Yes, The Knot bought those other two websites in the past year. I'm on all 3 for $125 /month. Times 12 months = $1500 a year I'm spending with them.
In 2008, I have rec'd over $7000 in business from Knot brides.
What's the question again? 
Local magz do the same thing. I picked up a local bridal magz just a couple of weeks ago. A very nice article in there on cakes .... good interviews with a couple of the top notch bakeries in town (I should live so long to be as good as these places!). And whadda ya know .... the bakeries being "interviewed" also had very large, well placed ads in the magz.
You support the home team. If someone is spending money with me, then I'm going to support them in their business also. Call it what you want, but it's just a good business decision. You guys do it on a smaller scale all the time ... you donate a cake here and there to support their event or their cause, hoping they will reciprocate (sp?) and support your business down the road. It's the same thing.
To be able to say "As seen on The Knot" is worth more than any other ad I can think of.
And I'm with Doug .... brides are doing the majority of their wedding research via the 'net.
Ah, just noticed you were local! I hate to tell you, but if you were at the Bridal Show, the knot called everyone, saying the same thing. I also got a call from southern bride and groom, and Carolina Bride. And from the Cary magazine (forget what they are called.) They even told me they wanted to do a expo on me because I won a blue ribbon at the fair and they wanted to show Unusual Cakes. Once I said I didnt want to advertise, all of a sudden I got well, your photos aren't really high enough in pixels, we only take professinal shots, (even though I have plenty of cakes they can come and photograph!) Its how the biz works, its how they get those featured articles. Don't fall for it.
I get photos all the time from the magazine, the web site, and other resources, photos of cakes of very famous people and brides ask me to reproduce them. But I also get photos of the local bakeries in town who are charging 1000 dollars for a wedding cake and asking me if I can do it for less, and I do. Brides will pick a cake they like (design that is) and bring it to the bakery they like, and can afford. I dont recall a bride every coming to me and saying "I love this cake! I dont care what it taste like, I want this cake!" They all want a cake that taste good. The reason they are choosing a home bakery is not because they want to save money (Some of my cakes run 1000 dollars too!) but because they beleive they will get personal service, they will get fresher made cakes (mainly because the volume is smaller) and they know the cake will be made by the person they are talking to, not by someone they don't know. This may not be true about YOUR bakery, but that is what they beleive in. So please don't think brides are going to home bakeries to save money!
anyway, back to the knot, I think you should save your money and use the advertising dollars elsewhere!
Yes, The Knot bought those other two websites in the past year. I'm on all 3 for $125 /month. Times 12 months = $1500 a year I'm spending with them.
In 2008, I have rec'd over $7000 in business from Knot brides.
What's the question again?
I know our local person who won the best of the knot for cakes the last two years DOESNT EVEN ADVERTISE in the knot!
I get 2-3 calls a month from my ad. I do better on the free web sites then the Knot, to be honest with you...I won't be renewing my ad. I guess it depends on your area!
hmmm....seems we're getting all knotted up!!!
one says yes, another says no....
what to do .....
if and only if the $$ are there that it won't negatively impact the business in any way.
try it for the MINIMUM contract length and track carefully the response and the $$ it generate
if at end you have IndyDebi type results, to quote her: "What's the question again?"
if not -- well, write it off as bad business investment.
hmmm....seems we're getting all knotted up!!!
one says yes, another says no....
what to do .....
if and only if the $$ are there that it won't negatively impact the business in any way.
try it for the MINIMUM contract length and track carefully the response and the $$ it generate
if at end you have IndyDebi type results, to quote her: "What's the question again?"
if not -- well, right it off as bad business investment.
Thats the only way!
Yes, The Knot bought those other two websites in the past year. I'm on all 3 for $125 /month. Times 12 months = $1500 a year I'm spending with them.
In 2008, I have rec'd over $7000 in business from Knot brides.
What's the question again?
I know our local person who won the best of the knot for cakes the last two years DOESNT EVEN ADVERTISE in the knot!
I get 2-3 calls a month from my ad. I do better on the free web sites then the Knot, to be honest with you...I won't be renewing my ad. I guess it depends on your area!
Cinda is very popular amongst knotties, via those forums that I mentioned. " Best of the Knot" is done by vote. She is very reasonably priced and does good work for the money. Lots of brides are looking for that.
Our average cake is for 120-150 people and runs right around $700. We do wedding cakes for the three luxury hotels in town and a couple of the historic mansions, along with all of the UNC facilities.
