The Wedding Marketing Blog

Listen up!

For some cosmic reason, lately, I have experienced many actions that should be listening, but they are not. They are impostors.

Impostors, I say!!

What triggered this revelation was a simple cup of coffee, this morning, at Starbucks. Not a complicated venti-latte-half-calf-decaf. A simple grande-coffee-with-room for cream.

In point of fact, I asked for a grande-coffee. The barista, asked me “Room for cream?”

“Yes, room for cream. Thank you!” I replied.

I popped the lid off the coffee, at the condiment station, and it was filled to the brim. No room for cream.

It got me to thinking about how often, I am absolutely precise in making a request or answering a question… often asking for, and receiving a confirmation, yet, short term memory is absent.

“I’ll have a cup of hot tea, and an ice water.” Order, confirmed by the waiter. Tea delivered… water takes a second and third request.

These are simple things. However, it is amazing how often communications are not heard or perceived in correctly.

Some of the reasons I’ve noticed, include:

Right this moment, I not recommending any grand solution scheme. Maybe in another post.

Just be aware of these symptoms in your actions, and those you work with. See what you can do to mitigate the problem.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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In my world, yesterday was a particularly annoying day. It seemed that everywhere I turned, I was dealing with someone who presented more roadblocks and hurdles, than customer service skills or solutions.

The final straw was my Investment Services Advisor at Chase. Since 12/22/09, I’ve been trying to accomplish something relatively simple… gain online access to management my account, and withdraw funds, if needed.

The final hurdle required filling out a form to enable withdrawal of funds. The regional manager of investment services was supposed to send me that form two weeks ago. Turns out there is no printed form. You have to sit at the desk of the investment advisor while he/she enters the data. Did I mention that I needed to have a voided check from account. Account number and routing number would not do. Oops, another trip home and back.

What scares the daylights out of me, is that the Investment Advisor cannot seem to accomplish anything without getting on the phone to some other person, in some other office. I’m not certain whether this is an absence of knowledge or a bureaucratic jungle. It’s probably some of both.

It made me ask myself a few questions that probably are worth asking yourself, too.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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Goals are an important element of measuring business success. Realistic, well-framed goals are even more important.

Sales projections are helpful, too; provided that last year’s numbers don’t fool you. Was there some anomaly that is not going to occur this year? You know… like a Super Bowl in your town. Did you have a client or referral source that drove a disproportionately large amount of business your way? Has the key person move on, or had the relationship changed (for better or worse)?

American business people are constantly trying to predict the future. For good reason. Food service companies need to order food, based on anticipated attendance at events. Hotels need to assign the optimum room for the crowd size. One doesn’t want 125 guests in a room that should accommodate 400.

What I hear… and this isn’t news: More events are getting scheduled on short notice. Get used to it. More important… talk to your employees, and make sure they get comfortable with it.

I believe that most small business owners/managers can tell you many bookings that had last month. They can tell you how many dollars were deposited in the same time frame.

But can they articulate the variable costs per job (on average), the marketing expense (on average) per event, or the actual dollars generated for last month’s events (not the cash flow of last month’s deposits)?

Take some time to reassess what you really know about your business, and how it’s measured. If you know the numbers, with realistic parameters, it’ easier to take the right actions, going forward.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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During the next 10 days, Andy Ebon, The Wedding Marketing Authority, will be making meeting presentations and doing seminars in Silicon Valley and Los Angeles, hosted by local chapters of NACE (National Association of Catering Executives).

The following week, I head to Los Angeles NACE.

If you are in the area, consider attending. If you know someone in the area, who might benefit, please pass the word.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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Perfect Wedding Guide party

It may have come as a surprise to some members of the Las Vegas wedding community that the Perfect Wedding Guide has been in the market for about two decades.

When I moved to town, in 2003, a local franchisee had been forced to sell his area ownership. Since then, the Las Vegas Perfect Wedding Guide had wobbled rather unsteadily.

Last summer, national management of the Perfect Wedding Guide took over management of the Las Vegas market, clearly declaring that they were going to solidify and refresh the brand. This Thursday, the day after the conclusion of CaterSource, Perfect Wedding Guide – Las Vegas held a Re-Launch Party for advertisers, prospects, and other wedding industry leaders.

PWG Hosts: Karli Markowitz, Tammy Elliot, and Brandi Zrallack

The event was held at Tao, in the Venetian Hotel. Over 150 local wedding professionals turned out to enjoy the hors d’oeurves, cocktails, and assuring, positive words of Karli Markowitz, Brandi Zrallack and Tammy Elliot of the Perfect Wedding Guide.

In challenging economic times, when local businesses invest marketing dollars, it’s important to know that you have support from the local sales representative, all the way to the company president. Every attendee left, feeling assured that a marketing investment in Perfect Wedding Guide, Las Vegas, was money well spent.

What have you done, lately, to reassure your customers?

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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Chatterberries exhibit at CaterSource

Still in its infancy, one of the first exhibitors I came upon, on the CaterSource tradeshow floor is Chatterberries.

Based in Manhattan, the Chatterberries website sports local directories throughout the entire United States. There is a 2010 Directory special for just $45/month, including your corporate logo, company name, contact information, website link and email link.

It asks vendors to Engage With Affluent And Sophisticated Brides.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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