PRIMARY BUYER NEEDS AND RESPONSES
These people are focused on finding value and making responsible choices.
Their positive sense of self relies on making sure they don’t get carried away by emotion, and they want to feel in control of themselves at all times.
They are guided by a deep sense of practicality, protection and resourcefulness, and want to make “the safest choice.”
They are driven by fear and anxiety, and therefore make sure to come across as confident and in control.
Psychology:
At the core of this need is the desire for security and financial stability, which they either don’t have or it feels fleeting (it could all fall apart if they make the wrong choices). They want to feel wise and prudent in their decisions, and if they don’t they will say no.
Recognition:
Listen for clients mentioning budget concerns, asking about discounts, or asking about the least expensive options.
Free is the ideal, because it addresses their underlying driving factor of fear and anxiety around making poor financial decisions.
Objections:
"It's too expensive,"
"I found a cheaper option elsewhere,"
"I can't afford it right now."
What to do:
Combine scarcity with flexible payment plans.
Emphasize the benefits over time (in 5, 10, 20 years, could I buy these back from you?
And take all the joy and connection you and your family have felt with me?
That is the true value of this piece–it’s not just a one-off splurge you regret, it’s something you appreciate and value even more every time you look at. It’s the first thing you’d run into a burning building for, unlike anything else you’d buy."
Clients who relish in the art of negotiation are motivated by the thrill of getting a good deal, which makes their buying experience feel even more rewarding.
Not only did they get something they wanted, but they got one over on you in the process.
Their positive sense of self comes from getting more from you than you felt comfortable offering, giving them an experience of having “won.”
They will never be the loser–they will either win by getting a good deal, or win by walking away so that you lose their sale.
Psychology:
This need arises from a desire for self-affirmation, personal accomplishment, and the satisfaction of feeling they have made a savvy choice. Underneath this is a lack of self worth, which can only be appeased by feeling better than.
Recognition:
Watch for clients haggling and demanding discounts.
Objections:
"This other photographer charged … ,
"I don’t want to spend more than that."
"What's the best you can do for me?"
"I’ll give you $500 for all the digitals."
Address:
Connect with their sense of achievement by offering exclusive collections put together just for them, or limited-time promotions.
Present your offer as an extraordinary opportunity that they have the unique chance to seize.
“This is not something I offer– don’t tell anybody else, because they won’t be able to get it. I just want to do the best I can for you.”
Be prepared to offer multiple solutions, until you get to the one that really hurts (but make sure it doesn’t really).
“This is the best I can do, otherwise I won’t be able to keep the lights on. I really can’t go any lower.”
This is where you let your pride take the hit to make the sale, understanding that you are simply playing a psychological game and it is no reflection of what you or your work is worth. They came to the interaction with how they like to play, and you can either play along or lose the sale.
By keeping these in mind, you can be better prepared for what comes your way. Happy selling!
--------------
SARAH
WHEN THEY SAY:
I did this with this photographer, and it didn't cost blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Now they're in this comparison mode.
When you start picking up these cues, start high, so that you can give away a whole bunch, but still end up in a good place.
And then have it just be like: Listen, I really can't go any lower, and I gotta keep the lights on, you know, I've got staff to pay. I really wish I could, you know, do this, but my margins, they just don't allow for it.
Recognize you're just playing a game, then you could just play the game and not get offended.
Like they they're trying to get a feeling of significance, you know, by you know getting this good deal because they just have to feel like that they did it
Give them the best deal.
You know, at full cost, you know, this is going to cost you $15,000.
But this is what I can do for you.
(So you're always saying like, what it could be versus what you're doing for them.
And then it's like, well, you know, if we're going to go even lower, now it's not even going to make that much of a difference because if you were gonna pay full price for this, you know, you'd be paying more than if we just did this combination that I've come up with. So it's so then you have to start making these comparisons.)
Let’s talk about fight, flight, and freeze, otherwise known as trauma responses
When this happens it’s involuntary, because something has triggered the response and it’s immediate. The brain of a triggered person is flooded with neurochemicals, and adrenaline is immediately pumped into the bloodstream. Rational thought goes out the window, and access to skills, abilities and wisdom becomes difficult if not impossible.
It happens to both us and our clients.
In clients, Fight shows up as:
aggressiveness (“This is ridiculous, you guys are a total scam” and raised voices)
Controlling (“I don’t make decisions like this, I’m not making a decision now.”)
power plays (“I’m gonna tell you how this is gonna go.” Interrupting, wanting to derail your process)
So, what to do?
Use the Ledge.
A ledge is either
a statement,
an acknowledgement,
agreement,
or a question
, and it’s the most effective technique of gaining control of disruptive emotions when one of the 3 F’s kick in.
It’s so simple, and so powerful, because it gives your rational brain a chance to catch up and take control from the emotional one.
It’s “a magical quarter second” (from the book Emotional Alchemy) that keeps the emotions you’re feeling from being expressed, and it makes the skills, abilities, and wisdom available to you again.
It goes like this:
“A lot of people feel the same way.”
“I get why you might feel that way.”
“That makes sense.”
“That’s an interesting thought… can you tell me why that feels important for you?”
Or, “why that feels like the ideal next step?”
“Could you help me understand from your perspective?”
“Just to be sure I understand, could you elaborate a little bit more?”
And my all-time favorite–
“Hm. Can I ask you a question?”
When you ask this, you don’t even have to know what it is yet. Asking this is meant to trigger curiosity in your own brain, which will help your emotional brain stand down.
Pauses are ok, figuring things out on the fly is ok, you’re there to understand and it’s just a part of the process.
I literally use this all the time. Curiosity is key. It buys you time to figure things out, to come across in a disarming way, and keep the conversation from shutting down. It works because a Ledge statement or question is a memorized, automatic response that does not require you to think, but allows it to become possible to be able to think.
When you’re able to give yourself a chance to think, you can avoid coming across as aggressive or stumbling through defensive or off-putting statements, and it allows you to stay in control of the conversation instead of freezing. It’s magic.
Let’s talk about fight, flight, and freeze, otherwise known as trauma responses
When this happens it’s involuntary, because something has triggered the response and it’s immediate. The brain of a triggered person is flooded with neurochemicals, and adrenaline is immediately pumped into the bloodstream. Rational thought goes out the window, and access to skills, abilities and wisdom becomes difficult if not impossible.
It happens to both us and our clients.
In Clients, Flight shows up as:
“I’ll just take the free one.”
“I need to think about it and get back to you.”
“I need to talk to my husband.”
“We can’t do this right now.”
For the sales person, Fight shows up as:
Being argumentative
Trying to talk a client out of what they’re thinking (“You should…”)
Dismissing concerns
For the sales person, Flight shows up as:
Just wanting it to be over
Abandoning the process and the sale
Not making sure to close the sale in one way or another
So, what to do?
Use the Ledge.
A ledge is either
a statement,
an acknowledgement,
agreement,
or a question
, and it’s the most effective technique of gaining control of disruptive emotions when one of the 3 F’s kick in.
It’s so simple, and so powerful, because it gives your rational brain a chance to catch up and take control from the emotional one.
It’s “a magical quarter second” (from the book Emotional Alchemy) that keeps the emotions you’re feeling from being expressed, and it makes the skills, abilities, and wisdom available to you again.
It goes like this:
“A lot of people feel the same way.”
“I get why you might feel that way.”
“That makes sense.”
“That’s an interesting thought… can you tell me why that feels important for you?”
Or, “why that feels like the ideal next step?”
“Could you help me understand from your perspective?”
“Just to be sure I understand, could you elaborate a little bit more?”
And my all-time favorite–
“Hm. Can I ask you a question?”
When you ask this, you don’t even have to know what it is yet. Asking this is meant to trigger curiosity in your own brain, which will help your emotional brain stand down.
Pauses are ok, figuring things out on the fly is ok, you’re there to understand and it’s just a part of the process.
I literally use this all the time. Curiosity is key. It buys you time to figure things out, to come across in a disarming way, and keep the conversation from shutting down. It works because a Ledge statement or question is a memorized, automatic response that does not require you to think, but allows it to become possible to be able to think.
When you’re able to give yourself a chance to think, you can avoid coming across as aggressive or stumbling through defensive or off-putting statements, and it allows you to stay in control of the conversation instead of freezing. It’s magic.
Let’s talk about fight, flight, and freeze, otherwise known as trauma responses
When this happens it’s involuntary, because something has triggered the response and it’s immediate. The brain of a triggered person is flooded with neurochemicals, and adrenaline is immediately pumped into the bloodstream. Rational thought goes out the window, and access to skills, abilities and wisdom becomes difficult if not impossible.
It happens to both us and our clients.
In Clients, FREEZE shows up as:
Freeze shows up as:
Deer in the headlights eyeballs
Silence
Non-communication between partners
“I wasn’t prepared for this”
For the sales person, Freeze shows up as:
Going blank and not knowing what to say
Feeling shocked by what someone has just said or done
Tense, hunched up shoulders and neck
Not breathing
No longer curious, just in reaction
Feeling anxious
For the sales person, Flight shows up as:
Just wanting it to be over
Abandoning the process and the sale
Not making sure to close the sale in one way or another
So, what to do?
Use the Ledge.
A ledge is either
a statement,
an acknowledgement,
agreement,
or a question
, and it’s the most effective technique of gaining control of disruptive emotions when one of the 3 F’s kick in.
It’s so simple, and so powerful, because it gives your rational brain a chance to catch up and take control from the emotional one.
It’s “a magical quarter second” (from the book Emotional Alchemy) that keeps the emotions you’re feeling from being expressed, and it makes the skills, abilities, and wisdom available to you again.
It goes like this:
“A lot of people feel the same way.”
“I get why you might feel that way.”
“That makes sense.”
“That’s an interesting thought… can you tell me why that feels important for you?”
Or, “why that feels like the ideal next step?”
“Could you help me understand from your perspective?”
“Just to be sure I understand, could you elaborate a little bit more?”
And my all-time favorite–
“Hm. Can I ask you a question?”
When you ask this, you don’t even have to know what it is yet. Asking this is meant to trigger curiosity in your own brain, which will help your emotional brain stand down.
Pauses are ok, figuring things out on the fly is ok, you’re there to understand and it’s just a part of the process.
I literally use this all the time. Curiosity is key. It buys you time to figure things out, to come across in a disarming way, and keep the conversation from shutting down. It works because a Ledge statement or question is a memorized, automatic response that does not require you to think, but allows it to become possible to be able to think.
When you’re able to give yourself a chance to think, you can avoid coming across as aggressive or stumbling through defensive or off-putting statements, and it allows you to stay in control of the conversation instead of freezing. It’s magic.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
CLIENT ISSUE RESPONSES
HUSBAND NOT PRESENT - ZOOM POLICY:
If the meeting start time arrives, and the dad doesn't show up, then say:
Okay, listen, so I see that DAD isn’t here. Are you comfortable making decisions without your husband here?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Are you comfortable having it just be you and I?Because if we do need to reschedule it, now's the time to do it This is really important for your family nd we want to make sure that you're making the best decisions. Some people really like their spouses to be involved with this. Are you sure you're comfortable doing this because now's the time to reschedule if you're not.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So if you're comfortable making the decision without him, then we can do it.
But this is what I say to everybody: Whoever has something to say about this needs to be at this meeting. And if they're not at the meeting, then they don't get to say anything about the decisions that got made.
So we CAN move forward BUT if he has anything to say about the order, that is then a decision between the two of you, or if you prefer we can reschedule.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
okay, well, do you mind if I ask you because I just want to be sure: What happens if you and I make all these decisions and he does have something to say?
This isn't his thing. I you know, he doesn't care he's gonna be do whatever
I'm just asking because it's, these are really beautiful portraits and when they are this good. It's not unusual for people to really want to do some extra things and it's not unusual for people to spin it out. As of 2000 $3,000, here, are you saying that I mean, in a lot of couples that they want to make those kind of decisions together? And is is, Are you are you guys, when making that kind of decision on your own?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(IF SHE IS ANXIOUS ABOUT HIS REACTION, RESCHEDULE
IF SHE SAYS WHAT HE SAYS DOESN'T MATTER, CONTINUE)
He's trusted you enough not to be here. He was invited.
So if he trusts you, I just want to make sure that you don't go home. get in a fight with him and then call me up and say, "My husband says I spent too much" and try to cut the order down.
Are we going to agree that's not going to happen?
Because all orders are FINAL and technically, it's a requirement that both decision makers be at the ordering session to be able to use your gift certificate.
So I CAN make an exception in your case as long as you AGREE that you can make this decision, and that you understand this is a FINAL order.
We can reschedule the Ordering Session or we can go forward now - What would you prefer to do?
(IF SHE AGREES - GO FORWARD)
(IF SHE IS HESITANT - RESCHEDULE THE SESSION)
IF THE DAD LEAVES, ADDRESS IT:
Did he LEAVE? (incredulous TONE of voice)
(MOM: Yeah… )
Well, what's going on?
(If we have someone like that, we need to wrap him in our warm embrace. So that he feels comfortable to the scene and that his opinion matters. And he gets to say what he feels because it has to happen now, not after we get off the meeting, you know, not like from over there. This is where we put on our big our big girl/big boy pants on. And we SAY:
Listen, you know, these decisions are important, you know, they deserve thought and care and input. You know, would you mind just come on over? Let's have a conversation.
THEN SAY:
Here's the thing, Chris, you know, you get to decide.
Really, it comes down to you, you know,
does this experience, you know - do the hopes and dreams get to be realized, you get to be the hero of the story, or does all of this go away?
If the reason why we can't do this is because you're just not comfortable with it,
but even when I think about why, MOM, you know, brought YOUR FAMILY in - I just have to ask, Is this really the end result that everyone was hoping for?
(I'm gonna try to bring it back at the beginning, because the emotion is the strongest at the beginning. I'm gonna try to reconnect back to what did we do this for)
Listen, you know, Chris, I want to hear what you think about this, you know.
How you feel about this matters, you know.
And MOM did all the heavy lifting. You know, she made this happen, you know, she got YOUR FAMILY dressed and brought THEM in.
And, you know - and here you are at the end. And I want you know - it's like, this is a family experience.
I really want to hear what you think. Go ahead, DAD.
----------
IF HE LEAVES AND IS NOT THERE:
Can you give him a call and just say, Listen, we just do need to have a conversation, his input matters. We do need him to come back in.
Come on back, we're just gonna have a conversation about it. You know, I understand that could be some sticker shock, you know, if you've never done something like this before, but let's just talk about it. And let's just see what the perfect thing is. Right?
Hey, John, you know what, let's just talk about it. I understand that the this field made me feel blindsided by this, I totally get it. You know, but it can be really hard, you know, because it's like, she wanted to do this, but she didn't know what the end result was going to be. You only know that when you're seeing them. So even if she you know, she couldn't have known she couldn't have told you Oh, it's going to be this. It's, it's just not possible.
We need to take a look and see, see what matters and see, you know, and make these educated intentional choices. We can only do that once we're looking at them.
Okay, John. So let me ask you for this to turn out the way that you would want it to turn out how would you want this to be? What would you want for the end result? What's the perfect ideal end result for you? Putting all that other stuff aside, what would you want to see happen here?
what would be the perfect thing for you like, if you, you know, right, so let's just put all that aside, you know, and just take a look at this, like, what do you like about it? What, what do you want this to do for you? I
GOAL: Whether it's a man or a woman, you know, are they they don't deal with things very well. My, my strategy here is to get him an eye to see that we're on the same team, and I'm here to help him have a different result this time, because I hear him and I, and I want to, and I want to find out what's going to be the perfect thing.
TO HUSBAND:
HUSBAND, do you have any questions?
WIFE, do you have any questions?
SECOND TIME
Hey, can I just say: it just looks like you'd rather be anywhere else. But here.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF IT IS AT THE BEGINNING BEFORE SEEING PHOTOS
Oh, come on.
You haven't even seen them yet. Let me guess - this is your ABSOLUTE FAVORITE THING IN THE WORLD TO DO
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) - No, this is her thing. This is her thing. She's gonna do this.
But the kids are yours, aren't they?
okay, HUSBAND, you and me. We're on Team WIFE. Right. We're here to make her deliriously happy because this is HER thing. Right. So our goal is her happiness. And I mean, you ARE a family man, right? So while it may not be YOUR thing, it's a family thing and I can tell you are the dad that really loves their family...am I right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
WHEN PHOTOS ARE CHOSEN, CALL OUT THE ANTIHERO:
(Make sure you know how someone will vote before you start to close the sale.)
(Someone not really present? Call them to the screen.)
John, what are your thoughts on what we've come up with? Is there anything you're opposed to?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Someone super quiet, and non-committal?
Mary, we've heard a lot from Joseph. Is there anything you're not sure about?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Someone straight up negative?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Let's get your thoughts on the table. What would you do differently?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Neutralize the negative-- if the negative person says 'well they wouldn't be doing this at all, 'don't try to change their mind. Get them to agree that both solutions are viable ones, depending on what is important to each.
So what I'm hearing, David, is that for you the best solution is to not do any of this, because this really isn't your thing.
And for Samantha, the best solution for her is to make sure we do both the wall art and image collection box, because for her, this really matters.
(SAY In a super charming tone)
So, since this isn't really your thing, are you opposed to Samantha driving the bus, since she really values family portraits/capturing the magic of childhood/your dog's presence in your lives/capturing the timeless beauty of your daughter at this age?
If there was something really important to you, you wouldn't want someone who didn't really care about it making the decision for you, right?
Oh, what's making you ask?
What if I can't make a decision?
I just don't know if I have this in my budget?
Oh, well, no one does, we figure that part out. The first thing we do is figure out you know, what do you even like, what even feels important? And then we figure out how do we help you have it. How does that sound?
IF THEY PERSIST-1
Listen, if we need to do something else we can, you know, I understand that it's a really important decision. But really, you know, we've developed this process, you know, for the, for decision making, that really helps make things clearer. And we're going to take a look at, you know, we're going to compare them and you're just gonna know it when you see it. So let's just take a look. How does that sound?
IF THEY PERSIST-2
You can say, you know, if we need to do that, you know, there's some different options. But, you know, we we really like to help people be able to, like really see this clearly for themselves. There's a whole process that we've kind of guide people through, so that you're gonna know it when you see it. You know, if we have to come up with something else, we certainly can. But really, you're gonna see it with your own eyes. How does that sound?
IF THEY PERSIST-3
(Okay, and just take the pressure off, because their nervous system is activated, because they're in defense. They're saying to you like, okay, back off. So it is not the time for me to try to change their mind. We can't talk them into the value of it until they see it with their own eyes. They're not interested. They're not receptive. They're guarded.)
Okay, that's fair. I can understand why you might be thinking about the cost.
So what I'm hearing is we've got some maybe we have financial constraints that we're dealing with, right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yes.
Okay. I get it. I totally get it. Let's find out what's important to you. Let's make sure that we focus on what's the most important thing about this experience and what you get from it. And then, you know, whatever you decide to do, we'll help you with that. I would love to show you what we could do and you get to decide
So let's make sure that we just only talk about the things that feel most important, and we're not going to go overboard. We're not going to go crazy, I hear you.
Just know, the financial part, we’ll work that out - we space that out to give you breathing room - but it is important for you guys to have the thing that feels IMPORTANT and FEELS RIGHT for you.
So when you when you wanted to do this for your FAMILY, what was it that felt really important? Like, what did you want THEM to see about THEIR FAMILY, because that's what we're going to look for. Like, if we have to make really specific choices, I want to make sure that we're making the most powerful ones.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Here's what I know, by helping a lot of families with this is that when we really discover like, what the right size is for how you want it to feel what you want it to do for you -- and then we figure out the financial part, then it is a decision you never regret in your life, because every single time you look at it, it's exactly what you want it to be. How do you guys feel about that?
IF THEY ARE PRICE SENSITIVE:
IF THEY SAY: I don't have an unlimited budget. So it's, it's a factor how much it cost
Okay, maybe so what I'm hearing is we don't want to go overboard. Right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
We don't want to do too much just for giggles we want to do like what feels like the perfect thing because we don't have an unlimited budget just to do whatever we want for no good reason. We want to be purposeful - Is that what I'm hearing?
I get that.
So let's figure out what the perfect thing is. We'll just see. Let's go figure that out.
Just put that over here for a minute. And just let your eyeballs tell you what makes you happy.
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY PERSIST
I guess I should ask:
is cost the only factor in your decision when choosing artwork?
Because we can make decisions based on cost so that what it looks like becomes less important, and your experience is the last part of it, the size and the impact of it.
So what I'm trying to do is figure out like, Okay, what's the ideal? And then let's help you do that.
When it when it's when you really wanted something else, but you didn't do that thing. It can be a little uncomfortable, but we'll talk about it and just kind of see.
Okay. I guess my question for you is, is what we don't want to have happen is that you feel like you really do want to go stand right in front of it in order to really get that same impact and appreciate it.
Because in 20 years, when this portrait is your children's presence in your home, money comes and goes, but will you regert more what you spent or that that your aren't able to really see your chidlren's faces in the portraits?
That's what will matter - you just you just don't want that over time.
Okay, that's fair.
Yeah, I get it, you're in good company.
Right, it can be really difficult to have any kind of idea, you know, what feels perfect for you until you're able to SEE it.
And the whole point of this is to take an educated look, and make intentional decisions once we really see the reality of what the choice would look like.
So I totally get coming in here with that idea because how would you know otherwise? And it's it's really typical for people to feel that way.
So what I'm hearing is maybe we have financial constraints that we're dealing with, right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yes.
Okay. I get it. We're not going to go crazy, I hear you.
So let's make sure that we focus on what feels like the most important thing about this experience - what you get from it, something where you feel that you did the people in the portrait justice.
But I hear you - we're not going to go overboard. Okay.
I get it...So if you don't mind, I'm going to just ask you a couple questions.
Talk to me, tell me what's going on for you right now?
Because there's different things that I can do in different ways that can help.
So tell me a little bit more about, you know, what's making you bring that up now?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) okay, you know, talk to me about that. Is it something that you're going through right now, like, you know, a move or because I've got some different things I can offer, you know, to help with that kind of situation?
IF THEY SAY: (the gist of) I have a lot of expensive things happening
So it feels like there's just there's just too many other things happening right now.
So when you wanted to do this for your FAMILY, what was it that felt really important? Like, what did you want THEM to see about THEIR FAMILY, because that's what we're going to look for. Like, if we have to make really specific choices, I want to make sure that we're making the most powerful ones.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Well, so let me ask you, XXXX, do you want me to only make suggestions that are in line with sort of like the lower end of the budget? Or do you want to just kind of see what's possible, and then decide?
Like, would you be willing to kind of just SEE what you might enjoy, you know, depending on what it was doing for you, or do we really need to kind of stick like to what it costs? Is that the most important factor in your decision? Because if it is, I mean, we didn't even have to show you like, you know, some of the more glorious sizes.
Most often, I tell people: Let's take a look at everything and let's see, like, what's too much? What feels perfect and what's not enough?
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY: I want to stay in XXX lower end of the budget range (ONE THAT IS TOO LOW)
So you know, at that range, it's kind of like needing a new pair of shoes that will last a LONG time but you're only going to buy the ones on sale whether they fit you or not.
But then EVERY time you put them on they don't FIT right and you don't LIKE them and you really wish you'd just gotten the ones you LOVE, because THEN you'd actually be enjoying them instead of not even looking at them anymore because they're not what you ACTUALLY WANTED."
Let's make sure to figure out the financial part so that every time you look at this you love it, because it's perfect, and it's what you actually want."
How does that sound?
MUSIC ANALOGY
So you know, at that range, it's kind of like, your favorite song turned down really low. And you have to kind of strain to hear it. I mean, it's there. It exists, right?
But it's not something that impacts you, and not something that you can like, kind of sit back and appreciate because it's, you know, the lower end of the range, you know, our 10-inch starts at 495. We can apply your HOLDING FEE to that.
How does that sound?
IF THEY SAY: I want to see the possabilities
IF THEY PERSIST IN BEING PRICE SENSITIVE
Really, we can make this decision, you know, two ways.
One, what does it look like?
How does it feel?
What kind of impact does it have?
Versus what does it cost?
When you make the decision based on what it costs, we can't care what it looks like.
When we make the decision based on what it gives us, the feeling it creates in those that it impacts, you know, THAT'S lasting. And then it happens to cost this much and we will work that out.
So for you making this decision, you know, which of those two ways feels the most important to you?
Either one is fine.
It's just that you do need to care about one thing more than the other.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I understand. So are there any limitations that I should know about? Because I just want to make sure that I, you know, I stay in line with, with how you like to do things and what feels comfortable for you. So is there anything that would help me to know, as far as you know, any limitations that you're having?
I just like to ask, because sometimes, you know, people have like, kind of a set budget that they, they want to respect.
Other people feel like, you know, they really want to see it first, and really get a sense of what this is going to do for them before they make that decision.
So, like I said, I'm just trying to know, like, kind of what road is best to go down.
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY: I have a budget/limition
Well, so let me ask you, XXXX, do you want me to only make suggestions that are in line with sort of like the lower end of the budget?
Or do you want to just kind of see what's possible, and then decide? Like, would you be willing to kind of just see what you might enjoy, you know, depending on what it was doing for you, or do we really need to kind of stick like to what it costs? Is that the most important factor in your decision?
Because if it is, I mean, we didn't even have to show you like, you know, some of the more glorious sizes. Most often, I tell people:let's take a look at everything and let's see, like, what's too much? What feels perfect and what's not enough?
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY: I want to stay in XXX lower end of the budget range (ONE THAT IS TOO LOW)
So you know, at that range, it's kind of like, your favorite song turned down really low. And you have to kind of strain to hear it. I mean, it's there. It exists, right? But it's not something that impacts you, and not something that you can like, kind of sit back and appreciate because it's, you know, the lower end of the range, you know, our our eight by 10 start at 495. We can apply your HOLDING FEE to that.
How does that sound?
IF THEY SAY: I want to see the possabilities
GO TO "IF THEY PERSIST IN BEING PRICE SENSITIVE"
You know, I, for an overwhelming majority of our clients, price is a consideration. It isn't always the MOST important consideration, but it IS a consideration.
I tell people that really, we can make this decision, you know, two ways.
One, what does it look like?
How does it feel?
What kind of impact does it have?
Versus what does it cost?
When you make the decision based on what it costs, we can't care what it looks like.
When we make the decision based on what it gives us, the feeling it creates in those that it impacts, you know, that's lasting. And then it happens to cost this much and we will work that out.
So for you making this decision, you know, which of those two ways feels the most important to you?
Either one is fine.
It's just that you do need to care about one thing more than the other.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY: I have a budget/limition
Okay, that's fair. I can understand why you might be thinking about the cost.
So what I'm hearing is we've got some maybe we have financial constraints that we're dealing with, right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yes.
Okay. I get it. I totally get it. Let's find out what's important to you. And then, you know, whatever you decide to do, we'll help you with that. I would love to show you what we could do and you get to decide
So let's make sure that we just only talk about the things that feel most important, and we're not going to go overboard. We're not going to go crazy, I hear you.
Just know, the financial part, we’ll work that out - we space that out to give you breathing room - but it is important for you guys to have the thing that feels IMPORTANT and FEELS RIGHT for you.
So when you when you wanted to do this for your FAMILY, what was it that felt really important? Like, what did you want THEM to see about THEIR FAMILY, because that's what we're going to look for. Like, if we have to make really specific choices, I want to make sure that we're making the most powerful ones.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Here's the thing - I would say that most of my clients cost is a factor. So I guess I should probably ask you: Do you think of this as more of an EXPENSE or more of an INVESTMENT?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That's fair!
The thing is that what we offer, a portrait like this carries an emotional significance far beyond any price.
Like: What is it worth for your children to see everyday the love they’ve been born into, and can count on for the rest of your days?
What is it worth to never have to see the magic of your daughter’s childhood fade?
What is it worth for your child to finally see themselves as beautifully as you do, and to have that for themselves always?
These are not everyday purchases, and therefore are never expected to fit into the everyday budget.
This is one of those things that sometimes families choose to stretch for, because this moment in time never comes around again. And, this is one of the only things you could EVER buy that doesn’t depreciate the moment it becomes yours.
The value of this is something you get to experience over and over every time you look at it, which is why this isn’t just an expense. It’s an investment.
The value of this only grows and becomes more precious with each passing year, because people change, kids grow up, memories fade, and nothing communicates worth like a fine art portrait of those you love most.
Because of the power of photography, and the lasting beauty of fine art portraiture, the value of this ALWAYS surpasses the cost of the initial investment.
When something is an investment, and not just a cost, we take the time and care to figure out the financial part, because that is the most fleeting part about this.
Let’s figure out what’s possible for you, and what I can do to help.
How does that sound?”
IF WE DECIDE WE NEED TO ASK ABOUT THEIR BUDGET
Well, so let me ask you, XXXX, do you want me to only make suggestions that are in line with sort of like the lower end of the budget? Or do you want to just kind of see what's possible, and then decide? Like, would you be willing to kind of just see what you might enjoy, you know, depending on what it was doing for you, or do we really need to kind of stick like to what it costs? Is that the most important factor in your decision? Because if it is, I mean, we didn't even have to show you like, you know, some of the more glorious sizes. Most often, I tell people:let's take a look at everything and let's see, like, what's too much? What feels perfect and what's not enough?
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY: I want to stay in XXX lower end of the budget range (ONE THAT IS TOO LOW)
So you know, at that range, it's kind of like, your favorite song turned down really low. And you have to kind of strain to hear it. I mean, it's there. It exists, right? But it's not something that impacts you, and not something that you can like, kind of sit back and appreciate because it's, you know, the lower end of the range, you know, our our eight by 10 Start at 500. We can apply your deposit to that.
How does that sound?
IF THEY SAY: I want to see the possabilities
IF THEY PERSIST IN BEING PRICE SENSITIVE
Really, we can make this decision, you know, two ways.
One, what does it look like?
How does it feel?
What kind of impact does it have?
Versus what does it cost?
When you make the decision based on what it costs, we can't care what it looks like.
When we make the decision based on what it gives us, the feeling it creates in those that it impacts, you know, that's lasting. And then it happens to cost this much and we will work that out.
So for you making this decision, you know, which of those two ways feels the most important to you?
Either one is fine.
It's just that you do need to care about one thing more than the other.
It's funny you say that because this week I got a coupon for something free but I didn't have any interest in - free windows.
So I understand, you know, it's the gift part of this that's helping it HAPPEN right now.
I'm just curious.
You could have done ANYTHING, right. Like why come in and HAVE a family portrait?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE - because we don't have any)
Help me see this through your eyes - what's what's stood in the way?
So tell me why was this important for you?
What did you want to get out of this?
What's kept you from from doing this before?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE - Money. )
How about we you know, we put money aside just for the moment, you know, the financial part and really get to the heart of what this is for you so what matters most to you is what you come away with at the end.
For you, was the free part of it the MOST important thing that when your family looks at it that you want them to remember and feel from this experience - oh, this was FREE -- or is there something ELSE that you feel like you would love for YOUR FAMILY to be able to FEEL and come away from about this experience besides getting the free one?
(ALLOW FOR REPONSE)
Well, if there was ONE thing, you could help me know what to look for -- and I understand that we're most likely just going to be choosing the one free thing -- but we need a guiding light because we have several to go through.
So would you like a FAMILY PORTRAIT to feel
you know
confident,
or empowered
or light and fun?
Like, what's the feeling that you would really like YOUR FAMILY to see?
(ALLOW FOR REPONSE)
Help me understand - I'm curious.
You got all dressed up and you and your family drove two hours.
There’s got to be another reason BESIDES that. Would you mind sharing that with me?
There's something that said, "I need to apply for this" and when you were selected - get all dressed up and drive two hours to us.
What was that?
(ALLOW FOR REPONSE-EXAMPLE: I just want a nice photo, look into the camera, just you know, it's really hard to capture a genuine smile.)
So genuine smile looking at the camera. Okay, and so I take it, you don't have very many of these kinds of pictures of her?
(ALLOW FOR REPONSE)
Okay, good. So that's what we'll do. We'll take a look for that.
PRESENT PORTRAITS AS THE SOLUTION
So you know, do you think maybe when you look at these portraits - what do you think you'd feel when you see your children there on the wall every day?
WRITE IT DOWN
SAY:
Thank you - Sounds like it would be important to you that…
...these portraits give the sense of presence in your home...
I’m going to make a note of that.
-----------------
it was free. So we figured why not come?
Okay, but I mean, you could draw a picture on a napkin and it's free.
Like, what was it about THIS that made you think, oh, I want to have that.
So you said you'd like them to all be different.
What do you notice as far as what we do that is different than what you've already had?
My oldest is going off to college
Yeah. I totally understand that.
How's that gonna feel when that happens?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
It's tough when they leave the nest, isn't it?
What was it like when they went to kindergarten for the first time for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) EXAMPLE: Oh, absolutely. cried all the way there back home. And that was horrible.
yeah. I totally understand that. Yeah
PRESENT PORTRAITS AS THE SOLUTION
That's the thing...portraits have the ability to stop time
- the dirty little secret of parenting is that little person is going away and most of the time as parents, we don't understand.
It's like you fall in love with a baby with the cutest little fat folds,
and then bam, they're gone.
