BEST BUSINESS BOOK I'VE READ YET.
All you wedding industry business owners - put this on your must-read list. It's packed full of good stuff. Not to mention it's written with us in mind.
Take the title: "Selling the Invisible." Those of us who are selling a service are doing just that - selling something that, at the time it is purchased, is invisible. I love how Beckwith starts the book: "So as a service marketer...you face prospects almost shaking with worry, and sensitive to any mistake you might make. That is where your marketing must start: with a clear understanding of that worried soul." Recognizing how the potential client who walks into my office must feel -- they want to remember the most amazing day of their lives and are willing to spend thousands of dollars to do so but there are no guarantees -- really humbles me and makes me want to do whatever I can to help eliminate their fears and uncertainty.
Over and over again while I read this book, my belief in the power of blogging was confirmed. Blogging is so powerful because it helps form a connection with potential clients that can grow trust within their hearts and eliminate the fears and uncertainty they are faced with when hiring a wedding photographer. Blogs give the business owner the opportunity to demonstrate integrity and consistency which are foundational if we are going to ask clients to trust us. As Beckwith says, "A service is a promise....What you really are selling is your honesty." I can't tell you how many times I've been hired by couples without even meeting them or how many times they have walked into my office already sold because my blog has removed all obstacles for them already. They feel they can trust me. What an honor. I really take that seriously. And it makes me want to do whatever I can to continue to build trust in them throughout the course of our working relationship through amazing customer service.
Beckwith explores so many different areas of marketing -- getting customer feedback, knowing your client & what you are selling, positioning and focus, pricing, naming and branding, communicating and selling -- all with the service industry in mind. His chapters are short and to the point with the point literally spelled out in bold faced type at the end of each one. There is just a wealth of information in this book and it really inspired me.
I have a thing where I keep track of anything I want to remember on the front inside cover of a book. I write the page number and the point that stuck out or something I want to add to my goal list because of what I read. This is what the inside of my copy of Selling the Invisible looks like:
All you wedding industry business owners - put this on your must-read list. It's packed full of good stuff. Not to mention it's written with us in mind.
Take the title: "Selling the Invisible." Those of us who are selling a service are doing just that - selling something that, at the time it is purchased, is invisible. I love how Beckwith starts the book: "So as a service marketer...you face prospects almost shaking with worry, and sensitive to any mistake you might make. That is where your marketing must start: with a clear understanding of that worried soul." Recognizing how the potential client who walks into my office must feel -- they want to remember the most amazing day of their lives and are willing to spend thousands of dollars to do so but there are no guarantees -- really humbles me and makes me want to do whatever I can to help eliminate their fears and uncertainty.
Over and over again while I read this book, my belief in the power of blogging was confirmed. Blogging is so powerful because it helps form a connection with potential clients that can grow trust within their hearts and eliminate the fears and uncertainty they are faced with when hiring a wedding photographer. Blogs give the business owner the opportunity to demonstrate integrity and consistency which are foundational if we are going to ask clients to trust us. As Beckwith says, "A service is a promise....What you really are selling is your honesty." I can't tell you how many times I've been hired by couples without even meeting them or how many times they have walked into my office already sold because my blog has removed all obstacles for them already. They feel they can trust me. What an honor. I really take that seriously. And it makes me want to do whatever I can to continue to build trust in them throughout the course of our working relationship through amazing customer service.
Beckwith explores so many different areas of marketing -- getting customer feedback, knowing your client & what you are selling, positioning and focus, pricing, naming and branding, communicating and selling -- all with the service industry in mind. His chapters are short and to the point with the point literally spelled out in bold faced type at the end of each one. There is just a wealth of information in this book and it really inspired me.
I have a thing where I keep track of anything I want to remember on the front inside cover of a book. I write the page number and the point that stuck out or something I want to add to my goal list because of what I read. This is what the inside of my copy of Selling the Invisible looks like:
Good stuff. Read it if you haven't.
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