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| March 2010 | Vol 3 Issue 3 | ||||||||||||||
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| Tools | ||
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Webinar Q&A: Attracting the Destination Wedding Market Our most recent webinar on "Attracting the Destination Wedding Market" inspired some GREAT questions, so I thought I would share all the Q&A! The webinar, in it's recorded version, is available for viewing on our website at BeverlyClarkTraining.com, in the "learning center". Keep those questions and comments coming! Q: What do you consider as examples of "inspiration boards"? A: In the special events industry, we are always looking for the trendiest new everything - we need inspiration! Funny thing is, the brides and our clients are looking at the same thing, and with the incredible amount of info on the internet waves, brides get tons of great ideas, then it's the job of the industry professionals to bring it all together and make it all happen! Brides rarely know what all those great "looks" will cost them, though, so it is our job to also be an educator as well as someone who can help them prioritize. And remember what I always say - "trends = upsells"! Think about how every trend can translate into an upsell for your business or service. Inspiration boards come in many different forms, but most commonly refer to a theme or idea that is played out in pictorial format to "inspire" the reader to duplicate the same type of look. I'm often asked about my favorite blogs, or where I think brides are getting all these wild and wonderful ideas...wow...there is no lack of great blogs, but here are a few of my "faves" where I always see great inspiration boards... StyleMePretty.com JuneBugWeddings.com/blogs/what_junebug_loves GreenWeddingShoes.blogspot.com JulianneSmith.wordpress.com iLoveLolliblog.com Q: What do you consider as examples of "inspiration boards"? Our most recent webinar on "Attracting the Destination Wedding Market" inspired some GREAT questions, so I thought I would share all the Q&A! The webinar, in it's recorded version, is available for viewing on our website at BeverlyClarkTraining.com, in the "learning center". Keep those questions and comments coming! Q: We have a new venue in Mexico and I would like to create a theme wedding named "Mercado Theme Wedding". Where and with who should I advertise in order to target this special market. It is a Mexican hacienda theme designed wedding. A: For destination weddings, any theme that showcases the local area and surroundings will be a popular choice because brides choose a destination, they want their wedding and their guests' experience to reflect the local culture. As for advertising, nothing new is needed to showcase your new themed packages - make the information readily available on your website and in materials that are emailed out. When sending a proposal, you can use that theme as a "sample". Most brides and wedding planners appreciate the inclusive, themed packages for simplicity of costs involved as well as the ease of planning. Q: Can I have Alison Hotchkiss' email - I missed it! A: Alison Hotchkiss is the Creative Director of Alison Events and was interviewed as a resource for the webinar (she's just an all-around awesome person, too!). She is also the author of The Destination Wedding Planner, and has designed and executed incredible events all over the world. Her contact information is: Website: AlisonEvents.com Blog: AlisonEvents.blogspot.com Email: info@AlisonEvents.com Q: We are located in Mexico. Do you think that charity donations are a good idea even if brides will be donating to Mexican Foundations? A: If a bride is choosing to donate to a charity in place of favors or some other aspect of her wedding, supporting a local charity that will benefit the area in which she hosted her wedding is a wonderful idea. Some brides, however, may have a favorite charity that they prefer to donate to. Being ready with helpful suggestions is always great, should your brides inquire. Q: How do we get access to the survey results you mentioned? A:There are two different surveys that I referred to - The Wedding Report is a great source for all industry vendors (www.theweddingreport.com). The surveys conducted by Beverly Clark are available free of charge to our advertising clients. For more information on advertising your location, product or service on one of the Beverly Clark websites, please contact 800.933.3434 Q: Can you please send us the list of the destination wedding activities you came up with...pub crawl, wine tasting, snorkel outing etc A:Again, Alison Hotchkiss was the resources for these fun activities for the guests to enjoy during a multi-day wedding event. MOST important is being clear about what is "included" (hosted) by the bride & groom and what is an additional charge. For events that only a select few are invited to, such as a bridesmaids' luncheon, you'll want to send separate invitations, send an e-mail, or invite guests personally. Events that everyone is invited to can be listed on the RSVP card. If you include an event on the invitation, you're saying that you're the host--in other words, you're paying for it. If it's an event that you're just organizing but not hosting, you can either add a price--like "Snorkeling expedition, $60 per person"--or just put that information on the Web site with a note in the invitation saying, "Check our Web site for additional wedding week activities." Great activities to consider include: Hiking, museum visit, breakfast, yoga, golfing, local tours, wine tasting, horseback riding, fishing, high tea, frisbee golf, spa day, kayaking, picnic, ping-pong tournament, sightseeing tour, garden tour, snorkeling, beach volleyball, barbecue, surfing lessons, trolley tour, boat trip, pub crawl, cooking class...be creative and take advantage of local culture and activities. Q: Can you please send us the names of the top destination wedding planners? A:First, let me be clear that this list is in NO WAY inclusive! Our industry boasts some of the most ridiculously talented people I have ever seen! The ones I mentioned in the webinar include: Michelle Rago, NY; Marcy Blum, NY; Alison Hotchkiss, San Francisco; Lisa Light of Destination Bride; Mindy Weiss, Los Angeles; Beth Helmstetter, Los Angeles; Todd Avery, Texas. >> Print this article
"I have great expectations of you, but none higher than you can attain"
- Thomas Edison |
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| Tactics | ||
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Social Media, 2010...Is it Right For You? Social media and social networking is EVERYWHERE we turn. FaceBook, LinkedIn, Twitter - everyone is doing it, but should you as a business in the special events industry jump on this speeding train? That is the question in the air of many of the hotels, resorts, clubs and vendors in our industry. The answer? Yes! Yes! A thousand times "yes"! Actually, when you think about what social media is all about, it couldn't be MORE in line with our industry - it's an online party! People coming together who share like interests and passions, sharing information in a group environment format. So, for the industry to NOT become immersed in this "new to some" and engaging communication vehicle is simply not an option. A little clarification of the terms (definitions!) for those who need it - when you create a posting on Twitter, it is called a "tweet". It must be very short (140 characters or less), unlike FaceBook where you can write longer posts. A blog can be set up for free on websites such as WordPress.com or Blogspot.com and you can write as much as you want - it's like an ongoing story. It can be a consistent theme or whatever you like - it's just a place to write thoughts or articles that can be accessed online by anyone who follows you. Here are a few tips and tricks for becoming savvy in the social media world:
>> Print this article
"Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them, and their value will never be known. Improve them, and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson |
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| People in the News! | |||
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Congratulations to our new
Beverly Clark Certified Wedding Professionals: Diane Wheatley, MeadowBrook Country Club Wendy Rukstalis, The Fairmont Southampton Francine Kosla, Ritz-Carlton Hotel Rachelle Grockau, Grand Traverse Resort and Spa Ann Balut, Crowne Plaza Columbus Downtown Ashley Walker, Whitetail Ridge Golf Club Sandra Jn Baptiste, Rendezvous As well as gaining their certification, they now have the right to use a logo with their new designation on all marketing materials. 
