$2.00 OFF Coupon for Niagara Spring Wedding Show

11 Jan
$2.00 OFF Coupon for the 15th Annual Niagara Spring Wedding Show 2012

$2.00 OFF Coupon for the 15th Annual Niagara Spring Wedding Show 2012

 

Download FREE ”The Bridal Show App” to your iPhone

Print & Produce Coupon at Show to received $2.00 OFF Admission Price!

For more info, please visit www.TopWeddingShows.com

15th Annual Niagara Spring Wedding Show 

January 14 & 15, 2012

Location: The Newly Renovated Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Centre

(Formerly known as Quality Parkway Hotel & Convention Centre)

325 Ontario Street, St. Catharines

The Big One! The Niagara Region’s Ultimate Wedding Show! Over 130 Wedding Professionals to help you plan your big day!

No Cash Value/Cannot Be Combined with other offers/One Per Person/No Refund

Show produced by Beau Monde Productions
To comment, rate or review please visit http://www.wikidomo.com/PLC618541 

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Planning a Wedding? How to Get the Most out of the Niagara Spring Wedding Show!

10 Jan

If you an engaged couple, thinking about getting engaged or are a family member of a couple getting married, you know just how busy and stressful planning a wedding can be on top of jobs, school, etc. However, this should also be a happy and exciting time for both the couple getting married and all of their loved ones. In order to keep the planning period as stress free as possible, the 15th Annual Niagara Spring Wedding Show is a fabulous resource for brides and grooms-to-be because it allows them to not only see, but to hear, hold, touch, taste or smell the products and services they will be purchasing for their wedding day. For instance, you will have an opportunity to sample cakes and other delicious foods for your wedding day and view dozens of beautiful wedding gowns at the daily fashion shows. In addition, a newly engaged couple will have the opportunity to meet face-to-face with over 130 of the wedding professionals they may hire to work their wedding in one neutral and convenient location. This gives the brides and grooms-to-be the opportunity to see which companies best fit in with their wedding style and personalities. No matter what stage of wedding planning a couple is in; before the ring lands on the finger, 18 months away or weeks away, the wedding show is the quickest and more cost efficient way to see the St. Catharines and Niagara Regions’ top wedding professionals and services in one place. Listed below are some suggestions for newly engaged couples and their families and friends to get the biggest benefit out of attending a large wedding show.

Come Prepared: First and foremost, set up an email through yahoo, gmail, hotmail etc., that is only for your wedding planning needs. This way if you choose to give out your contact information, you know where the information is being sent and how wedding professionals are sending it. Be sure to also print out your contact information on pre-made mailing labels to save time and tons of writing when filling out ballots. Lastly, bring a camera or use your camera phone to capture images of great ideas you may have (tip. make sure you take a few pictures of you and your entourage at the show! It’s a fun part of your wedding planning experience and makes for great scrapbooking)!

Come with a Vision, but keep an open mind: You may not even have a date set, or you may know everything you want down to the colour of the groom’s socks! Both types of brides (and all those in between) are welcome at the wedding show. Before you arrive at the wedding show, the best thing you can do is know where you stand. For instance, if you are there to gather information, make contacts and start getting ideas, go in with an open mind, chat with exhibitors but let them know that you are just looking. That way you are keeping lines of communication open, but you have not committed to anything you are not ready for yet. If you have your wedding day vision and date ready to go, the best way to approach a wedding show is to have some sort of idea what your overall budget is and what type of budget you have for each area of your wedding. This will not only help you stay on track, but it will also provide you with information to make sure that your vision and budget are one and the same. Don’t be discouraged if they seem vastly different at first; the Wedding Exhibitors in St. Catharines and Niagara Regions offer a plethora of creative services in various price ranges. Be prepared to communicate your idea and be open to suggestions. If you are almost finished your wedding planning, make a list of what products or services you are still in need of before you visit the wedding show in order to stay as organized as possible. It is not recommended that you visit wedding professionals that offer services you already have, as it may cause buyer’s remorse or puts unnecessary doubt in your mind.

