The phrase ''selling yourself'' is sometimes misconstrued as obnoxiously highlighting your positive attributes and throwing yourself in the face of people you intend to make an impression on.

But as much as selling yourself requires buttering up your portfolio and looking like the next best thing to a tall drink of water on a hot day, you should not push yourself or your great ideas on clients.

Selling yourself is more about pulling the clients to your business.

It involves a calculated process of understanding the needs of the client, showing the client that you have what he requires to fill that need and ultimately, creating a relationship with the client so that he decides to trust you with the job of filling that need.

In the event management industry, new and creative approaches are constantly being introduced. Several outfits with innovative concepts spring up every other day.
It would take more that just the quality of your event production to keep clients happy with you and also make new ones.
There never is an exhaustive or detailed list of how you can draw your customers to what you are offering. These are just basic keys that drives the process of creating a rewarding client relationship. There are no limits to what your creativity and imagination can do with them.

1} Be the passionate master of your art. It is difficult to sell what you don't believe in and even more difficult if you don't know what it is you are selling. As an event planner, you should know virtually everything about your outfit and your industry. You should know what obtains locally, in Nigeria and what the standards are internationally.
This will give you the confidence you need when talking with a client and fielding whatever questions they might have for you.
It also helps to have short catchy speeches or sound bytes to define your event management services in a minute or two. Get the client hooked with the opening line.

2} Know Your Client:
*Research a potential client. If this seems like a lot of work that would take a lot of your time, have a staff do it. You can hire someone with an investigative nose to be in charge of that. Find out what kind of person or organization it is and approach accordingly. While some people would hold you in high esteem when you appear in a complete business suit, others would appreciate you in a more casual outfit.

*From your research about your client, you can prepare your event ideas and plans to show to the client. But remember that the event is theirs, not yours. So you have to pay attention and LISTEN to what they have to say. Don't be in a hurry to sift out their own ideas because they don't meet your standard.
The focus is to make your customer happy. They will be happy to have the event of their dreams, not yours. So listen to their dreams and make it come true.

*Create a rapport with them. This does not mean punching them, albeit playfully, in the stomach.
It means watching their reaction to the things you say, understanding the language they speak and becoming a reflection of what they desire.
This is not to say you should agree with all they say, but whatever idea you pitch to them should be based on things and values they seem to advocate.
For some clients, the important thing to them is to set a standard and have an event of the decade. Others just want every family member to be happy. If you don't pay attention, you'll never know.

*Become their friend. You cannot force someone to trust you. But if you show genuine interest in them, you have a better chance. If you can, arrange meetings in relaxed environments. It is easier for a friend to refer you to another client. However, remember your research, don't put off your client.

If you do get a client by referrals, don't forget to thank the referrer.

3} Your main focus should be on producing a quality event, offering your client value rather than increasing your profit. Always bear that in mind as you draw up plans for the event.

4} Even after listening to and understanding your clients, do not begin implementing your ideas without getting them to sign off on a final plan.

5} Follow up promptly after every meeting. Send a thank you note or a mail to further expantiate on what unique services you may be offering.

Special occassions also provide an opportunity to relate with a client outside of work. Remember to send new year glad tidings and hampers. And be careful, don't send 'happy eid-il-kabir' to a christian client.
This is the ultimate key in relating with clients, prepare each offering to the client's taste.

You also have to understand that you cannot get everybody to be your client. Define who your target audience and have a set limit on the number of clients to have per time. This will help you focus enough attention on each client and provide the best for them.

In the long run, it is more important to have loyal and happy clients than just merely satisfied clients.

Share your experience here, what challenges did you have to deal with trying to get new clients?

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