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The Psychology of the Buying Mind

The sales process determining the mindset of your increasing your clients okay, we're going to talk now about the deep inner workings of the mind and how it changes during the sales process, okay? And I have to credit julia woods with a lot of this because I first took her workshop on this very topic two thousand eight thousand nine I don't remember she's an amazing sales person, an amazing woman and I've actually never really formally met her, but I worship the ground she walks on the sales process and how the mind changes is going to provide you with a lot of power in the sales room and it's going to change the way you sell up until the sales appointment. So when that first enquiry comes in, you need to determine if number one they're your client and number two what their goals are and number three what their mindset is, are there any or their traditional? Okay, so you need to ask them some questions. So when someone calls on the phone at the studio, one of the first things I asked i...

s, what is their goal for the session keeping sure, johnny, if they start saying things like, oh, yeah, wal mart closed down, we're finding new photographer ok go so and so down the street I mean immediately I just direct them somewhere else because they're not my client and it's okay I mean it doesn't matter if they're not my client I want to target the people who are really gonna be with me and spend the money and I know is this first person someone starting out that is really hard to to do to turn down someone who could maybe give you business let me provide this little tidbit for you if you take that client you are taking time away from another client who might come in and actually be your client just like dating remember you did you state the wrong guy and your mom was like the more time you waste on that when the last time you have to find a good one he's going I know that feeling yeah if you waste your time on a guy who's not worth it what are you doing? You're just wasting time that you could be finding the guy who's you're gonna marry it's the same thing with clients if you take that client who's got not going to spend the money that you need them to spend why on earth would you have time to really treat the customer who is your client? Well, in your studio dating it's just like dating take the clients who are pre qualified were the ones who could actually spend money on you and I know when you're first starting out you'll take anything just for the money especially when your studio actually funds your life, you know, when you have to pay your bills with it. This could be a really scary endeavor, and I did it. I mean, I took everything that came my way when I first started, and I don't advocate against that at all because I know you have to survive, but the same time, I want you to be aware of the fact that when you're dating the wrong guy, it doesn't leave time for anyone else. Okay, just have that back your mind. So as you grow, is a business and start do getting the clients that are the ones you want to marry, then you will slowly fade out those people who shouldn't be there. Okay, so it can happen over time, but on and I do understand that it's intimidating to try and just, you know, okay, none of those clients go to the next person down the street. Oh, my doing feeling? S o are they your client? What other session goals? What kind of experience are they looking for? How do they want to feel during the session? What are they hoping for? What? Their dreams. What drew them to inquire about you? If they answer, I just found you online? Have you looked at our website? Oh, no, I just thought I'd call you it might make me a little nervous I'm gonna ask a few more questions before I decided she's my client or not and all this while what I'm doing is I'm asking questions to her for my own benefit but also for hers I want her to feel like she's important to me so I'm asking what your session goals you know where did you find us? We'd like to thank whoever sent you our way you know I'm asking her questions that make her feel like she's important but at the same time I'm getting information from it okay? What is unique about this client? Okay, what is their situation like if somebody calls me who has has had in vitro or is had fertility problems, my ears perk up because those people usually very much care about their baby and commemorating this time they usually believe what I believe okay? So asking these questions of a client when they first phone call I will tell you are they in your traditional I've even gone so far as to ask him with their budget is you know, if they're having humming hi ng and kind of a hard time I'll say you know if you'd like to share your budget with me and I know that may not be comfortable for you but if you if you would like to share it I can tell you what what we can provide for that if they say, oh you know, wait we can't spend more than four hundred dollars I'll be like, well, you know, most of our products start around six fifty or so so that may be a bit of a stretch and I totally understand if that's not within your budget you know, custom photography isn't for everyone, so I'd be happy to refer you to someone who may be more within your price range but I also want to let you know that if you do decide to up your budget, we could be sure that it will be worth it and I'll make sure that you get the experience you're looking for, you know? And then they go oh can't decision to make so I want to cut my budget or do I want to go somewhere else and then let them decide if there are traditional chances are they'll leave if there are neil going home, could this be worth it? Could this be worth it? And then when they say oh it's worth it and they