyone success in the New Year!
Photographer
Shelby Rich
Posts: 208
Vancouver, Washington, US
Searcher wrote:
Diet wedding cupcakes laced with herion. The'll be back to your booth in no time. LOL!
Photographer
Shelby Rich
Posts: 208
Vancouver, Washington, US
Larry Brown Camera wrote:
Try using a nice (flat screen) TV with a CD player. Your CD should have a lot of your best images (candids and formals) with music background. Kind of a slide program with each image changing every 2-3 seconds. That, in addition to wedding albums will usually get a lot of attention.
Design a booth that will allow you to hang 4-6 framed images.
Booth Design:
This really took me over the top! Have someone help you design it to look as much like the interior of a home with portraits hanging. I had an interrior decorator help me with the over all design with table lamps and accessorites.
IMPORTANT.... "Showing less is MORE!" Select only your "best of the best" and make them pop out with mini spot lights.
Overwhelming them with too many images and they will not remember any of them! They will become "confused" with all the other photographers there. However if you really do it right and highlight only a few really "WOW" images they will remember you.
Yes it does take quite and investment.... I have about $4000.00 in mine now but I also charge a minimum of $3000.00 per wedding.
Trust me, that stratagy will work if you can deliver consistant quality work to back it up.
I have two bridal fairs coming up next month and I will book an average of 10 weddings at each bridal fair..... you do the math!
In addition I give each prospective bride a very nice folder with prices, services, a bio sketch, and samples of work... (always one or more that you have on display).
Within a week my phone starts ringing; then the cash register starts ringing.
Yes, give them everything up front..... that way you won't have a lot of calls from brides who just can't afford you. Let the other photographers have them.
I have been doing this now for over 30 years and I've tryed everything. Love it!
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I thought everyone loves free stuff? It's my time that is free ... not anything else.