Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
A Wedding Business Podcast - Tips and tricks to, grow and sustain a amazingly successful wedding business in a way that's is fun and gives you tons of freedom.
Welcome everyone to the Wedding Pro Academy Podcast. I'm Nicole, your host. I'm an expert in the wedding industry and I've personally built two 6 figure businesses from the ground up. I am obsessed with building businesses that make lots of money but do so in a way that also create luxurious amounts of freedom. So, if you're looking to build, grow, or scale a wedding business in a way that doesn't burn you out and you'd love some guidance from someone who has done just that, this podcast is for you.
Nicole:Hi everyone. Welcome to episode 57. Today we're going to talk about how I book couples. This episode is titled From Inquiry to How I book couples in a single call without being salesy. But before I go into that, I just want to apologize to anyone who's been listening for the last couple of weeks because I could not for the life of me figure out how to get the microphone settings right and I think I've finally fixed it.
Nicole:It should sound better. It was sort of eating me alive that I couldn't fix this simple problem but if you are a creative person in the wedding industry, maybe you know what I mean. These types of logistical things are not our favorite problems to have. But I think I fixed it, and it is making me feel much better about myself. Okay, let me dive into how to book a sales call.
Nicole:I'm gonna give you a really hopefully helpful overview of how I do it, Some of the things you could be doing wrong and how to fix them. So the problem with booking new brides and grooms, new weddings, the problem you're probably having is that the call feels awkward, salesy, you might be feeling anxious or uncomfortable, catch yourself rambling, trying to be a little bit more pushy than you normally would be, and you feel like you're trying to convince couples. And then on top of all of that, all that stress you put yourself through, you're getting ghosted. And that sucks. So today, I'm gonna walk you through exactly how I run new inquiry sales calls so that couples leave that call saying we're in!
Nicole:Can't wait to work with you! And how I do it in a way that doesn't bring any pressure, doesn't feel salesy. And I teach all of this in detail in my wedding business masterclass. So if you find this episode helpful and you want more, definitely check that out because in that course, I give you my actual word for word worksheet. Like, what to say when you're doing a sales call for the beginners that need some help and guidance, how to lead the couple in a way that builds connection and doesn't feel pushy.
Nicole:But today, I thought I would it would be really helpful to just give you an overview of why my consults perform so well, and maybe you guys can pick out some things as to what you may be doing wrong or what you can fix so that you can start booking more weddings too. So, little background. I have had over a decade of experience. I mean, jeez, close to fifteen years now in the wedding industry, and I have about an 80% close rate on calls when I actually get them on calls. But I don't even push that anymore because I'm so good at closing them by email.
Nicole:So, I have a lot of experience in this arena. But, if you're in a place where you're not closing people, maybe not even getting them to the call in the first place, I don't want you to beat yourself up about it because this is something that literally took me years of failing over and over and over and over again before I was able to master this. And it's not something that they teach you in college, in high school. It's not something that anybody really teaches. It's something you have to learn through experience, through failing, like, a 100 times or more.
Nicole:And this is what I teach in my master class. But I wanna give you guys some tips now. And it's not about memorizing a script or mastering sales tactics. That's what we think we need to do, but it's not about that at all. And it it's more about leadership, about confidence, about leaning in to them from this heart led place and offering help in a really authentic way, giving them guidance but with clarity.
Nicole:So, I want to start with some of the biggest mistakes that I see new wedding pros making. What so many of you guys do when you're first trying to book a wedding and you don't have a lot of experience yet is that you're treating this phone consult this call like an info dump like you just need to tell them all the things that are included and you're over explaining packages and that comes off as feeling salesy and like you're trying to push them because it includes all this stuff right and of course you would do that if you haven't really developed your sales tactics yet. It doesn't even feel salesy to me. It's more like about building this connection and helping them. But what most of you guys do in the beginning is you over talk about everything.
Nicole:Everything that's included, all the little details that you think, if they just know this, then if I just make this stack, like, bigger than the other person, the other wedding photographer's offerings, if I offer more and I let them know that, then they're gonna pick me. But that's not how it works. The other thing you do is you are over answering unasked questions. And it that changes the vibe of the whole call or meeting before it even starts because then it starts to feel like school instead of an authentic conversation and they don't want to feel like they're in school getting a lecture They want to feel understood and cared for. The other thing you do that isn't working and is holding you back and that's pushing couples away is you're trying to prove your worth instead of leading.
