Every ounce of me wanted to cry my eyes out, but I didn’t because I’m a big boy. I refused to wail and wallow like a baby. Instead, I decided to find a solution. Instead, I chose to think like a bride for once.
Where is a popular place a bride would go to find wedding service vendors? When I put myself into this mindset, a famous magazine came to mind: TheKnot. This magazine was featured in various movies. It had come to my attention as one of the hottest places to engross yourself in the wedding industry.
I decided to check it out, so I went to TheKnot.com. Oh brother, was I blown away. TheKnot offered services for everything you could possibly imagine in a wedding. It was my nature to click on the “photographers” link first.
There I saw a list of photographers with their packages beautifully marketed. And then it hit me. Here I go again with my calculations…thousands of people probably visit TheKnot everyday. Of the thousands, several hundreds would be looking for a photographer at any given time.
To be featured on TheKnot would be instant success. This was easier than 2+2. I knew I had to get myself onto TheKnot.
Wham, blam, cha-ching! $550 per month!
This is what it cost me to be on TheKnot. By the time I reached the end of my contracted term of 6 months, needless to say, I was very poor. 6 months x $550 = you do the math. What did I get from this? I’ll tell you what I got from this.
An average of one click on my link per day.
Now this was better than my referral system because there were a few more inquiries. However, compared to what I was dishing out, this was putting me in the hole. I wasn’t appealing to brides for some odd reason. Maybe I looked like a little fish compared to all of the big fish featured.
For someone starting out like myself, this form of advertising was extremely unaffordable. Don’t get me wrong, I did find some success with TheKnot. I just didn’t have the funds to keep up.
My mind was in a frenzied state. I was actually in the negative and I still didn’t have enough bookings to break even. I died a little inside thinking I had to go back to Staples sooner than I thought.
But there’s one thing you’ve got to know about me, and that is that I am not a giver-upper. I was going to give it one last try. There had to be a way to make this work.
What do you think I did? What would you have done?
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You are really funny and inspirational for those (like me) thinking on starting a similar business. I must confess you are “the brave one” to quit your day job and rely on this alone from the beggining. However, perhaps that gave you more inspiration “Necesity is the mother of all inventions” . I have no idea qhat you have done after. Can’t wait to hear about it. Thanks again for your stories, help, tips and great sense of humor. BTW Thank you also for those European pics can see you are having fun!
Being farely new to the industry my husband and I have tossed around the idea of joining theknot. Ive heard stories of success and bankrutcy (not THAT bad but close). But now, enough to sway my decision in NOT joining. Im going to say you didnt renew your 6 months and started networking? :-)
Being farely new to the industry my husband and I have tossed around the idea of joining theknot. Ive heard stories of success and bankrutcy (not THAT bad but close). But now, enough to sway my decision in NOT joining. Im going to say you didnt renew your 6 months and started networking? :-)
Hah, too funny. And the saga continues…
Hah, too funny. And the saga continues…
I love these cliffhanger endings….haha. Keep it up, Lawrence!
I love these cliffhanger endings….haha. Keep it up, Lawrence!
aaah…i just need to know already!
aaah…i just need to know already!
haha so true!
I did the same and I think I booked two weddings so your calculations were correct!
Jason
haha so true!
I did the same and I think I booked two weddings so your calculations were correct!
Jason