david_coleman4

For CD's, whatever the client gets shown I would put in some sample prints to show them. I only show colour images but have a retouched colour and B/W sample print. People are very poor at visualising so I give them something tangiable to hold and see.

Mind you, my application is a little different. I have a base package which the clients gets all the images to make their own prints / albums from. Because some labs may do a less than perfect job of doing the prints, I give them a couple of samples so any bad prints are automatically seen as the labs fault rather than them even thinking there was something wrong with the photography.

I only give out cd's as proofs AFTER the album is delivered. I have not done proofs save for thumbnails printed on an inkjet since I went digital and again the clients only get them after the album is delivered.

While the clients are on their honeymoon I make up all the album pages. I usually do around 50 pages even though I know the clients in most cases can only afford 35-40. Basically when the clients come back I tell them the images came up so well I decided to make a display album of their wedding and started to lay up some pages and got so enthused I ended up doing the whole thing.

I then show them all the images taken in a slide show on the computer. When they have seen all these unedited images, I show them through the album pages I have laid up. I tell them if they want to change, add or delete any pics that is fine. So far in over 20 albums, apart from deleting pages, I have only had to change about 6 pre-made pages.

Although I let the client think they are making all the decisions, I just guide them into making the right ones :)

I could write a book on this but I'll try to give you some meat to work with and keep it short.

* Take your own lighting. These can be porta flood type lights but light up your display prints with as many as your power allocation allows.

*If you have like a std 3Mx3M trade show booth, take 9M of fabric to cover the walls. I like calico which is off white and cheap or get something black. You will probably need material that is 2.4M high so if you want black, getting a gallon of dye may be the best answer because few fabrics tend to come that wide. Whatever you do, Change the colour of the stand walls. TIP: run the leads for your lighting first off then cover them with the fabric so they aren't seen. I use an industrial stapler and tack it along the top edge so it hangs and pulss out the creases.

* Make up a music CD with some upbeat fun tunes. Some romantic is OK but my suggestion is go easy on the slop. It is overdone with weddings and people soon get sick of it. Take a boom box and crank the bass right up but have the music soft enough so you can talk to people and it dosent annoty other exhibitors. People are attracted to the beat which will carry and the bright lights.

* Get a large banner made with your slogan and a killer picture or two on it. Large format inkjet prints are ideal for this. My suggestion is something at least 2Mx3M. Get some curtain rods and use them to hoist the print above your stand as High as you can get it. Secure it to the stand with electrical saddle clamps and tek screws. You can losely clamp the rods and then when you have it all positioned, slide the rods up and then tighten the clamps. Train a few spotlights on the banner and aim it toward the entrance of the show or where the main traffic is coming from. It will pull a lot of people to your stand no matter how bad a position you are in.

* Do a competition with an entry form with all the relevant contact details you need including email addys. Offer a prize such as a bonus parent album, engagement portrait etc. You can easily get more bookings from working your database after the show than the actual bookings you get at the show. If possible, get someone to stand in front of your stand giving out the entry forms and directing them to your stand to fill them in.

* Have a slide show on a monitor running on your stand. Do fades and romantic shots as well as more modern pics. You may like to run the music for the slide show through the beforementioned boom box for effect.

* Take your diary and book people in to come see you. If you don't have many ( any ) bookings, make some up and write them in pencil so you look busy. If someone wants that time tell them those people have rebooked and fill in the genuine appointment in pen.

*I do Not reccomend giving out price lists. Make up something with an offer and explain your packages but don't print prices. Give them out verbally by all means but don't help the clients price shop.

* Don't take any more than 1 or 2 albums for clients to look through. You are there to arouse interest in your work not to lay all your cards on the table in one go. If you can make a firm wedding booking do so but my suggestion is not to try to do it. Get them to come to you where you can do your presentation and build rapport with potential clients in a controlled and condusive enviroment to selling them your services then.

* make up some simple B/W flyers with an offer and your details, website etc and give out as many as you can.

I have done probably 40-50 Bridal fairs and have learned these things over time and know they work. Hope you find the same. :0)