FIRST PERSON

Laura Daly of award winning Bellissima Weddings, shares her thoughts on getting into the new ‘norm’

Iwonder when things will get back to ‘normal’... Do I think they ever will, or are we going to have to live forever more dealing with the aftermath of Covid? Am I going to have to change my plans daily and always be at the mercy of restrictions and upheavals? Where and how are our life celebrations going to slot in with this new stop/start regime? How heavily is this all going to figure in my day-to-day life, and how badly is it all going to rain on my parade? Will there be, perhaps, just the occasional light shower, or a constant heavy deluge and dark clouds?

How are brides going to plan ahead? Are wedding dresses going to become obsolete? Are brides going to view planning a ‘traditional’ wedding as a waste of time and decide that a quick trip to the registrar in a trouser suit is the most viable option? How on earth are we going to be able to project what our profits might be, and how are we going to keep our business afloat?

I can absolutely promise you that all of the above, plus much more besides, pretty much played on an unstoppable loop in my head every single night during the last lockdown. And I don’t mind betting that the majority of those of us who work in the bridal retailing industry have been experiencing the same brain worms, during many a sleepless night. Besieged with countless ifs and maybes, I’m sure we all found the start of 2021 very hard indeed to process.

For the third time in a year, we had to reinvent ourselves, reconfigure and re-evaluate everything, while simultaneously trying in desperation to hang on to our collective sanity and our staff!

But, you know what? Somehow, we’ve done it. You’ve done it, I’ve done it. The sleepless nights seem to have done something that years of meetings, focus groups and secret (and not-so-secret) dinners have never really achieved. We’ve talked together – I mean actually talked and listened and helped each other.

Togetherness

I don’t think I’ve ever been so proud to be associated with a group or an industry as I am at the moment. The resilience, the camaraderie, the sheer support that the UK’s bridal retailers have shown each other in this last year has been amazing. The old saying, “united we stand, divided we fall”, seems very apt indeed.

After a year of, let’s face it, epic gloom of doom proportions, the UK’s wonderful independent bridal shops are rising like hundreds of sparkly phoenixes out of the grim ashes of Covid. We’ve bolstered each other to continue to evolve, we’ve cheered each other on, and we’re reaping the rewards!

Via several public online groups for retailers, and many other less-public groups, too, I’ve seen more advice and information exchanged than ever, on all manner of things, including grants, loans, helpful suppliers, best styles, shopping habits and more... and it makes my heart very happy.

Although, as our shops have detailed explanations and a true reopened, many of the more informal feeling that we’re all in this together. social media groups that appeared Personally, I decided I didn’t have during the past 18 months have the brain space or the oomph to go fizzled out, the larger associations on that particular adventure, but I are still there and, if you do nothing know many who did, and I know that if else, then I’d strongly suggest joining I had suddenly decided to give it a go, one now. I’d have been able to tap into a rich

If you’ve been trading for more vein of bridal knowledge and support. than five years, there’s never been a I’ve been banging on for years better time to apply for membership about us all getting along and pulling to the Retail Bridalwear Association together rather than against each (RBA). With the wealth of knowledge other, and it seems to have taken a and help we now have on board, cataclysmic event to bring together, there’s really not much we can’t assist in an unprecedented way, if not our with, from branding, social media and whole industry, then at least our staff/owner training to legal and HR particular section of it. support. Monthly member video calls Let’s hope that we can continue also help us give direct and often like this in the future, as a united, much-needed more one-to-one advice. professional

During those The sleepless nights seem representation lockdowns, l think we all changed; to have done something of our trade. I’ve no doubt it we simply had that years of meetings, would only be no choice. Our businesses have focus groups and secret a good thing for all of us. For had to adapt (and not-so-secret) dinners us to thrive, our to all sorts of prospective ‘new’ ways to be have never really achieved. customers profitable. Only this time, there’s We’ve talked together - need to have confidence been a collective I mean actually talked in the whole pulling-together to achieve the and listened and helped sector, not just in a few stores. common goal: each other. So, what survival. next? Well, I

The big shift think it’s fair to here for so many, was the use say that today’s bride-to-be, having of video calls and ‘virtual’ bridal been released from the shackles of appointments that some shops lockdown, is most definitely looking embraced during the lockdown. Now, for a memorable experience as much something so unique and personal to as simply finding a garment for the each store would normally have each occasion. Having been starved for so one jealously guarding the secrets long of social human contact, except of their success. But not so this time. for the occasional delivery person, There’s been a refreshing openness, and whoever they happened to live and a free exchange of what works, with, she’s venturing out with no what doesn’t, and who does what. intention of missing out on anything, Questions from retailers thinking of and taking no prisoners. adopting the same approach have This is where the agility of the small nearly always been answered with independent retailer comes to the fore, with the ability to re-invent and re-brand at a moment’s notice that can really work to help us underline that customer ‘moment’ and maximise sales.

Next stage

So, if you’ve been open again for a while now, and aren’t seeing the footfall and conversions that you’d hoped for, it may well be time to step it up and really look at what you’re offering your brides. Now is the time to review, and if needed overhaul, your every customer touchpoint. Yes, it’s timeconsuming, yes it can be costly (although it doesn’t necessarily have to be) and yes, it’s scary – but it’s also vital.

Your customers are out there, but they could well bypass you if they don’t understand what you’ve got to offer them. I’m not talking about a lovely shop and excellent customer service as, quite frankly, this should by now be the absolute bare minimum requirement for any self-respecting business.

I’m not even talking about having the right labels because, again, that should go without saying, and it’s something you should be reviewing at least once a year in any case. What I mean is – what’s your USP; what makes YOU stand out from the crowd? Why would a post-Covid, experience-starved bride pick your shop over your competitors?

Having all come so far, now isn’t the time to trip yourself up! Don’t just look at another shop and try to copy what seems to work for them as you’ll only end up being a diluted version of the original, offering nothing unique or special. Be yourself – but be your very best self.

Take a long hard look at every aspect of your business, decide where you’re going and how to get there... oh, and join the RBA, of course!