{This is a Be Wealthy Post}

It was summer of 2008 and I had studied the wedding industry experts in and out. I knew the marketing and social media patterns of the leading local photographers. Mind you, I had been trained as a Molecular Biologist and spent a decade in Business Development in the Biotech Industry. This was a world I knew nothing about. Nothing.

Based on my years of testing sales and having studied what worked & did not work, I had come up with a system that aligned with our go with the flow personalities.

A very fluid system. With typical mommy hours, I hustled. Squeezing in as much work as I could from 9am-3pm.

This was our time and so we wanted to surround ourselves with people we adored, rather than just clients. We did not want to chase clients each season, but were curious to create an inspired referral-based client base. A sure sign that we were on the right path. As a young family, money pressure lured.

Starting business income: $50K.

Goal: $250K.

I shared the goal with few, because in the wedding photography industry, it was outrageous. Some would give me a pat on the back and send me off with a laugh. Some would wish me well, but honestly, I wanted zero feedback.

I had, up to that point, constructed a life and career based on feedback. No good. I had made millions for others, and now it was my time.

OUR time, really. My husband is the genuis artist & story teller and I, the brains of the operation.

The Industry:

Nothing I knew about. At the time I could not comprehend the couple behind a $100K wedding budget. I did not understand the concept of “happiest day of my life” wrapped up into the wedding day.

I had already been married for six years and I would say that our Cambridge City Hall wedding followed by the Sushi Extravaganza was modest, a blast, and certainly happier days followed.

But who was I to question a $20 Billion dollar industry? My husband had the talent, the willingness to work hard, and I had a plan.

We kicked butt.

Awesome photos.

Killer phone and in-person meetings.

Love for their happiness.

Within a few years we were making $250K per year.

No fame. Just profits. And a ton of referrals. Every single year. 

The secret? The right kind of $100K wedding and the clients that jived with what we stand for.

The couples were a mirror of ourselves:

– Down to earth and socially conscious

– World travelers

– Uncoventional in some form

– Loved meticulous art and a passion for visual storytelling

The simple, yet reliable sales system ensured we had the clients that fit us like a glove. If they did not fit, we gracefully declined and referred elsewhere.

True story.

It was not worth taking on wrong clients. We had found out through painful experience what it was like to know in our gut that the client was wrong, allow them to sign up, and then regret every moment of working with them. This kind of mistake, you do once and only once.

The sales process was simple, but sometimes when we start our businesses, we overlook simplicity. To me, sales is a beautiful dance of solving problems at a level that both parties value the worth. Yes, worth. aka: money.

The sales conversation goes something like this:

What do you desire?

Wait for the pause. And listen some more.

They will tell you everything there is to know. The pain points, the joy points, but most importantly their vision for something grand.

If it feels right, express excitement.

Ask permission to provide the solution.

Bring up only the points that pertains to THIS soul before you.

Ask for their response.

If everyone feels a yes, move to the next level. Perhaps a contract, perhaps another dance where we invite others to weigh in.

Allow their yes to bless you. And for you to be a blessing. 

What if you are rejected? Oh, but you will be at times.

In that moment, do not deal with your rejection.

Address them: what is the solution worth?

Ask them if they feel a yes.

If so, nudge them to move mountains.

If they feel a maybe, it’s a no.

Let them go.

Sales are sacred conversations. Sure, some taint the craft of sales, but if it is done with a good heart, a willingness to create the ideal match, and a sense of trust that clients are abundant, nothing can go wrong. The more you listen, the more that can go oh so right.

 

Love,

Asha

Soul + Business Mentor.

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