decided up their budget then you can start taking them through that sales process so when you have that first phone call that is the start of the relationship with your client yes question they are like, oh, just pennies clothes, how do you tell them to go somewhere else nicely without being like being that way it's a good question I have had plenty of people say call and say, you know, a j c penney closed and we really want pictures of our one year old. And we really love your work and let the black man have you had a chance to look at our website? Oh, yes, but I have some questions about pricing and what your packages start out. I mean, that's the classic question, and I'll say well, instead of answering them also, would you mind if I ask you a couple of questions before I tell you the details about us that made may let me help you and they have no problem. I say, well, you know, what's your goal for the session. What are you looking for? Oh, you know, I just want some little pictures of johnny in for our scrapbook or whatever I'm like. Okay, well, you know, we do custom eyes we do specializing in customs portrait's for clients. You typically for a wall in their home. We also create erlend albums, which is our specialty, too. So if you are after smaller prints, we may not be the studio for you, you know? I do understand that custom photography isn't for everyone but I'm happy to have you come in and take a look at what we do we can chat about it and see if we're the right fit and if not I'll be happy to refer you to someone who may be more within your budget and they go okay sometimes I want to come in and it's that's case great I love meeting people I mean, you have a lot of time but I like meeting people and they walk in and they see the studio and then they realized okay, this is expensive and they either go usually right away they go oh no you know, this is a little bit much for us can you refer now referred to the girl down the street no problem does that answer your question about yeah, I was just I'm wondering how you found people to refer them to and if they know you're referring the business you know, I'm friendly with harper e I love making friends of their fathers in my town we have a big group of people in my in my town benjamin vyron kimberly all these people whom I adore dearly and we get together when I you know, obviously time is of essence, but when we have a chance we go out photographs and we meet for coffee and I just call other photographers and say hi to coffee or sometimes just stop by my studio because we're kind of in a more of a retail place and they're like, oh, I saw your work when it comes to that I love that so when I figure out what they do and I really like their work and I think they do a good job, I'll say, oh, you know, you should go to natalie down the street she's you know, she is price where I am but she offers a look that's a little bit more outdoorsy and not studio so I definitely recommend her for that purpose. So that's, what you do is make friends with congress and join your local associations you know, your state affiliates there's always good people to refer to there and then not only are you enduring those photographers to you if you ever need anything like your camera breaks down or something happens, you got somebody on your side oh, yeah, bologna equipment no problem what's great about this industry and that's where it should be, in my opinion is helping each other out. I believe in that so this's a start of a relationship, you big flirt, flirt with your client, okay, yes, I'm asking you to be a little flirt weak, weak you need to flirt with your client and that's what this meeting is all about and especially the consultation is flirting with your client and getting them to want to date you and be intrigued by you and the way you do that is by enquiring about them what makes them special what makes them you need make them feel loved people love to talk about themselves if you ever meet somebody and start asking the questions who what where when why all of a sudden they start chatting and they don't think you're the greatest thing since sliced bread because you're talking about him you know and some people are naturally good at this arlene evans who's here in real life she's like you want her to be your mom when you first meet her because she's asked about you and what do you do and know your kids so cute? I mean she knows half the things about you before you even talk to her and that's really cool and that skill is something that really helps in dealing with your clients that endearing quality that's almost like flirting okay, so determining the mindset of the client wants their official your client they've booked now we're starting to see the mind change a little bit okay? They like you only one about a date with this person they're nice you know let's go have a drink so that's where the pre consultation starts coming into play and these different sales prophecies these five piece that I'm calling no purpose surrounds all of these but these five piece are more on the technical side and this is where the relationship is going to go from dating to marriage okay so now you can start kind of influencing what they purchase you know they're your client now it's time to start getting into the psychology of it okay so how the client mindset evolves through the sales process is something that could be very useful to you and will change the way you think about selling okay so in the pre confrontation so and really I don't care if you do this over the phone if you do it in person whatever just do him the pre consultation is so important for establishing that seed you are taking a seed you are putting in a pot you are covering with hurt you have got to plant the seed of the sale is julia woods would say the