In my blog post yesterday, I wrote that it’s absolutely possible to secure a new client after just one phone call. But you must make a great impression and you must know what questions to ask.
It took me many long years to learn the art of talking on the phone to a potential client. I always prefer meeting in person, because I’m pretty good at interpreting people’s body language; I quickly get a sense of what they like and what they don’t. Over the phone, though, it’s a lot more difficult to read people. Not to mention when you’re speaking to a complete stranger!
So, here’s how to sign a new client with just one phone call:
1. If a potential client calls you, and you aren’t available, return that call as soon as possible. That potential client is no doubt reaching out to other vendors as well. If you don’t act fast, you may lose out on the job altogether.
2. I know we get busy, but don’t ever rush a client, potential or otherwise. Make them feel as though you have all the time in the world for them.
3. Always speak in a conversational tone. Thank the potential client for getting in touch with you, and ask how he or she heard about you. This is good for market research. Plus, it will give you the chance to thank the person who recommended your services (which you should always do!)
4. Remember that your #1 priority is to get as much information possible from the potential client about the event (date, location, time, etc…) However, you don’t want to sound like you’re filling out a questionnaire, either. Yes, the call is an interview (for both of you) but it doesn’t have to feel that way.
5. It’s also very important that you get a real sense of who this person is. What does he or she like? Dislike? Establish this information as quickly as possible because it will inform every idea and discussion that comes after. Think about color and style preferences. Does this client prefer a traditional look? Or maybe something more eclectic?
6. Now, here’s the delicate part: money. Most clients know how much they DON’T want to spend, but very few know how much they DO want to spend. This is where giving price ranges can be very helpful. If the potential client isn’t scared off by the ranges you name, suggest scheduling a meeting where you can give a more complete presentation of your work and services. (Tomorrow, I’ll share my presentation tips to help you secure the job.)
These phone calls are by no means an exact science. However, when potential clients hang up the phone, they should feel blown away by you, your ideas and your services.
Lastly, I’d like to respond to the comment that Mr. Jason Hatch left on my blog yesterday. I had asked if it’s a good idea to list your prices on your site. Jason wrote that he does publish his prices and that he has had great success securing clients this way. I’ve always hesitated to do this, because I fear my prices will scare away potential clients. However, now I’m reconsidering!
But let me ask you all again: Is it to the vendor’s advantage to list prices online? What about publishing just a list of potential price ranges? Is there any concern that competitors will try to take clients away from you by promising to beat those prices?
Please share your thoughts with all of us in the comments.
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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.
Meaghan Schmaltz
April 19, 2011
THANK YOU for all the phone tips. I always worry that it sounds like I’m going point by point during a phone call. I like to keep it conversational but there are definitely items that need to be covered during that initial “conversation”.
As far as posting prices – I’ve gone back and forth on this. I’ve finally settled on posting a “starting at” price. I find that the leads I get through my website are more qualified and the potential clients that are price shopping, or have a specific budget in mind that doesn’t include my fees (which I still feel are incredibly reasonable if not a little on the low end) move onto the next vendor who will fit their budget. What I don’t do, however, is put a full list of services that the price includes. I have a short description of who/what the package is designed for so that I can’t “get beat” by my competition. Sure their price may be lower but they don’t know what a client is paying for with my services. Of the clients that do contact me and meet with me, they are often blown away by what my packages include and that allows me to sleep well at night and provide services that make my clients happy.
Alexia
April 19, 2011
Thank you for those insightful tips Preston! I keep on going back to your blog to read and re-read your tips & advice as I’m a newbie in the business and still trying to find my ways. Baby steps!
I always thought that I shouldn’t be advertising my prices on my website as I fear my prices would intimidate potential clients (UK budgets hardly match US ones!) 2) being a newly self-employed designers, was a bit concerned about having the experience necessary for clients to believe I am worthy of the budget they want to spend.
But like you, reconsidering now as I truly believe that if a client like your aesthetic, they will spend the cash!
