Guides For Brides

March Madness

2010-04-09T18:26:00.000+01:00

Why does everyone assume that we spend most of March quietly drinking coffee and filing our nails in preparation for the Wedding Season?
March brings our financial year end, and pressure to hit those target, as well as staff appraisals to see who will be getting the hoped-for above-inflation pay rise this April. To add to that we have the AGM coming up.
Staff admin and finances aside, March also brings the deadline for the North Oxfordshire Guide - our strongest performing Guide and the one I keep the closest eye on. It is showing some interesting trends. Where have all these bridal gown retailers appeared from?
Drinking coffee and filing nails? I don't think so. If only I hadn't given up Gin for Lent.

NEC Wedding Fair

2010-03-08T15:40:00.001Z

Neil and Nicky visited the NEC Wedding Show on Friday - an annual pilgrimage to see new trends and to catch up with old customers. Unlike the London wedding shows at Earls Court and Olympia the NEC attracts some of the slightly smaller wedding businesses so is a good indication of what is really happening in the industry, and it was a little alarming. Only 2 of our regular customers were there this year, and numbers were down drastically; perhaps 2 companies from each of the smaller sectors such as car hire, and even the photographers section had dwindled to around 16 photographers - most of them new faces. That is less photographers than attended our Oxfordshire Photographers Wedding Fair last year.
It is sad to see such a decline; we have fond memories of exhibiting at the NEC in its heyday, in particular the year we sponsored the back page of the show guide and were one of only 2 companies supplying bags for brides to carry their bumpf around in - the Guides for Brides branding was everywhere.

Keeping solicitors in business

2010-03-07T19:38:00.001Z

I have spent the weekend puzzling over the sanity of a Wiltshire bridal company who have instructed their solicitors to write to us as we inadvertantly added a "The" to the beginning of their business name for their free listing in the Guide. Yes ... their free listing. A quick search on the internet - it seems Google are guilty of the same misdemeanor, as are many other on line directories. Presumably their solicitor's letters is on the way too.

No doubt they will be seeking compensation for the financial losses they have suffered as a result of the error.

I, personally, look at any complaints that arise, which are thankfully a very rare occurance, and take them very seriously indeed. If you don't listen to every bit of negative feedback you will never attain perfection. On this occasion I may just make an exception.....

Web strategy in white fluffy robes

2010-02-05T16:40:00.003Z

One of the many wonderful things about working here is the frequent requests we get to review spas. Spas are big business in the wedding industry, with hen parties and pampering before the wedding, and romantic breaks afterwards.
This week Nicky and I were guests of Les Etangs de Corot in Versailles - a wonderfully French spa hotel, and part of the award winning Caudalie group. We take these opportunities to discuss changes we could be making within the business, and courtesy of some very good Eurostar hospitality we had numerous lists of great ideas before we had even reached Gare de Nord.
I do always wonder what our fellow guests must think of us in our white fluffy robes and slippers, discussing complex web strategies?

Thank goodness it is Friday

2010-01-29T17:51:00.001Z

Every business has one customer who takes an inordinate amount of their time, usually on a Friday when we are at our busiest. Today our newest sales consultant telephoned ours. He is a really nice guy and has been with us for years, but it was no coincidence that no one else has phoned him to renew his advert; he really reaally likes to chat.

After three phone calls and a huge amount of talking around in circles a decision was finally made at 4.59pm on deadline Friday - he is taking the advertising that was suggested to him in the first minute of the first call first thing this morning. I wonder if she will call him on a Friday next year?

Lets just do it!

2010-01-27T17:55:00.001Z

Yesterday I decided it is time for us to grow the business. A lot.

Nicky and I have spent the afternoon huddled around our notepads discussing ways that the web site can be improved. So far all the ideas seem to revolve around spending a lot of money on improvements to the web site, reducing the cost of advertising and reducing the number of places businesses can place their adverts. Something seems to be amiss. Ah yes - the part where we increase profitability.