Nicole:This is where the confidence comes in. Couples don't book me because they think my offer is better. Well, maybe it is but that's not why they book me and they don't book me because my price is better they don't book me because they think I know more than the other wedding planners they they book me because they feel seen they feel safe and they feel guided so your role during this consult is not to try and convince them that you're better, it's to lead them. So before we even talk about what happens on the call, I I wanna talk to you a little bit of how it's set up because this is really, really important. And if you're not setting up your call in a very intentional way, then you're really missing out.
Nicole:Because setting up your call in a way that works for you intentionally will allow you to come from an energy of connection, of ease, of confidence, of feeling really grounded versus coming in feeling anxious and uncertain and a little stressed out yourself, then that's when you start over explaining, and that's not what you wanna do. Okay? So before the call even starts you need to set yourself up for success. The way I like to do this is by setting up the call ahead of time and you want to make sure that you prep your space you don't have noise that's going to be coming through you're not going to get interrupted you're not going to answer a call that you haven't pre planned. So, I don't pick up my phone when brides call me randomly unless we have a set time that we're meeting.
Nicole:That way, I can show up in my best energy. This is really, really important because this is where your confidence come comes from and how you start leading. So, you want to position this call as a consultation. You're just getting a feel for them. They're just getting a feel for you.
Nicole:You just wanna see if you're the right fit. This isn't a price check or you trying to sell them. Okay? And you wanna try to set the expectation up front where you are leading the call. Not them.
Nicole:Don't let them take off with questions on you. You need to lead the call and ask questions first. Pricing comes after the clarity, so I don't give my pricing until the end. You want to use subtle language that also shows them you're an authority in the wedding industry language like, let me walk you through this. And, you want to lean into this authority by offering help.
Nicole:So, I like to show my authority by listening to what they're saying but then, listening into little parts that they could be missing. So, for example, they say they're getting married at this specific venue. You know this venue, right? But there are a few things, very important things that they need to be aware of. Like, the cocktail hour must be in a totally different location, which means renting two sets of chairs, which costs a lot of money.
Nicole:Stuff like that, would point out. Things that let them know, this is not my first rodeo. I've been around and I know how to save you money and I know how to help you and you need me. So you wanna kinda show off your your knowledge and, you know, your authority in this space. And it's not really from a place of showing off so much as it is from a place of helping them.
Nicole:So remember, the way you show up and lead the call determines the level of trust that couples have in you and if they see you as someone they're going to need. If they see you as someone that they can't live without. And that's kind of what you're trying to establish. Okay. Now, let's talk about what actually happens once you're on the phone.
Nicole:And remember, you want to set this up in your favor. So, don't pick up the phone if they just call. Set up a time that works for you where you can be fully present, where you can give your best. Be ready to guide them. So, when you pick up the phone call, when you're calling them, you need to have an energy of calm and confidence.
Nicole:You don't want to feel rushed. You don't want to feel like you're pitching. You want to ask very intentional questions. I always like to start out by asking them a question that lets them give me all the stuff that's on their mind. Right?
Nicole:Let them get it all out in the beginning. So, I'll say something like, Tell me a little bit like, here's what I know. Here's what you've told me so far. I know this, this, and this, and this. But tell me more.
Nicole:Tell me a little bit about your vision, your plans, what you've done so far, what you're worried or concerned about, anything. Like, tell tell me all of it. Give me a good idea for what you're looking for. And then I listen. Okay?
Nicole:I'm going to be listening for what they're worried about, what they're struggling with, what they don't want, and I'm listening for blocks. So, what they think they need to feel safe and confident about their day, I'm listening for those things and not just the details of their actual day like the timeline and stuff like that, but I'm analyzing as they're talking if I'm the right fit for them and how I can help them. I'm listening for the things that they need. So, they might need to feel safe around money. How much does it cost?
Nicole:Right? They might need to feel safe around knowing that their guest count will fit into this space. They might need to feel safe in that knowing that their day can be executed in the way they want it to be executed. This is all for wedding planning. This is the things I would be listening for.
Nicole:But if you're a wedding photographer, can do same things. What are the things they're worried about? They're stressed about? How can you help in these situations? That's what you're listening for.
Nicole:Then, after they're done talking, you want to reflect on what they've said, not overwhelm them. Okay? So, what I want you to do is mirror back what they said. I heard you say that you're worried about money. It sounds like you're worried about money.
Nicole:You want to validate their concerns by voicing it out loud. And this is where trust is built, right? And then you want to address the concerns and worries directly. How can you help with that? So, most people think bookings happen when you're talking, when you're selling them, but it actually happens when you're listening and this is where you build this connection and they see you as confident.