Plan Your Visit Around the Fashion Shows: Niagara Spring Wedding Show boasts two daily fashion shows filled with the hottest bridal gown trends. The fashion shows offer great inspiration for chooing your perfect wedding dress for you and your body type because you are able to see the gowns in motion on the runway on many different body types. If you already have your dream dress, check out the bridesmaid gowns and tux choices live on stage. Fashion Show Times are 1:30 & 3:30 Daily Bring Your Necessary Supplies: You want to be as comfortable as possible when attending a wedding show so that your attention is on planning your dream wedding instead of focusing on your personal comfort.

Here is a list of Handy Wedding Show Survival Tips

• Wear comfy shoes

• Leave extra sweaters and coats in the car

• Bring a sturdy bag like a grocery store reusable bag to gather information

• Bring your mom, bridesmaids, friends or groom in order to bounce ideas off and to get a second opinion

• Carry a floorplan and exhibitor list with you, like The Official Show Programme you will receive at the front door. It gets overwhelming seeing so many different types of wedding professionals and it is easier to circle or star some of your favourites on the list to follow up with later See you at the 15th Annual Niagara Spring Wedding Show at the Newly renovated Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway Conference Centre (formerly known as The Quality Parkway Hotel) 325 Ontario St. Catharines For more information, visit www.TopWeddingShows.com

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Selling Face-To-Face to Brides-to-Be will increase your bottom line

18 Nov

Ahhh The Elusive Bride.  You know who I’m talking about….the bride that always has her smart phone in her hand, gathers her information from blogs, tweets, podcasts, Facebook and my favourite…word of mouth. Along with an overload of information and thousands of ever-changing mediums in which to consume it; you (as a wedding professional) and the bride are also attempting to navigate through uncertain economic times, which sometimes makes concrete wedding planning  problematic. So how do wedding professionals successfully connect with and let The Elusive Bride know how they can help them plan their perfect wedding?  Talk to them! Face to face!   FaceTime, a consulting firm for the events industry, compiled the top reasons why businesses should participate in events that put them in direct connection with their direct market. So take a quick peek at the fact-filled link below and consider adding a wedding shows to your marketing arsenal to increase your sales for the upcoming season.

Click HERE to learn why Live Events change minds courtesy of FaceTime

43rd Annual Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show

January 7 & 8, 2012

The Hamilton Convention Centre

1 Summers Lane, Hamilton, Ontario

 

15th Annual Niagara Spring Wedding Show

January 14 & 15, 2012

The Holiday Inn & Suites Parkway & Converence Centre

325 Ontario Street, St. Catharines, Ontario

www.TopWeddingShows.com

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Top Reasons to Participate in the Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show 2012

2 Nov
Exhibit in the 43rd Annual Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show
January 7 & 8, 2012 at The Hamilton Convention Centre!
Email shannon@beaumondeproductions.com or click HERE for full exhibit details and to secure your participation today!
Participate in the Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show

Participate in the Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show

 ….and the most important one: if you are not there, she is booking her wedding with someone else! 

Top Ten Reasons to Exhibit in Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show 2012

1) Receive immediate feedback on your product/service from your key audience

2) Outshine your competition

3) Build your staff moral by allowing them to halp you stand out in the crowd

4) allow brides and grooms to taste, touch and get to know your product in a convenient and neutral location

5) Showcase your product/service to an engaged and targeted market

6) An attractive ROI: Collect several new prospects in a short period of time with low hard costs

7) Sell face-to-face to eager couples getting married

8) Be a part of the latest industry tips, trends and hot topics

9) Increase your companies profitability

10) If you are not there, she is booking her wedding with someone else!

Please contact info@beaumondeproductions.com to secure your participation today! Shannon and Jennifer would be happy to help!

Cheers

Shannon

905-524-3689

www.TopWeddingShows.com

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Only 12 Booths Left in the Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show 2011

17 Nov

Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show 2011

Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show 2011

Only 12 Booths Left!

