OMG... Please Answer My Email

One of the most common remarks I hear from salespeople is: “If I could just talk to them, I know I’ll book it.” A true salesperson knows that having a conversation and building rapport with clients is paramount. In fact, many salespeople are great at what they do when they have a prospect’s attention — but getting that first conversation going can prove to be a challenge.

It hasn’t always been this way, but in the digital age, today’s businesses are subject to a multitude of internet inquiries. Back in the day, clients would find us through word-of-mouth or perhaps a print ad that we had published in a local magazine. The market wasn’t quite so oversaturated and prospective clients could clearly see the value in your expertise when they saw your photos and heard your ideas.

Now, a potential client can scour your website before contacting you — as well as those of your competitors. The thing is that a great web designer can make any company look perfect on the internet. In your client's eyes, you and your competitors are the same. This means they’ll treat your business like a commodity and make their decision solely based on price. They’ll be quick to fill out the contact form on your website, as well as on your competitors’ sites, so it’s a matter of standing out from the crowd and showcasing what makes you different from your very first email response.

Here are a few ways to use your email strategy to turn a simple response into a full-blown conversation with a prospective client.

Don’t give away the secret sauce.

Most event professionals are quick to respond to inquiries with a wealth of information and resources: photos, videos, sample menus — truly the works. Instead of jumping into this mindset, consider doing the opposite: Be brief and don’t give everything away! Don’t overwhelm them with photos and such up front; instead, give them a reason to want to talk to you! They’re seeing things from everyone else, which can quickly get jumbled into a mess of information — stand out by initiating a conversation before sending additional resources. So, get rid of that standard template you send.

Change the subject.

Chances are that your leads are sending emails that they’ve copied and pasted to all of your competitors. These emails often come with a subject that they’ve used to stay generic: “Price Packages” or “April 26 Wedding Inquiry.” You know what I’m talking about. When they start to receive responses, they’ll suddenly be hearing from multiple companies all with the same subject line. Don’t get lost in the noise. When you respond, change the subject to catch their attention: “You picked my favorite venue!” this will trigger a personal response to your subject line and will set you apart from others, all with minimal effort on your part.

End with a question.

Of course, you can’t just wait around for them to ask you for more information. You need to always respond to inquiries with a question. Psychologically, humans will instinctively answer questions; however, if they’re buried in the first paragraph of an email, they’ll be overlooked and left unanswered. This will leave the ball in their court to respond with their thoughts. (Ask me about my 8 Qualifying Questions.)

Here’s a typical email inquiry:

Good morning! My fiancé and I are considering having our wedding at Greystone Hall. As you are on the list of preferred vendors, I wanted to reach out and inquire about your catering options/packages, price ranges, and available dates. We are deciding between August 19th and 26th of next year and have a guest list of 200 people (expected 180). Any details you can provide would be appreciated! Thank you!

Does that look familiar? It probably does because most inquiries look like this. When we consider it from a client’s perspective, they are likely waiting to get your prices so they can see which company will be the lowest cost. Remember: They consider you a commodity. In your response, you can change their mindset and show off that your business values the client experience and offers more than just another product or service. Here’s an example of a great response that will have them wanting more:

Hi (name), it’s great to hear from you! Greystone will provide a unique backdrop for your summer wedding. Greystone is my favorite venue! We have done countless weddings there and we know all the ins & outs of the property.

My day is fairly open and I would love to speak with you directly about your wedding details. Would you be available to chat this afternoon or this evening?

In the first paragraph, you are establishing your expertise in the industry and, particularly, with the client’s chosen venue. This put them at ease with your experience working with the venue. The second paragraph shows enthusiasm to learn more about their event and, of course, ends with a question that encourages them to schedule an appointment to chat.

It’s a short, simple, and sweet response that will spur a conversation instead of dropping a bunch of photos and pricing details to let a client figure out what to do. As opposed to letting them infer and make assumptions based on your prices, you can gain control of the discussion and highlight your value propositions directly — that is the gold that leads to a sale.

Try this technique, I promise you it works. If you’re still having issues, give me a call & I’ll walk you through it.

Getting People to Like You

Aside from the budget and actual product or service, the salesperson plays a significant role in the buyer’s decision-making process. Take a few moments to analyze your path to purchase: how do you decide between two businesses with comparable offerings? The chances are high that you’ll end up selecting the one with more likable people on its team.

 When your prospects enjoy being with you, it’s easier to win their trust—and trust is the cornerstone of all excellent sales relationships. Not only will it facilitate better interactions, but it also increases the possibility of your clients becoming repeat buyers. 

If you need help on how to improve your likability factor, this blog is for you. Here are five valuable tips that you can apply in your next sales meeting.

1. Use the Mirroring Technique

Did you know that we tend to mimic the attitude and speech patterns of the people we like or respect? It happens, both consciously and subconsciously, on social occasions with our close friends or family. It’s a way to fit in or establish a strong connection with them. And studies have actually shown that when you perceive someone as similar to you, it can make them appear more likable.

As a sales professional, you can use this technique to show your clients that you have commonalities. And of course, once you have established a good rapport with them, there's a good chance that they'll end up mirroring you as well.

 

2. Find something you and your clients share

As previously mentioned, clients should be able to relate with you. Smart sellers understand that before you even begin pitching your product or service to buyers, you need to get to know them first. A little preparation can foster the best conversations, so check out their social media pages and website before your meeting. Trust me, your preparation will be apparent and go a long way in establishing an emotional connection. 

