Invitation Business

For 15 years I was a multi-store owner for wedding services and invitations and when I joined Encore in 1996 after already doing marketing seminars for the industry and having written a book on marketing for the wedding industry, I felt like a teacher ready to impart knowledge to my “students”, the dealers.

So much has changed in the last 12 years and some of my “students” were actually my teachers, realizing that I did so many things wrong as a retailer and strengthened my knowledge by listening.

I realize that I need to go back to school and learn as much about the internet as my 50 year old brain can tolerate. This week I attended a seminar by Network Solutions on Search Engine Optimization. The speaker was engaging but overwhelmed me with implementable information that I have to digest slowly. The unbelievable thing about the web is that you can be a company that provides the services you speak about and tell your audience everything they need to do and how to do it with no worries that anyone will actually do it. It is just too detailed and time consuming for the vast majority of retailers to act on.

I am thoroughly convinced that in our industry online marketing is going to be the only meaningful way to bring customers into your store besides word of mouth, networking and some target advertising in bridal magazines. The yellow pages, newspaper, and other print methods will continue to provide diminishing returns. Print cannot compete with the informational and visual experience a bride looking for wedding invitations can receive researching online.

Almost every business has received some sort of solicitation from a company claiming that they can put your company on the top of google and other major search engines when someone does a key word search like “wedding invitations”.

My answer to you is that the task is impossible and impractical for local retailers. However, it is possible when someone is doing a search including geographic information like “wedding invitations in Denver.” The whole key to succeeding online is to find relevant key words to your business and apply the formula potential traffic divided by competition and the higher the result the better the key word.  So how likely can you decide to sell online and be successful? Not likely because there are millions of web sites competing to be found when a consumer does a search for “wedding invitations” How likely can you have an attractive web site that spotlights your local business and attract local customers? Very likely, as far less web sites will be competing to be found when a local search is being done. A local search indicates the customer’s preference to buy locally and is not as important for an online retailer to be found.

I had lots of information crammed into a four seminar. I am not going to that you. More to come soon…

Before you know it, we will again have busier days for invitation sales. In January, with the bulk of all engagements coming to fruition between Christmas and Valentine’s Day and most weddings taking place April, May, June, September and October, all invitation businesses will increase from the slow days of summer, the temporary, mild resurrection of the fall and the distraction of the holiday season.

The time to strategize is now, taking larger four color ads in bridal magazines to be noticed rather than be dwarfed and not noticed by taking a small ad and only doing so if you have an attractive, functional web site. And reallocating advertising budgets away from yellow pages and newspaper to the internet, where almost all invitation customers are researching and if you want local customers to buy from you, you have to be found amid the web sites that are tempting consumers to buy online with invitations usually easily found at many invitation retailers, while retailers are more likely to offer a selection of upscale invitations that are not as easily found online.

In the July/August issue of Greetings Etc. Magazine, an article was published by shop.org, a division of the National Retail Federation, that concludes based on “The State of Retailing Online Study”, that “search engine marketing is the most effective way to reach new customers”.

I was ahead of the curve on this, implementing search marketing for my wife’s invitation store two years and in January forming “Local Traffic Builder” in partnership with a very talented web designer who became professionally certified by Google to master the power of this program and offer an advanced, intricately developed program for invitation retailers that would take an individual months to understand and implement, while being cost prohibitive to approach a general internet marketing firm to create to the extent we did for our industry.

Have this program implemented for your business by December would be ideal to capitalize on making your busy season much busier. Check out www.localtrafficbuilder carefully and keep it on your radar screen.

Many successful invitation retailers do not give personalized holiday cards the attention worthy of its potential. In no other stationery category is such a large segment of the population a potential customer in such a finite period of time.

Personal holiday card buying is a reflection of the taste level and budgetary constraints for individuals. Some consumers just enjoy going sending out a beautiful holiday card and are willing to spend the money.

In the corporate market, sending out a holiday card is a subtle marketing message. There can be a return on their investment. A distinctive card will be looked at more carefully and the recipient is more likely to take notice of who sent it.

Carrying holiday cards that are not available in mail order catalogs and promoting that you offer holiday cards that are less likely to be unique can be a strong selling point to companies that pride themselves in differentiation.

Ask existing social invitation customers where they work, if their company sends out holiday cards and the contact person if they do. The best part of holiday card selling is the likely prognosis of receipt business. Also large companies will send out thousands of cards but maintaining a full margin is difficult as buyers try to get the best value from their vendors for such a large purchase

Starting promotion to the corporate market early in the summer can yield results as most companies will still be in the market though decisions are often not made until late summer and fall.

In 1981, I started an invitation and favor business working out of the office of a banquet facility. I solicited by phone all the customers and inquiries and offered to come to their home to show them invitations and favors. As little as I knew about the business then, I still sold 9 out of 10. I would bring in about 4-5 invitation albums and big box of favors.

The success inspired me to open a store within 6 months and struggled with the store for two years with higher overhead, many more lookers than buyers and a realization that I had to do something to change my business that looked so promising when I had no overhead and sold in the home.

