Magazine Advertising for Wedding Photography

[dnpayne]

So, i've come across an opportunity to advertising in a high end, local magazine in their weddings issue. They have a photographers package for $1200. You get a full page ad and a real wedding submission.

I was just curious if this would be worth the cost. I know some of you haven't had much luck with magazine ads. I thought this sounded like a better option because of the real wedding submission. It's a lot of money and I'm wondering if it's really worth it.

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by dnpayne

So, i've come across an opportunity to advertising in a high end, local magazine in their weddings issue. They have a photographers package for $1200. You get a full page ad and a real wedding submission.

I was just curious if this would be worth the cost. I know some of you haven't had much luck with magazine ads. I thought this sounded like a better option because of the real wedding submission. It's a lot of money and I'm wondering if it's really worth it.

it's really impossible to say with any degree of certainty how effective this would be. As I understand it, you're around the Louisville area, which is a fair-sized city, but what the magazine's circulation, both numbers and geographically?

How does this fee sit with your marketing budget? Can you get a copy from last year and speak to someone who did it?

there's an obvious trend away from physical magazines towards web-based resources for brides...and obviously you'd be amongst a bevvy of other businesses in that issue, and it is only one issue... is there a web version of the magazine too?

bear in mind that 'real wedding submissions' are the latest and greatest marketing tease for vendor advertising, and it's getting saturated in all media...its like crack. just look at all the blogs. Wedding photographers wet their pants for what they see as 'industry acknowledgement', when in reality it's just eye candy for their publication... online it drives traffic (brides get addicted to them, even after they get married) and in your case, you're paying to pretty up their mag, with no guaranteed response...

the sucky thing for small operations like ours is that once a date is gone, it's gone, and for the most part the advertising is pointless once your dates become booked. While it's nice to be booked, it's irritating for me to be paying my marketing costs effectively only for weddings in 2013 now... so though my strategy was effective, its temporarily redundant.

just some thoughts.

[dnpayne]

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

the sucky thing for small operations like ours is that once a date is gone, it's gone, and for the most part the advertising is pointless once your dates become booked. While it's nice to be booked, it's irritating for me to be paying my marketing costs effectively only for weddings in 2013 now... so though my strategy was effective, its temporarily redundant.

just some thoughts.

You've actually touched on something I've been thinking about lately. See, I've booked my first bridal show in January of 2012. I'll be spending some nice dough getting my booth together and the booth fee. It's a huge show so I think it's worth a shot. The problem... what if most of my dates are booked before the show? Then... it's sort of a waste. I've already had to turn away brides because their date was booked. While I've had a huge response from my small advertising ventures, if I don't book them (due to not having the open day) then it doesn't really matter. All the major days are pretty much booked for me in June and October. Hopefully this show brings in brides who want different days. :\

But, I probably will not take the jump on this advertising opp. I just broke down and bought a new PC so my funds are a little shallow at the moment. I was just curious what others thought.

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by dnpayne

You've actually touched on something I've been thinking about lately. See, I've booked my first bridal show in January of 2012. I'll be spending some nice dough getting my booth together and the booth fee. It's a huge show so I think it's worth a shot. The problem... what if most of my dates are booked before the show? Then... it's sort of a waste. I've already had to turn away brides because their date was booked. While I've had a huge response from my small advertising ventures, if I don't book them (due to not having the open day) then it doesn't really matter. All the major days are pretty much booked for me in June and October. Hopefully this show brings in brides who want different days. :\

But, I probably will not take the jump on this advertising opp. I just broke down and bought a new PC so my funds are a little shallow at the moment. I was just curious what others thought.

yeah, its definitely a constant learning experience to navigate... while being close to capacity is an embarrassment of riches so to speak, it is unnerving at times. I'm past the point of indecision on taking a pass on couples I don't feel suitable, but saying no still makes you worry sometimes.

Have you started a referral system, even an informal one, with another area photographer yet? That was probably the smartest thing I did.

[dnpayne]

Originally Posted by Niresangwa

yeah, its definitely a constant learning experience to navigate... while being close to capacity is an embarrassment of riches so to speak, it is unnerving at times. I'm past the point of indecision on taking a pass on couples I don't feel suitable, but saying no still makes you worry sometimes.

Have you started a referral system, even an informal one, with another area photographer yet? That was probably the smartest thing I did.

I haven't found a local photographer that I'm comfortable working with yet. I just don't have the opportunity to socialize with many at the moment. I really need to do this however.

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by dnpayne

I haven't found a local photographer that I'm comfortable working with yet. I just don't have the opportunity to socialize with many at the moment. I really need to do this however.

Well, don't let that stop you... I don't socialize or network, nor have I even met the photographers I refer to, never mind shoot with them.

All I did was pick one photographer who seemed to basically match my style and price point, and emailed him asking if he minded sending him referrals of inquiries I couldn't take. Obviously he was fine with it, and reciprocated.

I just reply to the couple that I'm grateful for their request, but I'm already booked, then send them to his website with a flattering little recommendation and Bcc him on the email. The personal recommendation from someone the couple wanted serves very well.

He does the same, and I'd say that 3 out of 4 he Bcc's me do contact me, and I've booked plenty of them. I've since added two other photographers doing the same thing, depending on the couple, location etc.

It's also a 'nicer' way to say no to an inquiry by sending them off with something to work with.

Again, just a thought.

[Sweetlifephoto]

To answer your original question, for us, advertising in Wedding Magazines rarely leads to direct customer referrals the way word of mouth from former clients and vendors does. We buy ads to create a market presence and so that our brand is seen alongside the other major vendors in our area.

So success depends on what you want to get out of the money you are spending. If you are looking for direct bookings from an ad, you would probably be better off spending your money doing something nice for your customers or making a book for your favorite venue and present it to the wedding coordinator over lunch to develop a stronger connection. I know few people who have gotten bookings that they can directly attribute to magazine ads.

But for market and brand presence ads are good - other vendors, who should be a strong part of your referral network, read these magazines and notice who is in them and who is not.