It has been confirmed that Andy Ebon, The Wedding Marketing Authority, will deliver the opening keynote presentation at the Wedding MBA Conference on Tuesday morning, September 21st.

His address, titled: Wedding Prosperity Begins Now! will set the tone for the 3-day conference, expected to attract some 1500 attendees from around the globe.

Wedding MBA is in its final push for registration. A $100 discount for pre-registration (by 8/27) is available with this download.

Andy Ebon is a public speaker, writer, and business consultant, focused on the Wedding Industry. He publishes The Wedding Marketing Blog and is a regular contributor to Mobile Beat Magazine and Wedlock Magazine.

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Wedding MBA, the mega-conference about the business of weddings is taking place in Las Vegas, September 21 – 23, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Readers of the Wedding Marketing Blog can avail themselves of a $100 pre-registraton discount by downloading a brochure and registration form and submitting it by Friday, 8/27/10.

About 1500 attendees are expected this year. It is THE place to be for the business of weddings.

Don’t miss out!!

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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Andy Ebon, The Wedding Marketing Authority, is part of the Mobile Beat Tour 2010, during the week of August 16th.

Cities hosting the tour stops will include: St. Louis (8/16), Wichita (8/17), Dallas (8/18), and Houston (8/19). All stops will enjoy the hospitality of their local ADJA Chapters.

There will be three presentations at each stop, and a trade show. Andy’s presentation will be Building A Focused Social Media Strategy. The event time frame is 5:30pm – 10:30pm at all stops.

Mobile Beat asks that you preregister, so it can anticipate attendance. Registration is FREE!!

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It has been a long time since I’ve stayed at a Hotel Sofitel… maybe ten years. Thought I’d share my recent experience with you. An anecdote to start, and then a great customer service story.

Hotel Sofitel service and The Ultimate A/V Cart: From the time you are greeted at a Hotel Sofitel, you are engaged by staff. When check in is completed, the front desk representatives steps out from behind the counter and places the room key in your hand, directing you, clearly, on how to get to your room.

The room service delivery of a fresh, colorful, Cobb Salad (sans tomatoes) was made early, cheerfully, and efficiently.

In the morning, Jim, a member of the catering staff, introduced himself. We confirmed the time for the lunch break. I ended at noon, sharp, and Jim had everything ready. He seemed surprised that I was on time. Just trying to be a team player, and stay in-sync with the catering staff.

Audio-Visual seems to have more challenges than it should, usually. Especially, when you consider that I send a detailed outline of my needs. The Swank A/V representative, Andrew, had called me, before the weekend, to confirm the details. Everything was ready, when stepped in the presentation room. Everything worked… the first time.

One thing jumped out at me…. the audio-visual cart. It didn’t look like it was leftover from high school, unchanged for the last 40 years. It had the style of an espresso or dessert cart.

Its clean lines gave it both form and function, including minimizing the presence of cords and cables.

Andrew explained to me that these carts had been custom designed for exactly the reasons I suspected. To do the work an A/V cart has always done, but in a more stylish manner.

Every person I encountered at the hotel, from breakfast waitress to dinner server was knowledgable, friendly, aware and engaging. Even the doorman made sure I had a cold, bottled water, while I waited for the airport shuttle.

Seems like good hiring and excellent training to me. I’ve spent a lot of time in hotels over the last couple of years.

None better, from start to finish, than Hotel Sofitel, Bloomington, Minnesota.

There is no tougher ‘spotter’ than I am. What a pleasure to catch people in the act of doing something right!

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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Just a day or so, ago, I posted an item about an effort by businesses in Naples, Florida that have experienced a drop on business inquiries due to misconceptions about beach conditions, related to the BP oil spill.

Coincidently, USA today ran a front page article on the same issue, today. The article describes the greater geographical issue affecting businesses for general travel, destination weddings, and the like.

Thank you to the Naples Chapter of the National Association of Wedding Professionals for inviting to present a seminar and meeting talk, yesterday. It was a treat to meet so many new people and enjoy this most beautiful area in Southwest Florida.

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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As I sit on the balcony, gazing into the sunset, the rhythmic sound of waves, crashing softly on the beach, provides the soundtrack. Kids, laughing and playing, pierce the air with joy. Couples stroll, hand-in-hand, into the heavy air that coats the evening breeze.

I am at the Naples Beach Hotel in Naples, Florida. Life is beautiful.

There is just one thing…. For local businesses, the inquiries have slowed. The phones ring less frequently.

You see Naples is on the West Coast of Florida…. the Gulf Coast of Florida. You’ve heard about the BP Oil Spill, haven’t you?

Newsflash: THERE IS NO OIL HERE!! And it is projected at a 1% chance that this area will see any oil.

Yet people listen and watch cable news with one ear and one eye, if that much. It’s maddening enough that businesses is the center of the actual tragedy have to suffer. But why should this area, and others, suffer, too.

Not wanting to wait for the public relations cavalry, some area businesses started a blog: The Coast Is Clear Naples. It just has a few posts and pictures, so far, but it’s a beginning. It brings voice to this beautiful region of Florida and explains to the world that Naples is Open-For-Business.

Tomorrow, I will teach a seminar on social media and give a presentation for a membership drive, to members and guests of the National Association of Wedding Professionals – Naples Chapter. It may seem unlikely to some that a band of mostly small business owners can make sufficient noise to bring business to their community.

I, for one, don’t doubt it for a second. After all, they’ve taken the first step, in the right direction. Hear the rippling waves roar.

Visit Naples!

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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Just over a year ago, I posted the item, A Ruthless discussion of the term “Budget Bride” and wedding decision making.

It was edgy by design (so what else is new) and generated a lot of comments.

Sunday night, I was burning the midnight oil and before turning off the lights, I thought I’d check my blog statistics. There was a huge spike in activity. It came from a message board on Wedding Wire. In doing research, one bride found my post, and shared it with other brides (and grooms).

It is worth rereading my original post, and then reading the comments on Wedding Wire from brides.

Interested in your feedback!

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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Apple retail stores have taken a page from Facebook and other social media sites, but face-to-face.

Rabid Apple-fanboys (and girls) are so eager to chat with Apple employees about the next-great-thing that it had created a logjam at the Apple store Genius Bar.

Watch this video for the whole story…

Andy Ebon
The Wedding Marketing Authority

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The Wedding Marketing Authority, Andy Ebon is en route from the the DJ Think Tank Conference in Miami to the National Association of Wedding Professionals, Naples Chapter.

The afternoon seminar (registration at 2:30pm, 3-6pm) topic will be: Building A Focused Social Media Strategy.

Andy will also give a talk for the chapter’s general membership meeting, which begins at 6:30pm. The presentation is titled: Success By Association.

Both events will be held at The Naples Beach Hotel , 851 Gulf Shore Blvd North, Naples, Florida.

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The National Association of Catering Executives is holding its annual educational conference, NACE Experience 2010, at the Austin Hilton Downtown, Austin, Texas, July 25 -28.

Attendees will be offered a wide range of general session and breakout speakers, as well as numerous special events.

During the course of the festivities, NACE will hold its annual awards gala, honoring the best work of its members, in Industry, Chapter and Volunteer categories.

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