3. Use your body language

Did you know that unspoken or nonverbal cues make up 70% of our communication? This is why you must always be aware of the way you present yourself. 

This relates to what we have discussed in #1. Even something as simple as subtly mirroring the physical posture or gestures of your clients can increase your likability.

And if you want to demonstrate confidence and establish credibility, make sure to maintain an assertive posture—keep your chin and head up, never slouch, and plant your feet in an open and wide stance. You will also want to avoid placing your hands behind your back, as this can be interpreted as indifference. Position yourself to appear open and genuinely interested in what your client is saying.

Observing your clients’ body language can also help you assess how they’re feeling. Leaning away, crossing their arms, bouncing their leg while sitting, and fiddling with hair can indicate discomfort. On the other hand, holding eye contact, relaxed arms, pointing a foot upwards, or leaning closer to you are typically good signs. 

4. Maintain a positive outlook and a sense of humor

Are you aware of what vibe you give off? People are naturally drawn to warm, calm and cheerful people. When you inject appropriate humor in a given situation, it can put clients at ease and you instantly become memorable. Ultimately, clients want to deal with someone who can keep their cool under pressure and is fun to talk to. Nobody wants to interact with a cold or boring person. 

5. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there

The last thing you want is for your clients to feel that you are just looking to make a profit. If you want to win their trust, you need to build an authentic relationship with them. This means allowing them to get to know you in a real and personal way. Remember that a client relationship should ideally go both ways; letting your clients know a little more about you can smoothen your working relationship.

Last words

Viola! We just finished discussing some excellent ways to get your clients to like you. If you keep these tips in mind and remember to be genuine, you’ll have no trouble building strong relationships with all your clients.

Salespeople Thrive on Structure

Salespeople thrive on structure; they want to know what is expected of them, how they can make more money, and whether it is a fair system.

Setting Goals:

The struggle to make sales goals the best they can be and continue is one that every company faces. So, developing a plan for sales growth as an ongoing activity can improve your sales and sanity.

A practical, profit-driven sales team is more important now than ever before, with most companies in dire need of recouping the losses from 2020.

 You'll likely need to reevaluate the team's sales goals and introduce innovative tools, techniques, and strategies to get them on the path to victory.

Transform to Perform

• Determine your company's goals. Start with historicals.

• Assess the market potential.

• Evaluate your sales team.

• Define your compensation structure.

• Reward (realistic) stretch goals.

• Meet bi-weekly with the salesperson.

 Ask your salesperson these questions.

• How confident are you in your ability to achieve this goal?

• What would it mean to you if you could attain these objectives? How can I best manage and support you in achieving these objectives (personally/professionally)?

• How do you prefer to be recognized for a job well done?

• What could jeopardize your attempts to achieve these objectives?

• What kind of framework do you need to put in place to ensure you're doing the right things every day to help you achieve your goals while avoiding distractions?

• How can I keep you accountable for your goals in a positive rather than a bad way?

The importance of individual sales goals gives your salespeople personalized attention so they perform at their peak. Achieving sales volume goals for your business is one of the biggest challenges any owner faces.

Shift accountability to your team.

A lot can be said about feeling like you "own" your work. If your employees don't feel empowered in your business, they'll become nothing more than passive order-takers who drop more failures on you than successes. Great leaders can delegate work, set expectations, step back, and hold their team members accountable. It's your responsibility to create a culture where your employees are equally responsible for their successes and failures! Once you do this, your team will be more engaged, and you will have more time to grow your business.

Tracking 

A steady stream of revenue is one of the most coveted assets in the business, and the pandemic has made us hyper-aware of this fact. Tracking & accountability is a lot more than holding salespeople responsible for their sales. A sales manager's job is to coach each sales team member to their fullest potential individually.

In-depth 1-on-1 sales tracking sessions should be done with each salesperson every other week. This conversation takes about 20 to 30 minutes and focuses on goals, pipelines, meetings, and proposals. It is also a way to address issues a salesperson may be facing.

A meeting that neglects to define what achievement looks like and the reasonable action steps expected to arrive is not a productive use of time. By holding routine meetings, you'll be able to spot issues early on.

• How much money is out on the street in proposals

• How qualified is the event on a scale of 1-5

• Where are they in the sales process

• What's their definitive next step

• What’s their closing ratio

Employee resigns when income, culture, degree of difficulty, or management practices are not to the salesperson's liking. Involuntary turnover occurs less often because most sales managers are too patient, accept mediocrity, and avoid confrontation, especially a potentially uncomfortable termination.

One of the most crucial things a leader can do is motivate his or her team. Employees who lack direction are more likely to fail and suffer, unclear of what to do next or how to achieve their full potential. While no one can truly motivate others, a good leader may have a significant influence on individuals and support their drive and achievement.

Building a motivated team that actively prospects and sells the brand will be crucial for success in 2022 and beyond. This is the perfect time for a fresh start New concepts, new procedures, and new accountability.

Written for Catersource Magazine

Salespeople Thrive on Structure

Effective Stress Management Techniques You Need to Know

If you often feel depleted after a long day at work, rest assured that you are not alone. This has been an extremely stressful time. I know you and your team are wearing many hats for the past two years. But while it’s normal to be busy and constantly moving, doing so without giving yourself enough time to rest can put you at risk for burnout and have long-term consequences on your health. So, what can you do when your stress level is through the roof? Let’s dive into some healthy habits that can help you relieve tension.

