Imagine investing in an amazing photographer who provided a completely customized experience through to the wedding day, but when it came to viewing the wedding images, it felt like you had taken a trip to a discount store, or worse yet, a used car lot.
Having an IPS experience that is in alignment with the rest of your brand is not only important for your sales, but also for the referability of your business. Here are a few key things we look at when providing a well-rounded IPS to our clients.
1. Have a Process
High-end sales have a process that is smooth from onboarding to delivery of goods and services. You should be able to answer questions for your clients before they even ask. To create that process, you must look at what you have. Is there a place in your process where clients get stuck or that feels a little clunky? Address it sooner rather than later.
2. Educate Ahead of Time
After the wedding or session, it’s time to provide that education again. For us, we often book out a year in advance and we want to revisit the key points of what we discussed so they don’t feel confused and blindsided when we sit down to view their images.
Part of providing a high-end IPS is educating your clients along the way. The key point is to show the value of the service you provide, whether in designing custom wall art for their home or creating an album that tells an emotionally evocative story. This can be done through emails, pre-recorded videos, or simply verbalizing what you do during the booking process.
3. STOP SELLING
Your clients have already made the decision to purchase albums and wall art from you. If you have done your job right in educating them, mentally they are already set to buy. It is now simply a matter of guiding them to which product. In no way should they ever feel rushed or coerced into a purchase. The minute you start with a selling mindset you have lost. Rather, approach your IPS (we call it a Design Session) from the mindset of service to your client. You are not a used car salesman, you are a sommelier. You are the subject matter expert giving advice so that your client may better enjoy what you offer.
4. Comfort is Key
Have you ever gone to a fine dining establishment and wanted to leave within 10 minutes because you were uncomfortable? Maybe the seats hurt your back or the room was freezing and it was impossible to taste your food through the chattering of your teeth. That discomfort will equate to a lower sale and this line of reasoning applies to your clients as well.
Make sure that the room they are walking into is not only comfortable, but enjoyable. Is the couch fabric cheap
or luxurious? Is the paint color distracting from the wall art? Is the light too bright or too dim? Are the drinks and
food something they actually enjoy? Keep all this in mind whether your session is in a studio, a co-working space or even virtual.
5. Don’t Leave Empty-Handed
Gifting is one of our love languages, especially growing up in the south. When our clients leave, we want them to go with something tangible in their hands. While this does include their USB, it also includes a handwritten note and small treat. All of this is placed in a branded and foiled bag with tissue paper. The same happens when they pick up their album or wall art. It is wrapped and placed in branded bags with a handwritten note.
As you prepare your own high-end IPS experience, don’t leave any detail unchecked. It’s in the details that the overall experience can hit a lurch. Something as small as needing a pillow behind one’s back while sitting on a couch may make or break your customized experience.
