Creating a Premium Client Experience and Exactly How to Get Them to Say YES with Emylee Williams
Episode 004: Show Notes
In order to go from low-rates to a premium creative, you don't need to change your skill set or technique. It’s about creating an experience. It’s about the sales process, the hand holding and the results. In this episode of The Strategy Hour Podcast, Emylee walks you through how she went from working for free as a photographer to charging $75 for her first paying client to then being able to make $1,500 from her very next client (less than 2 weeks later). Hear how the “all inclusive” made her feel icky and slimy and what she did to change it.
She’ll give you ideas to incorporate in-person sales into your own business (even if you’re not a photographer) so you can start seeing bigger returns on your time and talents. You’re going to walk away with loads of ideas about simple tiny tweaks you can make to your website, how to communicate with clients and things you could be providing them that will drastically change how much money you make.
Get your notebook out and get ready to
make some big impacts in your business.
Listen on your favorite podcast player
A Moment of Crisis Turned Into Opportunity
After graduating from college, Emylee came out in the middle of a recession and couldn’t get a job anywhere. She applied to graduate school to become a professor, but two weeks before starting classes she decided it just was NOT the path for her. So, in the midst of a quarter life crisis, Emylee moved in with her family and started applying for job after job. Not only was it the middle of the recession, but there was a giant hiring freeze for all government related jobs in Oklahoma at the time as well (so much for trying to get a job as a social worker).
She ended up working at a bakery part-time, and eventually started her own cupcake business. Despite the fact that it was profitable, she hated it.
"If I see another bag of powdered sugar I'm going to throw it in someone's face!"
Shooting For Free? Snap Out of It
After quitting the bakery and shutting the doors to her cupcakery, Emylee picked up her camera, and started shooting for free. She eventually worked up to a mere $75 for a shoot and technically made negative money… yikes. After a super terrible first experience with an actual paying client, she almost put down her camera for good. But instead of giving up, she underwent a MAJOR revamp. She did her research, implemented new sales strategies and created an unforgettable client experience. In a mere two weeks, after implementing all that she had just learned, she walked out of a shoot with $1,500 in her pocket, more than 20x her previous revenue.
In-Person Sales Are Where It’s At
The basis of in-person sales is creating an experience where you are answering all of your client or customer’s questions before they've even had a chance to ask them. Provide them with so much value that they feel good about their decision and are super confident in whatever it is they are buying from you. They are buying into the experience, not the product or service.
That could look anything like pre-educating them on your website, telling them what to expect to invest in your services, and explaining why your process is the way it is on your blog. The key is to have your client visualize the final outcome, helping them see what is possible when they work with and invest in you.
Creating a Client Experience
Start creating the experience from day one, before your client even contacts you. This can be done through your newsletter, on your website, or on social media channels. Paint the picture of how you want to be seen by potential clients. Showcase your work and experience to lay the foundation of your quality of service. Walk them through what it’s like to work with you, and focus on how you will be able to provide them with an incredible, positive experience.
Justifying Your Pricing Strategies
For Emylee, she knew she wanted to position herself as a premium photographer and rise above the noise of all of the photographers in her area. She did that through her experience and through the quality materials that she provided. She wasn’t the most educated. She didn’t have decades of experience. She just showed her value and people ate it up like hot donuts from Krispy Kreme.
The Psychology of Package Deals
When offering package options, research shows that three is the magic number. And customers tend to gravitate naturally towards the middle package. When designing these packages, the lower package needs to cover your costs and still leave a little meat on the bone. This means you have to know exactly how much you absolutely need to make to in order to pay the bills.
Use standard names for packages — “mini”, “standard” or “premium” — they tend to translate better than random creative names. Clients understand exactly what these describe, and tend to gravitate towards the most popular choice (which is typically the middle package).
Quote This
It’s all about painting the picture of what life could look like.
Highlights
Find out how Emylee turned her quarter life crisis into an opportunity to start her own business. [0:01:52.9]
Emylee shares how she turned $75 into $1,500 in a mere two weeks! Find out what strategies she implemented to pull this off. [0:09:59.4]
What is the basis of in-person sales strategies, and why does providing value play such a tremendous role in gaining new clients? Emylee shares her tips. [0:13:27.5]
Understand why creating the ultimate client experience starts way before the client even contacts you. Emylee shares her strategies and tips to get started. [0:25:50.7]
How do you position your pricing within your industry? Find out what Emylyee did to position herself as a premium photographer to stand out above the crowd in her area. [0:28:29.0]
Discover the psychology of package offers, and why naming a package plays a significant role in the overall sales. [0:30:16.5]
Emylee shares why she left her photography business, how she decided to go back to her true roots of teaching others instead, and how that translates into what she does at TCC today. [0:33:54.7]
#TalkStrategyToMe [0:37:03.0]
Check your website copy - are you explaining the value of why it is important for clients to invest in you?
Do whatever you can do make a personal connection with your clients.
Quadruple your prices.
BONUS: Tweak and Repeat
ON TODAY’S SHOW
Abagail & Emylee
The Strategy Hour Podcast
We help overwhelmed and creative entrepreneurs break down their Oprah-sized dreams to create a functioning command center to tame the chaos of their business. Basically, we think you’re totally bomb diggity, we’re about to uplevel the shiz out of your business.
KEY TOPICS
Emylee’s business before founding TCC, Revamping her sales process to 20x her revenue per client, Service based industries, Packaging your goods, Selling psychologically, Photography business, Transitions