But it's OKAY because in its place is this TODDLER with the greatest giggle you've ever heard
And then one day the toddler is gone and in its place is this little kid that asked the most interesting questions you've ever heard.
And this KEEPS happening - you never get the chance to miss any of them,
because there's always a new little person that take the place of the old
Until they grow up...
and then in a moment, all those kids you fell in love. walk out the door at the same time.
So THESE portraits will let you hold on to the person they are right now at this age forever so you can ALWAYS have them.
So when that happens, do you think maybe
when you look at these portraits,
what do you think you'd feel
when you see your children there with the wall every day?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) EXAMPLE: Yeah, well, I mean, it would just remind me. It would be comforting, I'm sure.
Exactly, these portraits will be your children's presence in your home
when that time comes that they are no longer waking up under your roof every day
- even if they move across the country!
WRITE IT DOWN
SAY: Thank you - Sounds like it would be important to you that…
...these portraits give the sense of presence in your home...
I’m going to make a note of that.
Hidden
Most people put things on their wall that matter to them.
When a person displays their degree on the wall, we get the MESSAGE - they want to celebrate and share their FEELING of accomplishment, right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
When WE put what’s important to US, what we LOVE on our walls, right, IT sends a message.
So I’m just curious - what do you have on YOUR walls now?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
You could have chosen a million other things - why did you choose THAT? Like, what FEELING does that give you when you look at it?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So it sounds like the feeling you want more of in your home is….
(MAKE A NOTE OF THIS FEELING)
So do you mind if I ask
So are they what, like five by sevens? Like what size are they right now?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) 8x10
10 by eight is like the largest?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yes
So, let me ask you: When you look at the wall, or like when you walk into the room, what do you like? What do you notice?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) What do I notice?
And I don't mean to be a pain about this because I'm actually really curious about this because what I found is that when things are, that size, that it actually starts to kind of look like wallpaper. Right? Because it just kind of tends to blend in.
It's kind of like you know when notes in a song are kind of similar. You kind of don't know what feels important.
So that's why I'm just curious about what your experience is because we have an opportunity here to not be overpowering, but for something to be even if this was like a little bit larger to have a feeling of a little bit more importance so that your eye knows where to look first.
Because when everything is the same, it says everything is the same importance.
And so we just have an opportunity here to even just consider, you know, do we want to add some variety in the notes of the song when you walk in and you see what's important to you?
Do you notice that it is on the smaller side so you do have to be up CLOSE to it in order to be able to even SEE it?
Is that something that you'd even just like to kind of take a look at and see, you know, what that might look like?
Most that applied for this Artist Project have NEVER had a family portrait or it's been a long time
So this project is about creating beautiful WALL ART portraits NOW and ONES your grandkids display as a priceless legacy.
So last thing - I am a PORTRAIT ARTIST.
Do you know the difference between a portrait and a picture?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
A picture is often taken with little thought or planning.
but you know how life is just so busy
- there's almost no time to really FEEL things anymore?
A portrait PORTRAYS or conveys a MESSAGE, either positive or negative,
so it is DELIBERATELY created to have the
POWER to evoke emotion and FEELING in the
people who SEE it
EVERY time they look at it
MOST OFTEN that CONNECTION is through the FACES and the EYES
So THAT is the difference.
THE POWER that PORTRAITS HAVE is to cause us to FEEL THINGS
EVEN how we FEEL about OURSELVES -
So HERE'S THE THING - if a FAMILY portrait that makes US have a FEELING of BELONGING, and CONNECTION, what feelings will THAT give CHILDREN in the portrait?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)THE SENSE OF BELONGING,
of CONNECTION to family
makes we feel closer
EXACTLY. If we don’t HAVE that, we feel DISTANT
So the best way I can explain how DISPLAYING the RIGHT portrait at the RIGHT SIZE and the RIGHT LOCATION MATTERS is to give an example of the POWER of a PORTRAIT
So IMAGINE the FIRST time you walk into a MAN’S house,
who is NEWLY MARRIED,
you see a STRIKING portrait OF HIS WIFE
prominently FEATURED on a wall in his home -
what message do YOU receive about THIS MAN’S feelings for wife?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) (this man loves his wife)
So THE PORTRAIT sent YOU the message that
He LOVES her, she is his WORLD!
Now, how do YOU think his wife FEELS when she sees it?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) She feels valued and loved, right?
But WHAT IF you walked into his home
and that portrait was only a 2-inch-square magnet on the front of his refrigerator
- would YOU get the same message when you saw it?
THAT IS if you even NOTICED IT?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
AND HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART:
Do you think it would give HER the same feeling
of being valued and loved
if she came in and just saw it
as an insignificant MAGNET on the fridge?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So that illustrates how the RIGHT PORTRAIT, THE RIGHT SIZE and the RIGHT LOCATION can really affects how people FEEL.
So EVERY portrait is like a VOICE that sends a message, ONE WAY or the OTHER
- we get to decide what that message is!
So for you -
Your KIDS will see YOUR FAMILY portrait the MOST:
So the question is: What message about how YOU feel about THEM do you want to send to them?
OR REALLY
What MESSAGE
DO your kids NEED to HEAR right now, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(WRITE THE MESSAGE DOWN)
What do you want that message
to make them FEEL
right now, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(WRITE THIS FEELING DOWN )
So the PORTRAIT MESSAGE IS….
to gives the FEELING of XXX...
So here’s the last question:
How do YOU THINK hearing THIS message
and having THESE feelings would
AFFECT HOW they SEE themselves or FEEL about THEMSELVES - OR DO YOU?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
so THAT’S the POWER OF PORTRAITS THAT we choose to put on our walls,
It gives the FEELING WE want more of…
OR the feeling we want OUR FAMILY to feel more of...
whether it is
…to give our families
a sense of belonging
…that THIS is home
…that YOU are important to me
…that FAMILY is important
…WE are the ones that will ALWAYS have your back no matter WHAT
…it celebrates WHATEVER is meaningful in YOUR family
…so they feel more loved and valued EVERY single day
THAT'S what I want to make sure YOU come away with
So NOW I know what you're looking for, let's keep that in mind -
Does that sound fair?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Hidden
A lot of those that applied for this Artist Project have never had a family portrait or it's been a long time
The Family Legacy Project is about creating portraits beautiful enough to be displayed on your walls NOW and then passed on to your grandkids and displayed as a priceless legacy.
I have reached the point in my life where I KNOW this is true - they are priceless - because my parents live on only in my heart now and in my portraits.
It hit me after they were gone, if I don’t preserve our family legacy, who will value it more than me?
So last thing - I am a PORTRAIT ARTIST. Do you know the difference between a portrait and a picture?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
A picture is often taken with little thought or palnning.
but you know how life is just so busy - there's almost no time to really FEEL things anymore.
A portrait PORTRAYS or conveys a MESSAGE, either positive or negative, so it is DELIBERATELY created to have the
POWER to evoke emotion and FEELING in the
people who see it
every time they look at it
MOST OFTEN that CONNECTION is through the FACES
So THAT is the difference.
THE POWER that PORTRAITS HAVE is to cause us to FEEL THINGS
It can affect how we FEEL about OURSELVES -
So if a FAMILY portrait that makes us have a FEELING of BELONGING, and CONNECTION, what feelings will that give CHILDREN in the portrait?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)THE SENSE OF BELONGING,
of CONNECTION to family
makes we feel closer
It seems like ALL children seem to go through that ugly duckling stage - they FEEL awkward, ugly - I know I did with those awkward school photos.
Do you remember feeling that way?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Portraits growing up SHAPE our sense of self - whether we feel BEAUTIFUL, CONFIDENT, -- that feeling of being VALUED, LOVED, the sense of HOW important WE ARE, OUR VIEW of HOW IMPORTANT FAMILY IS
even to your grandkids and their grandkids,that
If we don’t have that, we feel distant
OR it can also make us feel CLOSE in spite of DISTANCE
So the best way I can explain how the RIGHT portrait at the RIGHT SIZE and the RIGHT LOCATION YOU DISPLAY IN MATTERS is to give an example -
So IMAGINE the first time you walk into a MAN’S house, NEWLY MARRIED, you see a STRIKING portrait OF HIS WIFE prominently FEATURED on a wall in his home - what message do you receive about THIS MAN’S feelings for wife?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) (this man loves his wife)
So THE PORTRAIT sent a message. He LOVES her, she’s his world
How do YOU think his wife FEELS when she sees it?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) She feels valued and loved, right?
But what if you walked into his home and that portrait was only a 2-inch-square magnet on the front of his refrigerator - would YOU get the same message when you saw it? THAT IS if you even NOTICED IT?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
AND HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART:
Do you think it would give HER the same feeling of being valued and loved if she came in and just saw it as an insignificant MAGNET on the fridge?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So that illustrates how the RIGHT PORTRAIT, THE RIGHT SIZE and the RIGHT LOCATION can really affects how people feel.
So THAT'S WHY when we're wanting to lend a feeling of SIGNIFICANCE and VALUE and WORTH and IMPORTANCE, we wouldn't make it one amoung many things that are the SAME size or SMALLER even than so many OTHER things in our home.
So EVERY portrait is like a VOICE that sends a message, ONE WAY or the OTHER - we get to decide what that message is!
So for you -
Your KIDS will see YOUR FAMILY portrait the MOST:
So the question is: What message about how YOU feel about THEM do you want to send to them?
OR REALLY
What MESSAGE
DO your kids NEED to HEAR right now, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(WRITE THE MESSAGE DOWN)
WHAT DO YOU WANT THAT MESSAGE
TO MAKE THEM FEEL
right now, MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(WRITE THIS FEELING DOWN )
So the PORTRAIT MESSAGE IS….
to gives the FEELING of XXX,
...SAFE AND SECURE
...MORE valued,
...MORE part of a tribe that has their back
...MORE loved
So here’s the last question:
How do YOU THINK hearing this message and having these feelings would
AFFECT HOW they SEE themselves or FEEL about THEMSELVES - OR DO YOU?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
so THAT’S the POWER in WHAT we choose to put on our walls,
It gives the FEELING WE want more of…
OR the feeling we want OUR FAMILY to feel more of...whether it is
…to give our families
a sense of belonging
…that this is home
…that YOU are important to me
…that FAMILY is important
…WE are the ones that will ALWAYS have your back no matter WHAT
…it celebrates WHATEVER is meaningful in YOUR family
…so they feel more loved and valued EVERY single day
THAT'S what I want to make sure you come away with
From your notes, I can see that you...
... never had a family portrait
OR ... it’s been a while since you had a family portrait
Just out of curiosity - and I apologize if I have asked this - did you have any family portraits when you were growing up?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(IF "YES" TO FAMILY PORTRAITS GROWING UP)
So when your parents did that…what was the message THEY sent?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) was important enough to do that
How did those portraits make you feel…did they make you FEEL more part of a family, feel LOVED?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Do you remember what size they were?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
If they would have been bigger, would they have made you feel MORE loved?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(IF "NO" TO FAMILY PORTRAITS GROWING UP )
Looking back on that now, how does that feel now that your family didn’t have that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
START HERE
So this is that moment for YOUR kids because someone has to take the time to do it - KUDOS that and YOU are making sure that YOUR family won't be missing out - that's so awesome! You could have chosen to just do NOTHING
INSTEAD you wanted something special for your family so you came to us
You should feel AMAZING to know that you have given your children something like that, something that you didn’t have
Not everyone realizes how important family portraits are
– I’m so happy to hear you get it.
So NOW I know what you're looking for, why don't we keep that in mind - look through those eyes, when we look at these portraits
Does that sound fair?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
CHOOSING INSTRUCTIONS, RETOUCH, HIGHLIGHT REEL INTRO
-Just a few things...
Let's talk first about the overview you are going to see before I hit play.
I selected the best of the best.
Just know that these are proofs - we call them our camera study, so nothing has been retouched.
- These have ONLY been color corrected,
- they have not had the final Fine Art retouching
so you MIGHT see things that need to be retouched, like a light in the corner, a zit or a wrinkle.
I'm sure you guys would never do that but we tell every single family:
THROUGHOUT TODAY, please don't take any screenshots, videos, pictures, anything like that
- FIRST, the studio does OWN the the PORTRAITS and it's a very awkward conversation either ABOUT or WITH an attorney, and nobody wants that.
-SECOND, you deserve portraits of you out in the world that HAVE been retouched so you are looking your BEST
Next, when you are CHOOSING What we’re looking for is just the FEELING you get when you look at these, so be sure to LOOK for expression, pose, just the FEELING overall
Don't get hung up on details like wrinkled clothing, fly away hair, etc.
those things get taken care of by
Our ARTIST who has a magic wand and MAKES SURE that everything looks perfect!
I want you to SEE THAT with your own eyes so
Here’s a few SLIDES as examples.
(IN PROSELECT - SLIDE 1, 2, 3
Show them before and afters of other people's.)
ONE: So this is an example of how we can do digital weight loss...lol...just a little slimming - it looks like just a little bit better version of herself
TWO: This one is straight out of the camera.
Number two here has artistry. It's very natural - no one will be able to tell anything has been done so you’re not gonna look like you’re 20, but you’re gonna look younger, lost you lost 10 pounds and had the best night sleep ever.
(DON'T SHOW SLIDE THREE TO LIMITED EDITION SESSIONS)
THREE: And number three is the original
And then the next one shows our masterpiece finish
which you can see the brushstrokes - well, not so much on the screen, but you saw this display in our studio.
CONTINUE FROM HERE
At the end we'll talk about retouching on the portraits you order.
So let's look at YOUR portraits! I love showing the highlight reel SO MUCH because
as moms, we don’t get very many of those, you know, sometimes when you watch your kid cross the stage in a graduation or a baptism or some big life event, you have that moment of like, I just love them so much.
During the DESIGN SESSION, we talked about the things you want, so I have your ARTIST SUGGESTION ready with your walls already laid out and I think we even did a mockup of an album page so you could get a feel for what that might look like.
So just enjoy it and then we will go over that.
Are you all excited?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE - yaaaas they say!)
Awesome!
Remember, the slideshow/HIGHLIGHT REEL isn't for you to choose anything, so I would encourage you to just sit back, relax,
put your PHONES away DURING this appointment to minimize distractions and be present in this moment
That also helps the ordering session go faster
You guys good with that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Great!
WHAT TO SAY IF THEY ASK IF THERE ARE MORE PHOTOS:
Everything that’s been taken out is anything where your eyes are closed, the light didn’t fire, or you look fat.
Is cost the ONLY factor in your decision when choosing artwork?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Really, we can make this decision, you know, two ways.
One, what does it look like?
How does it feel?
What kind of impact does it have?
Versus what does it cost?
When you make the decision based on what it costs, we can't care what it looks like.
When we make the decision based on what it gives us, the feeling it creates in those that it impacts, you know, that's lasting.
And then it happens to cost this much and we will work that out.
So for you making this decision, you know, which of those two ways feels the most important to you?
Either one is fine.
It's just that you do need to care about one thing more than the other.
ZOOM TECHNICAL 2 - SHARING/PLAYING THE HIGHLIGHT REEL
(SHOW DAD WITH CHILD)
LOOK AT SHOOTING PLAN - FIND MOST MEANINGFUL LANGUAGE
DAD WITH GIRL
Look at that little girl, standing there beside you hanging on your arm
You think you won’t ever get them raised,
but I promise you that you will snap your fingers and you will be walking her down the aisle!
Remember you said that the thing you wanted her to always remember was...
(Put what they said was most important to them about their relationship with their child)
EXAMPLE
Remember, Mrs. Smith, what you said about your daughter, how much when she looked at you her eyes tore at your heart, they cut right through you? i see this in this portrait.
EYES:
When I look at number 53, your son's eyes really look the biggest that they look in any other pose - yes?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
This one will leave history for your children to see what they looked like
what their siblings looked like
when they were little
- and their kids will be able to see it, too.
I think this portrait is just amazing
- I love the expression that carries through to the eyes.
This portrait really lived up to my vision for your session.
EYELASHES:
And you can see his eyelashes the best? Oh, yes. Aren't they beautiful?
Kids grow up so fast
- all I have right now are memories of when my daughter was this size
She's grown now
If you choose this one, you will always have her this size.
In this portrait, do you feel...
...connection
...relationship
...bond
Doesn't your baby look so sweet in dad's arms?
Okay. because quite often, you know, if it mattered, you know, and - boys won't always say this - it can be quite easy for the spotlight to be on the daughter, right?
And boys can tend to kind of, you know,
fade into the - away from the spotlight,
especially when your sister is a dancer. Right?
And when we had - and when we had talked about what mattered for your son,
it was for him to have a sense of himself, like he's, he's growing into manhood.
I mean, he's turning into this corner, right around this corner, becoming a young man and leaving his boyhood behind.
And this can be a really kind of fraught time.
And so just something to consider is that
he might actually really love to see himself portrayed in a way where he gets to see the man he's becoming the man he's growing into, so that -
Because then he will have his space.
Yeah. And it can be so important,
especially for for someone who might not necessarily speak up about it.
He might be really quiet about this.
Right?
I mean, he felt even really shy about coming in. Right?
But Mark, you know, can you imagine if you were, you know, his age 13.
And you're in the in between, and you just don't have a sense of yourself yet.
And yet every day, you get to see this reminder of who you are, and who you're going to become.
How would that have been for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Yeah. Yeah, I could see that.")
You know, what's really great is that
when we choose something like this, because it's it's not a giant piece,
is that if it did need to be in sort of a less public area of the house,
it could be moved upstairs. Right?
Where only he gets to see it.
IF THEY HAVE A HARD TIME DECIDING
Focus on that one and tell me, what do you feel when you look at it?
Which one gives you more of what you want to be reminded of every single day?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
Can you tell me more about that?
Tell me what you're seeing when you look at it?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
I AM just was curious.
Like, why did you keep the second one
- why is this one still existing?
What is it about this one that pulled you a little bit more than the others that you were happy to let go of?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
Okay. Well, the reason why I asked is because there's all kinds of things I can do.
But I always like to try to figure out, you know, what feels important.
So what I'm hearing is that, you know, if you could do anything that these you would actually like to have these two?
Let me ask you, we have a couple of different choices.
Okay. So I understand we've got some real financial constraints. I hear that.
There's a lot that I can do when we even just go up one size.
Right, I can include others, you know, I can do some other things.
We can space it out over time.
Is that something that you would even like to just even just take a look at?
Tell me how important is like, is the most important thing like a financial constraint?
Or what you come away, having legacy portraits to enjoy and then pass on to the generations, is that important to you, what you come away with?
------------------------------
What's your preference?
I like this better.
Do you two have a strong sense between these?
I think there's just a strength to it that's really nice.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
So, for your son, these are your two favorites. I think it's the one on the right but you gotta tell me what works for you.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
Okay, Would you like to see any other pairs or do we feel like we have the best ones?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
ASK HUSBAND:
Your opinion matters.
I really want to know what you care about.
I don't want to waste your time and talk about things that don't matter to you.
So, you know, sometimes it can be really hard to talk about but, like, can you tell me like, What do you not want?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF he is NOT RESPONSIVE, SAY:
I get it.
It sounds like this might not be your thing, right?
It sounds like you might be wanting to do like, you know, 42 other things, I don't know.
CALL IT OUT:
You know, do you mind if I if I say it just looks like you'd rather be anywhere else but here.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Did you grow up with family portraits?
Do you have any family portraits for when you were a kid?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Well, why do you think that was?
You know, we're looking back on it as an adult,
do you wish that you would have had some of those to look back on now to show your children?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Listen, you know, we need and want your input.
You know, I get that this may not be your thing for whatever reason, but you know, what, how you feel about this matters
But HUSBAND, you and me, we're on team WIFE.
Right.
We're here to make her deliriously happy because this is HER thing.
SAY
Did he LEAVE? (incredulous TONE of voice)
(MOM: Yeah… )
Well, what's going on?
(If we have someone like that, we need to wrap him in our warm embrace. So that he feels comfortable to the scene and that his opinion matters. And he gets to say what he feels because it has to happen now, not after we get off the meeting, you know, not like from over there. This is where we put on our big our big girl/big boy pants on. And we SAY:
Listen, you know, these decisions are important, you know, they deserve thought and care and input.
You know, would you mind just come on over? Let's have a conversation.
THEN SAY:
Here's the thing, Chris, you know, you get to decide.
Really, it comes down to you, you know,
does this experience, you know - do the hopes and dreams get to be realized, you get to be the hero of the story, or does all of this go away?
If the reason why we can't do this is because you're just not comfortable with it,
but even when I think about why, MOM, you know, brought YOUR FAMILY in - I just have to ask, Is this really the end result that everyone was hoping for?
(I'm gonna try to bring it back at the beginning, because the emotion is the strongest at the beginning. I'm gonna try to reconnect back to what did we do this for)
Listen, you know, Chris, I want to hear what you think about this, you know.
How you feel about this matters, you know.
And MOM did all the heavy lifting. You know, she made this happen, you know, she got YOUR FAMILY dressed and brought THEM in.
And, you know - and here you are at the end. And I want you know - it's like, this is a family experience.
I really want to hear what you think. Go ahead, DAD.
----------
IF HE LEAVES AND IS NOT THERE:
Can you give him a call and just say, Listen, we just do need to have a conversation, his input matters. We do need him to come back in.
Come on back, we're just gonna have a conversation about it.
You know, I understand that could be some sticker shock, you know, if you've never done something like this before, but let's just talk about it.
And let's just see what the perfect thing is. Right?
Hey, John, you know what, let's just talk about it.
I understand you may feel blindsided by this, I totally get it.
You know, but it can be really hard because it's like, she wanted to do this, but she didn't know what the end result was going to be.
You only know that when you're seeing them.
So she couldn't have known
She couldn't have told you Oh, it's going to be this. It's, it's just not possible.
We need to take a look and see what matters and make these educated intentional choices.
We can only do that once we're looking at them.
Okay, John, let me ask you for this to turn out the way that you would want it to turn out how would you want this to be, What would you want for the end result?
What's the perfect ideal end result for you?
Putting all that other stuff aside, what would you want to see happen here?
Let's just put all that aside, you know, and just take a look at this, like, what do you like about it?
What, what do you want this to do for you?
GOAL: Whether it's a man or a woman, you know, are they they don't deal with things very well.
My, my strategy here is to get him an eye to see that we're on the same team, and I'm here to help him have a different result this time, because I hear him and I, and I want to, and I want to find out what's going to be the perfect thing.
I see that you have not really kept any individual portraits of your children...
but I just have to share this experience I heard showing just how much WHAT WE BELIEVE about ourselves CAN CHANGE US
Young man out of Wichita Kansas flunking out of high school hanging out with the wrong kids just his whole life's going the wrong trajectory.
He takes the LSAT and is STUNNED.
He scores a 1480 out of 1600.
He shows his mom and she says Did you cheat?
And he says I promise you this is real.
So she goes, man, my son's freaking genius.
The kid startings thinking: If I'm so smart, I might as well go to class so he does.
He stops hanging out with the bad kids.
His teachers sees his score and says we had you all wrong - you're a pretty smart kid.
He graduates, goes to junior college, Wichita State, then goes an ivy League's school where he graduates with honors,
becomes an entrepreneur in the magazine industry,
becomes a multi multimillionaire one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the magazine industry
- you say, Well, what a cool story.
13 years later, Princeton, New Jersey sends him a letter in the mail.
He opens it up and it says we periodically review our test taking policies and procedures.
The year that you took the test you're one of 13 students that was accidentally sent the wrong test score.
You didn't score 1480.
You scored a 740.
He said my whole life people have been telling me your life changed when you got this 1480 test score.
He said no, my whole life changed when I started ACTING like a 1480.
WHAT WE BELIEVE CAN CHANGE US
He BELIEVED he was a 1480
and it changed the way he ACTED
and also what he accomplished in life.
This portrait IS that 1480 score,
because it has the power to change how your children see themselves,
CHANGE their confidence level and the choices they make.
So you absolutely CAN choose to leave them out, but I thought I would just give you something to think about.
What are your thoughts?
END OF CHOOSING CHOICES FINALIZED
(GOAL - SHOW THEM MOCKUPS ON THEIR WALL SNAPSHOTS AND THEN GO THROUGH THE LIMITED EDITION PRICING MENU)
So, excellent work!
We've gotten down to the treasures that you have a strong feeling for, the ones you LOVE. So you've got the RIGHT PORTRAITS.
Gosh, I love the choices you made.
(OFFER PREDESIGNED WALL ART CHOICES)
Now you sent us snapshots, and we want to show you what we designed for you so you can understand your choices.
The PERFECT size best communicates
the degree of importance
this portrait holds.
What feeling
do you want it to give.
Really, there's only three sizes. And I want you to see that with your own eyes so you will always know
Too big.
Too small.
The GOLDILOCKS SIZE
Too big
makes you feel like you want to take a step BACK.
Too small
makes you feel like you want to
take a step CLOSER and starts to feel insignificant.
We want it to feel like
whenever you walk into that room,
it just feels perfect.
So even through the tough times - and we all have them
This will be a touchstone for your family, not just now but years and years - GENERATIONS?
You wouldn't put a grandfather clock on your wrist. It's just all relative to where it's displayed
So let's figure that out.
When we're looking at WALL ART, you remember, right, if you CHOOSE to get wall art, your $100 turns into $1000 wall art credit
JEANNIE, can you put up the LIMITED EDITION COLLECTION on their wall snapshot?
JEANNIE PULLS UP LIMITED EDITION COLLECTION on their wall snapshot
What do you think of that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That can be purchased separately but the best value is as part of our I WANT IT ALL COLLECTION. We'll talk about that in a minute.
We ALSO have two set STORYBOARD layouts.
It makes it really easy for you to imagine what THE WALL ART IS going to look like.
Jeannie, could you put that up?
JEANNIE PULL UP STORYBOARD 9 ON THEIR WALL SNAPSHOT
What do you think of that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
We also designed THIS Storyboard.
Jeannie, could you put up the other Storyboard?
JEANNIE PULL UP STORYBOARD 6 ON THEIR WALL SNAPSHOT
What do you think of those STORYBOARDS?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(INTERNAL: THERE IS ALSO A BACK-POCKET 30x30, 11-IMAGE STORYBOARD, $5000 - OFFER IT ONLY IF THEY HAVE A LARGE FAMILY (OR A GRANDPARENT/GRANDCHILDREN) THAT IT WILL WORK FOR.)
Now you can also get a SINGLE - let me show you what that looks like.
Jeannie, could you put that up for us?
JEANNIE PULL UP SINGLE ON THEIR WALL SNAPSHOT
How do you like that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Which one of these do you like the best? How do you feel about WALL ART?
TRY TO GET BUY IN FOR WALL ART, OR GET A FEEL FOR WHAT THEY WANT, WHAT THEY'RE THINKING.
Now. let's talk about pricing.
The WALL ART that we have just shown you, you can purchase ALA CARTE, but we also have some packages that have a lot of value.
Did you have a chance to look at the PRICING GUIDE we gave you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Would you like me to put the PRICING GUIDE up so you can see them on the screen right now?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I'm going to walk you through the LIMITED EDITION PRODUCT MENU so what we offer is fresh in your mind and then you can let me know what you are thinking.
Feel free to ask me any questions; otherwise, this is my second monologue.
Jeannie, could you put up BOTH OF THE PAGES that describe the products we offer?
JEANNIE: PULL UP LIMITED EDITION PAGE 1 and page 2 at the same time THAT DESCRIBES PRODUCTS
Let's quickly review the WALL ART FINISH. I know you guys saw these in person at the studio after your PORTRAIT SESSION
The Wall Art finish is a CANVAS ART BLOCK; it's basically canvas wrapped around a block.
Because it is wrapped around a block, the Canvas won't loosen or sag. This is true of all of the Limited Edition Wall Art , Singles, Storyboards, a Collection.
Then the Portrait Box is solid wood, and comes with a display stand so you can rotate the portraits outside of the Box - and all the prints that come with the Box are archival fine art mounted portraits.
Next, we will look at the I WANT IT ALL PAGE.
JEANNIE PULL UP I WANT IT ALL PAGE, LIMIITED EDITION MENU (I WANT IT ALL PAGE)
So with that we are going to start here with our largest collections which are very appropriately named, I WANT IT ALL because you get a little bit of everything with each one of these.
These collections are deeply discounted - and MOST ESPECIALLY because since they include WALL ART, you can apply your $1000 spending credit toward any of these three packages!
Starting on the left hand side, we've got our BEST VALUE, which is also our largest collection - I WANT IT ALL THREE
With this one you get WALL ART TO DISPLAY in
your choice of
the 30 inch LE THREE PIECE COLLECTION which includes the 30 and two ADDITIONAL 20 INCH PORTRAITS, in our CANVAS ART BLOCK finish
or the 30 inch 9-IMAGE CANVAS ART BLOCK SQUARE Storyboard - WHICH would have one large family one and then 8 surrounding it which we also just showed you on YOUR WALLS.
OR
the 40 inch portrait is ONE individual image that's 40 inches on the longest side, a CANVAS ART BLOCK
And then with the I WANT IT ALL THREE, you ALSO get the 20 print PORTRAIT BOX - you probably remember seeing that in the studio,
Jeannie, could you pull up the photo of the LIMITED EDITION PORTRAIT BOX to help us remember what it looks like?
JEANNIE PULL UP FULL PAGE PHOTO OF JUST THE LIMITED EDITION PORTRAIT BOX AND PRINTS
So the prints themselves are not FLOPPY PAPER PRINTS - they are MOUNTED and the FULL portrait is 10 inches.
MOST people rotate A PORTRAIT FROM THE BOX on a display EASEL to show it off. on a coffee table or a bookshelf.
And then the last thing
ALL of the Digital's.
So when I say ALL of them, that would be all, the NUMBER YOU STARTED WITH.
And they're in HIGH resolution so they print crystal clear even large.
When we talk about Digitals with any of the OTHER collections, we default to MEDIUM resolution - that prints crystal clear up to 10 inches in length.
And then the I WANT IT ALL TWO is our MOST POPULAR WITH 30 DIGITALS
a 15 PRINT PORTRAIT BOX
and your choice of either a 30 inch single CANVAS ART BLOCK portrait
OR the 30 inch CANVAS ART BLOCK STORYBOARD with 6 images. We showed you that on your wall earlier.
And last, but not least, IS the I WANT IT ALL ONE which is our Flagship.
it was our original collection
it includes 20 Digitals
The 10-print Portrait Box
and one individual 30 inch CANVAS ART BLOCK portrait.
Now remember, you DO have a $1000 spending credit toward WALL ART. And that CAN be used toward any of these three I WANT IT ALL COLLECTIONS.
Any questions on these I WANT IT ALL collections before we go to the next page?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Every one of our ITEMS come with the matching Digitals except for one type
Let's look at the next page, the A LA CARTE, and I will explain.
JEANNIE PULL UP A LA CARTE PAGE
Let's start here with the top portion, WALL ART.
Again, remember, you DO have a $1000 spending credit which can used toward anything in this top WALL ART SECTION.
The finish for all of our LIMITED EDITION WALL ART is our CANVAS ART BLOCK
and all of our WALL ART comes with MATCHING DIGITALS.
On the left hand side, we have got the Individual Portraits, which are the one individual PORTRAIT IN SIZES 40, 30, 20 or 14 inches on the longest side.
And then we've got our LE COLLECTION here in the middle. That is that 3-piece Wall Art Collection we showed you on your wall a few minutes ago.
This is a total of THREE individual portraits, a 30-inch portrait and two 20-inch portraits.
We found that quite a few people were purchasing multiple portraits, whether they're going to hang them all together OR separate them into different ROOMS, or even give some away as gifts.
So we came up with this three-piece collection for multiples of the portraits themselves.
And then on the right-hand side, the STORYBOARDS I mentioned you CAN purchase individually - with 9 portraits or 6 portraits.
So one large one and the rest surrounding.
This MIDDLE section here is the PORTRAIT BOX - it's the prints PLUS the portrait box.
And you get the matching digitals with those.
And then on the right-hand side, these are JUST DIGITAL FILES. They are medium resolution, which again prints up to 10 inches.
These do NOT include prints, or anything to hang on the wall. They are the ONLY items that we offer that don't come with any kind of print or artwork that hangs on the wall.
It's the digital files ONLY.
So you can still do whatever you want to with them - print, put them on social media, anything that you'd like.
SIX is the smallest quantity that we offer in Digital Files.
Below that at the bottom are the PRINT COLLECTIONS. For the quantity, it is one or three prints.
This bottom section, PRINTS, are the ONLY ITEMS we have that do NOT come with matching digitals.
When you get a digital, you have full printing rights, so you can print it, post it on social media, anything that you'd like to do with it.
Whereas you DO NOT have that with the PRINTS themselves.
That means you don't have reproduction rights.
There are NO social media files.
There's NO reproduction.
It's the prints themselves that you end up getting.
So any questions at all on this?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So what are you thinking?
Are you thinking WALL ART
or A PORTRAIT BOX
or BOTH?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
FIGURE OUT WHAT THEY WANT
AND THEN DISCUSS PAYMENT OPTIONS
Regarding payment, you can obviously pay in full.
And if you pay in full, and order is delivered more quickly. For example, if you get ONLY DIGITALS, you get your Digitals within four weeks from today.
