The best way for two humans to connect, build trust, and uncover needs is the same as we’ve been doing for 10,000 years: face-to-face around a fire outside of a cave. No, really, it’s by having a simple conversation. With everyone’s busy schedules, though, in-person is hard. Phone calls are a good way to meet the discussion needs without wasting time driving all over town.

...

Okay, if I’m being honest, what I’m about to show you may not be the worst ever written. I’ve seen some pretty bad ones lately! Also, it’s worth noting that this week’s blog post may be a bit longer than 3 minutes – but trust me, it’s worth it.

What makes up a really bad email you ask? View the email and hear my thoughts here.

Pretty scary...

By the time potential clients contact you about your services, they could be 70-80% of the way through the buying process. They’ve asked for recommendations from trusted friends and vendors, searched listings and read reviews, stalked your Instagram and Pinterest, scoured your website, and finally took the plunge by submitting the form or sending an email.

Now what?

The buyer...

The response you give to an initial inquiry is one of the most crucial parts of the sales process. Get it right and you’ll keep the prospect interested. Blow it and you’ll never hear from them again. We’ve already discussed what’s happening when you get ghosted. Let’s take a break from what not to do, and devote a bit of space to what you should be doing.

The...

I recently had a client tell me about their perfect buyer who inquired on Monday, talked about their priorities and needs over the phone on Tuesday, reviewed the proposal on Thursday, and sent in a deposit on Saturday morning. Wouldn’t it be great if all inquiries went like this? Too bad most won’t.

Most clients don’t move this quickly on their journey to buy what you have to...

Let’s be honest. Your potential clients aren’t ghosting you. You’re scaring them away. Stop making it about them when it’s really about you.

 Buyers tend to leave the sales process at four points in their journey. 

1.    On the website

2.    After the initial inquiry

3.    After you send the proposal

...

The buyer’s journey won’t be completed in a few steps. Wedding couples will make several micro-commitments before they say yes to your services. It’s not easy to push prospective clients off their status quo or make them feel confident in their decision to move forward with you.

Here are six things you can start putting into practice with your next inquiry:

#1 – Keep it...

Wedding couples need your help. They’ve probably never been married so they don’t know what they’re doing. They’re spending a boatload of money, more than they’ve ever spent on anything else in their lives. They’ve got a ton of pressure on them to be good hosts, out-do their friends’ and families’ weddings, and show everyone a good time....

Most event pros conduct awful first meetings with prospective clients. Sorry, but it’s true. Many even skip over the meeting altogether, which is the worst thing you can do to mess up the sales process. Another bad way to start is to do most of the talking. 

Don’t start the meeting out with a pitch about you and your services. You are there to listen and learn, so shut up and...