IMATS

IMATS

The Mecca of Make-up Artists

These shows bring the heavy hitters and novices in the industry together in one place to give old and young alike the chance to catch a glimpse of what is happening in the business. Have you ever wanted to meet your make-up idols? Or wondered what the next big color trend or fx material is? Then IMATS are the shows for you. If you are lucky enough to be anywhere near these shows, do not miss it!

In August 1997, the International Make-up Artist Trade Show was first held in Los Angeles by Make-up Artist Magazine publisher, Michael Key. Since then, IMATS has grown and is now held six times annually in destinations all over the globe.

JANUARY

London

APRIL

New York

JUNE

Los Angeles

JULY

Vancouver

SEPTEMBER

Sydney

NOVEMBER

Toronto

IMATS has become the make-up industry's largest gathering, drawing in thousands of artists, vendors, and fans. There are demos by renowned artists, unveilings of new products, competitions, demos, and other activities that help to connect and educate make-up artists around the world. There are usually great deals on products and lots of freebies at booths. It makes you feel like a kid in a candy store. Bring a camera, sketchbook, pen and paper to gather inspiration and remind yourself what to research when you are down from your IMATS high. It can also be a great place to start that Christmas wish-list!

If you have never been, do your homework! Some lectures and events need to be arranged or purchased in advance, and even if you don't have to, it might be a good idea to make sure you solidify your spot. Some events are more high profile than others and you may end up waiting in long lines or stand-by if you don't make previous arrangements.

Tickets are available for purchase at Make-up Artist Magazine. Tickets are also available at the door provided they have not sold out prior to the event - which happens frequently.

• One-day ticket = $50
• Two-day ticket = $80

Prices may vary depending on time and location of purchase.
Groups of 10 or more are eligible for a group discount.
Tickets are non-refundable.

Union members receive complimentary tickets to all IMATS, provided they have a Make-up Artist Gold Pro Card from Make-up Artist Magazine

The Pro Cards from Make-up Artist Magazine are available to professional make-up artists and are good for up to two years. Some of the perks include:

• Discount subscriptions to Make-up Artist Magazine
• Discounts and offers at the Make-up Artist shop
• Expedited IMATS entry
• Special invites to pro-only Make-up Aritst events
• Year-round discounts from participating partners
• Sneak previews of new products
• And more.

Be sure to visit 

www.imats.net 

and 

www.makeupmag.com 

for more details.

.

Do's and Don'ts of Wedding Show Marketing

Now that you know the 'why' and 'where' you will be marketing your business, here are some tips on how to make the most of your bridal show experience:

• Do demos. Nothing draws a crowd like a live demo. Bring some models in case brides are shy at first, but once things get rolling you should have plenty of volunteers. This could also serve for free, on-site consultations which could lead to your next appointment. 

• Make sure to have at least one person with you to hand out information, greet brides, book appointments or answer questions in case the demos get too involved. This person or persons should be a great multi-tasker and capable of flourishing in a loud chaotic space, not to mention someone fun that you and your brides will enjoy spending a full day with.

• Have a giveaway. Offer a night of beauty for the bride for the bridal shower or the bachelorette party. This serves two purposes- It gets you contact information for each bride who enters the drawing. It also gives you a chance to audition your skills and market to all of the other potential clients that might be attending the shower or bachelorette party.

• Be the face of your own destiny! Look the part of the professional: clean smock for demos and wedding finery for floor time. Keep in mind the target market is females from 19-35, so don't be afraid to throw in a little style. How you look in the show is how they will picture you at their wedding. Smile, be interested and open minded.  Do breath, teeth and hygiene checks

• Don't just talk about you and your business, let them explain themselves and their needs. Sharing is caring and brides need you to care as much about their day as they do. Find out what kind of wedding it is, if this is her first wedding, how old the crowd will be, what her style is? The more you can tailor your services to her the more likely it is that she will not be able to do without you.

• Make sure your digital media is as savvy as your booth. After the show, brides will want to refresh their memory of you. They will have spent a couple hours inundated with products and information and even after making the greatest impression, most brides will probably use the internet to keep up with all that they have seen. You should have not only a great and easy to maneuver website, but also a facebook, twitter and foursquare account. This will also help spread your word of mouth to the bridesmaids and brides that might not have been able to attend. If the show has a website make sure there are links to your pages on theirs.

• Take a break. Sometimes staff gets overwhelmed and lose sight of the prize if they are too tired.  Coffee breaks can keep you focused. Also, eating at your booth can be unsightly and come off as rude. Brides and Grooms will feel odd about approaching you if it seems you are preoccupied and you want to invite an open dialogue as much as possible.

• Don't badmouth the competition. Resist the urge to gossip. The industry is not that big and everything you say gets around. Artist relationships are so important - when they are booked they might throw business your way and vice versa. Spend your time letting your work speak for you and theirs for them. It is a client turn off and will only take up time that you could have used to market yourself.

• Follow up. A lot of shows pre-register their brides so they can accumulate all of the follow-up contact information for you. However you get it, make sure you contact them again. Try to make it personalized and varied. If at first postcards aren't getting a reaction, try e-mail, and keep trying every so often throughout the year until the wedding date. Sometimes it can take as much as 12 contacts before you get that sale.

These are the tricks of the trade and now that you are in the know, you can market like the pro's.  Now get out there and give it all you've got! Make us proud!

Which Wedding Show Works for You?

