I'm Val! Coach for creatives
like you who are ready to be healthier, happier and more empowered women who love the business you run, the people you serve and the life you live!
The Secret to Booking More Inquiries
You know the story. That ideal client actually filled out your contact form and you just about fell off your couch when you read their answers. You put your professional pants on (dress to impress, right?), muster your best multi-paragraph description (no detail left behind!) of what you do and what it costs and reply right away. Or you know, an hour later when you’ve actually finished writing the email because you want to make it amazing.
What comes next?
So. many. minutes of silence…. days…. weeks.
Well shoot. Ghosted. Again.
It’s the plague of the creative entrepreneur. We put SO much time and effort into trying to convince people we know what we’re doing and that our product is worth the money that we miss the secret weapon sitting in our back pocket, just waiting to be pulled out.
That’s right. The secret to what you need to book the inquiries that come through your inbox is free and you already have it.
The secret weapon is…….YOU.
You, your quirky self, your passion for your work and your story are what you need to set yourself apart and get people to reply with a “YES, I want to work with you!”
It doesn’t matter who you are, what personality type you have or how many big professional words you’ve crammed into your vocabulary….it just matters that you’re YOU and you maximize what sets you apart and the connections you share with the person on the other side of that contact form.
But what does that actually mean? How can you use your secret weapon? Let’s get into it.
One of the best things you can do to separate yourself from the other ten inquiry reply emails your ideal client is going to read through, is to talk to them like you would in person. Forego the typical overdone mumbo jumbo (even if it’s sincere) and start your email differently than those other ten people by being yourself.
Wedding pro’s have a really clear example of this. Pretty much every single inquiry reply email a wedding pro writes starts with “Congratulations on your engagement! I’m so excited for you!” or some variation including excitement, love and “this is such a special time in your life.” 😉 Now, there’s nothing wrong with congratulating them and gushing over engagement, but if that’s all you say, you’re just going to blend in with the rest from the get go.
Write like a real human and infuse your personality into your words. One of the easiest ways to do this is to pay attention to your in-person word choice and quirks and show that in your writing! You want potential clients to read what you’ve written and then speak to you in real life and feel right at home. If you don’t speak “legal-ese” in person, don’t do it in your marketing.
Pro Tip: Keep a running list of words and phrases you often use in real life and make sure to sprinkle them throughout your writing!
One of the easiest ways to avoid blending in with the rest by saying the same thing everyone says is to make personal connections and focus your attention there. Find any connection you can from their message and point it out!
Oh, they had their first date in a coffee shop and so did you? Connection. They have a crazy big family and your husband does too? Connection. They’re obsessed with their dog just like you are? Connection.
Pro Tip: If your contact form only has 3 questions, none of which provide opportunity for something personal, change it up! Add in at least two quick and easy questions that give you a peek into who they are as a person that you can connect with in your reply.
Making connections right off the bat sets the tone for the relationship by showing that you value developing that connection between the two of you as humans. Not just performing a transaction.
Your pricing guide should do the heavy lifting for you so you don’t have to write a novel in your email reply explaining all the deets. But it’s just not going to be enough to have a one page price list. If you want to really stand out and make connections with the right people, you need to focus on the value first and introduce the pricing last.
What does this mean? You should have the following elements adding value upon value to what you offer in your pricing guide before you ever associate a dollar sign with your offerings.
People are crazy busy these days and their inboxes are often overflowing with that little red dot filled with multiple digits (although, if you’re like me you have that notification turned off cause it stresses you OUT!). Even the most personable and kind people will appreciate a sweet but quick response. This means it’s even more important to maximize the limited sentences you do include with ultra intentionality.
The best way to do this is to include a pricing guide that gets into all the details of the experience your provide, the options you offer and the costs of it all. That way the email itself can be brief and focused on personal connection, while the PDF gets into the nitty gritty in a visually appealing and digestible way.
When you get the chance to chat with a lead either on a call or in person, this is your chance to really seal the deal.
We tend to really like the people who ask us about us and seem genuinely interested in what we have to say. Have you ever had a conversation with someone who just kept asking about you and when you left, you thought, “Hey, I really like her!” only to realize that you don’t even know that much about her? It’s a real thing.
People like to buy from people they trust.
Every time I have a personal encounter with a human being who loves what they do, listens to me, connects with me and communicates the heart behind their work, I want to buy from them. They’ve developed my trust and shown me they know what they’re doing and they care about me.
And THAT, my friend is more powerful than any discount or silly sales tactic. You have everything you need to convert that ideal inquiry to a client and it’s time you put your best foot forward by showing up as YOU.
I'm Val! Coach for creatives
like you who are ready to be healthier, happier and more empowered women who love the business you run, the people you serve and the life you live!
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