Free? Could it really be FREE? Absolutely.
With his big personality and warm presence, Perth celebrant Eddie Lemos-Couto thought that exhibiting at an event would give him the opportunity to build brand awareness at a crucial time in the wedding planning process.
“Most couples go to these still at the very beginning of their journeys, planning weddings years in advance. Hopefully, they remember the sweet, sweet taste of chocolate and get in touch with me when they actually start booking people.”
But for Eddie, who had never done an expo before, he wasn’t sure how to apply or who to talk to. Like so many things, it’s not what you know, but WHO you know.
“I guess networking is the key. A great friend of mine hooked me up with a spot at the Parmelia Hilton (at the Perth City Open Day). I will keep trying to poke my head into venues and see how many of those I can get my foot in the door,” he said.
That’s exactly the approach that fellow Perth celebrant Nikita Campbell takes – hitting the pavement, building personal relationships, and reaping the rewards.“I have researched my ideal wedding venues well in advance and contacted them directly to ask how I go about showcasing at their upcoming Wedding Open Day. I have never had to pay to showcase at an Open Day,” she said.
“I have showcased at Buckland Estate, Barton Park, Nikola Estate, Aintree Cottage and Jarrahfalls Bush Camp and have walked away with at least one booked from each, making it all worth it. I have found being loyal to these venues has seen me thrive with lots of potential future work at each of them.”
Either way, once you’ve been given the green light by the venue, and the date is in your diary, you’ll be left with the same question.
What now? Do I need a stall? Well, that depends on the venue and what would catch the eye of your ideal client.
As a self-professed geek, Eddie used his graphic design skills to create an epic display drawing on elements of pop culture and tabletop games. But that’s not all he brought…
“I brought brigadeiros, which are a Brazilian traditional chocolate treat, synonymous with party. It was a GREAT way to stop people at my stall and talk to me. Whatever I said sounded MUCH better after they were eating my choccie treats!” he laughed.
Similarly, Nikita leaned into her strengths and tried to see things through the eyes of expo-goers. It made her realise that many vendors need BIGGER signage, and could benefit from stepping out from behind the standard trestle table.
“I am not afraid of walking up to expo goers and asking how their day is going. I then ask if they have a marriage celebrant booked yet. If yes, I say I won’t bother you with my sales pitch then, but still continue to chat if they are interested. If no, then I ask if they would like to hear about my service and then I lead them to my booth/stand where I have photos of previous weddings and all the legal paperwork to show the marriage process,” she said.
“I made sure I had my logo professionally made, but hand made my expo signage and the feedback has been wonderful. I try to keep my set up with a rustic feel (my ideal demographic), making sure I have wheat in my floral arrangements to match my logo, seagrass rug and farm style table.”
Now with a few events under her belt, Nikita found that mingling with other industry professionals was equally as important as meeting new couples. She offered this advice for those new to the expo scene:
“Be 100% yourself at an Expo or Open Day. If you’re not, then you risk booking clients that might not fit your brand, or may not be your ideal client,” she explained.
