Ko'Olau Spring Bridal Expo
So I attended my first ever bridal expo as a vendor. I say first ever as a vendor because this is the exact same bridal expo that I attended as a groom-to-be in the exact same venue that I got married. The Ko'olau Ballrooms & Conference Center in Kaneohe.
I didn't know what to expect so I decided to give it a shot. If nothing else, I knew that I'd get to meet a ton of interesting people and fellow vendors. I wasn't really sure if brides even attended bridal expos anymore because honestly, with the spread of the internet and social media, a young and technologically savvy bride-to-be can research, interview, and even book her DJ from the comfort of her own home from her computer or mobile device.
Again, I didn't know what to expect. I had neither preconceived notions nor expectations for on-site bookings. I simply went for the experience of it. However, I did do my homework beforehand and here is what I found:
60% of the attendees have just gotten engaged and are completely overwhelmed. They haven’t selected a definite date—or even a venue for their reception - and are nowhere near booking their entertainment
25% of the attendees already have their DJ booked They also have their venue, photographer, videographer, florist, makeup artist and wedding dress. They’re only there for the free stuff, and mainly just want to win a grand-prize honeymoon or whatever else the big-ticket prize is.
15% of attendees go to bridal shows to actually meet professionals. “They excitedly walk up to your display booth, look interested and ask questions. They gladly give their information and look forward to receiving quotes for our services.
How did that translate to me? Out of every 100 brides-to-be that walked by, only 15 of them actually had a need/desire to engage me. But that's okay. Aside from the on-site bookings, there's the value of getting your name and face out there, meeting other vendors, getting known by the venue, and so on. There's really no value that you can place on that, but it's still important.
And let's be honest. We're human. People are always swayed by referrals from high end venues. So although I might only get one or two bookings at the actual show, there's no telling how many referrals I'll get throughout the year simply because the venue knows my name and my number. Thus, I was motivated to attend and put my best foot forward regardless of whether I got a ton of bookings or not.
Also, an added benefit for me was that at the end of the night, I walked around and networked with the other vendors. We all exchanged cards. Because after all, you never know when a client might ask me for a referral for a photographer, caterer, or a hair and makeup artist. Collaboration is key.
All in all, I thought it was a worthwhile experience. Of note, the one thing that I learned that I actually wrote down is that I got a lot of questions from brides-to-be on whether I was going to be their wedding DJ or is it going to be some other guy? As a one-man show, of course I'm going to be your DJ! I first thought that a weird question, but then I walked around the event and saw one of the big entertainment companies that literally had a squad of guys at their booth. Then it dawned on me that just because you book with that particular guy doesn't guarantee that he'll be your DJ, only that your DJ will be from that company.
I made a note of that and will add that to my value proposition. When it comes to Black Digital Entertainment, what you see is what you get!
See you guys at the next expo!!!