OR if it's WALL ART, it gets shipped directly to you within about eight weeks from today and the digitals are delivered at the same time.
However, we do offer payment options in two ways with the difference being when your artwork is delivered.
One is OUR in house LAYAWAY PLAN through us.
And the other is through a company called AFFIRM.
which a lot of people are familiar with.
So if you want to talk about payment arrangements, I'm happy to go into those details for you.
So with that we've already chosen your 35 Digital's and your 15 prints for your portrait box, and then your acrylic, I do have a few other options.
As long as you are really, really happy with everything that you've chosen.
How do you feel?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE-PACKAGE CHOSEN)
IF THEY ARE GETTING COLOR AND BLACK AND WHITE
So, with your collection, you're getting the the color Digital's at no additional cost.
We do have an option as well to upgrade to high resolution Digital's -
and the difference being medium resolution, which it comes with it prints crystal clear up to 10 inches in length,
whereas the high resolution prints crystal clear up till 60 inches in length.
It's an additional $295 to upgrade to the high resolution, is that something that you want to do?
So it'd be all 35 in high resolution actually, technically, all 70 in high resolution because you're getting the color as well.
(GET A HIGH RES DECISION)
(GOAL: UPGRADE THEM TO A COLLECTION)
IF THEY JUST WANT ONE PRODUCT
So you have 40 images here.
And I know you just said you wanted the portrait
Have you considered adding the Digital's on to that?
You CAN actually combine different collections.
It doesn't have to be one thing or another
One of the things I want to point out is that often, when you are combining two different types of collections on the ALA CARTE MENU, you get MORE if you look at the I WANT IT ALL PACKAGES.
I'm not very good at math, but I think that what you are wanting comes out pretty much the same.
The difference being is WITH ONE, you ONLY get a 10 portrait box,
you can get 25 Digital's
and a 30 inch portrait.
If you're thinking about the 15 portrait box,
you can actually upgrade over here to the I WANT IT ALL TWO which is our most popular
Did you think about potentially getting one image that's larger than 30 inches in length that you can showcase in your home?
You're kind of getting a lot more for the price.
So with the difference, are you leaning towards The I WANT IT ALL ONE, which has the 25 digital's the 10 print box and the one individual 30 inch portrait?
OR
The I WANT IT ALL TWO, which has the 35 Digital's 15 box and 30 inch single portrait
OR
the 30 inch storyboard with 6? The storyboard is my personal favorite.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
(If they hesitate, that's when I will do a discount. )
DISCOUNTS
I'll let them know you get
10% off the lowest priced item when you combine them
or 20% off the lowest price collection
or 30% off the Digital's
(What I mean by that is
if they say yes
and the portrait is $3,000 and the 10 Digital's is 1500 Let's say
I'll let them know you get 10% off the lowest price collection when you combine them
or 20% off the lowest price collection or 30% off the Digital's)
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(If they can't decide have them get Digital's
so you can help them decide between the pros and cons for each of them.)
GO TO SECTION WRITE UP SALE
Thanks for asking about that.
IF THEY ARE JUST THINKING ABOUT THE BOX
Are you considering JUST the portrait box or would the digital files be important to you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Are you thinking about the portrait box
OR
Digital's
or the portrait box
AND
additional Digital's as well?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Are you considering JUST the portrait box or would you be open to the collection?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Are you more comfortable with the 20, the 15 or the 10 BOX?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I'm not sure if it matters for you but
with the 15 portrait box, I can actually upgrade you to a high resolution digital instead of a medium resolution so it can reprint up to 60 inches in length.
And instead of only the black and white Digital's I can give you the color Digital's at no additional cost.
They're both available with the 15 box the upgrade of the high resolution and the upgrade to color.
However, they're $250 each. So with a 15 box, you get them at no cost plus, you're getting five extra prints in the box.
(And then I'll be silent for a second.)
(So I'm telling them something that they may not have thought of and I'm giving them a free upgrade, because to us, it doesn't really cost us more to give them the color Digital's too and it doesn't really cost us more to give them the high resolution Digital's too so we're doing it at no cost and we've gotten an additional $500 of revenue coming in)
(So always leave something on the table that you can leverage to get them to go with the higher collection.)
(And they don't have to decide that right that second.
(So if you're back through culling, you go back to the price list and you tell them that and they're like, Oh, I'm not sure.
Okay, fine. Great.
Let's just go ahead and keep narrowing down.
If you get to the 15 and you want to stick with that fantastic.
If you get to the 10 you want to stick with that. Fantastic.
(If they can't decide have them get Digital's
so you can help them decide between the pros and cons for each of them.)
GO TO SECTION WRITE UP SALE
Hidden
So, excellent work!
We've gotten down to the treasures that you have a strong feeling for, the ones you LOVE.
Gosh, I love the choices you made
(OFFER PREDESIGNED WALL ART CHOICES)
Now you sent us snapshots, and we want to show you what we designed for you so you can understand your choices.
JEANNIE PULL UP STORYBOARD 9 ON THEIR WALL SNAPSHOT
What do you think of that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
We also designed this one
JEANNIE PULL UP LE COLLECTION ON THEIR WALL SNAPSHOT
Which of these do you like best?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Now you can also get a single - let me show you what that looks like.
JEANNIE PULL UP SINGLE ON THEIR WALL SNAPSHOT
How do you like that? Which one of these do you like the best?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Now. the WALL ART that we have just shown you, you can purchase ALA CARTE, but we also have some packages that have a lot of value. Let me show you that.
(SHOW LIMITED EDITION MENU PAGES 1, 2, 3)
I'm going to walk you through the LIMITED EDITION PRODUCT MENU so what we offer is fresh in your mind and next you can make a decision on what you want.
Feel free to ask me any questions otherwise this is my second monologue. I will show you some examples so you can visualize them as well.
JEANNIE PULL UP LIMITED EDITION PAGE 1 THAT DESCRIBES PRODUCTS
Let's quick review the finishes...I know you guys saw these in person at the studio after your PORTRAIT SESSION
(go over what is on the page. Quickly go to the collections)
JEANNIE PULL UP I WANT IT ALL PAGE, LIMIITED EDITION MENU PAGE TWO
So with that we are going to start here with our largest collections which are very appropriately named, I WANT IT ALL because you get a little bit of everything with each one of these. Now remember, because these collections include WALL ART, you can apply your $1000 spending credit toward any of these three packages.
Starting on the left hand side, we've got our best value, which is also our largest collection - I WANT IT ALL THREE
With this one you get WALL ART TO DISPLAY
your choice of a 30 inch 9 IMAGE CANVAS SQUARE storyboard WHICH would have one large family one and then 8 surrounding it.
OR
the 40 inch portrait is one individual image that's 40 inches on the longest side.
OR
you could choose the 30 inch THREE PIECE COLLECTION includes the 30 and two ADDITIONAL 20 INCH PORTRAITS.
So these are the choices we just showed you on YOUR WALLS.
And then with the I WANT IT ALL THREE, you ALSO get the 20 print PORTRAIT BOX, you probably remember seeing this in the studio,
JEANNIE PULL UP FULL PAGE PHOTO OF JUST THE LIMITED EDITION PORTRAIT BOX AND PRINTS
The prints themselves are not FLOPPY PAPER PRINTS, they are MOUNTED and the FULL image is 10 inches.
MOST people rotate A PORTRAIT FROM THE BOX on an EASEL because they put that box out on display like on a coffee table or you know upon a bookshelf so you can show it off.
And then the last thing
ALL of the Digital's.
So when I say ALL of them, that would be all NUMBER YOU STARTED WITH.
And they're in high resolution that print crystal clear up till 60 inches in length, so very, very large.
When we talk about Digital's with any of the OTHER collections, we default to MEDIUM resolution, that prints crystal clear up to 10 inches in length
And then with the I WANT IT ALL TWO is our MOST POPULAR WITH 35 DIGITALS, 15 PRINT PORTRAIT BOX, and your choice of either a 30 inch single portrait OR the 30 inch STORYBOARD with 6 images.
JEANNIE PULL UP STORYBOARD WITH 6 TEMPLATE WITH THEIR PHOTOS
How do you feel about that one?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And last IS the I WANT IT ALL ONE which is our flagship
it was our original
it's 25 Digitals
The 10 print portrait box and one individual 30 inch CANVAS portrait.
Any questions on these larger collections before we go to the next page?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Every one of our collections comes with the matching Digital's except for one type
Let's look at the next page.
JEANNIE PULL UP LIMITED EDITION MENU PAGE THREE
Let's start here with the top portion WALL ART. Now remember, you DO have a $1000 spending credit toward anything in this WALL ART SECTION.
The finish for all of our LIMITED EDITION WALL ART is our CANVAS ART BLOCK.
On the left hand side, we have got the individual portraits, which are the one individual PORTRAIT IN SIZES 40, 30 or 20 inches on the longest side.
And then we've got our LE collection here.
This is a total of THREE individual portraits,
we found that quite a few people were purchasing multiple portraits, whether they're going to hang them all together OR separate them into different ROOMS, or even give some away as gifts.
So we came up with a collection for multiple of the portraits themselves.
And then the storyboards I mentioned you CAN purchase individually - with 9 portraits or 6 portraits.
So one large one and the rest surrounding.
This middle section here is all about mounted prints.
Remember the portrait boxes from the I WANT IT ALL COLLECTION, it's the prints PLUS the portrait box.
And you get the matching Digital's with those.
Whereas over here, the print collections that we have for the quantity of one or three prints, these are the only collections that we have that do not come with matching Digital's.
When you get a digital you have full printing rights, so you can print it, post it on social media, anything that you'd like to do with it.
Whereas you don't have that with the prints themselves.
That means you don't have reproduction rights.
So there's no social media files.
There's no reproduction.
It's the prints themselves that you end up getting.
And then conversely, down here at the bottom, these are digital files.
So THE LOWER BLOCK is all about the digital file.
These are the only collections that we offer that don't come with any artwork that hangs on the wall.
It's the digital files ONLY.
So you can still do whatever you want to with them - print, put them on social media, anything that you'd like.
The left hand side we've got our digital file collections that are medium resolution, which again prints up to 10 inches in size.
Five is the smallest quantity that we offer.
And then on the right hand side is the collection that we have that's called the BEST DIGITAL FILES.
This is 40 of your favorite files in high resolution that prints up to 60 inches in length.
So any questions at all on this?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
One thing I do want to mention is that we do offer payment terms,
so you can obviously pay in full.
And if you pay in full, and order ONLY DIGITALS, you get your Digital's within four weeks from today.
Or if it's artwork that hangs on the wall, it gets shipped directly to you within eight weeks from today and the DIGITALS are delivered at the same time.
We do offer payment options in two ways.
One is OUR in house LAYAWAY PLAN through us.
And the other is through a company called AFFIRM.
which a lot of people are familiar with.
So if you want to talk about payment arrangements, I'm happy to go into those details for you.
ASK FOR A DECISION
So again, right now you're at 50.
So I'm going to pull up both of these PRICING MENUS for you again.
take your time. Look them over.
You can ask me any questions that you have.
Let me know what you are thinking. Where you're leaning?
Like what is your goal? Don't forget, if you choose WALL ART, you have that $1000 WALL ART SPENDING CREDIT.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
FIGURING OUT WHAT THEY WANT
IF THEY ARE COMBINING ALA CARTE PRODUCTS
Thanks for that.
One of the things I want to point out is that often, when you are combining two different types of collections on the ALA CARTE MENU, you get MORE if you look at the I WANT IT ALL PACKAGES.
I'm not very good at math, but I think that comes pretty much out to the same.
The difference being if you get a 10 portrait box,
you can get 25 Digital's and a 30 inch acrylic portraits.
If you're thinking about the 15 portrait box,
you can actually upgrade over here to the I WANT IT ALL TWO which is our most popular
Did you think about potentially getting one image that's larger than 30 inches in length that you can showcase in your home?
You're kind of getting a lot more for the for the price.
So with the difference, are you leaning towards The I WANT IT ALL ONE, which has the 25 digital's the 10 print box and the one individual 30 inch acrylic
OR
The I WANT IT ALL TWO, which has the 35 Digital's 15 box and 30 inch acrylic or the 30 inch storyboard?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
I don't know if it makes a difference to you. If you but I always want to be sure people know like all of the information here.
If you go with the I WANT IT ALL TWO over the I WANT IT ALL ONE, what I can do is actually give you color digital's as well as the black and white Digital's at no charge. And when you get both, it's almost like getting two different images because of how it makes you you feel overall
Let me pull a few of those BLACK AND WHITE up for you, so you can see them.
I cannot provide those with the I WANT IT ALL ONE unfortunately.
Does that make a difference for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
**************************************
1. DECIDE ON THE WALL ART (SEE BELOW)
2. NARROW DOWN TO NUMBER OF DIGITALS THEY WANT IN THE PACKAGE
3. FINALIZE PORTRAITS FOR THE WALL.
4. CHOOSE ONES TO PRINT
5. CHOOSE HIGH RES UPGRADE
6. CHOOSE GLOSSY TO MATTE FINISH UPGRADE
7. READ PRODUCTS, INVOICE TOTAL, FINALIZE PAYMENT
**************************************
(once we've narrowed down to the NUMBER OF DIGITALS, then we'll pick out the 15 for the portrait box and the one individual portrait as well)
Next, let's look at the ones that are potential to get rid of.
You have NUMBER OF CURRENT PHOTOS.
You want to narrow down to NUMBER IN COLLECTION
SO WE ARE TRYING TO GET RID OF - NUMBER/DIFFERENCE
MARK ALL THE POTENTIALS
That was the end of going through all of the images, you have seven that are now potentials. So what we're going to do is I'm going to pull up all seven. And we're going to choose the three that you actually want to move out. Or you can tell me the four you've got to keep whichever is easier for your brain
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
We have all of the 35 digitals.
Our next step is to pick out two things.
The first, well, I guess it's not first or second, we need to know what you want as wall art.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
Next we will choose the ones for your portrait box.
So first of all, do you have an idea of which one you want as the larger portraits.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE -WALL ART CHOSEN)
Let me bring up 20. So you can see what the variety is that you have, or we can continue doing in smaller groups. What do you prefer? And then from here, we're simply looking to take out five of them so that you're at the 15 prints.
PRINT CHOICE FINALIZED
These are your 15 prints. How do you feel about them?
So with that we've already chosen your 35 Digital's and your 15 prints for your portrait box, and then your WALL ART, I do have a few other options. As long as you are really, really happy with everything that you've chosen. How do you feel?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE-PACKAGE CHOSEN)
So, with your collection, you're getting the the color Digital's at no additional cost.
And we do have an option as well to upgrade to high resolution Digital's
and the difference being medium resolution, which it comes with it prints crystal clear up to 11 inches in length,
whereas the high resolution prints crystal clear up till 60 inches in length.
It's an additional $295 to upgrade to the high resolution, is that something that you want to do?
So it'd be all 35 in high resolution actually, technically, all 70 in high resolution because you're getting the color as well.
GLOSSY OR MATTE WALL ART FINISH
And then one additional option for you.
Right now, the portrait has a standard finish on it, which is the glossy finish.
You might remember seeing in the studio, we have the matte finish, which has little to no reflection on it.
So you can upgrade to the matte finish for your 30 inch portrait for 10% of the portrait charge so it would be $189.50.
Is that something that you wish to do?
Or did you want to stay with the standard glossy finish? Most people do upgrade to the matte finish nowadays, but it's completely up to you. I think that really elevates the look of it, when you can see it no matter where you're at, as opposed to you know if the lights hitting it or sunshine or anything like that
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE-FINISH CHOSEN)
So I'll put that on there too.
Let me read you your totals
(SKIP TO SECTION)
Let's start with these seven. Which one of these would you like to print it?
****************
1. DECIDE ON THE WALL ART
So really, I guess that's the first decision - DO YOU WANT WALL ART?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
IF THEY WON'T DECIDE WORDING-STRONGER WORDING
But before we do that, though, now is the time to decide what you are comfortable with as far as the different collections so that we have a goal as we continue the process.
IF THEY WON'T DECIDE WORDING-STRONGEST WORDING
Well, at this point,
Let me know what you've decided on and we'll keep going through the process. Okay,
Jeannie, let's look at the family one again
GO BACK TO THE FAMILY (MAKES SURE WE HAVE THE FAVORITE FAMILY PORTRAIT UP ON SCREEN)
(FINALIZE FAMILY PORTRAIT)
Okay, so why does this feel like the ONE?
What is it that you love about this?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
What would you say that THIS PORTRAIT is helping you feel more of?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
I see your story in this portrait.
The story of the mom that is the heart of the home
and a dad who is the strong protector.
So next, we want to look for a place in your home where it can be enjoyed,
where people can connect with it as soon as they walk in the room -
not have to walk up close to it to see it
or worse that it's so small that it just blends in with everything else and is overpowered by everything else in the room.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
Okay, let's talk about WALL ART - .
I think that you qualify for something really amazing and I want to show you -
SHOW SINGLE, UNFRAMED ON WALL, SIZES
(USE THEIR SNAPSHOT IN PROSELECT,
PULLING UP THEIR WALL,
EMPTY OF WALL ART)
TECHNICAL: After pulling up the wall, DOUBLE-CLICK on THEIR FAVORITE FAMILY PORTRAIT to put it on the wall. IT WILL BE SHOWN ON THE WALL AT THE LARGEST SIZE OF 72.
(JEANNIE, puts up family portrait FRAMED on their wall snapshot)
So for choosing the PERFECT size - focus on THE FEELING IT GIVES.
I showed you possabilities
of what we think would look beautiful on your walls
Now we have the portrait so focus on the FACES and the EYES as we look at sizes.
(SHOW FRAMED ON THEIR WALL, BEST FAMILY PORTRAIT )
SHOW SIZE/INDIVIDUAL PORTRAIT ON WALL (SHOULD START WITH THE 72)
72 inch-(4320 square inches(60/72)
So it's just a thing with my software
it always shows it first as big as I CAN go.
This is a 72 inch LIFESIZE portrait, and this is our $20,000 portrait, it's about as big as your couch, and we'll see if that's right for you, but it tends to be more than what people need
I want you to see with your own eyes
what TOO BIG looks like,
Would you guys agree that this is WAY too big for your space?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Yeah, it’s like it’s SCREAMING at you
So for you guys, I guess I should ask YOU -
HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL at a size that is too big?
Does it FEEL overwhelming?
uncomfortable?
makes you want to step back?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
As we go down, just know that each size is about half the size of the previous one.
So let's even just get into the realm of possibility here.
JEANNIE, would you go down a size?
This is the 60-(3000 square inches(50/60) -
Does that still feel TOO BIG?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I’m going to go down a size.
This is the 50-(2000 square inches)(40/50) -
Does that still feel TOO BIG - HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And so this is, I feel like is even just the beginning of the realm of possibility. This size starts our STATEMENT PIECE size.
I do kinda feel this size is just a little too strong for your space.
If you had high ceilings, a larger viewing distance or more open plan I feel this would work better.
What do you think?
- HOW DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(Get them to tell you it’s TOO BIG and get them to AGREE with you the next size down is better. This will build trust with the client)
(Then drop down to the next size down to the next size down and hold.)
[DECIDING BETWEEN THE 50” AND THE 40” -
The 50 size is actual true life size
so you would be capturing your family forever EXACTLY as they are right now.
A 40" is 1200 square inches...
a 50" is 2000 square inches.
It sounds like your heart is telling you is the 50" would be the perfect size, correct?
(From there I didn't need to say a thing. the husband quickly said, "It's almost double the size.")
I’m going to go down a size
- tell me if this feels better
(SHOW THEM THE 40-1200 square inches(30/40)
This is the 40 inch.
I DESIGNED with this size
because I feel it does your family portrait justice.
It has a sense of presence and CONNECTION
because the FACES of your family are the correct size.
You can go bigger if you want to, but you don’t HAVE to.
We do a lot in this size.
And it should be the kind of size that when you look at it, it just feels like ahhhhh, I love it.
How does that FEEL for you guys?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I agree
What are your eyeballs telling you?
Do you FEEL overwhelmed?
Do you FEEL like you have to step up to it to SEE IT?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
It's like your favorite song at the perfect volume
faces are about that size of your hand
You tell me - is that what you see?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Next from here would be this one,
which is a 30 (600 square inches(20/30)
And then I'm gonna keep going SO you can really feel “okay, now what is too small.”
The way you wll KNOW is
it will feel insignificant,
you can't see their face, their eyes.
like that magnet on the refrigerator
that has NO IMPACT because no one notices is there -
so the MESSAGE doesn't get through, no one will FEEL anything.
For a portrait, it becomes visual clutter.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, down from here would be this, which we would categorize as SMALL
Tell me how that starts to FEEL like for you?
which is a 20 (320 square inches(16/20)
What do you notice about this one that you don't like?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)-SHOULD SAY SMALL
Okay, tell me why this feels too small.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So HOW DOES IT FEEL FOR YOU when it's TOO SMALL?
What do you think we lose when it's at this smaller size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
It's like all you notice IS that it's TOO SMALL.
So do you want to FEEL that way every single time we look at it?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Here is the next one, our MINI sizes, 14 (154 square inches(11/14).
Now the 10
(SHOW THE 10) (80 square inches(8/10)
Do you see what I mean about SIZE and impact?
When it's too small and we look into their faces, what does that do to the connection and what we feel for them?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF it’s important to us that our family GET the message LOUD AND CLEAR, so THEY FEEL SOMETHING - do you see how the PERFECT size is involved?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
It's so important for you guys to see
the reality of the decision that gets made
because THIS is how you're going to experience these portraits every day.
The MOST lasting thing about THIS decision is the SIZE
- you can choose whatever you want, but my goal is for you to ALWAYS be happy with no regrets -
because if this is TOO small it's going to be small forever.
REMEMBER, SIZE = VOLUME = IMPACT
GO BACK TO THE 40
What is so perfect about the choice that you made, you probably didn't even realize that.
But when the portrait is the RIGHT SIZE, the face is about the size of a hand, which is exactly what you chose without me having to say anything, because it just LOOKS right.
How does that FEEL for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) GET THEM TO SAY THE SIZE THEY LIKE, then say:
Okay, so when you look at this portrait, what is it that you love about it?
Tell me what you're loving about this size? what is it that makes this size the perfect size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And when we go down a size, we don't have that - so what gets lost?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
NOW, here's the REAL QUESTION - the whole reason we did this for:
When the people you love the most walk into a room and see this, how do you think THIS will make them feel?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Do you think that this portait gives that. will make them affect how THEY sees THEMSELVES?
when your kids come home from school and see this first thing,
do you feel like they would feel
how valued and loved they are?
Does this FEEL like family is everything when it's this SIZE?
YES - then close
______________________
Do you think this 30" in the main hallway with him looking so confident and heroic will give him a boost before school every day?
YES - then close
At this 40" when your grandkids are back home in Colorado, do you feel like they'll be in the living room with you?
YES - then close
______________________
So now that question has been answered, we know what the GOLDILOCKS SIZE, the perfect size is.
So we can add that to the cart then and you can absolutely get just this one, but I told you that I would show you possabilities -
I'm so glad to hear you say that you love the 30-40 inch size - let me show you what we did
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So during your design session I learned what you love.
I've been thinking about everything you said
a little piece of my soul goes into my portraits
So I want them to be used to its Highest and Best Use
My Artist Suggestion is
if this were MY family and my home, this is what I would do
When your kids move out, you can look at it and warm up your heart.
As for the FRAME, I recommend this FRAME because I FEEL it complements your decor the best.
JEANNIE, can you put up the family collection?
SINGLE OBJECTIONS
(IF THEY CHOOSE 20” SIZE, SAY THIS AND ADD THE 20 OR 14 TO THE CART)
So when we take a look at the 20 inch, what do you notice we lose at this size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I'm gonna go back down to the 14 What do you notice that we lose?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Can you imagine if it were larger,
I mean, how would it be if you could actually see their features from across the room?
I'm not saying it has to be huge. But what if it could be large enough so that you could actually see them clearly?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So my question to you is, is it worth it to every single time you look at this portrait to think of what COULD have been and to know that when you look at this, that you can't really SEE YOUR CHILD'S eyes, when what you really wanted from this was to have her looking at the camera so that you can see that because I can tell you the financial part of this is the most fleeting, right? We figure it out and what you're left with is the thing that is actually going to make you the happiest.
The thing is the only thing clients ever regret is the SIZE - they say is I wish I had gone up a size because that would look so much better on my space.
Would you like to even see how we can work that out for you so that it feels comfortable, because if we can do that size one, you'll love it. and two, I can see what I can include at no cost.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So you absolutely can get this single
you have a $1000 GIFT CERTIFICATE -
(OLD- $500 of it paid for your session fee.
You have $500 to spend toward your portrait
So what I would like to do, if you let me keep your holding fee, is make that $1000 to spend.)
20” at $2500 minus your $1000 GIFT CERTIFICATE, so you would only pay $1,500!
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Was there anything when you grew up that your parents did that, you know, today you look at and say, I'm so glad they did that, that they had the insight to look ahead?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
ANSWER IS NO:
Well, how does it feel that your your daughter is going to have a completely different experience?
What does it mean to you as a parent to be able to do that for her, that she's going to get to have something special?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
ANSWER IS YES:
You must really value that so much!
What does it mean to you as a parent to be able to do that for her, that she's going to get to have something special?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I just had a client and they were thinking that they had to go with the 20 and you know, we were talking about it and you know, we knew that they really wanted to have the 30 And so we went ahead and did that but I told them now listen, you know, I want to guarantee that this is going to be the right size because this is what your eyes told you.
You can come back to me, you know if that if that ends up not being true. And wouldn't you know it, I got that phone call, saying, you know, Mindy, it was perfect, right?
And this is the thing, it's like we might have, like, you know, some kind of like anxiety about making a big decision, but our eyes tell us what is true.
When people make a decision based on what they SEE and what they love, it's always the right decision. I can't tell you how many clients I hear from, you know, that say, Oh, my God, it is perfect, because they KNEW it when they saw it.
(ADD IT TO THE CART)
IF THEY PERSIST WITH FINANCIAL ANXIETY:
So there's the cost of doing it.
And then there's the cost of NOT doing it, right?
And so imagine, right, that you've got this beautiful piece, and it's the perfect size, so that as soon as someone walks into a room, they're immediately impacted, right, they immediately feel like, oh, there's my family (FEELING - EXAMPLE "CONNECTION") and then every single day, you know, that's what THIS piece is giving versus having it NOT exist at all, or so small, right, that the only time you enjoy it is when you're dusting it.
So there's the cost of it being so small that it can't achieve what it's capable of, which is to help people feel what they want to feel more of. Then there's the cost of that EVERY time you look at it, it's not RIGHT. And it's too small, and all you think about when you look at it is how you WISH it was bigger, and how you wish you'd done it differently, but you can't.
Because we have to ask what is the cost of having something THIS important feel small and insignificant?
What is the cost of having a portrait that accomplishes so much, showing your children how important they are, how loved they are, how family is everything, be SO SMALL that it NEVER gets noticed?
What is the cost that gets paid every time you look at it and only think of what it COULD have been?
CHOICE BASED ON FEELING
And so that's why we make our decisions based on which portrait is the one that gives us the FEELING that we want to feel and then what size, you know, does it need to be to accomplish that for us to IMMEDIATELY feel what this portrait gives us? So when we make our decisions THAT way, it is NEVER the wrong decision. It is always the right one, and it never fades.
And the reason why I know it's perfect is because YOUR eyeballs told YOU. I'm not trying to talk you into something that's too big for you or not right for you. It is the right choice for you because YOU saw it with your own eyes. THAT'S how I know.
Listen, all I want is your eternal bliss and happiness. That's it. That's all we're going for. Right?
But I take my cue from you, I'm listening and I'm watching what happened when we went to the smaller sizes and how the life just kind of went raaaahhhh -- I don't want that feeling for you. I don't think you want that feeling for yourself. And so that's why we do this justice, we do it the way that it should be done, we figure out the financial part, we've got all kinds of different ways of like massaging this in with everything else.
WHY IT FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE
And you know, if it feels uncomfortable, quite often, it's just because it's NEW, right?
Very few people have ever done something like this before. It's uncomfortable, because it's unfamiliar, and it feels really big.
But it also needs to be done well. Right? And it needs to be the thing that is right for you that you love.
If you put the financial part first, then that part suffers. I don't want to see that for you. I don't think you want to see that for you.
PRICING LEGACY SLIDE-OFFER LEGACY COLLECTON
PRICING LEGACY SLIDE-HOLDING FEE
SHOW LEGACY PRICING SLIDE
So let me explain what you are seeing -
The collection that we showed you is a 40"
- if you got just the single, it would be $5000.
Your $1000 gift certificate means that you pay $4000.
But we're different than a lot of other places
- in our studio, the 30" and the 40" are the same price. Also, starting at the 30/40 inch size you have your choice of finish and can have it painted if you choose to.
Let me explain about the COLLECTIONS here too.
I looked at that and thought, "man, if we could
adjust just a little bit more, they could get into a collection where ALL the portraits are at an ideal size and you would have those portrait with those love letters to your kids.
So what I would like to do is if you decide today to go with a COLLECTION, we would DOUBLE your $1000 credit, so it would be $2000 off of the COLLECTION
So for instance, the 40" collection is $8500, but that would give you a $2000 credit so it's only $6500 - that gives you the whole collection that we just created, 5 portraits. WE INCLUDE STANDARD FRAMING FOR A 30" AND ABOVE SINGLE, OR IF A PORTRAIT IS INCLUDED IN A COLLECTION so everything would be FRAMED and AS PART OF OUR CUSTOM SERVICE we take care of installation, TOO, hanging it on your wall.
Then every other portrait, portrait box or album that we do for you today, is 50% off.
I don’t know if this is the right fit for you - only you know that - but if it IS the right fit, we would love to make it for you!
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
PAUSE - count to 3 - (I realized how important it is to pause while the client is digesting the price list.)
I know. That's a lot of money. There's no doubt about it.
But it's worth less the day you put it on the wall than it will every day afterwards, because It's one of the few things that do that will GROW in value.
And I can prove it to you!
BUY a $5,000 couch and then tell me
in five years on Craigslist will it be worth MORE?
But I've never seen an Ever After portrait on Craig's List.
As valuable as your portrait is today,
when your kids move out, THESE portraits will become their presence in your home
There is probably no amount of money I could give you to buy them back
Because THEN, these kids won't exist anymore.
Right? You can't even snuggle them NOW, like how they were, you know, three, five years ago.
The treasure of this moment on the wall and every year, every decade, the emotional value of those portraits will skyrocket - more every time you look at It. That's what's beautiful about it.
So it is not INEXPENSIVE today, but
ONE day it will be priceless.
I always say it is the one thing that people run into burning buildings for.
Now, if this works for you, we would absolutely love to do it
- If it is out of reach, we will be happy to look at other options
PAUSE-STAY QUIET
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY MENTION FINANCES
Of course, of course, right? But that's why I like to really spend the time like what is the ideal
like what's too much, okay, we're not doing too much.
What's perfect,
and then what's not enough, like what because we don't want to do that either.
So we really focus on like what feels the most important.
And then, you know, some people can just take care of it all at once, you know, but a lot of people, the financial part, we space that out to give you breathing room -
break it into bite sized pieces spacing out over time,
so you get to have the thing that feels IMPORTANT and FEELS RIGHT for you.
and you don't have to compromise. And then we just, you know, space it out.
TECHNICAL-SHOW THE LEGACY PRICING SLIDE ON THE SCREEN IN PROSELECT
THEY WANT THE COLLECTION, BUT THEY ARE WAVERING ON IT -
BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF KIDS THAT THEY HAVE
FAMILIES WITH 3 kids
There is just one problem - that this collection only has the two additional portraits, and you have THREE kids.
So you can add on a third 20-inch (OR WHATEVER SIZE THE SIDE PORTRAIT IS)
for HALF off! So it would be $1250, instead of $2500.
And then you'll have all three kids at a proper size, 20 inch size,
and you'll have the Family at a 30.
By the way, we're going to include the digital master file of your family portrait anyway.
It comes with, you know, a print release and all that.
So you can actually print off some nice portraits for Grandma and Grandpa, as gifts and whatnot.
FAMILIES WITH 4 kids
four kids - 40", right size of 11x14", four 14s
(JOHN: Then with four kids, I might photograph them differently - kids as a group - mom and dad as a group - mom with girls - dad with boys)
DID NOT GET THIS FOR THE SIBLING
So what I'd love to do just for you guys is let me give you a complimentary session fee.
You guys pay no session fee - just buy the images you love.
And what I'll do is I'll photograph your whole family together.
And I'll definitely take her aside and get some special portraits.
Would you like to move forward and do that?
FINISHES
(IF THEY CHOOSE A 30 INCH with 4 8x10's SAY THIS ONE THING AND THEN YOU ARE DONE WITH FINISHES)
So the finish for the 30" COLLECTION with 4 8x10's WILL be our SIGNATURE FINISH which is just gorgeous.
Jeannie, let's add that to the cart.
----------------------------
(IF THEY CHOOSE A 30 with TWO 20'S or the 40 OR 50 INCH COLLECTION)
Because you chose this size, now we can do some really beautiful things for you!
Just to remind you, as far as FINISHES in Our LEGACY LINE - at this size, you get your choice of two finishes, SIGNATURE and MASTERPIECE, both - suitable for framing.
