photography by carla ten eyck // fashion styling by beth chapman styling
In this weeks continuation of my branding series #brandingismorethanalogo, I want to talk to you about the services that you provide. Are the services that your business offers reflective of your business' brand?
I want you to take a look at your services (and packages, if you have those) and ask yourself: do these compliment my brand? Surely you've charted what your business brand stands for and what the experience is like for a client who hires you. You must pride yourself in being known for something– whether it's your organization, relaxed demeanor, attention to detail, artistic nature, client relationships, candor, or just being damn good at your job.
To give you some background on this I'll use myself as an example: I'm a wedding planner and designer, and my job is to not only ensure that a wedding is a beautiful experience for my clients' guests, but also successful from the logistical side. I offer several services, some of which go hand-in-hand with one another.
Sometimes, we get requests that limit our services. Clients don't need us to manage their guest list or deliver out of town bags– and hey, that is perfectly fine (especially because it isn't our favorite thing to do). We offer those services to give our clientele the full experience of having our company manage the details for you.
Other times, we get requests to limit our services that would directly impact our brand, reputation and the success of the event. And that folks is where I draw the line– and you should too. Why? Because you can't do the job if you don't have the tools.
I position our services to not only compliment what clients need, but what we need in order to be successful.
I can't effectively design a wedding if I don't prepare a budget.
I can't effectively execute a wedding on wedding day if I don't have the size team and number of hours to get the job done.
I can't effectively manage hired vendors if a client dictates which ones I am in control of.
I can't effectively ensure a wedding is covered from end-to-end with all necessities if a client doesn't let me handle their rentals.
So, when a client asks me to remove services that directly impact the success of their event and my reputation, my answer is a firm no.
I've long built a business that clients continually hire because we get the job done. Our brand is known for doing good work, and we take on our clients' events as if they were our own. How can my scope and control over an event be limited by a client, yet there is an expectation to still provide the level of service and an experience we've become known for? The answer is: It can't. I can't possibly give my clients a “Jubilee Events” experience if I'm not able to actually do the job.
If you are a wedding photographer– how can you capture the full breath of someones wedding day if you only offer 4 hours of coverage?
If you are a wedding florist, how can you possibly do your job if set-up is not included in your services and is “optional?”
If you are an invitation designer, why are you going to let a client take on a complicated assembly of your product?
If you are a videographer, why would you let a client dictate whether a 2nd camera is really necessary for their wedding, when you know that you need that added coverage to tell the story?
I could continue, but I think you get the point!
I want you to ensure that the services you are offering to potential clients matches up with the business brand that you've built. If you are new to the industry or struggling to retain business, I don't want you to give in to clients who want to limit what you do because of price. Stand your ground and remain firm in your product– because at the end of the day– it's your reputation at stake when they are unsatisfied with the end result. And one more thing: this client is probably not your ideal client, anyway.
If you would like me to review your recipe of services and give you insight into what you might be doing wrong, don't hesitate to email me at: candice@eventjubilee.com.
Happy business building!
XO
Building Your Brand, Growing a Business, Lessons in Business, Starting a Business, The Client Experience, Things to Do Better
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