client either knows what they want or they have no idea they just call knowing they need to get there baby photographed okay they have no clue wedding we just know we need to get the winning shot okay what do you want to do with those images that you drive your whole life do you want to put him on your old you want an album all these questions should start coming into play. Okay, so you have to plant that idea that little seed in their head. How do you do? You can answer anyone online, can the answer? How would you plant a seed in your client's head? What do you say? What do you d'oh? So you start asking them if they want a wall prints and showing them if wellington on the phone, you have a difficult time showing them. But you could do that online magazine you were talking, I guess, and talk them through that. Yes, definitely. If you're on location photographer, you can send your catalog to them and start going through it with them, not just sending it and saying, oh, here you go, but actually going through with them and it still is saying, do you want a wall portrait? What wall do you want to hang a portrait? Oh, they kind of give you this like, oh, yeah, oh, I don't we don't have wall space usually they don't that's what they say and they go, I don't know well, most people, this is my famous last words. Most people like tio, you know, this is a very momentous time in your life, and most people do like to highlight the family image in a living room, on a mantle or particularly in the nursery you know usually do something more colorful or fun for the nursery to commemorate your baby's first days on go okay, I never thought about that or then I'll say something like, you know, albums are really popper they're my favorite because now that my son is two and a half we sit down and look through his baby book and he goes baby eighteen eighteen you know he understands and that time that quality time that I spend with him is I cherish deeply and so I share that experience with my clients and so I say it and then eventually he'll get that album beautiful big book I'm going to pass it on to him someday and that you know I don't have that another reason my y and some of the questions that I ask you guys to do tonight did you have family portrait on your walls did you family portrait on your walls remember yeah but they were like terrible photos that my dad took and put on a really crazy frame from good. Well, what about you, jim? Yeah, we had we had it we have a family wall so and, you know, old stuff of my grand parents and so it was great to grow up with what about you guys and the internet is you guys do it did you have you have family portrait on the wall to remember seeing them wei have family portrait on the wall, but they're always of the kids and so we didn't have any pictures of our parents on the wall, and I think maybe that's one of the reasons that I love photographing women in their forties and fifties because you never have a picture of your mom at that age either picture of your mom, like, you know, by the splashing pool or something like that, you know, when you were a little kid, but then you never have pictures of them later in their lives. When you have this like intense grown up relationship with me, you don't get that that kind of a photograph of them. So I think that's one of the reasons that I love photographing women of all different ages, because this is commemorating who they were at this time of their life, as opposed to who they were when they were eighteen or twenty, and we changed so much as we go on, we fight that process so much, we fight being photographed as we get older, which is really sad, I do the same thing. I don't want to be photographed with my son that escape berth twenty pounds loose, you know, and that's a common common thread with my clients, but ask yourself based on your own situation, how that made you feel having a wall not having you said they were in goodwill frames. Does that affect you there? Why did you say they were in goodwill frames? Why'd you say they were, you know, crappy little photographs. Does it give you a feeling that's negative or positive? I mean, I personally like crappy photos and, you know I mean that's that's, your that's death digging into your wife, I'm saying so everybody's is going to be unique, and I think stephenie hit the nail on the head that's going to help you focus on your why and when you can communicate those types of things to your clients, it really endears them and makes them relate you and connecting on a deeper emotional level, which is the goal. So, you know, I didn't my sister, I didn't have a ton of portrait's on our well, we have lots of images and boxes that are in my parent's house, which affected me deeply nowadays, and I think that's a lot of reason I'm a photographer, and of course, you guys know mike, my story of ppd, which isn't talked about enough so planting the seed of that sale and seeing why this is so important to do and communicating your belief will endear the client who has that same belief in you. So it's really important to communicate your why as you go through the process okay so at this point the client's still a little wary they haven't developed a deep relationship for you and your like annihilating with all these ideas they get a little bit like overwhelmed like oh my gosh I gotta think about this but you'd rather have him thinking about it now than in the sales appointment if it happens in the sales appointment good luck it's not gonna happen okay so just be you want them singing about it at the pre concert at the beginning that's why per council they're so important ok yeah in the initial phone call you know you say well let's talk about it and have a long conversation or do you just launch into it and the first phone call sometimes it depends