Second Thoughts? 6 Things That Lose Customers & How to Solve Them

All wedding professionals have been there – opening their inbox to find a potential client saying, “Sorry, we’ve decided to work with someone else.” Losing out on leads (especially if you felt they were a perfect fit for your business!) can be a tough pill to swallow.

Though there are plenty of exceptional entrepreneurs inside the wedding industry, your profits will likely tumble if you aren’t finding new ways to stand out from the competition. So, the next time you open one of those dreaded emails, know there are steps you can take to improve your sales process and impress potential leads. 

Here are six things that lose customers and how to solve them.

An unclear presentation of value

If you want to prove you’re the best choice for your clients, you need to focus on how you’ll change their lives. It’s all about speaking to the benefits of your client experience rather than just the features. For example, if you’re a wedding planner, stating your services come with unlimited email communication is one thing, but saying you’re a responsive, experienced planner who will eliminate stress from your couples’ schedules is much more convincing.

When the value isn’t clear, people look to the one thing they can compare – pricing. And if you don’t compellingly present your services, your business will be the first off their list. So by clarifying the value of your offerings, you can show them your price is worthwhile. 

Forgetting to follow up

With something as significant as a wedding, most people aren’t ready to sign on the dotted line as soon as each sales call ends. That’s why following up is vital to closing the deal. You need more than one or two touchpoints to stay top-of-mind or win them over, so set a handful of reminders to check back in after a few days. If possible, try to schedule a follow-up call during your initial sales call to answer any lingering questions.

Failing to provide the next steps

The last thing someone in the trenches of wedding planning wants is to sign a contract and not hear from their vendor for days. So when they reach out to you, you and your team must clarify what your process entails. Whether it’s an in-person sit-down or a monthly virtual meeting, showcase your timeline and how you make things easy for each client.

Telling a couple they need to sign a contract first is great, but if your next steps feel confusing or obscure, they’ll be wary about taking action. Customers want to feel confident in their decision – lack of clarity will only create hesitation. 

Mismatched marketing and sales

Getting a lot of leads? That means your marketing is working! But if potential clients enter your sales funnel and feel you misled them, they won’t stick around. So make sure your marketing efforts align with your offerings and sales, so your prospects get exactly what they expect.

You never want your potential leads asking, “So, what’s the catch?” Avoid clickbait headlines and sharing promises you can’t keep throughout your marketing and sales materials. Be honest, provide value, and know your clients will appreciate you being forthcoming.

A missing audience

If your messaging is on-point and your sales process checks every box, but you still aren’t converting, you might be selling to the wrong people. Your ideal client isn’t going to continuously question your pricing, value, or process. Instead, when you market to them correctly, they’ll understand why you’re the best choice.

Unfortunately, those outside your target audience won’t be so easy to convince. Running into objection after objection is a sign you need to revamp your market research and clarify who you’re selling to in the first place. 

Spotty response times

These days, 82 percent of consumers expect responses within ten minutes. Though you needn’t worry about being lightning fast, responding to leads within a 24-hour window is good practice. Nobody wants to be left on read! 

Your sales may suffer if you’re spotty with communication and fail to send a detailed response to each lead. Fortunately, the right CRM tool can help you manage inbound leads. Tools like Salesforce will notify you when a new customer comes in and who still needs a response. Use these tools to your advantage to ensure no potential sales slip under the rug.

Yes, having a dream client pass on your services is a bummer, but when you address each of these areas, you’re sure to step up your sales game and fill up your schedule!