Telephone Sales: it’s not about booking the session
Like it or not, professional photographers are salespeople. This doesn’t mean we have to act out the stereotype of the used car salesman, but we should know how to conduct a properly structured sales presentation, either in person or on the telephone.
Selling isn’t about manipulation or trickery; it’s an honest process aimed at helping the client get what they want, and what’s right for them, while maintaining the salesperson’s integrity. As motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said, “You can have everything you want in this world if you would just help enough other people get what they want.”
Let’s look at where the sales process usually starts, on the telephone.
When a prospect calls to enquire about photography, the aim shouldn’t be to get them to book a session with you right away. That would be too big a step to start with. Instead, encourage them to meet you either at the studio or at their home, for a friendly chat about what you can do for them.
Take control of the conversation by asking questions in a friendly and non-threatening way that doesn’t sound scripted.
Usually, the prospect will ask, “How much do you charge?” Don’t answer this directly. Reply with something like, “I’ll be happy to go over that with you, but do you mind if I find out a few details about what you’re looking for first?”
This immediately gives you control of the conversation, and allows you to ask more questions until you can decide if the prospect will be a good fit for your business.
There are four basic stages to the sales call, which should be taken slowly, and in order:
- Build rapport with the prospect and discover their primary buying motive
- Generate interest in your services through emotional context
- Educate them about your unique selling points
- Finish the call by getting a commitment from them to speak to you again
These steps are critical, especially the last one! If they stall or object, ask more questions to find out why. You may need to go back to step 1, 2 or 3 depending on their response.
Something to consider: not everyone who calls you will be a qualified prospect or a good fit for you, so don’t think that you have to work with everybody. It might be best to refer them to someone else who can service them better. That will leave you open to get the customers you really want to work with.
Nigel Merrick
Professional Photographer and Blogger
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Nigel Merrick is a full-time professional photographer and founder of the Zenologue Blog, dedicated to helping other photographers improve their businesses and to the preservation of the professional photography industry as a whole. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
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