My goal in doing this wouldn't be to capture more of the $4.00 a serving brides, but to find more of the $5-$7 a serving brides. We are already being featured in Chapel Hill Magazine, Our State is coming by next week to do a photo shoot for their " best cupcakes in North Carolina" article, and Southern Bride and Groom is featuring us in their September issue. I don't advertise in any of those magazines now, but will this next cycle. You scratch mine...etc.
I like editorial coverage. I think it does a lot to raise the profile of the business, and because we've had a lot, we have been pretty busy since we opened our doors. I am just wondering if the Knot will be worth it, not so much for the advertising leads themselves, but to really differentiate our shop from the NC " cake ladies" that are in every town. I'm not looking to compete with the cake lady. I have a half million dollar mortgage to pay.
txkat --
one for your breakfast/lunch shop and a totally separate one for your cakes and cupcakes.
wasn't it you that just said the other day that every surviving bakery you knew of sold lunch ?
I think Doug meant "Lets do Lunch!" 
[Our average cake is for 120-150 people and runs right around $700. We do wedding cakes for the three luxury hotels in town and a couple of the historic mansions, along with all of the UNC facilities.
My goal in doing this wouldn't be to capture more of the $4.00 a serving brides, but to find more of the $5-$7 a serving brides. .
I am afraid the Knot won't get you those brides, many of them are bargain hunting...the first thing they ask me is How Much. Advertising in Chapel Hill and with the big dollar places is a better idea.
I also do a lot of weddings for the big golf course country clubs and Carolina Inn, etc etc. They are beautiful places to do weddings at! I love doing them there, and sometimes I look at the other vendors the bride chose for her wedding and cannot beleive she put me in the same league!
I understand completley on what you are trying to do, chapel hill is not a cheap place to pay rent! You do have some stiff competion of some bakeries that have been in town a LONG time and already have an "in" with the big dollar places. (I recently had a bride who wanted to use me SO badly, but her mom said no, she wanted "THE NAME". She came to me on the side and ordered a grooms cake, so she said she could at least have some good tasting cake! haha) I think though as a business, you need to first walk before you can run. I rather get my name out there strong with brides and venues. and show them its worth the higher prices. I have SO many brides who sent me their brides maids and came back for the baby showers and such. That is what helps make a business grow. All the advertising in the world doesnt do that.
I wish you lots of luck and if you ever need any help, let me know!!
the NC " cake ladies"
ahem -- and a least 2 cake guys! (me and dale)
I think Doug meant "Lets do Lunch!"
excellent idea! ---
tho' I'd love to come "apprentice" for a while with both you and txkat -- if it weren't for this job I have!
I am afraid the Knot won't get you those brides, many of them are bargain hunting...the first thing they ask me is How Much.
No matter how much they plan to spend, they always ask "how much". I've never had a bride come to me and say, "Oh price is no object! The sky's the limit!" 
Saw one bride on the knot forum complaining because of the no-shows "....and that cost my dad $85 a plate that he had to pay anyway!"
$85 a plate? Did they fly that lobster in from Maine via first class?
So Knotties are not all "cheapies".
I am afraid the Knot won't get you those brides, many of them are bargain hunting...the first thing they ask me is How Much.
No matter how much they plan to spend, they always ask "how much". I've never had a bride come to me and say, "Oh price is no object! The sky's the limit!"
Saw one bride on the knot forum complaining because of the no-shows "....and that cost my dad $85 a plate that he had to pay anyway!"
$85 a plate? Did they fly that lobster in from Maine via first class?
So Knotties are not all "cheapies".
Now I never said Knotties are Cheapies. I said they are bargain hunting. There is a big difference. They have a budget. Brides who are looking for the High Dollar are thinking more about The Name then about how much it is going to cost. They don't usually look on the Knot...they ask their wedding planner, they ask their venue, they ask their best friend who did her 5000.00 wedding cake! If I had a limited budget for advertising, and I wanted to appeal to the higher dollar brides, I would advertise in the areas these brides go. Do you see many ads for Walmart in Vogue magazine? Or Tiffany in the Penny Saver? These brides dont shop at the 99 dollar David's Bridal sale...(and I am not saying brides that do are cheapies either!! They are looking for a good price on a budget!)
Now I never said Knotties are Cheapies. I said they are bargain hunting. There is a big difference.
You are right ... my error ... and there IS a big difference!
I guess my play on words wasn't a very good one! 
haha!
ahem -- and a least 2 cake guys! (me and dale)
Okay then 
How about cake ladies and laddies ? and by that, I mean no disrespect, because as I said, there are loads of CCer cakes that I find WAY more impresive than a lot of what I see the " big names" do.
