Presentation | Closing a client

[Jusselin]

ok so what is your process when you meet/close a client....our process so far has been

1. Show up (usually meet at starbucks) meet and greet. Generally we have already briefly met via phone.

2. Discuss what it is exactly the client needs/expects

3. Discuss how we can accommodate them (also show work via comp. or iphone)

4. Go over pricing and locations

5. (Attempt to) Close the deal with a deposit.........


Sometimes as a deal closer we do offer discounts. We have a discount page in our pricing packet. If they are having us design and print the invitations for the event, then we offer a discount for putting our website on the invite some where. If they get us another client who leaves a deposit before their event is over with...we offer a discount....

Just wondering what you guys/gals do to close a deal...what is your presentation....so far this has worked well for us. However i must admit we get nervous every time we meet with a client...I feel i can be open and honest with you all here, heck we were all going through the first steps of this at one point....Also do you see flaws in what we have been doing? is there something else we should be doing and something maybe we should not do? Should i ask them what their budget is or just present my pricing?

[tukaniray]

I find asking what their budget is and giving them a price is usually dependent on the client.

I have more luck with just giving them my pricing. If they look like the price hurt or is a bit iffy, I then show them the options I am giving them and a way to customize a package that better makes them comfortable with my prices.

I too, am new to the world of Solo freelance photography and graphic design. But learning from my various positions under different people and companies has helped me better understand the business end of fun.

-Ray-

[Jusselin]

thanks Ray....just closed a client about a half hour ago with the method above....only kick in the pants is i feel i could have gotten and extra $200 out of the deal (because i feel i am worth what we are offering) but you live and learn!

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by Jusselin

Also do you see flaws in what we have been doing?

You do not need to offer a discount to close a sale. A good salesperson can close a sale without it.

Note the difference b/t a discount and an incentive. An incentive gives them a reason to close NOW. A benefit to book now rather than later. Discounting is usually not good b/c it eats into your profit margin, which is a problem.

[Jusselin]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

You do not need to offer a discount to close a sale. A good salesperson can close a sale without it.

Note the difference b/t a discount and an incentive. An incentive gives them a reason to close NOW. A benefit to book now rather than later. Discounting is usually not good b/c it eats into your profit margin, which is a problem.

i disagree....its not something that hurts me...as a matter of fact i have made more money from what the "Discounts" bring then just word of mouth...the client we just closed today was a result of a "discount" she saw our website on an invite and that couple spoke good about us. In result of me knocking $50 off of the last couples tab, we made quite a bit more in return.... If i ever see that it hurts us or becomes a bother i might consider taking it out. Not everyone takes the offers either.

these are really pre-determined '"discounts" not even really a discount, just a tactic to allow the client to think they are saving money while creating a new way for us to make some business....it might sound raw but its just business.

[S-Man]

No offense, but I would think twice before disagreeing with Holly, Juss. :)
She's a sales and marketing GURU in my book. She's been at it a real long time too.

[Jusselin]

i hear yuh S-man, and holly please i hope i didnt offend you...i may just need to learn the lesson the hard way...i am very new at the business aspect of the photography...hell i am new at photography in general lol...i dont always offer a discount but if a client starts to pull away or i see they are flinching at the price, then i offer something to sweeten the pot for them but create business for me as well.

basically i feel like when i meet a client i understand they are there to hire me...i dont second guess it, i tell them how it is and if need be pull something out at the end... I heard someone say "Salesmanship starts when the clients say no"

[HotHolly]

The sale starts before your client ever speaks to you. Your website and ads are speaking for you at that point and should be prompting the client to contact you. Misjudging where the sale starts and ends is an issue with salespeople, not just photogs.

In terms of discounts - if the margin was added to your packages then its an incentive. If an incentive is presented at the right time in the right way, it makes the client happy to have a reason to buy now.

I would suggest looking at what happened to your profit margin by assuming you would have closed the sale another way. Just humor the idea and see how much money walked off, whether it was padded or not. Then think of a better incentive that cost you less. It has to be something the client WANTS and has a lower cost to you. We have incentives that cost me nothing and filled up my calendar.

Anyway, not to be a downer, b/c I can tell your excited and that's good. Just watching out for ya and stating what usually happens when it comes time to do your taxes at the end of the year and your accountant noticed you slashed off your arm to save your finger. If thats not the case, hooray! But most new photogs price themselves too cheap to make any profit and discounting is dangerous imho.

[Jusselin]

Then i guess the word i was looking for was incentive.

I do appreciate your input Holly that is why i posted this

[Jim Victory]

I won't get into the marketing aspect because I approach it differently from most because I was doing this before computers and my clients come from referrals not website presentations.

However I do use computer links to my work for the client to see before we meet and when we meet I use prints for my presentation because that is ultimately what they will be buying.

I can show them prints using different paper ( gloss, matte,etc.), in case they want a different look, as well as different sizes so they can specify what size they want for each shot.

If your starting out a good website can go a long way in promoting your business but good marketing methods can be just as important. Don't sell yourself cheap just to get business. If you do then you will have a hard time increasing you profit margin later.

You would be surprise how much business can be promoted by word of mouth but if the word is your cheap then that is what your client will expect.

[Jusselin]

Good point Jim

[PeteQ]

I am in the same camp as Holly and Jim for the most part as I don't offer discounts but I also never bring a contract to a consultation. And to that end I don't offer a "book now" incentive, I want them to go out of there and talk about me. If they like me they will, and 90% do, call me back to put together a collection for them. Of that I close about 75% which is about right for where I want to be. They can tailor their own collection to their needs and there are incentives (purse books, etc) for bigger collections, but that is only as a way to get them into a larger collection. Buy more, get more.

If they need to save money then I try to alter what they WANT versus what they can AFFORD at my prices. It may be shortened coverage or something along those lines but I never change my price without them giving up something. Once they get it in their mind that they can get you to drop your price without getting something from them, they will keep doing it.

Don't be afraid to say no. If they truly like you and your work they will find the $200 or whatever that you may feel you need to give up to book them. If you don't value your work, your clients certainly won't. And once you agree to a price, especially if you did give them a "deal", then you need to make sure you still give 110% as you would for any other client. All to often we read about people moaning that they cut a deal and under-priced themselves and now are trying to find a way to skimp or their attitude toward their client now sucks like the client did something wrong. To those folks I say, "Hey, it's not the client, YOU agreed to it!"

Good luck!