Looking For Referrals In The Wedding Industry

Marketing for your wedding & event business is constantly evolving, which means those of us in this industry have to learn a lot of new strategies, tactics, and terminology, all the time. One of those words you've probably heard is ‘co-marketing,’ or 'co-branding,' which is different.

Regardless, of what you’ve heard, co-marketing is just a form of relationship marketing, that can be used in many ways.

Co-Marketing vs. Co-Branding

Companies have been co-branding for years. Nike partnered up with Apple to create the ultimate work-out and music experience. Hershey's partnered with Betty Crocker to create the chocolateiest brownie ever. These two companies combined their products together to create an even more valuable product.
Co-marketing is slightly different -- it's the opportunity for two brands to work together on promotional efforts with a co-branded offer. In a co-marketing partnership, both companies promote a piece of content or a product, and share results of that promotion with each other.

Why would you want to do this type of marketing? First of all, your marketing efforts are doubled! Think about all the benefits you get from promoting a piece of content or a new product or event. Now think about all the benefits you would get if two companies promoted it through all the levels of connections that everyone has. (Wedding Marketers reach outside the box!)  The bonus is through co-marketing, you're able to reach a brand new audience, one you may not have been able to connect and engage with on your own.
Take this example into consideration. You're a ‘Wedding Jewelry Company’ in Los Angeles.  You’ve created beautiful videos that showcase your beautiful pieces and you promote them to brides online in the hopes they'll start following you on social media, subscribe to your blog, that type of thing.

You know of a company, also in Los Angeles, that is a ‘wedding coordinator,’ wouldn’t it be interesting if you made a video together, talking about designing weddings, and potentially showing bridal jewelry on brides that the coordinator was working with?  You both get together and create a video, talking about ‘your love of weddings,’ and how the bride would benefit from both of you.  Both companies promote this video to their channels, both of which have different audiences. After, you notice a bump in your social reach because a whole new audience has gained access to your brand from these videos and their promotion from your co-marketing partner ... and that partner sees the same success.  Isn’t that wonderful ?
Let’s take it a step further…. how about an event that showcases you, the wedding industry professional to the wedding planners?

The Bridal & Event Professionals Academy (BEPA) & Networking Mixer  allows you to meet quality wedding planners in a setting that encourages face-to-face interaction with individuals who can book and refer your service to high-end weddings!

• The BEPA  is being held in prestigious locations across the country. Reserve your table-top display today and start building relationships with the nations best wedding planners. Each event starts with an complimentary afternoon of training for local wedding planners and ends with a mixer where everyone has fun.
• 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm - The Bridal & Event Professionals Academy Training - Featuring Chris Evans as well as other wedding industry speakers to train wedding planners in the latest sales techniques.
• 3:30 to 4:30 pm - Round Table Discussions. Participants have their choice of joining 10 Wedding Industry leaders for intense Q and A and training. Each participant gets to pick 4 tables to visit during the hour.
• 4:30 pm to 7:30 pm - The BEPA Networking Mixer - Wedding Planners will have an opportunity to relax and enjoy appetizers and drinks as they meet with a select group of local wedding professionals who want to form a referral relationship with them. This is your opportunity to build relationships with local wedding planners.

This type of 'co-marketing,' gives you more benefit since your participation includes admission to the training sessions!    Statistics show that 'wedding planners,' are always looking for 'quality partners, are you one that they can work with?  32% of high-end weddings hire a full-time coordinator, wouldn't this be an incredible way to 'show what you have to offer?'   Let's talk....click on the info below.

Locations of the BEPA Event: (click on location)

• Los Angeles: September 23, 2013 -Dorothy Chandler Pavillion
  Palo Alto/San Francisco: September 25, 2013 -Crowne Plaza Palo Alto
• Boston: October 14, 2013 -Conners Center
• Phildelphia- October 16, 2013 -TBD
• Atlanta: October 21, 2013 -Andrews Event Center
• Orlando: October 23,2013 -Lakeside Resort
• Houston: October 26, 2013 -Norris Center Houston
• Fort Worth: November 4, 2013 -Norris Center Fort Worth
• Denver: November 8, 2013 -TBD
• Fort Lauderdale: November 13, 2013 -Westin Fort Lauderdale

Evans Sales Solutions, is the connection between the wedding business -- to grow that business!   We offer wedding business training & education, networking and more!  For more information, please go to:  'BEPA-Academy' or 'Evans Sales Solutions' for more information!

Are You Ready To Make Changes To Get Sales In 2013?

"I want to make more sales, what more can I do?”
We hear over and over again how wedding business organizations need to make more sales and are struggling to keep up as the technology and marketing techniques are changing.  How do you stay on top of your marketing outreach?
Many ask ‘what’s the best way to close a sale,’ before they even know what the ‘game plan’ is.  In the wedding business many ‘voice’ how they get overwhelmed with all the changes and feel that the ‘sales industry’ has changed.  They want to confirm that they are on the edge of the changes.’
Comments & Questions we hear at Evans Sales Solutions:

• “Am I doing the right thing in my marketing to the bride?
• “The new technology comes faster than I can keep up.”
• “The amount of change taking place, especially on Facebook. You think you have a system down and then they update the pages and we have to teach everyone all over again.”
• “How do I close the sale when talking to a bride?”

