You must need two carts at the super market - what, with so many leafy logos stating: "Quality."
Do you post awards in your footer?
- Thread starter Albatross
- Start date
You must need two carts at the super market - what, with so many leafy logos stating: "Quality."
Well... i am a fattyYou must need two carts at the super market - what, with so many leafy logos stating: "Quality."
cc
It's not true. You can easily undermine what you write in the body by what you add in the footer.
Consider that the present generation of brides and grooms are the most informed generation of buyers ever to roam the planet. Most of them fully understand the internet, advertising, and the fact that no one ever wins and advertiser's award without paying for advertising. Likewise, it is almost impossible to find an advertising client who is not regularly featured or awarded by the advertiser.
If I were featured in the most prestigious bridal publication in my service area I would put that link in my email footer so that prospects can go there to read up and verify my work. I would not however, litter the page with and endless array of certificates awarded to me by websites where I pay subscription fees because it's appears so desperately fake. Everyone understands directory listings, and how online advertising works. This is not 1998.
I may get some pushback on this... but there is some truth to what he is saying. I say some... because it is truly dependent on how educated the couple is. Personally, I find that most of the awards I see advertised have no value to me. ... for example, all these "car of the year" awards often go to cars I personally would never want, and if you're somewhat knowledgable in cars, you'll realize that some of the most well made cars are never even reviewed by those dishing out awards.. yet toyota, honda, chevy, etc all go flaunting awards by nhtsa or jd power that they won year after year... and Yes... I'm sure there is some value to it... but its so overdone its lost its effect. Few buy a car bc of the award its won. Same thing happens with these wedding awards... everytime around December my pages get blown up with these awards from vendors I follow. I actually had a groom tell me that he's gonna write me a review on fb, and I while I said that's def appreciated, I jokingly added, while you're at it, you can do weddingwire and google too if you'd like... then he's like who cares about weddingwire... $500 dj's can get 5 stars there too... those sites have no meaning. I was kinda surprised by that coming from a groom, and simply said glad you noticed there's a difference.
My point is there may be those that view it is a corny way to attract business. I doubt you'll lose business over it, but you could become seen as following the typical "generic" approach, when you're anything but. I personally find that many are intrigued by the less is more approach. You wonder, how is this guy so much in demand, yet I can't find him in all the "traditional" ways of finding a dj, such as showing up on first page on google, or featured in ads or wedding sites, or doing bridal shows, etc. Again that's just me, and perhaps why at no point in this thread did I go screaming this is an awesome idea.
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You don't have to have a paid advertisement with Knot or WeddingWire for Couple's Choice or Best Of TK. I haven't paid for WW in a long time, and I just dropped the listing with TK.
They are based on the feedback of clients and a number of reviews in a calendar year. I realize that isn't scientific... and some DJs game the system by offering discounts for good reviews. I've never done that, and wouldn't. But I do take pride in the fact that past clients are willing to take time out of their day to share their positive experience with my service. And that's what I think the awards (particularly WW and TK) mean - clients liked doing business enough to offer positive feedback.
I don't look at my reviews as TK or WW saying "that guy is good." Frankly, they have no clue. But I do view it as my previous clients endorsing my work by giving their time to do so.
Also the third on my list is Virginia Living Magazine, who I've never advertised with either. I have no idea how they sourced their award, but there were only 4-5 DC area DJs.
Examples?
What's your list of "Best of the Knot" winners who are not paid Knot subscribers?
Dude - it's a "participation certificate" not an award.
If by participating, you mean 10 positive reviews in a calendar year... then yes. it is. But I'm on the list of non-paying winners. I don't need more examples.
So, you're some kind of "free'" subscriber and you send business to the knot by directing customers to leave reviews there?
Maybe I will start calling my cat robust instead of fat, maybe my belly too while im at it.
When I get e-mails like this:
"We really appreciate such an outstanding job.
Several guests remarked how good the music was.
Please let us know where we can sing your praises publicly and we’ll be sure to spread the word. "
I share links to my page on the TK, WW, and Google.
In return, I still get leads from those sites (even as a free subscriber), and I might be eligible for their award at the end of the year. And in the event I do choose to advertise with them again, my listing is improved by having a solid review count.
Did you guys ever get the emails where some trophy-maker would offer to sell you their acrylic "award" trophy? It's funny now but at the time I'd take that pic and post it to my website, right alongside all the fake Weddingwire "awards" that they pass out to their paid clients. Some girls seemed to be impressed but the past few years I can't tell that it has any effect so I've dropped it. Well, not to mention that for some unknown reason I didn't "win" the WW award this year (after dropping our paid ad).
Kinda funny to think about it.
There is a HUGE difference between a personal email to a potential client....
and a prestigious bridal publication.
Just because a client may "fully understand" the whole award thing...
(and I am NOT convinced that most of them DO understand...or care)
doesn't mean they will hold it against you.
I agree that showing those awards will probably NOT help you...
but it certainly won't hurt.
That's quite a stretch to say that something with no positive value would necessarily have no negative impact.
Authenticity is probably more important today than at anytime in history. The term "fake news" for example, sticks because people's expereicne is rooted in a generation of junk emails, scam websites, bogus claims, financial fraud, plagiarism, advertorials, and yes - meaningless awards.
Don't listen to Bob. I still have the "Best of ODJT" award icons you can add to your tagline .. still only $19.95.
YES!
And if the awards are authentic....(aka you actually DID win them)....
they will not affect you negatively.
It's only YOU who are saying they have "no positive value".
And you are in the business, and not a client looking to book a DJ.