Jeannie, can you pull up that LEGACY FINISH slide?
SIGNATURE FINISH
modern finish
- no brush strokes - quite beautiful
it has a protective coating that will ensure its beauty for generations
MASTERPIECE PAINTED FINISH
has the look of a commissioned oil painting
- limited to 30” or larger
MASTERPIECE rated - last - 250 years -before fading
Either finish will ensure a piece of art that will last - so your grandkids know where they came from!
Do you remember whether the Signature or the Masterpiece was your favorite finish?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
SAY: Excellent choice, this is one of my favorite finishes.
Jeannie, let's go ahead and add that to the cart.
PAINTING-PAINTING ONLY ON THE 30" AND ABOVE
(ALSO ON THE 14" and the 20" INCH ONLY IF THEY ARE PART OF A COLLECTION)
(30" COLLECTION with 4 8x10's WILL NOT be painted)
(NOTE: IF THEY WANT THE SIGNATURE FINISH, THAT IS GREAT!
DO NOT PUSH THEM TO THE MASTERPIECE IF THEY DON’T WANT IT.
IT COSTS STUDIO MORE BUT WE AREN’T PAID MORE FOR IT AS THE FINISHES ARE PRICED THE SAME FOR THE CLIENT.)
IF THEY CAN'T REMEMBER THE FINISHES
Why don't I refresh your memory on the finishes?
Our LEGACY Line fine art is printed on CANVAS, which is archivally printed, UV coated to protect against fading or fingerprints, and mounted to protect against bends and creases. Have you ever noticed how regular prints get kind of puffy and ripply in a frame over time? These will never do that, they will always have a crisp finished look. Our LEGACY line has no need for glass as the canvas is UV coated as well.
Our Masterpiece PAINTED finish has the look of a commissioned oil painting - most likely you remember seeing the brushstrokes.
Our Signature finish is a more modern finish without the brushstrokes.
They are TRULY LEGACY PIECES and I am PROUD to say that we are the only portrait studio in the state that does this caliber of work.
Do you remember whether the Signature or the Masterpiece was your favorite finish?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
SAY:
Excellent choice, that is beautiful finish!!
CONFIRM FRAME/FINISHES
STANDARD FRAMING IS INCLUDED
If you look around, you're gonna notice everything is framed.
frames in museums, frames in restaurants, frames in hotels.
It is the standard, it gives a finished look.
So at our STUDIO, FOR A 30" AND ABOVE STATEMENT SINGLE,
OR IF A PORTRAIT IS INCLUDED IN A COLLECTION in our LEGACY LINE, Framing is included.
GREY CANVAS BACKGROUND, LEGACY SESSION
FOR A LEGACY PORTRAIT AND A TIMELESS LOOK WHAT I TYPICALLY RECOMMEND is:
GOLD FRAME
My FIRST CHOICE would be a GOLD frame with a GREY CANVAS BACKGROUND - it draws your eye to the people in the portrait - if you have ever been to the PORTRAIT GALLERY, there is a reason why ALL the frames are gold - it brings your eye to the skin tones..
Now I recommend THIS frame and that it be finished in GOLD as it is shown.
IF THEY ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATION, DON'T OFFER TO SHOW THEM OTHER FINISH COLORS.
IF THEY'RE NOT HAPPY WITH RECOMMENDATION, THEN SAY THIS:
BLACK/BROWN FRAME
My SECOND CHOICE would be a BLACK-BROWN frame which would still serve to draw your eye to the people in the portrait and would be a little more of a contemporary look.
SILVER FRAME
If that feels too severe, then I would recommend a SILVER frame which is a little more neutral, more warm but still has a modern look.
Would you like to stay with the GOLD, or would you like to see it in one of the other finishes?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
SHADES OF GREY BACKGROUND, MODERN HEIRLOOM
FOR A MODERN LOOK WHAT I TYPICALLY RECOMMEND ARE:
BLACK FRAME
My FIRST CHOICE would be a BLACK frame with a GREY CANVAS BACKGROUND draws your eye to the people in the portrait and still has a contemporary look.
SILVER FRAME
If that feels too severe, then I would recommend a SILVER frame which is a little more neutral, more warm but still has a modern look.
GREY CANVAS BACKGROUND, BLACK AND WHITE PORTRAIT
FOR A MODERN LOOK WHAT I TYPICALLY RECOMMEND ARE:
BLACK FRAME
My FIRST CHOICE would be a BLACK frame with a GREY CANVAS BACKGROUND draws your eye to the people in the portrait and still has a contemporary look. It's a cleaner line with with a nod to the traditional
SILVER FRAME
If that feels too severe, then I would recommend a SILVER frame which is a little more neutral, more warm but still has a modern look.
BRIGHT WHITE BACKGROUND, MODERN HEIRLOOM OR BLACK AND WHITE PORTRAIT
YOUR THREE CHOICES FOR A MODERN FRAME THAT I TYPICALLY RECOMMEND ARE:
BLACK FRAME
A BLACK frame with a white BACKGROUND is typically what I recommend because the contrast makes the portrait pop and has a very contemporary look. It's a cleaner line.
SILVER FRAME
If that feels too severe, then I would recommend a SILVER frame with a white BACKGROUND which is a little more neutral, more warm but still has a modern look.
WHITE FRAME
A WHITE frame with a white BACKGROUND can actually be awesome, really fresh and modern
Which of those frame suggestions do you prefer?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
SAY:
Excellent choice, that is beautiful finish!!
Jeannie, let's go ahead and add that to the cart.
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
(GO TO NEXT PART ON FRAMING)
SHOW COMPANION COLLECTIONS
Let's see, I think we designed some other possabilities that we wanted to show you-
SHOW COMPANION COLLECTIONS 1 - OTHER AREAS
I really love the portraits of your children and we thought you might, too.
Siblings don't always have this kind of bond with each other.
So this feels like a must have so you can look at it every day when the kids move out of the house.
COMPANION COLLECTION really showcases JUST your children
in a HALLWAY
UP A STAIRWAY
IN YOUR DINING ROOM
It's a great place to show them off when you get together with extended family
for special occasions
Or maybe you eat there every day as a family
A COMPANION COLLECTION would be a special memory of the day
see them all laughing together is
br>
a great reminder of who your children really are at THIS moment in time.
And it's also a great conversation piece to show off to friends and family.
What I love about this is...
AND today because you have your STATEMENT PIECE, these are 50% off - so what would the full price of this COMPANION COLLECTION be, Jeannie?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So today it would be $$, (HALF)
How do you guys feel about that one?
I really love this in the XXX finish.
How do you guys feel about the finish?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(DECIDE ON THE FINISH)
That is going to look so amazing. Are you guys good with that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
SAY: Jeannie, let's go ahead and add that to the cart.
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
CONTINUE WITH COMPANION COLLECTIONS 2 - BEDROOMS
(SHOW CHILDREN'S BEDROOM ON SCREEN)
Jeannie, let's show the next design.
I really love this next option for your CHILDREN'S BEDROOM or your MASTER BEDROOM.
(SHOW BEDROOM ON SCREEN)
I have heard from parents that have chosen to
display Art of their children in their bedroom
to mirror back to them every day their BEST SELF
every day and really celebrate them as an
individual, like a visual reflection of all the things
are are right about them.
I love the idea that it's a meaningful gift
that keeps ON giving and really influences their self esteem.
This one would be 50% off today too - so what would the full price of this COMPANION COLLECTION be, Jeannie?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So today it would be $$, (HALF)
I really love this in the XXX finish.
How do you guys feel about that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(DECIDE ON THE FINISH)
That is going to look so amazing. Are you guys good with that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
SAY: Jeannie, let's go ahead and add that to the cart.
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
CONTINUE WITH COMPANION COLLECTIONS 2 - MASTER BEDROOMS
Last but not least, I really love this for your MASTER BEDROOM. it would be great behind your headboard.
(SHOW MASTER BEDROOM ON SCREEN)
For a lot of my couples, they have not had a portrait together since their wedding photo. But really I feel like you make the choice EVERY DAY to stay married and that is something that should be celebrated.
Do you guys wake up together most mornings?
SAY EITHER
Most couples don't.
or
You are so lucky!
So A COUPLES PORTRAIT would be the first thing you see every morning when you wake up!
I love this companion collection in XX finish
So what would the full price of this COMPANION COLLECTION be, Jeannie?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So today it would be $$, (HALF)
How do you guys feel about the finish?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(DECIDE ON THE FINISH)
That is going to look so amazing. Are you guys good with that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
SAY: Jeannie, let's go ahead and add that to the cart.
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
Since there are 50% off, would you like to get a duplicate of any of these as a gift for grandparents?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Would you love to showcase one of these COLLECTIONS at your office so that you have their happy faces in front of you all day?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(LOCK DOWN ALL WALL ART CHOICES)
Oh my goodness, those are all going to look amazing!!! Anyone who enters your home is going to see right away that the people you love are the most important thing to you.
Jeannie, just give me a heads up when you are finished with what you need to do...
NEXT, TRY TO ADD ON AN ALBUM OR A BOX - MOVE DOWN TO
WALL ART DECISION IS MADE - ADD ON BOX OR ALBUM
IF THEY ASK ABOUT FRAMING AT THIS POINT
IF they ask about FRAMES before you are able to ask WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE REST OF THE PORTRAITS say:
I promise we will discuss frames, but let me ask this first..
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH THE REST OF THE PORTRAITS?
Can I show you some of the options - what you CAN do with them?
IF YOU BOUGHT THE FRAMES FOR THIS COLLECTION, IT WOULD COST YOU AN ADDITIONAL $$$$
RETAIL PRICE OF ALL FRAMES (JUST THE FRAMES) IN COLLECTION
50-inch Collection - (1) 36x48 & (2)20x30 (ALL CAN BE MASTERPIECE PAINTED) $3,750.00
50-inch Collection - (1)36x48 (4)16x20 (ALL CAN BE MASTERPIECE PAINTED) $4,650.00
40-inch Collection - (1) 30x40 & (2)20x24 (ALL CAN BE MASTERPIECE PAINTED) $3,050.00
40-inch Collection - (1)30x40 & (4)11x14 (ALL CAN BE MASTERPIECE PAINTED) $3,950.00
30-inch Collection - (1)20x30 & (2)16x20 (ALL CAN BE MASTERPIECE PAINTED) $2,550.00
30-inch Collection - (1)20x30 & (4)8x10s (THIS COLLECTION NOT PAINTED!) $3,250.00
NOT FRAMED BY US/FRAME NOT INCLUDED - MASTERPIECE COLLECTIONS, MEANS THESE COGS:
50 & TWO 30S: WE’RE PAID $10,000 - 11.54%
50 & FOUR 20S: WE’RE PAID $10,000 - 13.48%
40 & TWO 24S: WE’RE PAID $6,500 - 9.29%
40 & FOUR 14S: WE’RE PAID $6,500 - 10.90% - 708.50 = 5791.50
30 & TWO 20S: WE’RE PAID $5,500 - 9.01%
30 & FOUR 10s: WE’RE PAID $5,500 - 11.20%
This collection is going to look so amazing framed
- we would love to frame it for you.
When I mentioned additional products, typically does not include frames, but if you choose to frame with us, I could honor 50% off framing
ASKING THEM TO PAY HALF FOR ALL FRAMES FOR THE MASTERPIECE COLLECTIONS, MEANS THESE COGS:
50 & TWO 30S: WE’RE PAID $14,225 - 14.15%
50 & FOUR 20S: WE’RE PAID $14,675 - 16.26% - 2386.15 = 12,2888.85
40 & TWO 24S: WE’RE PAID $10,375 - 16.00%
40 & FOUR 14S: WE’RE PAID $10,825 - 18.00%
30 & TWO 20S: WE’RE PAID $9,125 - 13.61%
30 & FOUR 10s: WE’RE PAID $9,125 - 16.72%
NO TO PAYING HALF OF THE FRAMING, SAY
I understand.
PAUSE
Let’s see…the only other thing I could do is…
Would it make a difference if you paid half of the framing cost, except for the largest portrait
– we would pay for the framing for that.
Would that make a difference?
INCLUDING AT NO CHARGE THE LARGEST FRAME, AND THEN ASKING THEM TO PAY HALF FOR REST OF FRAMES FOR THE MASTERPIECE COLLECTIONS, MEANS THESE COGS:
50 & TWO 30S: WE’RE PAID $13,400 - 15.02%
50 & FOUR 20S: WE’RE PAID $13,850 - 17.23%
40 & TWO 24S: WE’RE PAID $9,700 - 17.12%
40 & FOUR 14S: WE’RE PAID $10,150 - 19.19% - 1947.79 = 8202.21
30 & TWO 20S: WE’RE PAID $9,600 - 12.94%
30 & FOUR 10s: WE’RE PAID $9,950 - 15.33%
SINGLE RETAIL FRAMES
50-inch IS ADDITIONAL $1,650 FOR THE FRAME
40-inch IS ADDITIONAL $1,350 FOR THE FRAME
30-inch IS ADDITIONAL $1,050 FOR THE FRAME
24-inch IS ADDITIONAL $850 FOR THE FRAME
20-inch IS ADDITIONAL $750 FOR THE FRAME
(Jumping on the first objection can derail the whole process, because wasted energy and attention goes towards the wrong thing.
When you get an objection, you won't know if it's the only, the real, or the most important objection without isolating it first.
The person asking the questions is in control, make sure you just keep asking so that you maintain the direction of the conversation to discover exactly what the issues are.
If you don't know about what multiple concerns may exist, or if you don't know if the concern given to you is the real one, or if you're dealing with the most or least important concern, you can end up focusing all of your attention and energy on the wrong one and get blindsided by the next.
Once you've gone through this process, you will most likely have the real and most important issue to address, which you can now do so confidently.
A positive by-product of the exchange is, the client will most likely feel much more seen, heard, and understood, which of course leads to, you guessed it, Trust. So, when you offer your suggestions, they are much more likely to be receptive.)
SAY THIS:
Them-- "objection etc etc etc"
You-- "That makes sense (for whatever reason) Other than this, is there anything else that's making you feel unsure/hesitant/anxious/not totally thrilled with what we've come up with for you?"
Them-- "reason for hesitation etc etc etc"
You-- "I get it, makes complete sense. Other than your concern about (etc etc), is there anything else holding you back?"
Them-- "reason for for not being thrilled etc etc etc"
You-- "Understood, that's a valid concern. Besides not feeling comfortable about etc etc, are there any other concerns you might be having?
/ might not feel sure about as well?
/making you feel not 100%? "
Do this until they tell you, nope, that's all of it.
hey, you know what, Let's figure this out and see what I can do for you here.
Well, what's really important here?
So of these three concerns that you mentioned, you know, what's the one that it really feels like the most important one that you're really the most concerned about?
Okay, that's fair. I can understand why you might be thinking about the cost.
So what I'm hearing is maybe we've got some financial constraints that we're dealing with, right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yes.
Okay. I get it. I totally get it.
Let's make sure that we focus on what feels like the most important thing about this experience and what you get from it.
And then, you know, whatever you decide to do, we'll help you with that. I would love to show you what we could do and you get to decide
We're not going to go overboard.
We're not going to go crazy, I hear you.
Just know, the financial part, we’ll work that out - we space that out to give you breathing room - but it is important for you guys to have the thing that feels IMPORTANT and FEELS RIGHT for you.
So if you don't mind, I'm going to just ask you a couple questions.
So when you when you wanted to do this for your FAMILY, what was it that felt really important? Like, what did you want THEM to see about THEIR FAMILY, because that's what we're going to look for. Like, if we have to make really specific choices, I want to make sure that we're making the most powerful ones.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Here's the thing - I would say that most of my clients cost is a factor. So I guess I should probably ask you: Do you think of this as more of an EXPENSE or more of an INVESTMENT?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That's fair!
The thing is that what we offer, a portrait like this carries an emotional significance far beyond any price.
Like: What is it worth for your children to see everyday the love they’ve been born into, and can count on for the rest of your days?
What is it worth to never have to see the magic of your daughter’s childhood fade?
What is it worth for your child to finally see themselves as beautifully as you do, and to have that for themselves always?
These are not everyday purchases, and therefore are never expected to fit into the everyday budget.
This is one of those things that sometimes families choose to stretch for, because this moment in time never comes around again. And, this is one of the only things you could EVER buy that doesn’t depreciate the moment it becomes yours.
The value of this is something you get to experience over and over every time you look at it, which is why this isn’t just an expense. It’s an investment.
The value of this only grows and becomes more precious with each passing year, because people change, kids grow up, memories fade, and nothing communicates worth like a fine art portrait of those you love most.
Because of the power of photography, and the lasting beauty of fine art portraiture, the value of this ALWAYS surpasses the cost of the initial investment.
When something is an investment, and not just a cost, we take the time and care to figure out the financial part, because that is the most fleeting part about this.
Let’s figure out what’s possible for you, and what I can do to help.
How does that sound?”
----------------
----------------
Okay, that's fair. I can understand why you might be thinking about the cost.
So what I'm hearing is we've got some maybe we have financial constraints that we're dealing with, right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yes.
Okay. I get it. I totally get it. Let's find out what's important to you. And then, you know, whatever you decide to do, we'll help you with that. I would love to show you what we could do and you get to decide.
So let's make sure that we just only talk about the things that feel most important, and we're not going to go overboard. We're not going to go crazy, I hear you.
Just know, the financial part, we’ll work that out - we space that out to give you breathing room - but it is important for you guys to have the thing that feels IMPORTANT and FEELS RIGHT for you.
So when you when you wanted to do this for your FAMILY, what was it that felt really important? Like, what did you want THEM to see about THEIR FAMILY, because that's what we're going to look for. Like, if we have to make really specific choices, I want to make sure that we're making the most powerful ones.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Here's the thing - I would say that most of my clients cost is a factor. So I guess I should probably ask you: Do you think of this as more of an EXPENSE or more of an INVESTMENT?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That's fair!
The thing is that what we offer, a portrait like THIS carries LIKE, an EMOTIONAL significance FAR beyond any price.
So what I mean by that is like: What is it REALLY WORTH for your children to see everyday the love they’ve been born into, and can COUNT ON for the rest of your days?
What is it REALLY WORTH to never have to see the magic of your daughter’s childhood fade?
What is it REALLY WORTH for your child to finally see themselves as beautifully as you do, and to have that for themselves ALWAYS?
I mean, really....these are not everyday purchases - so we can't really expect them to fit into the everyday budget.
This is one of those things that SOMETIMES families choose to stretch for, because THIS moment in time -- well, it is NEVER going to come around again. And, this is one of the only things you could EVER buy that doesn’t depreciate the MOMENT it becomes yours.
The value of THIS is something you get to experience over and over EVERY TIME YOU LOOK AT IT, which is why this isn’t just an expense. It’s an investment.
So the value only GROWS and becomes MORE precious with each passing year, because people CHANGE, kids GROW UP, memories FADE, and NOTHING communicates...well, WORTH like a fine art portrait of those you love most.
HERE'S THE THING: Because of the POWER of photography, and the LASTING BEAUTY of fine art portraiture, the value of this ALWAYS surpasses the cost of the initial investment.
When something is an investment, and not just a cost, we take the time and care to figure out the financial part, because that is the most fleeting part about this. Does anyone walk about their home and when they think about the things they love even THINK ABOUT the cost? No, you just remember how much you love it.
Let’s figure out what’s possible for you, and what I can do to help.
How does that sound?”
I don't want to hang a portrait of my daughter in a prominent place in the house because I have other children. And it's just gonna hurt their feelings, even though this one is when it needs it. The other ones are still be hurt by it."
You know, I get it. And as a parent, we want things to feel equal, to feel even right. We never want anyone to feel left out.
But I also know that as a parent, you know that that equal does not necessarily mean the same. And that what one kid needs is not what the other kid needs. Do you feel that way?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
To take something away from ONE child who would benefit the most from it so that another child who maybe doesn't even NEED it, doesn't care about it, won't feel a certain way. What does that do for THIS child? What does that tell THIS child as far as their needs and how important they are?
So I understand where you're coming from. But my suggestion is, is help the child that NEEDS it have the thing that she NEEDS and the other children, most likely they will need something else, something different.
If you are thinking that THEY need another session like this for themselves, I completely understand. What I would love to do is offer for them to come on in and I'll gift you you know A family sessoin.
How does that sound?
Well, how about putting in her room where she sees it every day?
(if it's in her room, and no one else is seeing it, it could just be an eight by 10 on her dresser.)
you know, we certainly could you know, Here's the thing, though, is that where we put a portrait is incredibly important. Because when we have something that everyone gets to see when they come in the house, now she gets that positive reinforcement every single time someone sees it, they go. Samantha! is that you? Look at you. So it's not something that's hidden away just for herself. It's that everyone gets to participate in because when we think about the purpose of this kind of portrait, is to help her feel differently about herself. And so when the people that know her and love her get to see this, and and affirm her, it's even more powerful. So we certainly could put it in her room, it's just not the most powerful place for it to be. And the same is true, it's very portraits.
THE 10 INCH IS BIG ENOUGH
big enough...?
big enough for...?
what do you think about this, like, on a scale of one to 10 like, how important how important is something like this to you to your family to your child?
I mean, I look okay, I think it's a five.
A five. Okay, all right. So, how come you didn't say four? Or how can we say two? How can we and say zero?
You my kids look good.
Okay, what do you like about what you see? Mm
So, you know what, why, what? Let's do this as a wallet.
Oh, I don't want it as a wallet.
Oh, well, why not? What gets lost when it's that small?
for you guys like, help me see this through your eyes like why even do a family portrait?
Yeah, but you have photos of them on your phone? Yeah. So why do anything different than that?
for you guys like, help me see this through your eyes like why even do a family portrait?
My kids are changing. So I figured why not? I got the certificate. So I was like, Oh, I know. I should come in.
Yeah, this portrait. Yeah, but you have photos of them on your phone? Yeah. So why do anything different than that?
I mean, it looked really cool. It was so grand, like the portraits are so nice. So that's why I decided to come in.
Yeah. So when you say grand, what do you mean? How do you mean?
I mean, I saw your brochure, it was just so prestigious. I thought I had like a 14 inch.
Yeah. So when you say prestigious? Can you tell me more about that? Like, what is What do you mean by that?
I mean, they look really like classic pieces? Yeah. I thought I've never had something like this. It'd be nice to do that. Yeah.
You know, where have you seen pieces like that?
I mean, museums.
Yeah. Right. Yeah. You know, when when you're walking around the museum, you know, what do you notice about the sizes that you see there?
They're all pretty big.
Yeah. Why do you think that is?
Significant significance,
significance, right? So you know, what I'm wondering is if you walked into a museum, and they were all about the size of like, a five by seven, like what kind of feeling would that give you as far as like how important these people were?
-----------------------------
I hear you...I heard the most interesting thing this week
According to the Consumer Technology Association, the average television screen size is 55 inches.
Wholesale giants like Sam's Club, says that the 60-65 inch screen size models are now the "sweet spot" for their members.
Now, what do you watch on a TV?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Do you watch…
Sports?
Movies?
News?
Sitcoms?
Images of OTHER people's faces.
Actors. Strangers.
People you don't even know.
Other people's stories.
News. (shudder)
Now the faces of your children
your family
the people you love the MOST in the world.
The people whose very lives are engraved on your heart
Are those the smiles you want to remember forever?
Could a 10” possibly be "big enough"? so the question really becomes: What do you want this portrait to do for your family? And will that happen at this size?
You know what happens when we put something on a wall that just isn't big enough?
When you decided you wanted to get portraits,, did you really think like, that's what I want my end result to be - something that I don't even notice?
The 10 inch...that's just the beginning of what's possible, okay. It's like an appetizer. And you're welcome to come in and say, you know, I'm gonna get the appetizer and a glass of water. And that's it.
You know, you can certainly do that, you know, but sometimes, you know, we discover like, we actually want more than that, like, we want to feel something more than what that size gives us. It really, it's just the beginning. it's just a starting point, a gift that we give away, you know, is is where things begin. And then you get to decide, you know, once you've seen it, what the perfect thing is for you.
Now and as they get older, like, what is the feeling that you would love for them to be reminded of whenever they see the portraits from this experience?
I know we can't go overboard, but what size does it needs to be at least to be able to communicate, you know, the power of this kind of experience. And, and so that it can really can like fill up the space, you know, when you're home, you know, and you're not really able to go out and do a whole bunch of things, you know, they get to go enter into this world anytime they want to, you know, but for that to happen, it does need to be a certain size. You know, can we take a look and see like what size isn't it to be at least, you know, to have that power in their life?
BEFORE THEY HAVE SEEN SIZES
Really? That's so interesting. Yes, you absolutely can do that, get just the prize or a small one...
That's just the beginning of what's possible.
What is it about that size? That just just lights your hair on fire?
How do we make it stand out, so that this doesn't have the same fate as all the other things?
Do you mind if I ask like what is it that made you decide that ahead of time?
So just because I'm curious about that, you know, before even seeing anything, like what is it that made it feel like that that was going to be the perfect choice for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So If you could have this at any size, like if there were just no constraints on you at all would you actually enjoy having it at a larger size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Well, sure, but we're not doing that.
Well, why is that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yeah. Well, we're not those kind of people. We won this so we just want to get our prize.
So the gift actually is that the experience one gets to happen, because so many families just never get around to this. So a big part of the gift is, yay, it happens instead of being put off for another year, or 10.
And then you get to discover like, what is actually the perfect thing, it does cover this size, but you can put it towards anything, towards something that's more ideal. If you really could do anything, no constraints what would you love to have? if you could wave your magic wand, what would it be?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So help me understand, you don't have to, you know, go into detail if you don't want to,
but, you know, when I hear this in our process, it's because for some people, they're going through something financial
- for other people, there's lots of demands, when you say we just don't have money for that, like, so what are we talking about here,
because there's different things I can do to be helpful.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So what I'm hearing is like, the financial situation that you're in right now is like taking up like, you know, it's the most important thing, right? so is it a timing thing? Is it just like, you know, if the timing were better, you know, yeah, we do a lot of stuff right NOW.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF IT IS A TIMING ISSUE
So if the timing were better if it were later or a different time, you know, is this something that would be perfect for you that you'd actually love to have?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, so let's so let's say it's six months later, and you take a look at these portraits, what would you even love to have?
IF THIS IS BEFORE THEY HAVE SEEN THE PORTRAITS
Okay, so let's do this, let's make sure that we focus on what's the most important thing about this experience and what you get from it.
So if you don't mind, I'm going to just ask you a couple questions..
IF THEY HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE PORTRAITS
Like, let's say, you know, things are better, and we're looking at these - what was the size that felt perfect for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I understand. Yeah. But why the 40? What is it that you love about that size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So you love the 40? Because from what I'm what I'm hearing from you, Janelle, is that you love the 40? Because you can see everyone, right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And when you saw it at the smaller sizes, were you able to have that same experience?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) I mean, what would definitely prefer to have the 40 but we just don't have the money to pay for that right now.
I get it. I get it. So you're in really good company. Right? Because I haven't met a single person yet who has a line item in their budget for something like this. It is always something we have to figure out how to make a space for right - it's never a good time - it never feels like, right? So join the Club. Right?
And we're not and yeah, this is not cheap, right. But the thing is, is that when we're talking about this portrait when we celebrate and acknowledge and cherish the right size, that is the feeling you get to have every single time versus it's too small the feeling you get, every time you look at it is it's too small.
So I'm here to help you have exactly what you would love to have.
And what we do when people are dealing with like, it's the timing is bad, there's just a lot going on right now is we just, you know, we spaced it out for longer, right, so that you've got a smaller monthly payment that you can live with and gives you some breathing room. And then in six months, when the timing is better, then you just take care of it more quickly.
Well, you tell me, how do you need this to be? What works for you? So in order to help you have this feeling that you'd love to feel, every single time you look at this portrait what's possible for you? How do we help this happen?
WHEN THEY ARE FIXATED ON 10 INCH/SMALL SIZE BEFORE SEEING SIZES
So I'm just curious...and you don't have to answer if you don't want to but I'm just curious to know...do you guys HAVE a television in your home?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Do you watch…
Sports?
Movies?
News?
Sitcoms?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So your TV has Images of OTHER people's faces - and what size is your TV?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
65"??
That's the most popular TV size now.
So on your TV...every day probably?
Actors. Strangers.
People you don't even know.
Other people's stories.
News. (shudder)
Now the faces of your children
your family
the people you love the MOST in the world.
The people whose very LIVES are engraved on your heart
Are those the smiles you WANT to remember forever?
Do you really feel in your HEART that a 10” could possibly BE "big enough"?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So in this moment, you know, is it is it more important to go with the free option and to not spend anything or to actually have the piece that has everything you WANTED it to have at the size where it's going to help you experience that and then there's some other things I can include? Then we just get to work out the financial part so that you're comfortable. You know, like which one lasts longer?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(IF STILL A NO)
You know what happens when we put something on a wall that just isn't big enough?
When you decided you wanted to get portraits,, did you really think like, that's what I want my end result to be - something that I don't even notice?
------------------------------------
"We decided that we're gonna just gonna get the small one."
Why? Why would you want to do that? Because that's what works for us.
So why why do you feel like that?
Can you tell me more about that? Like, just what's your thought process there?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
When, when, when did this happen? At what point did this get decided?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Well, we can't afford to do more than just the one. Well, we just we just, we just knew that it was going to cost a lot of money. So we talked about it before we even came.
Did you guys make up your mind before he even walked in? Is that what happened?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Why did you do that? Or like, why did this decision get made?
I'm just curious
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So you made the decision before you even had the chance to look at the portraits. So you make decisions before you even see things?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Oh, okay. Well, let me ask you, because I like to put things together for people all the time that include other portraits because like, you know, people typically love more than just one. And we just put that aside for a minute and even just see, you know, what do you even like, Of the ones of the kids? Because lots of times I can include those when we're doing something else.
Okay, let me let me ask you a question,
Mindy. Imagine that you're gonna go out on a date, a blind date.
And you have decided ahead of time I am, I am in no position to get married. I'm going to have coffee with this guy.
And that is it. Turns out, you've got you know, Mr. Dreamy, you know, make all the right stuff sitting across from you.
But you're going to close down and not even be like, Well, what does this guy have to offer me?
It's the same with portraits. It's the same with art. Right?
If you're going to make a decision, right, you let it speak to you.
You let yourself connect with it so that you can then decide, what do I want from this?
Is if depriving yourself of even having the chance to consider what is this giving me?
What would this give to my family?
And it's the same thing, by the way, maybe when you're buying a car.
You might say I don't want to spend more than $10,000 for a car, you can buy a car for $10,000.
Does it have the heated seats?
Like do you know what you can kind of go into it like so when you set your mind ahead of time before you've even had given yourself a chance to ask yourself,
what matters to me
what's important?
How does this make me feel?
The only person who gets robbed of the experience is you.
So all I'm asking is can we just take a look at it and just see how this feels for you.
If you still come away feeling like no, this one's the perfect one fine, at least you've made an educated, intentional, thoughtful decision. And that's all I'm asking for.
people who come to us know that families everything. And we move heaven and earth to help them have this.
So what can we do for you to help to make sure to help you make sure that you show your family that family is everything?
So, so John, how about if we, how about if we take a look at this? And I know, you know, we don't want to go overboard. But what if we figure out you know, what size does this need to be at least it doesn't look silly?
Putting everything else aside? Is that the outcome that just makes your heart sing is reducing it down to this insignificant appetizer for what could have been?
So then we'll talk about like, okay, so this is, this is too big, this feels right, you know, we start to get down to these sizes, it looks kind of silly. And like, you know, once you put this up on the wall, it just makes everything I mean, it just doesn't, you know, just gets lost with all the other things.
Absolutely. Yes, you absolutely can just get the least expensive thing...
What's making you ask?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Our $495 gift print is our least expensive option - that's just the beginning of what's possible.
What is it about that size that just just lights your hair on fire?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What impact do you feel that a portrait at that size would have on your family?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Is that the type of impact on your children that's important to you for your family to come away with?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So If you could have this at any size, like if there were just no constraints on you at all would you actually enjoy having it at a larger size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Well, sure, but we're not doing that.
Well, why is that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yeah. Well, we're not those kind of people. We won this so we just want to get our prize.
So the gift actually is that the experience one gets to happen, because so many families just never get around to this. So a big part of the gift is, yay, it happens instead of being put off for another year, or 10.
And then you get to discover like, what is actually the perfect thing, it does cover this size, but you can put it towards anything, towards something that's more ideal. If you really could do anything, no constraints what would you love to have? if you could wave your magic wand, what would it be?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So help me understand, you don't have to, you know, go into detail if you don't want to,
but, you know, when I hear this in our process, it's because for some people, they're going through something financial
- for other people, there's lots of demands, when you say we just don't have money for that, like, so what are we talking about here,
because there's different things I can do to be helpful.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So what I'm hearing is like, the financial situation that you're in right now is like taking up like, you know, it's the most important thing, right? so is it a timing thing? Is it just like, you know, if the timing were better, you know, yeah, we do a lot of stuff right NOW.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF IT IS A TIMING ISSUE
So if the timing were better if it were later or a different time, you know, is this something that would be perfect for you that you'd actually love to have?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, so let's so let's say it's six months later, and you take a look at these portraits, what would you even love to have?