Organize

Physical and digital clutter is not only unsightly, but it also drains your time and energy. When your files and documents get buried under the mess, it can disrupt your workflow and cause unnecessary problems.

Keep your workspace organized by having a designated place for everything, and make sure to return things whenever you take them out. Trust me, it will make life so much easier for you.

And when your office is finally tidied up, it’s time to get your virtual mess under control. Start by deleting unimportant files and unsubscribing from junk emails such as ads, subscriptions, and other promotional content. You can also create an organizing system to help you sort through your files and emails and make important information easy to find.  

Prepare ahead

Rehashing that weekly to-do list multiple times can leave you overwhelmed and restless. Avoid stressing yourself out by spending some time every Thursday to list down all the tasks and plans for the coming week. That way, you don’t get overwhelmed and can easily prioritize tasks when the unexpected happens.

Delegate tasks

As soon as you wake up, you probably hit the ground running by answering a seemingly endless stream of emails, reviewing your mile-long task list, checking your calendar for meetings, and so on. In the hustle culture we live in, we often forget that our bodies have limits. 

Instead of spreading yourself thin, consider letting your in-house team take the lead on projects. If you’re a solopreneur, you can outsource work to contractors, interns, or even family and friends. It’s crucial to learn the art of delegation, so you get some time to take care of yourself.

Do some Fractal Therapy

Ever noticed how relaxing it can be to gaze at clouds or watch crashing ocean waves? The repeating patterns found in nature are called fractals. They can be man-made, too. Observing these things can instantly put you in a relaxed state. So, when you feel like you need to calm your racing thoughts, take a peep at the tree branches through your office window or watch some fractal videos online.

Add fruit to your diet

Cortisol is the body’s primary stress hormone. Did you know that you can regulate it with vitamin C? Make sure to snack on some fresh fruit or drink a glass of orange juice from time to time. Besides keeping you healthy, it can strengthen your response to stressful situations like difficult clients or a heavy workload.

Try journaling

It can be hard to confide to your officemates about your challenges at work, but bottling up your emotions is also incredibly unhealthy. The solution? Jot down your feelings and experience its cathartic effect.

Hopefully, these stress management techniques will help you take a load off your shoulders. Remember, self-care is crucial to you and your teams well-being and becoming the best version of yourself.

The 5 Keys to Successfully Upsell Customers

You’ve probably experienced a fast-food crew asking if you’d like to make your meal a combo, or maybe getting offers for accessories and upgrades right after buying a new laptop. These are some examples of a sales technique called upselling. Its primary goal is to convince clients to choose a more expensive, upgraded, or premium version of their preferred product.

Upselling can increase sales by 20% to 40% on average. However, if not done well, clients will feel that you’re being pushy and extorting money from them. There’s an art to it; you need to address their needs and ensure an excellent client experience so that they walk out of your door feeling like the transaction was a win-win. If you need tips on how to do this successfully, here are some of the best practices to try:

Write it down in your proposal

A great way to let your customers know about available add-ons or upgrade options is to include them in your proposal. Specifying them early on provides them with greater freedom of choice while you avoid looking like you want to squeeze every penny out of them down the line. Best of all, it doesn’t take much effort! Just remember that the goal of upselling is to maximize your profits, so it should not hurt your bottom line in the long run. Think about products or services that you already do in-house that are not time-consuming or those that can be outsourced at a minimal cost. 

Focus on the product’s value

Here’s the reality: when you analyze people’s path to purchase and what influenced their decisions, you’ll see that it’s not always the price that convinced them to make the purchase but the value the product or service gives them. So whether it saves them precious time or improves their experience and reputation, make sure you show your clients how they can benefit from it.

Prepare a check-in strategy

While your clients may not have taken the bait on your initial offer, that doesn’t mean it will always be a “no.” The planning stage can take months and clients often change their minds along the way, so don’t be afraid to mention all the add-ons or upgrade options again.

Do some indirect selling

Your office is not just a place for client meetings. When decorated thoughtfully, it can be used to effectively market your products and services. Photographs on walls, an open photo album, or a video loop can grab your clients’ attention and influence them to upgrade their packages or add elements to their events.

Share the preferences of other clients

People always want to be on-trend. When you see something new in the market, make sure you contact your clients and let them know you thought of them. It’s an incredibly sweet gesture that they’ll surely appreciate! You can also share what others have chosen at their events, so they get ideas on what they can add to their own celebration.

And there you have it! We’ve rounded up five effective ways to upsell customers. Knowing how to do this right can help you maximize the revenue potential of every customer. Remember, keep your marketing simple, and don’t oversell! 

Understanding Common Buyer Habits That Affect Your Business

It is crucial to understand the values and needs of your clients. How you respond to their objections or disagreements can spell the difference between your company’s success and failure. 

A good salesperson can ease customers’ concerns and eliminate any doubts about their offerings. While buyers all have different backgrounds and personalities, there are still common behavioral patterns that you may notice during negotiation.

Three buyer habits typically stand out—the squeeze, the flinch, and the sob story. Knowing all of them will help you provide genuine solutions for your clients. 

The Squeeze

Buyers always want a bargain, so they might say that they can get your products or services for less elsewhere. Don’t panic and reflexively drop your prices. Caving in destroys the integrity of your offerings!

