13 Types of Offers You Can Use to Promote Your Wedding Service

Offers can increase your sales by enticing customers to buy from your wedding business. They can often be the deciding factor between buying from you and your nearest competitor.

Below are some of the different types of offers available, not all will suit your business so choose carefully.

Money Off (Discount)

A classic offer used in many different types of businesses. Simply offer money off a product or service e.g. £5 off. For maximum effectiveness, use a time limit. For example £5 off if you purchase before the end of the month. This adds a sense of urgency encouraging the customer to buy.

Example: Kirsty Johnston currently offers a discount of £50 off parent albums if booked before a specific date.

Sales

An example are the seasonal sales (Winter Sale, Boxing Day Sale, January Sales). Usually sales involve a percentage off the marked price e.g. 25% off.
Sales are a great way to attract customers and also reduce stock.

Example: Wedding Magazine are offering details on a wedding dress sale event in London where Brides can save up to 70% on designer dresses.

Introductory Price

If you recently started your wedding business then you could offer an introductory price. This offer involves reducing your prices for a limited time and is a good way of attracting new customers.

Example: This wedding umbrella is being offered at an introductory price

Quantity Discounts

Simply put, if you buy more you get a better deal.  This is a great way to get customers to buy more that they normally would.

Example: If you hire 4 or more wedding suits from Moss Bros the Groom gets his free.

Price Matching

If you are competitive on price then you could offer your customers a price match where if they find the same service you offer anywhere else for cheaper then you match that price. This re-assures customers that you offer the best prices.

Example: Elegant Steps have a great example of a price matching offer

Limited Edition

Offering a limited edition item makes its perceived value much higher. You can create a limited number or offer the product for a limited time. You can make a Bride feel extra special for example  if she knows her dress is one of a kind.

Example: Manolo Blahnik’s limited edition Chelsea Flower Show shoes

Price Increase Announcement

If you are planning to raise your prices in the near future then you could announce this beforehand so that customers are urged to buy at your current cheaper prices.

Example: Photo Louis has an announcement on his blog about price increases back in August and how customers could save money.

Free Delivery

Nothing is worse that finding a bargain online only to find out you have to pay over the odds for the delivery charge. Offering free delivery is a great incentive for customers to buy from you. Offering free next day delivery, even better, people love having their purchases come quickly.

Example: Angel’s Cakes offer free delivery as standard

Free Sample

An immediate use for this type of offer which comes to mind is for wedding invitation or stationary designers to send samples of their work to prospective customers. I know wedding photographers who also send copies of wedding albums and books to Brides for them to look at.
Free samples are similar to free trials but for physical products. They enable potential customers to look at the quality of your work.

Example: Here Comes The Bride display their free sample offer in big red letters to make it stand out.

Free Upgrade

You’ve heard of free upgrades on flights or hotel rooms, why not offer them for your products? Perhaps a free upgrade on a photography package? A bigger wedding cake? A larger bouquet of flowers?

Example: During February, photographer Dave Blackshaw is offering free dvd upgrades.

Paying in Installments

Instead of paying for something in one lump sum, a more attractive option or Brides is to pay in installments, monthly perhaps. This is often used for high priced items such as wedding dresses and jewellery. A downside to this method is keeping track of the payments and making sure they are in on time.

Example: The Beautiful Company offers interest free installments on all orders of their wedding rings over £100

Free Trial

Offering a free trial for a limited time period enables the customer to really see what a product or service is like. If you’ve done your job correctly and created a high quality valuable service then the customer will eventually buy from you.

Example: Top Table Planner offers a free trial demo for its table planning service.

Wedding photographers often have a pre wedding shoot when they meet with their client, another example of a free trial.

Free Gift

The trick here is to offer a freebie that holds value and the customer actually wants. Offering such a tangible benefit will increase the likelyhood of a Bride or Groom buying from you over a competitor.

Example: Bizzy Balloons offers a free box of chocolates with every order.

Remember these are only some of the offers you can create. Which offers do you use to entice your customers?

Note: Remember you can add your offers to your EasyWeddingSearch listing by clicking the ‘Advert Extras’ link in the Ad Management system