IF THIS IS BEFORE THEY HAVE SEEN THE PORTRAITS
Okay, so let's do this, let's make sure that we focus on what's the most important thing about this experience and what you get from it.
So if you don't mind, I'm going to just ask you a couple questions..
IF THEY HAVE ALREADY SEEN THE PORTRAITS
Like, let's say, you know, things are better, and we're looking at these - what was the size that felt perfect for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I understand. Yeah. But why the 40? What is it that you love about that size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So you love the 40? Because from what I'm what I'm hearing from you, Janelle, is that you love the 40? Because you can see everyone, right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And when you saw it at the smaller sizes, were you able to have that same experience?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) I mean, what would definitely prefer to have the 40 but we just don't have the money to pay for that right now.
I get it. I get it. So you're in really good company. Right? Because I haven't met a single person yet who has a line item in their budget for something like this. It is always something we have to figure out how to make a space for right - it's never a good time - it never feels like, right? So join the Club. Right?
And we're not and yeah, this is not cheap, right. But the thing is, is that when we're talking about this portrait when we celebrate and acknowledge and cherish the right size, that is the feeling you get to have every single time versus it's too small the feeling you get, every time you look at it is it's too small.
So I'm here to help you have exactly what you would love to have.
And what we do when people are dealing with like, it's the timing is bad, there's just a lot going on right now is we just, you know, we spaced it out for longer, right, so that you've got a smaller monthly payment that you can live with and gives you some breathing room. And then in six months, when the timing is better, then you just take care of it more quickly.
Well, you tell me, how do you need this to be? What works for you? So in order to help you have this feeling that you'd love to feel, every single time you look at this portrait what's possible for you? How do we help this happen?
WHEN THEY ARE FIXATED ON 10 INCH/SMALL SIZE BEFORE SEEING SIZES
So I'm just curious...and you don't have to answer if you don't want to but I'm just curious to know...do you guys HAVE a television in your home?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Do you watch…
Sports?
Movies?
News?
Sitcoms?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So your TV has Images of OTHER people's faces - and what size is your TV?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
65"??
That's the most popular TV size now.
So on your TV...every day probably?
Actors. Strangers.
People you don't even know.
Other people's stories.
News. (shudder)
Now the faces of your children
your family
the people you love the MOST in the world.
The people whose very LIVES are engraved on your heart
Are those the smiles you WANT to remember forever?
Do you really feel in your HEART that a 10” could possibly BE "big enough"?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So in this moment, you know, is it is it more important to go with the free option and to not spend anything or to actually have the piece that has everything you WANTED it to have at the size where it's going to help you experience that and then there's some other things I can include? Then we just get to work out the financial part so that you're comfortable. You know, like which one lasts longer?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(IF STILL A NO)
You know what happens when we put something on a wall that just isn't big enough?
When you decided you wanted to get portraits,, did you really think like, that's what I want my end result to be - something that I don't even notice?
------------------------------------
"We decided that we're gonna just gonna get the small one."
Why? Why would you want to do that? Because that's what works for us.
So why why do you feel like that?
Can you tell me more about that? Like, just what's your thought process there?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
When, when, when did this happen? At what point did this get decided?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Well, we can't afford to do more than just the one. Well, we just we just, we just knew that it was going to cost a lot of money. So we talked about it before we even came.
Did you guys make up your mind before he even walked in? Is that what happened?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Why did you do that? Or like, why did this decision get made?
I'm just curious
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So you made the decision before you even had the chance to look at the portraits. So you make decisions before you even see things?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Oh, okay. Well, let me ask you, because I like to put things together for people all the time that include other portraits because like, you know, people typically love more than just one. And we just put that aside for a minute and even just see, you know, what do you even like, Of the ones of the kids? Because lots of times I can include those when we're doing something else.
Okay, let me let me ask you a question,
Mindy. Imagine that you're gonna go out on a date, a blind date.
And you have decided ahead of time I am, I am in no position to get married. I'm going to have coffee with this guy.
And that is it. Turns out, you've got you know, Mr. Dreamy, you know, make all the right stuff sitting across from you.
But you're going to close down and not even be like, Well, what does this guy have to offer me?
It's the same with portraits. It's the same with art. Right?
If you're going to make a decision, right, you let it speak to you.
You let yourself connect with it so that you can then decide, what do I want from this?
Is if depriving yourself of even having the chance to consider what is this giving me?
What would this give to my family?
And it's the same thing, by the way, maybe when you're buying a car.
You might say I don't want to spend more than $10,000 for a car, you can buy a car for $10,000.
Does it have the heated seats?
Like do you know what you can kind of go into it like so when you set your mind ahead of time before you've even had given yourself a chance to ask yourself,
what matters to me
what's important?
How does this make me feel?
The only person who gets robbed of the experience is you.
So all I'm asking is can we just take a look at it and just see how this feels for you.
If you still come away feeling like no, this one's the perfect one fine, at least you've made an educated, intentional, thoughtful decision. And that's all I'm asking for.
people who come to us know that families everything. And we move heaven and earth to help them have this.
So what can we do for you to help to make sure to help you make sure that you show your family that family is everything?
So, so John, how about if we, how about if we take a look at this? And I know, you know, we don't want to go overboard. But what if we figure out you know, what size does this need to be at least it doesn't look silly?
Putting everything else aside? Is that the outcome that just makes your heart sing is reducing it down to this insignificant appetizer for what could have been?
So then we'll talk about like, okay, so this is, this is too big, this feels right, you know, we start to get down to these sizes, it looks kind of silly. And like, you know, once you put this up on the wall, it just makes everything I mean, it just doesn't, you know, just gets lost with all the other things.
THE 10 INCH IS BIG ENOUGH
Really? That's so interesting, because that's just the beginning of what's possible. What is it about that size that just just lights your hair on fire?
Why does that feel like, you know, when you thought about what you wanted from this experience, when you first came for this, you know, is this really what you had in mind?
ANSWER
Come on. If this was the same price, you know, the 40 cost the same as the 10? Would you really you choose the 10. This is awesome. You love this?
So I mean, really, when we went down to the sizes, and I remember how you paused at the 30 inch. So really, if the 30 inch, and this size was exactly the same price, like you would really, this would be the perfect one for you. This would be your choice?
ANSWER
yeah. Sure. I'd want the bigger one.
QUESTION
Why?
Okay, so what's keeping you from doing this?
Look, it's it's totally up to you, but at this size. I mean, I don't know if this is your family or the family down the street.
So...just between you and me...is this is a financial thing?
Is that what's happening?
Is it really more about the finances and less about like, that sze you'd love?
ANSWER
Okay, so it's like, alright, so talk to me, you know, you don't have to go into too much information, you know, here, but, you know, some people have a situation where they, they just have to get through something. And you know, and then they would be able to do something like this, maybe the timing isn't right. And so we would need to do you know, smaller payments, you know, stretched out longer recognizing it's not actually going to take that long, because you could do it more quickly.
ANSWER
You know, or maybe, you know, maybe we're not quite sure that that that we landed on the right choice, you know, do you want to go take another look, and really, like, you know, is the 30 of the perfect size? Do we want to take another look at that decision?
So,Okay, so I can do a lot of different things to be helpful.
Can you tell me a little bit about like, what we're dealing with, because some people just have to get through something, you know, other people, they've got so many other demands, you know, on on budget, you know, maybe we need to redress the decision,
you know, let's take a look at this, because we do need to do something today. Let's take another look at this and see, like, what's, what is a comfortable choice for you?
ANSWER
that's just the beginning of what's possible, okay. It's an appetizer.
And you're welcome to come in and say, you know, I'm gonna get the appetizer and a glass of water. And that's it. You know, you can certainly do that, you know, but split sometimes, you know, we discover like, we actually want more than that, like, we want to, we want to feel something more than what that size gives us. It really, it's just the beginning.
It's just a starting point a gift that we give away, you know, is is where things begin. And then you get to decide, you know, once you've seen it, what the perfect thing is for you.
“It's too big - we don't have space for that.”
I was thinking about what you said as far as matching another portrait. I'm just curious...
now that you've lived with it, and sort of seeing what it is to experience it at that size and how much you ended up really noticing it over time, if you could change it and have that portrait be bigger now, would you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
so in this moment, you know, which moment in time would you like to turn her attention towards the most? Which one do you want, you know, to capture her attention first?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
A good analogy is buying shoes that don't fit just because they're on sale, or because you've always been a size 8 you only buy size 8 even if the fit isn't right, because otherwise it would mean you have big feet. Instead of: trying on the shoes you like at different sizes and making your decision based purely on how good it feels. The same is true with portraiture.
The only way to make a mistake, meaning a decision that is easily regretted, is to make a decision based on anything else besides how it feels to view the portrait and connect with the subjects in the portrait.
Choosing it to match something else, or fit a certain space, or fit a frame you already own, means the viewer will not be able to receive everything that portrait has to offer, because it wasn't allowed to live and breathe and take up space and shine like the diamond of the house it is. It's like getting an air hug instead of being wrapped up by someone who really puts their heart into it.
So much thought and care and intention went into the both the desire and the creation of that portrait, and to reduce the experience of it down to an arbitrary reason that has nothing to do with the purpose, meaning, and experience of the portrait, diminishes what it is meant to do; to help people feel more of what they want to feel, offer a lasting sense of connection and joy, and send a message of worth and significance.
Basing your decision on those factors means your decision will always be the right one, and one you'll never regret.
The notes in a song are all different... if they were all the same, no one would ever listen to it...
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THAT SIZE FOR THAT PORTRAIT?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) It fits the space.
Do you mean like it could be a picture of artichokes. It could be your family, it could be a dog on a bike, as long as it's like this size in the shape. Right.
But it's when we think about family, like it just doesn't have the same importance as a picture of artichokes. You know?
Sometimes people go into Target and they are like, oh, I need to pick something for this space. And they don't care. Right.
But we don't make a decision about family that we care about that way.
We make decisions based on impact and connection versus, you know, shapes on a wall. Right. And that most people are used to making a decision based on shapes on a wall because they frankly, have not had things that they care deeply about. Is that fair to say?
You know what you're really curious about if you don't mind me asking? Like, well, so what? So you've got fine art on your wall right now? What is what does it look like when you're thinking about putting this on your wall? You know, what are the pieces that you put up there?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)Just the art I've collected over the years.
What do you love about it?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Yeah, no, that's fine. Yeah, no worries. I'm just I just get curious. Because I, you know, when we put things on our walls, it's because it's really important to us. Right? And so when when you traveled with your husband, I mean, I can only imagine, you know, these pieces have just this incredible significance for you to go. Right. Right. Because otherwise you wouldn't have bought them and you wouldn't have put them up, right? So so so let me ask you about when you're walking through your home, and you see the pieces that you have up there, like what is what is the feeling that it gives you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Can you tell me more about that? Like, what do you mean memories of your life?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And is it fair to say that you just really loved all of those experiences?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So all I'm gonna say is, it's just something to consider is that, you know, for your granddaughter, to see herself at this time and know that even at this time, like, where she's not really giving very much back, like, you're not really having, you know, these in depth conversations with her, you know, help. It's like, she's just as cute as a button, little, little person, right before she's really come into, you know who she is, and that she gets the sense that even at this time in her life, how important she is to the family. And so it's just something to consider that maybe there could be a place of significance for her even at this age, because of who she is in your life, and what she might be able to see and feel about herself. As she gets older and see that along with all these other beautiful pieces of art, there's this gorgeous portrait of her that is large enough to get people's attention. So it's just something to consider, you know, do you feel like you might even want to take a look at the size that could maybe be large enough to catch someone's eye. I'm not saying we have to go huge. But you want it
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Oh, it's like, okay, well, good. So alright, so so and so you say you really love this one. And there were others that you really loved? Right? And so let's do this, you know, if you're just not comfortable, you know, having at the larger sizes, then let's do the variety. How would it feel if we could have, you know, all of these moments, and so that it's not something about taking space on your wall, but your granddaughter can go through them and look at them and, and have them and it doesn't have to take up a lot of space. But she gets to see, you know, this the story of her life? How would that feel?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And this is the thing too, like whenever I can't do the wall art, but we're doing the box. I'll say,
You know what, why don't we do this? Because all the courtrooms in the in the box are eight by 10s. You know, normally they go up with size, it's $1,000. But how about we do that one that you really love, you know, as a 14 inch. So it's the next size up, it's a little bit bigger and have a little bit more presence. But if that would look great on your piano, and just have a little bit more to it. And we could just do that in exchange for your $300 fee that's already been paid. How about we do that? And then I'm saving the fee. So we'll do a box and a 14 inch for the fee like all the time.
you know what, let's help you find the size that's going to work. No matter where you put it. We're going to make sure it's not too big and not too small. Right. And we do that because we're going to look at it in a couple of different places. So you can see literally, it looks great at the bottom of the stairs. Looks great over the couch. It looks great. Over here, it looks great in that wall in between the windows because you live in a greenhouse.
When you move, you're gonna move your furniture, your bed, your sofa, your TV, you're gonna move the portrait
I give big visual examples that makes them think like a big sofa, a big bed, a big dining table, like people move those things they don't like leave it when they're moving.
There's always going to be that wall behind your sofa. There's always going to be that wall behind your bed, there's always gonna be that wall behind the console table, there's always going to be
if they're anxious about the size, you can help them have a feeling of safety around the size.
we always move and we find a place, right, and houses have walls that we work with. Right? But I have found my going into, like, let's, let's take a look at this, figure out what the perfect ideal size is. And then make sure that it works in lots of different locations. So that no matter where they live, it's going to look right. How does that sound?
Yeah, because people just want to feel heard and seen and not talked out of how they're feeling. You know, like, Oh, don't worry about that. Well, you know what, let's take a look at that.
Because there's no there's not only the space where it's going to go, but the size of the people in the portrait. And so we balance those two things. And we only do that by taking a look at what the reality of their decisions look like.
I totally get it.
Tell me about that. Talk to me, like, what's going - what are you having to deal with right now?on?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SEEM HESITANT TO ANSWER:
Like - and you don't have to answer if you're not comfortable - it's just that there
are different things that I can do to help, because no one's got this in their budget. Can you tell me a little bit more - like is it just everything in general? Is it a certain situation? like let me see what I can put together for you.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
"we just don't have money to, you know, to spend on this kind of thing/things you don't really need."
On this kind of thing...?
things you don't really need...?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay. On this kind of thing/Things that you don't really need, okay.
well, what's important about this? You know, why did this feel important to do?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
"we want our kids to, you know, see that we're, we're a unit and connected"
how do you feel that would help them?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What do you feel we could do that would really help do that for you and your family?
What do you feel like we could do that really, really hit that home for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)"I love the portrait, I just, it just comes down to cost."
I understand. I hear you about the money part, things are tight, You have some financial commitments you're dealing with, I hear that we can't go overboard. Right? I hear that we can't go crazy. And we need to figure out what's really important here.
We've got something for everybody here at the studio - let's see the most bang for the buck we can get for you.
Let me help you see what size this needs to be to do it justice so that it can be able to give that feeling, and then we'll figure out the financial part. Big enough to be noticed. Because if it's not big enough to be noticed, like what good isn't even doing.
Let's figure out how we have to get the size that you're gonna love. Because last thing we want is it every single time you look at this, all you think is that you wish you'd done it differently.
So let's consider when we go up from this size here to the (NEXT SIZE DOWN). You know, what do you notice about this size? Like how does this feel?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Remember how it felt when it was that small size. Remember what we lost? Remember what remember what the cost was when it wasn't large enough.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(TELL A STORY)
I understand how you feel. And just what I've had shared with me over the years, as some people came back to me have said, you know, this was really scary for us. But I'm so glad we did it. Because my child, you know, sees herself in the wall there and it is where we spend the most time in the house now. And it's where all of our friends and family come in there. And they're just like, it's just like a giant hug for everybody that enters our house. And to me, I you know, that's just what I've heard.
BUDGET
Now, I'm not saying it's the case here, but for some people, there's definitely a budget they have in mind to do something. I don't suppose you'd be comfortable sharing that with me?
My comfort zone was like, maybe 300, 400 bucks. Not $$$$
You know, can I ask you like, so what have you done in the past about family portraits?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So what was it about this that, that made you want to do this, instead of doing doing that, again,
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So I hope you don't mind, I just am so curious about this, I just, I always like to just really make sure that I understand. And so, you know, when you say that, you know, you don't have anything that's really nice. And you've got these two young kids, like when you think about, you know, why do family portraits even matter?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So when you when you sit back and imagine yourself in this room, and you're looking at your fireplace, and you see, you know, the family portrait that you've always wanted, you know, what is that? What does that look like? Is it one of the ones that (FROM YOUR PREVIOUS FAMILY PORTRAIT EXPERIENCE-EXAMPLE-your neighbor took?)
Yeah. So is it fair to say - have you ever had a fine art portrait experience before?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So you know, Chris, you're in good company. Because there's, there's some real sticker shock with this kind of work with this kind of portrait. This is not the norm, this is not what most people do. You know, I'm sure you could look around your circle of friends and you know, none of them, you know, have this. And so that's why when we take a look at this kind of opportunity, you know, it doesn't come around every day. And there's a reason why people want something like this, and they don't want to settle for what's on their phone.
I'm thinking that if you were happy with that prior experience, I never would have seen you.
So I totally understand the sticker shock of it, you know, the first time you bought a car or a fridge, you know, you probably felt the same way. And you've probably thought I'm not someone who spends this kind of money on that until you bought your first car or your first fridge. And like, Oh, I'm someone who's been this kind of money on that. So what we do, you know, as we try to break this up in bite sized pieces to make it more comfortable for people, and then we're just gonna, like, go down that route.
(IF THEY WANT ONE THAT IS TOO SMALL)
So that it's got the FEELING - because if it's too small now, like it's too small forever,
and then what happens with the size is that it really sends a message of, of importance -
when it's too small - makes this feel kind of insignificant, yeah?
FINISHES
you could save a little bit of money by going with a minimalist FRAME in our DESIGNER LINE, but not a whole lot.
If you LOVE the look of frames, other costs are really involved because every time you look at it, it's not going to be what you want.
How do you feel about that?
Okay, so is it fair to say that we're dealing with some sticker shock in this moment?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Is it like the logistics of actually like paying for that? Or is it really just the idea of something like this costing that amount?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
you know, I can appreciate that. You know if you've never had this kind have experienced before this can feel pretty uncomfortable. Right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So I totally get it. Because, you know, most people that come in for this experience, have never had an experience like this before. Right.
And it's kind of like, you know, the first time that you buy a car, it's like, wow, really, it cost us over the first time we buy a fridge or a couch, you know, anything I've ever wanted, has always cost more than I wanted it to. So I totally get it. And it's it makes sense that it feels uncomfortable.
So, you know, if you're really uncomfortable, because it's so unfamiliar If this is something that you've never had before.
So what I can say is that what we do is we help families with this a lot, because no one has this kind of thing in their budget.
And so what we do is we tend to break it up and space it out over time, so that it does feel more comfortable. So that it does feel manageable.
And then at the end of it, you just have this glorious piece that's perfect. So how would it be if we just kind of talked about like, just some different options we could do? How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY DON'T COOPERATE WITH THAT
Can you tell me more about that, like, you've never spent this kind of money on something in your life?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) if you don't know the exact question to ask back you could always just repeat what they've just said - "when someone says, I just don't have the money right now.
And you say "right now?"
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Can you tell me about that like? Do you remember something that you, you did spend, you know, a little something on? What did that feel like?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That's one reason why we really take the time to really discover, you know, what is the perfect size so that we're not doing too much. And we're not doing too little.
So but let me do this. Let me find out, did we make the right choice when you think about the portrait? And at the size that you chose? Was that the perfect one? And did you really love that particular size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yeah, it was great.
Well, why did that feel like the perfect size?
let's take a look and see, like how the size that you chose that you saw with your own eyeballs is actually the Goldilocks size, not too big. not too small. I the perfect size. How about we do that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That's important because when you're making a decision based on what things cost, you can't care about what it looks like. And yet, your experience of it is what lasts the longest. Right, the financial part comes and goes.
And so what we do is we help families all the time, because no one has, you know, a line item in their budget, this is not a typical expense in your everyday budget. So that's why we spent so much time and care and really discovering, you know, what was the perfect outcome for you which portrait at which size is like which one was really going to, you know, help transform the space it was going to be displayed in.
And so now what we do is we just figure out the financial part, we figure out, you know, do we need to, you know, break it up and space it out over time? You know, we have some different financing options, because what you're left with long term is the experience of the size that you chose.
Right, but this is the first time you know, really, you know, having a legacy portrait created, you know, purchasing something that's going to have a significant impact in your home and in your life, and in your family that we can't even appreciate in this moment. the experience of it is so much far reaching and so much longer lasting than the financial piece, we just figure that part out. But we make sure that we stay true to how do you want this to impact your life.
So let's consider when we go up from this size here to the (NEXT SIZE DOWN). You know, what do you notice you lose about this size? Like how does this feel?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
THEY WANT THE 20-YOU WANT THEM TO HAVE THE 40
I can spread it out a little bit more so that you so that I get paid and you get what you want even if I have to wait a little longer, that's okay with me, because your son's face is going to be smaller, like he's already going to be little, and we're going to lose him. And if it's not the right size, if it's too small, they will forever be too small. And it will never get any better. It will never get any bigger. So let's figure this out.
okay, so we love this size, you know, it cost this much? You know, is it worth, you know, spending some money so that you could have the size that you actually really love? What do you think about that?
FOR CUSTOM SESSIONS
Well, how could you possibly know that again?
How could you know?
So that's why we have our DESIGN SESSION and give you the range.
And then we take a look. But we also have no idea what's going to be the perfect size for you to perfect portrait. So that's why we give the ranges, so it really is impossible to be prepared because we don't know what the perfect thing is. This is a discovery process. We figure out what matters. And then we work at the financial part so that you get to have it. But the discovery part comes first.
Yeah, have you ever had that experience where you've walked into a store and you've been like, oh, no, this is not the right place for me.
Yeah, we will let people know. Like, you know, we sell this and these are the price points. So you know, what kind of store you're walking into, you know, we're talking about heirloom fine art portraiture, this is not the norm, this isn't everywhere. That's a higher price point. We can communicate that. But we still don't know what's going to be the perfect thing for you. Right.
FOR A LIMITED EDITION SESSION
I understand.
Just by way of reminder, if you rememeber, after your portrait session, we looked at the wall art finish and product choices and I put the PRINTED PRICE MENU in your hand.
But totally understand.
I’m not for everybody. Nobody, not everybody needs this level of service and level of quality.
So you have a SPENDING CREDIT.
How would you like to spend that?
So it looks like you have about $350.
Just know, there’s absolutely no obligation here. We can do it however you want.
Oh wow, congratulations! When is the wedding?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That's definitely an important step! I totally get why you are saving for your wedding.
I'm just curious...marriage is important, no doubt...the thing is you know, I mean, in life, there's other always important things, there's never just ONE important thing in life, right?
Even though you're getting married, you're still having to spend money on you know, other things, right, that matter.
And so we would never say that just ONE thing is important and the rest of it is unimportant. And so what we do is we figure
Like - and you don't have to answer if you're not comfortable - it's just that there
are different things that I can do to help, because no one's got this in their budget.
We figure out what matters. And then we work at the financial part so that you get to have it.
GO TO :MONEY OBJECTION STEPS BY STEP"
SESSION IN A FEW YEARS - “We will come back in a few years and have a session then”
Oh, so is this is a timing issue? If the timing were better, or if we were meeting like this later, did we come up with the the ideal for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Why though?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And why did you want to do this portrait now?
What felt important enough to not put this off for another few years?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
You know, I understand - sometimes it seems better to wait. But COVID taught us that none of us are promised tomorrow.
I have often said that the dirty little secret about parenting is that
every year they are a new little person
The little person they WERE disappears
and sadly we don't get to say goodbye to the little person they were
because we don't realize that "baby stage" is going away until it's PAST.
This portrait stops time and captures the little person they are right now beautifully
so you will always have it
because next year, they won’t be THIS person
So would you agree that this is only available now, and won’t be possible for you to have in a few years? THESE children of today will be gone next year, let alone 2-3.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Here s something I would like for you to consider.
Imagine yourself 30 years from today, you're sitting by the fire in your home in the fall with a warm cup of coffee in your hands. You look up at the wall and see the beautiful portrait you had created while your children were still sleeping under your roof. The memory of that time warms your heart and makes you smile. Now imagine what that Artpiece looks like. Imagine the expressions, the glint of mischief in the eye of your ornery child the sweetness in the eye of your oldest child.
In that moment, would you be glad that you took a couple of hours away from your busy daily life to have that piece created? In 20 years would you be glad that you pull the kids out of school for an afternoon to have a professional who understands the importance of family memories and their place in your life? Maybe it's time to have a centerpiece portrait created? It's easier than you think! In 20 years, that centerpiece portrait will be worth more than you can imagine.
OR
You know, I understand sometimes it seems better to wait. But none of us are promised tomorrow.
There are three families hanging in display out in our gallery right now where someone is missing”.
We had a dad who, two weeks after his portrait session, was killed by a drunk driver, and he never got to see his portrait in his home… but his kids are sure thankful they have it.
And for your family, the last time you had a portrait was XXX….
Statistically, if you wait that long again there will be someone else in your family like spouses and grandkids even.
I’d hate for you to miss out on celebrating your family where they’re at right now because today matters too.
(Some people want to push off the ordering session because they can't they don't have any money for it.
Don't allow them to schedule a new session because the last session you just lost money on.
So what you want to do is rescheduled ordering session for up to 90 days with no penalty
Would you like to do that?
The thing is that if you order today, you get to take advantage of the REWARDS AND take advantage of our LAYAWAY PLAN TODAY.
I understand.
(LET THEM TELL YOU) Then ask,
Ok, putting aside your home buying adventures for a moment... Is this something you even *want* to do?"
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well yes absolutely!")
I hear you. Do you mind if I ask… just for a moment, can we put financial concerns to the side?
Just for a minute— we can come right back to it (big smile)
When you think about these portraits, and the reason this felt important, why was that?
Why now?
(They need to hear their reasons in their own ears, from their own mouth--NOT YOURS) This is giving them the chance to persuade themselves.)
After they've told you, you can say,
Well, it sounds like this is pretty important to you...
And if you really were free to have the perfect thing from this, what would that even be? I’m just curious.
When they tell you, repeat it, and ask:
A 40” canvas. But why, though? Why *that* portrait, at *that* size. What does it help you feel, and why is that important? Just out of pure curiosity.
(If there is the slightest hesitation go back and readdress it. “Let’s take another look and find the perfect impact for this portrait whether you’re buying a home or not. It’s a lasting decision, so let’s make sure it’s the right one.”)
IF They tell you.
Keeping what you’ve just told me in mind, when you think about not having this, now or ever, because this moment in time never comes around again, would you like to see what we could do to make this possible?
(After all that they will most likely say yes, and then you’ve got a chance to find something workable.)
If they say "no, we really can’t do it," your last ditch effort can be:
When you say can’t do it… could you… could you tell me a little bit more about that? Sometimes when I understand a little bit more, I can come up with something we haven’t thought of yet.
(If they are solid no’s all the way through with no openings, you’re done.)
"Oh that's no problem! We help families with this all the time We just set it up in house so it's off the record, and we space it out to give you breathing room while until you're closed and all set for your home. You know what's awesome about doing these two things at the same time? It's family portraits that make your house feel like home, and you'll get to put this up when you move in! How many months should we space this out over?"
it's totally in-house with no credit checks or outside implications, so it won't change their loan status or anything and so far only 1 out of 4 has opted for it.
Currently I offer then in-house payments, starting payments in a few weeks, and I remind them that once they're in the house they're going to need something for the wall. My last session was just absolute stone cold with "we are in the process of getting our house. We aren't buying anything extra at all."
CALL OUT THE ANTIHERO:
(Make sure you know how someone will vote before you start to close the sale.)
(Someone not really present? Call them to the screen.)
John, what are your thoughts on what we've come up with? Is there anything you're opposed to?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Someone super quiet, and non-committal?
Mary, we've heard a lot from Joseph. Is there anything you're not sure about?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Someone straight up negative?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Let's get your thoughts on the table. What would you do differently?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Neutralize the negative-- if the negative person says 'well they wouldn't be doing this at all, 'don't try to change their mind. Get them to agree that both solutions are viable ones, depending on what is important to each.
So what I'm hearing, David, is that for you the best solution is to not do any of this, because this really isn't your thing.
And for Samantha, the best solution for her is to make sure we do both the wall art and image collection box, because for her, this really matters.
(SAY In a super charming tone)
So, since this isn't really your thing, are you opposed to Samantha driving the bus, since she really values family portraits/capturing the magic of childhood/your dog's presence in your lives/capturing the timeless beauty of your daughter at this age?
If there was something really important to you, you wouldn't want someone who didn't really care about it making the decision for you, right?
Don't like pictures of yourself?
I understand.
So Lisa, I mean, I hear you you don't like pictures of yourself. You know your elbows are too pointy or whatever the reason is, you know, what was it that made you even get in the portrait?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Well, okay, but you still didn't have to get in the portrait. I mean, it could have just been in the kids or you could have just said, Oh, this is great that I want to, but I don't want to be in pictures. What was it that made you think I'm gonna get in this photograph?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
My wife made me.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, why do you think she made you?
Why do you think this is important to her?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I don't know, we just wanted a family photo. So that we could just have a moment of today.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, but why does that even matter?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) I've just got to say, you know, because we've got, you know, we take photos every couple of years, and we stick them on the hallway. And you know, it's just good to see how the kids change.
Yeah, yeah. So the photos that you have now, do you notice where you have to stand when you look at them to even notice them?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
When something feels important like it when we want to see something, that it's actually something we can see. And I'm just curious about this. So if you can tell me, when you're walking down the hallway, how often do you even look at those pictures?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
When we're talking about the size of a portrait, what we're really asking ourselves is how well, do we want to actually see this?
What am I going to give to my kids? What am I going to leave my kids? What kind of life that they are going to have when I'm gone?
When it comes to the family pictures, what are your kids going to wish you had done?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What are they going to love to see? They're gonna want to see you. And the smaller you are in the portrait, the less they can do that. Right. And if you think back, if you had a portrait of your mom, and all it was was like this little thing, versus something that you could really just see her beautiful face? Which one would you rather have? And so this is that moment, you know, where we get to decide, you know, what do you get to have now? And later? What are you going to wish you had done? What are you going to want to see? What do you wish you had given yourself to see?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What kind of impact do we actually want this to have and if it mattered at all, right, hat kind of size should it be so that we can appreciate it, because if it didn't matter, you guys never would have come in. I'm not saying you have to go huge, but there is a size where it's big enough. And we know it's big enough, because we could just see people clearly and you know, we don't only enjoy it when we're dusting it.
And I know that you've done it this way, Forever and always, right. But if you were happy with that, or if that was enough for you, we would never would have seen you. And what if we could do something different that you could actually make it actually impact your life in a way that you haven't been able to experience before?
You know, we don't have to go huge, but you know, it does need to be big enough, you know, can we discover what that size is? And you're going to know it because you can see people clearly and connect with them. And you can see their eyes, you can feel their presence. And that is the purpose of a portrait. And when we look at, you know, portraits, you know, that we don't ever really quite notice that are so small, we're always just walking by them, you know, I mean, has their purpose even been fulfilled because the purpose of that is to impact your life and to help you feel a connection to the people that you love.
I get it. You feel like you need to think about it.
That makes sense.
Listen, I've been doing this for a long time. And when someone says they need to think about it, what I've learned is that it's either one of two things.
Sometimes people are just not sure about the choice - so did we make the right choice here?
So let me ask: Do you love what we put together for you? Does it feel perfect?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
YES, I AM SURE
(Go to the LOGISTICS step)
NO, I AM NOT SURE
Okay, that's fair!
Let's go take another look at it and see, you know what the right thing is for you.
What I love to do is help people have everything that they would love to have. So let's figure out like what even matters, what even feels important, and let me see what I can put together for you.
Do you mind if we just kind of go back and just just clarify that because I'm wondering, like, did we choose the right portrait? Did we choose the right size?
But let's make sure that we've chosen the right PORTRAIT (Confirm that)
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) We love this one.
And why was it THIS one again?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) (Let them answer)
Okay, so let's make sure that we've chosen the right size (Confirm that)
And the size, we feel good about THIS size? Not one size bigger, one size smaller?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, so now we know it's the right portrait at the right size, right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Does this decision get you closer to what you want to feel more of or further away?
So we know what you want - sometimes if people are still feeling unsure at this point, then something's concerning you within the numbers.
So can I ask you: Is it the logistics of actually paying for it, like how do I do this?
or is it the idea of the cost of this, like Is it thinking you have to do it all at once?
or the idea of spending money on something like this costing that amount?
Or is it that you've never done something like this before?
Like, talk to me what's going on?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) (Yeah, I just can't imagine spending this kind of money on a photo.
YOUR RESPONSE: Well, for sure, me either.
That's what's on your phone, snapshots, photos. Do you see yourself handing down your cell phone to your kids and grandkids so they will have photos?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) (Yeah, most people don't plan to do that. That's why we create Heirloom Portraits that are passed on to generations after us. So THIS is different.
