The art of conducting a consultation is one that takes some practice and we have talked about how to prepare for a consultation recently, but in last night’s #WedBizHour we tackled the subject of how to have successful consultations with you wedding clients. For me consultations have always been more about listening than talking and this can often be something wedding pros find hard.
We all want our potential clients to see what wonderful designs we have, how talented we are and how we can plan their wedding within an inch of its life, but the key to any good consultation is not how much you talk, but how well you can listen.
Most brides want to talk about themselves & their wedding. They don’t want to listen to you talk about yourself. The art of the sale is in the power of the listening. I call this the 70/30 rule – you listen 70% of the time and talk for 30%. As always we are going to give you the highlights of the chat below in the form of our top tips but for the full transcript, which includes all the great advice and tips from all who attended, you can click here…
- Most brides want to talk about themselves & their wedding. They don’t want to listen to you talk about yourself.
- If you listen carefully to a bride she will tell you everything you need to know in order to ask the right leading questions.
- A great question for breaking down barriers is ‘Tell me about your ideal wedding – the one where budget isn’t an issue.’
- Try to avoid using the word WHY? This puts people on a defensive and can be very confronting.
- Don’t interrupt. If you’ve asked a question let your client answer it. Don’t be tempted to interrupt with tidbits of information.
- Learn to listen actively. It is important for your client to know you’re listening, so you need to indicate that you are attentive.
- Just because a question is on your questionnaire doesn’t mean you have to ask it. Ask questions based on what they tell you.
- Give them some guidance & information but don’t give too much away. This is a fact finding mission not a full presentation.
- Create a Brag Pack to leave behind with them that really shows off who you are & why they should work with you.
- This video with our course consultant and tutor Zoe gives some great tips on conducting client consultations
Next week we will be tackling the subject of how your clients find you, so make sure you join us between 8-9pm GMT on Twitter using the hashtag #WedBizHour
