Offers that make them book on the spot

Well, the local B2B Expo is a couple of days away and I'm still having a hard time deciding on promos that will secure immediate bookings.

Probably, in regards to the Business Portraiture area, prints might be offered; but on the Architectural and Commercial front, I've little idea of what might carry enough value to make them book.

Any useful suggestions are appreciated.

TIA

Alveric wrote in post #17225735
Well, the local B2B Expo is a couple of days away and I'm still having a hard time deciding on promos that will secure immediate bookings.

Probably, in regards to the Business Portraiture area, prints might be offered; but on the Architectural and Commercial front, I've little idea of what might carry enough value to make them book.

Any useful suggestions are appreciated.

TIA

Take it for what its worth as I do not make a living from photography but you could offer half off your deposit if they give you a check that day.

that way you get a booking and a deposit and they get to not tie up as much money in a deposit and have a motivation to not cancel the booking soon after as you have their deposit already.

I'd be concentrating more on presenting something to them that they feel they absolutely must have at all costs... i.e. the work that you produce, your personality, customer service and client experience. Incentives that are all unique to yourself (and more importantly free).

Financial offers and quirks can be copied or bettered by any of your competition.

memoriesoftomorrow wrote in post #17226045
I'd be concentrating more on presenting something to them that they feel they absolutely must have at all costs... i.e. the work that you produce, your personality, customer service and client experience. Incentives that are all unique to yourself (and more importantly free).

Financial offers and quirks can be copied or bettered by any of your competition.

Peter, I can see how that would work in your field, where there are a limited number of available dates, and brides have often already chosen their wedding date - raising the pressure to lock you in before someone else books you.

OP is talking more about business headshots, architecture and commercial photography, which probably don't have the same pressure to lock in a date.

Not that your comments are not relevant - those personal qualities need to be present as a prerequisite to a booking.

dodgyexposure wrote in post #17226537
OP is talking more about business headshots, architecture and commercial photography, which probably don't have the same pressure to lock in a date.

Not that your comments are not relevant - those personal qualities need to be present as a prerequisite to a booking.

The same applies. There needs to be something very compelling to make people book on the spot. Other than that it is relationship building, getting contact information for follow up calls etc.

Are people really going to book commercial or architectural work just because there is a price incentive that day? It sounds more like a car salesman type approach that one that will build long lasting relationships with corporate clients. Creating a high pressure environment to lock in a booking when there is ultimately no background pressure on the business to make a booking.

I honestly don't expect on-the-spot bookings as far as the architectural and product/commercial areas are concerned. Yet, I still want to make my services, let's say, necessary to the client. I'm positive there are lots of businesses with crappy photos of their new homes, food, products and services on their websites: making the production of good photos for their sites and ads an immediate necessity... there's the rub, the task.

Display huge prints of your best "WOW" samples.

That's really my only thought, and the one big thing that I wish I had done differently at the B2B expo we did a few months ago. We had a bunch of 8x10s on the table, and a TV showing a video loop, but huge prints make so much more of an impact.

nathancarter wrote in post #17227578
Display huge prints of your best "WOW" samples.

That's really my only thought, and the one big thing that I wish I had done differently at the B2B expo we did a few months ago. We had a bunch of 8x10s on the table, and a TV showing a video loop, but huge prints make so much more of an impact.

Great! I actually had six of the best photos printed @ 24x36 in. Picked them up this morn and they look amazing. Unfortunately, I don't have 'walls' in the booth. Found out that the only drape that goes all the way up to 10 ft is the one at the back; the divisions between booths are only 3 ft high. Well, in a way it worked to my advantage, sort of: it saved me the money I was going to spend on masonite-mounted and/or aluminium prints to hang on the 'walls' and got these poster prints instead. I want to offer such prints to architects and builders, as marketing materials of their own. We'll see how that goes.

I also got a pack of these. Filled with promo PDFs, I intend to hand them out to very interested prospects.

How about hanging four in a grid on the back wall/drape, and putting two on easels right up front?

You may still need to mount them to foamcore or something.