IF IT'S THE LOGISTICS
Okay, okay, let's see what we can figure out - like, what's most important, and let me see what I can do for you.
MOVE TO "DISCUSSING THE MONEY"
IF IT'S THE IDEA OF SPENDING MONEY
You know, if it's the idea of spending this kind of money, like, is this the first time you've ever done something like this?
Because, you know, if so, of COURSE it feels uncomfortable, it's gonna feel like the, you know, the strangest thing you've probably ever done.
So I totally get it. Because, you know, most people that come in have never had an experience like this before. Right. And it's kind of like, you know, the first time that you buy a car, it's like, wow, really, you know, anything I've ever wanted, has always cost more than I wanted it to. So I totally get it. And it's it makes sense that it feels uncomfortable. Right? If this is something that you've never had before.
DISCUSSING THE MONEY
So what I can say is that what we do is we help families with this a lot, because no one has this kind of thing in their budget.
And so what we do is we tend to break it up and space it out over time, so that it does feel more comfortable, feels more manageable.
And you can kind of get it in the realm with sort of like the regular typical things that we do. And it doesn't have to feel like such a big deal. But then at the end of it, you just have this glorious piece that's perfect. So how would it be if we just kind of talked about like, just some different options we could do?
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY STILL HAVE CONCERNS AND JUST NEED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS:
Look, I get it, you know, I'm not trying to make you change who you are, or, you know, I understand that for some, the process they go go through to feels really important. And then if you honor the process, and you feel like that will help you make a decision you can feel good about so I'm not gonna try and talk you out of that. I definitely want you to feel good about whatever you do.
But let's do this. Let's make sure you've got all the information so that as you're thinking about it, or as you're talking with whoever, you've got everything that you need, you know, to go into that decision.
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
But let's make sure that we've chosen the right PORTRAIT (Confirm that)
Right size (Confirm that)
And the size, we feel good about this size? Not one size bigger, one size smaller?
We love this one. And why was it this one again?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, so we know it's the right portrait at the right size.
And then these others that you love, we love the idea of being able to have all the these How do you feel about you know, the album or the image box?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay. So what else is there?
I'm just curious, like, what else do we need to cover so that you can have all the information?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY STILL NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT
IF THEY SAY: And all sounds good, but I have to take the time.
(Then we just know that they've got this fear and anxiety that we're not gonna be able to fix.
you can TRY to identify the fear below to see if you can deal with it.)
SAY THIS:
You of couse can think about it, but I'd like to help you if I can. What's causing you to feel concerned - are you feeling like you are making a mistake or is it a timing issue - what's causing you concern?
(IDENTIFY THE FEAR:)
1. Do I feel like I'm making a mistake?
2. Am I not that kind of person?
3. Is it is the timing wrong?
4. If they're really closed down, you can straight up say, Okay, so is it fair to say, you know, does what feels most important right now is to actually just not spend anything?
And if they say YES:
Okay, so let's go pick out what's important to you
And then once they've relaxed a little bit, you might say you know
CONFIRM THEIR CHOICE UP THIS POINT
IF THEY WANT SMALL SIZE
...can if we even just go up one size, do you see how much better that is? And here's the thing if we go up one size, I can include these other two or whatever. Like, I totally get it but like to see the difference in what happens when we just go up one size)
And if they say NO:
Okay, so that's not the most important thing. Let's figure out what is the most important thing, let's take a look.
NOT FEELING SURE
DON'T WANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE
Okay, I get it. I want to help you, if I can.
I'm just curious, like, what are you able to do, you know, in a conversation at home that you feel like you're not able to do here when we're looking at them?
Okay, so what I'm hearing is that there's something that you just don't quite feel sure about yet. Does that feel true?
You know, very few people have done something like this before. And they want to make sure that they're not making a mistake.
So, but the way that we make sure that we're not making a mistake is to see it in front of us. So that we don't go too big but we also don't go too small.
The reason why we make the decision together is because we're able to look at things, right? And this is how we make an intentional, educated, informed decision. Right, as people is to have them in front of us.
Because once this all goes away, it's like, Oh, God was what size you know, at a 20 inch in your mind looks huge. But when you see it on the wall in reality, you realize, oh, it's not actually that big. Okay, so the reason why we do it now together so that we can really take a close look at things and make educated intentional choices.
Right. And so as far as like going away and thinking about it, now, we've just taken away a really important tool, which is what our eyes tell us, is right for us.
So I totally get wanting to take time, but that's what we've got right now. And I'm here to show you different possibilities. So that what is perfect for you can land, because you've seen it for yourself.
(USE SETTING ANOTHER APPOINTMENT LANGUAGE)
SETTING ANOTHER APPOINTMENT
So if you feel like you still need to think about it, then we need to set another appointment and here's the deal.
We can't make any decisions over the phone, text, email. The only time that we make a decision is that when we're looking at the portraits together, so that we can see the reality of the decisions being made.
Okay, because when all this goes away, and I say this one or that one, you know, a 30 or 20 your mind cannot accurately see it. So we can we can get together again, but it means we have an appointment and we look at things together. Cool?
or we can just go take another look right now, so that you can see it with your eyeballs, and you're gonna know what feels right.
Let's, let's make sure you've got all the information so that when you're doing all of this thinking and talking to people that you've got things really clear. Let's go back and take a look.
Can you just send us a screenshot? So we can make a decision at home?
Well, so number one, we don't send out screenshots. But one of the reasons why we don't is because, you know, lots of times you'd want to compare, you know, well, what about this one to that one? What about the size to that one, and you can't do that with a screenshot
Look, I have been doing this for a really long time. And what I’ve learned is that you are going to make your best decision while you’re here, because you’ve got me. I’m not going to let you put too many things on the wall. I’m not going to let you make them too big. I want to make sure, like we said in the consultation, we just want to do what it is that you want to do. So we’re going to make the best decision together.
And let’s be honest. You got a life, you got kids. You don’t have time and you don’t want me chasing after you. So we’re close. We’ve
got this figured out. Let’s just figure out the best of the best, leave the rest. Let’s figure it out.
---------
IF THEY HAVE CHILDREN AND HAVE ANY BABY PORTRAITS ON THE WALL
Can I ask: Did you have any portraits taken of your children at birth, or whem they were younger>
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Now that you have those pictures, you know, how do you feel about having those, like, every time you see them, you know, how's your feeling about them changed over the years? Right from from when you first saw them to now when you look back at them?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And that that's what happens with this portrait? You have you have that same feeling of like, Oh, look at us.
that we really hold dear to us, we always make things work for the things we hold valuable.
THIS IS ALL HAPPENING SO FAST.
You know, it's like, no, you've been making this decision for years.
You've been wanting this for years.
Now. It's just the moment where it gets to happen.
But you know, this has been something that you've been thinking about, because you haven't ever had it before, when you've been watching, and each year that goes by, where you just have, you know, the neighbors photos is another year, where you're making the decision that one day you'll have it.
What if that day could be today?
I get it. You feel like you need to think about it.
That makes sense.
Look, I get it, you know, I'm not trying to make you change who you are, or, you know, I understand that for some, the process they go go through to feels really important. And then if you honor the process, and you feel like that will help you make a decision you can feel good about so I'm not gonna try and talk you out of that. I definitely want you to feel good about whatever you do.
But let's do this. Let's make sure you've got all the information so that as you're thinking about it, or as you're talking with whoever, you've got everything that you need, you know, to go into that decision.
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
But let's make sure that we've chosen the right PORTRAIT (Confirm that)
Right size (Confirm that)
And the size, we feel good about this size? Not one size bigger, one size smaller?
We love this one. And why was it this one again?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, so we know it's the right portrait at the right size.
And then these others that you love, we love the idea of being able to have all the these How do you feel about you know, the album or the image box?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay. So what else is there?
I'm just curious, like, what else do we need to cover so that you can have all the information?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY STILL NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT
IF THEY SAY: And all sounds good, but I have to take the time, then we just know that they've got this fear and anxiety that we're not gonna be able to fix.
(USE MAKE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT LANGUAGE
(IDENTIFY THE FEAR:
1. Do I feel like I'm making a mistake?
2. Am I not that kind of person?
3. Is it is the timing wrong?
4. If they're really closed down, you can straight up say, Okay, so is it fair to say, you know, does what feels most important right now is to actually just not spend anything?
And if they say YES:
Okay, so let's go pick out what's important to you
And then once they've relaxed a little bit, you might say you know
CONFIRM THEIR CHOICE UP THIS POINT
IF THEY WANT SMALL SIZE
...can if we even just go up one size, do you see how much better that is? And here's the thing if we go up one size, I can include these other two or whatever. Like, I totally get it but like to see the difference in what happens when we just go up one size)
And if they say NO:
Okay, so that's not the most important thing. Let's figure out what is the most important thing, let's take a look.
NOT FEELING SURE
DON'T WANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE
Okay, I get it. I want to help you, if I can.
I'm just curious, like, what are you able to do, you know, in a conversation at home that you feel like you're not able to do here when we're looking at them?
Okay, so what I'm hearing is that there's something that you just don't quite feel sure about yet. Does that feel true?
You know, very few people have done something like this before. And they want to make sure that they're not making a mistake.
So, but the way that we make sure that we're not making a mistake is to see it in front of us. So that we don't go too big but we also don't go too small.
The reason why we make the decision together is because we're able to look at things, right? And this is how we make an intentional, educated, informed decision. Right, as people is to have them in front of us.
Because once this all goes away, it's like, Oh, God was what size you know, at a 20 inch in your mind looks huge. But when you see it on the wall in reality, you realize, oh, it's not actually that big. Okay, so the reason why we do it now together so that we can really take a close look at things and make educated intentional choices.
Right. And so as far as like going away and thinking about it, now, we've just taken away a really important tool, which is what our eyes tell us, is right for us.
So I totally get wanting to take time, but that's what we've got right now. And I'm here to show you different possibilities. So that what is perfect for you can land, because you've seen it for yourself.
SETTING ANOTHER APPOINTMENT
So we need to set another appointment and here's the deal.
We can't make any decisions over the phone, text, email. The only time that we make a decision is that when we're looking at the portraits together, so that we can see the reality of the decisions being made.
Okay, because when all this goes away, and I say this one or that one, you know, a 30 or 20 your mind cannot accurately see it. So we can we can get together again, but it means we have an appointment and we look at things together. Cool?
or we can just go take another look right now, so that you can see it with your eyeballs, and you're gonna know what feels right.
Let's, let's make sure you've got all the information so that when you're doing all of this thinking and talking to people that you've got things really clear. Let's go back and take a look.
Can you just send us a screenshot? So we can make a decision at home?
Well, so number one, we don't send out screenshots. But one of the reasons why we don't is because, you know, lots of times you'd want to compare, you know, well, what about this one to that one? What about the size to that one, and you can't do that with a screenshot
---------
IF THEY HAVE CHILDREN AND HAVE ANY BABY PORTRAITS ON THE WALL
Can I ask: Did you have any portraits taken of your children at birth, or whem they were younger>
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Now that you have those pictures, you know, how do you feel about having those, like, every time you see them, you know, how's your feeling about them changed over the years? Right from from when you first saw them to now when you look back at them?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And that that's what happens with this portrait? You have you have that same feeling of like, Oh, look at us.
that we really hold dear to us, we always make things work for the things we hold valuable.
THIS IS ALL HAPPENING SO FAST.
You know, it's like, no, you've been making this decision for years.
You've been wanting this for years.
Now. It's just the moment where it gets to happen.
But you know, this has been something that you've been thinking about, because you haven't ever had it before, when you've been watching, and each year that goes by, where you just have, you know, the neighbors photos is another year, where you're making the decision that one day you'll have it.
What if that day could be today?
MEGAN DIPIERO RESPONSE TO THIS
You hear: “I’m not ready to make a decision today.” [Notice how this is a statement, not
a question like above. Why might that be? Sometimes this happens when an additional
buyer (perhaps a husband) hasn’t be informed of the prices in advance.]
They mean: “I’m angry with this process and feeling cornered.” OR… “You didn’t
tell me it would be this way. I resent this process.”
Response:
I apologize for the confusion. When I first met with Sally, I was under the impression that she was going to make the portrait decision and surprise you with her favorites.
And now, here we come with a surprise you didn’t expect—portrait prices and an ordering process that you weren’t prepared for.
We’ve scheduled today as your ordering appointment, but I’m happy to take things back a step and explain the process and prices so that we’re all on the same page.
If you like we can then schedule an additional ordering date in the future so that you have time to digest what you’ve learned today.
OR… if you prefer, we can review prices and process now and go directly into ordering so that you can have your portraits as soon as possible.
Let’s start with my product guide.
How does that sound?
So that's like, you know, listen, listen, Dave, I know, this is not your thing, I totally get it, I know, you would rather be doing, you know, 842 other things and spending money on like, 1000 other things. Or maybe it's not even about what it's about that you have to, you know, take care of all kinds of, I totally get it. I also know that this is actually bigger than that. And it's not. I know, it's not your thing. It's not actually for you, it's for the kids. And I know that the kids are your thing. And so this is where you get to come in and be the hero.
you get to come in and be the hero, you know, and help them have something that you would never in a million years think of as like, you know, a worthwhile thing to do. But turns out it's actually really powerful for them. But we can't do it without you.
I get it, but we need you. And this isn't about you, but we need you.
People who come to us know that family is everything. And we move heaven and earth to help them have this.
So what can we do to help you make sure that you show your family that family is everything?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Stephen, why do we take pictures on vacation?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)We want to remember good times we had.
Yeah, but So can't we just think about it. And remember the time we have, why why take a photograph?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)Because we forget
We forget, because it fades.
And you know, and when actually, when you think about our minds, our minds are designed to make us forget, because we're trying to, we always have to focus on what's in front of us. It's something that just it just happens.
So that's why we take pictures, because we want to remember how it felt. Right? how it felt to be together how it felt to be in this beautiful place, the feelings that the you know, to recall them.
So we're not just talking about our picture here, we're talking about a portal of feeling. Right?
So you know, and like just a regular picture, like, that's what you have on your phone.
Okay, but there's a reason why you came in that what's on your phone isn't cutting it? What you've had before isn't doing it for her? Or all the words you told her they're not getting in?
That is so interesting. I met someone once you said they were a collector of experiences. Is that how you feel?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Sounds like that obviously, this is important for you to have experiences like this.
So I'm genuinely curious about that -
what is it that you GET from those experiences?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What do you do to remind yourself of what you gain from this experience?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Oh, well, I just remember it, you know
Okay, that's fair...I would love to know what kind of experiences - tell me about a trip or experience that you had, you know, in like the last couple of years.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) blah, blah - they tell you
When was the last time you thought about that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Oh, gosh, I haven't had in a while.
What do you think would help you remember what this experience felt like?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)blah, blah
I mean, you don't want it to feel like sand through your fingers where it's just gone - reminders take us back to this experience, so that we can relive it. So it's not just like something that got consumed and forgotten about.
It's like, why do we take pictures on vacation?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) We want to remember good times we had.
Yeah, but so can't we just think about it and remember the time we have? Why take a photograph?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Because we forget
Exactly. Yeah, we want to be reminded - -we don't want the experience to fade - we forget.
And you know, actually, when you think about our minds, our minds are designed to make us forget, because we always have to focus on what's in front of us. It's something that just happens.
So that's why we take pictures, because we want to remember how it FELT. Right? how it felt to be together, how it felt to be in this beautiful place, the feelings, you know, to recall them.
So we're not just talking about our picture here, we're talking about a portal of feeling. Right?
So you know, like a regular picture, that's what you have on your phone.
Okay, but there's a reason why you came in - what's on your phone isn't cutting it, right? Most people aren't planning on handing down their phone with all their snapshots to their kids, right?
So talk to me about that - when you were thinking about helping your family have something like this and wanting it to have a certain kind of impact, what was that for you? Like, what, what made this feel important for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And it's the same with a portrait. I'm glad that you love the experience. And yet, you know, what reminds you of why you wanted to do this?And what matters to you is having the physical representation and also having it be at a size where it's big enough to capture your attention and have that impact, GIVE THAT FEELING to whoever sees it.
The only way I can really explain to you why size is important, is to give you an analogy.
(GIVE EXAMPLE OF NEWLY MARRIED MAN AND PORTRAIT ON WALL)
"What makes you ask?" or "What were you thinking you'd like to be able to do with digital files?"
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
SOCIAL MEDIA FILE
If it's to share with family, I'm happy to include social media files of purchased wall art
CHRISTMAS CARD
Oh of course, how fun! and that I don't typically just sell digital files but if we're doing significant wall art pieces then often I'm quite happy to include the digital file.
I WANT TO PURCHASE THEM ALL
You’ll absolutely have them, because anything printed, anything that goes on the wall or in an album or box, you’re going to have those digital files to be able to share on screens, you’ll be able to email them, you’ll be able to post them on social media. And we will take care of all of the printing to make sure that it is to perfection. For portraits 30” and above, albums and portrait boxes matching files printable to 10” are included.
I WANT TO PRINT THEM
Because we could get it printed.
You could.
I used to do that.
The thing is that of people I surveyed that received just digital files, most DON'T print them because they don't know what to do with them, don't have time, so it's ends up being a waste of money stuck in a drawer and then one day you computer doesn't come with a CD reader and you no longer have access to them.
But let's say you are one of the ones that DO PRINT THEM.
II can appreciate that - THAT IS AWESOME that you want printed products. But here's the thing, you know, as a consumer, you only have access to consumer labs. The best analogy that I can use for that is like have you ever been to McDonalds and gotten a receipt and then looked at it 3 years later - what happens to the paper and the ink?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
brown, the ink disappears. They don't care about the quality of the receipt - they don't guarantee how long that receipt will last - they got your money, you got your receipt. It's like a consumer lab.
As a Portrait Artist, we only use archival quality materials and that's the difference in like a letter that was handwritten 100 years ago - have you ever seen those? Paper is THICK ink is still legible - or like the Declaration of Independence - have you seen that? When you have quality ink and paper, things last like they were made to last back then
So should that matter to you when it comes to your portraits? And I guess the question is WHY should it?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Because often when people ask me about digitals they are value conscious - they want the best bang for their buck - they think they can just print it themselves have the exact same thing and and they are golden. But the problem is that is marketing by consumer photo printers - it is a fallacy.
It's like going to the Dollar Store and expecting the same quality as a garment from Nordstroms or one that is handmade couture.
We're happy to include them, you know, with things that had been purchased because that give our clients archival prints and a corresponding digital.
If they say they want to be able to use it for their Christmas card, I say oh of course, how fun!
I don't typically just sell digital files but if we're doing significant wall art pieces then often I'm quite happy to include the digital file. I can provide just digitals to you if you aren't interested in printed pieces of art, however the cost remains the same.
Similar to purchasing a Monet for the cost of the paint and the canvas, the value is not in the cost of the materials so the price of my artwork does not reflect the cost of the printers, but the cost predetermined for my artwork.
There are hordes of new photographers who just sell files because they don't have the expertise to create wall art, but what we have chosen to do is just something quite different,
People who come to us know that family is everything. And we move heaven and earth to help them have meaningful art on the walls of their home of those they love.
So what can we do to help you make sure that you show your family that family is everything?
******
INCLUDE COMPLIMENTARY SOCIAL MEDIA FILES FOR ANYTHING WE PRINT
INCLUDE PRINTABLE FILES IF THEY PURCHASE 30" WALL ART OR AN ALBUM OR BOX
Jumping on the first objection can derail the whole process, because wasted energy and attention goes towards the wrong thing.
When you get an objection, you won't know if it's the only, the real, or the most important objection without isolating it first.
The person asking the questions is in control, make sure you just keep asking so that you maintain the direction of the conversation to discover exactly what the issues are.
If you don't know about what multiple concerns may exist, or if you don't know if the concern given to you is the real one, or if you're dealing with the most or least important concern, you can end up focusing all of your attention and energy on the wrong one and get blindsided by the next.
Once you've gone through this process, you will most likely have the real and most important issue to address, which you can now do so confidently.
A positive by-product of the exchange is, the client will most likely feel much more seen, heard, and understood, which of course leads to, you guessed it, Trust. So, when you offer your suggestions, they are much more likely to be receptive.
Them-- "objection etc etc etc"
You-- "That makes sense (for whatever reason) Other than this, is there anything else that's making you feel unsure/hesitant/anxious/not totally thrilled with what we've come up with for you?"
Them-- "reason for hesitation etc etc etc"
You-- "I get it, makes complete sense. Other than your concern about (etc etc), is there anything else holding you back?"
Them-- "reason for for not being thrilled etc etc etc"
You-- "Understood, that's a valid concern. Besides not feeling comfortable about etc etc, are there any other concerns you might be having?
/ might not feel sure about as well?
/making you feel not 100%? "
Do this until they tell you, nope, that's all of it.
Well, what's really important here and like, okay, so of these three concerns that you mentioned, you know, what's the one that it really feels like the most important one that you're really the most concerned about?
STEP 1: ASK THEM QUESTIONS TO UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE
It's important to me to help people have what they want...so how can I help you? Can you tell me more about that?
(LET THEM TELL YOU) Then ask,
STEP 2: GET THEM TO STATE THAT MONEY IS THE ISSUE:
I am getting the sense that you love what you see, that you do really value this - but this is not inexpensive.
For some people, they consider the money - well, let's just say that maybe this is more than you thought you would spend? Is that what you are thinking?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well yes absolutely!")
I hear you.
It sounds like you really WANT to do something special, but I just need to make sure I understand...
STEP 3: MONEY ASIDE, IS THIS SOMETHING YOU WANT?
Do you mind if I ask… just for a moment, can we put financial concerns to the side?
Just for a minute— we can come right back to it (big smile)
So...putting aside your (WHATEVER EXCUSES THEY GAVE) dog's knee surgery and your son going off to college for a moment
... Is this something you DO value...that you even *want* to do?"
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well yes absolutely!")
So if I am understanding, aside from the money part, you do want portraits?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well yes absolutely!")
STEP 4: WHY DO YOU WANT THEM? WHY DO YOU WANT THEM NOW?
Why is that? When you think about these portraits, and the reason this felt important, why was that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well yes absolutely!")
And do you feel like now is the right time? Why now?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, (They need to hear their reasons in their own ears, from their own mouth--NOT YOURS) This is giving them the chance to persuade themselves.)
Well, it sounds like this is pretty important to you...
STEP 5: WHAT'S THE PERFECT THING?
And if you really were free to have the perfect thing from this, what would that even be? I’m just curious.
When they tell you, repeat it, and ask:
A 40” canvas.
“The financial aspect aside, does this portrait at this size feel like the perfect choice for you?
But why, though? Why *that* portrait, at *that* size. What does it help you feel, and why is that important? Just out of pure curiosity.
They tell you.
STEP 6: ARE YOU WILLING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION TO SEE WHAT WE COULD DO TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE?
I hear you - things are tight.
Keeping what you’ve just told me in mind, when you think about not having this, now or ever, because this moment in time never comes around again, all that's standing between you and having what you love is working out the finances -
So I hear that this feels like something that you just can't do.
If there was something that I could do to help you with knowing all of that, would you like to hear about it? have a conversation about that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well yes absolutely!")
So let me see what I can do to make this possible. Listen, you know, you're not dealing with a nameless, heartless Corporation, you're dealing with me. So sometimes life events happen, what I know is that the value of these portraits transcends all of it. So what that means is, if something happens in a couple of months and you're just like, you need a break, you know, just reach out to me,
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, (After all that they will most likely say yes, and then you’ve got a chance to find something workable.))
STEP 6B: NO WE CAN'T DO THAT
If they say "no, we really can’t do it," your last ditch effort can be:
When you say can’t do it…could you tell me a little bit more about that? If this is something that you don't want to do, I totally get it - Sometimes when I understand a little bit more, I can come up with something we haven’t thought of yet.
I mean, let me just ask you, let's say we pass on this, right, and these just cease to exist. And, you know, 20 years go by, your kids have all moved out, so a family portrait represents their presence in your home because they don't wake up under your roof every morning. They are off living their own lives. You are sitting in your favorite chair, in your favorite room of your home, and you' realize that a stunning, beautiful, fine art portrait of your family displayed on the wall - well, your family DOESN'T have this portrait of their family...
of you, like you have with your mom.
...that's the reality of this moment.
What would it mean to you, you know, if you could have had it?
What would you like your family to know about this time?
What would you like your family to feel every single time she looks at this portrait?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
You know, the first of everything was uncomfortable. first apartment, first home, first car, like, you know, you remember that? Like it was difficult, but all of those things are beautiful now. Right? I had a client who felt exactly the same way - this was a new process for her and because it was new, it felt uncomfortable. She realized that she wanted a family portrait that the love in their family showed so her daughter would always see it. So what she ended up deciding was to get a collection on the wall.
(If they are solid no’s all the way through with no openings, you’re done.
Most importantly— their desire to find a workable solution will only match their desire for the portrait and what it does for them. If the desire is weak, the problem solving part will be too. That’s why the beginning is the most important part, because that’s when the flames of desire get fanned.
It's only after an exchange like the ones above that you should offer some suggestions.0
STEP 7: OFFER A SOLUTION
Well, if... (the thing that matters to them),
and... (the block in the way), what if we could....
(suggested solution specifically connected to what they explained to you)
Here are some suggestion phrases:
"What if..."
"What do you think about..."
"If you could..."
"Do you feel like..."
"If we could put that aside for the moment, how do you feel about..."
EXAMPLE
Well, if this portrait is the most powerful way for your children to see how loved they are, and you haven't had anything that celebrates your family in as beautifully as this portrait does, but it just seems totally financially out of reach,
how would you feel if we came up with a payment plan that helped you have everything you wanted with monthly payments you can live with?
IF THEY SAY NO TO A PAYMENT PLAN
"I understand...you don't want to go overboard...but since cost is obviously on your mind, would you be willing to share with me your comfort zone?"
Really? That's so interesting, because that's just the beginning of what's possible. What is it about that size that just just lights your hair on fire?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I get it. So can you tell me, if everything was the exact same price and cost was no object, If you could do anything, would the gifted print be your favorite choice?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So what am I missing here?
You drove an hour each way? That's two hours. You did the session, you now have an 3/4 HOURS invested - got clothes together, so you are probably somewhere between three to five hours of your time. That means you're pretty serious about this.
You spend four or five hours doing this at the end, you're gonna walk away with an eight by 10?
Let me ask it this way.
If I could waive my magic wand, then what size feels like the perfect size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I want to make sure that I'm seeing this clearly. You know, cuz I don't want to suggest the wrong thing.
Come on. If this was the same price, you know, the 40 cost the same as the 10? Would you really you choose the 10.
And yeah, I'm just wondering if something like that was okay why do something like this?
So I mean, really, when we went down to the sizes, and I remember how you paused at the 40 inch. So really, if the 40 inch, and this size was exactly the same price, like you would really, would this be the perfect one for you?
Look, it's it's totally up to you, but at this SMALL size. I mean, I don't know if this is your family or the family down the street.
So here's the thing, when we're talking about sizes, it sends a message about how significant this actually is. We can we can display it on our wall for everyone to see, or we can stick it to the side of the fridge. Right. So would you take something that felt so important and just relegate it seems like some forgotten place? I mean, you wouldn't.
When we look at these portraits,
let's talk about what feels most important because we want to make sure that that's what you come away with.
When we started this process, what felt most important to you?
What you really wanted to get out of it was this feeling, right?
When you look at this portrait, this is what you wanted to be reminded of, right, every time you look at it?
And what do you want your children to feel even when they're grown?
Does what we've come up with together feel perfect for you?
In what ways though?
So when we put such thought and care into what is the perfect thing, we're making the choice on what this is going to give to you and how it feels for you, which means we make these decisions based on what's too much what's just right and what's not enough.
So we're not going to go overboard. We're not going to go nuts here. We're going to make sure that we do this experience justice.
So...just between you and me...is this is a financial thing?
Is that what's happening?
Is it really more about the finances and less about like, that you'd love to size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Look, we just work out the financial part, you know, and we help people with this all the time
because no one has something like this in their budget.
Let's figure out what we could do to help you
have the end result that's perfect for you
because otherwise, every time you look at it,
you won't feel satisfied,
you're gonna feel frustrated,
and you're gonna know
you didn't let yourself HAVE the thing
you actually REALLY wanted.
Now, of course you're free to choose something that is not what you want, and will make you sad every time you look at it. You can totally choose that. But that would mean making the cost of it the most important thing.
Here's what I know, by helping a lot of families with this is that when we really discover like, what the right size is for how you want it to feel what you want it to do for you and then we figure out the financial part, then it is a decision you never regret in your life, because every single time you look at it, it's exactly what you want it to be.
How does that sound?
This is a different kind of nourishment. Right? And as families when something is really important for our kids, we make sacrifices, we tighten the belt and some other places we figure it out. Right?
You know, it's not inexpensive right.
But you know, another question to ask is what does it cost to not have this?
Like, what do you lose?
What are you not able to have by not having it because there's a cost either way.
And so we just get to decide which one we're okay with.
When we say no to one thing, we say yes to another. By saying no to having these portraits, what are you saying yes to?
What's the cost of your kids NOT knowing the connection they have and the support they have?
or your daughter making the right decisions in this life, going to college, getting the job that will set her up in life becausse she feels confident.
Now the rate of return - what's it going to cost not to do it?
What's the cost if your daughter gets married to a guy that, you know, leads her around in life life because she doesn't have confidence to stand up to him?
Or she gets in the car with kids that are drinking because she lacks the confidence and self assurance? What's the cost of that can be? Yeah, we're talking about very minimal investment here to maybe change your daughter's life. if you want to help your child, you need impact, and a portrait will definitely impact her self confidence in the right size.
SIZE
Because there's the perfect thing and then there's the thing that you know is NOT right - if you do go with anything below the 30, it'll be like that forever and it won't be amazing like this.
What is the cost of having something this important feel small and insignificant? What is the cost of having a portrait that accomplishes so much, showing your children how important they are, how loved they are, how family is everything, be SO SMALL that it never gets noticed?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What is the cost of this portrait not being the jewel of the home it’s capable of being? What is the cost that gets paid every time you look at it and only think of what it COULD have been?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
REMOVING PORTRAITS FROM A COLLECTION
You know what? Sure, we could take off the two 24s and just have the one. But then each of them, they don't get to have their special piece that they did not have to share with their siblings. Right? They don't get to have, you know, that thing that they get to look at and just see how amazing they are that's just THEIRS.
Really, the question is: Is it worth it? In this moment to save however much you would save for that to not exist? It's either answer is fine. But this is the question in this moment. What will you be glad that you did?
The way I think about it is
A portrait like this carries an emotional significance far beyond any price.
What is it worth for your children to see everyday the love they’ve been born into, and can count on for the rest of your days?
What is it worth to never have to see the magic of your daughter’s childhood fade?
What is it worth for your child to finally see themselves as beautifully as you do, and to have that for themselves ALWAYS?
I mean, I get it - these are not EVERYDAY purchases, and therefore are never expected to fit into the EVERYDAY budget.
EXPENSE OR INVESTMENT
But let me ask you this: do you feel like this is more of an expense or more of an investment?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So something to think about is his is one of the only things you could ever buy that doesn’t depreciate the moment it becomes yours. This is one of those things that sometimes families stretch for, because this never comes around again.
The value of this is something you get to experience over and over every time you look at it, which is why this isn’t an expense. It’s an investment.
You know, it's like college - some see college as an expense. But to me, college is really an investment. Because look what it does for your child, for the future, right?
I have found that the things that are most meaningful in life, like college, they're always more expensive than you think they're going to be. And sometimes you have to stretch to get it. And this might be one of those things that if you could see this as an investment in helping a child,
Is it going to make a difference in your family's life.The value of this only grows and becomes more precious with each passing year, because people change and kids grow up and memories fade and nothing communicates worth like a fine art portrait of those you love most, and love you in return.
Because of the power, and the lasting beauty of fine art portraiture, the value of this ALWAYS surpasses the cost of the initial investment.
When something is an investment, and not just a cost, we take the time and care to figure out the financial part, because that is the most fleeting part about this.
Let’s figure out what’s possible for you, find out what really, truly matters and what the portrait needs to be - we don't have to go crazy nuts.and what I can do to help. How does that sound?”
LEGACY
I think about it like his is your family's legacy, THIS moment does not come around again, the children, you know, the people that your children are today will be gone in a couple of years. And this is the moment where we decide what is the gift that we send down to your kids through the line for them to have? If you don't value your family legacy, who's going to? legacy is appreciated by the living. with every family heirloom, someone had to decide that it was going to happen. If someone had to decide that they were going to get dressed up and show up and do this thing together. And then someone had to decide that they were going to pay for it. And then someone had to decide that they were going to protect it and keep it and pass it down. So that you now have it. This is that moment for you. And this is that moment for them.
-----------------------
SIZE
So let's just roll ourselves forward in time for a minute. I want you to imagine your home. And in one reality, you've got this 30 inch portrait and you walk into your house, you see your boys, you see your family, it's not too big. It's not too small. And you can see the twinkles in their eyes.
And then the other reality is that it's not there.
What would it mean for you to be able to have this up there? Like, what would that give you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
You know, help me understand more about that? Like, what do you think about your boys growing up with this? You know, coming home from school and seeing this every single day? Like what is that going to give them?
