Episode Transcript
Hey, what’s up, guys? It’s Chris here from The Printmaker System. I know that I disappeared for way too long, but I’m back, and I’m starting a brand-new series that I’m calling “IPS, Redefined”.
In this series, I’m going to walk you step by step through the nuts and the bolts of a six-figure, in-person sales process. And we’re going to leave no stone unturned. All right?
We’re going to cover what to do and what to say in each of the meetings; why each of those meetings are important; how to choose your products, how to set your prices, how to increase your sales averages; we’re going to cover all of it in this series.
If this sounds like something that you think is going to help you grow your photography business, then I would encourage you to follow along. If you’re on Facebook watching this right now, give this a like and a comment. All right.
If you’re watching this on YouTube, make sure you click on that subscribe button and the little bell icon. That’s going to give you a notification every time I post a new video in the series.
Learn how to sell your work, without selling your soul – for FREE – over on our YouTube Channel!
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Okay. Before we dig into the details, we need to start with the basics. That really is, what is IPS? And, why should you care? Right?
Most people think of IPS as a sales process. And, at its very basic level, it is. But through the topics and the interviews and everything that I have planned for you in this series, I hope to redefine IPS for you. Because it’s so much more than a sales process. All right?
IPS, Redefined
When done correctly, it’s a way to serve your clients better, while also making more money. So if I do my job right with this series, I think that you’re going to agree with me that IPS should not stand for In-Person Sales anymore. Instead, it should mean Incredibly Personal Service. Because that’s exactly what this is. This is a way to serve your clients better. An incredibly, personally. All right?
Want more? Join our free IPS Community on Facebook called, you guessed it, IPS Redefined!
From a practical standpoint, though, just so that we’re all on the same page, let’s talk about what a great In-Person Sales process looks like. I call this the AEDD framework.
The AEDD Photography Sales Framework
It’s really simple; but basically, what we’re going to do is we’re going to
- Attract clients who want printed products in the first place. Then we’re going to
- Excite those clients for those products throughout our process. We’re going to
- Delight them with a sales process that feels nothing like sales; and finally, we’re going to
- Deliver on everything that we’ve promised throughout the process. All right?
Again, that’s AEDD. It’s Attract, Excite, Delight, and Deliver. Don’t worry; we are going to dig really deep into each of these pieces throughout this entire series.
But for me, that’s what an In-Person Sales, or an Incredibly Personal Service, process looks like.
But First…
Get a bird’s eye view of the exact In-Person Sales process you’re about to learn, with links to more free resources to implement this process in your own business with this free guide – The IPS Redefined Roadmap:
Get the Free IPS Redefined Roadmap!
Want Print-Loving Clients? Set These Three Expectations
We’re going to attract them on our website by setting expectations and only attracting the type of people who want printed products in the first place.
We’re going to do this by setting expectations for:
- price, for
- product, and for
- process.
We’re going to set this on:
- our website,
- on our blog,
- on social media,
- and in all of our communications.
Again, don’t worry, we’re going to dig way deep into this in later episodes of this series.
Here’s How to Naturally Build Excitement for Printed Products
Next we’re going to excite them for products throughout our process. This typically happens through the planning meeting, and through the session, and then through this thing that I call the Magic Moment: between the session and the sales meeting.
We’re going to be intentional about how we set up our process, and what we say throughout the process, to build that excitement for all of these products that they’ve seen all over the place on our website and our blog and social media. Right?
Creating a Delightful Photography Sales Experience
Then from there, we’re going to carry that through and naturally guide that client to making a purchase. We’re going to do it in a way that feels nothing like sales. In fact, it’s delightful; it’s something that clients will actually go and tell their friends and families about, and refer them to you. Because of the process that you use. All right?
Delivering On Your Promises
Then finally, we have the final D … AEDD, Attract, Excite, Delight, and Deliver. We’re going to deliver on all of the things that we’ve promised.
For us, this literally means delivering. We’re going to deliver and install any wall art products. We’re going to hand-deliver any products that they’ve ordered from us. And we’re going to wrap all of this up, tie it all up, with a really nice bow, and give our clients something worth raving about.
