Client meetings were once something that made us so nervous. We would try to memorize questions to ask our clients and would become so nervous that who we really were got lost amongst all the nerves. We have discovered some amazing tips and ways to never feel this way again and we can bet that it’s way easier than you think.
FIND A QUIET PLACE
We have been there. The coffee shop with the horrible loud grinding going on and the hustle and bustle of a busy place. It’s distracting to you and your client. The quieter the better. We had a time we showed up at our favorite meeting place at a coffee shop and there was no seating. Zero. We were horrified as we had to move locations when the client arrived. That day we decided never again and opted for a more quiet environment. We now have an office space which is the most ideal for us, but certainly not necessary. Some great spots that are still some of our favorites if we don’t feel like the drive to the office is a bookstore with a coffee shop (for seating) or Panera. Both offer plenty of seating and are so much less busy. You will thank yourself for going to a new alternative!
OFFER A TREAT
We have some water and snacks at the office to offer our couples;!however, if we go out we will try to arrive 10-15 minutes early and ask the couple what they would like to eat or drink. This helps avoid any awkwardness if you’re ordering together and it’s a great way to say thank you! We appreciate every single couple for taking the time to meet us because we know life is super busy and they made plans for us. We think it’s a pretty awesome thing to do!
INTRODUCTIONS BEFORE BUSINESS
One of our main things is opening the meeting up to introductions. We love to learn about each couple and be able to connect memories from the consult throughout their experience with us. So instead of diving into business, we always ask them to tell us about who they are. Then transitioning into how they met and when / how he proposed. We feel this works as the perfect ice breaker and makes talking business a lot more comfortable because you have already learned about each other! Also, don’t forget to learn about their wedding too! What have they booked yet if anything? We love to hear our client’s visions and to see where they are at in the planning process to help refer vendors that will fit best for them on their big day! We love to help our clients as much as we possibly can!
AVOIDING THE NUMBERS
We always, always, ALWAYS send the price list prior to the meeting. There is nothing more awkward than meeting up to find out you could be way out of budget for the client. This gives the couple a chance to talk with each other and with parents about your pricing to decide if you could be a perfect fit. During the meeting we don’t mind answering questions about pricing; however, for the most part, we talk about the package details and what we think fits best for them.
OPEN UP FOR QUESTIONS
After we have done our usual explanations of packages, timeline, first look or no first look, etc. we ask them if they have any questions for us. Whether it’s about us, the packages or anything we are open books. We want to educate our clients more than actually selling something.
Go into your consult with the idea your meeting a new prospective friend. You want to know about them and what they do. Leave selling for another day and just spend time educating them. Do this because even if they don’t book their day may still be even better because you gave them some good advice.
We hope this helps you succeed in your next consult and become even better than ever! Thanks for reading sweet friends!
