Power tip – Be a style professional!
In today’s changing and increasingly competitive market place, making some seemingly small changes to the way you operate can give your business the boost it needs.
My dream is that the professional photography marketplace becomes a place where people compete on style not price! The more your client can appreciate your creativity and professionalism, the more they will accept your pricing.
Whatever your positioning in the market place you should be aware that the impression you make on your clients is a lasting one and affects how much they will be comfortable to spend with you when the time comes.
Every contact that you have with your client, from the first ad they see through to the after sales follow up affects how they view you. Very few people will be making their purchasing decisions based solely on your photography - they will be drawing on their impressions in the following ways:-
1. Your advertising
2. The first contact whether it be a face to face meeting, telephone call, letter or email
3. The welcome they received when you first met – did your first impression reassure them?
4. The presentation of your studio or workspace
5. How and when you discussed your pricing structure
6. How you handled the viewing of their images and the subsequent involvement in the designing of finished pieces that will complement their homes
7. How you negotiated the finished order and proceeded to produce that order to meet their expectations
8. Your delivery, follow up and after sales service.
Exactly what first impressions you are making?
Sometimes all that is needed is a lick of paint at the front entrance; a wardrobe makeover for you; a redesign of your client correspondence; a review of how you present your completed orders or a system for ongoing contact with them. Take it from me – small changes to the first impression can make a lasting impact on your bank balance!
Power tip – Answering the “Can I have?” Question!
We know that one of our most popular tips related to handling telephone enquiries that relate to price - the dreaded How Much Question. This tip is going to help you answer questions relating to your services - what you will and will not provide for your clients. Again, the aim is to translate a logical question into an emotional journey that is likely to have your clients comparing you favourably with your competitors even if you don’t provide the same service!
Let’s start with an example - how do you deal with the question “I don’t want an album. Can I have just photography and proofs?” The question may well have come up because they have spoken to another photographer who is willing to do this. The client is now trying to use logic to compare apples with oranges. What you need to do is to identify their reasons for not wanting an album (cost, prefer portraits, do it myself) and educate them by way of emotional questions on the benefits of not only having their day documented but to have a lasting keepsake that will tell the story of their day reflect their personal style and emotional needs.
“Hi, Mary, may I just ask a couple of questions first, what kind of photography are you considering - is the style of your wedding going to be more contemporary or traditional - OK, so you want to have a professional photographer shoot your contemporary style wedding, and then assemble your own album, “How long were you wanting the photographer to be available - for the ceremony only or from the time you are getting ready until the cake is cut?” Start to build a picture of what their photography will look like using styles that you are helping them to express - casual, formal, candid, natural etc.
If the conversation goes well, you can then ask for the wedding date, check your availability, and then try to engage them for a wedding interview to identify their needs in more detail. Once you get them there, you can discuss their styles and emotional triggers and provide them with options accordingly. The client knows that they want to have their day documented by a professional photographer, so emotionally they want the day to be recorded. With just a few questions you can get them to appreciate the benefit of taking steps to ensure that these beautiful images are beautifully presented and preserved.
So what questions do you get asked that you find hard to answer? Remember, the worst thing you could do is just to say no outright. Always try and identify what it is the client is really looking for, not everyone really understands the range of services that wedding and portrait photographers provide.
And finally - never assume! Very often people end up being happy to spend more than they had initially anticipated - discover those emotional needs!
Next steps . . . Think of the times that you’ve been asked for something you don’t provide. How did you deal with that enquiry? Write up some responses to try and deal with those situations. If you have any old chestnuts that you’d like some feedback on, email us and we'll make some suggestions for you.
Power tip – why you need a maiden!
Why do I believe that a Maiden will help to make your promotions and advertising more effective? Let me explain.
Motivator – what will motivate customers to act? Eg Perfect Christmas Gifts!
Action – what do they need to do? Call now!
Incentive – why should they call you? Get free framing on 20x24” portraits!
Deadline – when do they need to do it? Book before 30th November
Excitement – build their desire for your products and services. Just imagine the delight when the essence of your family is captured for life!