Alexia
Hardy Klahold
April 19, 2011
Hi – Price list or not… I’m going back and forth with this for years. So many good reason to have a price list on your website and an equal amount against it. Here is my favorite to have not a price list on your website:
The wedding is every brides dream. If you are the first vendor she talks to, or she sees online and she gets a price from you, you are the one who puts a price tag on her dream. This is not a good thing.
… and my favorite reason to have a price list on your website. The web site is your store window. Would you go into a store that has no prices at all in the store window? It’s an important information about your service.
I believe the truth is in the middle… giving a price range is a good way to pre filter you clients.
All the best
Hardy
Angela
April 19, 2011
Totally disagree with publishing your price on the internet because prices may vary depending on clients design and concept. Not sure this is something I may want to do unless statistics suddenly show that it attracts more clients, then I may reconsider. Good post all the same.
Tanya Malott
April 19, 2011
The price list issue has become clearer to me over the years. I agree with the “starting at…” concept mentioned by one of your other readers. In my world of photography, it saves a lot of wasted time with people who are shopping by price and looking for ‘just a few hours of coverage’ (I don’t work that way). If people know my lowest price then a bride with a much smaller budget won’t call, and the one with a slightly smaller budget might call and see if they can negotiate. I think that benefits everyone, and no one ends up disappointed or frustrated. I am not the most expensive photographer in the business, and I am not the least expensive.
As a shopper, I find that not listing prices can be frustrating and infuriating. I love antiques, and I like to look at them on line. When a price is listed, no matter how high, I am happy just to know. Maybe for the right item, I can stretch my budget. When the price field says “contact dealer”, I typically move on. I dislike the attitude of ‘if you have to ask….’ and find it terribly off-putting.
There are clients at every budget level. A client with a six figure wedding budget is not going to hire the least expensive photographer (even though they could). Clients typically want the best they can afford, and then they want choices in their range.
There are plenty of choices in every price range….even the Preston Bailey price range. In my opinion, price is largely a reflection of experience, and with greater experience comes greater value and a higher price. There is no shame in publishing your prices, particularly if you are confident of the value you offer for the money.
Teshorn
April 19, 2011
I don’t suggest putting prices on your site. People like to price shop. If they like your work they will call you. It’s now up to you to sell and close the sale. However the flip side is, if it’s posted and you do get the phone call, they are well aware of your pricing structure. Perhaps a range should be considered. Hmm. That’s a tough one.
Jason Hatch
April 19, 2011
First..Thanks for the shout out! Most humbly appreciated! Now on to today’s post…you hit the nail on the head with one of the most important things for wedding pro’s to remember..DON’T RUSH! These are real people who are turning to us even if just for a brief moment in their wedding planning experience looking for answers, guidance and expecting professionalism. We do a disservice to the entire industry when we try to hurry a phone call along. So much can be learned from this interaction as the potential client still feels a sense of anonymity and protection. Putting them at ease is essential to establishing the trust necessary to their decision making process and ultimately to establishing our credibility. First impressions are lasting impressions.
Back to the price issue…I stand by my post yesterday. I close 80% or better of those with whom I meet since I began posting my prices. That is not to say that those clients do not add additional services above and beyond my “threshold” price. My average party is usually several hundred dollars more than that price because the client has chosen to add additional services. The threshold price is a hurdle that if they cannot jump disqualifies them from being my client. I simply will not relinquish the precious few dates I have to make a living each year without obtaining what I feel (and history and other factors have shown) is a fair value for my services.
There also seem to be a lot of people trying to hide their prices until they can justify ( or rather I suspect, make excuses for) why their services cost as much as they do. I do not understand this at all. I make no assumptions about how a client I haven’t met or talked to yet will view my prices. Some likely view them as high, some just right and some even view them as not high enough! That decision is theirs and theirs alone. I have no interest in “convincing” anyone to use my services. I don’t have the time or will to “educate” a bride on why what I do costs what it costs. That’s why they’re hiring me as the professional. I work with those who are confident that they see the value in what I am offering and believe I have the experience and the talent to deliver on their vision for their wedding. I have stood in a VFW hall to entertain at a wedding with the full knowledge that I am the single most expensive thing that went into the entire wedding! Humbling to say the least! You know what? I rocked that party the way the client wanted me to as if it was the Taj Mahal! The client saw the value of what I brought to the celebration and had no regrets. I know because she still refers me to people! I honored that decision by delivering to her the level of service she expected. Win-Win!