When faced with price pushback, hold your ground. Politely ask them who your competition is and why they have come to you first. This will make your clients re-focus on the unique value your business provides. 

Never ask how much they are willing to spend because this will give them the upper hand in the negotiation.   

The Flinch

How many times have you experienced buyers being shocked by your price points? Don’t be fooled! Often, clients think that exaggerating their reactions will make you doubt the value of your offerings and lower your prices.  

Once they calm down, you can take this opportunity to understand why they think your prices are too steep. From there, you will be able to grasp the entire picture and respond accordingly. 

Calmly provide reasonable justifications for your prices without being defensive. Be confident and make them realize that they are getting their money’s worth.  

The Sob Story

When buyers say, “This is all I can afford…” or “All I have in my budget is…” it can tug on your heartstrings and make you want to help them. After all, humans are naturally empathetic. However, falling for every sad story that comes your way could spell trouble for your bottom line. Being overly suspicious, on the other hand, may make us overlook genuine cases.

When faced with sob stories, offer different options that fit their budget. If they aren’t genuine, prospects will usually cave once they see their attempt at getting a discount isn’t working. And if they decide to book elsewhere, don’t take it to heart! It just means they were not your ideal client in the first place. At the end of the day, you should never undervalue your worth.

But that doesn’t mean that you should never offer a discount for compassionate reasons. Some people who need your services may have been recently diagnosed with a serious illness or may have lost their home to a natural calamity. If your business can take the small hit, there’s no reason not to! Just make sure that you verify the claims so you don’t fall victim to con artists.

How I Turned My Sluggish Sales Team Into a

High-Performance Conversion Machine

4 Customer Retention Strategies That Really Work

Here’s the thing: getting new clients is important, but what comes next? After you’ve won them over the first time, you need to make sure they keep coming back so that you have a consistent income as you keep growing your customer base.

But how can you ensure your clients’ loyalty if you’re in the wedding and event industry, where they typically only come in for once-in-a-lifetime celebrations? What steps can you take to ensure that you stay relevant to your previous clients? What can you do to make sure that they’ll remember you for future events?

If these questions keep you up at night, I’ve got just the answers for you.

Customer experience is everything.

In such a highly competitive industry, simply providing excellent products and services is not enough to ensure customer loyalty. The cornerstone of your business’s success is in building trust and strengthening relationships.

Customers want to feel that you genuinely care about their experience. Beyond simply fulfilling their needs, you need to pay attention to their feelings throughout the entire experience.

If your clients are happy, they will continue getting value from your business and keep coming back. And as a bonus, satisfied customers are more likely to spread the word to their families and friends, which can grow your potential leads exponentially!

Be attuned to your client’s future needs.

To improve your chances of customer retention, you need to really understand your clients. This helps you solidify your relationships with them and also gives you the chance to discover unexplored opportunities for your business.

Your clients can be your key to more leads. Some might be involved in their company’s event planning division, while others may be part of different social circles that hold recurring events. So keep that friendly conversation going, identify what they might need, and show them how you can help them meet these needs. 

Team up with other businesses.

Your clients and past clients’ existing networks are powerful, but so are yours. Many vendor categories enjoy repeat patronage. The catering industry is a shining example of this; catering companies are often tapped for social and corporate gatherings when event venues are fully booked.

You can take advantage of this by establishing mutually beneficial partnerships with complementary businesses. This is also a way for you to reconnect with your previous clients!

Maintain excellent client relationships post-event.

If you want to stay top of mind with existing clients, you need to keep in touch with them and ensure that your relationships continue long after the events have ended.

You can do this by sending them greeting cards during special occasions, engaging with them on social media, or using their photos (with their permission, of course) in your marketing. These simple yet thoughtful gestures help them remember their excellent experience and keep you fresh in their minds. 

Get creative with your approach! Think about your own experiences as a customer and what makes you return to a business.
More often than not, it’s the little things that make the difference.

Life is Unpredictable

It's Monday night at 7:30. I'm in my hotel room at Lowe's Miami for the Catersource/TSE conference that is beginning to start. I spend all day at the Leading Caterers of America meeting, and I am so looking forward to gathering with friends for dinner. As I'm washing my face, I hear the clacky clack alert of House Party on my phone. House Party is a face-to-face group video chat app that has kept my five sisters connected throughout the pandemic. My younger sister appears on the screen first, screaming, then a low growl, "April, I can't understand you." She catches her breath and struggles to get out the following sentence. "Denise is in the hospital; she had a brain aneurysm." What? What? What?... Whaaat? My body starts to tremble. Soon the other sisters join, and disbelief sets in. So healthy, so young, so unexpected.

She was Tango dancing, collapsed, and never regained consciousness. We are heartbroken.

Why am I telling you this?

For years I've been showing my clients and students how to set the business as if you are running a Fortune 500 company. And then put your business on autopilot, which means that it can thrive without you; the owner needs to show up to work in the business every day. Many entrepreneurs wish to grow a business that will one day run without them by stepping out of the daily operations.

Case in point, I'm working with a catering company where the owner has a full-time job, not in the Special Event Industry, and has a successful multi-million dollar business. A solopreneur planning company scaled into six cities across the US and manages from an office in Puerto Rico. A business that thrives with less than 10 hours per week of the owner's time working in the business is ideal as long as it's set up correctly from the beginning. It took me ten years of trial-and-error to learn how to realize this pipedream and step away from the daily operations.