and it's a really good question I very sometimes I'll do it in person especially if a client feels like they need to see me and talk to me to make that decision to book us or not and you know, I'm kind of those people if I get the interview I get the job so if they come into the studio nine times out of ten like I'm become but it is time consuming and I get that so you know sometimes and also understand that my clients typically have just had a baby or they're right about too so chances are she's not gonna wanna rule in the studio feeling like a house you know so way to maturity as well so sometimes it's maternity and that I love doing maternity and newborn because that relationships are really gets same thing with wedding photographers I'm sure you have an opportunity when you do that engagement session up to the wedding you have that time to develop that relationships beautifully okay so sometimes they come in and sometimes it's initial phone call like they'll calling oh yeah we're booking we know I mean you've had those where they just they just want a book so when that happens we take their information then I start asking them questions right then there okay I'd like to talk to you live it that I'm going to send you a link to our client information website it's password protected there's a questionnaire on there you need to fill out that questionnaire before you come see me that's like the law I will not shoot you until you photograph until you sign that paperwork. Okay, so and that questionnaire that you that in the packet it just asked boatloads of questions that I've talked to them already about you. So what? We've chatted on the phone about it or in the in person for consultation and then they have to go online, open up their computers and fill out the questionnaire that has the exact same questions on it what am I doing? I'm getting them invested I'm reinforcing visual audio kinetic okay, same thing with learning just like you guys. Why do you think I'm having you look at something here it and do it because you won't get it unless I hit all those census it's photographers you know, fifty per cent of our sense strength is in our vision but if you if I confirm that and solidify with you hearing it and then doing it it's gonna stick okay? And I'm very passionate teacher in that regard so how guide them in the direction that they want to go? This is going to help build that trust just like when you're dating someone ah, guy would never ask you to go home with you on the first date if you weren't comfortable with they might try but you know all the guys that were smiling anyway so I mean that guy's not going to suggest something to you that he would if he was in a deep relationship with you, you know, I mean he's gonna let you go where you want to go, at least the nice guys out there going to do that they're going to let you go where you want to go as a woman, they're not going to try to force you into something that makes you uncomfortable same thing with pre consultation you do not want to push your client to something that they're not comfortable with. You just want to plant the seed I just want them thinking about it going ok, what can we do with these images? What should we dio wow this is really important. We should do something special with this that's the on ly goal that is your biggest goal at the pre consultation yes there's other little things that get pepper and we're talking huge in depth about the consultation this afternoon but that planning session is where the mindset starts to initially change what can we do with these images? What should we do with these images? Oh goodness five, ten, fifteen years down the road how do I want to see these images? All of a sudden questions that your client has never asked themselves they're starting to consider and that's important when they come into the space for the first time either the consultation or at the session they see everything on on the wall. So this is pictures that nice to you we have a lot of eye candy around and that entices them gives them ideas they start to see what can be done it's just like walking into the antique store on the doors are opening the pottery barn catalogue it's like, oh my god it's so pretty I have to have that so on location for harbors and instituted drivers can do the same thing in different methods so don't feel discouraged if you're on location on li you have an extreme advantage that I don't have you can go see your client and be in their space in their home see their style see their personality, get them in their comfort zone and charge more for it oh maybe I should do that you know I mean you have an advantage so look at your situation with its benefits and tout those benefits that's where you're gonna move forward your business don't say I don't have a retail studio not going good enough no, you have more advantages than studio people do sometimes and you have no overhead good grief so giving clients ideas that they wouldn't normally visualize is really important that again gets them thinking about what's possible okay then at the session here's what happens? We wanted the seed and we give it like again shelly woods is analogy okay, so we've got our pot home to seize my glasses an example here we've got our pot think of this this soil okay, we've planned our seed clients thinking about it okay, we gotta make this thing germany right? We gotta make it grow before water on it there's coke in here so it would be kind of ugly report we start watering it that's the session okay, you need to start as you're shooting. You need to start talking about this, okay? Oh, my gosh. You know, we're going to do your nursery. Tell me the colors again years. We always got blue. Okay, well, I'm gonna shoot some images of with these colors so that we can really