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Normally, the way to let people know of your upcoming nuptials is for you to meet them in person, or to tell them by phone, or to send them the actual invitation. Now you can add one more really cool and efficient way to get the word out: the internet! Specifically, have your own personal wedding website.

You’re probably thinking you’re too shy. What in the world would you say? There’s a lot that you can share! This is your online wedding billboard. Announce your engagement and talk about how you met; let your family and friends share in your love story. Take the time to introduce your fiance/e (feel free to include a picture) so that your loved ones know what he looks like.

Why not save on the cost of having invitations printed and make soft copies instead. Scan the actual invite and post it on your site. You might want to check, your web host may actually have thrown in a virtual invitation design tool to help you create one from scratch easily online.

A website is also great for posting directions and announcements such as where you’ve been able to secure rooms for those coming in from out of town, and how to get to your wedding if they don’t live in your area. How about creating an online bridal registry? This will make it easier for your guests to give you what you prefer and they’ll be able to save some time by shopping online.

You may be thinking it must be too difficult to create one; you never learned how to really use the computer. Some wedding planners have easy to create sites just for you. They can walk you through the process easily and most of the time, it’s as easy as pointing and clicking on what you like then simply personalizing it with your own words.

Don’t forget to include your website address to your invitations so that everyone knows where to look for updates.

Do you resent getting spam email and junk faxes as much as you used to resent telemarketing solicitations during your dinnertime? If you feel that strongly about it, it’s a safe bet that the majority of your clients and prospects fell the same way. Your challenge is to create informative “touches” that will help open the door to your new customers and not fuel this resentment.

If frequent, informative messages are effective in building more business, how do you actually get your customers and prospects to read them? There are 5 basic steps to achieve success.

1. Find out who the correct person is in the organization for your specific services or products. Do not ever send anything to “Whom it may concern” or “Manager” or “Business owner” or any other generic title. For email, this usually means the info@ or sales@ or other generic addresses are sure to be deleted before they find the correct person. You must take the time to get a good list with the appropriate person named. Or, make the phone calls yourself to confirm the name of the person (with correct spelling) whom you want to contact. While you are making the call, ask for their email address and permission to send the email as well. They will be impressed that you asked before sending.

2. Mail an initial contact piece via direct mail. This may be a letter, a postcard, or some other piece of personally addressed mail. But here the message is critical. Do not say, “I would like to introduce………” This approach is self-serving and BORING. It will go directly into the recycling box. Always make every piece of mail something that can directly benefit the person reading it. This is not an easy task, but it will pay off handsomely when you accomplish it.

3. Mail a second contact piece. Perhaps a copy if an article that you thought they would find helpful (of course, it would be fantastic if you wrote it). Or your newsletter with an appropriate passage highlighted for them. Make it something unique and personally geared towards their business.

4. Call them personally. You may be surprised and get through to them directly. Be prepared to mention the items you recently sent and then go directly into the reason for your call and state the benefit for them. For example: “I recently sent you an article I thought you might find helpful and today I’m calling you because _____ (fill in the blank with the benefit). If you get their voice mail, you can leave a similar message and if the benefit is real, they will return your call.

5. Stay in touch with them through consistent, varied, beneficial messages. This is a great time to occasionally use email. But do not overdo it. Only use these for time-sensitive issues or other unique offers. Otherwise you run the risk of alienating your contact by sending seemingly repetitive, inappropriate emails.

Once you have built a level of trust and have developed a reputation for giving valuable advice to your prospects and clients, they will welcome your contact and look forward to your calls, letters and newsletters. This is the point when your business will begin to snowball. Soon, they will be calling you for help, and your consistent contacts will pay off nicely.

Gloria Berthold is president of TargetGov at Marketing Outsource Associates, Inc. and an expert in business development in the corporate and government business arenas. She is a dynamic speaker and book author and very adept at negotiating the government contracting maze. Visit http://www.targetgov.com for more information.

Weddings are blissful events that bring together great friends and family, and are filled with love and joy. This joyous occasion can also be stressful, overwhelming and confusing for the unsuspecting bride and groom. There are numerous decisions that must be made on a whim with well-intentioned loved ones voicing their opinions about what should be.

Bridal Consultants make it their mission in life to reduce the stress and confusion that the event can bring. The first task the planner will accomplish with you is setting a budget. An honest and sincere consultant will never try to persuade you to spend more than you feel comfortable spending. If you do indeed feel uncomfortable and confused when meeting with the consultant discussing money, you should share your feelings and concerns. The relationship with him or her will grow to be one where hiding and concealing your feelings can be detrimental and costly. If he or she is not receptive or respectful of your feelings, it may be time to break all ties and search for a more fitting consultant. That is why it is IMPERATIVE that you are observant and able to “feel” out the consultant from the very first interaction; whether it be over the phone, or, in person.

The consultant will also be able to negotiate pricing and packages from vendors. Because the consultant will most likely have relationships with vendors you are interested in, this can mean significant savings that you might not have been able to acquire on your own.

Consultants often times assume the role as mediator, or, if things get really out of hand, referee! When emotions are high and time and money are of the essence, it is best to have someone other than family, guiding the decisions being made. Always remember that the ultimate decision is that of the bride and groom, but, your consultant can be a priceless gem of advice. This intervention will alleviate hurt feelings and hostility between the couple and their loved ones.

Allocating a small portion of the wedding budget (discuss this with your potential consultant, as there are numerous pricing strategies that consultants use) to retain a consultant can reap tremendous benefits. Why take on unnecessary stress and responsibility when you can have a caring and professional consultant assume the burdens as their own?