It’s OK to use Social Media for business leads
I used to have a note on my Facebook page: “Please do not contact me here regarding business leads, because your inquiry may be lost.”
It’s true, there is a risk of vendor and client inquiries getting overlooked in Facebook statuses or Direct Messages on Twitter.
However, like you, I’ve invested in a fan page that you can “like” on Facebook. I reach out to potential clients and build vendor relationships on Twitter. I’ve even told vendors, please do not contact me through this medium.
Then I stopped and thought about it. Why invest all this time and have a rigid policy?
FB like any other social media is gi-normous in it’s size. And to eradicate that from your sales medium is not only being sterile but obtuse in keeping up with potential leads. They’ll just move to your competitor down the street.
Your potential clients are there….you’ve created a place to meet them…. so do so.
PS Still not a fan of “texting” new business, because I’m not 13 years old.
Happy Selling!
Is your BRANDING stopping you?
There has been increasing discussion about branding; your company’s professional image so you may attract your target client. Very important strategic part of your business, I’m not suggesting otherwise.
However…. what happens when branding our biz becomes our obsession? Hey, this is a creative industry … we can all spend A LOT of hours lamenting over what font to use or how to round the corners of our blog photos. Or is it just me that does that?
Not having the right or perfect brand can easily become an excuse for a business owner. “I didn’t sell that new client because I didn’t buy letterpress business cards.”
Ask yourself, is it becoming an excuse for you not to move forward? To getting off your butt, heading out the door to look for new ways of networking and finding new clients?
My latest business crush has been with the UnMarketing guru Scott Straten (you should follow him on Twitter). His schtick? Stop marketing and start engaging. Isn’t that so simple?
People buy from people, not things. Especially when you are talking about the uber personal business of weddings. You will not miss your next sale because the loop on your logo isn’t perfect.
Quit worrying. Quit making excuses. Quit belaboring your branding decisions. And, in the words of a formidable brand, Just Do It!
Happy Selling!
How to SELL clients when you are NEW in business
If you are new to the event industry biz, it can be very daunting about how to promote yourself to get business. You may have done the due diligence on your art and business plan, but have no portfolio to show potential clients. So how do you sell?
Let’s flip this. Here is what you SHOULD NOT do:
1. Talk about your own wedding. Please, if you have in your bio, “……after planning my own wedding in 2007, I grew to love the art of planning weddings and subsequently opened my own boutique, full-service wedding planning business…”
If that is on your website or on any printed sales collateral (no matter how long you have been in business), I want you to stop reading this and immediately go and delete it. Clients do not care how great your wedding was. The fact that you were able to please yourself with your wedding planning skills is of no consequence to them, nor their special, special day. And frankly, it screams that you are very GREEN to the business. So please. Do not stop go. Do not collect $200, remove it now and we shall never speak of this again. (p.s. Likewise, it is never a good idea to have just your wedding in your gallery.)
2. Do not lie. Do not tell clients/vendors that you have 10 years of experience in wedding planning, when really you’ve only worked 2-3 weddings over the past few years. Through the gift of Google, people can find this information out. You don’t want to lose credibility and frankly, veteran vendors can decipher how experienced you are in about 5 minutes of a conversation. Vendors refer other vendors. You get the drift.
3. Do not put yourself down. We all had to be “new” at one time or another. If you have a lot of practical experience in event planning with groups or non-profits, then play that up! Real business experience is worth A LOT. A new creative photographer for example, that has taken photography classes and has worked in corporate world for years will be at a higher level than someone with no experience straight out of college. Play up all your strengths.
4. Do not offer up that you are new. Just as you should not lie about your newness, you should also not voluntarily admit in your sales conversations, “Well, I’m new at this….”. You remember the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy the military adopted? Same applies here. Don’t offer up pitfalls for you to fall into. However, if someone asks directly, have a great response prepared in advance so you don’t fumble.
Example:
Client: “How long have you been making custom wedding invitations?”
You: “While I haven’t been in the wedding industry as long as others designers, I have had xx years of experience in graphic design, meeting deadlines, creating one-of-a-kind flawless designs that have made others stop in their tracks. I am absolutely dedicated to all my clients, in creating a memorable paper experience.”
5. Do not offer up discounts, because you are new. You’ve already learned not to grossly undercharge because of your newness, also don’t automatically assume that clients will want a discount. As a planner, you can imagine how many times I’ve heard: “Well, the photographer is new so they gave me a great deal.” I cringe when I hear this. You don’t have to automatically discount just to get business. Have faith and confidence in yourself.
