first projection sales tomorrow -Any tips

[abril1127]

I will be doing my first sales presentation on my new projector tomorrow. I have given her a free mini portrait session with event coverage she booked with me. So I will show her those and hope she orders more than the 1 print she gets for free.

The plan....I don't have proselect, so I plan on using lightroom 2 to do the yes, no, maybe process. Then I guess I will just add it up on a receipt?
Any tips for a NewB

[HotHolly]

have an order form she can write on. tell her to write down what she likes, as you flip through. then select sizes, placement, if she wants frames, etc. then you add up her order and tell her the total, and ask will that be paper or plastic? (cash or credit). act like she'll buy the whole thing, and she will.

also, sell bigger sizes. that is the cool part about projecting - they are seeing stuff way larger than the little 8x10s they usually want to buy. i may tell them this would be real cool as a 20x30 print framed and matted to 30x40 - they usually say i dont need something that big - more like the size im seeing there. and well, golly, guess what size is on the wall? 20x30. create the reference point for them. walk through it slowly. act like its the coolest thing since butter, cause it is, and have fun. you client will too.

good luck!

ps - if you didnt have her invite her whole family, you should do it next time. tell them if they come in with her and order that day, you will have some special promos they can only get at that time. ;o)

[HeatherLou]

April,

You may not be able to use it for this session, but look at Lab Prints from Millers. It does all sorta cool stuff.

[Outlaw]

Lightroom should serve you just fine, April. I use Bridge in Photoshop to show and mark photos for clients and once we've picked out favorites, I go over their needs and introduce ideas to help them get the most from their investment.

Often they want to just talk about 4x6's and 8x10's, but like Holly said, give them some perspective on bigger prints and how much more they'll enjoy them hanging on their walls every day instead of sitting in an album or shoebox collecting dust.

And when you do get a final order determined, deliver that final price with casual conviction - whether it's $100 or $10,000, just roll it off the tongue and ask if they're going with cash or credit.

Keep in mind - you've already created beautiful art for these folks. The proofing / sales session is all about helping your client get the most enjoyment of that art. Your stress level goes way down when you approach it from the perspective of maximizing your customer's value and long-term enjoyment instead of maximizing sales and profits.

Let us know how it goes! I'd love to hear how you felt during and after the session, whether or not you landed as big of a sale (or better) as you expected, and what you felt went right or askew during the viewing. We're rooting for ya!

[TootysMom]

I'm marking this...I interested to see how this goes :)

[Redneck]

I hope I'll never have to buy a used car from Holly. :)

[w9ctm]

I too, am quite interested in reading how this unfolds. Please keep us informed April.

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by Redneck

I hope I'll never have to buy a used car from Holly. :)

dude, i only sell new, top of the line! you will NEVER find me selling used crap. only luxury, baby!

[bondarnes]

It's always nice to start with a slideshow with music. That kind of sets the mood.

Then go back through the images and have them eliminate all of the ones they never want to see again. Then sort the rest by yes, no, maybe. Go through the yes group and talk about appropriate size for each. Write each one down as she makes her decision.

You may then want to look at the maybes again especially if you are aiming towards a book of some sort.

Next total up the order add tax and ask her cash or check? (or credit card if you take those). The shut up. The next person that speaks loses.

[abril1127]

Terrible...it went terrible...

[HeatherLou]

Keep your chin up girl!

[toverman]

Sorry to hear that!

[abril1127]

Thanks
It was a definite learning experience. Lots of complications occur when you go to someone house. kids, tv competing against you, kids knocking over your projector screen, touching your projector glass, banging on your laptop. Photographer showing orange-ish pictures because they forget the projector is in movie mode. Client anticipating picking which free print she wants and photographer hoping to upsale. Left with a "let me think about it."

[Outlaw]

Whoo! Now that sounds like one to chalk up as a learning experience.

I've had a number of viewing sessions turn into tension-filled experiences because of rogue children.

You know what? Take what you get, chalk it up, and let it go. Situations like that are the exception, not the rule.

It stinks this happened to you on your first run-through, but if you were doing the viewing in the client's home, the responsibility was pretty much theirs to create a suitable environment. If they don't bother to turn the TV off or run the kids off to another room for 10-15 minutes, they aren't someone you need to stress over.

Keep booking, shooting, showing and selling. This bad experience will quickly disappear under a mountain of great clients and great sales.

[S-Man]

Ouch! I hurt for you April. I can totally see the situation. Just not conducive.