Second Opinion
After all the uncertainty at the beginning of the year, it has thankfully been a very busy season, as weddings have finally been able to take place. As things quieten down on the alteration front, Sue Lovell of SNOB, can start to concentrate on other matters – her marketing strategy for the year begins now
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The majority of my brides come through recommendations, but I can’t just rely on that, I have to keep up ‘the noise’. According to my BridalLive statistics, over 70% of my clientele comes from a recommendation, a fact that still amazes and delights me. One bride has brought in 15 other bridal sales through recommendations! We are not an industry where repeat business is necessarily an option, but recommendations are a really positive and highly cost-effective form of marketing. The power of Facebook, and the continued connection it brings is invaluable. Who is she? Putting together a strategy is Getting your marketing right is the key to targeting your bride. Identifying certainly time consuming, but time your bride is the starting point. Who is and money aside, and to focus on my marketing, it is vital to know what my she, where does she live, what is her quarterly plans style, her budget? are, and to have Where does she search for Supplier Marketing needs everything in place, so inspiration? Once you know to say to the bride “you want it actually happens, who she is, then this – then you can find it regardless of you need to know how busy I am. how to find her. here, here, and here”. Having a Is she more likely Retailer Marketing needs to dedicated to be reached via Instagram, say “You want this- then you marketing budget is Facebook or ONLY need to come here”. important, Pinterest? Which identifying search engine will she use – Google, Yahoo or Bing? Did where you want to spend it is essential. You cannot afford to get this you know that more people use Bing at work – so will your bride be looking wrong. The general rule of thumb is to for dresses in her lunch break, on her attribute at least 10% of your turnover work computer?
orking on 2020 postponed weddings, 2021 weddings, selling to 2022/23 brides and watching the 2020 Olympics, has made me unsure of what actual year I am in. My working rail has gone from the brink of collapse to a refreshingly manageable amount, as each week that passes, dresses are taken away and finally make their trip down the aisle. It’s time for me to focus on my marketing strategy for the year ahead.
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to your advertising/marketing needs. Making sure the budget is spent in exactly the right places is more crucial than ever today. The right message It is exactly the same for suppliers – they also have to identify their potential stockists, to ensure that the bride who aspires to wear the gown, knows where to buy it. A good supplier will promote and support their stockists, helping drive customers to our door. So their marketing has to be attentiongrabbing, aspirational and informative, appealing to both stockist and bride. By marketing to the bride, and directing them to where they can find the dress, and by stores working to promote the labels we stock, we can capitalise, and piggy back on much bigger marketing budgets. Keep this in mind... always Supplier Marketing needs to say to the bride “you want this – then you can find it here, here, and here”. Retailer Marketing needs to say “You want this – then you ONLY need to come here”. To maintain a level of presence through social media channels, and to be found organically on search engines, does take some work. You can, of course, employ an agency to run your social media and website for you, but do they really know your business and can they