42nd Annual Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show

January 8th & 9th, 2011~ The Hamilton Convention Centre

As you know, it is very hard to get the attention of your potential clients in such a saturated market place.

The Answer: be where your direct market is!

The Hamilton-Halton Spring Wedding Show is the largest and longest running show in the Hamilton-Halton area & attracts the majority of brides and grooms getting married from Hamilton proper, Ancaster, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Burlington, Caledonia, Grimsby, St. Catharines, Binbrook, Dundas and surrounding areas.

  • This allows you, the wedding professional to:
    • Sell face-to-face with your direct market: brides buy from people they trust! The Wedding Show gives brides and grooms the opportunity to get to know you, the person helping them plan their dream wedding!
    • Allow brides and grooms to have a sensory experience with your product/service by allowing them to touch taste and hear your unique  products/services
    • Showcase new, innovative and exciting products directly to brides and grooms
    • Network with the leaders of the Hamilton-Halton Wedding Industry and guide and learn about new industry trends as they are happening

……all for less than advertising in traditional media and much less complicated than trying to figure out the social media world!

We book on a first come, first serve basis, so be sure to call today to secure your booth location. There are still several great booth locations available!

Call Shannon or Jennifer at 905-524-3689 or email us !

Cheers,

Shannon

www.TopWeddingShows.com

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“Get Brides Excited to Know You”

9 Nov

I was reading “The Anti-Resume Revolution” by Angela Lussier and a funny thought came to me; exhibiting at a wedding show is kind of like handing out your resume to dozens of potential of employees.  Depressing thought, I know. Lussier’s book points to many new, exciting, empowering and creative ways to present your talents, skills and employment history to a potential employer (read: employer as a potential customers).  The more I read, the more I realized that Wedding Shows already offers many of the new ways of seeking work Lussier talks about.

Firstly, Wedding Shows allow you to present yourself infront of a very targeted audience.  If you are in a quality Wedding Show, the brides have paid to enter the show.  The charge at the door ensures that the people you will be seeing are not “tire kicking” but rather, are very serious about gathering information and booking services for the upcoming wedding.  This helps you, the exhibitor avoid the “Shot Gun” approach to selling wedding services  through generic, unfocused and main stream (expensive) media outlets. You can choose to be even more selective at a wedding show by making sure you are asking the bride the right questions up front : Have they already booked the service your provide?Are you available on their wedding date? What is her price range? etc. By asking the right questions you can save yourself time and ensure you are available to talk to a “employer” that is a perfect match for you.

Secondly, Wedding Shows give you the option to get brides and grooms excited about knowing you.  As Lussier explains, this part of your Anti-Resume future is a process and takes practice and various tweaks to get it just right. But in the end, it is creating this excitement that will allow you to stand out in the crowd, give the bride and groom a creative and sensory experience with you, your products and services and create an a personal and memorable moment with them. By giving the bride and groom this experience (even if it only for a couple of moments at a Wedding Show), you will be convincing them you are capable of recreating that personal and memorable experience on their Big Day. Give them an experience! Give them something to talk about!

Lastly, Lussier stresses the importance of “knowing your audience”(p, 104).  Wedding show helps you narrow down your focus on know who your audience is, not only because the show caters to a very specific audience but also because such a setting gives you the opportunity to gather more information on your potential “employer”.  How old is your potential bride? Is this her first wedding? What is her personal style? How many people are attending her wedding? How does she like to be contacted? What type of music does she like? etc.

The mistake that many companies make is that they don’t ask these questions and instead they think the wedding show is a chaotic period of time where they have to tell has many potential ”employers” as possible about their business. Successful companies know that a Wedding Show allows them to “make it all about the bride” and learn as much as you can about each bride, their wants and needs.  Once you know about each individual bride you can better tailor your services to fit her needs.  This little bit of extra creative effort in targeting each bride will pay off in the end when they feel important, excited about your services and with your help, can envision the wedding of their dreams coming to fruition by using your products and services!