Nicole:So, let me give you an example of how I would address a worry or concern that I heard from a bride and groom. Okay, so I had this bride that I was on a call with the other day and she loved my packages. She loved everything. It like she was ready to book, but I could tell there was something that was holding her back. She kept talking about how she wasn't sure what things were going to cost, how she wasn't sure I could just tell that there was, like, some part of her that was feeling freaked out about the cost of the wedding.
Nicole:She didn't even say that directly. I could just kind of tell and feel it in her energy. So, I called out the fear. This is after I let her do all the talking. Right?
Nicole:I said, It sounds like you might be a little afraid of the cost being more than you might be willing to spend or have to spend, and I totally get that. And that's so common. Just so you know, everybody feels like that when they're first starting planning their wedding because there's no way for you to know what things are gonna cost. Right? You've never planned a wedding in Hawaii, at least not recently, hopefully.
Nicole:And so you don't know what a hair and makeup is gonna cost. You don't know what, flowers is gonna cost. But that's why you have me. Right? I know what all those things are gonna cost, and I know how to get you the best possible deals, and that's what we do for our brides.
Nicole:But the way that I like to set up things for my couples in the beginning is to give you a basic budget outline. That way you have an idea for what things are gonna cost up front and you can prepare for it. Then we can like back up and you can decide what you do wanna include, what you don't wanna include, and you can get, you know, you can get to a place where you feel good about the budget. That's what I want for you and for all my couples because I think if you know how much things cost upfront, you'll be feel better about the whole thing. So and there's also tons of ways that we can save you money.
Nicole:Like, for example, moving the flowers from the arch to the reception. That can save you thousands of dollars. So we're always giving you ideas like that. So then after I say something like that, she's gonna feel relieved. Right?
Nicole:She's gonna feel understood. That's gonna make her feel seen and validated and heard. You wanna be thinking about really leaning into building this connection with the bride or groom, whoever you're talking to on the phone or in person. Right? You wanna lean into the emotions that they're feeling and really feel it with them.
Nicole:Like, what are they going through? How can you help them? That's the biggest thing I always tell new wedding business owners is it's, like, not about what your offer is so much as, like, how can you help them, especially on this consult. You want to offer them as much help as you can for free just because you care. You want to not so much focus about oversharing or selling all this stuff, but being present, naming what they're feeling and addressing it directly, showing them that you understand, that you get it, and how and then help them.
Nicole:Like, the easiest way for me to explain this to someone who doesn't know how to get into this place is to just imagine you're talking to your best friend. Your best friend just got engaged. She's super excited. You're super excited for her. All you wanna do is help her.
Nicole:Plus, you happen to work in weddings. So how can you help her even more? I think of all my clients as my best friends. I might they might not even be my client or, you know, my couple yet. But when they feel this BFF energy from me, which, I mean, it's it's super genuine too.
Nicole:Like, I honestly just wanna help them. That's the place that you have to come from. Think of them like your best friend. The energy changes completely. It's not like you are trying to make a sale.
Nicole:You know? Like, who cares about the sale? This is only about helping them. Try to get into that energy. So when couples feel seen, they feel heard, they feel understood, they feel cared for, they feel like you genuinely just wanna help them, and they feel like you're an authority in this place and you have a lot to offer because you're going you're the one that knows, like, a thousand things more than they do, that can save them money, that can help them in all these different ways, they're gonna feel connected to you.
Nicole:And price stops being an issue, and they need to this is really important. They need to have a gut feeling that you're not trying to sell them something. They need to feel like you really care. If they can if you can do that, they're gonna book you. I want you to lean into places that you feel like there's worry or fear or stress coming from the couple and just reassure them in a way that feels real, like natural, like you're talking to your best friend.
Nicole:Okay. Let's go into closing. How do I close the call in a way that doesn't feel like pressure? Doesn't feel salesy? Because if I'm being honest, I hate when people are pushy and salesy with me.
Nicole:Like, I hate going shopping and somebody comes and tries to sell me something, I will walk right out of that place. I don't like being sold to. And I think a lot of people feel this way. Nobody wants to be pushed into something. They want to make a decision on their own.
Nicole:They want to decide if you're a good fit for them. That's fair, right? Let them make the decision without trying to push something on them because that isn't fun. Nobody feels good when they're being pushed. Right?