You get the picture, it’s a 'tug 'o war,' all different, but then...all the same thing!
Even if a wedding business dedicates itself to understanding something in the ‘Social Media Marketing’ area, (say the new Google+ platform,) before they know it, it does a major upgrade and much of their hard won knowledge becomes obsolete!  So, do you think that when it changes all the time…does the end result (A SALE) change too?
As wedding business and sales experts, we feel that the consumer is just increasingly savvy, in the technology area—so that you have to stay in the game in multiple ways.  Consumers (brides to be) are not just more tech smart, but they also expect more and they want it quickly.  We also feel that another thing the internet has done-is broken down the pricing barriers and everyone has your (and your competitors) pricing in the palm of their hands.
What can you do about it?
First, we will have to get over it. Constant, relentless change is now a fact of life. We are going to have to adapt to it because the world won’t adapt to us and our needs. We will need to embrace this constant change and turn it to our advantage.
What do I mean? How do we do this?
I mean embrace continual learning and do it at a higher level than you may have planned. This means listening to CD’s or podcasts (audio recordings) as you drive or work out. It means watching less TV in favor of reading a book each week on marketing, sales or another type of business help.  It means watching webinars and going to seminars on a more regular basis.  It means following your favorite wedding business blogs each and every day so that you can keep up with, or even get ahead, of your competition. It means watching YouTube videos about things you don’t understand, but know you need to.
We believe that you can actually turn this whole thing to your advantage! The vast majority of people are not self-starters. By taking the bull by the horns here, and determining that you aren’t going to sit by idly as the wedding industry changes, you actually become much more valuable to your client, as you become the expert!  Many will fail to adapt and become less relevant, are you going to be one that suceeds ?
There are multiple things you can do today…… (and some are COMPLIMENTARY!!) click for more information!

• Hook into the FREE ‘Business Coaching Phone Calls’ on Thursdays @ 10 AM with ‘Wedding Business Expert-Chris Evans.
• Watch for the new ‘Bridal Business Boot Camp WEBINARS’ that you can participate in your own office!
• Get the FREE book ‘Discover your strengths and rise to the challenge!’ (Send an email request today!)
• FREE Social Media Marketing Consultation –just set up a (20 minute visit today!)

Evans Sales Solutions is a team of wedding & sales experts that work to support those in the wedding industry grow their business!  As a solutions-based and results-driven 'Bridal Marketing Concierge,' we look forward to working together when you call: 805-222-5946 or email to: WeddingBiz@EvansSalesSolutions.com Chris Evans is a Public Speaker, Sales & Business Trainer, Author,  and trusted advisor to many organizations around the world. He has over thirty years of experience in creating, expanding, and running organizations with an unsurpassed success record. www.EvansSalesSolutions.com

Wedding Confidential....The Real Stories

Click here for complete interview on 20/20

Several weeks ago, ABC's investigative reporter, Elizabeth Vargas interviewed wedding professionals from around the country on 20/20.  From the comments since, the 'wedding industry' as a whole' did not feel that the report was by any way true and did not showcase the true essence of the hard work that is done to create a 'dream wedding.'

"Watching the negative press and the discussions that have ensued since the report--has been very 'eye-opening,' and interesting," said Chris Evans, of Evans Sales Solutions, (who was also interviewed to showcase his 'Bridal Business Boot Camps,' ) said,  "I think the easiest way to overcome bad publicity is to flood the internet with good publicity.  Anyone who has been in the wedding industry-for any length of time, knows that there is thousands of wedding professionals--doing GOOD  every day!" 

The new website and blog 'Wedding Confidential,' (named after the show on 20/20,)  is dedicated to spreading the stories of success made possible by true wedding professionals.  Knowing that the vast majority of wedding professionals are hard working, dedicated individuals in companies that work each day to make the brides ‘dreams to come true,’ we want the world to know these incredible stories.

We encourage all wedding related businesses or (couples) those who have seen the good in our industry to showcase it on this website!

Click here to go to blog

Please either POST your stories, add pictures or send this to the email below if you need help.  Once approved, your story & pictures will show on the website!  At the end of each month, we will forward these incredible stories to all media and ask that you add this link to your website and send it on as well!  Check out: www.WeddingConfidential.org -- and share this great information! 

If you need help to post this story, please send submissions to: submit@weddingconfidential.org

Responding to the ABC 20/20 segment on 'Wedding Confidential'

Log onto 'Wedding 101-Internet Radio,'  Thursday, January 24 at 10:00 am, with Anchor David Rothstein and hear what 'Wedding Expert Chris Evans,' of Evans Sales Solutions, says about the interview he was part of-- on the show 'Wedding Confidential' on ABC, 20/20 with Elizabeth Vargas.    Chris stated, 'When I was asked to participate in the show, showcasing the 'Bridal Business Boot Camps,' and how I teach across the country-I was surprised to see the outcome of the final cut-portraying the wedding professionals--in a bitter light.'

Wedding Expert Chris Evans Interview with Elizabeth Vargas ABC

Wedding Expert Chris Evans Interview with Elizabeth Vargas ABC

Chris will discuss the controversy that has been sparked by the show and offer his unique perspective and what wedding pros should do to go forward.  Click here to join:  'Wedding 101 Internet Radio show' with David Rothstein,
Join them on Thursday, January 24, 2013 @ 10:00 am. 

Chris will also be on #WeddingMarketChat (CLICK HERE) for a twitter interview on  "Stop Selling Products & Start Selling the Visit with #ChrisEvans of  'Evans Sales Solutions' @Wedding Market   
Join them on January 30, Wednesday @ 1:00 pm