Negotiate – you’ve built the desire. Now negotiate (make it possible). Free portrait sessions on bookings made before Friday 10th November. Book now on 1300 MY STUDIO
Remember when you are designing your advertising to consider the maiden elements. Often I hear studios complaining that their advertising isn’t working – so just to recap on previous marketing tips
1. Be patient – don’t expect an immediate response to your promotions, it takes time to build up branding. Remember, very often it isn’t that your prospects don’t want your products, it’s that they don’t want them now. This is why it is important to include a motivator. Give them a reason to use you.
2. Be consistent – by all means change the constituent parts of your advertising, but keep the branding consistent so that people begin to recognise your studio’s image.
3. Be specific – identify your target market and be specific to that target market, find out who else advertises to that group and advertise there too. You may reach fewer people, but if you target correctly your hit rate will be much higher.
4. Keep it simple – don’t be too complicated in your promotions – have a single clear message with a single action, make sure your contact telephone number is clearly visible. (Why send them to your website if they still need to call you to make the booking?)
5. Be unique – identify what it is about your goods and services that makes you unique and tell them about it – it’s the best way to build excitement.
6. Don’t be defensive – never assume that a client only wants the cheapest item on your pricelist – if you do, you will miss out on the huge potential of your business.
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seminar schedule 2010!
Take your business to the next level with our latest series of seminars - designed to give portrait & wedding photographers proven strategies to boost studio bookings and sales.
sell without selling out and the need for leads will give you new confidence in your marketing strategies, booking and viewing process. Refer a friend for a $100 credit towards any Instinctive Desires product or service. (Make sure they give us your name when they book!). Venues in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Auckland and Christchurch, for full seminar dates and times click here
set for success - a 2 day intensive workshop to build success for your business covering your sales & marketing, business management, database administration and much more. Gain new confidence in your ability to create profit! Workshops in beautiful settings in Byron Bay, Yarra Valley and Auckland - for full listing click here
For telephone bookings and enquiries call 03 9533 7227.
power tip – closing the sale
What does closing a sale mean? To close a sale is to reach the point in negotiations when market value has been agreed. The market value is the price which the purchaser is prepared to pay and the seller is prepared to accept.
Whether you are closing a portrait or wedding proof viewing or an interview to book a wedding you should be aware of the stage at which you are ready to close the sale. As a quick reminder of the Emotional Sales process, this is the point at which you have built desire by asking optional questions to identify their emotional needs and then educated them as to how you will fulfil those emotional needs. Before I move on to the procedure of closing a sale – let’s look at steps to close the sale:-
1. Prepare yourself – when you reach the point at which you are ready to close the sale, take a moment to clear your mind. Put on a smile which not only conveys confidence but helps you to feel more confident.
2. Give 100% - don’t allow yourself to be distracted and don’t take shortcuts. Each step of the closing process has a clear objective. Make sure you treat each client as if they are your most valued client.
3. Address their concerns – If you hear an objection – don’t avoid it! (Refresh yourself with the Dealing with Objections Power Tip). Take the time to think about what was said and respond directly to the issue. Be sure to avoid an argument – “I understand your concern about . . . “. To every disadvantage there is an advantage and it is vitally important to address their concerns.
4. Confirm everything – If you have taken the time to write everything down – you can easily run through the list and confirm what has been agreed prior to negotiating. Inattention to detail or wrongly written orders will cost the company and the salesperson plenty of money, time and unnecessary stress.
5. Ask for a decision – Never hesitate at the point in the sale when you need them to make the decision. Hesitation is an indication of doubt. Be confident in your products and prices.
6. Know your product range – Be sure you have all the prices at your fingertips – too often a sale is lost because of the time taken to finalise the price. If you sell it you should know what it costs! Work out an average framing price from your most common orders and stick to it. Similarly with albums – know how much it will cost to add extra pages.
7. Tell them they are not alone! – Appeal to both their emotion and their logic by telling them what your other clients have purchased. You can do this in a number of ways, and be aware of the positive benefits of making them feel that they are part of a group.