Welcome back makeup professionals! This week is our second week in the three part series about wedding show marketing. This week we will help you determine which wedding show is right for you and your business.

Marketing at a wedding show does involve investment which can seem risky, especially if you have never tried paid advertisements before. However, in the grand scheme of things, it is incredibly effective. It should only cost about the same as one traditional advertisement like tv, radio or newspaper ads, but have more impact and immediate results. Still, we want you to get the most out of your investment. Here are some tips to finding the right show or shows to plan your attack:

• Find out how many years the show has been going on. Wedding shows are best known from word-of-mouth. The longer the show has been around, the more familiar brides are with them and the more likely they are to return. They may have attended years before as a bridesmaid and will be likely to want to return as a bride.

• Check out the shows' marketing campaign. Make sure they are advertising their show as effectively as you  market your business. They should be investing not only in regular media resources, but also social media, like Facebook and banner ads. We can't remind you enough of the stats about brides being in the 19-35 demographic, so the show should be advertising as such. 

• Research the shows' attendance records. Find out past years' attendance.  We don't need to tell you more brides means more reach. Make sure that when you are getting the tally of brides. Usually only 1/3 of show attendance numbers are actually brides. The rest are usually bridesmaids and Moms because brides love an entourage. 

• Find out if admission is free. You would think that the lower the cost of attendance, the more brides. While this may be true in a lot of cases, sometimes it's not always the quantity, it's the quality. You want to attract brides serious about the process. You want brides who are there to book. It also keeps out the mock brides and random hotel guests looking for something to do. Charging keeps it a professional environment. 

• Look for references. Past exhibitors are usually all too happy to tell you about their experiences with a show's staff. This can speak volumes about the level of professionalism you are dealing with and how organized the show itself is. The staff is the first face your potential clients see and if it's an unhappy or confused one, you usually end up with unhappy and confused brides. 

Other factors to look into once you have decided on a venue:

• Is there a fashion show? If so, who is doing the makeup? This could be another strategy within a strategy. Doing the makeup for the show's fashion show is a very captive audience, a walking portfolio.

• Is parking included and is it close? Thiswill help you be prepared on the day of the show. You always want to start a show stress free and focused.

• Where am I located on the floor? Try not to be too close to another makeup artist or salon. Nothing is more annoying as a presenter than dueling demos. The prime spots are on the ends of the rows.  Marketing is always about location. Usually there is an extra charge to pick your spot, especially on the ends.

Research any investment you make, especially when it comes to your business. These suggestions should help you get on your merry way. Next week we will spotlight some do's and don't for wedding show presenters. Knowing the ins and outs can make for a very successful bridal season for your business. Good luck out there!

Wedding Season!

"What do you like better: Christmas or wedding season?"

"The answer would be, um, wedding season!"

We concur, wedding season is the best for our industry.  It is one of those times when a great make-up artist is indispensable. It's almost as unavoidable as death and taxes so, as a beauty make-up artist, it is our bread and butter.

Whether you work for a salon or freelance for yourself, getting your name in the hands of this season's brides can be crucial...and easy. If you look back to our April blog about networking, we talk about the importance of getting around to trade shows in the industry to scope out trends and mingle with other artists.  Artist relationships can often times be mutually beneficial. To do this you have to go get out there.  So why not market yourself or your salon directly at one or more of the dozens of wedding shows happening throughout the year?

The next couple of weeks we are going to take you on a whirlwind tour of why beauty make-up artists  should utilize bridal shows, which bridal shows are the right shows, and Dos-and-Don'ts for marketing your make-up business at a wedding show.

First we tackle the why.  Below are just a few of the many reasons to think about investing in one of the greatest marketing opportunities in our industry:

• Direct Link - These shows give you access to heaps of consumers looking for the exact service you provide. They allow you to meet brides face-to-face and exchange contact information instantly.  
• No matter how you go about accumulating bridal contact information make sure of two things - 
• (1) get multiple lines of communication - having multiple ways of communicating not only increases the chances the bride-to-be will see your work but also gives you numerous outlets in which to reach out to her
• (2) write down something personal - this will not only help you in remembering details such as the date of their wedding and future spouse's name but also any anecdotes you shared that can trigger your memory of your interaction so your follow-up is more personalized.  This attention to detail could mean the difference between your voicemail getting deleted or returned right away.

• Securing Your Spot in the Budget - Many brides start their planning stages by attending wedding shows and a lot of times don't consider working make-up into their wedding budget.  Seeing make-up artists at wedding shows reminds them of the importance of that aspect. There may only be room in the budget for one luxury item and these shows allow you to plead your case as to why looking your best on the big day is more important than pretty toes or a massage.   This is something that is best done in person as it establishes an intimacy with your potential client that you can't get through email or social media marketing.  

• Make Deals On-the-Spot - Sometimes, even with contact information, brides are so busy with other planning stages that they are impossible to get on the phone or nail down for an appointment. If you can sign contracts and schedule appointments at your first meeting you can cut out a lot of the chase and prevent your service from getting cut from the budget or passed over. Don't be afraid to be bold and ask for the job.  If you don't ask you definitely won't get it.

• Immediate Feedback - Marketing at wedding shows also gives you a unique opportunity to receive immediate feedback about what brides are looking for and that information may help you get ahead in future wedding markets. Knowing what brides are want can help you zero in on their interests for your sales pitches. 

Next week's blog in this series: How to decide which wedding show is right for you and your business.