Your event planning business will only grow and scale if you’re able to successfully close more sales and boost client conversions. This requires a dedicated strategy involving outreach and messaging, both online and in person. And you might already have a reliable sales process in place that has worked well in the past. But today’s market calls for a new playbook. And these are the sales insights you can implement today to start seeing real conversion results that impact your event planning business’ bottom line.
1. Re-Evaluate Your Value Proposition
What your ideal target market used to consider valuable might not be the case today. Your clients will change their preferences and have new needs ongoing. Improve your sales conversions by re-evaluating your value proposition. Make sure that you’re meeting your prospects where they are in the decision-making process and addressing their specific and unique needs. Today’s decision-makers aren’t going to spend or invest frivolously. Keep your conversion rates high with a healthy and robust value proposition.
2. Streamline Your Sales Funnel
Recognize that not all of your audience is ready to start planning an event right now. And event planners should develop strategic sales funnels that address the various stages of the buying process. Consider creating new campaigns that first introduce your brand and service. Then develop additional messaging and outreach efforts that help move those newly-introduced prospects further down the funnel to learn more or subscribe to your content. The sales funnel will allow you to then identify which prospects are ready to make a decision, so you can craft more targeted and sales conversion-driven messaging to the right audience.
3. Eliminate the Jargon
Stop using language on your event website and with your messaging that isn’t everyday content your clients are using. You’ll understand the event planning industry and process well. But don’t presume your corporate event, social event, and brand contacts understand all the terms and processes. Instead, address their challenges and pain points using language that resonates with them. And don’t overshoot by overwhelming them with processes and jargon that doesn’t carry the same weight with them as it does with you.
4. Address Objections Upfront
Today’s consumer, no matter what they’re looking to buy or invest in, is primarily interested in problem-solving value. Your sales efforts, from elevator pitch to proposal, should address objections and pain points upfront. Debunk common misconceptions and use testimonials to demonstrate your ability to bring real solutions to the table. Any added value you can offer that saves time, saves money, and reduces friction are also huge in converting new clients. Consider reworking your sales strategy and lead with those solutions and responses to common objections.
5. Optimizing Your Forms and Processes
When a prospect is ready to consider doing business with your event planning company, how easy is it for them to do so? If you don’t have easy-to-understand forms and processes for connecting with you, you’ll likely lose sales. Requesting more information, booking a consultation, and asking questions should all be super-easy and convenient on your website and other social media channels. If you have too many hoops to jump through, they just won’t opt in like you want. Product-based businesses, for example, allow online purchases to be made “as a guest,” so anyone not willing to set up an online account or subscribe can still make their purchases. This is the same strategy you’ll want to apply to your online forms and processes.
6. A/B Testing Everything
If something isn’t producing the results you want, change it up and A/B test everything. Whether it’s different versions of subject lines in your email marketing or calls to action on your website, keep trying until you find the best formula that works. Here are some other marketing and sales outreach channels to explore as part of your A/B testing initiatives:
- Landing Pages
- Online Forms
- Newsletters
- Referral Programs
- Upselling Strategies
- PPC and Paid Ads
7. Boost Your Email Marketing Efforts
You can’t always guess where your ideal customers hang out the most online. But there’s one channel everyone (literally everyone) always uses – the inbox. If you’re not going big with your email marketing efforts, you’re missing valuable opportunities to connect with your audience. Boost your messaging. Create an opt-in community with a series of email sequences. Share news about your business and past events. You’ll find that with a more robust email marketing strategy, you’ll boost the number of prospects in your sales funnel in a big way.
8. Start the Blog
Another way to boost your client conversions and sales is by positioning yourself as the leader and authority in your event niche. And the best way to do that is by being a thought leader with your content online. Yes. You need to start the blog. A regular blog series with topics that speak to your clients and your industry will essentially serve as a content library for all your online messaging efforts. And the more you share, the more visible your brand will be. Clients need to encounter your brand seven times before committing it to memory. And the thoughtful blog, with regular news and articles, will solidify your place in their minds.
9. Get to The Event Planner Expo 2023
If you really want to boost sales and conversions, you’ll want to go to the one events industry conference of the year where all your top prospects and game-changing clients will be. The Event Planner Expo 2023 is coming in October, and thousands are already lined up to attend. Top industry leaders, corporate decision-makers, and marketers will be there, with budgets to invest. Other industry pros will be there, eager to form new strategic relationships. And those who secure their spaces on the tradeshow floor to showcase their event services, walk away with countless leads and new sales! Mark your calendar!
Learn more about getting in the room at the #1 events industry expo of the year! And keep these insights in mind as you explore better ways to boost your sales and client conversions.
