In recent few weeks, I’ve given a great deal of thought to the dynamics of the wedding industry. Here are just five that came to mind.
- How have economic struggles changed the mindset of brides?
- How has the mindset and policy of major hotels affected small businesses by booking their services, with a markup, rather than simply referring, changed the financial model?
- When banquet halls work with ‘in-house’ services, outsourcing for cakes, music, etc., offering no choices for the bride, is that a good thing? For the bride or for competitive services?
- How has up-selling and cross-selling by many businesses, across diverse products and services created confusion for the bride?
- And how has the proliferation of media, online media, and information, generally made decision making more difficult?
One can like or dislike any item on the shortlist. With a little thought, the list could grow by 10 or 20.
If you want to be on a preferred vendor list in Las Vegas, building a great relationship with the Director of Catering is a nice thing, but that person doesn’t make the decision. The discussion and final decision is typically made a couple of levels higher up, by a regional manager for several of a company’s hotels.
- Is that decision based on quality, commission, politics, fairness, relationships? Yes! All of them; except, perhaps, fairness.
- Can you influence that decision? Not directly or easily.
Reality Check: Things are as they are. not as you would like them to be. Instead of taking on the massive task of changing an entire industry, why not just become a force in your sphere of influence?
Everyone has been told by a parent that ‘Life is not fair.’ When you’re a business owner or manager, it’s annoying to remind you of a conversation you had with one or more parents, decades ago. But it’s important.
Changing an industry, or one slice of an industry is like getting an elephant to roll over.
If you are not one of the absolute business leaders in your segment of the wedding industry, then all the annoying unfairness applies to your business, too. You can complain about the referral food chain, commissions and kick backs, or uninformed brides. Doesn’t make a damn bit of difference.
Actually, you don’t have to change the whole industry, just your immediate wedding world. Make your business the absolute best it can be, build and renew rock solid relationships with more people in all walks of the wedding industry, tighten up and focus your marketing, and then stand back.
This should not be a news flash, but somehow, when you’re feeling overwhelmed, it is important to press the pause button, and look around. It’s not 10 or 20 years ago, it’s today. In the words of the great baseball player, Satchel Paige, “Don’t look back, something might be gaining on you.”
Go get ‘em!!
Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog
Hi Andy,
My perspective on this is different, I do think it’s possible to change the entire industry. I agree that it’s typically difficult to do, but it all depends on where you push, and how effective you are at getting your message out there.
Good food for thought!
Evan
Thanks for your comment. Actually, we don’t really disagree.
I think major industry changes occur, over time. What I’m lobbying against is getting caught up with the long-term issues at the expense of taking care of one’s one sphere of influence.
Many small business owners fall into the trap of becoming complainers instead of taking definitive action.
Andy
We have a venue whose owners have repeatedly complained to me about the quality of the services provided by their in house DJ. But, he gives them a kick back so they keep him. Brides must pay an extra fee to the venue if they want to bring in their own DJ or band.
I find it sad that a bride thinks she is getting a good deal with a hotel package and then wedding day discovers that the services are not as good as they should have been.
Do I let it bother me? No, I don’t really have time for that. I have contacts to make and relationships to maintain.