Do You Use Stock Photos?

I've discovered a new source for stock photos that is really affordable, has nice variety, and has an easy-to-use search engine. I purchased some images for a client's web site at $1 each!

The service is called Fotolia -- visit them at:

Images for a $1 - Fotolia.com

Layaway Resurfaces. Could it Work for Wedding Vendors?

Layaway plans -- whereby you ask a retailer to hold merchandise you'd like to purchase and allow you to pay it off in installments, then retrieve it once you've paid in full -- had all but disappeared by the 90s. When everyone had easy access to credit, there wasn't much allure to delaying gratification. Now that credit is tight, and most consumers are nervous about taking on more debt, layaway is looking attractive once more. (Here's one article about the trend: MSNBC: Layaway Makes a Comeback.)Which got me to thinking: could wedding vendors create payment programs for their brides and grooms inspired by layaway?

Most wedding vendors sell services, not merchandise -- so, technically, there's nothing to lay away. But, vendors could offer brides the option to pay for their services ahead of their weddings in small increments -- say, monthly -- for a year or more prior to their wedding dates. Most people are less nervous about paying $75/month better than $1,000 at one time. And, such a plan would allow people who simply can't put $1,000, $2,000 or $5,000 on a credit card like they once could. Expand the concept a bit, and family members can join in by picking up a payment or two in lieu of gifts.

Just like it once did for designer bags and furniture, the option to prepay in small bits over time could help keep more expensive wedding packages in reach of more brides.

A few caveats spring to mind, though. I wouldn't recommend this if you don't have much tolerance for bookkeeping; implement a plan like this, and you'll need to do a lot more of it! You'll need to think through a cancellation policy: stores like K-Mart charge a small fee, but return money paid towards the merchandise. You'll need to decide how much you should charge for cancellations -- and whether that figure should vary based on how far away the wedding date is.

And, of course, marketing will be critical: make sure you can update your materials, your web site, and your ads to bring in enough clients to make the effort of setting up such a plan worthwhile.

Wedding Planning in a Downturn

Since early this summer, we've been surveying brides on our web site about how the economy has changed their wedding plans. Not surprisingly, nearly all brides responding said they've had to at least consider altering their plans. However, there were some surprising responses to how they plan to change their events.

The most interesting things we learned from the survey were:

• Except for videography and live music, most brides do not plan to eliminate key services to save money. Instead, 100% of brides responding said that reducing the guest count was one of the first places they will look for savings -- with more than half saying it was the place they are cutting back. Trimming the menu was the next target for savings, with 80% of brides indicating they intend to reduce food costs with a simpler menu.
• Other top cost-cutting tactics were fewer/less costly flowers and decorations, and DIY invitations.
• What brides want most from wedding vendors: flexibility and education. Nearly 100% said that "creative ideas for doing more with less" and "education about what really makes a wedding great" were their top choices for how vendors could help. A la carte services and flexibility (e.g., less restrictive minimums) were the second most popular choice.

The upshot: the good news is, most brides are still planning a conventional wedding with most of the major services. But, they are looking to be prudent about costs (without sacrificing quality, of course). Vendors who can demonstrate flexibility and efficiency in their services can take advantage of brides' desire to feel their making good decisions and spending hard-earned money wisely.

Excellent Article About Web Site Quality

A great post on marketingprofs.com noted that a recent study showed that about 75% of consumers visit a company's web site to find information about products and services they're shopping for. I'd venture a guess that the percentage is even higher for brides, since they're shopping for things they've never evaluated before, they're spending more money than they typically do, and they're under tremendous pressure to make good decisions quickly.

Unfortunately for vendors, the study also pointed out that a much smaller percentage of shoppers -- about 40% -- are satisfied with the information on the sites they visit. (And that, in turn, bodes poorly for the vendors trying to market to those customers.)

What does that mean for wedding vendors? Most obviously, it's more proof that an effective web site is critical to your business. It is the key to making all your sales and marketing efforts effective, because once you've captured a bride's interest via advertising, a referral, a bridal show, or a search engine, she will go to your web site to determine whether or not to consider your company.

What kinds of things should you consider when developing or redesigning your site?

(1) Remember that your site must be designed with your customer in mind.

Too many vendors develop web sites that are more about their own desires than their customers needs. For example, noisy sites with lots of Flash are irritating to brides (who are often logging in from work). Ditto for heavy sites with lots of video.

(2) Invest in a quality designer.

Amateurish designs or run-of-the-mill templates can do more harm than good. By keeping the functionality or your site simple, you can save money that can be invested in a good set of custom template pages from a quality designer. What's more, this kind of simple design is easy to update with new text (e.g., for pricing and package changes) and images. You'll save money in the long run, and have a site that's more friendly to both brides and search engines.

For more on the subject, check out the original article on marketingprofs.com.