So this is one of the ways you know, we get to show everybody, especially the kids, the family is everything and that they're your world. Right? This is a different kind of nourishment. Right?
You come home and you see it? It's this big, right? So this is one of the ways you know, we get to show everybody, especially the kids, the family is everything and that they're your world. Right? And when I put this up on the wall, does this feel like family is everything when it's ONLY this big?
What size is it that it needs to be at least so that it can do everything it needs to do? Right? Because if it's too small, and no one notices it, it may as well not even exist, right.
So so, you know, there's some different things that we can do, right? Because, you know, the, whatever decision whatever choice you make today, is what you're going to feel forever, right?
Sometimes people feel like the only thing that is important is the money. But that's actually the most fleeting part of this whole experience - like the things that bring you enjoyment, Do you even remember, as you go through your house? Do you think about, oh, I spent this much money on that, ever? We think about what we love about it, and how grateful we are for it.
So to take all of our attention, and just focus on the cost in this moment does not do it justice, because it is not about this moment. It's not about the cost. It's about what this will do and what it will help us have, and not just us, generations. The power of photography and a lasting beauty of fine art portraiture, the value of this ALWAYS surpasses the cost of the initial investment
what is it worth for your children to see every day The love that they've been born into?
What is that worth to you For them to walk by and just see it and know it?
What does it worth to never have to see the magic of your daughter's childhood fade?
What is it worth to you to have the magic of her childhood last for ever?
What is that worth to you? How do we put a price on that?
This costs what it costs. But what is it worth to you to have that?
What is it worth for your child to finally see themselves as beautifully as you do and to have that for themselves always? What is that worth?
What is the cost for this to NOT exist - Or worse to exist but be so small and so insignificant that no one ever notices it? What is the cost of that?
What is the cost that every single time you look at it, you only think of what could have been? What you wish you'd done? What is the cost? Because that's a cost that you pay forever. Whereas the cost of doing it - you pay for it, the money comes and goes, it's done. And then you get to have what's perfect for you.
And so, I like to help people so that every time you look at it, it's EXACTLY what you want it to be.
It's like why do you want to put this off any longer? Why do you want to keep feeling what you've been feeling for years?
What do you want to feel instead? Imagine, you know, this is home, it's on your wall, you know, your family gathers around it. Imagine that feeling versus someday...
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
You know, if we could come up with a way where we could figure out how to make it work, how to kind of message it in with everything else that you're doing, you know, would you like to try that?
I understand -
I get it. I get it. Do you know that you're in really good company?
Because here's the thing - No one I've met so far has in their budget a line item for gorgeous museum quality, fine art portraits. No one. So OF COURSE this isn't in your budget!
like no one has like gas, groceries, museum quality fine art portrait, right?
I hear the financial aspect of this is a big concern.
We only make space in our budget for something once we realize its importance in our lives. And this is that moment right now.
We figure out how to make a space for it.
When we look at these portraits,
and just put the financials aside for a moment, let's talk about what feels most important because we want to make sure that that's what your that's what you come away with.
When we started this process, what felt most important to you?
What you really wanted to get out of it was this feeling, right?
When you look at this portrait, this is what you wanted to be reminded of, right, every time you look at it?
And what do you want your children to feel even when they're grown?
Does what we've come up with together feel perfect for you?
In what ways though?
So when we put such thought and care into what is the perfect thing, we're making the choice on what this is going to give to you and how it feels for you, which means we make these decisions based on what's too much what's just right and what's not enough.
So we're not going to go overboard. We're not going to go nuts here. We're going to make sure that we do this experience justice.
And then we just work out the financial part, you know, and we help people with this all the time
because no one has something like this in their budget.
Let's figure out what we could do to help you
have the end result that's perfect for you
because otherwise, every time you look at it,
you won't feel satisfied,
you're gonna feel frustrated,
and you're gonna know
you didn't let yourself HAVE the thing
you actually REALLY wanted.
This is a different kind of nourishment. Right? And as families when something is really important for our kids, we make sacrifices, we tighten the belt and some other places we figure it out. Right?
Well, of course you don't feel prepared. Because, how could you be?
Because, I mean, how could you be until you see and experience it? It's like were you prepared to fall in love with your husband, you know, on your first date, like this is just how it goes. Right?
I mean, Steve Jobs said "People don't know what they want until they see it"
I TRY to prepare people that they will LOVE their portraits.
It only makes sense once you're able to see what this really means for your family.
*Very* few people even consider their family's visual legacy, let alone prepare for it. So you're in good company!
But here we are, and this is the moment where we *do* consider it.
This decision is most powerfully decided when you look back on it,
This portrait has the least value the minute you hang it on the wall.
But then it grows year by year - decades from now - to your grandkids it will be invaluable.
Which portrait would you love to have as a celebration of family when your children have moved out?
Which portrait gives you the most pride in the accomplishments of your children?
Which portrait best illustrates that family is everything to your grandkids and to their grandkids?
we're just not we're just not spontaneous people. We're just very careful.
I understand. You are not spontaneous. I get it
help me see that like, careful, like, like, how do you mean careful to do what?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)Spend money
When you do spend money, what do you want to make sure you're doing?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)Well, we want to make sure we don't regret it. We want to make sure it doesn't put other needs and issues into
When you look at this, do you feel like there's anything about this that you would regret having Five years 10 years down the road?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)No
What do you feel that this family portrait gives your family?
As a legacy portrait, what would it give your grandchildren?
So when you take a look at this, is there anything you feel opposed to when you look at it?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)Just the money
Just the money, but not the pieces?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Right
Great. So you know, we just work out the money part, but just figure that out.
oh, we just got to work out the financial part. How does it need to be? You know, let's talk real numbers. Let's talk a reality. You know, let's break this up. Let's, let's see how this needs to be.
(MIRROR BACK)...can't afford it?
Can you tell me more about that? Some people are getting divorce, some people are going to vacation. Some people have never done this before. I want to make sure that I really take care of you know what the concern is here. Talk to me.
(LET THEM TELL YOU) Then ask,
Ok, putting aside your dog's knee surgery and your son going off to college for a moment... Is this something you *want* to do?"
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well yes absolutely!")
It's true - we do finish all of our artwork as original pieces, and they are priced accordingly. I really feel like we have SOMETHING that is a fit for every budget, so if you want art of your family, we're honored to create it for you. Some families do pay for this outright today, and some will finance their purchase.
Now, of course you're free to choose something that is not what you want, and will make you sad every time you look at it. You can totally choose that. But that would mean making the cost of it the most important thing.
Here's what I know, by helping a lot of families with this is that when we really discover like, what the right size is for how you want it to feel what you want it to do for you and then we figure out the financial part, then it is a decision you never regret in your life, because every single time you look at it, it's exactly what you want it to be.
How does that sound?
GO TO IT'S JUST THE WRONG TIMING
(MIRROR BACK)...you are broke? I hear what you are saying
Can you tell me more about that? Some people are getting divorce, some people are going to vacation. Some people have never done this before. I want to make sure that I really take care of you know what the concern is here. Talk to me.
(LET THEM TELL YOU) Then ask,
Ok, putting aside your dog's knee surgery and your son going off to college for a moment... Is this something you *want* to do?"
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well yes absolutely!")
It's true - we do finish all of our artwork as original pieces, and they are priced accordingly. I really feel like we have SOMETHING that is a fit for every budget, so if you want art of your family, we're honored to create it for you. Some families do pay for this outright today, and some will finance their purchase.
Now, of course you're free to choose something that is not what you want, and will make you sad every time you look at it. You can totally choose that. But that would mean making the cost of it the most important thing.
Here's what I know, by helping a lot of families with this is that when we really discover like, what the right size is for how you want it to feel what you want it to do for you and then we figure out the financial part, then it is a decision you never regret in your life, because every single time you look at it, it's exactly what you want it to be.
How does that sound?
GO TO IT'S JUST THE WRONG TIMING
---------------
When things are really tight, there's always something that I feel like I just want to let myself have...
Like, what are those things for you guys? And even when things are tight, like what do you splurge on?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE-They might say travel.)
Okay, talk to me about that. Like why travel? What does travel give you?
(tie you know, your portraits to like, you know, what's so great about THIS experience is it's like you get to travel and go to this other, you know, world anytime you look at it, ESPECIALLY for your children)
Well, of course you don't feel prepared. Because, how could you be?
Because, I mean, how could you be until you see and experience it?
I mean, Steve Jobs said "People don't know what they want until they see it"
I TRY to prepare people that they will LOVE their portraits.
It only makes sense once you're able to see what this really means for your family.
*Very* few people even consider their family's visual legacy, let alone prepare for it. So you're in good company!
But here we are, and this is the moment where we *do* consider it.
This decision is most powerfully decided when you look back on it,
This portrait has the least value the minute you hang it on the wall.
But then it grows year by year - decades from now - to your grandkids it will be invaluable.
Think of it this way -
Which portrait would you love to have as a celebration of family when your children have moved out?
Which portrait gives you the most pride in the accomplishments of your children?
Which portrait best illustrates that family is everything to your grandkids and to their grandkids?
Of course you CAN get a smaller size, but
I'm not hearing that that is making you light up inside. So let's just figure out what we can do. I know we can't go overboard, but let's just let's just talk about some different possibilities.
#2 When objections come up,
ask probing, clarifying questions to deeply understand what the issue is.
REFRAIN FROM PROBLEM SOLVING. DO NOT OFFER DISCOUNTS OR ADD-ON ITEMS.
--"How do you mean exactly?"
ask up to 3 times to understand their situation.
Do they have too many payment commitments per month, and would be served by a low and longer payment plan?
Are they going through something short but intense, like buying a house, and just need small payments for several months but can then take care of it all once?
CLARIFY--you do not know the situation until they explain it to you.
Can you tell me more about that? Some people are getting divorce, some people are going to vacation. Some people have never done this before. I want to make sure that I really take care of you know what the concern is here. Talk to me.
(LET THEM TELL YOU) Then ask,
Ok, putting aside your dog's knee surgery and your son going off to college for a moment... Is this something you *want* to do?"
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well yes absolutely!")
I hear you. Do you mind if I ask… just for a moment, can we put financial concerns to the side?
OR
Okay, so let's just let's just take the timing thing, just put that over here for a moment. What is it about this, that does feel perfect for you?
Just for a minute— we can come right back to it (big smile)
When you think about these portraits, and the reason this felt important, why was that?
Why now?
(They need to hear their reasons in their own ears, from their own mouth--NOT YOURS) This is giving them the chance to persuade themselves.)
After they've told you, you can say,
Well, it sounds like this is pretty important to you...
If the timing were better than me, would this feel like the perfect thing for you? And if you really were free to have the perfect thing from this, what would that even be? I’m just curious.
When they tell you, repeat it, and ask:
IF THEY SAY NO:
it just it feels like it's just too big.
Great. You know what, let's go take a look at it again. And let's really find the size that when you look at it, it feels like Oh, I love it. But you can't get to that.
IF THEY SAY YES
A 40” canvas. But why, though? Why *that* portrait, at *that* size. What does it help you feel, and why is that important? Just out of pure curiosity.
They tell you.
Keeping what you’ve just told me in mind, when you think about not having this, now or ever, because this moment in time never comes around again, would you like to see what we could do to make this possible?
(After all that they will most likely say yes, and then you’ve got a chance to find something workable.)
If they say "no, we really can’t do it," your last ditch effort can be:
When you say can’t do it… could you… could you tell me a little bit more about that? Sometimes when I understand a little bit more, I can come up with something we haven’t thought of yet.
(If they are solid no’s all the way through with no openings, you’re done.
Most importantly— their desire to find a workable solution will only match their desire for the portrait and what it does for them. If the desire is weak, the problem solving part will be too. That’s why the beginning is the most important part, because that’s when the flames of desire get fanned.
It's only after an exchange like the ones above that you should offer some suggestions.
Well, if... (the thing that matters to them),
and... (the block in the way), what if we could....
(suggested solution specifically connected to what they explained to you)
EXAMPLE:
So we've made the right decision, and the timing is just bad. So you have to XXXXXX. And so but in you know, four months or six months, things are going to ease up for you. Correct?
Yeah. Right.
Okay, so let's do this, let's get you set up on like a ridiculously long payment plan so that the monthly payments are really small. And then in four or five, six months, you can just take care of it and pay it off. We make it really comfortable for you just to get through the thing. And then after the thing, you can take care of it.
(when people give you this kind of objection, do not feel for them. Get Paid. Don't put it off on promises and you know, and emotion. We are not a charity and we're not doing this for hugs.)
Let's set aside the timing for a bit. Do you tell me what do you love about this portrait?
Here are some suggestion phrases:
"What if..."
"What do you think about..."
"If you could..."
"Do you feel like..."
"If we could put that aside for the moment, how do you feel about..."
You know, do you remember when we looked at the smaller size, how that felt? (ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Okay, so then we want to talk about, you know, being able to help people get as close to the ideal as possible, so that every time they look at it, they don't feel like that it looks silly, or it's not enough, or it's not big enough, right?
And then, you know, we can work things out as far as helping people.
EXAMPLE
Well, if this portrait is the most powerful way for your children to see how loved they are, and you haven't had anything that celebrates your family is a beautifully as this portrait does, but it just seems totally financially out of reach,
how would you feel if we came up with a payment plan that helped you have everything you wanted with monthly payments you can live with?
Client says: "Holiday time is so difficult! Just endless bills and overspending... I'm just completely tapped out, there's no way I can spend anything more on pictures."
RESPONSE: "The holidays are just so.... full, right?
It can really feel like a lot.
Luckily it's fleeting and only happens once a year!
You know, I wonder... do you even remember what you got for Christmas last year?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Do you think kids actually remember?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Like, think of it this way: if it's Christmas time, and I'm your sister, and you're gonna buy me a gift, why are you doing that? What do you want to communicate to me?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I understand, you know, the reason why, you know, we spend money on gifts is because we're trying to tell the people that we love, something really important, and that is that they matter and that we love them. But this is what I just want to ask you is like when you think about, you know, the sweater, the coffee maker, the massage gift certificate, like whatever, is anyone running into a burning building for any of those?
No, but when you think about a family portrait, and you've taken this desire to show people, how much you love them, and how much they matter to you. And now they get to see that for themselves every single day on the wall. And it's a thing you run into a burning building for. I mean, it's up to you, you could do whatever you want, but you can consider that maybe this Christmas, how would it be if the gift to the family was something like this? And how many pairs of socks do people need?
When you think about it, a portrait like this is the complete opposite...
Every day it's this amazing reminder of what really matters...
and you said it yourself earlier-- family.
What would it feel like to have something that cuts through all the noise of this time of year,
something you and your family love coming home to?
Something that doesn't eventually get donated to Good Will like sweaters and whatnot,
but just gets more valuable each year?
People don't run into burning buildings for the toys after all.
They only do that for things that can't ever be replaced, like the family portraits.
You know, when you think about kids and the magic of Christmas? Oh my god, what if she could have the magic of Christmas, the magic of fairy tale every single day? What if it's Christmas morning, every single day because she gets to see herself in this fairy portrait.
Would you like to talk about some possibilities to help this happen for you?
Well of course he doesn't! There are probably 842 other things he would rather spend money on, 3 of which you might agree with.
We all have our things.
But here's the thing--
it's moms who take on the heavy lifting of family portraits.
It's moms who understand how important this is,
And it's moms who make sure this gets done.
It's moms who make sure the family has certain things that dads don't ever have to worry about it.
Of course this isn't his thing. But that doesn't mean it's unimportant.
The question is, should someone who doesn't care about this kind of thing make the final decision about it, or should it be the person who understands not just how important it is now, but decades from now?
You wanted to do this for a reason
(remind her of what she said)
Let’s make sure that doesn’t go to waste.
OR
Let’s makes sure what’s important for the family doesn’t get thrown away just because it’s not one person’s thing)
STILL DON’T HAVE THE MONEY OR GIVE A MONEY OBJECTION
I know. I know. I understand that.
(STAY SILENT)
I do understand that. And I know, you've probably never been to a studio like this before, have you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "I have not, no.")
I totally get that.
Many people come in with pretty low expectations, because that's what's out there, right?
Well of course there can be some sticker shock if you've never done anything like this before.
But let me ask you, why would we only show the very least of what we can do for you, especially if you've never had an experience like this?
The most powerful choice you can make is an informed one, and that's why we show you all the possibilities.
How can you make an educated decision if you weren't given a chance to consider what's possible?
I understand you came in thinking about one thing, and now you're considering something else, but that's life right?
How many times do you go into Target for dog food and come out with an overflowing cart?
You didn't realize you wanted or needed it until you had the chance to see it.
The same is true with this.
Instead of just the one thing, now you can actually come away with perfect thing.
So putting aside the financial aspect for a moment, when you look at this portrait at the 40" size, does it in fact feel perfect, and something you'd like to have?
Because if so, that's just the truth of it-- you knew it when you saw it.
And now we just figure out the financial part with financing or spacing it out over time....
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
But there's two ways to make this decision.
One is by what it costs.
If we make the decision by what it costs, we can't care what it looks like.
The other is by the IMPACT it will have on our family in the time, like decades that it is displayed in our homes
So does it feel like the most important thing here is to NOT spend anything?
The reason I ask is, I love to help people
have what they'd really love to have,
and that is never just the one at the smallest size we offer.
It's really no problem if that's what you choose,
but if you could do something else,
what might that even be?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
But what I found to be very true as a mother,
what I found is more often than not, we regret the things that we don't do.
Money comes and goes, but
opportunities are not always there for us.
And I have enough sad stories to share with you
about families that have come in here.
Now my job here is to
help you guys get what you love.
So let me see what we can do to help
So when you were coming in today
did you have an idea in your mind of where you might be?
I mean, you obviously knew you're going to spend something?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well, yeah, but not more than like $500.")
Okay, I understand that.
That's probably where I would have been too.
So we can do a couple of things here.
First I need to hear from you: what's the most important thing to you?
HARD NO FROM THE GUY:
I hear ya. John, I understand how this feels for you.
I'm just saying I can't tell you how many families and how many stories I've heard from people that after they've done that, they, they are so thankful they are so grateful. And they only realized how important it was once it was up on their wall and they got to see the impact that had on their family, for years and years, and how important these portraits are to them. And I know in this moment, you're thinking about everything you got going on, and that you just can't do it. And I'm just looking down the road.
And it just you just it's not it's not obvious in this moment, but it becomes obvious in time.
You know, it's like this, this is the moment, you know, where you get to be the hero of the story and you get to be the reason why your family gets to have this or you know or not.
Listen, the reason why I'm saying this is because I can't tell you how many stories I've heard about, you know, that Tomorrow is not promised, you know, and that, you know, things happen in life. And that this was the portrait that people gathered around
XXX, how do I tell you that whatever money constraint, whatever, financial anxiety, whatever you no reason you have for wanting to say no to this doesn't compare to what this will do for her, how do I tell you that without you getting mad at me?
None of that matters compares to what this is going to do for your kids. Right and all the money that that you know, we spend on you know, camp or horseback riding or vacations or whatever, you know, those experiences all disappear. This is the only thing that gives her a daily reminder. There's nothing as powerful as her seeing it for herself with her own eyes every single day.
OPTION 1
So, do you guys have any anniversary, birthday, Mother's Day or Holiday coming up, because we can see she really loves this, and maybe this could be one of those gifts for her...
OPTION 2
Tom, let me ask you... if you had to choose, what feels more important to you, not spending above a certain amount on something that isn't what your wife really wants, or making sure your wife gets to have something really important to her at the size that feels perfect for both her and your home?
If it's both
Well let's see what size the artwork needs to be at least so that it is appropriately sized, and then we can talk about making the financial piece more comfortable by spacing it over time and not such a big deal."
If it's not spending
Well, you can certainly make that decision, the only thing is the money part of this will come and go, but what you'll be left with forever is something that
feels too small.
It'll never get better,
and it ends up just being a reminder of what could have been instead of a celebration of what's most important--family.
When you look back on this decision, saving some money, or having a gorgeous portrait that transforms your home as well as how people see themselves, which one will you be happier about giving your family?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
If he doesn't agree
Well of course iI understand how you feel - there are probably 842 other things YOU would rather spend money on, 3 of which your wife might agree with.
We ALL have our things.
But here's the thing--
it's moms who take on the heavy lifting of family portraits.
It's moms who understand how important this is,
And it's moms who make sure this gets done.
It's moms who make sure the family has certain things that dads don't ever have to worry about it.
Of course this isn't YOUR thing. But that doesn't mean it's unimportant.
The question is, should the person who doesn't care about this kind of thing make the final decision about it, or should it be the person who understands not just how important it is now, but decades from now?
You wanted to do this for a reason
(remind her of what she said)
Let’s make sure that doesn’t go to waste.
OR
Let’s makes sure what’s important for the family doesn’t get thrown away just because it’s not one person’s thing)
STILL DON’T HAVE THE MONEY OR GIVE A MONEY OBJECTION
I know. I know. I understand that.
(STAY SILENT)
I do understand that. And I know, you've probably never been to a studio like this before, have you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "I have not, no.")
I totally get that.
Many people come in with pretty low expectations, because that's what's out there, right?
Well of course there can be some sticker shock if you've never done anything like this before.
But let me ask you, why would we only show the very least of what we can do for you, especially if you've never had an experience like this?
The most powerful choice you can make is an informed one, and that's why we show you all the possibilities.
How can you make an educated decision if you weren't given a chance to consider what's possible?
I understand you came in thinking about one thing, and now you're considering something else, but that's life right?
How many times do you go into Target for dog food and come out with an overflowing cart?
You didn't realize you wanted or needed it until you had the chance to see it.
The same is true with this.
Instead of just the one thing, now you can actually come away with perfect thing.
So putting aside the financial aspect for a moment, when you look at this portrait at the 40" size, does it in fact feel perfect, and something you'd like to have?
Because if so, that's just the truth of it-- you knew it when you saw it.
And now we just figure out the financial part with financing or spacing it out over time....
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
But there's two ways to make this decision.
One is by what it costs.
If we make the decision by what it costs, we can't care what it looks like.
The other is by the IMPACT it will have on our family in the time, like decades that it is displayed in our homes
So does it feel like the most important thing here is to NOT spend anything?
The reason I ask is, I love to help people
have what they'd really love to have,
and that is never just the one at the smallest size we offer.
It's really no problem if that's what you choose,
but if you could do something else,
what might that even be?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
But what I found to be very true as a mother,
what I found is more often than not, we regret the things that we don't do.
Money comes and goes, but
opportunities are not always there for us.
And I have enough sad stories to share with you
about families that have come in here.
Now my job here is to
help you guys get what you love.
So let me see what we can do to help
So when you were coming in today
did you have an idea in your mind of where you might be?
I mean, you obviously knew you're going to spend something?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well, yeah, but not more than like $500.")
Okay, I understand that.
That's probably where I would have been too.
So we can do a couple of things here.
First I need to hear from you: what's the most important thing to you?
HARD NO FROM THE GUY:
I hear ya. John, I understand how this feels for you.
I'm just saying I can't tell you how many families and how many stories I've heard from people that after they've done that, they, they are so thankful they are so grateful. And they only realized how important it was once it was up on their wall and they got to see the impact that had on their family, for years and years, and how important these portraits are to them. And I know in this moment, you're thinking about everything you got going on, and that you just can't do it. And I'm just looking down the road.
And it just you just it's not it's not obvious in this moment, but it becomes obvious in time.
You know, it's like this, this is the moment, you know, where you get to be the hero of the story and you get to be the reason why your family gets to have this or you know or not.
Listen, the reason why I'm saying this is because I can't tell you how many stories I've heard about, you know, that Tomorrow is not promised, you know, and that, you know, things happen in life. And that this was the portrait that people gathered around
XXX, how do I tell you that whatever money constraint, whatever, financial anxiety, whatever you no reason you have for wanting to say no to this doesn't compare to what this will do for her, how do I tell you that without you getting mad at me?
I hear this from dads all the time. It's like, oh, you know, do we need that? And yet, dads have never had to grow up female,
Right? My guy friends, they do not understand why this is important.
And I'm like, aren't you lucky that you have no idea because you know dudes just don't.
THIS - honestly, It's not FOR you. It's not ABOUT you. And I understand if you don't get that
None of that matters compares to what this is going to DO for your kids. Right and all the money that you know, we spend on you know, camp or horseback riding or vacations or whatever, you know, those experiences all disappear. THIS is the only thing that gives her a daily reminder. There's nothing as powerful as her seeing it for herself with her own eyes every single day. imagine you know, this piece in your living room, and what it's going to tell your family
(with lots of pausing and hesitation) "You know... do you mind if... can I ask you a really personal question? And if you don't want to answer it's totally ok if you tell me to go fish (big smile) I know he's really not into this, and you really are... how would it be to ask for support, you know, instead of permission?" (shrug)
There's a difference between asking for permission and asking for support because this is your dream, your desire, not his, we're not going to try to make it be his dream and his desire it isn't. We're just asking him to support that in us and then the question is, is what if the roles were reversed? What if there was something that was his dream and his desire? You know, would he want you to support him?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I'm married so I get it, but I am just saying this to say if we give the power of this decision to him in five years from now and we still don't have a family portrait Who are you going to be mad at?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What if we, what if we ask him to be supportive? And to just not be the reason that this can't happen? But if that's all we ask of him, so that we get to help you have what you would love to have?
More of like: I did this thing. And I'm not asking for permission, I'm just asking for you to support me in this. I know it's not your thing. No one's ever gonna try and make it bigger thing. But I support you in your stuff. And I'm asking you to support me in this.
Can I just ask, you know, woman to woman, you know, would you have a conversation like that?
How do you feel about this?
WIFE: "Yes, sure, absolutely," and went on to say we just really have to stick with this budget.
(If she'd said, "oh I would never do something without his permission," then I'd know that door was closed. Even though she went right back to her budget concerns, the door was still open. So, since she agreed she could ask for support instead, I just went on to asking her a series of questions to figure out what was most important to her. )
(She wanted canvas, but size was most important.
And more important than that was to go through every single option trying to get the price down without losing what mattered, so that she could go to him and say "I made the best decision after taking everything into account." At the beginning she said she couldn't spend more than an additional $500, but went on to spend $2,000. I say give this a try, be charming and disarming, and see how it goes!)
Okay, let me ask you this, what does this need to be do you think so that both of you can feel really comfortable with the end result? Do you want to go take another look at it?
DIRECTED TO HUSBAND: (with lots of pausing and hesitation)
"I'M JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT how to tell you you're keeping your family from having something they'd run into a burning building for without you getting upset w/ me..."
this kind of thing...(MIRROR BACK)
well, what do you mean?
(GET THEM TO SAY PHOTOS/PICTURES
Oh, well see, I mean, I wouldn't either. You know, because pictures is like what I have on my phone? I wouldn't spend on that either.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
But I think I understand what you are saying. Of course, you feel that way. You've never done this before. And it's a big deal.
The thing is that when you bought your first car, or when you had to buy a fridge, or something that you've never purchased before, up until that moment, you weren't someone who bought a car, like who buys a car until you're someone who has bought a car. Right?
And so what can happen is, it can feel really uncomfortable, just because it is so unfamiliar.
And this is also a really big deal. This is no small thing. So you take you know, something that's really significant as something you've never done before, it can feel really uncomfortable.
So, you know, what we're here to do is to really discover like, what even is the perfect thing for you?
Okay, we don't have to you doesn't have to be huge, you know, we don't have to do a lot, but let's figure out, you know, what is the what is the right thing for the impact, you would like this kind of thing to have in your life and for your family.
And all that means is it's just being open to looking at different things, so that you can see with your own eyes, and then I'm just here to help you. How does that sound?
Sometimes people want to make sure that they're not making a mistake.
So, but the way that we make sure that we're not making a mistake is to see it in front of us. So that we don't go too big. But we also don't go too small.
The financial part, we’ll work that out - we space that out to give you breathing room - but it is important for you guys to have the thing that feels IMPORTANT and FEELS RIGHT for you. So let's figure out what that even is.
IF THEY MENTION COST:
The financial part, we’ll work that out - we space that out to give you breathing room - but it is important for you guys to have the thing that feels IMPORTANT and FEELS RIGHT for you.
I mean, something to consider is do we want to make this decision based on what it costs? is it fair to say that the cost of this is actually like the most important deciding factor in your decision making process?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Something to consider is do you want to make this decision based on what it looks like how it feels and the amount of impact it's going to have on your family?
You absolutely can do either one - which one feels mort important to you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I totally get that. And if you're looking at like this potato or that potato, I mean, why spend money that you don't have to, like, just get the cheapest potato.
But here's the thing with with art and portraiture, is that if we make our decision based on cost, we can't care what it looks like.
We can't care about what kind of impact it has because we're going to always have to choose like the smallest size or, you know, the least impressive finish or, you know, framing it yourself or, you know, if we always put that first we just we can't care about the end result of it really.
And that's a fair choice. You can do that. Absolutely.
Like if I'm going to buy a pair of shoes, I can buy the cheapest pair. And the place that sells you the cheap shoes will say great, I'm glad we can helped you have what you wanted from this experience, which was to not spend anything, just like we will if that is ultimately what you choose to do.
Or when you think about your shoes, you can ask myself, what do I need this pair of shoes to DO for me?
I want to run a marathon.
Okay, so I'm gonna go to a store that specializes in shoes for marathon runners because the end result is more important than the money I would save by buying the cheapest one because I don't WANT to get blisters. THAT's most important to me.
So we can make the decision on cost and not care, or we can really care about the end result and the impact, and then the cost is what it is
The thing is that the most lasting decision you make is the size. And how does it transform, you know, people's experience of themselves because of what they're able to see in this portrait because that's the power of this kind of portrait.
Right? The money part comes and goes, right, we work that part out , it's the most fleeting part of this entire experience.
Here's the thing - what I don't want to see happen for you is that every single time you look at this, you think it's too small, it's not what I WANTED it to be. And since this is a LEGACY portrait that we want your grandkids to be able to enjoy, what they will get to experience is the reality of the decisions that we make today.
If I remember you said when you came in you said things to me like family is everything and I just want my kids to know how loved they are and that we're a unit.
That's incredibly important but if we have that so small that no one ever notices it.
IF THEY ARE PRICE SENSITIVE:
IF THEY SAY: I don't have an unlimited budget. So it's, it's a factor how much it cost
Okay, maybe so what I'm hearing is we don't want to go overboard. Right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
We don't want to do too much just for giggles we want to do like what feels like the perfect thing because we don't have an unlimited budget just to do whatever we want for no good reason. We want to be purposeful - Is that what I'm hearing?
IF THEY SAY: I am not sure that I can afford the perfect thing.
I get that. So let's figure out what the perfect thing is. We'll just see. Let's go figure that out. Just put that over here for a minute. And just let your eyeballs tell you what makes you happy.
is cost the only factor in your decision when choosing a photographer artwork?
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY PERSIST IN BEING PRICE SENSITIVE
Really, we can make this decision, you know, two ways.
One, what does it look like?
How does it feel?
What kind of impact does it have?
Versus what does it cost?
When you make the decision based on what it costs, we can't care what it looks like.
When we make the decision based on what it gives us, the feeling it creates in those that it impacts, you know, that's lasting. And then it happens to cost this much and we will work that out.
So for you making this decision, you know, which of those two ways feels the most important to you?
Either one is fine.
It's just that you do need to care about one thing more than the other.
IF THEY WANT TO GO DOWN A SIZE
We could we could go down to size, you could save a little bit of money. You might want to consider it could totally be a size that kind of blends in with everything and ever gets noticed. OR you could consider even just going up one size, so it doesn't look silly and insignificant, so it gets noticed and have some impact, it's up to you.
But let me ask you, is it worth it to have the feeling that it's never enough, forever to save a little bit of money?
And if we could space this out for you over time, and make it a bit more comfortable for you, is it worth having something that you don't that isn't perfect for you?
So childlike curiosity - "Really? What made you come in?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)For the kids.
FOR THE DADS WHO SAY THIS:
Of course it's not your thing, John, I don't need to show you that. You're strong and beautiful. You either know that already or you got something else so that I probably can't help you with.
ANSWER: For the kids. Oh, well, how would it be if she got to see this every single day and she got to be surrounded by the thing that lights her up? Because I know it's not your thing. You know, because you're a grown up like the time for that has passed. But for her. It's everything right now.
Right. But you didn't do this for yourself, did you.? You did it for your daughter. So like, what it's going to give to her daughter, and what would that be worth to her?
It's like, yeah, you know what, like, in a couple of years, she's gonna grow out of this. You know, but here's the thing, you know, what I've heard from other parents is because I run into my clients, like at the grocery store all the time, I always ask like, so what's it like, you know, it's been a couple years now you've got this portrait, oh, my God, my daughter still loves that. I would have thought she would have grown out of it. But she still loves showing that portrait off. Right?
Because what this portrait does is that it reminds her of this time, that was magical. Even when she grows out of it, she gets to come back to this feeling every she every single time she looks at it, like that's actually what this is for. So I know, it's a big deal. It's not cheap. But when we think about you know, like, the money we spend on like birthday parties, or like, you know, whatever, gifts that our kids forget about, you know, the plastic, you know, Fisher Price, you know, kitchen set that gets taken to the dump, you know, versus something like this, right? I mean, it's not just for now, this is for years and years, she's gonna show this to her kids and hopefully take her girls to an experience like this and say your grandmother did this for me.