8. Keep your eye on the ball – The most successful people in the world don’t ‘rest on their laurels’. Track your sales averages and set yourself higher targets. Look out for new ideas and strategies and incorporate them into your process. Learn from your mistakes.
9. Put yourself in their shoes – If you have never had a session or don’t have your own portrait, then you can’t really empathise with the client’s experience. Being able to talk about your own experiences will get you closer to them
Next steps . . . Review the stages of your sales process and identify the point at which you are ready to close the sale. Ask yourself if you are happy with the way you are closing your sales at the moment and see if you can identify areas to improve on. Review your list of common objections and see if it needs to be updated. Keep tracking and increasing those sales averages. And smile!
Power tip – it’s time to take control!
How well do you know your business?
This week I want to ask you about your figures. We all aim to be more proactive and less reactive. One of the best ways to do that is to have at your fingertips information that allows you to ‘see’ a picture of your business. Can you identify the points at which you need to hire more staff? Expand beyond your current premises? Increase your prices? Boost your advertising?
Whatever your business, you need to track your business statistics and understand what those figures are telling you. At very least you should know:-
Business Reports
Monthly running costs
Monthly outgoings including staff costs
Income actual and projected
Cash flow
Profit margins on every product or service that you sell
Profit and loss figures monthly and annual
Plotting these figures month by month and comparing with past performance will help you to identify areas requiring attention – to plan special promotions for quiet times, schedule additional staff for busy times. Allocate time every week to strategise and use your financial statistics to help you do this.
Sales Reports
Your booking targets
Number of prospects required to achieve your booking targets
Your sales targets
Number of bookings required to achieve your sales targets
Your average sales figures
These figures need to be monitored weekly in order to assist management and staff with their targets. If these targets are not being met then you are in a position to address the relevant issues. You can provide additional training as required, and schedule it before the drop in bookings affects your overall income strategy.
At Instinctive Desires we take these foundations very seriously. Accurately maintained business and sales reports will provide the blueprint to determine the potential and future direction of your business. To maximise on your marketing and subsequent sales performance you need to understand where you are at any given moment! It’s time to take control!
Power tip – do you really need to spend $$$?
5 steps to low cost marketing 
It is a fact that it’s hard to pin down the exact return from your advertising dollars. We also know that when you stop spending those dollars, the business drops. So how can you keep your marketing working for you without spending big bucks?
There are lots of positive ways to generate new business effectively without spending big $$$$ on a major campaign. Whatever the size of your business, and regardless of whether you are a wedding or portrait studio let’s look at what you can do every day to boost your business.
identify your customers
How old are they? What do they look like? What are their interests? Where else do they shop? What are their emotional needs? Once you have a picture of your customer, you can target them more effectively. Singles and young couples can be offered a Valentines Special; families can be targeted for Watch Me Grow programmes.
maximise on your existing customers
Are you making the most from your existing customers? Does your database allow you to search for customers who you want to target for a particular promotion? These people are your best ambassadors and you already know what their interests are. Simply by implementing some of the following suggestions – you are guaranteed to increase your repeat business.
- keep in regular contact - decide how you want to keep your business fresh in their minds. Send a birthday card or an anniversary card with an incentive to revisit or refer you. You only need to contact them once or twice a year to get effective results.
- target your customers with seasonal promotions - devise promotions that appeal to target groups and market to that specific group. Remember to appeal to the emotional – Mothers Day – cherished; Valentines –romantic; Melbourne Cup – fashionable; Family – devoted;
- personalise your correspondence You will get a much greater response if you make the effort to personalise your letters. Start with Dear Mary, refer to the contact – “it was a pleasure meeting you at last year’s bridal fair”, where possible mention other family members and always personally sign your letters.
- follow up – don’t expect your clients to make the first move! Call them about a week after sending out the letter, or about a week before the end of the promotion if you have a ‘book by’ incentive offer.
- set up a referral programme whereby your clients will be rewarded for referring new customers - we all know that nothing beats a personal reference, so give them incentive to recommend you.
- establish yourself as their family photographer who they will always call upon when special occasions arise.
next steps . . .
