‘Tis the season for dozens of local bridal expos. Brides attend these events to make personal connections, see trends, and to have fun! The average age of a bridal expo attendee is 27 (born in 1995!) and they likely do not have a local florist relationship. Yes, millennials will likely have a learning curve when it comes to flowers. They perceive them as expensive and an item they don’t understand, according to American Floral Endowment research. This means their time with you has to be a true experience. Engaging, entertaining and educational. It’s quite a task for a few minutes. So how do you prepare?

Preparing visually is only half of your preparation. Have a plan for how you’d like the conversation to go with your guest. That plan should include making sure they understand what you offer (and why it’s different). 

Hook guests visually, but balance this by keeping your table clean with space to interact.  At the event, come out from behind the table, making it a dialogue, not a buffet of ideas for them to take and shop around.

To interact with your brides during the show:

1. Have bouquets they can hold, made from lifelike silk flowers. 
2. Bring loose stems as well and demonstrate how you build a bouquet.  This teaches them flower types, and also reminds them they can select any color they like. You may consider using ivory flowers as an example, like a blank canvas for them to imagine. 
3. Talk to them about the shape and size of the bouquet as well. As part of your booth, in addition to different bouquets, have a mirror so brides get an idea of the size and shape they want. Have your shop name framing the mirror for that memorable social media moment!

Beyond the bouquet, show new ideas for wedding details: Garlands, flower walls, chair backs, napkin rings and place cards… Be sure to keep true to your ideal customer! Do you want it to feel like a rock concert or a tea party? Know the audience you want to attract.

You can still show a variety of centerpieces in different price points. High and low style centerpieces are equally popular. Containers in metallic, glass, and natural materials are all popular by themselves or mixed.  Having a variety of containers in your booth with you allow them to move them around on the table, which helps a bride zero-in on her aesthetic.

Overall, making your booth an interactive selfie station creates additional social media buzz. You want to be memorable as the business who gave the couple the idea, and the one they MUST hire! Let them sit among your floral masterpieces so they remember how they want their day to feel – and that you are the one to create it for them. (Plus, once you make this vignette for a bridal expo in silk, you can rent it all season!)

But stick to what you offer! Showing a beautiful cake or lighting doesn’t help if you don’t sell those services! Make sure you are shining a light on how florals create the mood for the wedding day! 

Finally, make sure couples have your information, and you have theirs. You want to be able to follow up with photos, thank yous, and information not just about weddings but all the services your shop provides. Don’t miss the opportunity to have a customer for life! Weddings are usually the inroads to a new relationship. Attendees need to make a connection with you. 

A Collaboration from Sarah Botchick of Pioneer and Blog Writer Laura Vitale.