First, I’d like to thank all of you for your wonderful suggestions last Monday for Thanksgiving presents for my family.
In these challenging economic times, I went with my partner Theo’s idea (check out the pictures below). They were all very happy indeed.
And now, on to today’s post…
I always remind myself the simple truth that if we do not have clients, we do not have a business. I can humbly say that most of my success comes from my ability to view my clients not only as customers, but also as teachers.
I can remember a few turning points:
Mrs. Schwartz
Years ago, I used to present ideas to clients by showing them elements of the event and hoping they could actually visualize what was in my head.
That is, of course, until I met this lovely client who said, “Preston, If you want to play with the ‘big designers’ you need to start acting like one. I just went to another designer who showed me a full table presentation with flowers, plates, glasses, salt, pepper, everything to the last detail.”
Mrs. Schwartz changed my concept of giving presentations forever. Thank you dear lady.
Joan Rivers
While planning her daughter Melissa’s wedding, she told me, “Preston, when the guests arrive I want them to feel like they are at the theater and the curtain just went up to the most beautiful theatrical set.”
This simple idea from Joan is the basis for what I do today–transforming spaces into theatrical environments.
I have often gotten the question, “What can I do if I think a client has no taste?” I think a better question is: How can we take our client’s “bad taste” and learn from it by making it better?
For this week, feel free to write in the comments section about any issues you are having about meeting clients, accomplishing a good interview, but not getting the job. I’ll answer you directly by email with my suggestions.
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George Bernard Shaw once said: “You see things and say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were and say, ‘Why not?’” That quote embodies how Preston Bailey approaches every event.
Rosalba Fasan-Buffat
November 29, 2010
Thank you for sharing Preston! I am located in Vancouver, BC and find that I have great meetings offering suggestions the clients love and our personalities “click” and then they get the quote and I will get the response that my work is the best they’ve seen, etc, but they have found someone cheaper. My price point is middle high, that’s where I have placed myself, and my work has been viewed in high end wedding magazines and events and I feel like customers come for my ideas and then bring them to less expensive vendors that tend to work “assembly line” fashion. Creating full table designs is just not possible in my situation but I do explain the benefits they can receive from using my services, such as I do the work personally and don’t pass it onto another vendor to complete-how do attract couples with realistic budgets for their dreams?
YOUR NAME
November 29, 2010
I am finding the same thing as Rosalba-they click with you and then go somewhere else cheaper. I see a lot of others in my field using “tactics” to get clients and I don’t like marketing that way. I believe in my work and in my skills and want that to set me aport from the otehrs. I also think before you become a “rockstar” you should be rock-solid. How do i make the client see the value in my work vs the cheaper imitation of others?
*LOVE* your work Preston-thank you so much for this post!
Carol
November 29, 2010
I am finding the same thing as Rosalba-they click with you and then go somewhere else cheaper. I see a lot of others in my field using “tactics” to get clients and I don’t like marketing that way. I believe in my work and in my skills and want that to set me aport from the otehrs. I also think before you become a “rockstar” you should be rock-solid. How do i make the client see the value in my work vs the cheaper imitation of others?
*LOVE* your work Preston-thank you so much for this post!
Nicky
November 29, 2010
What a wonderful post and such a good topic to bring up. I own a handmade wedding invitation business and we are priced competitively within our community. Although we’re new and do relatively well, I find the part I’m having the hardest time with is competing with mass production online sellers who sell single card invitations at a very low cost. Although I can justify my pricing by the amount of work we (my husband and I) do (and we offer multiple styles for different budgets), it’s difficult to convince some clients that it’s the right road to take and that they will receive a beautiful product in the end.
I’ve always admired your work, thank you so much for bringing this up!
Meagan
November 29, 2010
It’s funny that you mention this, because I was just blogging about the first client that I lost last month. They ended up completely separating, but it was my initial meeting that prompted the whole situation. I felt horribly guilty, but I’ve come to the realization that the bride simply was not ready. It’s all laid out here: http://epiphanydefinedllc.blogspot.com/2010/11/moment-of-truth.html
Thanks so much!
Trendee Flowers
November 29, 2010
My concern lately is scheduling consultations (for free ) and Brides requesting quotes prior to all their event. Then doing all the work in creating a full price and waiting for the response , and then getting DECLINED through an email. I would love to know what I can do to improve my buisness as well as my clients ? What should I do to improve my consultation strategy ?
Anonymous
November 29, 2010
Thanks Preston for the post,I have admire your work and have all your books, they are full of inspiration.Isn’t it presumptious, to have a total table setting when you have not consulted with the client to have an idea of what their vision is? I usually have 2 or more set ups ,but some clients come in and want to see how everything was put together and take pictures and never buy.How do I get them to buy?
