Here’s an issue you may have faced more than once in your event-planning career.

It’s the customer who can’t see the value of your event planning services.

It’s frustrating to have the person you’ve just presented an event plan ask, “Can’t I just do all that myself?”

All the event planning skills in the world don’t count if you can’t present a strong value proposition to your customers.

If you’re asking, “A strong what?” it’s time for you to add basic sales skills to your event planning training.

A value proposition is the way you state the benefits of doing business with you to your customers. If it’s weak, or non-existent, you’re probably snagging the lowest of the low-hanging fruit and regularly losing out to your competition.

Here are four tips to help your customers recognize the value of your event planning services.

 

Building an Event Planning Value Proposition

 

To build a great value proposition, you need to ask yourself some questions.

• Why is my event planning business better than the competition?
• What do I bring to the table that adds value to my customers’ events?
• How does it actually save the customer money by hiring me?
• When it’s all said and done, why will the customer be glad they trusted me to plan their event?

 

Write down your answers, because you’re going to be using them to create a strong value proposition for your marketing.

Still not sure how to explain why a customer should hire you rather than do everything themselves?

That might explain why you’re losing out to the competition!

Being able to state the advantage of doing business with you is the essence of good marketing.

To get past that hurdle, think back to events you’ve coordinated and the things you’ve done that someone without your experience might miss doing. You take care of the smallest details and keep an eye out for ways to save your customers money. You’ve developed a strong vendor network and leveraged it to deliver the best events possible for your clients. You’re poised in a crisis and don’t let last minute snags create disasters.

Depending on the level of event management you perform and the type of events at which you specialize, you should be able to customize this statement to highlight the advantages. Think of a way to say those things succinctly. Paint a picture of someone your client can trust to create first-class events, reflecting their tastes while staying within a budget.

The Magic of a Strong Value Proposition

That succinct snapshot, your value proposition, sets you apart from your competition.

It builds trust in the customer and allows them to seal the deal with confidence. Instead of simply saying, “You should do business with me because I’m the expert”, it gives your customers concrete reasons to trust you.

If you’re progressing in your event planning training, you’ve built a portfolio and begun marketing yourself online and in person. You’re building a network of dependable event-support vendors. Your wardrobe reflects your targeted client base and you have some well-planned events under your belt.

Don’t leave this last step undone. Create a strong value proposition that lets a customer know, without a doubt, that you are the best person to handle their event.

Need some examples of propositions that bring in business? Here’s a terrific article from ConversionXL.com that explains the essentials of a winning value proposition.

Once your unique statement of benefits is written, give it star billing on your website, Facebook page and Twitter profile. Let your perfect customer group know within seconds of finding you online that no one else will do for their next event. It will surely save having to defend your talents to skeptical clients!

You’re working hard to create an event planning business that knocks the socks off your competition. Don’t throw that hard work away by making would-be customers wonder why you’re different than the rest. Create a strong value proposition for your events management company and make it the centerpiece of your marketing.

It can make all the difference in the world for your business.

For more event planning resources, learn more at Event Planning Blueprint.