Wedding MBA Podcast 340 - Shannon Underwood

Mark Chapman, TheIDoSociety.com. Generating qualified leads for wedding businesses through paid advertising. Mark explained that effective ads should feature the business owner or representative on camera, as couples want to see and connect with the person they will be working with. He advised a minimum ad budget of $1,200 per month, split between Google and Meta, with additional platforms like TikTok and ChatGPT Ads if possible. Mark emphasized the importance of being seen in multiple places online and knowing what makes a business unique from competitors. The importance of lead follow-up and the use of A/B testing, which is now automated in ad platforms.

Don Mamone, who owns a photography studio in Dallas. Photographers often undercharge for their services and struggle to set appropriate prices. They can calculate hourly rates by factoring in all hours spent on a wedding beyond the day itself, including consultations, collection creation, and post-production work. Pricing integrity: don't lower rates based on referral sources; encourage photographers to focus on their value proposition rather than competing on price. Advised photographers to shift from asking about budgets to asking how important photography is to the couple. Don's website sheddingthewedding.com provides resources for photographers looking to diversify and increase their revenue.

Terrica, TerricaInc.com. Three strategies for wedding professionals to generate leads and income. "Evening with the Experts," an intimate event where vendors can connect with engaged couples. How to curate the event, the importance of strategic follow-up, and the value of building a strong network for referrals. She will also cover two other strategies: venue tours and vendor matchmaking. The benefits of collaboration and the importance of creating personal connections with potential clients. @introducingterrica and TerricaInc.com.

Broc Barton, BrocBarton.com." The wedding industry is evolving because Gen Z couples prefer direct communication and pre-decided information. Emphasized the importance of providing detailed information online to pre-qualify clients and explained that value should be communicated in terms of client benefits, not internal costs. Recommended better collaboration with other wedding vendors and the book "They Ask, You Answer" by Marcus Sheridan. [email protected].

Nayri, LovellaBridal.com. Converting leads from Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts. Nayri emphasized the importance of using business accounts over creator accounts to avoid being shadow-banned, and discussed how personal content showing specific products has generated more buzz than generic transition videos. Create behind-the-scenes content to build trust with potential clients, and share experiences from industry conferences like Wedding MBA to demonstrate expertise and build social proof. @lovellabridal, @lovellaplus, @weddingfashionexpert.

Jen Sulak, WeirdoWeddings.com. Helping wedding industry professionals identify and communicate with their niche markets. The importance of speaking directly to specific client groups. Jen shared that she uses Instagram and TikTok and how she tailors content for each platform. Opus Clips for editing video content. Reintroducing oneself to the broader audience and the benefit of cross-industry inspiration. @PinkHairJen, WeirdoWeddings.com.

Shannon Underwood, conference director and vice president of the Wedding MBA Conference. The 2026 conference is expecting between 5,500 and 6,000 attendees and about 240 trade show booths. The data-driven process for selecting speakers and topics emphasizes actionable content. The conference schedule includes specialty sessions, general sessions, and 10-minute Wed Talks, and provided advice for first-time attendees on how to prepare and get the most out of the event. [email protected]

Emily Rochotte, a social media strategist and marketing educator. Using Reddit for wedding business marketing. One in three couples use it to plan weddings and find vendors. The platform offers free access, strong SEO performance, and community-based discussions where professionals can share insights without being overly promotional. Start by searching your business name and relevant venues, then gradually engage in conversations through thoughtful responses rather than direct sales pitches. Use it to identify common questions and pain points that can inspire content for other marketing channels. @emilyrochotte

Shantel Campbell, CEO of I Do Marketing Group in Orlando. "Reel Rockstar: Create Show-Stopping Reels that Convert," using Instagram as a sales tool. Her three-phase approach: discovery (grabbing attention with scroll-stopping content), consideration (walking followers through the sales process and communicating value), and decision (outing next steps and packages). Create reels in 3-5 minutes, post 2-4 times per week, use a vertical video format, shoot in 4K, and add music that matches the content's tone. @ShantelSocial

Lyndzi Barnes, a systems architect and operations expert for small businesses. LyndziBarnes.com. Discussing her upcoming presentation at the Wedding MBA conference. How wedding industry businesses implement AI tools to streamline operations and create more time for client interaction. Various AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Claude, and Higgsfield.ai, and how wedding businesses can use AI to automate tasks like image and video generation, social media content creation, and administrative work without losing the personal human touch that clients value.