How to  Master the Art of Selling Portrait Photography: Installment 13

Buying is not a Spectator Sport.

Buying is action.

It can't take place unless there are decisions and decisions require a switched on mind.

Always try to get the client involved, try to get them to experience your product, rather than sit and just listen to you talking. Try to include all the senses.

To get your points across, you need to follow these steps.

1.Tell them what you're going to tell them- this is your Introduction

2.Tell them what you're there to tell them- this is your Presentation

3.Tell them what you just told them- this is your Summary.

Use Repetition- which is the mother of all learning and the seed of Selling. 

The First Meeting.

Our main goal when first meeting a prospect is to remove fear and allow them to relax.

1.Smile

2.Look them in the eyes

3.Greet them properly- this can be formal, friendy, or happy go lucky.

4.Ask an opening involvement question- such as

Have you had any professional portraits taken before?

Qualification- the key to success.

1.Find out what they have now

2.Find out what they like most about portraits

3.If you were to have a beautiful portrait where would you hang it?

4.If we were fortunate enough to produce the best portrait that you have ever seen, would you be in a position to make a decision to own it?

5.Who in addition to yourself will make the final decision?

6.Always have a triplicate of choice.

7.Answering the price question-How much are the portraits?

Most people interested in our beautiful portraiture are prepared to invest $1,800 . A fortunate few can invest between $2,000 and $3,000. And then there are those on a limited budget who with the high cost of everything today, can't go higher than $1,200. May I ask which of these categories do you fit most comfortably?

( Of course you pick amounts that you are comfortable with)

You can also offer these numbers on a monthly investment...But you must know the numbers.

Handling Objections

Until you learn how to handle objections you're not going to approach your potential in sales

People who don't object aren't seriously involved

They wont buy because they don't care enough to challenge the price, ask for more proof, or question their need to own what you're offering.

MAKE HANDLING OBJECTIONS AN INTEGRAL AND EXPECTED PART OF YOUR SELLING SEQUENCE.

OBJECTIONS ARE THE RUNGS OF THE LADDER OF SALES SUCCESS.

What is an objection?

It's a statement by your prospect that he/she wants to know more.

There are two kinds of objections.

Minor Objections-these are defensive mechanisms, people use to slow things down. They don't mean that they don't want to buy, they just want to mull things over before commiting themselves. Of course not all problems are objections that can or should be overcome. You'll often encounter conditions that prevent a purchase. One of the most common for large purchases is that they don't have the money and can't qualify for a loan.

What is a Condition?

A condition is a valid reason for not going ahead. It's not an objection to overcome, it's a total block to the sale that you must accept and walk away. The major aim of qualifying is to determine if whether there are any conditions that may make the sale impossible, and further attempts to sell pointless.

Remember if no conditions exist and they don't buy, it's my fault.

More next month....