I just think that in certain circles, " that charming little bakery on Franklin Street that I saw in the Knot" will have more cache than, " you know, that cake laddie that goes to church with Aunt Suzy." Cache means cash in French, don't ya know ..
We are making the signature dessert for the Heart Ball this year, which will help. People going to a $200 a head fundraiser are definitely the market we're looking for. Even if I don't get one lead directly from The Knot, will it be worth while to have a big banner with our cakes that says " as seen in The Knot, Southern Bride and Groom, and Our State Magazine" on our website and at our bridal booth, since that is really what I'm after, not so much the individual leads from the online ads.
Difficult to quantify...
Is "as seen in the Knot" worth however much you'd be paying for straight ads? Especially if you're already making inroads with your target market ("as seen at the Heart Ball")?
FYI: I just got an email from the editor (not a sales rep!) of a major local bridal mag. They want to do a profile on my cakes. No mention of advertising requirement or anything. I've never advertised with them in the past, I may in the future, who knows?
Just wanted to pass that info along.. it's not *always* tit for tat. There are definitely some good mags out there who just want interesting stories - regardless of who pays them.
Besides, have you seen the price of wedding mags lately? They make tons off advertising and mag sales, without *having* to sell editorial, also.
Something to think about....
A free way to be featured in the knot is to have your cake as part of a wedding that is featured. A lot of photographers submit pics of weddings to be featured. Look for photographers in your are that have been featured and get to know them. The cake is always shown when the wedding is. Your name is given and it's free! It may take a while, but it does happen.
Something to think about....
A free way to be featured in the knot is to have your cake as part of a wedding that is featured. A lot of photographers submit pics of weddings to be featured. Look for photographers in your are that have been featured and get to know them. The cake is always shown when the wedding is. Your name is given and it's free! It may take a while, but it does happen.
That is true...I know a couple of my cakes have appeared in the blogs the brides put up too.
I have had some photographers take photos of me while I am setting up the cake..that is another cool thing to get from them!!
FYI: I just got an email from the editor (not a sales rep!) of a major local bridal mag. They want to do a profile on my cakes. No mention of advertising requirement or anything. I've never advertised with them in the past, I may in the future, who knows?
Just wanted to pass that info along.. it's not *always* tit for tat. There are definitely some good mags out there who just want interesting stories - regardless of who pays them.
Besides, have you seen the price of wedding mags lately? They make tons off advertising and mag sales, without *having* to sell editorial, also.
We have had loads of "local" press coverage, but that doesn't seem to have the cache of being in a national magazine.
Like I said, if I were to make the investment, it wouldn't be to get "knot" leads, since their reviews from advertisers are decidedly lukewarm.
It would just be for the glossy article hanging on my wall that says " as seen in The Knot"
I personally would not feel like they wanted to feature me but rather they happened upon a underhanded way to obtain advertising.
Maybe it would be better spent by preparing a press release and submitting it to the local papers and magazines and radio stations. Organize an event, you could coordinate with a bridal fair or party planner and include that info in the press release. That should draw some media attention as well. FYI you can hire a writer to draft your press release VERY inexpensively, you can also call the paper and ask them to send you any press releases they have on file or what they look for in a press release that they would print or show interest in.
My friend also contacted a local assisted living home in her area. She donated a birthday cake each month for a monthly birthday party for the staff and residents. This info is in her press release as well. That has made her business flourish. Monthly exposure is great!
Why can't you advertise in the local Knot magazine? Unless they have changed their magazine format, I purchased local versions of The Knot Magazine when I was planning my wedding.
I just checked online and they have 17 regional magazines. Are you in one of those areas? Can you just have them advertise for you in that area?
You can advertise in anything from just online up to national. There is an amount they want you spend to be included in the people they contact for editorial. It includes two editorial features in a year. That amount of money gets you ads in the national knot, the regional knot, and online.
What is the price they quoted you for this? I recently inquired and the price for national was around $10,000 if I'm not mistaken.
$600 a month for 12 months..includes national & regional print ads, website gallery with 20 photos, and a bunch of other stuff, including a framed laminated copy of your feature with " as seen in The Knot" on a brass plaque.
$7200 is an awfully big price tag for the supposed cachet of "as seen in The Knot". Just my opinion.
$7200 is an awfully big price tag for the supposed cachet of "as seen in The Knot". Just my opinion.
I concur. I wouldn't pay for someone to write an article on me. To me it seems like their way of luring you into advertising. That's the same price I was quoted I was just to lazy to look through my emails to verify the price so it wasn't $10,000 but very close. IMHO, going through editorial (someone contacting you about writing an article on your business) should be free.
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