Stephanie Padovani and her husband are the dynamic husband-wife duo behind Book More Brides, the #1 online marketing resource for the wedding industry. Visit BookMoreBrides.com to be entertained and empowered with low cost, effective marketing strategies and powerful “anti-price shopper” communication techniques that don’t require sleazy sales tactics or fighting to get the price you deserve.
Last week I found the perfect recipe for Yogi tea. In case you’ve never had the pleasure, Yogi tea is infused with black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, ginger and a tiny bit of black tea, a strong, spicy and very medicinal mix. When you blend it with milk or almond milk and honey, it’s heavenly. (It’s also known as chai.)
Here’s the trick: you have to follow the recipe in the just the right order, adding the right ingredients, to get the results you want. Too much black pepper and it upsets my stomach. Leave the black tea in too long and the caffeine sends me through the roof.When you get the recipe right, it’s easy and the results are guaranteed. The same thing is true with sales for your wedding business. Just follow the steps…
1) Use a “pre-sell” before the meeting.
What does the couple need to believe about you in order to book with confidence? A great pre-sell is a process that introduces them to these elements and paves the way for an easy booking. This is an email you’ll send to the couple asking them to do some “homework” before you meet.
A great pre-sell includes:
- 3 simple qualifying questions.
- Testimonials from your happy clients.
- A brief outline of how your meeting will go.
Position yourself as a wedding expert, firmly take control of the sales process and reassure the couple by letting them know exactly what’s going to happen.
2) Ask rapport building questions at the meeting to find out exactly what the couple wants.
Questions are the most effective way to take control of the meeting. When I ask you,
“What does a pink elephant look like?” what are you thinking about? A pink elephant, of course.
Each time you ask a question, it forces the person you’re asking to think about that topic. It’s a subtle form of mind control that allows you to create a powerful emotional experience for the couple.
Rapport-building questions may include:
- What have you seen/heard at weddings that you liked or didn’t like?
- What made you choose this location for your reception?
- What three words best describe your ideal wedding?
- What experience do you want to have on your wedding day?
The couple’s answers to these questions allow you to create a custom sales pitch just for them. Jot down some notes about their answers and then…
3) Feedback the couple’s responses.
Repeat back what the couple told you about what they want and don’t want in their exact words. This may feel awkward at first, but it’s vitally important.
It’s not enough that you understand what they want; the couple needs to know that you understand. Once that rarity of rarities happens and they feel truly understood, the couple is ready to hear your suggestions about what to do next.
4) Make a recommendation based on what they’ve told you, using their words.
This step can be expressed like this, “Based on what you’ve told me, you want [INSERT THEIR WANTS] without [INSERT WHAT THEY DON’T WANT] so that you can [INSERT OVERALL DESCRIPTION OF THEIR WEDDING.] I suggest our [INSERT NAME] package…”
You’ve established their trust by asking great questions, guiding them through the meeting and making them feel understood. Once you can describe what they want better than they can, the couple automatically assumes you can provide the experience they crave.
5) Give couples an incentive to book you today with a time-sensitive offer.
Why info-commercials contain the warnings, “Limited time offer,” and “Expiring soon?” Because they work to sell fast.
A limited time offer triggers one of the principles of influence known as “scarcity.” The more rare and scarce something appears, the more we want it.
When your availability, price or service is going away soon, this creates an urgency that encourages the couple to book you while they can. Of course, your scarcity must be authentic or you risk damaging your relationship.
Ideas for a time-sensitive offer include:
- A discount that expires in 48 hours.
- An extra bonus when they book today.
- A reminder that you only hold the date with a deposit, so they could lose the date if someone else books you.
When faced with an urgent, time-sensitive offer, the couple feels a powerful pressure to book you immediately. If they’re the right match, they will.
Just like any other recipe, you need to follow the steps in order to get consistent results. When you do, booking the wedding and getting a signed contract quickly is guaranteed.
What techniques do you use to make the sale?