Is Your Pricing Guide Getting You Ghosted?

Every wedding pro knows what it’s like to get ghosted by a couple who inquires. 

You see their email in your inbox. You respond super-fast with a personal email and beautiful pricing guide filled with gorgeous images, all the information they requested, and a well-written blurb about you and your experience.

 And then…nothing.

No response. 

So, you send over a follow-up email. Again, nothing. No response. 

 What happened? Did they not like the images? Was the copywriting boring? Did they not like the packages you offer? Or is it what you’re dreading: Prices are out of their budget?

It could be any of these. Or all four. But I’ll tell you what I’ve learned over 15+ years responding to thousands of inquiries and working 1:1 with hundreds of wedding pros who are tired of getting ghosted.

“PDF and pray” – when you send out a PDF pricing guide and hope they email back ready to book – is no way to sell your services.

Why pricing guides don’t work (as well as other approaches)

The key to booking more couples is to provide 1) the right information at 2) the right time in 3) the right way. Do all three and you’ll see higher conversion rates and higher prices.

If you’re getting ghosted early on, it’s most likely when you’re sharing pricing information and how you’re sharing it. 

Too many wedding pros share all the information immediately after a couple of inquiries. It’s

• Too much information

• All at once

• About topics they’re not ready for.

If you don’t want to get ghosted, stop scaring away potential clients with a 16-page pricing guide PDF.

Top 4 reasons NOT to use standard pricing guides

1. It’s too much information all at once

Couples are easily overwhelmed when planning their wedding, and long pricing guides are like an avalanche of information. You think you’re helping by providing everything up front, but to them it feels like being buried alive.

Instead, drip out what they need to know little-by-little through your website, emails, conversations and, eventually, a proper proposal. Cut through the noise by keeping it simple and to the point, and they’ll follow your guidance every step along the way.

2. PDFs are not phone friendly

They look great on a desktop or laptop, but 60-70% (or more) of your couples will first look at the information on their phone. And that means they have to use two hands and two fingers to pinch and pull and toggle to read anything in a PDF. 

People want to scroll through the information you send over with a single thumb, just like they do with everything else on their phone. Don’t make them work hard to learn how you help them. Keep it easy, and they’ll enjoy the experience of working with you right from the start.

3. Couples aren’t ready for packages and pricing this early in the sales process

It’s a bad idea to present pricing to people who don’t know what they really need from you – or the value of the services you offer to meet those needs. It’s a fast-track to competing on price with other vendors.

The goal of the inquiry response is to start a conversation. Learn about their priorities. Share your approach. Find out if it’s a good fit for personality, style and budget. The best way to do that is on a quick 20-30-minute discovery call.

4. No one wants a generic experience

But that’s how it feels when you’re offered the same packages as everyone else. Couples want their wedding to be unique, one-of-a-kind. They want a personalized experience, especially if they’re paying premium or luxury prices.

Custom proposals designed around their wants and needs is the best way to communicate you care. Not only are the packages and pricing tailored to the couple, but the context you create with a personal introduction at the top of the proposal makes it easier for them to feel what you’re worth.

Next steps

The key to booking more couples at higher prices is to provide the right info at the right time in the right way. But before you do that, stop doing all the wrong things. And that means sending a generic, overwhelming, hard-to-read-on-your-phone PDF pricing guide.

Want to hear more about custom proposals that close deals for you? Check out my podcast episode on Own Your Business, where I discuss four essentials for every great proposal.