I had the privilege last week of presenting at the Wedding Biz conference in Atlanta. Donna Jakulski and Linda Surles did a great job arranging and producing not only the day of vendor education, but also a fantastic bridal show the day before.
The highlight of Wedding Biz, for me, was the first session where 5 real brides were invited to be on a panel. Donna asked them some great questions and here’s what stuck out for me.
Here’s my Top 10 list highlighting what these real brides had to say:
- The brides said that very, very few of the wedding professional’s websites they went to were good. Some even implied that none of the ones they saw were any good. (ouch!)
- If they didn’t like your website, they checked you out on Facebook. (is your business page ready for Prime time?)
- They specifically searched for you by name, they weren’t just randomly searching for someone in your market/category. (surprise)
- They weren’t interacting with your Facebook page, rather they were looking for photos of recent events you did. While they were mostly talking about reception venues and photographers, I asked they specifically if this applied to other categories and they said, Yes!
- If they didn’t see anything more compelling on your Facebook page… they went on to someone else.
- They will look for and read your blog, keep it up to date.
- They were looking during work hours and said that if you have music or videos that play automatically, you’re getting them in trouble at work.
- They all set up a new email address just for their wedding info.
- They want you to be more conversational in your emails with them.
- They don’t use Twitter.
Your take-away is this: Have the recent photos, blog posts, etc. on your website and they won’t have to go to Facebook to find out more.
So, there it is, whether it validates what you already know, or whether it hurts a little… or a lot. The great thing about market research is not that you hear what they say, it’s when you make a positive change based upon that information. So, what are you going to do differently today?
Notes: If you need a little attitude push, check out my new book “Your Attitude for Success“, which is also available on DVD and as an online video.
If you want to see “5 reasons why brides leave y0ur website in 5 seconds“, check out the DVD or online video. Of course, if you want a more personal assessment, contact me for a one-on-one consultation.
This is so on point. When I get calls from brides the first thing out of their mouth they tell me is I have a great website! I have designed it myself. Brides want a site that they can easily navigate through and get to the point because, they are at work and all you might get from them is maybe a minute of their time. If you have a website that captures their attention then they are more likely to bookmark it and return. One thing I do lack is not enough content on the blog. Making it one of my focuses.
Thanks, Michael, you only get one chance to make that first impression. I like that you have reviews/testimonials on your homepage. Thanks for not playing your videos automatically. You must know that brides are at work when viewing your site and you’ll get them in trouble with the boss if music or video plays. Kudos.