{"id":16900,"date":"2019-01-17T08:00:12","date_gmt":"2019-01-17T13:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/honeybook.site.strattic.io\/?p=16900"},"modified":"2022-12-22T05:03:07","modified_gmt":"2022-12-22T13:03:07","slug":"start-2019-on-the-right-foot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/start-2019-on-the-right-foot","title":{"rendered":"Start 2019 on the Right Foot"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Photo by: Brooke Lark<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While many people are thinking of personal resolutions, entrepreneurs often find business inspiration in the energy of a new year\u2014it provides new opportunities for growth, changes, and learning lessons. Whether last year was one of countless conversions or one of missed chances, 2019 offers a blank slate to get your business into gear.<\/p>\n

Here are some tried-and-true techniques for streamlining your sales cycle and taking your company to the next level.<\/p>\n

Get your sales team on track<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Salespeople need to be able to think on their feet, and in the events industry, it is especially important for your team to connect with prospects on an emotional level. Weddings and celebrations are events that evoke powerful emotions. Clients want them to be just right<\/em> and will only book with someone if they have full confidence that the salesperson shares their passion and vision.<\/p>\n

Take some time to shadow your sales team and evaluate their approach with prospects. Do they use a predefined script, or do they converse with a prospect more fluidly? Can you see them building trust with the client? How well can they recognize their needs? Don\u2019t worry if you notice issues that need to be addressed\u2014everyone can use a refresher from time to time, and the New Year is the perfect time to instill sustainable sales practices.<\/p>\n

Develop an employee manual<\/strong><\/h2>\n

An employee training manual outlines expected responsibilities and useful strategies that you want your team to use in their work. If you don\u2019t have one already, it\u2019s time to get on board.<\/p>\n

An employee manual isn\u2019t just helpful for your team\u2014it also saves you time in explaining your sales tactics upfront. Say you want to hire a new employee. How much time can you really<\/em> allocate to new-hire training? With a comprehensive manual, you\u2019re already off to a great start and can lean on your other employees to support the new hire\u2019s learning curve.<\/p>\n

In addition, a manual acts as a resource for everyone to consult when they need a refresher. Consider asking long-term employees to contribute to the manual, as they often have more on-the-ground insights.<\/p>\n

Motivate the troops<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Without guidance and confidence, employees can lose their way and become overwhelmed. Not only does this create poor morale in the office, but it can also have dire consequences on your bottom line. Unmotivated employees are more likely to fail and become complacent, leading to clients that don\u2019t get your company\u2019s best service. And as the team\u2019s leader, motivation begins and ends with you.<\/p>\n

Think about ways to implement healthy competition among employees and empower them to make their own decisions (within reason, of course). Setting sales goals with milestone rewards is a great way to keep people motivated. Celebrate their accomplishments and don\u2019t forget to treat them with a company lunch or a day off every now and then. We all need a break sometimes to get the juices flowing again.  <\/p>\n

Rethink your proposals<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Take a look at your proposal from the eyes of a prospective client. What do you see? Is it just pages upon pages of text that make your eyes glaze over? Does it lack personality or vision? A proposal is often your first impression, and if yours isn\u2019t cutting it, it can be the reason you\u2019re not seeing your leads convert.<\/p>\n

First off, think about how you can highlight your company\u2019s value propositions while also attending to your prospect\u2019s needs. Remember: you\u2019re not the only runner in the race, so it\u2019s important to connect with the customer. Believe it or not, there\u2019s a difference between titling it \u201cJane & Jack Take the Plunge\u201d and \u201cJane & Jack\u2019s Wedding\u201d\u2014the latter seems like you see them as just another client, whereas the first makes them feel like you\u2019re creating their story. So get creative, use descriptive language, include imagery, and focus on the client\u2019s needs. A strong proposal can be a great way to support your sales team\u2014after all, a solid proposal can sell itself.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Make 2019 a year of efficiency by building lean business strategies into your day-to-day workflow. While certain tasks, like an employee manual, may seem time-consuming, remember that your time spent is simply an investment into a stronger, more cohesive future for your business.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n

 <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  While many people are thinking of personal resolutions, entrepreneurs often find business inspiration in the energy of a new year\u2014it provides new opportunities for growth, changes, and learning lessons. Whether last year was one of countless conversions or one of missed chances, 2019 offers a blank slate to get your business into gear. Here […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":436,"featured_media":76765,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[279],"class_list":["post-16900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-best-practices","tag-employees"],"acf":[],"featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/brooke-lark-194254-unsplash.jpeg",2048,1365,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/brooke-lark-194254-unsplash-150x150.jpeg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/brooke-lark-194254-unsplash-300x200.jpeg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/brooke-lark-194254-unsplash-768x512.jpeg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/brooke-lark-194254-unsplash-1024x683.jpeg",1024,683,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/brooke-lark-194254-unsplash-1536x1024.jpeg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/brooke-lark-194254-unsplash.jpeg",2048,1365,false]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"

  Photo by: Brooke Lark While many people are thinking of personal resolutions, entrepreneurs often find business inspiration in the energy of a new year\u2014it provides new opportunities for growth, changes, and learning lessons. Whether last year was one of countless conversions or one of missed chances, 2019 offers a blank slate to get your business into gear. Here are some tried-and-true techniques for streamlining your sales cycle and taking your company to the next level. Get your sales team on track Salespeople need to be able to think on their feet, and in the events industry, it is especially…<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"Business best practices<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"Meryl Snow","url":"https:\/\/hbb.dev.reliablepenguin.com\/blog\/author\/meryl-snow"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","yoast_head":"\nStart the Year Right and Get Your Business into Gear | HoneyBook<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Whether last year was one of countless conversions or one of missed chances, this year offers a blank slate to get your business into gear. 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