3 Client Headaches and How To Fix Them
There are plenty of stressful moments and mistakes to be made as a wedding business owner. Dealing with clients especially can cause a ton of stress.
Let’s talk about three headaches that top the list when it comes to to stressful client moments for wedding pros: budget issues, boundaries, and scope creep. 😬
Don't worry friends; I've got a fix for all of them!
Problem 1
Clients inquiring have a budget that’s too low to match your service offerings.
Solution
List your starting prices on your website service page.
I know, I know. You've been keeping your cards close to your vest. You don't want competitors to see what you're charging. Spoiler alert! They already know. They’ve probably secret-shopped you directly, or through a friend, or simply asked around. You might also be hesitant to put pricing on your website because you think it will cause sticker shock or entice everyone to get in touch and ask for more info.
Truth be told, you're better off with some basic pricing info on your services page. You don’t need a detailed rundown and bulleted list of every service inclusion here. That can be too much info and totally overwhelming for you your Ideal Client. Just the bare bones starting price will do. This way, clients can prequalify themselves. It won't cut out all the ill-fitting leads, but it will certainly help. Having that starting price point on your website will act as gatekeeper from all the bargain hunters and encourage potential clients with the appropriate budget to reach out for more details.
Problem 2
Your clients text at all hours, and want to meet when you’re supposed to be off the clock.
Solution
Add a welcome guide to your onboarding process.
You teach people how to treat you. Manage your client’s expectations early on with a welcome guide to set boundaries. This can be a simple and branded PDF, unlinked webpage, or even just a canned email early in your onboarding process. Any of those options will help set the tone.
Let new clients know the best way to reach you (ideally email), and when. 🕒 Share your typical office hours, and your procedures for booking meetings.
Sometimes you'll need to be a little flexible with your schedule, but a welcome guide in some shape or form will set expectations from the beginning and help to avoid a few awkward conversations.
Problem 3
Clients are asking for services that aren’t in their contract or package.
Solution
I’ve got two!
First, consider adjusting your packages to better fit what clients actually need and want. For example, if your client is asking for vendor recommendations, but it’s not included in their coordination package, perhaps including some is the best way to go. These don’t have to be perfectly tailored and take a ton of time, the way it might work in full planning. But a simple forwarding of a link could do the trick. It costs you almost no time at all, and then you’re more likely to have a solid wedding team to work with on wedding day.
Second, nipping this in the bud happens during the sales stage. By figuring out clients needs, and selling based on benefits and pain points, rather than features. Make sure they understand the differences between each package so they can determine where their best fit actually is, rather than them selecting whatever price point feels best.