If your employees count on you to make every decision, they will rely on you and continue to seek your input. Before you can even consider pulling away from the day-to-day, you'll need to stipulate a sense of autonomy and ownership in the employees who will be responsible for your business while you're not there daily.

If you feel inundated by employee demands and the minutiae of daily management but want to get away from it while keeping the business afloat, it can seem like a fantasy at best.

As the leader, you are responsible for identifying problems and delegating solutions. It is your job to set goals and be the visionary of the company's future. The only person in your business who will be indisputably motivated to grow your company is you. Every moment you spend working on everyday jobs that you should delegate is a moment when you are not strategizing to regroup, refocus and rebuild.

Life is unpredictable; you never know what's coming next. Treasure every minute and run your business wisely.

3 Tips for Effective Prospecting

Standing out to your prospective client may seem challenging. And, in an oversaturated market, it is imperative to stand apart from your competitors. The best way to overcome your competition is simply by knowing your client!

Do your research ahead of time, stay organized, and tell them what they need that only you can deliver. Of course, there is much more to that, so let's break it down:

Put on your investigative hat.

Look online to see where your ideal clients are hanging out, so you can get a feel for their style and personality. Knowing more about who you’re targeting will help you establish common ground to keep you memorable and create a solid network.

If you are working with corporate clients, their company website will be a wellspring of information that will help you prepare and set you apart. Do your research! 

Also, look at the website of your competition. Is there something that they are offering that you are not? Is your online presence as strong as theirs? Do you think your website speaks genuinely to all the work you can do? Or, can you add more to it?

By reframing what you can present to your prospective client (even when you are not actively talking to them), you can let your website get into the details that your quick sales pitch did not get into.

Stay organized.

A Customer Relation Management (CRM) platform is one of the most effective tools that serves as the new and improved Rolodex. A CRM helps you keep everything organized, from client contact information to employee accounts to the timelines and budgets for each event.

Take advantage of the notes section to add interesting tidbits that come up during a conversation, like the birth of a grandchild being born or a child going off to college. Whatever your prospective client shares, jot it down. Distinguish yourself by being the listening, attention-to-detail ear everybody wants and enjoys!

This tool also serves as an overview of everything going on at the moment and allows you to identify the customers that need more attention. After all, current client satisfaction is an excellent way to find new business — hello, referrals.

Tell them what they need.

Each prospective client has a vision in mind. Although you thoughtfully hear them out, give your prospective clients a little more. Educate them! You are the expert; going above and beyond during the initial consultation will show them you care and are ready to guide them. Help your prospective client envision the details they left out or were unaware of!

Use this moment to demonstrate that you can exceed their expectations. This will build the Know, Like, Trust factor and enhance how a client feels by providing them with additional value for their dollar. Whether it's an extra service that saves them time or an add-on product that increases value without affecting their budget, blow them away.

As prospective clients traverse the research phase of the vendor selection process, remember that they are actively comparing your company to your competitors. They are looking for a vendor that will meet their needs and expectations. So, be that person! Show up as the professional that does their research, listens, and surpasses their wildest dreams — they’ll realize that they were ultimately looking for you all along!

Rebuilding Your Sales Team in the Wake of COVID

Let’s take a moment to reflect on all that we’ve experienced since March 2020. While we did see plenty of event pros find success with newfound time and ideas, we know the journey wasn’t an easy one by any means. Chances are you’ve had to make some of the hardest decisions in your tenure as a business owner. You’ve had to start those difficult conversations with clients, employees, creative partners, and maybe even your bank — conversations you never thought you’d have to consider.

In the past 22 months, many event businesses have had to furlough, lay off, or even terminate most (if not all) of their staff. If you’ve had to help your dependable team members through the unemployment process, you’re not alone. Plenty of companies are now operating with a skeleton crew. But, hopefully, not for long.

As we see the light ahead of us, it’s time to think about rebuilding and restructuring your team to develop a high-performance sales conversion machine that generates results. An effective, profit-driven sales team is more important now than ever before, with most companies in dire need of recouping the losses from 2020/21

Take a moment to picture what your life would look like if:

• Your business hit its sales goals every single month. without complicated, unreliable systems.

• You knew every member of your sales team was trained with consistent protocols.

• You could go into every meeting with confidence in what your team would report.

• You could increase your booking ratio to the point where growing your team was a natural solution.

Simply put, what would you do if your salespeople paid for themselves? How would that change the way you do business and approach life?

A steady stream of revenue is one of the most coveted assets in business and the pandemic has made us hyper-aware of this fact. Building a motivated team that actively prospects and sells your brand will be the single most important factor in your success into 2022 and beyond.

Here’s what you need to consider as you build back stronger and more resilient than ever before.

Revisit your goals.

Before hiring anyone, you need to evaluate your personal and professional goals as they should direct every decision you make in your company. There’s a good chance they have shifted since the start of the pandemic, so take stock of where you currently stand and where you’re headed. Maybe your 2021 goal is simply to break even. Perhaps your new big-picture goal is to grow a new side hustle that was born out of a pandemic pivot. You must find clarity on your future path so you can make sure you’re hiring the right people to accompany you.

Shift accountability to your team.

A lot can be said about feeling like you “own” your work. If your employees don’t feel empowered in your business, they’ll become nothing more than passive order-takers who drop more failures on you than successes. A great leader is one that can delegate work, set expectations, step back, and hold their team members accountable. It’s your responsibility to create a culture where your employees know that they are equally responsible for their successes and failures! Once you do this, your team will be more engaged and you will have more time to actually grow your business.