Look at it this way. Some folks drive Hyundai and some drive Mercedes. There are all kinds of people in that mix. Good and bad, rich and poor. There’s no judgment to be made there. The Hyundai has options that make any model more expensive and so does the Mercedes. They are choices (options) left to the desires of the individuals…the base cost for either car however is going to stay pretty much consistent though even though they are both cars the Hyundai is going to cost less than the Mercedes. The EXPERIENCE of buying and driving a Hyundai is different than that of a Mercedes. So are many other intangible factors. Again no judgement just choices based on the desires of the consumer. The price expectations of Hyundai buyers are different than Mercedes buyers and their value/cost evaluations are different.
My business is a Mercedes. I deliver an experience that you simply aren’t going to get at your local Hyundai dealer. I state it right up front with that threshold pricing. I do not hear from people who think my prices are unreasonable. I only hear from those who have made the value/price assumptions that fit my business.
And I don’t apologize for it!
Love the blog Preston! Thanks for always challenging us to think!
Katrina George
April 19, 2011
I agree with Tanya.
As a florist it is near impossible to list prices online because things will vary so hugely depending on the flowers used, the size of the bouquet, the style, etc.
That being said, I am a pretty busy person, and like to do what research I can ahead of time online before I actually go to the business to learn a bit more about them and the products or services they offer. It is really frustrating when you go to their website and not even be able to get a rough idea of what to expect or budget for. I think there are a lot of people that can also be nervous to ask, and while there are people that may think flowers are less than they are, there are also people that could assume your products are way more than they are and skip over you if they think there is no way you could fit in their budget.
I think it is good to inform them a little bit about how prices do vary, a starting price or rough idea of ranges and then encourage them to contact you for more information.
Ruby Guerra
April 19, 2011
I don’t list prices online because competitors can use that information to offer their services for less. I list all of my services and put “I work with most budgets”, since in my case there are times I can do so. My price points are in the middle of the pack so I actually appeal to a wider range of clients. I’ve also noticed that if you do a good job that clients are willing to pay more.
Jody urquhart
April 19, 2011
Usually the conversation over the phone quickly gets to price. Publishing it online has the advantage of notnwasting anyone s time. If it is too high it scares people away. This is the problem because price is negotiable in some cases.
I publish my price deeper in the literature when someone fillsnout a qualified offer on my website
Vivian's Decor & Designs
April 19, 2011
I used to post my starting pricing, but I’d still have people asking me how much it was to do what was already posted.
I now find that I attract brides that value my work/style and experience more than my pricing. I”ll explain what’s included in the pricing.
Yes, I still get emails and phone calls from shoppers – those will never go away. But I feel like I’m now getting a better caliber of clientele.
Jason Hatch
April 19, 2011
So many people expressing that “I want pricing when I shop online” and yet as business owners would choose to frustrate their potential clients? I don’t understand this? Please explain why you feel you can treat your prospective clients different than you would wish to be treated? In an information age we ought to be offering information at the very least. Price is an integral part of the decision process.
I do not get phone calls or emails from “lookie loos” or price shoppers. A definite benefit of showing pricing online.
I disagree with setting the bar low by posting “starting prices” Now when it comes to services with commodities involved, like florists, I can understand the challenge of market fluctuations, availability and individual selections creating such a large price range that it is difficult to give anyone a solid foundation. Difficult, but not impossible. A quick review of the average pricing of your most recent years events should give you a good solid idea “Services average $xxxxx for work like that shown on this website.”
