Selling is much more than having smart sales strategies for converting inquiries to dollars. Think of selling as a process, or a system. The tighter your system, the better you’ll be at making the sale. Add these three things to your sales process to present yourself better to potential clients:
Sell Your Brand Before Your Services
When you get the chance to talk with a client about their event, what’s the first thing you do? After the small talk? After learning about them? Do you launch into your services and offerings? Before you try to sell anyone on anything, you need to share your soul with them.
What is your business all about? Why do you do what you do? What can they expect from working with you?
Before you get into your services, sell them on your brand. If they connect with and buy into your brand, there isn’t much selling of services you’ll need to do. They’ll be hooked on everything your company represents.
Some great ways to lead into this are:
- “Before I get into the specifics of your event, I want to share what you can expect from us.”
- “So… let me tell you a little bit about how we work.”
- “We’re so excited to talk about your wedding… but before we do, let me tell you why no one does it like we do.”
Focus On Your Differences
There are thousands of people who do what you do. And, it’s incredibly difficult for consumers to work their way through so many options of wedding planners these days. (YES, competitive saturation is a thing.) If you want to sell them on YOU, you need to know how you’re different. And – you need to be able to share that with your potential client. What does your business do that no one else does? (Or – that no one else does as well?)
Here is where you have to look at other people in your area and find differences, create differences, communicate differences. Create a list of 5-10 ways that you’re different from competitors (and competitors) in your area, and be ready to talk about these differences during a sales consultation.
“One thing that makes us different from everyone else is…”
Follow Up
This one goes without saying… and yet I’ll say it again. Follow up… forever, until you hear a no. (And – you may not hear no.) Here’s the thing… people get busy. People get confused. People get overwhelmed. It may just be that your follow up email catches them on the right day, and the right time… And that silence coming from them turns into a yes.
If you’re tired of following up all the time… work it into your weekly schedule. (Monday is follow up day… and work through your proposals, inquiries.) Who needs a check in? “
Hey there! Just wondering how you two have been? I’m checking in to see how I can help you?”
There you have it! 3 easy-peasy actions you can add to your sales approach that are less about selling and more about digging deeper into your sales process.
Want to learn more about marketing yourself better and selling smarter? Check out The Simple Plan Exclusive, Sage Wedding Pros’ business plan coaching.
About the Author
