GordonJ
December 16, 2016, 10:51 AM
I believe i'm going to create a small one page flyer that highlights the benefits of co-op marketing to leave with everyone I visit to help build my credibility for the future.
Thinking long term, I want to try to develop my customers into a list that I can eventually e-mail weekly hotsheets of advertising spots available on wedding show cards to fill up empty co-sponsor slots.
I appreciate both of your advice, I am already documenting every interaction Out of the 5 people I was referred to. One said yes, right away. The next one was a florist and the business card I was given had someone listed as owner who wasn't and hadn't worked there in a couple years. The owner seemed off put from the start. The next person I talked to is actually attending most of the same shows and said they had to focus on their own hand out.
I didn't think to research how many brides our local shows average so my deal with my current host will cover the whole year (6-7 shows) because of this I didn't want to approach them about doing a co-op card because I believe I need to adjust my program numbers before I start working with another host.
I talked to a photographer who said she was interested but couldnt meet until after the holidays because of how busy she was so I gave her the spiel over the phone. She said she doesn't attend shows herself anymore and I pointed out she'd be on one of the hottest handouts in 2 shows already by the end of January. She said she needed to speak to her husband to see if it was in their budget and will call me back tomorrow.
My 5th recommended co-sponsor is a cake baker and I'm meeting him at his business tomorrow morning after speaking to him on the phone and basically giving him all the details.
My opinion, your first two paragraphs are a waste of time. People who want to create flyers, need to become better at direct selling. It is a way for those who are fearful of direct sales to do an activity which convinces themselves they don't have to.
Also, most shows are annual or bi-annual, weekly mailings would be useless for this market. There are many other products and services to offer those who set up at trade shows, for the rest of their year.
Have you attended a show?
Here is what happens, brides and their entourages show up, get a goodie bag, and then visit the vendors collecting information.
They go home, dump it on a table and they go over it. I have a box full of show offers from the last year, and there isn't that much exciting or different.
Here is ONE secret: Your co-op has to have MORE value, so much more that it makes it impossible to throw away.
So the bride looks through the pile, and your card has $700 to $1,000.00 of value. 7 vendors offering 100 dollar off coupon, not an uncommon amount with these shows.
There could be 3 to a dozen or more photographers present, depending on size of show. Most of them are going to be offering similar discounts. Say, they each offer 100 off of down payment.
Now, you have one on the co-op, his hundred is one of several discounts, making the card much more valuable than any one photographer.
Which giveaway is going to be kept? They will get sorted quickly, often over a trash can, and the most valuable of the show handouts will be kept, and there you have your sales pitch too.
Get a mock up made. Easy to do if you have a color printer, if not, go to Kinkos or that type of place with a file. Use photo paper, create one side and then the other, put them in a plastic holder. This for now, until you have some cards to show them, and the response to the think it over or consult the hubby is
"Yes, I can appreciate you doing that, but, we only have room for one cake person on the card, and I'm obligated and under deadline to contact those on my list, just so you know, the slot may be taken, I don't want any hard feelings if you miss out on this card, OK?"
Please don't over complicate this, make it easy for you and for them, and get out and attend as many different shows as you can, gather their material and a year from now, you could be filling up several cards which makes the start of a new year a fun and lucrative way to start
GordonJ
Thinking long term, I want to try to develop my customers into a list that I can eventually e-mail weekly hotsheets of advertising spots available on wedding show cards to fill up empty co-sponsor slots.
I appreciate both of your advice, I am already documenting every interaction Out of the 5 people I was referred to. One said yes, right away. The next one was a florist and the business card I was given had someone listed as owner who wasn't and hadn't worked there in a couple years. The owner seemed off put from the start. The next person I talked to is actually attending most of the same shows and said they had to focus on their own hand out.
I didn't think to research how many brides our local shows average so my deal with my current host will cover the whole year (6-7 shows) because of this I didn't want to approach them about doing a co-op card because I believe I need to adjust my program numbers before I start working with another host.
I talked to a photographer who said she was interested but couldnt meet until after the holidays because of how busy she was so I gave her the spiel over the phone. She said she doesn't attend shows herself anymore and I pointed out she'd be on one of the hottest handouts in 2 shows already by the end of January. She said she needed to speak to her husband to see if it was in their budget and will call me back tomorrow.
My 5th recommended co-sponsor is a cake baker and I'm meeting him at his business tomorrow morning after speaking to him on the phone and basically giving him all the details.
My opinion, your first two paragraphs are a waste of time. People who want to create flyers, need to become better at direct selling. It is a way for those who are fearful of direct sales to do an activity which convinces themselves they don't have to.
Also, most shows are annual or bi-annual, weekly mailings would be useless for this market. There are many other products and services to offer those who set up at trade shows, for the rest of their year.
Have you attended a show?
Here is what happens, brides and their entourages show up, get a goodie bag, and then visit the vendors collecting information.
They go home, dump it on a table and they go over it. I have a box full of show offers from the last year, and there isn't that much exciting or different.
Here is ONE secret: Your co-op has to have MORE value, so much more that it makes it impossible to throw away.
So the bride looks through the pile, and your card has $700 to $1,000.00 of value. 7 vendors offering 100 dollar off coupon, not an uncommon amount with these shows.
There could be 3 to a dozen or more photographers present, depending on size of show. Most of them are going to be offering similar discounts. Say, they each offer 100 off of down payment.
Now, you have one on the co-op, his hundred is one of several discounts, making the card much more valuable than any one photographer.
Which giveaway is going to be kept? They will get sorted quickly, often over a trash can, and the most valuable of the show handouts will be kept, and there you have your sales pitch too.
Get a mock up made. Easy to do if you have a color printer, if not, go to Kinkos or that type of place with a file. Use photo paper, create one side and then the other, put them in a plastic holder. This for now, until you have some cards to show them, and the response to the think it over or consult the hubby is
"Yes, I can appreciate you doing that, but, we only have room for one cake person on the card, and I'm obligated and under deadline to contact those on my list, just so you know, the slot may be taken, I don't want any hard feelings if you miss out on this card, OK?"
Please don't over complicate this, make it easy for you and for them, and get out and attend as many different shows as you can, gather their material and a year from now, you could be filling up several cards which makes the start of a new year a fun and lucrative way to start
GordonJ