Happy Selling!
Don’t FRET about what other vendors CHARGE
My blog post yesterday created a stir. It’s a problem that I hear about at every convention, gchat, tweet, telephone conversation and personal emails from other vendors. With a down economy and the high rate of people losing their jobs, it is natural to see an influx of newcomers in EVERY industry, and that includes the event & wedding industry.
I say they are mostly newcomers because I don’t find the veteran vendors charging mere hundreds for many hours of service. They know they cannot sustain nor make a living as a self-employed business person. With that said, I understand that we are not all “luxury, service providers”. My business does not cater nor market to, the “luxury bride”. Frankly, I think that term is overused and should be rolled up and put away, for good.
So, do not fret. Here are a few thoughts to keep in mind:
- Quit worrying. Look if they are grossly (which is the word I used) undercharging their services, they won’t be around long. It’s non-sustainable and they will fizz/burn out. Also, and more importantly, the clients that hire a $500 photographer, would not of hired you anyway. They don’t see the value, they see a very low price point.
- Educate them. Some newcomers to this industry may turn out to be stellar players at a later date. That’s right! We all started somewhere. But they may not KNOW how to go about it. So call them, send them to iWed.org or let them know about an industry event coming up. They may just need some education.
- You are NOT competing. If you have been in business for many years, you are not in competition with these new players. You have a different clientele and a different market share. Does it muck up and devalue the industry standards? Yes, a bit. But it’s okay, it will all shake out in the end. Worry about what makes you unique and finding your client that appreciates and values your services.
- Understand your value. It’s time to stop and re-address what makes your services so great and why you can charge what you do. Take inventory, write down the key points of what makes you unique (and saying you’ve been in business for 10 years is not enough nor makes you unique). Once you have done this exercise, it will make it clearer and easier for you to explain your value, worth and expertise to your potential clients.
Happy Selling!
It SUCKS when you GROSSLY under charge
I spoke on cultivating and setting your pricing at Eventology 2010. It was a difficult subject for me to tackle, mostly because I strongly feel that others shouldn’t be setting your goals or telling you what to charge.
You know what I’m talking about. You’re at an industry event, feeling pretty good about your last event and someone asks you, “How much is your xyz service?” Gleefully you answer to only be met with a scowl on a person’s face or worse, a snicker.
So with that in mind, I will still launch into my diatribe. If you are serious about your event business; whether it is photography, wedding planning, invitations, or cake designing, I’m taking a stand and letting you know that you are hurting yourself and your industry by grossly under charging your services. Actually you would probably be better off donating your time and gifting your services for free, at least the expectations would be equally matched.
In case you feel the opposite, let me tell you why you are totally wrong (I told you, I’m taking a stand):
- You undervalue your service/work. Just starting out and you need to gain experience? So you feel like the only way to get jobs is to charge a Day of Coordination for $300. It’s an easy sell for you. However you have now communicated to your “client” that your value is mere pennies. If you do a good job, then your client will tell someone, and they’ll tell someone else, “Hey, I used a coordinator and she was CHEAP.” Is that what you want your business tag line to be? Hire me, I’m cheap ™
- You will surely tick off other vendors. Oh sure, it’s not a big deal at first. You won! You grossly undercut the competition and got the job. Open up the cheap champagne! However, my little newbie, you should know that event vendors are a tight knit community. We talk. A lot. About you and others. You’ll need help or assistance one day and some may not feel like extending a hand. Since it takes a TEAM to pull off an event, you’ll be sorry you alienated others.
- Have you figured out what you are really making? Track your time and divide it by the teeny amount you charged your client. That’s your hourly rate. Now wait. It may not look so bad at first glance. Be sure to take out a percentage for self-employment tax, federal and state. Now deduct all your expenses you incurred from the event; gas, supplies, food. Now be sure to deduct your overhead expenses. Take another look. What did you make? You might as well of worked for free. And you call this a business?
- It’s a hard climb to higher ground. When you set your goals so very, very low, it takes a tremendous amount of time, effort and work to bring yourself up to the playing field of earning a profit and maintaining a successful business. Do not be short sighted. Have courage!
- Quit having pity. Don’t feel sorry for brides and grooms who are on a budget. We are all on a budget in one way or another. If we don’t charge what we are worth, then we won’t be profitable. Never be sorry or make excuses to others about running a profitable business. Otherwise, we would all be OUT of business. And where would our clients be then?
Happy Selling!
2009-10 Copyright Get Real Sales Coach Saundra Hadley
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