Nishaka
November 30, 2010
One of my challenges is being careful with how much feedback and ideas I give in the first meeting. I have found at times that a potential client wants to get all the ideas without hiring me. Depending on the prospect and meeting flow, I’m constantly gauging how much information I provide. Another challenge is helping clients understand the value and importance of a event planner. I love connecting with a client who already understands the value. I don’t even have to sell it. It’s the prospective client who doesn’t understand therefore may pull back due to fee when I present it. I do have a detailed services page that outlines all that we do as a company for the client and the event. More and more they are starting to understand, but it’s still a work in progress. The last challenge is working my way to the higher end market. That is where I know I need to be. We operate not only as the event planner, but like a personal concierge for our clients. The high end market is what I am going after for 2011.
Nishaka
Savannah (Pearls and Pages)
November 30, 2010
Keeping it simple and straightforward right off the bat. In my experience, though young, inundating a client with tons of paperwork and lengthy emails is a no-no. For the most part people don’t want to spend oodles of time reading. I have to remember this and remind myself daily– I’m a heavy reader and writer but I need to remember that most people, even myself often times, don’t want to spend dozens of minutes reading “About” or “Services” info on a website.
I have to remind myself that excessive verbiage can frighten clients. Who wants to really spend more than a minute or two reading just to get an idea of what you offer? I recently launched my company’s website and I’ve gotten many comments such as “I love how clean and simple it is. So straightforward. Not much reading to do.” (Though my “About” page really needs to be trimmed!) This was great news! I struggle every day to deliver quality work, convey my business and services, and write in an efficient and effective way. It’s no easy task to be to-the-point when I’m so very detail-oriented.
Any tips on being professional, high-quality, wholly dedicated to delivering the best of the best, but keeping it straightforward and easy to access? How to tell potential clients “this is who I am and what I do” and not bogging current clients down with tons of detail and a lot of words?
Thanks, Preston! And thank you for sharing your gift idea. A perfect idea for “Hard Times,” indeed.
Cheers,
Savannah
Pearls and Pages: http://www.pearlsandpages.com
The French Bouquet: http://www.thefrenchbouquettulsa.com/blog
Crismar
November 30, 2010
Preston thanks for share your own experience… I have a question How do you talk with clients when they want a cheap decorations?… My husband is my partner in this business, and he has a difficult character… he prefer don’t make a cheap wedding and don’t negotiate with the client… but when I see the bank account I begin to despair… How do you handle this situation?. I’m not interesting that the client catalog me like a cheaper decorator… but the most of client ask me for a reduction budget…
Crismar Elena (from VENEZUELA)
Jennifer Ward
November 30, 2010
I had a young lady meet with me to do some last minute programs for her wedding. I met with her, she loved my work, and then, the dreaded comment, “I have to talk to my fiance.” I told her I understood, but that because it was two weeks before the wedding, we needed to get started quickly. I emailed her the contract outlining everything, and then…nothing. I called, emailed, and nothing. It was like she vanished. A couple of weeks later, I saw pictures that a photographer friend of mine took of HER wedding. And wouldn’t you know it, there were programs! I felt so bad, not because she didn’t decide to do business with me, but because she didn’t have the decency to say, “I’ve decided to go with someone else.” I don’t know what’s worse, that, or the person that keeps saying, “I’m going to go with you.” but hasn’t signed a contract or made a deposit. It makes me feel like a puppet of some sort, because I go above and beyond for all of my clients and would just like the courtesy of being told that they will not work with me, so that I can put my time and energy into my clients that have already signed on the dotted line.
Anonymous
December 1, 2010
can you PLEASE do a piece of seating charts and place seating cards??where to begin best way to work when you have changes up until the event.
thank you!!!
Georgianne Vinicombe
December 2, 2010
Great post and so true!
chaircover
December 3, 2010
Hello
Thanks for sharing this nice information.
Please keep sharing more and more information
Thanks
GM
December 3, 2010
Nishaka
GM
December 3, 2010
I totally agree with Nishaka’s comments…. I have been referred to by past clients as a “added value coordinator” and one client rated all my services very high EXCEPT she challenged me that I was undercharging for the depth of services that I provided – that I went above & beyond her expectations! SO…. then I get clients who I meet with, seem to have a great meeting, and then they either don’t get back to me (which I find very rude) or they have “changed their mind”…. What I’m struggling with is how to effectively market the “VALUE” & “BENEFIT” factor so that it out-weighs the “COST” factor in a clients’ mind! Although, I have also learned when a potential client says no, that I need to let it go & just say “NEXT”!!