I saw a great article by the Professional Photographers of America today, which I thought I’d share some of the key points that they brought up on how to stop losing leads at the beginning of your sales process. 

 

While it’s the big things like the quality of your products and services or your pricing policies that will consume a lot of your waking hours, it’s the small things that can mess up your overall image.  It’s how you treat your potential clients…even before they talk to you (and I’m not talking about your Web sites or brochures).

 

From a customer’s perspective, think about how the following would affect your opinion of these companies:

 

You call a business phone number expecting to get a professional photographer:

• “Hi, it’s ::garble garble::. Leave a message and I’ll get back to you. :: background noise and someone yelling in the distance::” BEEP.

You send an e-mail to inquire about rates or get more information about a portrait setting. You get this response:

• “This is an automated reply from ABC Photography. We will contact you shortly.”

Unless your customers don’t care about how they’re treated, they may hang up and look for services elsewhere. Your voicemail system and your automated e-mail responses can drive potential clients away, and you may never know it. After all, they are all part of customer interaction…usually some of the first interactions a person has when trying to reach you. Below are some dos and don’ts to creating good voicemail greetings and automated e-mails.

 

Voicemail

 

Here are some tips to ensure a pleasant customer voicemail experience:

• Your outgoing voicemail greeting does not have to be long and complicated, but it does have to be professional. Script out what you want to say, and read it out loud a few times before recording.
  
• Try to keep the voicemail greeting less than 30 seconds in length. If it’s too long, people may just hang up without leaving a message.
  
• Clearly state the name of your business, thank them for their call, and ask them to leave a name, phone number, and brief message.
  
• Ensure that the background noise is at a minimum when you record. Try to record indoors in a quiet, enclosed space. This will minimize echoes and road vibrations.
  
• Call-back time frames are crucial and necessary, but only if you follow through with your promise. Some business owners shy away from saying that a team member (or the owner) will call back within a certain time frame. While there are no guarantees that a call might turn into a client, a call returned days after a message is a guarantee that you won’t get the contract.
  
• Always include an alternative way to contact you. Do you have a Web site? Mention it in your greeting and invite them to view your images and additional information.

 Automatic E-mail Responders

 

Speaking of Web sites, many professional photographers have a “Contact Us” page. A potential client can fill out a short information request or click on an e-mail address. What happens next depends on you.

 

Sometimes, businesses employ an “auto-responder” program, which sends a prewritten e-mail with particular information right back to the requester. You decide what goes in the e-mail, and it is automatically sent out.

 

There are positives and negatives about using an auto-responder program for your prospective customers. Your e-mail responses may be the first interaction they experience with you, so here are some things to remember:

 

One-line canned responses are worthless. “Thanks for your interest. We’ll get back to you shortly” means nothing, especially online. It’s impersonal and in most cases, if not given a timeframe, clients will call you directly (if they’re still interested after that response).

 

Use an automatic e-mail as a marketing tool. Yes, you want to thank them for their interest, but go one step further. For example:

We’re so glad that you want to know more about ABC Photography, the leading portrait/wedding/seniors professional photography studio in the Anytown Metro area. Why do our clients love us?

 

‘ABC captured our special moments in a way no one else could. We have memories that we can look at every day, all thanks to ABC Photography.’ - Mary Q. Public, a very happy customer

 

We want to give you the attention that you deserve, so please expect an e-mail from us about your specific questions within the next twenty-four hours. You can also call us during studio hours (Tuesday – Saturday, 8:30am – 5:30pm). Thanks so much for contacting us!

 

This is a little more personal than that “We’ll get back to you when we can” feeling that often comes from a normal automated response.