I highly recommend The Anti-Resume Revolution by Angela Lussier.  I have included a link for a quick glance of the book (Actionable Books.com), but if you have the time, be sure to pick it up and give it a read. Entertaining and useful!

http://actionablebooks.com/articles/the-anti-resume-revolution/

Cheers,

Shannon

www.TopWeddingShows.com

 

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Help Brides Find Your Wedding Business Online!

15 Sep

Even if you live down a rabbit hole and under a rock, you probably still know the importance of social media and the power of being constantly connected, easy to access and talked about online. In Age of the Internet a small business owner needs to manage the day to day of their physical business AND ensure that their online presence is nothing less an stellar!

Places to make sure your information is listed:

Applications: Twitter, wikiDOMOFacebook, Linked In, Foursquare (although its not my personal fav)…Make sure your information is on these apps and make sure you are updating your information often! The reach of these applications are HUGE, not only in who they can possibly connect your company with, but also in the overall SEO of your companies information

On Your Own Website: I know it sounds crazy, but make sure your own info is easy to access on your own website!  I have visited the wedding websites of hundreds of wedding professionals in the Hamilton-Halton & Niagara region’s and a cannot believe how many people do not provide basic contact info. Don’t make your customer jump through hoops to find out how to reach you. At the very least, your Contact Us page should include your name, phone number and email.  If you have store hours, please include what those hours are and your businesses address (a link to Google Maps is also helpful, and again, great for SEO)

Local Wedding Related Websites: There are several wedding websites that have the sole purpose of promoting local wedding businesses.  In my experience and in tracking our success of reaching brides, there are definitely some wedding related websites that are more successful than others.  Some of my favs include www.NiagaraWeddingHelper.com, The PerfectWeddingGuide, OntarioBrides.com.  If you are participating in any wedding shows, make sure they list you on their site as well!

Cheers,

Shannon

www.TopWeddingShows.com

13th Annual Hamilton-Halton Fall Wedding Show

September 18 & 19, 2010

The Careport Centre-270 Longwood Rd. S., Hamilton

7th Annual Niagara Autumn Wedding Show

Sunday October 3rd, 2010

The Quality Parkway Hotel & Convention Centre

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Tips for Wedding Professionals Exhibiting at Bridal Shows

13 Sep

I had the opportunity to check out several wedding shows in the Golden Horseshoe this past weekend.  Because I’m usually running around at the 4 Hamilton-Halton & Niagara wedding shows that Beau Monde Productions produces, I don’t have the opportunity to fully notice all the little things that can make or break a sale for a wedding exhibitor.  As I walked the aisles of several weddings shows of different sizes and in different regions  this weekend, I got the chance to view wedding professionals through the eyes of a bride-to-be. I noticed several Wedding Professional dos and don’ts I would like to share anyone who will be exhibiting in a consumer trade show in the near future.

Be Attentive and SMILE! Being at a wedding show is similar to being on stage….numorous sets of eyes are looking at you from various angles…even when you  think you may have a private moment.   The worst feeling as a mock bride was to see exhibitors plaster a fake smile on their faces when they saw a group approaching and seeing that smile disappear just as fast as soon as the exchange with the customer was over.  As a wedding professional, be engaged and excited to be a part of the show! Your company is at the show to service brides, be showcased as on of the top wedding professionals in your area and bottom line: book weddings and make money! That should definitely put a smile on your face!  Another way to stay engaged is during the fashion shows or slower times, chat with your fellow exhibitors to find out whats new in the wedding industry and to see there are any networking possibilities.

