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#1979988 - 10/29/12 07:13 AM If you play for weddings -- ever advertise at a bridal show?
Redhead1 Offline
Full Member

Registered: 02/07/10
Posts: 125
Has anyone had any experience, good or bad, at having a vendor booth at a bridal show?
It seems like that's an obvious place to advertise, and I'm constantly getting e-mails inviting me to be a vendor at one of them ... but the cost is so high that I'm not sure if it's worth it. The average cost for one show seems to be around $850. I'd have to play for about three weddings to recoup the cost, not to mention the five or so hours spent.

What has been your experience? Would you recommend it?

And, since I'm asking ... what has been your most successful way to get wedding jobs?

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Piano & Music Accessories
#1979991 - 10/29/12 07:38 AM Re: If you play for weddings -- ever advertise at a bridal show? [Re: Redhead1]
apple* Offline
Yikes! 10000 Post Club Member

Registered: 01/01/03
Posts: 19862
Loc: Kansas
i would go thru the event planner.. She or He would want to be 'in charge' anyway. you'll have a great opportunity there to meet prospective links.. they need you!

I get jobs at churches i already play at.. it's kind of a close mouthed community, protective, etc.
_________________________
accompanist/organist.. a non-MTNA teacher to a few

love and peace, Õun (apple in Estonian)

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#1980048 - 10/29/12 11:19 AM Re: If you play for weddings -- ever advertise at a bridal show? [Re: Redhead1]
Exalted Wombat Offline
1000 Post Club Member

Registered: 02/28/09
Posts: 1111
Loc: London UK
Just remember, the primary function of a bridal show is to make money for the people promoting it. You may do just as well through personal contacts.

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#1980122 - 10/29/12 03:00 PM Re: If you play for weddings -- ever advertise at a bridal show? [Re: apple*]
Redhead1 Offline
Full Member

Registered: 02/07/10
Posts: 125
Originally Posted By: apple*
i would go thru the event planner.. She or He would want to be 'in charge' anyway. you'll have a great opportunity there to meet prospective links.. they need you!


Hmm ... what do you mean, exactly? When I've contacted the planners, they just tell me they'd love for me to sign up, and tell me how much it costs.
Do you think I should go ahead and do it?
Thanks!

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#1980593 - 10/30/12 03:37 PM Re: If you play for weddings -- ever advertise at a bridal show? [Re: Redhead1]
TromboneAl Offline
500 Post Club Member

Registered: 08/12/04
Posts: 733
Loc: Northern, Northern California
There was a show here, and I asked the organizer if I could go in an take a look so that I could decide whether I wanted to participate next year.

"No way," she said. I would have to pay the admission price just to check it out.
_________________________
- Al

My Blog About Learning to Sight-read:
http://pianosightreading.blogspot.com

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#1980909 - 10/31/12 12:09 PM Re: If you play for weddings -- ever advertise at a bridal show? [Re: Redhead1]
Piano Girl RMG Offline
500 Post Club Member

Registered: 06/24/07
Posts: 603
Loc: Germany
Don't do it. Ditto on what everyone else has said here.

If you have a CD or a decent recording of yourself playing something wedding-ish, then consider posting a YouTube video with a title that says something like "Perfect Wedding Music in Cleveland" (or wherever you happen to live). My wedding business increased three-fold this past year after I posted this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8kuejhiBfA

People do use the Internet to search for everything—so this will pay off for you, assuming your recording is good.

Here is another slideshow, this one put together by a photographer who asked for permission to use my music. He did all the work, but I get a lot of business from it, because he shows the slideshow to his potential clients, some of whom contact me. Perfect.

http://www.pure-wedding.de/Kunden/lindaclaus/

Anyway, if you have a decent program on your computer to put one of these YouTube things together, you can pretty much do it for free. If not, you can hire someone to do it for you—find a teenager to work for ten bucks an hour. Much cheaper than the bridal show, and you'll see better results.

I also have very pretty business cards that I leave in strategic places. You might send some of them to the banquet directors at fancy places, along with a nice note and a CD if you have one. You also should have a website. Pain in the neck, but it's really critical in this day and age, and you can do something simple for very little money, and the results will be long lasting, as opposed to a one-shot bridal show.

Hope this helps! Good luck.
_________________________
Robin Meloy Goldsby
www.goldsby.de
Author of PIANO GIRL: A Memoir
RHYTHM: A Novel
RMG is a Steinway Artist

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#1983056 - 11/05/12 02:05 PM Re: If you play for weddings -- ever advertise at a bridal show? [Re: Piano Girl RMG]
Redhead1 Offline
Full Member

Registered: 02/07/10
Posts: 125
Originally Posted By: Piano Girl RMG
Don't do it. Ditto on what everyone else has said here.

If you have a CD or a decent recording of yourself playing something wedding-ish, then consider posting a YouTube video with a title that says something like "Perfect Wedding Music in Cleveland" (or wherever you happen to live). My wedding business increased three-fold this past year after I posted this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8kuejhiBfA

People do use the Internet to search for everything—so this will pay off for you, assuming your recording is good.

Here is another slideshow, this one put together by a photographer who asked for permission to use my music. He did all the work, but I get a lot of business from it, because he shows the slideshow to his potential clients, some of whom contact me. Perfect.

http://www.pure-wedding.de/Kunden/lindaclaus/

Anyway, if you have a decent program on your computer to put one of these YouTube things together, you can pretty much do it for free. If not, you can hire someone to do it for you—find a teenager to work for ten bucks an hour. Much cheaper than the bridal show, and you'll see better results.

I also have very pretty business cards that I leave in strategic places. You might send some of them to the banquet directors at fancy places, along with a nice note and a CD if you have one. You also should have a website. Pain in the neck, but it's really critical in this day and age, and you can do something simple for very little money, and the results will be long lasting, as opposed to a one-shot bridal show.

Hope this helps! Good luck.



Robin, thank you so much!You are always such a huge help and inspiration.

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