Thanks to social media (hello Pinterest and Instagram!), nearly-weds and meeting planners have endless options at their fingertips when they plan events. While exposure to the wonderful options available around the world can spark creativity, it can also lead to indecision.
When chatting with event professionals around the country, I’ve learned that many of them are having more and more issues with clients making decisions. Whether the client thinks he can get a better deal elsewhere, or he thinks that there’s another, more creative idea around the corner, finalizing an event can be a challenge. Here are some tips to help your clients overcome indecision.
- Make sure you understand the reason he or she won’t commit. If it’s a money issue, see tip number two. If it’s a creativity issue, see tip number three.
- Help him or her see the value in what you’re proposing. Why does it cost what it does? Are there any alternatives that might fit better into his or her budget?
- Do you understand your client’s vision? Does your proposal complement what he or she requested?
- Don’t be afraid to give a firm opinion. Some clients need guidance. When it comes to events, most issues don’t have absolute right or wrong answers, but as an expert in your field, you may have to make the decision for your client.
Some clients approach their decision-making process based on their strengths and weaknesses. Is your client great with numbers and logistics, but not very creative? Is your client super creative, but has no clue how to keep a budget?
When you know what your clients’ worries are, you can better solve their problems and help them make decisions. That’s the basis of my book for wedding professionals: The Susan Southerland Secret: Personality Marketing to Today’s Bride. The book helps you identify your clients’ purchasing strengths and weaknesses and helps you close the sale and work with them successfully. Check it out on Amazon!
If you don’t deal with brides, the sales and marketing approaches in my book apply to clients in the corporate world, as well. When my schedule allows, I intend to rewrite the book for the meeting and event industry, but this book will still teach you a lot about how to sell to and work with anyone who is planning an event, from social gatherings to corporate events.
How do you handle indecisive clients? I’d love to hear from you!
