The wedding and honeymoon season is still in high gear and it will be remain top of mind till the upcoming wedding in the British royal family. News outlets all over the world will find fillers to create a more compelling and high-impact coverage, thus differentiating themselves from one another and gathering more viewers.
How are you planning to capitalize on this newsworthy event? Do you have a creative idea or program to get editorial coverage and be featured? You can bet those who are serious about the business of weddings and increasing their bottom line will have a few ideas to get noticed.
What about an alliance? Did you see Costco is now selling wedding gowns? Have you checked in with your local jeweler to find out who’s been the latest to show up for an engagement ring or to be part of their promotion? (A reminder: The first gateway to the bridal market is the jeweler.) What about your local bridal shop? And, do not forget the beauty salon. Most salon personnel are up-to-date on events in the lives of their customers. Get to know them and distribute your literature, or find a way to reward them for leads and recommendations.
Social networks should be central to your media/marketing strategy. If you do not have the time to do this properly, pay a college student to do it for you or find a member of your family or friends. Do not concern yourself with all the latest bridal mobile apps. At the moment, most of it is just a fad and is really a year away from having any serious impact on the engaged couple.
Most couples want to make sure their first dance is perfect: find the local dance studio and get to know the owners. Last year, there was a 19 percent increase in bridal revenue for dance lessons.
While the American wedding market is saturated with approximately 541,900 businesses (so says The Wedding Report) serving the niche, and you have experts bombarding you with leads and promising to make you rich overnight, an experienced and qualified service provider can stand out from the pack and be a factor in the planning and booking of weddings and honeymoons.
Engaged couples all over will be watching and commenting on all things wedding: just check out Twitter (#engagement, #engagements, #destinationwedding, #Honeymoon, #Gettingmarried, and a host of other names describing this special event). You can also join in the chatter but do not forget to leave your URL. Please make sure your website with wedding information is easy to navigate and has some useful content.
Service Provider
Recently, I visited Thailand and did a number of site inspections in Bangkok, Chang Mai, Khao Lak and Phuket. There is a reason why this country’s tagline is “Amazing Thailand”—the warmth and graciousness of the Thai people is unlike anywhere else. Your clients will forever thank you for the fabulous experience. When it comes to spas and massages, Thailand is simply the best. Words cannot describe the experience. Traveling throughout the country, whether by car or air, is a pleasant experience as roads are good, hotels are super clean, and there are activities to satisfy even the most discerning. Beaches are lovely and hassle-free.
One thing I noticed about the high-end hotels in Thailand is the warm welcome you receive. I have been to high-end hotels in other countries and sometimes you are made to feel they are doing you a favor by taking your money. Not so in Thailand. It is truly an amazing country with excellent dining options and fabulous, fabulous shopping.
A few hotels you may want to look at are: Siam Kempinski, Bangkok; The Peninsula, Bangkok; The Sarojin Hotel, Khao Lak; Mandarin Oriental, Chang Mai; Shangri-La Hotel, Chang Mai; Four Seasons Resort, Chang Mai; Paresa Hotel, Phuket; and Anantara, Phuket.
By no means is this the full list of great hotels in this land of hospitality but these are certainly the standouts. What make them outstanding are the spectacular views, fabulous food, outstanding service, and the spacious and wonderfully designed rooms. At the Paresa, you have your own private pool, indoor and outdoor shower, with the pool extending from the bathroom. You have to visit to see.
Obviously to get more information on Thailand and the ease of getting to this wonderful destination you can visit its website (www.tourismthailand.org) or call Steve Johnson (212-432-0433).
Jacqueline Johnson is President/CEO of Global Bridal Group, LLC, a media marketing company that provides comprehensive bridal and honeymoon guidance through interactive-target marketing utilizing the following websites: www.Marrycaribbean.com, www.CaribbeanWeddingAssociation.com, www.GlobalWeddingResource.com. For more information on the bridal market, write to her at [email protected].