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Weddings & Honeymoons wedding shows
Weddings for training, delayed gratification,” says
when we had the idea to Reynolds. “If you put the
join forces at a show. work in at the show and
It’ll help us convert the after, the rewards follow.”
enquiries into bookings if It’s not just brides and
we have a travel agent on grooms who attend shows
the stand.” - friends and family are
often in tow. “I started
STAND OUT doing wedding fairs
Take big colourful posters because I wanted more
and fresh flowers to make personal contacts. You get
your stand look attractive to meet parents and
and have a bowl of bridesmaids and offer your
wrapped sweets to help services for their holidays
draw people to you. Also too,” says Reynolds. “I’ve
take plenty of reference spoken to a couple and
material, such as guide- not booked their honey-
books, flyers and a laptop moon but I’ve booked a
to show presentations, holiday for the parents
photos and websites. instead. And when the
But go easy on bride is with friends, I stress
edding Show
brochures - if you have that I do stag and hen dos.”
too many, people tend to Time spent at the show
take them and run. If you The National W will be wasted if you do
do hand them out, staple Fairs usually attract a range of wedding exhibitors not follow up on leads.
Take it from
a business card to the Aylett says: “Never do a
front of each one, so whoever show if you’re not at work the following week.
the experts
picks it up has your contact details. You need time to send emails and make phone
Suppliers can usually help with freebies such calls while you are still fresh in people’s minds.”
Make sure your as branded bags, pens and key rings. They may However, it can take many months for leads
stand is colourful even be willing to supply honeymoon offers or to be converted. Reynolds says: “I spoke to a
and eye-catching – there’s discount vouchers to give people that extra couple at one fair, but they did not book for
nothing worse than a drab incentive to book. another 18 months. It’s about nurturing
looking stand.” Don’t engage people in conversation without long-term relationships.”
Rebecca Aylett taking details. “I have enquiry forms that I use
Travel Counsellors to record personal details,” says Holden. At MAKE IT YOUR OWN SHOW
the stand she takes down their name, address, If you really want to get your name in the local
Exhibiting at phone number, email, wedding date and hon- rag, why not organise your own show? Colin
weddings fairs is eymoon budget. “That’s all you need initially, Curtis from Keynsham Co-operative Travel
a learning curve. Your but once they’ve moved away from the stand I decided to organise a wedding fair to exploit
confidence will grow the then grade the enquiries, from one to five (for a the market and expand the profile of his branch
more you attend.” strong lead), and scribble down a brief descrip- at the same time. “Our agency is located inside
Trisha Holden tion of the couple, to help me remember.” a supermarket,” he explains. “So we took over
Enchanting Destinations Running a prize draw can also help you the restaurant on a Sunday for the exhibition.”
collect data if you make people fill out a form Curtis says it took his team about three
I’ve never done a with their personal details in order to enter. months to plan the event. They secured 25 local
wedding fair that “Many of our exhibitors run competitions at suppliers for the event including a local bridal
has not led to a subsequent their stands, which is fantastic for data capture,” shop, which ran a fashion show. He says the
booking.” says Ashley Djemal, the National Wedding Show advantage of being the organiser is being in
Linda Reynolds event manager. Holden says that she always has charge of every last detail. “I felt we had the
Personal Travel Advisors a giveaway, usually champagne, and Aylett right mix, by personally inviting the florists,
adds: “It’s always worth asking an operator for photographers, beauty therapists and bridal
We secured a help – the contribution might only stretch to shops we wanted.” The venue was free so the
booking to the champagne but they might just be willing to only cost was advertising the event. He charged
Dominican Republic worth give away a free holiday – you never know!” consumers a nominal fee to attend but he says:
£43,000 as a direct result “There are pros and cons to charging. A small
of attending a wedding fair NURTURE CONTACTS fee helps pay for advertising, but a greater
last year.” Agents rarely make a booking on the stand – number of people are likely to attend if the fair
Colin Curtis The Co-operative Travel your primary aim is to build a rapport with is free. Our fair was more about raising the
potential customers. “Wedding fairs offer branch’s profile than money making.”
26
TTG Knowledge – September 2009
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