Revise your compensation plans.

The pandemic left an indelible mark on everyone’s finances, from large and small businesses to individuals and families. Some found more profit in the opportunities presented whereas many others faced unparalleled hardships. Be mindful that your company isn’t the only one facing the repercussions; your employees (or prospective employees) have also likely taken a financial hit in their personal lives, which may influence their reentry into the workforce.

Leave behind those tired sales procedures.

Nothing is the same as it was in early 2020 and that includes your sales strategies! The market has been changed indefinitely and your ideal clients’ priorities have shifted along with their budgets. The sales pitches that closed every time are likely not so effective anymore. You need to adopt new, modern selling tactics that hit home in a post-pandemic landscape so your team can win over the clients that are still reeling from their 2020 experience.

Of course, all of these steps towards a healthy, dependable sales team are built on a foundation of hiring techniques that will ensure you have the right people in place. Intentional leadership is about hand-selecting a crew of motivated individuals that you know will immerse themselves in your company culture and become a passionate brand ambassador for your business.

Hiring is not easy and it’s usually not enjoyable. But, it’s an essential part of growth so a smart business owner recognizes it as a necessary step in the journey. I’ve faced hiring challenges of my own and, over time, developed my own set of techniques that ensure all of our team members are committed to success (I actually cover ALL of this in the Triangle Method!).

Too many business owners see the hiring process and their role as leaders as transactional relationships, but in reality, building long-term relationships with your sales team is one of the most important things you can do as a business owner! Replace “transactional” with “transformational” and you’ve got the recipe for a successful, motivated team.

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How to Nail Your First Impression Every Single Time

You hear it plenty: first impressions are everything. This goes for everything from first dates to networking events and, of course, initial sales consultations. When you’re aiming to book a client, you truly need to wow them from the first encounter. Otherwise, they may be inclined to look at your competitors and see what else the market has to offer.

However, if your first impression is engaging and trustworthy, there’s a far greater chance that they’ll want to ask questions and learn more about how you can fill their needs.

Of course, your approach must vary depending on who is sitting on the other side of the sales table. Your first impression with a newly engaged couple planning their wedding will look remarkably different from that of a potential corporate client who has hosted annual events throughout their career.

So, how can you make sure you have a winning first impression, each and every time?

It starts with digging into your prospective client’s psychology.

Humans are judgmental by nature. It’s not necessarily a bad thing; being judgmental can save us from some risky situations and keep us from making poor decisions. However, as a salesperson, this natural tendency can be an obstacle on the way to closing.

In order to book any client (regardless of their needs), you need to build the Know, Like, Trust factor that draws them into your brand and creates loyalty. You can build (or diminish) a client’s opinion of you and your brand in many ways, from the way you dress at a sales meeting to the messaging on your website and social media. You will be judged either way, so it’s best to make it favorable on your brand.

A prospective client generally judges three things in this order: you as a person, the products or services you offer, and the company as a whole. They might love you as a person, but if they aren’t impressed with your offerings or are turned off by the lack of diversity on your company’s social media page, there’s a chance your personality isn’t enough to sway their decision. 

Refine your digital impressions first.

More often than not, your first impression will actually be online so you have less control over how and when a prospect is looking at your website or social media. These channels are an extension of your brand, so they need to be consistently tailored towards the interests and needs of your target market. Although you don’t get the initial face-to-face opportunity, you can harness creative storytelling to build a personal connection with followers and website visitors so they feel like they know you before they even reach out to schedule a call.

A great digital impression will lead to more in-person impressions (and ideally more bookings!), so don’t skimp on quality content. Create educational blog posts and social media posts that establish your role as an industry expert, while infusing all of your messaging with personality. Don’t be afraid to show some behind-the-scenes content as well; it’s helpful for interested prospects to see the face behind the brand so they can connect with your brand on a personal level.

Sharpen your in-person impressions with practice.

Today’s consumer is smart. Most have done their homework before ever stepping foot in your office (or getting on a phone call). If you had a winning digital first impression, they likely have a good idea of what your brand stands for and the products and services you offer. By the time you sit down for a sales consultation, they’ve already begun to judge your brand from what they’ve gathered online. That’s your time to shine and demonstrate your winning personality and build trust and respect in yourself as a person.

Instead of focusing on the products and services they’ve surely researched already, spend some time getting to know them on a human level. Ask about their families, their goals, their likes and dislikes — anything that can help you to understand who they are and how you can support them. For example, you may ask a wedding client for their background — how did they meet? How long have they been together? What has been their favorite trip together? A corporate client, on the other hand, would appreciate your interest in their brand values and their recent achievements.

At the end of the day, sales is a matter of building relationships. Connect, engage, and make friends — so long as your business offerings are of good quality, the rest will follow suit.

The 6 Stages of a Sale and How They Form Your Sales Approach

Booking a client isn’t as simple as showing them your portfolio and accepting their payment. Instead, each sale should comprise of deliberate stages that nudge your prospects closer and closer to their purchasing decision. Buyers aren’t ready to take the plunge based on one sales pitch; they must be shown that they’ve been heard and how your business is uniquely fit to meet their needs. Even the best product or service will struggle to sell if there isn’t enough attention given to a customer’s specific preferences.