I merged with a partner who had two stores and his concept was to sell every service possible to the bride and not rely on waiting in the store for customers to come to him. The business was based on some store traffic, but developing bridal lead sources, soliciting them, and have commissioned sales people sell in the home. By 1987 I had six salespeople who were doing home visits at least 3 times a week.

The difference in closing ratio was staggering. 60-70% in the home and 30-40% in the store. Invitations were sold at full price and the sales rep would get 20%. From 1983-88, I had a very profitable business that was heavily reliant on the home sale.

Unfortunately, technology effected this winning strategy and with answering machines and voice mail, it became much harder to reach the bride. I took a higher road in retail to maintain the volume, opened more stores with higher overhead and never made as much money as those earlier years.

It is still hard to get people on the phone but I feel that with gas prices and the convenience of buying on the web, exploring the offer of a shop-at-home service can be just what some potential customers would be open to. They can do business with a local company who has a tangible retail presence rather than putting their credit card on an invitation web site, which I am sure in some cases is done with at least a minimal amount of concern about their invitations turning out perfectly.

My idea for a 21st century shop-at-home is that the strategy pulls customers rather than pushes them. Don’t solicit customers and push them, integrate the offering of the service into your advertising and marketing and pull them. If you are concerned about wasting time and money, don’t.

Explain that this a  service to help them select an invitation as if they went to a store and see actual samples, receive the personal service only a local retailer can give, but with the convenience of not having to spend time and money getting to and from the store. Seeing a large selection of physical samples is a much better way to select invitations than seeing images on a web site that can either overstate or understate the actual invitation.

Further explain that the invitations are offered at the same price as offered in the store. In the unlikely event you do not select an invitation from the large selection presented, there will be a $50-$100 service fee (you decide). That fee will be credited towards the invitation order if done at later date or waived if the selection is made that evening.

You can ask certain questions that help you determine what albums would be best to take and even ask them if they are aware of certain brands.

Additional sales strategies of developing this service and increasing the chances of making a sale in the home are available in “The Invitation Business Report” which can be ordered on www.sellthebride.com.

When I joined Encore Studios in 1996 after owning retail
stores for 15 years, I did so before retailing was going to
change forever. At my first stationery show as Encore’s VP,
I quickly grasped the industry issues. Retail storefronts
that upheld a no-discounting policy resented home-based
businesses because many of them discounted. Home
based business and storefront owners and managers both
were aware and frustrated by sister companies of their
suppliers who sold direct to the consumer at almost
wholesale prices. This still exists today.
However, it seemed there was enough business for
invitation businesses to get their fair share. Little did
retailers know what was about to take place. With the
birth of the internet, a whole new level of competition
entered the arena. There are now thousands of web sites
that sell invitations, most of them selling popular priced
brands at deep discounts. E-commerce web sites that
sell their own designs are becoming more and more
prevalent. Packaged invitations that offer do-it-yourself
printing solutions are increasing rapidly.
With all of this competition, it would seem the internet
is a completely negative factor to retailers. From my
perspective the biggest reason this perception exists is that
the retailer has not responded effectively to the challenge.
Almost every consumer now uses the internet to do
research. That does not mean they will buy online or
cannot be influenced to purchase from a retailer, if they
were educated to the advantages.

Here are some of the challenges to this premise:
1. Many retailers do not have web sites.
2. Others have web sites, but they are either outdated
or not reflective of their level of quality and service.
3. When consumers search for local retailers, they
cannot find them.

The website needs to be given us much attention as does
the store’s physical design to create eye appeal and allure.
It can be misperceived as a negative factor if a retailer
does not have a web site. In today’s climate, a web site
is the “front lobby”, a customer’s first impression of a
business. This is a branding opportunity, and does not
require that product be sold on line.

The biggest problem of all is when a consumer does a key
word search on Google or Yahoo; they are rarely finding
retailers’ web sites. If they are not finding retailers, they
are far less likely to be exposed to the more upscale and
exclusive products along with the service advantages that
can inspire them away from their computer screens to get
in the car and visit a store. Instead they are being served
a set of thousands of online search results that create a
false perception of the selection of invitations available
to them. Many lower end invitations look nicer on the
web than they actually are, factoring in paper quality and
workmanship. Conversely, the web can never do justice
to invitations that are engraved or letter pressed, textured,
beveled or thick papers.

The good news is that recently Google and Yahoo have
created programs strictly to increase local business. But,
there’s a problem, too. It is time consuming and a bit
confusing to set up. Once set up, these search engines can
identify the location of where the consumer is doing her
search. For instance, a retailer in Omaha, Nebraska can
come up locally, but not outside the area. This creates
an opportunity to attract customers specifically looking
for the products and services you provide in a manner far
more targeted than any other method of advertising.
This whole process takes time to learn and implement.
While this investment is hard to make when dealing with
the day to day of running a store, it’s critical in today’s
marketplace. What may once have been considered a
luxury, I now regard as a necessity to stay relevant and
to compete.