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| What Do You Want to See? | ||
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Send us your ideas for future newsletters and topics and we'll do our best to accommodate your request. >> Submit Your Ideas and/or Subscribe to our Newsletter |
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| Announcement | ||
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 It is our pleasure to announce our new strategic partnership with Zack Bates and Eva Nightingale of Private Club Marketing. Private Club Marketing (PrivateClubMarketing.com) offers expertise in the hospitality industry in the fields of Graphic Design and Communication Strategies including promotional materials, magazines, newsletters, website and email communications. They specialize in the private club industry in the fields of Member Relations and Retention as well as providing the necessary products to maximize Member Connections and maintaining valued traditions that last a lifetime. Capabilities Private Club Marketing will work closely with your executive staff, laying the necessary foundation for New Member Enrollment Planning, Membership Retention, Communications Management, and Member Relations Strategies. The team at Private Club Marketing brings the necessary direction and invaluable guidelines for online and printed design, ensuring the success of your vision. As a result of this strategic partnership, Beverly Clark Hospitality Training and Private Club Marketing can now offer outstanding, comprehensive services including: member relations consulting packages and member relations certification in private club industry. As well as providing services to private clubs, Private Club Marketing works closely with restaurants, resorts and hotels. Private Club Marketing has made ordering the products and services you need as easy as possible. Visit PrivateClubMarketing.com to see how you can enhance your communications strategy. Through our commitment to provide the best service to our clients, this new alliance allows us to move ahead in the coming years with confidence, knowing that we are providing our clients with best in quality and expertise. |
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| Webinar Series | ||
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#8 - Strategic Partnerships in the Special Events Industry
Join us Online on May 18, 2010 at 11am PDT/1:00pm CDT/2:00pm EDT (approximately a one-hour duration) Topics will include: Building Vendor Relationships, Unexpected Partnerships, Increasing Revenue Through Strategic Alignments. To register or for more information >> Please visit our Learning Center 
#9 - Maximizing the 2010 Holiday Season
Join us Online on July 21, 2010 at 11am PDT/1:00pm CDT/2:00pm EDT (approximately a one-hour duration) Topics will include: Marketing Streams and Timing, Increasing the Value of Your Product or Service, Securing Dates Early, Upselling the Extras. To register or for more information >> Please visit our Learning Center
#10 - Wine Sales and Upselling
Join us Online on Sept. 22, 2010 at 11am PDT/1:00pm CDT/2:00pm EDT (approximately a one-hour duration) Topics will include: Pairing with Menus, Conducting Proper Tastings, Upselling to the Next Tier (or two)! To register or for more information >> Please visit our Learning Center
#11 - Preparing for the 2011 Wedding Season
Join us Online on Oct. 20, 2010 at 11am PDT/1:00pm CDT/2:00pm EDT (approximately a one-hour duration) Topics will include: Trend Alert - What's on the Horizon for 2011, Making the Most of Your Advertising Dollars, Multi-Cultural Wedding Opportunities, Your Annual Wedding Marketing Plan - New Ideas! To register or for more information >> Please visit our Learning Center |
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| Connect with Lynne | ||
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BeverlyClarkTraining.com |
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| About Lynne | ||
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Editor in Chief Lynne LaFond DeLuca Lynne is the Sr. Vice President, Business Development and Education for Beverly Clark Hospitality Training. She is a highly regarded speaker in the special events industry and has written for industry publications including Boardroom and Catering magazines. Lynne has trained people around the world in the art of catering industry sales and operations. She has an absolute passion for what she does and for helping the people that she works with in the hospitality industry to perform at their maximum level. lynne@beverlyclarkenterprises.com More info on having Lynne as a Guest Speaker at your next industry event or sales meeting, please visit >> Beverly Clark Hospitality Training |
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| Resources | ||
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 Contact a Beverly Clark Representative about advertising on one of our websites. A strong internet marketing presence is a MUST today! T | 800.933.3434 E | info@beverlyclarkenterprises.com  For information on advertising in this newsletter please go to our: >> Newsletter ad information  |
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| Credits | ||
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Top photo courtesy of Jose Villa Stylist, Alison Events |
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