Thus, you need to follow a careful approach to selling that hits each of the six stages that are vital to closing the sale. While sales is generally a very fluid and flexible process, these steps will provide a framework upon which to personalize the sales experience for each customer.

1.     Practice active listening.

Contrary to popular belief, sales is less about what you have to offer and more about what your customer needs. It’s not an opportunity to give a spiel about your brand values and product features. Instead, use each sales meeting as a way to learn more about your client’s preferences and get closer to understanding their expectations. Ask open-ended questions that help you to hone in on their deepest intentions and the big “why” behind their choices.

2.     Share your expertise.

Once you’ve gotten a feel for your customer’s personality and their final vision, it’s time to fill in the role as informal teacher. You’ve worked countless events and have years of experience under your belt, whereas your client may be planning their very first event. They may be overwhelmed by budgeting, logistics, décor options, or other aspects, so you need to step in to gently guide your client in the right direction. Educate them about guidelines, trends, design ideas, and other topics that give them concern.

3.     Evaluate your client’s needs.

After a bit of back-and-forth about your client’s vision, you’ll have a firm idea of what they need and how you can help them achieve their goals. Consider your repertoire of services or inventory of products to determine how you can best serve their custom needs.

It’s also worth doing a bit of behind-the-scenes research on your client to see if you learn something that didn’t come up in conversation. For example, perhaps you learn that a corporate lead is planning to expand to a new region, which will influence their upcoming awards gala. Or, maybe you learn that an engaged couple has three precious pooches that can inspire a few surprise touches at their wedding. 

4.     Provide custom solutions.

You’ve done your homework and you know exactly how to help your clients. Now, you just need to present your ideas to them. Craft a detailed proposal that outlines exactly what you’re suggesting, linking every feature to a specific benefit. It’s great that you allot a certain number of servers and bartenders, but the real value is the consistent and professional serving quality that enhances your clients’ guest experience. Help your clients see the full picture by connecting the dots for them and demonstrating exactly what they’ll get by signing with you.

5.     Nurture the relationship and build trust.

It’s easy to throw some ideas on a piece of paper and tout all of the benefits of your business. However, great products and services only go so far — you also need to build trust with your prospects before they’re ready to sign on the dotted line. A nonstop sales pitch confirms their concerns — that you’re simply a salesperson trying to make some money off them. Break their expectations by showing your genuine interest and investment in their event; it’s not about your bottom line, it’s about helping them get from point A to point B as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

6.     Close the sale.

Last but certainly not least, you must close the sale! If you’ve followed the first five steps and have led your prospective clients on a welcoming buyers’ journey, then this becomes one of the easiest steps. You’ve already warmed them up to your brand and your ideas, so you just need to start talking details (like payment methods and onboarding) and prepare a contract for them to sign.

While it might seem formulaic to reduce sales to a six-step process, it really is a matter of following through on each stage to ensure your client feels heard and appreciated. After a while, the flow of your sales workflow will become second-nature and you’ll be booking new clients left and right — so long as you stick to your values of client appreciation.

Building and Nurturing an Effective Sales Team

As your business grows, you may consider building a team to support your business operations so you can focus on expanding your brand and increasing your revenue. An effective sales team can effectively generate more leads and secure more business for your company, leaving you to focus on growth strategies and business development.

However, hiring new employees and trusting them to take over your sales process can be intimidating for entrepreneurs who have grown used to doing it all themselves. It can be tricky to delegate these responsibilities when sales plays such a vital role in the health of your business.

That’s why you need to focus on developing a team of salespeople rather than order-takers. Anyone can pick up a phone and make cold calls, but great salespeople will go beyond the bare minimum and serve as a shining brand ambassador for your business.

If you’re considering starting or expanding your sales team, here are a few tips to ensure that they are productive and effective at their job.

Photo by Hannah Busing on Unsplash

Prioritize training

Even the smallest of teams can benefit from a robust training program, so prepare for a comprehensive onboarding process that teaches new hires everything they need to know to excel at their job. Consider building out a training manual before even posting your job description so you can provide all new employees with a handbook for self-guided training. I also suggest having roleplaying sessions with your sales team to help them work out the kinks and become confident in their roles. As they say, practice makes perfect.

Check in often

While it is essential that your employees feel empowered to carve their own path and make decisions, you are still the leader and, thus, are responsible for ensuring your team stays on track. Connect with your salespeople every week or so to review closing rates, new leads, and discuss the next steps they plan to take with each account. Seasoned salespeople may be fine guiding themselves for a few weeks, but it’s worth having more frequent check-ins with new hires to ensure they are keeping up with expectations.

Review strengths and weaknesses

Every person has a unique set of skills and, with that, comes their own array of strengths and weaknesses. Think about yourself: You surely have areas in which you excel, as well as those that you can hardly stand. For each employee, evaluate their strengths and weaknesses as you observe their work ethic and output. You might find that certain underperforming employees just need an adjustment for them to be successful. For example, perhaps you have a salesperson who isn’t meeting their numbers. Maybe you notice that they are brilliant in person, but are a little awkward on the phone. If that’s the case, consider having them do in-person and video meetings only — they may need to see the other person’s expressions and body language in order to effectively sell. Simply put, don’t discount anyone on your team because of their performance; instead, see if there are ways you can better set them up for success.

You can hire anyone off the street to sit in your office and pick up the phone when it rings. However, if you want to see your profit margins increase with more booked clients, you need to focus on finding the salespeople who will actively engage with your market and sell your brand organically. They are the ones who are passionate about your brand and don’t need to read off a sales script because they believe in you and what you have to offer. When you find someone who will champion your brand, you cannot go wrong.