If you’re wondering why your clients don’t refer their friends and their family, it’s honestly, most likely because you’re not really giving them anything to refer them to. They’re not excited. We want to make sure that we deliver on this, and we do it in a way that really wows them. And this process does it. All right?
Is IPS Really Better For You and Your Clients?
Finally, why should you care? Like, “Okay Chris, this sounds cool. But is this really for me? Is this really better?” And really, this process is better for both you and for your client. Let’s talk about this.
The Benefits of IPS for Photographers
It’s better for you because number one, you can take on far far fewer clients. All right? Most of our members make about four times more what they make before switching to this process. Sorry, four times more after switching to this process, than what they made before. All right?
That means they can take on a quarter of the clients, and still make just as much money. Or, they can take on just as many clients, and make four times what they were making before. Right?
You can make far more per client, obviously … like what we just said … you get to see your work printed and displayed and enjoyed and passed down.
This is a big deal. If you’ve only been shooting and burning, then I don’t know that you really understand how fulfilling it is to see someone purchase your work and display it and enjoy it and pass it down. It changes you as an artist, in my opinion.
Finally, you get to stand out in your market. As somebody who is doing something different than the sea of shoot-and-burn photographers in your market. If you’re thinking, “Oh, well, I can’t do this because everyone in my market shoots and burns,” well, good. That’s great. You could be the only one out there doing something different.
And while you won’t get all of the clients, that’s fine. You don’t need all of the clients. You need the ones who want this, and who are willing to pay for it. And throughout the series, I’m going to show you how to get those people. All right?
Actually, there’s one last point. The level of service that you provide through this process will actually justify a premium price point. You can afford to raise your prices because the service that you provide justifies it. All right?
Okay, that’s how it’s better for you. You probably have had an idea of how In-Person Sales, or really even just product sales is better for you. But how is it better for your client? Let’s go over a few reasons here.
This is Why IPS is Better for Your Photography Clients
Number one: You’re no longer saying, “Hey, here are your files. Good luck figuring out what to do with them.” Because really, that’s what we do when we’re shooting and burning.
We’re saying, “Hey, here’s your files. Good luck. I hope the 17-year-old at the Costco photo counter or the Walgreens photo counter can help you figure out what to do with these, because I’m out. I’m moving on to the next client.” Right?
Another point for why it’s great for the clients, is that you’re doing all of the work. All they have to do is show up, answer some questions, and then smile during the session. And you take care of everything else.
Now, there is something to be said for the fact that you are doing all of the work for them. Because there are studies that have said that people now value their time more than they value their money.
If you can show them, “I’m going to save you time, and I’m going to save you a headache,” then they’re going to value that more than “I’m going to save you money.” All right?
They’ll get something to enjoy, and to pass down, and they’ll get something to show for all of the effort that they put into this session.
Think about it. When they book a photo session with you, what are they doing? Normally, they’re going to go out and they’re going to buy all new clothes, they’re going to get the kids ready … assuming it’s a family session. Get the kids ready, go through all this process, all of this hectic stuff, to actually produce these.
And then, for what? To have a few images to put on Facebook? No, that’s not okay. This gives them something to actually show for all of the work and all of the time that they put into it.
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Up Next on IPS, Redefined
All right. That is the introduction to this whole series. We’re going to talk about In-Person Sales, or IPS Redefined. And how this is not In-Person Sales; it is Incredibly Personal Service. I hope that you’ll join me.
Up next, we’re going to talk about products and pricing. Because before we can really dig into the mechanics of the IPS process, you have to have products to sell, and prices to sell those products at.
We’re going to talk about that next; talk about
- how to choose products,
- how to set up your product mix,
- what types of products you should really be choosing,
- how many of each product.
Then from there, we’ll go on to how to price those products for profit, without really stressing yourself out about like, “Oh, am I charging too much for my market?” All right?
I hope that you’ll join me. If you think that this is going to be helpful for you, again, please do leave a comment and like if you’re on Facebook.
Click on subscribe and the little bell icon if you are on YouTube.
And if you’re listening to this on the podcast, then thank you for listening to this on the podcast, and make sure you go and subscribe over on iTunes and leave a rating and a review.
I will see you in the next episode. All right? See you.