I would suggest you aim high BTW…in a tough economy only two types of businesses weather the storm well… those at the very top and those at the budget bottom. Shooting for the middle sets you directly in the “I need to save as much money as possible” target range and amidst the greatest number of competitors all seeking to compete on price rather than on experience and talent.
People pay for so much more than the actual service. They pay for the process. They pay for the experience along the entire journey. Charge accordingly then give them OUTSTANDING experiences that are unparalleled in your industry and they will recognize the value…regardless of the price
teonna
April 19, 2011
We don’t post our prices on-line because of the variables. I would rather take the time in the beginning stages to do it personally 1 on 1. This way you can explain the costs directly with them. You can take the time to understand their financial comfort level as well as why things cost what the do. That is more difficult to do with out the personal connection. If the prices seem out of line to what they were expecting to pay you can have a conversation about it. That opportunity is lost if they click onto the next vendor from a website and you would never know either way.
Michael Wade
April 19, 2011
I’m a wedding photographer and have been for 25 years. The photography market is crowded and there are lots of what I call low ballers on price. The people who promise the moon for $500. I don’t post rates on my site but I gladly provide ranges when I am contacted. My prices are not going to change based on what the client wants them to be. If I did that I would be providing my quality at the low ballers price. But, in most cases I have found that reasonable people know that quality comes at a price. You can either afford it or you can’t.
Edwina Milford
April 19, 2011
I think the best thing we did was to upload an interactive online product catalogue to our website. We found it qualified our clients and stopped a lot of the ‘time wasters’ from calling. In the product catalogue we encourage clients to give us a call however or visit our showroom as prices are an indication only and may vary dependingon the design they select.
Kirstie
April 19, 2011
I always assume if the price isn’t listed it means I can’t afford it and I find it humiliating to have to ask so I move on. I also find it a waste of my time to have to contact someone and wait possibly a few days to find out if I can afford it.
I am a wedding photographer and I post my prices on my website with brief descriptions of what is included and then I provide clients with a detailed PDF when they inquire. For me that does several things. When a client contacts me I know that they are interested in my work and that they can afford me. It avoids embarrassment for both parties. When I didn’t post my prices I had a LOT of inquiries asking about my pricing and if I could work with a couples $500 budget. I found it was wasting valuable time for myself and my couples and would be frustrating for a couple to take the time to write only to find out they can’t afford me. I am spending a LOT less time having to respond to inquiries that can’t afford my work and finding a way to say so gently.
Yes of course your competition will copy your pricing and lower their prices to compete with you but I like to pride myself on competing on my work and what I offer not on price. If a couple is in contact with you I would hope it is because they truly love what you do what is unique to you and your business and the experience you offer.
I think you save your clients a lot of extra work, frustration and possible embarrassment by at least giving them an idea of what your prices are. If they contact you after knowing your prices at least you know they can afford you and they love your work and you can let the real conversation begin then, instead of spending potential hours in contact with a couple who simply can’t afford you and having to disappoint them.
Fabiola Cristina
April 20, 2011
Thank you for your all of your tips on Speaking to new clients over the phone, I have found a lot of what you said to be true. I am in a different profession, however I do hesitate as well to post my prices on line. In part because I feel that a lot of potential clients are pricing vendors out. Which is fine, but I don’t think that they really take the time to look at your portfolio, instead they focus on the pricing and move on to the next. What to do??? …LOL..still trying to figure it out.
Juli
April 20, 2011
Thank you for this great read. It’s also quite timely for me, as here in Australia, we are just finishing one wedding season and are now fielding enuiries for the next, so I can definitely incorporate what you have written into my business in a good way.
With regards to publishing prices that your competitors can use against you – they will do this regardless of whether you publish prices or not. As soon as you give your clients your proposal or quote (or anything that contains $$’s!), they ARE going to shop it around, I am a specialty cake, cupcake, cookie and dessert business, and my industry is currently rife with undercutting. I spend at least an hour each day reading wedding forums to get a lead on what is trending and what is planned – I have lost count of the amount of times one of my {watermarked} photos has been put up on these forums asking what people think is a “cheap” price for this cake (made by another vendor). It’s disheartening, but I realise that it goes on, whether I know about it or not.