Nicole:They they want to to feel connected to you. They want to want you. So, keep it simple. When you're trying to close a call, all you need to do is after you've listened to all their stuff, you've gone over your package, you've gone over the details, you've gone over how you can help them, you've talked about all the different ways that you can offer specific help to them and their situation. Give them all the free help.
Nicole:Okay? Then you're just gonna offer next step. So closing is super simple. Offer the next step. Do it with confidence.
Nicole:Make it super clear. What you don't wanna do is rush. You don't wanna discount. You don't need a discount. I mean your stuff is worth it.
Nicole:Okay? You don't need to over explain why it's worth it. The next step is you guys can talk it over. If you're interested, I will need you to send me this information. I'll email it to you so it's simple.
Nicole:I'll also email you an outline of everything we went over today, and you just let me know when you're ready to move forward, but I would suggest doing it quickly because this venue does book up fast. And we're a smaller boutique company, and we only take a limited amount of weddings a year. So just let me know. Next steps. Send the information, and then we we get planning right away.
Nicole:Something like that. Super simple. And you always I like to always email them a summary of everything we talked about plus next steps so that it makes it easy. Right? Super easy for them to say yes.
Nicole:But most of the time, if you have led this call well, the close will feel super obvious, super simple, really easy and not awkward. Most of the time, I have couples that are saying, What's the next step? Before I even get to say, What's the next step? So, that's how you know you did it well. Okay?
Nicole:So, I hope you guys found this helpful. This was sort of a quick one. I wanted to just give you a little bit of detail of what's included in my wedding business masterclass and if you can nail this, this will be so helpful to you and Scripts alone, like getting really good at sales, it isn't about being pushy. It isn't about, you know, over selling everything that's included. It definitely isn't about that.
Nicole:There are little nuances. There's an energy of confidence. There's an understanding of how to guide them, how to lead people. All that stuff really matters. And also, it's about doing it over and over and over again until you get so good at it, you become a master at it.
Nicole:And you stop feeling stressed or anxious. But if you're still in that place of feeling stressed before going into a call, set yourself up. Maybe you're not setting yourself up in the right way. You want to set yourself off so that you are leading it, so that you're guiding it. Do not let them lead you with a bunch of questions.
Nicole:That is never gonna work. You're never gonna close them that way. You need to step in as the authority right away. You want to lead them in a way that feels very grounded, very safe, very, like, calm, and still be excited for them. You're still talking to your best friend.
Nicole:Remember that. So, if all of this sounded interesting and you wanna learn more, inside my wedding business master class, I break this whole thing down step by step. I tell you exactly what to say, how to say it, and how to handle objections, how to when to ask questions, and I give you a full guide on the way that I do it exactly, which would be really really helpful if you're new and you're struggling with this and if you're feeling discouraged if you're feeling like this shit is so hard and you're doing consult after consult and just getting like ghosted and rejected or you never hear from them again. Do not beat yourself up over that because everyone that's stayed in business for over five years has been in that place. You're not alone.
Nicole:It's not your fault. We've all been there. I can remember how it felt. I can remember it so clearly because there were so many times that I put together so I would I would make these, like, insane binders and list everything out with, like, pie charts on all the things that I did, and it was printed in color. It costs money too.
Nicole:And I would show up, like, buy them a coffee from Starbucks. I would do all these things and nothing worked. And I would kept trying, you know, all these different shifts and changes. Maybe if I do that, maybe if I do that, it'll it'll work. But, like, nothing was working.
Nicole:And the only thing that worked is, like, doing this a 100 times and changing one thing and then changing another thing and then changing another thing. And because I'm a psycho, I also studied the psychology of sales. I took courses on this. I got taught by some of the best leaders on this and applied it directly to the wedding industry because I was like, I know there's something I'm missing. And there was!
Nicole:It was all stuff that I had no idea about that like, are not nobody's teaching you. And, once you kind of master this, you're going feel so good. It's going to be so fun to go into a consult with people because you're going to be confident. When you're confident, it's it's much easier to sell. And you're only confident when you when you go in knowing what you're doing.
Nicole:You have a plan that you know works. So, that's what I teach in my wedding business master class. You can check it out at weddingproacademy.com. If you like this episode, take a screenshot and tag me on Instagram or leave me a review. My Instagram is wedding.pro.academy.com.
Nicole:I kinda suck at posting. I'm trying to get better at it. But thank you guys so much for showing up, for being with me today, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend. You can connect with me through the links in the show website at weddingproacademy.com. Bye for now.