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Occasionally, as a result of your marketing efforts, one by one, your bridal leads will contact you about your wedding planning services. More than likely this person will be the bride. By being prepared, you'll be in a better position to respond to her. If this initial contact from a bride comes in the form of an email, try to make arrangements to have a quick telephone conversation with her.
WHEN A BRIDE CALLS YOU …
REMEMBER:
–Contact from a bridal lead is the next best sales opportunity to having a bride in front of you.
–She already has an interest or she would not have contacted you in the first place.
–Your enthusiasm and patience on the phone can decide whether or not you will ever meet her.
–Congratulate her. Getting married is a huge deal!
– YOU lead the conversation.
–If another bride recommended her, ask her who it was and if you happened to have worked with that bride and remember her, your rapport with this call will be far greater!
ASK:
o "How did you hear about my wedding planning services?" It's important for you to know how bridal leads are finding you – is your web site sending brides your way or are the fliers you left at the local banquet hall working wonders?
o "When is your wedding date?" Put her on hold and then check your calendar for your availability.
o "What is your wedding budget?" Her response will help you determine whether or not planning her wedding will be worth your time and if so, what services you can help her with.
o "Where is your wedding ceremony and reception taking place?" This way you can determine whether or not this is a local event or if you need to build in additional travel and transportation costs to your fee.
SUGGEST A FACE-TO-FACE APPOINTMENT
Provide the bride with a choice of closest available days you can meet with her. Avoid the temptation to go into an in-depth conversation at this stage. If you answer all of your bridal lead's questions over the phone or send a detailed description of every single service and package you offer, you miss the opportunity to meet face-to-face and to start a personal relationship.
If the bride tells you that she has to talk with her fiancé first, suggest a tentative appointment that is good for her letting her know that if it's inconvenient for her fiancé, she can always call back with a better day and time.
If she says she will get back to you, at least get her name, email, wedding date, telephone number and mailing address (if you can) and tell her you will send her information. Then give her a follow-up call in a week or so.
The all-important first client meeting with a bridal lead can happen:
o at your office
o at the bride's home
o at the bride's reception site
OR
o at a public place (eg coffee shop – just make sure it's some place where you can enjoy a conversation without interference).
Once a meeting time is confirmed, suggest that the bride brings the following to the meeting:
o Magazine clippings featuring fashion or decor elements that appeal to her. This way you can get an idea of her taste and style.
o Ideas . Even if her ideas have not altogether come together yet, you want her to describe how she visualizes her wedding.
o Her fiancé . Both bride and groom are in this together, after all.
Discourage an entourage of family members (parents and siblings, for example) from attending this first-time meeting as it will only complicate things. This meeting is the chance for you to hear what this couple wants and for them to get to know more about you, your wedding planning services and what you can do for them. With too many attendees and opinions flying around, it's illegally that either goal will be accomplished.
SEND A REMINDER
If the meeting is more than two days away, send your bride a reminder note or postcard via snail mail. With the popularity of email, it's almost a novelty nowdays to receive something other than bills and junk mail in your mailbox. Make a good first impression and send her something chic and creative to pique her curiosity about you and your wedding planning services.
Keep a collection of pretty postcards on hand specifically for this purpose.
A quick hand-written note is fine (assuming you have decent penmanship). Include the meeting day (it's important to include the actual day, 'Wednesday', for example, to avoid any possible confusion), the date, the time and the location along with a warm 'looking-forward-to-meeting-you' comment.
If you're sending a note card as opposed to a postcard, and you have the space, include a listing of the suggested items that the bride should bring (mentioned above) to this first meeting.
Bridal Leads are the lifeline to your wedding planning business. If you're prepared this initial contact will set you in motion for converting prospects into clients.
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Source by Debbie Quain
