How To Eliminate Getting Ghosted.

👻Getting ghosted is not fun, whether from a potential client or even worse, a date …

We’ve all had it happen, a new lead fills out your contact form –  and you are super excited! You type up an email, send it over, and then you wait. Days go by, and you still haven’t heard anything back from the client inquiring. Maybe you decide to send a follow-up email asking if they received your email, and still no reply. It stings doesn’t it!?

Let’s see if we can eliminate this feeling as often as possible and get more clients along the way!

Here is what we are going to cover today – There are three elements to implement so you can eliminate getting ghosted. 

1. Overwhelming Desire
2. The Power of Omnipresence
3. The Connection of Humanity 

The free workshop goes into even more detail on these three if you want to skip ahead and watch the full workshop – click here!

1. Eliminate Ghosting by Using Overwhelming Desire

Let’s start with Overwhelming Desire since there are multiple components to it. 

Think back on a time where you had SO MUCH desire to get something. Maybe it was floor seat tickets to your favorite musician’s concert. 

If the seller Texted you, you would have replied. 

If the seller Called you, you would have replied. 

If the seller Emailed you, you would have replied. 

Hell, if the seller sent a Smoke Signal to you, you would have figured out a way to reply. 

I say this because we often think its the way we are reaching out that is the cause of our getting ghosted. Today, rather than looking at the TACTIC behind HOW we reply (Email, vs Text, vs phone call) We need to first look one level higher at whether or not we have created enough desire within our client – the kind of overwhelming desire where they are chomping at the bit to connect with you!

This desire can be broken up into a number of universal rules. 

Reciprocation

The rule of reciprocation is a fundamental element of social psychology; we want to pay back the favor we are given. 

For example, one Christmas Eve, I got a knock at my door. I open it up, and to my surprise is a friend with a gift in his hands. “Merry Christmas!” he says. 

I’m excited and full of joy and then it hits. I don’t have a gift to give in return! 

That is the rule for reciprocation – That feeling like I should have had a gift for that person too. 

Consistency / Commitment

This rule states that people want to maintain consistency in their commitments. Meaning, if we say something is important to us, then our actions are pulled in that direction to stay consistent with what we are committed to. 

Social Proof

Social proof is one we’re most aware of because we are constantly looking for it. 

It states simply, that people follow people. 

Is that movie worth seeing? Let’s see if people are talking about it online.

What restaurant should you visit? Check Yelp to see which one has the most reviews. 

Liking 

This one will surprise you, but people like to work with people they like. 🙃

Typically we like someone because there is something in that person that is similar to us; we relate to them. However, to be interesting, you must be interested. 

Scarcity

Things are more valuable when the quantity is limited, taken away, or reduced. 

We attend a food truck event in Columbus every summer, and there is one particular vehicle that lists the amount of their famous Hot Chicken that they have left on the outside of their truck. The line is always wrapped around the pavilion to get a chance at snagging a plate.  (which also triggers the social proof rule!)

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In the full workshop I give one more bonus rule and expand on each of these triggers, giving specific ways you can leverage them to create massive desire in your leads. When you implement these rules through the strategies I give, your ghostings will drop dramatically!

Watch the full free workshop here: Eliminate Getting Ghosted

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2. Eliminate Ghosting by Being Omnipresence

Typically, it takes around 8 touch points before a sale takes place. However, in the current market, with a high ticket item, that number may be closer to 15-20 before you reach the forefront of someone’s mind. 

(A touchpoint can be defined as any way a consumer can interact with a business, whether it be person-to-person, through a website, an app, or any form of communication.)

Here is the rub. Most photographers only rely on 1 to 2 marketing efforts. This can be focusing on Instagram and Facebook Ads. Or Pinterest and Bridal shows. 

It doesn’t matter; the point is that there is an overemphasis on converting new, cold traffic rather than nurturing warm and hot traffic. 

The solution is creating advocacy rather than just ads. Don’t get me wrong, ads are great, but if they are dumping cold leads into a broken system, they won’t convert into clients.

Advocacy is placing your client’s needs first; you are an advocate towards the best solution for your client. Our clients can’t tell the difference between a good and a great photograph, but they can tell the difference between a good and a great experience.

To give them these touch points, consider building up an email list that nurtures your audience with valuable content to solve the problems they have. (I offer up a few different examples of what that content could look like in the full workshop) 

Create partnerships with other vendors who are sharing the name of your business with their clients. 84% of people don’t even trust ads, but a first-hand referral is 50 times more likely to trigger a purchase. Think about all the vendors that can refer you and how many potential leads this can cause! 

(If you want to learn more on how to make it to the forefront of vendor’s minds, so they can refer you, watch the FREE Instagram Workshop!

3. Eliminate Ghosting by Showing Humanity
   

When someone shows their humanity, it is near impossible to ignore them. There are specific ways to communicate with your clients that allow for greater degrees of your humanity to show through. 

It’s difficult to reveal your humanity by sending a quick email in response to their inquiry. 

The less we feel connected to someone as a real Human Being in the here and now, the easier it is to ghost them. This is why keyboard warriors and online bullying is so prevalent. 

I give a really awesome way to connect with your clients that creates more opportunity for your humanity to come through in the {full workshop} <-linked. It’s an absolute must if you want to eliminate getting ghosted.

In summary, for any wedding and portrait photographer who is looking to eliminate getting ghosted by their inquiries, would be the following

If you want to stand out, 

be vulnerable.

If you want to be remembered, 

be curious.

If you want to continue to be in business,

be committed.

If you want people who value what you do, 

be authentic.

If you want dream clients, 

prioritize personal connection.

If you want less ghosting and more brand advocates, 

create desire.

[You can see the full free workshop here to eliminate getting ghosted]