Revise your customer database and aim to contact each client at least once a year. Even if you only send 10 letters a week you will soon be seeing definite results. Produce a voucher or leaflet that they can pass on to friends.
Power tip – answering the ‘how much?’ question
objection dealing with the price question
Last week we covered some basics of using the telephone. Whether you are calling them or they are calling you, it is very important to generate an emotional response from your prospects and clients. So, how do you answer the “How much? question?”
People buy photography on an emotional basis. As an opening question, “How much?” is a logical reaction. It shows a lack of education for your products and services. Think about it! As a photographer, if you were enquiring about a photographic shoot, what would be your first question? The chances are you would ask about the photography style, details about what would be involved or the product range before you resorted to price.
The How Much Question? How often have you been asked ”How much are your 8x10”s?” You may give your price …let’s say $100. But, do you really charge $100 for every 8x10” that you sell?
Does it cost the same for an 8x10” print in a wedding album, a framed 8x10” from a family portrait session or fifty 8x10”s in a portrait album? In reality the price is dependant on variables such as quantity, product range, finishes etc. Your response can therefore begin …. “that depends”.
It is now important to educate your prospects on the goods and services you offer. Even better, educate them emotionally. The easiest way to turn it into an emotional journey is to ask optional questions.
What is an optional question? (That isn’t one!)
An optional question is where you provide two or more possible answers (options). The aim is:-
- to prevent a negative response
- to help educate them as to the products and services you offer
- to help educate you as to your client’s emotional needs
You can build their desire by asking optional questions and then educate them as to the appropriate pricing. The price question can best be dealt with by referring to averages. Every client is different, some may spend less and others more.
Remember, if you have built their desire and understand their emotional needs, they won’t be judging you by your prices alone.
Next steps . . . Try to avoid ‘negotiating’ before you have ‘built desire’. Write a list of optional questions that you can ask your prospects and keep it close at hand. Work out your average prices for the different business types that you offer – weddings, family portraits, baby portraits etc. Get into the habit of asking your client (using their name of course) as many questions as you can to establish what their desires are.
Power tip – how to increase your telephone bookings
7 steps to increasing your telephone bookings
Do you think that your camera is your most important business tool? What about your telephone? It is the next best thing to face to face contact with your prospects. Before we look at how to increase your business by using the telephone once again, let me stress that people buy emotionally. Buyers are more likely to purchase a product or service if an emotional reaction is created. Each customer is unique and has unique wants and needs. If you take the time to identify what these needs are, your success rate will improve dramatically.
when the phone rings or when you make the call
Regardless of whether they call you or you call them there are several golden rules to telephone etiquette.
Can you and your staff answer yes to all the following? Do you always:-
1. sound cheerful when you answer the phone – first impressions really do count.
2. give 100% attention to the call – the caller will know if you are distracted or not paying attention.
3. treat each prospect as if they were your best customer – don’t assume otherwise even when the final negotiation has been completed – they may become your best advocate and refer your best customer to you in the future.
4. ask for their name and use it.
5. repeat their answers to your questions as it will show that you are listening.
6. ask them where they heard about you and what it was that appealed to them.
7. follow up on answer phone messages promptly – if you leave it you lose it!
If you answered yes to all of those questions, you already present your business well.
But, how do you deal with the question – “How much?”
Many people have never experienced a professional photographic session before whether it is for their wedding or a portrait session. Therefore they are likely to ask “How much does it cost?” Sound familiar? This is a logical question and it is your job to turn it into an emotional journey.
Now that you have devoted 100% of your attention to possibly your best customer, you need to put yourself in her shoes. Next, we’ll look at how to answer the “how much?” question from an emotional perspective, build desire and effectively increase the number of bookings.
next steps . . .
Revise your studio telephone etiquette. Think about your telephone ‘turn offs’ – being put on hold, talking to someone who sounds uninterested in you, leaving messages that don’t get returned . . . Listen to your current answer phone message – does it generate the right first impression? Hang a sign next to your telephone “Smile! This person has just won the lottery and wants you to photograph them”.