The Smart Lab: 6 Tips for Exhibiting at a Bridal Show
From freebies to follow-up, Emmanuel Rehab shares a list of must-dos for any jeweler looking to connect with soon-to-wed couples.
Anyone who attends a bridal show is interested and open to hear from you. They’re actively seeking goods and services to complete their picture-perfect wedding. Everyone is a potential customer.
As a jeweler, this is the ideal time to showcase your wide selection of engagement rings, wedding bands, bridesmaid gifts, and wedding day jewelry. You can make their big day complete by bringing your best styles to the show.
This opportunity for connection, however, does not come without cost.
Bridal shows can be expensive as an exhibitor and not everyone has the resources to devote to it. If you do, you want to make sure you are maximizing your investment.
Here are 6 tips every bridal show exhibitor should know.
1. Start with your booth
Think of your booth as an extension of your store. For many brides, this will be their first interaction with you. How you present yourself and the experience your visitors have will determine if you’ll be on their list when it’s time to buy.
Bring a wide selection of your engagement rings and wedding bands, enough to give the bride-to-be a sense of what your jewelry store has to offer. Although they may already be wearing their engagement ring, you have the chance to sell the couple wedding bands and wedding-day jewelry as well as bridesmaid gifts.
Your booth should be a mini version of what your customers can expect when they visit your store.
2. Use social media
After you have the dates booked for the bridal show, you should start promoting the event on social media as soon as possible.
Start with teaser content and give your audience a glimpse of what they’ll see at the show. Post photos of past shows, if you have them, as well as what you’ll be bringing to this year’s show. The goal is to build demand and participation.
Invite attendees to stop by your booth and take a selfie for their own social media pages. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest are all prime marketing channels to build buzz for the show.
3. Bring freebies
Everyone loves getting something for free.
Use promotional giveaways, such as winning an engagement ring or matching wedding bands, as these are a great incentive for people to visit your booth.
Swag such as tote bags (to hold all the materials and goodies they get at the show), as well as water bottles, T-shirts, etc., are always welcome. Anything printed with your jewelry store’s name, telephone number and address can be given away.
You want the bride and groom to remember you long after the bridal show is over.
4. Give special discounts
Use the exhibition as a way to track the effectiveness of your marketing. Give visitors to your booth a special offer or promo code to use when shopping on your website or at your jewelry store.
Don’t share this code with anyone else; it is for the bridal show only. This gives you an easy way to quantify your efforts and see just how much business the exhibition brings you.
Once you start tracking the numbers, you might be pleasantly surprised. It also will give you a solid foundation for future shows if you decide to return as an exhibitor the following year.
5. Collect everyone’s contact details
Every person who visits your booth is a potential customer. You should engage with anyone who approaches and be available to answer their questions. People won’t just give you their name and contact details unless there’s a certain amount of trust there.
Within the first few minutes you’re together, you have to cultivate a relationship and build rapport. Give them just enough information to satisfy their questions but leave them wanting more.
Remember, the goal may not necessarily be to push hard for a direct sale right then and there, but rather to build a loyal base of prospects that you can continue to market to year-round.
You can’t do this unless you get their contact details. Don’t be too aggressive and scare them off!
6. Always follow up with every lead
Every lead should be treated as gold. Bridal show leads are some of the most prized opportunities to make a sale and extremely effective. Nowhere else will you find this level of engagement with potential buyers who are receptive to your sales pitch and marketing messages.
At every touchpoint with the prospect you want to emphasize what makes your jewelry store different from everyone else and why they should buy from you.
Don’t let a good lead go to waste. Time is of the essence. Your bride-to-be has a lot on her mind and if she doesn’t hear back from you quickly, her attention will go elsewhere.
Your leads should be followed up within a day or so of the event, a week at the latest. Anything past this point and you risk your leads going stale.
Think about how much you spent to exhibit and attend the show, then divide that number by how many leads you got. That’s how much they’re worth. And it’s not cheap!
To conclude, bridal shows are not for everyone. If you’re a jeweler who’s small and doesn’t have the money or resources to invest in your business then don’t stretch yourself. Focus on attracting brides-to-be into your store.
However, if you’re one of the few forward-thinking jewelers who is committed and wants to have direct contact with a large pool of buyers all at once, then a bridal show is a smart decision.
Follow these six simple tips and you’ll make the most of your time as well as your investment.
The Latest
It’s showtime for these jewels, inspired by the motifs and color palette of the new Tim Burton film.
CEO Efraim Grinberg pointed to a challenging consumer spending environment, particularly in the watch category.
Inspired by a 19th century sculpture, Mandler transformed gold into liquid for these earrings.
Growing your Instagram following organically is more important than ever in today's technological environment.
The model and entrepreneur stars in two new Chopard campaigns.
Members of the founding family partnered with Mexican retail company El Puerto de Liverpool to possibly take Nordstrom private.
The iconic design has joined a lineup of notable pieces featured in the jeweler’s “With Love, Since 1837” campaign.
Supplier Spotlight Sponsored by GIA.
Ralph Simons is now CEO of the jewelry brand started by fashion designer Michal Kadar and her husband, Avraham Kadar, in 2015.
The models and friends of founder and artistic designer Valérie Messika showcase the brand’s jewelry in the “Back to Icons” campaign.
“From Italy, With Love” will showcase Roberto Coin, Marco Bicego, and other Italian brands.
The jewelry retailer will also have a diamond-set tennis racket on display at the tournament.
The retailer has moved into a 3,200-square-foot space at The Shops of Highland Park.
The month’s birthstone is vibrant in every color.
The special editions of the Premier, Navitimer, and Chronomat are equipped with a new perpetual calendar movement from the brand.
Fly away with designer Katey Brunini’s butterfly ring, as its spring-loaded wings flutter above your fingers.
The jewelry retailer has a new chief brand officer and chief operations officer.
Its next event will take place in D.C. on Sept. 17 and in New York City on Oct. 29.
“Broken Bangle: The Blunder-Besmirched History of Jade Nomenclature” is an in-depth look at the evolution of jade terminology.
It is partnering with retailer Tanishq on educating salespeople, shaping the in-store experience, and a “360-degree” marketing campaign.
Inflation remained a top concern among survey-takers who included write-in responses.
The wireless carrier is now stocking the Ultrahuman Ring Air in select U.S. stores.
In a collaboration with Muzo, Pamela Love hand-selected each Colombian emerald for eight one-of-a-kind pieces.
The certification is based on employee responses about their experience working at a company.
OFAC has issued two licenses addressing the issue, one for diamond-set jewelry and one for loose diamonds.
The gemological lab is looking to raise up to $477 million.
The annual jewelry design competition celebrates creativity, artistry, style, and excellence.