Tips for Owning Your Sales Approach

For some, sales is a gut-wrenching and nerve-wracking experience. What if they ask a question I don’t know how to answer? What if they are disappointed in what I have to offer? If these questions sound familiar, you’re not alone.

The good news is that sales is a skill, not an inherent talent. You don’t have to be born good at selling to excel in sales. It does take time and effort to hone your sales skill, but it’s ultimately in the best interest of you and your soon-to-be clients.

If you’re wondering how you can level up your sales game, look no further. These tips will help you to book more clients, boost your profit margins, and better serve each and every person who walks through your proverbial door.

Photo by Chris Liverani on Unsplash

Practice active listening.

You might think that the best sellers are those that deliver a well-rehearsed spiel of everything their business has to offer. However, you would be wrong! The best salespeople, in fact, are those who know how to actively listen to their clients’ needs. 

Rather than dive right into your features and benefits, let your prospects divulge their desires, fears, hopes, and preferences. If they seem hesitant or uncertain about what they want, ask guiding questions to help them open up. Only then will you be able to customize your sales pitch to address your prospect’s needs and help them envision your goals for the project.

Don’t leave room for questions.

There’s nothing worse than seeing a lead walk out the door and wondering if you could have explained something better. While there’s always the option to send a follow-up email, it could very well be too little, too late.

Instead, cover all of the necessary details in your sales meeting and be clear and concise about every element you offer. Leave time between topics and at the end of the meeting for questions and check in with your prospects to ensure they’re on the same page. Not only will this provide them with everything they need to make an educated purchasing decision, but it will also demonstrate how your working relationship will be if they choose to book with you. 

Make them feel special.

Everybody loves to feel like they’re a top priority, so it’s important to make your client feel like they’re the most special people in the world to you. Ask them about families, careers, likes and dislikes, and big goals. Give them compliments and get to know who they are on a personal level.

The more personal rapport you build with a prospect, the more you’ll build the must-have element for closing a sale: the Know, Like, Trust factor. People want to work with people that they like — show them that you fit the bill by intentionally connecting with them on a human level.

If you feel nervous about selling, remember that it’s not really about you or your product at all. Instead, it’s about your prospective client and their needs. Once you identify that, the rest will come naturally as you provide them with a solution customized to their preferences.

It's Not About Price!

I was honored to be a guest on the Evolve Your Wedding Business podcast with its wonderful host, Heidi Thompson. We spoke about my favorite topic, sales, and why a prospect’s booking decision is not about price.

In this episode we’ll cover:

• Why it’s not about price

• Why do so many people think that price is the deciding factor

• What not to do to communicate your value

• The role of Covid-19 in communicating value

• The importance of the “know, like, trust factor”

• How to stand out from the competition

• Why couples ask about pricing first

• Why you need to qualify your leads

• How to be less robotic in your communication

• Questions to ask leads to qualify them

• Why you shouldn’t ask for their budget

• How to deal with a deflated bride

• How to create a proposal that sells

• Proposal layout tips

Listen here >>

On the Forefront of Change

This article was originally published on Catersource.

It’s a reality we are facing across our industry: the coronavirus does not discriminate. Weddings, corporate events, and social celebrations are all being cancelled or postponed in order to practice safe social distancing and help to “flatten the curve.” 

There’s no doubt that this situation has caused hardship for many business owners, as well as their clients. Every day brings new headlines and challenges. 

Needless to say, the big question is how the “new normal” will play out in a post-COVID world. The truth is that we will never return to how it once was; there is no path back to those days. Yet, this knowledge presents the opportunity to transform the future of our industry in a way that ripples across other sectors and makes a worldwide impact…READ MORE.

The Secret Behind Turning Emails into Conversation

This article was originally published on Be Sage Consulting.

Back in the day, clients would find us through word-of-mouth or perhaps a print ad that we had published in a local magazine. The market wasn’t quite so oversaturated and prospective clients could clearly see the value in our expertise when they saw our photos and heard our ideas.

Now, a potential client can scour your website before contacting you — as well as those of your competitors. The thing is that a great web designer can make any company look perfect on the internet. In your clients’ eyes, you and your competitors are the same. This means they’ll treat your business like a commodity and make their decision solely based off of price. They’ll be quick to fill out the contact form on your website, as well as on your competitors’ sites, so it’s a matter of standing out from the crowd and showcasing what makes you different from your very first email response.

Here are a few ways to use your email strategy to turn a simple response into a full-blown conversation with a prospective client…READ MORE.

What to Expect from Fall Catering Trends in 2020

This article was originally published on Catersource.

Fall is a time that is usually marked by moody color palettes and mulled cider bars, but this year will undoubtedly look different due to coronavirus. Many states have started reopening public spaces and rolling back gathering restrictions, but don’t be fooled — we are still very much in a pandemic and our events will surely show it.

Those that choose to carry on with their fall events will likely see shorter guest lists and onsite safety requirements, like temperature checks and physical distancing. However, that’s not to say a fall celebration this year needs to feel sterile and uncomfortable. 

Instead, we expect to see some new trends arise out of the pandemic that keep guests safe while preserving the fun and social atmosphere we’ve missed during spring and summer. Here’s what we’re seeing in the way of pandemic-friendly trends for the fall…READ MORE.