AWhat do you send to the brides who leave their email address? I got a list last time, and never did anything with it, and am doing another show this weekend! I don't want to be obnoxious, but I do want to be help people choose my bakery ;-)
we didn't do followups on bridal shows--but an idea for you send a postcard with a picture of your display at the bridal show, and whatever info --phone website etc.
i love vistaprint --i've done tons of personalized stuff on there--very user friendly as you might already know
a thought for you
AI love Vista print too! I just got 2500 cards for about $40 ;-D. I also love the idea of sending a display or booth picture on a post card! Too bad I already have about 500 post cards... (They were DIRT cheap, so I could recycle them....) but what do you put on it? Just info? What info? A coupon? I am scared!
i think we used to do a 'white sale' for the month of jan every year--we had radio ads paid with barter trade--but something like if the bride paid $50 down to hold the 2013 date she got a certain certain discount or a free groom's cake--maybe something like that ???? and of course you insert all your parameters of contracts and bladeebla stuff, non-refundable, must finalize by certain date
maybe if you can take credit card pymnts on your phone & had enough helpers you could offer both the discount & the free (simple 1/4 sheet cake) on the spot--then by postcard you could offer a choice & they pick one or the other?????
or free delivery or a free cake stand --foam dummy covered w/fabric or something
This is typically what I send to my list. I figure if they gave me their address, they expect me to follow up with them. To not do so would be kinda defeating the purpose of a show. I try to make it sound like "hey, you gave me your email, so I'd love to see you, but whatever, your choice." Basically, fun, breezy, no pressure. Because I'm sure they get a lot of that in their inbox after a show.
I usually get a 75%-90% response rate, and about 30-50 emails per show.
Hi Bride~
Hope the Tundra Lodge wedding show was a wonderful day of inspiration for you! It can get overwhelming, but as you begin to debrief, hopefully you'll be able to pull some great ideas from some wonderful vendors to make your day uniquely yours.
You had given me your email address to contact you about a possible tasting and consultation regarding your wedding cake for May 7, 2011. (I was the booth with the cute little samples cups :)
If you are interested in visiting me at my studio in the Greenleaf/Morrison area, I would be happy to set something up with you. I do my tastings on Mon, Tues, and Thurs at 6pm and 8pm, and am currently booking into December for tastings. You can choose 2 complementary flavor and filling combinations, with more available at an additional charge.
Let me know if you are interested, and we'll set something up!
Happy planning, and have a wonderful Tuesday.
AThat definitely helps! I think I will take a picture of my booth, and my large display with my sign banner and put it on my email, so people know who they are dealing with.
Do you think one of the email programs, like Constant Contact would let me personalize the names easily? I remember something about windows office letting you make a draft and then an address book, and it would insert the first name for you, where you specify, and you could send the email to everyone.... But that was 8 years ago.....
AI follow up with a simple email asking tem to contact me to set up a tasting...but loved jenmat's message...thanks for sharing!
Anna, what specials are you planning to offer? Any good ideas on what attracts brides to sign up with a vendor? What kind of discounts/freebies?
AAs far as specials, freebies, I was thinking of giving the brides 2 dozen simple cupcakes in coordinating wrappers, made from their wedding flavors, for signing a contract and getting their deposit in within 30 days. Advertising it as perfect for their rehearsal dinner, bridal shower or for the kids at the wedding. It is about a $50-$65 value, but costs me next to nothing, and will be easy to make a bit extra batter as I mix their cake!
jenmat~~can you fit me in somewhere i think i wanna make an appointment!!!! 
anna~~maybe the cupcakes would work great
but i think a bride will really respond to saving a buck on her cake order--she's got this big pricey event (ordeal :) going on and while she will like a nice unintended sweet gift, she will respond to cutting a cost, thus saving on her budget (cupcakes for kids at reception works this way too but there's not always kids there)
when i tell my brides that i am gifting them two cakes already boxed and delivered with their cake, and that way they can serve all thier servngs in their cake
instead of saving the top tier for the 1st anniversary--they see i am saving them real bucks on the cake budget--i say "this way, you can serve every slice of cake you are paying for"--by this time in the wedding planning that kinda message goes over good--
i make them out of leftover batter and/or cake scraps from leveling--and one is their anniversary cake--the other is their honeymoon cake
how many zillion times has a bride told me that the only bite she ever got of her cake was the bite they shared for the picture so took me a while to catch on but...
i always get a nice response from this.
all i'm out is 2 six inch boxes and 2 boards nothing additional in my schedule or hers--
AAnnabakescakes...... I have no idea what it is about your name, but every time I see it, I want to hug you and squeeze you!!! Lol
Thank you Annabakescakes and K8Memphis! Great ideas
K8Memphis... So you give them 2 free 6 inch cakes with their wedding cake, on that same day or at the time of their honeymoon and anniversary?
yes the cakes are on a six inch board in a six inch box but they are either a 4 inch cake or a 5 inch cake depending on how much batter that's leftover --
and i can often harvest enough scraps from leveling to make up the difference too
y'know, level a 10" cake or larger and often you can cut a 4 or 5 inch layer outa that
yes i just have the little boxes and boards all ready while I'm torting and filling
it's actually kinda refreshing to do those little cakes--they are so dang easy--especially after you been arm wrestling with all those freaking crumbs and torts and fillings oh my
you just slap 'em together and it feels good
yes yes i deliver them with the cake i make sure in advance that someone knows these cakes are coming so they get them to b&g that day or to freezer--all on same day
i have too many other things to overthink to have to make room on my schedule for them again
edited to say--oh and usually with the leftover batter in a four or five inch pan--you can just tort the little bugger and one cake does it.
jenmat~~can you fit me in somewhere i think i wanna make an appointment!!!!
anna~~maybe the cupcakes would work great
but i think a bride will really respond to saving a buck on her cake order--she's got this big pricey event (ordeal :) going on and while she will like a nice unintended sweet gift, she will respond to cutting a cost, thus saving on her budget (cupcakes for kids at reception works this way too but there's not always kids there)
when i tell my brides that i am gifting them two cakes already boxed and delivered with their cake, and that way they can serve all thier servngs in their cake
instead of saving the top tier for the 1st anniversary--they see i am saving them real bucks on the cake budget--i say "this way, you can serve every slice of cake you are paying for"--by this time in the wedding planning that kinda message goes over good--
i make them out of leftover batter and/or cake scraps from leveling--and one is their anniversary cake--the other is their honeymoon cake
how many zillion times has a bride told me that the only bite she ever got of her cake was the bite they shared for the picture so took me a while to catch on but...
i always get a nice response from this.
all i'm out is 2 six inch boxes and 2 boards nothing additional in my schedule or hers--
lol, hey you make the trip, you can have an appointment!!
I do something similar- I give all my brides a 6" heart cake in their favorite flavor with their monogram on top.
For a while at shows, I would offer a discount sticker on my show brochures. It would be good for $.10 per serving if they signed a contract before xxx date. $.10 to a bride sounds like a LOT of money, but it really wasn't- .10 per serving on a cake for 150 is $15.00. No skin off my back :) This encouraged them to book right away, without hemming and hawing, and wanting free meetings. Then I could get them in to do a tasting AND design consult all in one sitting, rather than making separate appointments.
This worked really really well. I haven't had to do it in the past 4 or 5 shows because I'm pretty established in my market, but for a while, it was great to give me the edge over competitors.
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