It's an email we get all the time: “These listings look cool, but what kind of results do people actually get from being in the Offbeat Wed Vendor Guide?”
We think it's best to let our vendor community speak on our Testimonials page, but we want to deep dive into one case study, and explain best practices for how YOU can get a great ROI on a vendor guide listing…
Case Study: A real vendor's real sales stats
Let's hear what Cindy Savage from Aisle Less Traveled had to say about her experience with her Offbeat Wed vendor guide listing:
“From my vendor listing, I booked over $20k in sales in one year.
I had an 80% conversion rate for Offbeat inquiries — 4 out of 5 couples who inquired decided to hire me. Packages booked range from $2300 – $9300, with the average at ~$5400. ALL of my weddings for the year were from Offbeat Wed, and I couldn't have been more thrilled about it!
I didn't even have to look at my stats to know I'd be renewing my vendor listing in 2021 – but I did.
Offbeat Wed has continued to bring me my ideal clients (a.k.a. “qualified leads”) even during a massive global pandemic that brought the wedding industry to a screeching halt.
In short: my vendor listing consistently brings that very small investment back to me a hundred times over.
Renewing my Offbeat Wed vendor guide listing is the easiest advertising decision I make all year long.”
How did Cindy do it? Let's look at best practices
Let's look at Cindy's listing and see what's working so well, and what you can learn. Most of these things are best practices that can be applied to ANY vendor listing.
1. She's inclusive & shows it
She says right off the bat: “I'm here for all kinds of couples — no matter your race, sexual orientation, religion, age, ability, immigration status, etc.” Cindy's listing clearly shows her working with a broad range of clients, not just the usual “young, white, able-boded, straight, cisgender folks” that you see in every magazine.
Takeaway: Even though the majority of our readers are cisgender, hetero-identified white couples, the offbeat community is full of folks who want to be good allies, so being inclusive is good marketing for ALL your clients.
2. She relates her business to Offbeat Wed readers
Cindy shares her personal experiences with the brand: “I'm also a former offbeat bride myself! In fact, way before I even got married, when I was in a state of engaged-but-not-able-to-legally-marry in my state, one of the first wedding things I did was pick up the Offbeat Bride book and read it cover to cover.”
It's very clear from this list that she is speaking directly to Offbeat Wed readers, relating her personal experience with the brand to the reader's interests and values.
Takeaway: It can be tempting to copy & paste standard marketing copy into your vendor listing, but Offbeat Wed readers like to feel special, so it pays to speak directly to them!
3. She tells a story
Cindy is very open about her personal journey in how she relates to her wedding work, even sharing: “So when my wife and I got divorced last year, I decided to listen the voice that had been nagging me for a while, telling me to get back to the reason I started this in the first place: couples like you, who know that the important thing is the marriage and the rest is details.”
This vendor listing is vulnerable and personable, and Cindy makes it clear that there's a very real person behind the Aisle Less Traveled name.
Takeaway: The best marketing tells a story and gets real. Especially for wedding day service providers, clients are essentially inviting you to be a guest at their wedding — be open and vulnerable about who you are!
4. She was in an underserved region
Sometimes vendors will ask us, “I don't see many other vendors listed in my area — so why would I buy a listing?” Answer: because you get clients!
Cindy first listed her business when she was based in the midwest, in a state that had very few listings. She's since relocated, but she's voiced that her first year in that underserved state was huge for her!
Takeaway: Take a look at your region in our Vendor Guide. If you're one of the first vendors listed, chances are better that you'll get clients from us.
Are you ready to try YOUR hand at getting a big return on your investment?
Of course we can't guarantee that every vendor will enjoy the kind of success that Cindy has found… but if you're ready to apply her lessons to YOUR business, we'd love to invite you to join our curated vendor community in the Offbeat Wed Vendor Guide. Listings cost $275 for the first year, and only $250/year after that.
Snag your listing today, and let's see what we can do!
