Cashing in on Same-Sex Wedding Bells What Dave Just
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Issue #3 for jrmhp 6/6/2008 - 6/18/2008 feedjournal.com Cashing in on Same-Sex Wedding Bells (Portfolio.com: Culture and spend on average $20,000, racking up talked about," he explained. "It's easy couples. The boutique hotelier's Lifestyle) a total of $72 billion, according to to run up. You can go through that in Silicon Valley property Hotel bridal website theknot.com. But the a flash." Montgomery will donate 10 percent Submitted at 6/16/2008 9:00:00 PM potential for a deep-pocketed, Expanding existing business of any group block rate for same-sex A t Los Angeles' gay pride parade underserved market coming online in without alienating the mainstream is a marriage bookings to the Human June 8, a local radio station had a an economy where more straight common theme, even if you're taking Rights Campaign, a national gay- float emblazoned with a banner that couples may be thinking of pulling out full-page newspaper ads that rights advocacy group that is gearing read, "Welcome to the hell that is back their spending is undoubtedly seem to be congratulating same-sex up to fight a statewide constitutional marriage." The message was a cheeky attractive to vendors. couples. Less than two weeks after amendment initiative in November nod to the May 15 California The impact on California and the the California court decision, Macy's seeking to overturn the marriage Supreme Court ruling legalizing rest of the country could be made headlines in San Francisco and decision. marriage for same-sex couples, but it significant, says Betsy Stevenson, an Los Angeles touting its gift-registry The hotel group is also preparing an typified how quickly some segments assistant professor at the Wharton program in an ad that read, "First information packet for couples that in the business community are School who studies the tax comes love. Then comes marriage. includes courthouse times and other gearing up for same-sex nuptials, implications of marriage. She And now it's a milestone every specifics visitors may not know, such which began Monday evening. compared marriage in the Golden couple in California can celebrate." as the requirement that you must be Gay and lesbian couples are sure to State today to Nevada 60 years ago, Macy's spokesman Jim Sluzewski in California for at least 24 hours be ecstatic on their wedding days, but when that state's lax divorce laws resisted any suggestion Macy's was before getting married. the ones shedding the most tears of made it a destination for couples taking a stand on same-sex marriage, Susan Wilcox, the vice president of happiness may be California's looking to split. The revenue Nevada since all the company was doing was communications for the California wedding and honeymoon vendors. brought in encouraged other states to innocently running an "inclusive" ad Travel and Tourism Commission, put Will a change in law mean a bull change their divorce laws. "Once that promotes its registry, which has out a press release June 3 promoting market for big fat gay weddings? The California starts making money, other been open to same-sex couples for 15 venues beyond the traditional gay Williams Institute at the U.C.L.A. states will want to get into the game," years. "The fact that we are favorites that are also waiting to serve School of Law thinks so. The think Stevenson said. advertising a wedding registry is not the happy groom and groom, such as tank released a study June 9 showing San Francisco first saw the at all unusual," he said. "In the locations in Yosemite and the California's $6 billion-a-year wedding economic potential back in 2004. wedding business, everything is new Cascades. industry will get an infusion of $683 Thousands of same-sex couples were business." Figuring out if estimates are correct million over three years in direct married out of City Hall around For businesses rushing out to buy that marriage is a financial gain for spending by same-sex couples. Valentine's Day before the state put rainbow-colored paraphernalia and California is premature. "It's kind of Based on numbers in the kibosh on the renegade licenses bride-bride cake toppers in bulk in a hard to say what that will net out as," Massachusetts, where it has been and began litigation that ultimately bid to attract cookie-cutter gay Wilcox said, noting economic impact legal for resident gays and lesbians to led to this year's decision. Businesses nuptials, cool your heels, since same- numbers are "elusive statistics." But marry since 2003, the Williams in the city, which for years have sex couples are likely to be as in this case, there will be a paper trail. Institute estimates roughly half of catered to informal commitment individualistic as their straight "At least with marriage numbers California's 102,000 domestic ceremonies, were struck by a counterparts, said Tegan Firth of San we'll be able to tell who came and partners will get married, while "Flowers from the Heartland" Francisco's Hornblower Cruises & what they did," she said. "We will another 68,000 couples from outside phenomena, a movement in which Events. Her company has served know from the marriage licenses. All the state are expected to come and well-wishers ordered wedding same-sex couples for years, and in the of those statistics will be very celebrate their nuptials. The Institute flowers for same-sex couples they first 10 days after the court decision telling." thinks same-sex marriage should didn't know. Thousands of bouquets got inquiries from 15 couples, half But for D'Alessandro, his marriage generate 2,200 jobs in California, were distributed randomly to the from outside California. is more than just a statistic to him. "It bring in $8 million in marriage- throngs of couples waiting to get "Commitment ceremonies and now is a basic civil-rights issue," he said. license fees, and increase sales and married, a boon to florists in the city. same-sex weddings are going to be "The emotions are very powerful." occupancy tax revenues by $55 But this time around, the feeling is similar to other kinds of social Related Links million. A 2005 study showed that if that marriage will be more lasting, celebrations in the sense that it is a Commentary: The Price of same-sex marriage was legalized said Joe D'Alessandro, the president very unique experience for the Prejudice nationally, the wedding industry and C.E.O. of the San Francisco individual," Firth said. "A lot of times How Mark Zuckerberg is Like could generate another $2 billion Convention and Visitors Bureau. He the requests we receive are very Howard Dean annually. and his partner of nearly six years are specific to the couple." Reality Check: Ford Still Pro-Gay That's peanuts for the overall planning a 75-person wedding for Joie de Vivre Hotels is offering a Post-Boycott industry, since 2.4 million straight Labor Day, with a budget of about promotion that is designed to appeal couples get married each year and $10,000. "That's the ballpark we've to socially conscious gay and lesbian What Dave just did (Seth's Blog) persuasive. Isn't that worth trying? scarcity to create promotion. On the If you follow Dave's tactics exactly, Second, he rejected the idea of day a book is released, it's scarce. you'll certainly fail (at least with me), Submitted at 6/15/2008 10:41:00 PM having a 'real' publisher publish it. A Scarce because no one has read it yet. because it's already been done before. Dave Balter, an old friend and real publisher adds time (perhaps six That scarcity makes it more likely But, I have no doubt that variations colleague, has written a new book. It months or a year or two) and limits that someone will blog about it, on this method are going to get more costs $45 on Amazon. But, for my many of your options re: pricing, because it's a scoop. News. Cooler and more powerful. (You can read loyal readers...you can get a copy of distribution, royalties and promotion. still, he's not offering a copy of the my original free ebook--it was seven the ebook (the entire book) for free Third, he realized that the ideas in a book. Instead, he let me and a few (!) years ago-- right here. That book here. book are different than the book other people offer it exclusively. was a total homerun for me and for The way he is bringing his idea to itself. The ideas are free. Dave made No, this doesn't work if you haven't my readers--it has been downloaded, the world is instructive. the ideas even easier to share by worked with the blogger for years, emailed and purchased millions and First, he wrote a book. You should putting them into a PDF. If you want haven't earned a reputation and most millions of times. I'm surprised the write a book, too. Publishing a book the souvenir edition, the one you can especially, haven't written something tactic isn't more popular.) is easier than it appears (in some hand to a friend or read on the beach worth reading. In other words, it takes Find hundreds of other free ebooks ways, like the typing, typesetting, or store on your shelf, that costs a lot about six years of hard work to at changethis. I started changethis printing, and distributing part) but of money, but you don't mind, become an overnight success.