Bentley
Alex Krissy Fuentes
English 2010- Paper #2
21 September 2011
Do You Take This Business? by L. Gite
A Rhetorical Analysis
Summary
This article details many examples of businessmen and businesswomen who have broken into
the Wedding industry. According to recent polls, weddings account for $32 billion dollars per
year in the United States, the average wedding costing just over $16,000.00. The categories that
make up the largest portion of this industry are jewelers, gowns, honeymoons/travel, home
furnishings, and reception items. Those focused on most in this article were bridal consultation,
gowns, and jewelers.
Because of the large amount of revenue in this category of business and despite lacking
economic stability, many individuals have had phenomenal success entering the trade. One of the
most popular and profitable sectors is that of Bridal consulting. Popular amongst brides, there
seems to always be a demand for those services. This is a trade that requires very little initial risk
and can be performed on a low budget.
Entering the gown business requires a slightly higher budget at first, and there is more
competition throughout the life cycle of the product. However, if positioned in an appropriate
marketplace, gown dealers can expect a large return.
One of the least budget-friendly sectors is that of wedding jewelers. These businesses require
more financing in order to maintain the correct quantity and quality of jewels in their stores.
However, this division of the wedding business generates huge profits and sees very little
fluctuation even in economically challenging times.
Finally, this article offers options to businesspersons of all interests and organizations currently
in place to assist in financing wedding business as well as training individuals hoping to start
such a company.
Situation
The recent job market and economy seems to be a big factor in the reason for writing the article.
Due to the decline in number of jobs and many industries as a whole in the United States, many
individuals are choosing to open a sole proprietorship, LLC, or partnership in the wedding
category because of its consistency in recent years.
Another reason that can be observed is because the author is simply interested in such a service
market. His interest is evident throughout the article through his interesting information on
weddings as well as first accounts and interviews of other individuals who have already made it .
Purpose
Rather than to persuade or dissuade, this article is primarily to inform the public of past
successes of other like businesspersons, current statistics, and future industry projections. This
offers a realistic approach and interesting figures when considering entering into such a trade. In
addition, the text acts as a resource for finding financing options and helpful organizations
already established as well as their respective membership fees.
Claims and Subclaims
The Wedding Industry is Recession-Proof.
According to recent surveys, weddings remain rather stable in times of economic insecurity and
even decline. In fact, the numbers clearly show that the industry as a whole is increasing yearly
as far as profits and the numbers dollars of invested by individuals using such services.
There is easy entry into this type of business.
This is a largely inelastic competition business which means demand and supply either stay
constant or continue to rise despite slack in the economy.
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Financial Aspect: Depending on the category one chooses to pursue, the initial cost is
relatively low. For instance, a bridal consultant can start up a company with as little
as $2000.00. Gown designers and distributors require slightly more in order to
maintain a high enough inventory, and jewelers generally require the most out of the
three. However, compared to many other types of businesses, the cost of
establishment is much lower.
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Demand Aspect: Due to the nature and symbolism of a wedding and its cultural
importance, there is always a need for marriages in the United States. Therefore, the
demand never declines for services. Additionally, the national average for ages of
marriage couples is gradually increasing in order to allow for individuals to begin a
companionship being more established. This allows for less conservative weddings
which in turn increases the average amount spent on a wedding.
The best place to launch such a business is in a metropolitan city.
The argument for this claim is due to the amount of exposure in these areas. Also, the sheer
numbers of people in the vicinity guarantee a higher occurrence of weddings in general which in
turn means more demand for services.
Audience
This articles intended audience is young business owners that are looking for a low risk, high
gain industry to enter. Due to the inelastic nature of this type of business, it is an excellent type
of start-up for someone with few financing options and a low budget. Due to the specifics
mentioned throughout the article, it targets mostly those interested in the bridal consultation,
gown design or distribution, and jewelers.
Conclusion:
This article is a non-biased, non-persuasive entry with rich examples and details on where and
how to enter a specific wedding category. The author saw this industry as a constant source of
revenue in a fluctuating US economy. The objective is to inform. The text offers accurate and
current facts and statistics concerning each of those sectors as well as the wedding business as a
whole. Furthermore, it acts as a resource and directs individuals to organizations and businesses
with the same interests and goals in addition to offering options for financing such a business. Its
claims are well-rooted and well researched and provide good, applicable information.
I would say that very little needs to be improved. The article communicated its message very
well. However, if I were to suggest any type of improvement, my recommendation would be to
look at a few of the negatives or risks of entering this industry. In this way, readers would have
an ability to judge the topic of the article with even less biased opinions. It would also further
inform and might reach more of the target audience through presenting a more realistic
argument.
Overall, however, this was an excellent and interesting article that kept me engaged as a reader
and provided valid and useful information.