match her nursery thinking, thinking, being trigger, trigger, trigger. Ok. And then, oh, if they I always tell my clients to its pre concert, if you want to do an album, you need to tell me in advance because we shoot differently for it than we do awhile. Portrait. Because I do feel a little differently. And I need to know if you want a portrait on album. I'm gonna shoot a lot differently if you want an album. So there you go. Soft commitment right there. Oh, yeah, well, we do want to do a book. Great. You think I'm going to do all that work and then the sales appointment? They're not going to get the album you better. They will. So kind of teasing them and getting them to commit to that kind of thing really helps your sales process evolve and helps you sell larger products as you go. Okay, so if you just kind of have that expectation that they're going to want to get a wall portrait especially if they make noises about the fact that they might want to do it then that's your ticket that's your open door okay, so the excitement is starting to build in the client's mind but they're also nervous I mean if you guys have ever had your photograph taken you know that it's it can be a little intimidating to be on the other side of the camera so I understand that but also noticed that they're really excited to get this done especially if they feel your product is worthy and unique they are infront experience okay, so the client has considered what the product may look like in their home but they're still not quite committed to it but it's a session this is where things start to get solidified because they see how the session goes they start to envision what can happen based on how it's being photographed so you must help encourage them with enthusiasm about their goals the session itself will help them visualize how it will look in their home remember they can't see it you can they cant you have visual literacy they don't so this is just like a baby sitting process you're just kind of trying to move them along but you see right now how all of a sudden already here ahead of the game when it comes to the sales appointment you're already ahead you've planted a seed, you're watering it and now I just hope it'll grow yeah, what happens if you're shooting another artist or someone who's very visually literate? Are they coming to you for the same style that they like or do you ever have problems if they know what they want or think they know what they want? Yeah like the control freak plant yeah we'll get into problem clients later you have a control freak client who tries to tell you what to do yeah that's a hard one way we could get into a lot more on the last day when we talk about dealing with difficult clients but I actually say them you know, you hired me for my creativity and I really want to provide for you what I know I can d'oh and, um my hope is that you'll you'll trust me to do that because that would mean the world to me, you know, honesty it's really the truth that you say it kindly and with an open heart you'd be surprised how people respond especially if you've developed this relationship with him relationship, relationship, relationship I am a creature of relationship date court mary kay just remember that date court mary so now they have one of the seed we're giving it light and now it's time for the client to go home the leaves are starting to bud ok, once the session is over and now the client has an idea of what things will look like, excitement is beginning to get at their peak. There is thinking about that. Oh, maybe we should do a while portrait, so maybe we should do. And, um, we did talk about you now. It's. Gonna be so pretty now is where the budget might get blown and you wanted to get blown here if you can, meaning budget will go beyond what they originally wanted to spend it. They have to have a family discussion about it, julie, which is to always say to me, because you're going to spend thousands of dollars on portrait, you need to have a family discussion, okay, you're not just gonna go out and do it. It's, not cheap. I mean, I can't afford me the same like buying a car. Even if it's just a fifteen hundred dollar two thousand dollar car, we're gonna talk about his family. When I go to buy a new camera I talked to my husband about it before I do it now always but I usually defend slapping me over there well when I buy a new lens or something, I usually tell my husband what I need this I think I'm gonna do it and he's like okay let's go for he never says no, but because he knows that yeah anyway, so but you have to have a family discussion about it you want to talk about it it's a big investment so you have to let your client do that and get a little bit of that throw up factor like you want them out of the way okay, I kind of want them tow that price shock a little bit, okay? Because once they get through that, then at the viewing appointment they don't vomit on you in the middle of the morning appointment you don't want that at this point of course, when they visualize that money starts to become secondary not quite there yet, but they haven't seen the images, but it starts to become a secondary factor what's more important is the why people don't buy what you do they buy what you believe, according to simon cynic was amazing looking up on ted talks he's a great talk people don't buy what you want, what you're selling they buy what you believe so this point, their belief and your belief are starting to go em sink. Now, all of a sudden, it's. Not a matter of money. It's, a matter of heirloom it's, a matter of commemorating its a matter of cherishing the feeling you had when you became apparent when you got married. When your son left for college fielding, we sell emotion. We don't sell paper, okay. Paper's. Cheap emotion is priceless.