I now have prices and serves for most of my past cake designs on my website so that people can use these as a guide. My prices are my prices – it doesn’t matter to me whether you look at them on a website or ask me over the phone – theya re going to be the same, no matter who is asking. I do not compromise my product in order to meet a budget or “get the sale”. That is not the way my business is run, and I much rather scarifice the clients for whom their bottom line is the only factor in their decisions for those clients who value the products I create – a published price is not going to scare those clients away.
Thanks again for a great blog post!
Savannah (Pearls and Pages)
April 20, 2011
Preston, love your blog posts, as always. Always such pertinent and interesting topics written with great care. Thank you for caring so much for those of us in the biz as well, trying to make it. Much appreciated!
Kudos to Jason Hatch for publishing his prices openly online. I’ve often vacillated about what to do because 1) I don’t want to scare a potential client off– at least give me the chance to chat/meet with you and 2) I don’t want to run the risk of similar businesses being able to “outbid” me. Plus, most things I do are completely custom, anyway, which means custom price.
However, for my general, straight forward blogging I do have prices and have those somewhat posted on my site. I chose to go for the range with the “starting at” and leaving it at there. It doesn’t give competing businesses my line-by-line prices, and it gives potential clients an idea about where my services range in the price dept. I feel comfortable with this decision but can’t attest to success or failure for having done it this way. I’m still a young company and trying to earn those clients!
Thanks, Preston! Can’t wait for the next post!!
-Savannah
The French Bouquet: (A fabulous client of mine!)
http://www.thefrenchbouquettulsa.com/blog
Madreperla Wedding and Event Planning
April 20, 2011
I think that put prices on web site is not a good idea. Both vendors and competitors can take advantge … A range of prices could be acceptable, but not necessary in my opinion
Madreperla Wedding and Event Planning
April 20, 2011
Anyway , thanks so much for these suggestions . I’m new in this blog and in this job too. And it’s very usefull and read and read again and again.. I have so much to learn!!
Maria Kirk
April 21, 2011
I have a great deal of trouble selling my services over the phone! These will help he a lot!
Rayna L. Brown
April 21, 2011
Hi Preston. Great question. It’s a major forum debate as always. I for one have chosen to list my “starting prices”. I didn’t for a long while but after getting married last year, I now understand how a bride feels when she is pressured into meeting a vendor just to find out the cost. It an be a complete waste of time. Many argue that they don’t want the bride to choose quantity over quality which is a point but if I as the bride know that my budget for photography is $3000 and I take 1/2 day off of work to go see a photographer who’s lowest package begins at $6,000, i’m going to be annoyed. I didn’t care how good they were. If I only have $3,000 then that’s all I have and I have to choose the best in my budget range. I almost wasted an entire day to meet with vendors who were completely out of my range so now I don’t mind giving a “starting price” and my website clearly states that these are starting prices and the prices will vary depending upon various elements of the event.
Rayna L. Brown
April 21, 2011
Oh, and I’ll add. It has been a great success. I get less inquiries yes but more bookings. Once they see that I’m in there price range, now all I have to do is sell my quality service. I get less calls coming in but my booking rate now is very high. I don’t get too many price shoppers because the beginning price is already there so less wasted time trying to convince potentials that my price is justified. I get clients now that don’t even ask about the price too much until we get to the end or in most calls they don’t even ask, they come to the meeting with their check book or credit card ready to sign the contract knowing it may be a little more.
Angie
April 24, 2011
I have posted a price range on my site for years. Today’s brides, I’m told are looking for that as a way to screen you in or out from their initial internet search. However, I have had another vendor literally steel my price list from my website and post it on her website with my name still attached! And, I’m sure there are other florists out there who had cut my prices to get the job. Bottom line, I’m still doing it, because that is what brides want.