Retailers create the sizzle, excitement and service necessary
to inspire consumers to purchase upscale, custom
invitations. This experience is hard to replicate online.
There is some great technology out there, but it doesn’t
hold a candle to either seeing and feeling the invitations
or experiencing the passion and knowledge of an
experienced invitation retailer.

If business is slow, the extra time you may have can be put to long term, big picture thinking and action steps that can help you do more business during the busy season to make up for the lost business during the slow season.

Here are some action steps for the invitation retailer:

1) If you are burn out, get cool. Take the time that you have to recharge your battery, so you can think clearer and have more energy to put into long term thinking and planning.

2) Start thinking about 2009 now! Analyze what works and doesn’t work. Put in writing all your advertising and marketing efforts and their expenses. Ask yourself what you can try new? The chances are the best new initiatives you can take have to do with building or improving your web site and then marketing on the internet targeting local customers.

3) Be proactive about networking. What businesses do you know of that are an earlier rung on the planning ladder than invitations can you approach to recommend you. Communicate with satisfied customers, send birthday and anniversary cards.

4) Really take a look at new products from the trade shows you attended or research online.

5) Try to look at your store displays like a new customer would. Is your store cluttered or sloppy. Concentrate on making that first impression. Are your invitation displays show discontinued invitations? Ask your suppliers for samples.

6) Look at your business card, sales literature and anything else that projects your image. If you are happy with it, great. Otherwise, work on improving them.

6) Start marketing corporate holiday now. Contact your invitation customers and ask if their companies buy holiday cards. Think about local businesses that might be in the market and contact them offering to lend them albums.

7) Enjoy extra time with family and friends…. Enjoy your summer

I was very nervous. Exhibiting my company www.localtrafficbuilder.com for the first time and the tremendous effort and expense we put into our booth at Encore Studios. What made me nervous was so many dealers I spoke to were not attending the show this year.

Fortunately the show went great for both companies. However it seemed like a smaller show and the attendance did seem down particularly as Tuesday and Wednesday rolled along. What I do not understand is why every invitation and stationery supplier does not take at least one booth and how every retailer does not attend for at least one day.

I would love every loyal Encore dealer to not dilute their selection of invitations with any new company but that is not in the best interest of the dealer. Dealers need to see what is new and fresh more so than ever in the fight to bring products to life that differentiate them from online sellers and so many companies that may exist in their local area that sell invitation as an add-on rather than a mainstay and all sell the products of the companies that provide them with cheap or free albums.

As a member of the board of advisers of the National Stationery Show, I can tell you the show team is working hard to improve the show and make it easier for you to get better hotel rates and other incentives to attend next year. The show is staying in NYC and for those that attended thanks for the support and for others hope to see you next year.

I am a student of the industry and I browse through just about every issue of national bridal magazines. I received the current issue of “Bride’s Magazine” and pollybagged with the magazine was a brochure with Taylor Corp’s new direct to consumer web site www.weddinginvitationgallery.com that conglomerates designs by  Rexcraft. Jean M, Now & Forever, Invitations by Dawn among other companies that contain many of the same invitations that you sell in your albums through their sister companies that supply you.

Think about the circulation of Bride’s Magazine and how hundreds of thousands of brides are going to see that attractively done brochure and the ads by those individual companies that dominate the invitation presence in Bride’s and other national magazines. Can you imagine if the same type of effort was put into driving customers to your store rather than taking customers away.

Sorry, I am a professional but as a long time former invitation retailer and married to a woman who works very hard trying to succeed in her invitation store, I take it personally.

This was sent by a very talented and funny Encore dealer:

YOU ARE REGRETFULLY INVITED

TO THE WEDDING BETWEEN MY PERFECT SON

The Doctor

AND SOME

Cheap Two-Tramp

WHOSE NAME ESCAPES ME RIGHT NOW.

THE BIGGEST DISASTER IN MY FAMILY’S HISTORY
WILL TAKE PLACE

9PM ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH

AND NO DOUBT WILL END IN DIVORCE

HOPEFULLY IN TIME TO STILL BE ELIGIBLE FOR AN ANNULMENT

THE OVERWHELMINGLY DISAPPOINTING HEARTBREAK OF A CEREMONY

WILL BE FOLLOWED BY DINNER, WHERE NUTS WILL BE SERVED

BECAUSE WHATSHERFACE HAS AN ALLERGY

Since May 07, when the post office changed their rates and added surcharges for squares, vertical envelopes etc., there has been widespread confusion. One dealer in New Orleans told me that the post office sent postage due slips to recipients after the host had confirmed the cost of postage for their weighed invitation was correct. Save the dates cards were returned because the clerk told the bride one amount and the processing center sent them back for insufficient postage.

Here is a link to postal rates which is very confusing:

http://pe.usps.gov/text/dmm300/ratesandfees.htm

Please post any suggestions or experiences. May, 2008 there is another rate change scheduled.
Any suggestions?