Tips for Rocking Your Event Proposal and Getting the Job
Unless you are an exceptional person, you probably aren’t jumping for joy at the thought of writing an event proposal. No one is arguing that they’re not important; they are! But they’re also time consuming, high pressure, and confusing. Just what should you include, and maybe more importantly, what shouldn’t you include?
We’re pretty proud of our booking success rates here at Curious Lola, and a lot of that success is due to our pre-booking work with our proposals. Here are some of the tips and tricks we use to make sure we get the clients we’re aiming for!
Establish your brand
Every interaction a potential client has with you is creating and strengthening their impression of your brand, so be sure your proposal reflects the kind of floral designer you are. Make sure you’re using your brand’s fonts, the logo, and any colors you use. This is an opportunity to remind your potential client why you’re special, so don’t waste it by sticking to Times New Roman and black and white text all the way through.
Don’t neglect visuals
Remember that your proposal is still part of the sales pitch, so don’t leave out beautiful photos from your proposal. You might assume that the client remembers what flowers they asked for, but be sure you include some beautiful images just to make the presentation more of an aesthetic experience. You're hurling a large number at them, so remind them why it’s worth it.
We love using beautiful sketches in our proposals, and we actually have a tool with a full library of drag and drop sketches for proposals that you can check out here.
Try and speak directly to your client’s needs
Achieving your client’s goals and realizing their vision is your number one priority, so make sure you stress that in the proposal by highlighting their vision, not just your own. Focus the language so it’s personal to the client. Use their name, reference things they've said, and specifically address any pain points they might be bringing to the table. Demonstrating that you’re not only a great florist but an empathetic business person is a great way to land the client.
Do include acceptable substitutions
An unfortunate reality is that sometimes the flower the bride or groom has their heart set on doesn't work out. That’s why proposals should include acceptable substitutions, as well as mention florals that absolutely can’t be included. This is especially important for things like allergies, sensitivities, and florals that the bridal party just plain-old don’t like. Getting this in writing is helpful for you and reassuring to the couple; it shows you’re really listening.
Have a landing page
A next level tip is to create a custom landing page for each proposal. If you’re already using a lead magnet site like Leadpages or Click Funnels, just use a drag and drop template and customize the copy for your client. Include some of the images and really take it to the next level. If you don’t use one of these services, you might want to consider it! They have tons of applications, especially for email marketing, but if it’s outside your budget, don't worry: it’s not fatal to leave this one out.
Those are some of the best tips we’ve used to secure clients during the pre-booking process! Did we miss anything? Best of luck in the proposal process!
