sales, Sales, SALES!!!

Its always good to have a script or a game plan next to your phone when a potential client calls. This keeps you focused and keeps you from straying from the most important thing at that moment: helping the bride or client make an educated decision.

You have something they need, and it’s up to you to help them understand that you are the one for them. However, you are a problem solver, not a product pusher! They don’t care about your resume, so the purpose of this blog post is to get you away from saying “let me tell you a little bit about who we are and why we are different” or even blurting out your prices when they ask you.

You need to be asking questions about their wedding…about the details…about the people involved. And just…..listen. It not only helps you gauge if this wedding will be a good fit for you, but it gets the bride/client talking about the things that mean the most to them. They could care less what gear you use, how many years you’ve been in business, or your “Bronze, Silver and Platinum” packages. They want to like you, to trust you, and to know that their video will be the best if it comes from you.

Below are some of the questions we ask all of our clients. When someone calls, we build a relationship FIRST. We congratulate them, act excited for them, and then set up the expectations for the call. We tell them in order to give them our packages and pricing we need to ask them a few details about their wedding first. “It won’t take longer than 10 minutes.” When they say ok, we let them know that by the end of the conversation they should have all the info they need to make a decision. These questions not only help us “creative” folk from getting too nervous when we have to “sell,” but it gets the client thinking about their wedding video in terms of value as opposed to price.

These are the questions that allow us to figure out the nature of the event, their priorities, and our availability:

1. What is the date of your wedding?

2. Where are you having the ceremony? Reception? How many guests are you having?

Let’s pause there. We can use this question for many purposes. When the client says that 200 people will be in attendance, this gives one the proper info to inject that “having a video is a great decision for you then! It will definitely be difficult for you to go around and converse with all 200 guests, so having them on video will be a great way to look back!”  Another great question to ask is, “Who ISN’T going to be at the wedding?”  This is crucial because your competition isn’t asking that question. And it gives you the opportunity to emphasize that a video is important to be able to show to those that couldn’t make it to the event.

3. Ask about any unique details that excite them. (i.e. old getaway car, mom’s veil, special jewelry, awesome band, photo booth, etc). This question not only gives you creative insight on how you would edit their video, but it again gets them feeling emotional about THEIR day!

4. Ask “Why do you want a video?” Even better. “Why do you want OUR wedding videos?” This lets you know how big of a priority it is for them, if a family member is pushing for it, and what attracts them to your work. Let them tell you why you are different. It sounds better when they say it. :->

5. Instead of asking the very overused question, “Wouldn’t you like your grandchildren to see your wedding day?” Ask, “If you were to go into the attic, and find your grandparents wedding video, what would you really enjoy experiencing about them thru the video? What would make it special?”

They cannot yet relate to the grandkids question because they don’t have any (unless you serve an elderly clientele), but they do have grandparents! Earns you an emotional response 99.9% of the time!

These questions are for specific situations in which we all find ourselves:

Price. They ask, “XYZ Co. is $1000 dollars cheaper. Why should we pay more for you?” Or they say “Sorry, we found a company that is much cheaper.” All you have to do is ask (nicely), “Why do you think they are cheaper?” or “Why do you think that is the way it is?”

And then stay silent. Let them answer. They will more than likely tell you what you already know, that you provide higher quality, you put more work into it, that you make it more personal. We have had people call us back and book us just from this question alone because they really started to think about video as an investment instead of choosing the lowest bidder. If they don’t go with you, so be it. They weren’t a good fit anyway.

Ask, “Is price more important to you than quality?”  If they say “yes,” then you know they aren’t a good fit. But if they say “no,” it gives you another way to explain what they will get by spending a little more money with you.

After you have asked the questions, then you can describe your prices and packages EMOTIONALLY! Don’t use terms like “2-camera coverage, UHF wireless mics, HD video” but say things like, “This package includes 2 videographers so we are able to capture all the vows, music, and speakers crystal clear, and we are also able to film the reactions of both the bride and the groom as the bride walks down the isle. And afterwards, one of us can stay with the you to get creative shots during photo session while the other videographer can film the things you and your family are missing at the cocktail hour!”

Questions are powerful. They keep you in control of the ever important first conversation and allow the client to be emotional about their decision (in a good way). Otherwise, you’re just a collection of gear and numbers and a website that blends in with the competition…be different!!!

Matt D., Lifestage