One thing I hear over and over again is how different it is for one category of wedding pros versus another. The photographers like to tell me that it’s different for them than it is for the caterers or florists. The DJ’s tell me that they’re different than bands, or even dress shops. While there are distinct differences in the services you provide, there are a lot of similarities when it comes to the business aspects.
You’re a lot more alike when it comes to marketing and advertising than you are different
When I give presentations on marketing and sales, each group wants me to customize the presentation to their needs, which I’m happy to do. The thing is that when I talk to them about their needs, those needs sound almost exactly the same as those for the other categories. You all want more, high-quality leads. You all want your websites to convert more of those leads. You all want more serious buyers and less price-shoppers. You all want a good return on your investment in advertising. Oh, and you all want to spend as little as possible in the process.
Test we must
I tested this theory a couple of years ago when I was asked to give the same presentation topic to different groups of weddings pros. Each conference was for a specific group (flowers, video, caterers, etc.), but the topic title and content was the same. The only thing I did was change my references and examples from various wedding categories to just theirs. I knew that the content was applicable for each of the groups, so no one was getting short-changed. Just as I had suspected, after each presentation, people were thanking me for not doing a generic presentation. They liked that it was specifically for their group.
Custom or Generic?
Was it really customized for their category? Sort of. Other than the examples, the content was exactly the same. My slides were the same, although I do customize them with each group, conference or association’s logo. The action items for the audiences were the same. The message was essentially the same. The proof was in the audience’s reaction and ability to use what they had heard.
Beyond the borders
I was privileged to give presentations this year in Canada, Mexico and Ireland. In doing my prep work I typically interview people in each market, to get a better understanding of those who will be in attendance. I’ve found the same similarities between wedding pros in other countries as I do in the US. While the marketing opportunities will vary from country to country (i.e. there’s no WeddingWire in Ireland… at least not yet), the basic concepts are the same:
• Define your target audience: demographics, psychographics, geographics
• Find out where they live, physically and virtually
• Find out which media they use
• Design a high-quality message and brand
• Put yourself in front of as many of those target people as you can
Those basics transcend languages and borders.
One of these things is not like the others
So what really are the differences between wedding pros? Is it the level of service you provide? Is it the value you provide? Is it the products, services and packages? The uniqueness of your brand is what separates you from the other wedding pros in your category. But, how do you define the uniqueness of your brand? You probably don’t have to. Your brand is defined by the words your customers use when they talk about you.
Look at your reviews on WeddingWire, Yelp, TripAdvisor and any other sites that have reviews. Read past the nice things they say about your helpfulness and personality. Look for the things they can’t say, or aren’t saying about any of your competitors. Look for a pattern of many customers using the same words and phrases. For instance, I watched 40 video testimonials of people taken right after they heard me give presentations. The two words I heard most often were “inspiration” and “action”. They were inspired by what they heard and my presentation style. They also felt they could really take action on what they heard. So, rather than trying to redefine my brand, I used their words. On my new business cards I put the phrase: “For more info on having Alan’s inspirational, actionable content for your conferences & meetings…”
Seek and Ye Shall Find
So, print out all of your reviews; gather up all of those thank you notes; grab a highlighter and start looking for your brand identity. Don’t get upset if it’s not what you thought it was. It is exactly what your customers say you are, because that’s their reality. That’s what they’ve experienced from doing business with you.
The moral here is that we are a lot alike, but you can find the differences if you just take a good look. Happy Hunting.
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You can do it, I can help
If you’d like some help finding the uniqueness of your brand, or your website and marketing materials, I’d love to help. My rates are going up in 2013, but if you book a consultation or website review before the end of the year you can still get the $199 introductory rate (regularly $250, going up to $299 in 2013).
Call or email me to schedule your consultation and/or website review, 732.422.6362