Do a Teeth Check: Everyone needs to stop for lunch, but make sure that you do a quick teeth, breath and general clean up after a quick lunch or snack at the show!  I spoke with so many poor exhibitors that has obvious amounts of food in their  teeth or crumbs around their mouth after they had to scarf down a harried lunch before hopping back to work.  Take an extra minute or two to jet to the bathroom to freshen up and make that the remains of your lunch have fully disappeared.  Also, pack your tooth brush, tooth paste, mouth wash or the very least; breath mints to make sure you can chat endlessly with your potential clients with confidence

Take a Break: If its possible, step out of your booth to enjoy a little coffee or lunch break. Not only will it give you a moment or two to relax and regroup away from the crowds, but it appears rude to the brides and grooms-to-be to see you crouched at the back of the booth eating a hurried lunch.  While the action of eating is harmless, brides & grooms-to-be may be hesitant to approach your booth because as Canadians, we don’t want to interrupt or bother someone when they appear pre-occupied.

Different Sales Tactics: Everyone has their own approach to sales, but unfortunately, not every bride and groom is susceptible to your specific sales charm.  Make sure you follow the customers lead to either continue with a hard sales approach or keep it on the softer side of providing information and answering questions where you can.

Practice Your Elevator Pitch: You literally have about 30 seconds to get across what your company does and how you are different and the best choice for the bride & groom you are chatting with.  Practice this before you get to the show and speak it with confidence when you deliver the speech.  Make sure you run it by a trusted fellow wedding professional, employee or family or friend before hand to make sure it is interesting, action-provoking, clear & concise.  Make sure EVERYONE working your booth knows and is comfortable with delivering this elevator speech! Everyone in your booth needs to be ready to provide information about your company and sell your products and services.

Cheers,

Shannon

www.TopWeddingShows.com

13th Annual Hamilton-Halton Fall Wedding Show

September 18 & 19, 2010

The Careport Centre, Hamilton

270 Longwood Rd., S., between Main St W & Aberdeen Ave

Over 150 Wedding Professionals to help you plan your wedding!

7th Annual Niagara Autumn Wedding Show

Sunday October 3rd, 2010

Quality Parkway Hotel & Convention Centre

327 Ontario Street, St. Catharines

The Ultimate Wedding Show! Over 120 Wedding Professionals to help you plan your wedding!

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What to wear at a Bridal Show (for Wedding Professionals)

25 Aug

Everything about a wedding is visual…and usually shiny, bright and pretty ;) And while your products/services may be beautiful enough to sell themselves, it still comes down to the quick interaction between a representative of your business and the bride, groom or a member of their entourage.  Often times, first impressions are based on outward appearances, and what a person is wearing.  Listed below are some basic Dos and Don’ts of what to wear at a wedding show to attract more brides to your booth!

Attire: Please don’t read this and assume that you need to go out and buy all new brand name clothes (sometimes that can actually have an intimidating affect on the bride).  At the very least, be sure that your attire is neat, contemporary and clean (believe it or not, I have seen some exhibitors show up in some questionable items of clothing that certainly do not fall into the above three categories!) These three points are the very basic things to consider.  If all else fails; a modern suit for both men and women is always a safe and professional option. There are several stores in the Hamilton-Halton & Niagara Regions that offer men and women plenty of affordable but fashionable business attire such as Zara, H&M, R&W and Jacob. Some other clothing tips include:

  • Wear Your Company’s Uniform: whether that be a colourful golf shirts with your company’s name embroidered on it, chefs’ uniforms or black tuxedos.  This is a great idea because it clearly represents your company, lets the bride know immediately who she is talking to, shows an air of professionalism and allows the bride to imagine what you would look like at her wedding day if she hired you.
  • Think about your outfit as an accessory to your booth: You want your outfit to compliment and reflect the professionalism, price range, and creative flare of the product and service you have to offer.  For instance, if you are a bridal shoppe, have some of your female staff wear your hottest gown designs.  I know of one amazing wedding decor specialist who always does fabulously colourful booth designs, but wears all black, with just one accessory that pops in a vibrant colour to compliment her display.  I also know of a DJ company that insists that all of their DJs wear black at weddings so that they appear professional, but are able to blend in.  All of those men in black on black suits look so cool standing in the booth together!

