jeremy_clay wrote:
PS - A real tip is selling starts during the emails. The couple needs to love you, your work, and know you care about their wedding well before the meeting. Rarely do I go to a meeting without them bringing their chequebook - we meet to show that my prints look like they do on a monitor, that my contract is fine, and that I'm a real person.
+ 1. Same here. Sometimes the meeting is more for ME to qualify a client before I allow them to book me.
on these two meetings today we just clicked a lot better, and neither of them asked to see any more work or anything. they just wanted to meet me, not see if i'm good enough or anything. we just had a good time. meetings were about 1hr each. so thats 4/6 success for me.
I bring an album with me on my meetings. my PROBLEM however is I don't know enough to be QUIET while they are looking at this. I bet they don't even hear what I'm saying lol. Good tip on not bombarding them.
This is where I talk about MOMENTS at a wedding. Not about the picture, but about the story behind it. Look through your albums ahead of time and really reacquaint yourself with what happened that day that may have been sweet, funny or momentous. I've found that clients get the sense that I was really paying attention to the wedding and totally getting the emotion of it. When they point at a key picture that they love, I'm QUICK to say, "Oh, that's such a great story!" Of course, limit that.
The other thing that I would add is to not try to bend away from your preferences in order to book a sale. I did this early on and really got myself in several pickles. This doesn't mean that you act like some snob that won't lower themselves to shooting anything other than one certain type of image. But it DOES say, "Hey... we're not for EVERYONE... but if you like what you see, then I'm your girl".
I consistently say to almost every bride who comes in that there are enough weddings to go around. I'm not here to shoot everything that comes across my plate. I may NOT be who they're looking for... typically, when I begin this line of thought, the ones who are in LOVE with my style, will INSIST that I'm exactly what they want. This is who you want to have book you. Don't forget that.
I don't take the stance that I'm trying to GET them to hire me. I take the stance that I'm presenting what I do... how I do it... and why... and if it matches them, we could be a match made in heaven. But I do it with kindness, TONS of humor and a good dose of humility.
I'm also with Hoffer... I talk about the bride (color scheme, location, number of bridesmaids, nerves, the groom...) long before we point out the product. There are quiet girls that answer with one word and it doesn't take long to cover all of the ground... and there are talkers who could go on for DAYS. Either way, we feel them out.
Ok ladies and gentleman after readin everyone's responses to this post I went on another meeting this past Sunday. I started selling in the email, chatted for 40 minutes on the phone then met with her for another 40 onto to find.... AN EMAIL IN MY INBOX SAYING SHE WOULD LIKE TO BOOK.
This is exactly the kind fo advice and insight I was looking for. Thank you all for being so willing to help someone else in the industry. I hope that I can be of some help to you someday.
ARDENT wrote:
Ok ladies and gentleman after readin everyone's responses to this post I went on another meeting this past Sunday. I started selling in the email, chatted for 40 minutes on the phone then met with her for another 40 onto to find.... AN EMAIL IN MY INBOX SAYING SHE WOULD LIKE TO BOOK.
This is exactly the kind fo advice and insight I was looking for. Thank you all for being so willing to help someone else in the industry. I hope that I can be of some help to you someday.
I kind of have the opposite trouble. I've never met with a bride that didn't book! I'm sure that will happen sooner or later, but for the moment, I'm batting a thousand. I think my work is acceptable, and my website and prices are reasonable. I get a reasonable number of inquiries, but often fail to get them to a meeting. I try to be personable and real. I try not to be too pushy, but I'm losing them somewhere. I believe I need a strategy change, but I can't see where. Do you have a scripted response to email inquiries?
Something about me or my approach isn't working, and unfortunately, I can't see it!!
David
BTW, this is an amazingly helpful thread!!! This is almost sticky worthy!
I do have a scripted response. I can post it here... One thing I also did that the bride loved was leave her with my 6 best photos. I printed them myself on very high quality thick paper with my watermark. Her fiance couldnt be there and I know how not into details grooms are... the last thing they want is to peruse my website. So I gave her a working portfolio to take home with her.
"Congratulations on your engagement! I received your information from wedding wire due to my company being able to offer a lot of the things you were looking for. Do you have a date or location yet?. I am including pricing and testimonial information with this email but I would love to set up a meeting to show you more of my portfolio and discuss what I have to offer… see if we are a good fit.
There are some things that make me different from other photographers. I like to highlight these things, so that when you’re making this very important decision you will know what I bring to the table. First off I started my career in photojournalism. This has really trained me to have a photojournalistic eye, seeing things differently and enabling me to capture the story behind the weddings I cover. I like to include 2 photographers in each of my packages WITHOUT charging you extra. I feel this extra coverage brings another dimension to your photos allowing a completely different perspective and doubling the amount of memories you will have from the wedding. In processing your photos I will provide you a color copy, a black and white version as well as many artistic and creative representations. I upload all photos to an online gallery allowing to you begin previewing them as soon as 1 day after the wedding. Ardent brides are also given personal reproduction rights allowing them to have their photos printed wherever they would like, whenever they would like. I keep my pricing affordable by not charging you to do what you can do yourself (printing photos).
I have extensive experience shooting weddings. Although my online portfolio is comprised of my best images I do have hundreds of other images available for you to view. I also would invite you if you have not done so to visit my blog at http://ardentphotographyincblog.blogspot.com. I like to get to know all of my clients and many have told them that through my blog they have learned a lot about me as a photographer. I currently work with the best Nikon digital equipment available on the market today and have a backup for every piece of equipment I own. I absolutely love what I do and I feel very fortunate the able to photograph people in love for a living.
I have some time available the next two weekends. August and September are actually my busiest months. Let me know when might work for you and we can iron out all the details. Good luck with your wedding plans!
I have to second the suggestion on reading the Dale Carnegie book. That book is a treasure chest with mounds of priceless information on how to win people.
This IS a great thread. Shall we stick it or compile a list of "tips" to be stuck? I think either way the subject is worthy of a sticky. Thoughts please.
Steve
Steve Tinetti wrote:
This IS a great thread. Shall we stick it or compile a list of "tips" to be stuck? I think either way the subject is worthy of a sticky. Thoughts please.
Steve
It seems like good ol' sticky would be best, as most comments have been quite informative. Who would do the "culling" of comments for the other type of sticky?
I have a meeting on Saturday. This is just what I needed! Thanks to all for the great tips. I am far less nervous now than I was when I set the meeting.
Wish I'd read this on the 8th. I've been talking my head off with so many meetings but not so many bookings. I want to be the guy that they cancel the meetings with the other 'togs for after meeting with me. I've already been on the receiving end of that. I knew something wasn't working right...
The Carnegie book arrived today... Looks like its older than my grandparents lol. I am trusting you folks and going to attempt to get it read this weekend. WIsh me luck lol.
Stephanie, I went through the book a couple of years ago and personally found the most effective way to read it is not cover to cover, but rather focus on specific sections and mix it up a little bit until you read them all.
I don't think I seen it posted here but, one thing I do when I meet with potential clients is take out my cameras lay them out and let the clients handle them... I know it sounds sort weird but so far it has a pretty cool effect. I give them a very short breakdown on my gear and what sets it apart from other gear. I explain to them about my Canon 5D being the most popular wedding camera and my Mark III and the types of lenses that I use. They always seem impressed with the gear and it shows the level of professionalism the gear produces. Once in a while you have a hobbyist and the drool factor has so far never failed me. Anyway it's just something I do that seems to work for me.
