TheWeddingMarketingBlog.com

Leaders of WIPA (Wedding Industry Professionals Association) held launch meetings in San Diego and Santa Monica, California, Monday and Tuesday evening, respectively. It was an opportunity to present their vision for the fledgling association to prospective members.

Does the United States (and beyond) need yet another wedding association?: In reality, this would be its first non-profit association. A true ‘business league,’ as defined by the IRS.

Why does non-profit status matter?: While privately held organizations do provide specific services and benefits for their members, they are always colored by the fact that they are not owned by the membership. An owner or partnership often does good things, but their ultimate goal is profit. Naming an organization an association that is for-profit is a tad misleading. In true associations such as WIPA, NACE or ISES, the membership, represented by its elected leaders, drives the agenda.

What is the vision?: WIPA is still fine tuning its mission statement; however, it’s safe to say that it will focus on education, industry standards, integrity, and consumer-awareness through major media. The association strives to become the leading voice for wedding industry businesses.

What about local chapters?: WIPA has just blasted out of the starting blocks, but local chapters are already on the radar. Thought launched in California, the founding board members plan to evangelize their mission across the United States and beyond, in rapid fashion. There will be a WIPA presence at The Special Event Show in San Diego, (January 2009), in terms of speakers at sessions (wedding track), a booth in the trade show, and at the wedding luncheon. It is expected that the involvement at The Special Event Show will trigger a flurry of new memberships and fuel interest by wedding industry ‘movers and shakers’ to bring about ‘chapters in development.’

What was the vibe? (OK, that’s a California word) The tone of the gathering and the presentation was energetic, exciting, and passionate. The attendees represented a wide range of business types, within the industry. That kind of variety and enthusiasm can only be a good sign.

WIPA’s founding president, Joyce Scardina Becker, made a great case for the new association and its far reaching benefits to members and the wedding industry, generally. If her fellow board members can match her dedication and commitment, the possibilities for the wedding industry are limitless.

===

SPECIAL COMMENT: Networking takes place when any group of business people get together. That’s the natural order of things. WIPA promises to be more than just networking.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

Technorati Tags: Andy Ebon, education, integrity, local chapters, wedding industry professionals association, wedding marketing blog, WIPA

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to the RSS feed!

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: Andy Ebon, education, integrity, local chapters, wedding industry professionals association, wedding marketing blog, WIPA

I’m sitting in a booth in sunny, Baker, California at The Mad Greek Cafe. This restaurant, about 80 miles Southwest of Las Vegas, is on the way to Los Angeles, off Highway 15.

The Mad Greek promotes itself with an interminable number of billboards and roadsigns. I would guess there are 50 between Las Vegas and Baker.

I stop here but it’s convenient, different, and serves Greek food. My late mother, born in Athens, would be both amused and irritated by its lack of authenticity and presentation. It IS blue and white, throughout, symbolizing the colors of the Greek flag. It has tacky signs, celebrity signs, and chotckes, from top to bottom.

Maintly, I come here to take a break from the drive, and to enjoy the gyro and eggs. The hash browns are a rectangular slab, right out of the package. The meal is served on plastic plates with plastic knife and fork.

Yet, billboards tout gyros at The Mad Greek as The Best Gyros in the World. They’re OK. I enjoy them enough, but they might not even be the best gyros in Baker, CA.

‘Best’ is hyperbole. It’s another cliche, best left off your ads. If you won the Best of Oshkosh Award from the free weekly periodical, that’s nice, but it means zip. Your brother-in-law, and every other friend and relative could write you in for this meaningless recognition. Don’t think your prospects are that stupid.

Calling yourself ‘The Best’ is puffery and foolishness. Enter and win an industry award. Now that’s something to shout about.

… I can just hear the strains of my mother’s voice lecturing one of the authentic Hispanic wait staff in this almost authentic Greek cafe about the insufficient amount of honey on the baklava. My mom would be speaking Greek, they wouldn’t understand a thing, but would smile and nod. I would be stifling a giggle.

Best, indeed

Before you utter that 4-letter B-word, realize that, at best, it’s subjective. Just do a great job, and be distinctly different. Best is for self-delusional fools. That isn’t you, is it?

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

Technorati Tags: Baker, baklava, best, better, California, gyro, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Mad Greek Cafe

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to the RSS feed!

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: Baker, baklava, best, better, California, gyro, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Mad Greek Cafe

Thirty hours of time, for two hours of networking probably seems out of proportion to the untrained eye. Not to my eyes.

Tuesday, I’m driving to the Fairmont Hotel in Santa Monica, CA to attend the second of two launch parties in Southern California, hosted by WIPA (Wedding Industry Professionals Association). Monday’s event was at the Sheraton, San Diego.

If you haven’t heard about WIPA, you should read my post from last week.

Here’s the thing. The main focus of my business is weddings. Wedding marketing, precisely. The notion of a true nationwide association is important to the industry, and important to my business.

For me, joining is a no-brainer. Sending in a check is easy. I want to kick the tires. Meet the leaders. Feel the tone of the organization. Hear where it’s headed.

In the world of Amazon.com and YouTube, there is nothing quite like shaking hands, looking people in the eye, and listening to what they say. I feel strongly about that, so I’ll be driving to Santa Monica, attending the gathering, and hanging out, afterward.

Driving back to Las Vegas, Wednesday, is important, too. Because Wednesday night will be the Awards and Board Installation for the Las Vegas Chapter of NACE. If one were to attend only one NACE meeting, the entire year, this would be the one.

Online social networking has its place. Being face-to-face is even more important. And I’m in this industry for the long haul. What about you?

I’ll report to you about WIPA, in the next couple of days.

Stay tuned!

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Blog

Technorati Tags: being there, in person, Las Vegas NACE, networking, online, social networking, WIPA

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to the RSS feed!

written by Andy Ebon \\ tags: being there, in person, Las Vegas NACE, networking, online, social networking, WIPA