Shoes: While comfort is king, try your best to leave your grandmother’s orthotics, running shoes or slippers at home! Unfortunately, this is a time to pull out and shine up the dress shoes for the weekend!  Ensure that your shoes are clean and new looking.  And ladies, if you have a pair of awesome heels that you can stand wearing (even for the really busy times), I suggest them as a must wear!  I will remind you again, that your target market is women 19-35, and while I don’t mean to be stereotypical; young women are suckers for a killer pair of shoes (I include myself in this category).  I have seen several conversations started over an exhibitor’s shoes, necklace, belt…you get the idea.  Remember, relating to the bride it the first step, so use every tool you’ve got…even your shoes!

-Just a quick note on shoes: try to do everything you can to be comfortable.  Everyone can attest to how brutal sore feet make you feel, but you don’t want your customers to see that on your face or in your body language.  A couple tips for keep your footsies in good shape is invest in some Dr. Scholls Gel Insoles (I LOVE these things!), a small rubber mat you can place at the front on your booth to stand on, and bring a pair of flats you can switch into before and after the show.  Some people bring a tall cocktail chair to sit on during the fashion shows.  The tall chairs work because you are still at eye level to the brides. If you are against sitting in your booth a cocktail table also offers some reprieve because you can lean against it and have your information placed on top.

The absolutely best accessory you must wear while working at a wedding show or in any interactions with a bride, is a smile.  Cheesy, I know, but it is so true.  Appearing open, friendly, positive and wanting to be there and wanting to be talking to the bride is the best way to attract a bride to your booth. So, make eye contact and smile…like you mean it!  Please do not plaster an insincere, painful looking grimace on your face.  Think about what genuinely makes you happy and let it reflect on your face (or think about sales and bookings….hopefully that will cause a similar smile)

Cheers,

Shannon

www.TopWeddingShows.com

13th Annual Hamilton-Halton Fall Wedding Show

September 18 & 19, 2010 – The Carerport Centre, Hamilton

7th Annual Niagara Autumn Wedding Show

Sunday October 3rd, 2010- Quality Parkway Hotel & Convention Centre, St. Catharines

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The Dos and Don’ts of Bridal Shows Booths

6 Aug

Bridal Shows provide a unique selling environment. Where else can a company experience the opportunity to market face to face with hundreds of their key demographic? Exhibitors can interact, establish a bond of trust and good feeling with brides and provide proof of their specialties and services. Participating in a well established wedding show can help kick-start and plan out a company’s entire year. A strong and alluring representation is crucial in today’s ever competitive  marketing and advertising mix.

Since exhibitors need to impact the consumer early on, first impressions are key. The right booth can excite, motivate, reward, inform and stimulate. This can be daunting, but is very doable. Here are a few pointers of how best to represent your business at a wedding show;

Display
Keep in mind size appropriateness, background, lighting and signage. What’s in the booth matters. It helps create  an enticing space for the consumer. There is such a thing as too much display. Avoid clutter and overloading the space with too many items. Displays have to make sense, whether it be a theme, a specific style or just a fresh look.  When done right, a booth can capture attention,  heighten excitement and get the consumer ready to participate.

Staff
Only bring your best and most capable staff to represent your business to your key target market. There is really only 2-3 staff members needed per 8×10 booth. Sitting behind a table can give the impression of disinterest. It’s best to stand and greet, really work the show to your best advantage. Eating while in the booth doesn’t always come across as professional. Interactions really matter.

Give-Aways
Never under-estimate how much guests love samples! They will need to differentiate you from your competition so giving them something to take with them can have a great impact. Business cards, flyers, brochures, candies, cake samples, flowers, magnets, etc. can all set you apart as the vendor to remember.

Remember, the goal should be to get leads and make valuable and lasting impressions, not just to sign contracts. Brides are some of the most informed consumers when it comes to getting what they want for their wedding day, so make sure you bring your best showing and give them the a first impression they will trust and want to do business with.

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