Top 6 Reasons NOT to do a Bridal Show

• 6. I'M NOT READY "I want everything to be perfect or I won't do it at all." America's richest man, Bill Gates, didn't wait. He went with what he had. The brides won't wait, either. If you're not there, they'll choose someone else.



• 5. COMPETITORS ARE THERE "Too many of my competitors exhibit at the show." Only a fraction of the Northeast Ohio's wedding professionals exhibit. You compete with ALL of them. Whether you're there or not. The secret is that when you exhibit, you have an unfair advantage over your competitors who aren't there. You are the one face-to-face with the bride.



• 4. CAN'T TAKE THE TIME "I can't leave the store that day." How long into summer will it be before you see hundreds to over a thousand brides? That's what exhibitors saw in ONE DAY last October 2008 and January 2009! The smart business decision is to be where the brides are.



• 3. SAVING THAT DAY FOR A WEDDING "I can't give up a day to man my booth." A good bridal show brings you business for months. Your time is an investment in your success for the next six months. You don't have to turn down a wedding. Just have someone man your booth the times you're not there.



• 2. NOT MY KIND OF BRIDE "I'm only interested in the high-end bride." Most brides are high-end for at least one wedding category.



• 1. IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE "I can't afford to advertise." You can offer the best product and still fail. Smart business people promote. You have to let brides know about you. With booths beginning at only $495, you can't afford NOT to exhibit! To book wedding business, be where the brides are.

1. Magazines and magazine ads garner greater attention: BIGresearch studies show that when consumers read magazines they are much less likely to engage with other media or to take part in non-media activities compared to the users of TV, radio or the Internet. According to new research from JackMyers, when consumers were asked to rate media based on how likely they are to pay attention to the advertising messages, magazines ranked at or near the top of the list.



2. Magazine advertising is valuable content: Consumers value magazine advertising, according to numerous studies. Starcom found that when readers were asked to pull ten pages that best demonstrate the essence of their favorite magazines, three out of ten pages pulled were ads. Consumers told Dynamic Logic that magazine advertising was more relevant or useful than ads in other media.



3. Magazines supply credibility: Consumers trust and believe magazines and magazine advertising more than other media. Simmons’Multi-Media Engagement Study shows magazines score higher on being “trustworthy” than TV or the Internet. Multiple other sources also indicate that consumers place significant trust in magazine advertising.



4. Magazine advertising performs most consistently throughout the purchase funnel: Magazines generally contribute more than other media when looking across the purchase funnel. As a result, magazines boost other media’s effectiveness at all stages of the funnel.



5. Magazine advertising sells and influences: Several studies show that magazines are generally the strongest driver of purchase intent. Perhaps this is because more than half of all readers act on magazine ads, according to Affinity Research. Data also show magazines are a leading influence on word-of-mouth.



6. Magazine advertising drives web searches and visits: Numerous studies prove that magazine advertising influences consumers to start a search for merchandise online or to visit a website more than any other medium, ranking at or near the top by gender as well as age. In addition, magazine ads build web traffic overall and throughout the purchase funnel.



7. Magazine advertising improves advertising ROI: Multiple studies have demonstrated that allocating more money to magazines in the media mix improves marketing and advertising ROI across a broad range of product categories.



8. Magazine advertising is relevant and targeted: Consumers consider magazine advertising more relevant than advertising in other media. With a range of titles that appeal to a wide variety of demographics, lifestyles, and interests, advertisers can hone in on targets that fit their needs.



9. Magazines deliver reach: Across major demographic groups, the combination of the top 25 magazines delivers more rating points than the top 25 TV shows. In addition, consumers are more likely to turn to magazines to search for information across a variety of categories at least once a week compared to the Internet, based on research from MediaVest.



10. Magazine audiences accumulate faster than you think—and with lasting impact: The average monthly magazine accumulates approximately 60% of its audience within a month’s time, and the average weekly magazine accumulates nearly 80% of its audience in two weeks. In addition, consumers refer to magazines multiple times, even saving them, giving advertisers the opportunity for multiple exposures.


See specific examples of how magazines delivered results for more than 150 brands at www.magazine.org/casestudies.

Sources: BIGresearch Simultaneous Media Usage Study, 2007; JackMyers Emotional Connections Survey, 2007; Starcom; Dynamic Logic; Simmons’Multi-Media Engagement Study, 2007; Hearst Magazines Engagement Factor Study, 2005; MORI Research, 2006; Marketing Evolution; Affinity’s VISTA Print Effectiveness Rating Service, 2007; Time Inc. Magazine Environmental; Tracking Study, 2006; Carat Insight; MRI, Fall 2007; MediaVest Print/Digital Study, 2008.