The sale begins long before the actual sales pitch.  It begins the minute that potential clients stumble upon your website and continues until well after the clients are married.  The experience that you give a client during the sales consult is an opportunity for you to showcase your services and set yourself apart from competitors.  So, what is it exactly that you do during the consult that woos them?

Today, let’s break down the sales consult.  (We won’t get into the actual SALE here.  I’ll leave that to Saundra Hadley.)  Let’s talk about the experience that you give a potential client.

Who are you?  What is your brand?

It’s easy to become blasé about the sales consult.  We get used to what we do and it becomes routine.  But, ask yourself: what are my core values?  How are they reflected in my brand?

Your brand is so much more than a logo.  Your brand is reflected in everything you do, including the sales consult.

  • Where do you meet with potential clients?
  • How do you greet them?  How do you converse with them?
  • What are you doing to woo them?
  • What little touches are you giving them so that you stand apart from others?
  • How do you showcase your products and/or services?
  • What packaging and presentation do you use to ‘envelop’ your offerings?
  • Are all of these consistent with the company and brand you have built?

Consistency

Consistency  is key.  Consistency builds trust.  If one of your core values is FUN and your personal style is silly and lighthearted, then your clients want to see that throughout the entire process.  Are you meeting with them in a fun location?  Are your promotional materials fun?  Do you showcase your services in a fun way?

For each little step of the sales process, you should come back to your branding and make sure it’s a match.

Here’s some food for thought:

  • Starbucks may be a convenient place to meet with clients, but is it a match for your brand?  (If you’re selling high-end photography, it may not be.)  How about meeting them at their wedding venue or a hotel cocktail lounge?
  • Jeans and uggs might be comfortable, but is this a match for your brand?  (If you are building a high-end floral business, it may not be.)  Think of the client here.  Is this a match for them?  If they are expected to spend thousands of dollars with you, do you appear professional?

The Experience

We often get caught up in the technicalities of what we do (camera lenses, floral props, lighting terminology, catering acronyms).  The client doesn’t care about any of this.  The client is buying the experience.  They’re buying YOU!  Focus on the experience that you give them.  And, forget about the specs (for now).

Come back tomorrow… we’ll be talking specifics: pre-consult phonecalls, questionnaires, etc.