Yeah, right. But it's not for you. It's for
your daughter. What is this gonna give her?
Well, what's on your phone is free,
and you already HAVE it,
taking a cell phone photo is one of the quickest things you can do, right?
So... this isn't actually free, because
it's taken significant time and considerable energy, yes?
You made sure to dress up and look your best (or whatever they did),
With driving we're looking at 4-5 hours of time
that could have been spent on a hundred other things.
Is it fair to say no one has time to spend on things that don't matter?
What was important to you about this,
why go out of your way to have something as meaningful and beautiful as this?
The reason why I'm making such a point of asking these questions and understanding why this is important for you is, I want to make sure whatever felt important in the beginning is what you come away with at the end.
Can you help me see this really clearly through your eyes, so we really focus on that
instead of things that don't matter?
I JUST WANT THE FREEBY
Walk me through that.
Like, how did you get to that decision? What like, what made you do that before even seeing it?
I get it, you know, the most important thing is even to figure out like what even like, you know, because then we'll know where to go.
Listen, I put things together for people all the time, I want to find out everything you'd love to have. And then I want to put something together for you that I hope just knocks your socks off.
Could you share with me what’s making you hesitate?
Usually at this point people are over the moon and so excited to have what they love.
What feels in the way of that for you?
I understand.
(SHOW THEM THE 40" - DESIGNER $4500/$4000 - $1000 = OUT OF POCKET $3500/$3000)
That will help your child see in themselves
what you want them to see about themselves.
So what's the gift that you're wanting to send forward.
Because every time they come home, this is going to catch their eye, and it's going to tell them something
We get to decide in this moment, what that's going to be for them
If the reason for your family session is…
to show the children of your family
how connected you truly are,
how loved they are,
shouldn't it be large enough for everyone to truly see themselves?
Will it really accomplish it's purpose of showing your family how important they are,
if they can't even really see themselves
How can you show your family how important they are,
if they can't even really see themselves?
How can all of those things happen in just one very small picture? They can't.
That's part of why I recommend the 40 inch size.
OBJ-"CAN I SEE IT SMALLER?" (REFERRING TO SINGLE)
OR "IT'S STILL TOO MUCH"
(SHOW THEM ONE SIZE SMALLER)
(SHOW THEM THE 30")
PUT UP 30 INCH (SINGLE FAMILY PORTRAIT) PROJECTED AT EXACT SIZE ON OUR ORDERING SESSION ROOM WALL
To really see the difference,
I want you to look at (YOUNGEST CHILD'S) eyes
-(POINT OUT IN THE FAMILY PORTRAIT THE YOUNGEST CHILD)
Okay, now look at your daughter's
(or husband's or whoever's) eyes in this size".
(SHOW 40 INCH)
This is the 30 inch (SHOW 30 INCH)
(Intentionally pause)
and then switch the 40 size
This is the 40 inch (SHOW 40 INCH)
Now look at your daughter's eyes in this size.
Do you see how much more life there is?
As you may have noticed her eyes REALLY sparkle at this size. It's because we can see them more clearly.
This size allows our artist to go detail within detail and highlight within highlight.
What this means is that it will give you a greater
viewing distance, not just when you’re dusting it.
You are going to have the portrait for the rest of your life, so it's important
See the difference?
There is a reason that you are drawn to the 40” size.
It’s subconscious.
It’s what our brains have been taught all our life when we go to museums.
-the rules of art
-the Portrait Gallery downtown?
-always show the portraits between the 50% and 100% of life size.
If your portrait falls within this range, the portrait will have a sense of presence about it.
-makes the portrait come to life.”
As the adult faces get smaller in a portrait,
the youngest members of the family are lost
The 40" portrait size and larger are
most often chosen by people who value the rules of art
That the art makes a demand for an appropriate size.
If you do choose to reduce the size of your
family portrait from THE 40 to THE 30
- What that would do is keep your bonuses
which give you such great value.
How does that feel?
CAN'T DECIDE-SIZES, IF THEY - Either way, I usually say…
Well, if you are sure it will be either a 30” or 40” portrait,
why don’t we write the order
up at the smaller size?
That way you can get the
bonus portraits for ordering at the time of
viewing.
Then, you can just call us if you decide the larger size works out best.
Well for sure a 30/24 would work, and it can save you $xxxx over the 40/30.
Let's for sure nail this one down and that way you can apply your certificate/bonuses.
If you get home and decide the 30 will "fit better", then call us back by tomorrow."
This is a strategy that has worked very well for me over the years.
CAN'T DECIDE, ZERO
No problem, if you can't decide today, or you're waiting to move into your new home, or waiting on your tax return... or.......
IF THEY CAN’T DECIDE
If your order is not complete today,
then you're welcome to pay for a second ordering session.
A second ordering session fee is only $200
and gives you three months to schedule another ordering session.
I should also let you know that we do have some offers that will only be available during your ordering session.
Any products ordered during a completed ordering session will be
kept for reorders, but
after three months, if a second ordering session is not paid for or held,
portraits will be discarded -
we discard portraits you don't want.
I mean, if you don't want them, we don’t either.
Do you want to go ahead and pay for that second ordering session now?
It's really better to do that because
Portraits may be deleted if you forget and we don't hear back from you punctually.
We cannot guarantee any availability of portraits after the next four weeks.
To avoid an additional session fee, we would need to fill out all paperwork today, if you would like your 10” - we can do that for you.
(Start filling out paperwork for the gifted portrait if that’s what they decided)
and then as I fill it out I mention something for their holding fee. Undecided clients are almost always ZERO’s for me.... so I don’t delay the process)
Are there any others you just would like to have?
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
So when we think about this purpose, which is to help your child feel a, b, and c, you know, where's the most powerful place this COULD be displayed in your home?
What size is it really is less about the location and more about what size it needs to be to achieve what it's capable of, which is to transport her into this space where she gets some sense of specialness.
MAGIC WAND - ISOLATE THE SIZE OF A SINGLE
NEGOTIATING THE SIZE FIRST - (IF THEY ARE WAVERING BECAUSE OF PRICE NAIL DOWN THE SIZE FIRST) HOLDING UP A FRAME DURING THE SALE TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE IN SIZE
IF THEY SAY: "I don't know if I could do that or not"
It's okay,
Let me see what I can do to help you
because ultimately, your money is not my goal,
your loyalty to us and
fulfilling your vision that's my goal, right?"
I can tell that this might not be exactly what you want.
If you could just wave your magic wand
and get exactly what you want,
the size that you connected with
and felt like the children really came to life,
like if money wasn't a concern, cost was the same
which size do you love?
what would that be?"
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So if I understand you guys,
the 40" is where your heart is at?
Great! Let's add that to the cart.
You liked the XXX finish, right?
(ADD THE SINGLE TO THE CART IN THE DESIGNER FINISH THEY WANT)
It's like, you know, we could certainly do that.
But how nice would it be for each sister to have an experience of herself, that she's not sharing with her siblings. Then it's not about the connection between the two of them, but it's about who she is as an individual.
So I guess the real quesion is: What is it that we want to celebrate and how one thing is not more important than the other, they're quite different. And each has its place. Right?
In my mind, I'm always thinking you could do whatever you want. And I understand I'm like, we have hard choices to make. But here's something to consider.
As mom quite often, you know, we wants to see our children together.
But for the siblings, they want something for themselves, to get something completely different for themselves.
Why would we deny us moms OR the or the individual siblings what they need, and want to see more of?
How is one more important than the other?
if we can't do you know, the two 24's of them as individuals, let's do something that feels a little bit more significant.
Maybe put the two of them together, you know, over here on thhis wall. And then you know, put the individual portraits in separate places because if they're right side by side, they're always going to be comparing themselves to each other. That way we let each sister has a have their own place to shine. Most siblings do really love each other, but they fight all the time. So that's one reason I recommend putting them in different places.
And of course, as we are thinking about that remembering: What is the purpose of this?
What how is that best achieved?
At what size?
at what location?
What are your thoughts?
I JUST NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT
No worries. I totally understand. You can think about it, obviously.
The thing is that I've been doing this for a long time. And when someone says they need to think about it, what I've learned is that it's usually either one of two things.
Number one, they feel unsure about the portraits.
So do you FEEL like you made the right choice as far as the portraits?
Do you LOVE what we put together for you?
Does it FEEL perfect?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yes, we are sure.(then move on to NUMBER TWO
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) No, we are NOT sure.
Okay, let's go take another look at it and see, you know what the right thing is for you.
(IF THEY WANT TO LOWER THE SIZE A LOT)
That drastic of a of a jump, you know, I found can be because we were dealing with some financial concerns. Is that fair to say?
NUMBER TWO
So if it feels perfect, then it's probably the second thing - that something's concerning you about the numbers.
So, let me ask you, Is it the OVERALL cost?
or is it just the idea of spending this kind of money on something like this?
What is it that's concerning you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF IT'S THE OVERALL COST
I understand. So it sounds like we are dealing with some financial concerns. Is that fair to say?Let's see, we can do about that. (OFFER PAYMENT PLAN)
IF IT'S THE IDEA OF IT
I understand. Is this the first time we've ever done something like this?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So, of course, it feels uncomfortable, it's gonna feel like the, you know, the strangest thing you've probably ever done.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
You absolutely can think about it.
So here’s the thing -
(TURN OFF THE PHOTOS SO THE SCREEN IS BLANK)
Do you remember the name/number of your favorite portraits?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I know I don’t!
That’s why you really need to be looking at them to decide.
Yeah. Yeah. So the reason why I like to try to make these decisions and kind of hash it out when we're looking at them is so your eyeballs can really tell you what's true, because if they go away. It's like, Wait, which one? what's the ideal, like, what's the right size?
So the reason why we make the decision together when we're looking at them. It's the most effective, powerful, intentional way of making a visual decision like this.
You know, so we figure out what that part is. And then we just figure out the financial part. I haven't met anyone who has this in their budget. Right?
We just like break it up and space it out so you can breathe but still just have everything exactly the way that you'd love to have it.
And some people want to do it, you know, and half or thirds, some people want to do it over six months.
(PAUSE)
What are your thoughts on that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY "BUT I KNOW WHICH ONE I WANT"
"now we know what I want. I want the 20 inch. What I'm asking is, can I just think about that and call you tomorrow?"
Well, do you mind, if I ask you like what's holding you back? What's keeping you from knowing that that's the perfect choice for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) I just need to talk to my partner, you know, we make all the decisions together.
Is there a reason why he wasn't here?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So what happens? If he says no, and he hasn't gotten to see it?
Okay, so we do a couple of things. When we're in this kind of situation, we would need to schedule another meeting, because we never make any decisions without looking at them. Okay. So we can schedule a meeting where we have all three of us together so that he can get to see them. Okay. Or if you want to talk to like we, but we just need to be to have them in front of us. Is that something that you'd like to do?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Well, I guess Yeah, I know what I like 20 inch and yeah, I'll just, you know, talk to him, you know, regarding finances and stuff. There is nothing else for us to see. I mean, we know what we I mean, we know what I like,
Okay, so let's do this, just to make sure that you've got all the info for when you do talk with him. Let's get some real numbers for you to work with so that we can, you know, really make sure that you know, you've got everything you need information wise to be able to pass on to him. Does that sound good?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Yeah. So So let's see. So when we're spacing it out to feel like we want to space it out? Do you feel like you like the idea of using Affirm and financing? Do we like the idea? Three months, six months? Let's see like what it is monthly?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yeah, probably the longest thing plan.
So let's, let's say let's do nine months, it's gonna be $121 over nine months. How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yeah, definitely manageable.
Do you think that's something that he could be okay with?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Well, I guess so. But I'm not sure I just need to talk to him.
Let's do this. Let's - because you know him, right, you know, and love him best. You know what he's okay with and what he's not right. Let's, let's go back and look at the order again. And see, like, what does it need to be so that you feel really comfortable? Oh, okay. So that you feel really comfortable? Because you know, already typically what he's going to be comfortable? Like, what would it need to be for it to not be that big of a deal?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) You mean, like budget wise? Well, I guess we had a budget of 700.
Okay, so let's see, to to get to where, you know, he would be comfortable and this would not be any kind of big deal, and you probably wouldn't even need to talk to him about it. It means we're doing the small size that you don't particularly like. So my question to you, XXX, is, is it worth it? Or is it worth it to say, listen, we're gonna do the size that you're going to enjoy that feels like the right one for you. And we get to explain to him, you know, that we went through this whole process. And I'm sure he trusts you, you know, with a lot of different things. You know, do we get to just say, this is what we're doing so that the end result is what you feel like it actually should be.
So is it worth it for you to not have what you want? Or is it worth it to just figure this financial part out? And have it be what you want it to be?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) IF SHE SAYS NO
Sometimes it's like, you know, we CAN take something out and just feels more comfortable.
So sure, XXX, you can go and talk to your husband, that's no problem at all. Absolutely. No problem. But remembr before I said, that we've hired our artists today to do the work. The only reason I'm able to do that additional portrait for you is because she's going to be actually be working on your other portrait. But we won't be able to include the other one, because we have to then rehire the artist for a new time.
Absolutely. You can. But remember, before when I said that we are able to do something extra for people that are deciding at the time of viewing, we wouldn't be able to do that for you.
So let's do the thing that you're for sure about. And then so we'll do the wall portrait. And then you know, talk to your husband, you know about adding on the box or the album, but like getting the one thing done.
(Well, you know what, let's do the smaller one. And if you want the larger one, come back to me by tomorrow afternoon.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(IF THEY ARE STILL CONCERNED)
Sometimes people want to make sure that they're not making a mistake. is that's how it is feeling for you?
But the way that we make sure that we're not making a mistake is to see it in front of us. So that we don't go too big. But we also don't go too small.
It’s a visual decision - you really need to see the portraits. So as far as like going away and thinking about it, now, we've just taken away a really important tool, which is what our eyes tell us is right for us.
So I totally get wanting to take time, but that's what we've got right now. And I'm here to show you different possibilities, what is perfect for you, because you've seen it for yourself. let's do this together so that we can see the reality of , so we can really see what's true.
Let me see if I can help you decide now
while you can still see the portraits - what do you feel confused about?
— I totally get wanting to talk more about this, but without me to offer different possibilities and without being able to see the reality of how your choices would look, you’re stuck in the same place you are now.
So, talk to me— what’s on your mind, what should we take another look at?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) it's the money, we need to think about if we can afford that.
(IF THEY WON'T SAY IT'S THE MONEY, BUT IT IS SAY THIS)
Absolutely, you can think about it. I have clients, I've been thinking about it for the last five, six years, you know, so you think about it whenever you want. (LAUGH)
But you know, usually when I hear this, it's financial. So are there any concerns there?
(IF THEY ADMIT FINANCIAL CONCERNS)
I understand - the thing is that you are in good company. Nobody has a line item for fine art portraits in their budget so they have to find a way to make room for it.
So I guess I should ask - money aside - we will come back to it, but aside from the money, is this what you want?
if you need to, I can always step out the room.
ZOOM: if you need to, you can always mute the microphone and discuss.
iF THEY STILL SAY NO
So I can only be helpful if I'm a part of the conversation.
And the way that we make educated, intentional decisions is by seeing them with their own eyes. And so that's why we do this all together, so that we can really show you, you know, what this decision looks like.
Because when all this goes away, and it's like, Well, did you like the, you know, the 24, the 30, your, your brain will not give you an accurate picture of the reality of that. So of course you want to think about it, but this is how we do that by looking at it and talking about it.
Can I ask you a question? Is the most important factor of this decision what it costs?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So if it's not the most important factor, what is the most important factor as to whether you get to have this in your life or not?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, let's look at other options
What do you want to keep?
I guess I need to understand what's more important to you?
Are you thinking of multiple art pieces on your wall or just one?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(IF THEY SAY "JUST ONE WALL ART PIECE":
Figure out the size and the finish of the wall art piece and get that to be a done deal.
(And if they're really closed down, you can straight up say)
Okay, so is it fair to say, you know, what feels most important right now is to actually just not spend anything?
YOUR GOAL:
And then once they've relaxed a little bit, you might say:
You know...can if we even just go up one size, do you see how much better that is?
And here's the thing if we go up one size, I can include these other two or whatever.
Like, I totally get it but like to see the difference in what happens when we just go up one size.
(then you might be grinding away for $1,000 sale, but it is a whole lot better than refunding 300. Take a little bit of that push away, and just like coming in afterwards with a low offer. It works very, very well. asking all the questions is gonna is going to help them sell themselves on it. And so that's really where your skill as a salesperson or the person that you've hired, is being able to ask those kinds of, you know, thought provoking emotion evoking questions to make them go, Hmm, I haven't thought about it that way. Or now that you know, that we're talking about this, I'm starting to feel this urge, like, I do want this. Okay, because without that feeling, nothing is happening.)
ALTERNATIVE:
"Here's the thing though, in order to feel confident about a choice, it doesn't need time, it needs more information. hey, let's pretend you guys do that and you go on home. And here's just what I've seen is it's if you don't feel confident making the decision here, you're going to feel even less confident making the decision at home because the images aren't in front of you
If you're not sure, that means there are missing pieces.
But time doesn't give us more information.
Time doesn't fill in the missing pieces--only more information does. So what is it that, that taking the time, you know, will give you? Llike, what information do you feel like that we can do?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So, taking time and only thinking over the information you have, without access to more information, equals an uneducated decision, fair to say?
I'm here to help, and I can give you all the information you need to be really sure about this.
What is it you're still wondering about?
What's keeping you from not feeling sure?
What is it you still need to think about?
If I'm a part of the conversation, I can offer possibilities and solutions we haven't even discovered yet. How can I help?
If they say they need to talk to each other to get on the same page, see if you can give them space to do that *with* you.
"Awesome, let's see how everyone's feeling. Steve, what are your thoughts about this?
Samantha, how about you?"
Help them get it all out on the table with you, so that you can address it and offer a solution that takes care of both of them.
WE NEED TO MOVE MONEY AROUND
Okay. All right. So, but this size feels like the perfect one for you.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So what if we do this? What if we figure out whatever you do feel comfortable with it, you wouldn't have to go for like figure things out. Because we all have like, we go to the grocery store. We don't have to figure out our finances. Right? So like, what, what does it need to be so that you feel like okay, I feel comfortable doing this because we can do lots of different things.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Kimberly, if you can just help me what because I just want to help people have whatever they'd love to have. Right? And so when I hear that you love this portrait and you love what it's gonna do for your daughter and you love this size. I just, I just want to figure out how can I help you? So if it's okay, can I ask you, you know, what, what would it need to be so that you felt okay with it?
Well, would it need to be set up for something maybe like, you know, $100 a month? And then we do that so you feel comfortable? And then you know, after you kind of take a look at things, maybe want to take a bit more quickly you can.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
You know, the question becomes, you know, how long do you need this to take? And how long do you want it to take, because everything gets delivered when the balance is paid, but it's up to you,
We can take it out a year, most people don't want to wait that long. But listen, if you need breathing room, we can set it up for this, you know, and then when things kind of ease up for it, you can take care of it more quickly. You know, and also people call me all the time because they want they want to do that they you know, they want some comfort in the moment. But then later on, it's not as bad as I thought it was gonna be and they take care of it more quickly.
I don't get it till it's paid?
Well, right. I mean, it makes sense, right? Yeah. Yeah. But to say like, you know, I'm sorry, I've learned this lesson the hard way. You know, the couple times I've been burned, I never would have thought that that would have happened. But now I just have to have this policy. I don't think that you would ever do that. But you just have to have the policy.
--------
So what's stopping you from just doing the free one. Well, then why don't we just to what what's keeping you from just choosing the 10?
----------
I guess I should also mention what you see on the bottom of the slide that shows the prices:
Session day pricing reflects a 25% savings
So, you can come back in later and order, but if you think about it, you do lose that same day savings and the price goes up. The REWARDS are available only at the time of ordering.
So if you're gonna buy the portrait anyway, I'd much rather see you get the portrait and pay less today.
Wouldn't you rather pay less today?
-----------
"I hope you can understand, we can't be a storehouse for unmade decisions and unwanted portraits It doesn't really make any sense if we want these more than parents, so we delete them to make sure we have enough space to archive the portraits that are purchased."
Tomorrow? Oh. Why? Why would you want to do that?
When people have asked me that, it's because they are not feeling sure about something.
What is it you're not feeling sure about, that you'd like
to give some thought to?
What's giving you pause?
What is it you’re needing to think over?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I understand why you might want to do that. Do you guys needs to speak privately?
DO THEY NEED TO TALK PRIVATELY?
Well, so ideally, we would do this when we're looking at these together.
And so I totally get, of course, you guys want to have a conversation?
How about we try it and see where we end up?
Would it be okay, if we just you know, took some time now for you guys to talk privately.
After you guys have take a minute to talk come back we'll see if we need to change things and then see where we end up?
Because then whatever it is that you guys come up with, you can bring it back to the conversation and I can show you, you know, well, what would that look like so that you guys can just feel really sure about it.
I like to help people make really educated, intentional conscious decisions with their artwork, this decision is too important. Right? And so what I found is that being able to look at them and see the reality of the decisions you're making is the essential ingredient in an educated choice. So all I ask is just to be a part of the conversation when you're deciding, just so that I can show you what things will look like so that you can just see for yourself, like what's perfect for you guys. So I totally get it,take your time
Mute your microphone, go in the other room, whatever, chat wherever you want for five minutes and come back,
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
THEY COME BACK
We'll we'll just take the one.
Alright, so. So what made you arrive there?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So we went from loving the 30. to Now we love the 14, like, what happened, guys?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What like, what are we loving about the 10?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That drastic of a of a jump, you know, I found can be because we were dealing with some financial concerns. Is that fair to say?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Look, we just don't have the money.
Okay, talk to me. talk to me, guys. What are we dealing with, because I can help in a lot of different ways.
Look, I'm just trying to figure out how I can help you. You know, I don't mean to intrude
What does that mean? The reason why I ask is because everyone is in a different financial situation. And I want to clarify, why am I asking? You know, because there's different ways I can help.
We can figure out the financial part. Right? break it up and space it out so you can breathe. And some people want to do it, you know, and half or thirds, some people want to do it over six months.
(PAUSE)
What are your thoughts on that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So the payment needs to be small. It needs to be under the radar. Is that true?
We can do the smaller payment, like well work it out.
We just we just can't do this. Now. We've got to meet other commitments.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, is it so is this like a timing issue?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) We've got good to many other things on the plate right now. That Are you know, taking up resources.
So let me just ask you this. Just out of curiosity, you know, if that wasn't the case, you know, when you think about the family portrait at the 40 inch size, does I mean, does that feel? I mean, putting everything else aside, does that feel like the perfect thing for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Well, so let me ask you, if it wasn't about this, and we just put that to the side for a minute. It says I mean, was did we choose the perfect thing? Is that the perfect one?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)YES
Why though, why? Why that size? Like, why did that feel perfect for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
tell me why it is and why that was the right choice and not bigger, but you know, not smaller.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)I'M NOT SURE
Or well, you know, I'm not sure it's like you know what, thank you for telling me let's go take another look. Let's see if the smaller size is a better fit for you.
It sounds to me like if you're gonna do something, you want to make sure you do it right. Is that fair to say, John?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)Yeah, yeah.
Okay. And so you don't want to have to like skimp or compromise, like, you're either gonna you're gonna do it or you're just not going to do it is that yeah,
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, so is it fair to say that the family part the size of the family portrait is the same thing? Like, if we're gonna if we want to see the people that we love and the people that we love us, it needs to be a certain size for it to be right.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)Yeah
yeah. And so let me ask you this, John, if we do just do the smaller size of the 14 inch size? What are you going to think every single time you look at it?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I mean, you can certainly choose it. But is that I mean, you will think that every single time you look at it. So what I'm here to do is to help you have an experience where every single time you look at it, you know you did it, right. You know, you got the size that you wanted. And we figured out the financial part so that you can take care of all the other important things and just kind of massage this in there. So that you don't have to compromise. And then every time you look at this, you wish you'd done something different.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
let me help make this easier for you to to be able to do this along with all of the other important things that you're taking care of.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I see you, you got a lot on your plate. I'm here to help you. I'm here to make this easy and comfortable for you. Because if you if you're going to do it, you want to do it. Right. So let's make sure we do it that way.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)_ whatever you want to do, it's fine_
SAY THIS: And I'll say to him, "she needs to hear that you want her to have this? Listen, she's not going to feel comfortable with this, unless she knows that your guys are on a team. I mean, that's how you guys do things. Right? You're a team."
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Chris, like what? So what's holding you back? Like, what's keeping you from jumping up and down about this? And then I'm going to talk to him to get him to say, what's really going on for him?
----------
CLIENT: I know exactly the portrait I want and what sighs I just need to go home and it's just a matter of figuring out the finances.
Well, so what do we need to figure out?
we could do this other finish and I can save you, you know, 500 bucks and we can still get you to that amazing size
-----------
"I hope you can understand, we can't be a storehouse for unmade decisions and unwanted portraits It doesn't really make any sense if we want these more than parents, so we delete them to make sure we have enough space to archive the portraits that are purchased."
Yeah, I totally understand why you might say that.
Have you ever been to a studio like this before?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I understand. I get it.
It’s true - it’s like McDonalds and Mortons -
they both sell beef, but wouldn’t you agree that the experience is different?
Would you ever consider going to McDonalds to celebrate and honor your anniversary?
In a similar way, clients who choose us value their family,
so they want quality portraits and a beautiful experience
- that’s why they come to us.
here's something else to consider: when you consider everything that this portrait is going to give to you, and give your family,your children and even your grandchildren, is it really a lot?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What tends to happen is that when this kind of portrait gets to come into the family, the affirmation that you family, your children hear, the love that comes from the people that love you, like what is that worth to you.
You may not believe capturing a beautiful record
of this stage of your family’s journey is worth this.
You don’t have to invest in this.
We don't have a minimum or required purchase so how would you like to move forward?
The painting, even the walls are dirty.
It's not our place, we rent it. We don't really care about experiencing things on the wall.
We have seen your list of price, is far too expensive for us. And we really are not this kind of person.
COUNTER TO OBJECTION
Can I ask you, you know, if you're living in a place where the walls are dingy and it's not yours and it feels like it might be a little difficult to enjoy.
Do you have anything in your home that you can look at that instantly brings you joy?
ALLOW FOR RESPONSE: THEN SAY
So this is what I'm wondering -
you know what? It's okay if this isn't for you.
But I mean, what if you could have something
up that you actually enjoyed looking at
so that you didn't have to escape into this little small thing?
I mean, I'm just wondering, like,
how could you be able to look up
and go, "Ah, God, I love that"?
We would never put photos of us that big on the wall
Really, why is that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What’s BIG though? It really depends on where it’s going.
If you have 30 ft. ceilings all of these sizes would look small.
Like any piece of furniture, it needs to have the right feel for the space that it occupies.
Have you ever had a beautiful portrait that you’d be proud to display in your home?
But I'm going to say, you know,
when we do put something that is the same size as everything else,
then everything feels equally important
or actually equally unimportant.
Because your eye doesn't know what to focus on,
your eye has no way to discern, you know,
what matters here when everything is small.
And so I'm not saying that we have to go huge, but even just going, you know, a couple sizes larger where it's large enough to capture people's attention.
So that what you love and what matters can be seen, you know, that can have a very powerful impact.
I get it, you know, if something feels too big, it just feels uncomfortable.
So let's make sure that we don't go too big.
But let's figure out you know, what size is it that makes it feel important without going overboard?
Well, why is that?
What makes you say that?
Wow, that is like a really strong feeling you're having. Like, what is behind that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, EXAMPLE - It's just a photo.)
So what is it that makes you say, this is just a photo?
What would it take for something to feel worth spending money on?
Or the choices that you've made where you haven't spend money…How did you feel about that?
Were you satisfied?
(this is the power, right, of actually seeing people - if I say, say to someone, "this is insane."
and someone says, "Well, why not? "
OR Well, why is that?
OR What stopped you?
OR Has anything ever felt worth it to? Or what?
OR Were you again - (skepticism in my voice) - Happy? Right?
Ask this question.:
PEOPLE WHO BRING THE MOM
let's say that the daughter's name is Samantha the mom is Claire.
Claire is saying all these things.
You know, I might say something like you know,
Samantha Have you ever bought art for yourself?
Oh no.
This is a really big deal.
Claire, have you ever bought Art for yourself or for your family?
Oh, no, or well, yes, I have,
oh, so this is a first for Samantha,
you know, I'm going to I'm going to try to isolate the mom from Samantha's art purchasing experience that this is a very grown up thing to do. And that it's a very personal thing to do. Right? And that when you're choosing items, you know, for your house, you know, versus the house you grew up at, it's it's a very personal powerful decision, because we only put what matters on our walls. And so Samantha, you know, is, as a woman of 32, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, you know, what is it that you would love to be reminded of about yourself or this moment in your life?
I'm going to try to take it out of mom's hands as much as possible, because mom is not having the experience of that Samantha is?
it's like the child is looking for the validation, and the mom's never gonna give it to them. That's the relationship there that exists. Yes. So that when you're trying to break that pattern in that sales room with like, don't ask your mom.
Unknown Speaker 26:22
It's, but so but it's different than saying, don't ask your mom. No, I mean, like when you think about this, so that this is what needs to happen is for her to hear her answers in her ears, instead of her mom's words, because there's this whole thing like you think about it. But then they have to, like think about to articulate what to say.
And then there's the act of saying, and then there's the act of hearing it in your ears, and your brain processes all of these things differently.
So giving her a chance to articulate and speak it and then to hear herself say it is the most powerful part of that.
So we don't want to like minimize Mom, we want to strengthen daughter, we want to empower our daughter, we want to help her hear, you know, her value system in her own ears, and then support her in that.
And then if the mom says something, it's like, yeah, you know, I totally get that, you know, and at certain phases of life, that makes complete sense.
You know, but what I'm hearing Samantha say is blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Ask this question.:
My husband and I have the money, we simply don't spend this money, this much money on ourselves.
So I said if money weren't an issue, what would you want?
So what is the issue? We don't spend this much money on ourselves when we do You want something? We do it ourselves.
So Jamie, is this the first time you've ever done something like this? Is this your first experience of fine art portraiture?
Oh, but but as far as like, like a fine art portrait experience, you know, where it's heirloom artwork? Because you know, that the pictures in the field? I mean, you know, they're, they're lovely, but don't you find it you kind of see that everywhere?
So so if you love that, like, What drew you to this kind of experience? Because this is quite different.
Um, your brochure at the auction?
Okay, so what stood out to you about it?
The oil painting?
Yeah. What did it remind you of?
I don't know, might be the Oscars. That's how we wanted to look like we were going to the Oscars.
Yeah. Have you just had a curiosity have you ever had that feeling when you're out in the field?
No.
Okay, so I was just curious, you know, because when people get photographs like this all the time, you know, it's like, what made you want to come in? And it's because there's something different, right? Because no one comes in, you know, because we would do the same thing as something else.
So you wanted to feel like you were at the Oscars, which and so, you know, tell me more about that. Like, what's the feeling you know, when you see yourself this way?
Well, I mean, I like them. He just, I just wasn't expecting it to be this much.
Yeah, I get it, I get it. You know, there can be some sticker shock, you know, when we're doing this.
And, and you know, it's true, it's like the first time you know that before you bought a car, like you weren't someone who spent that kind of money on a car until you were where you weren't that kind of person who spent that kind of money on a fridge, but then you were.
So you know, there's a first time for everything, I totally get that this can feel kind of uncomfortable.
Because if this isn't something that you've done before, you've done pictures before, but not something that made you feel like you were at the Oscars, you know, not something that reminded you of, of an heirloom oil painting, you know, that that is just like fresh off of the wall of a museum.
So, you know, it's just what it costs. And, you know, so what we do is we just try to really, you know, help people discover, you know, what feels important to them about this, and what would you love to have, and then, you know, it's it can just kind of like be like, you know, take a breath and kind of let this settle in. And it's just what it costs, but it's okay, if it feels uncomfortable, because it's just the first time you've done it.
Yeah, well, what can we get for $1,000? We've talked about it.
Yeah, well, that would put you at the 14 at size.
Okay, so so so for $2,000, then yeah, so that so that would be in my case, so it would so that would be a 20 inch.
Yeah. Now, do you remember when we were going over the sizes? You remember the size that you love? Right? What size? Was that?
Yeah, so then the 30 that went up did that when you're like, okay, so But why that? Why that? Why that one?
No, no, it just fit in the spot.
It fit in the spot? You know, I've looked let's do this, Jamie. Let's go take another look. So we can really help your eyes. See what the differences are different sizes?
Okay, can we go do that?
Yeah. So we'll take a look at the 30.
What are you able to see it this size?
And then I would go down and sizes? You know, what? What do you lose? What are you not able to see what size feels like the perfect size?
And so let's just say that you said well, the 30. It's like yeah, so would you like to make a decision that every single time you looked at it, it felt like the perfect thing? Or would you like to have something in your home that every time you looked at it, it looked too small?
If it were small, would it make you feel the same way?
For me, I feel like, okay, I mean, if you really could do anything, if you could do anything, what would that even be?
Well, we do the 14 inch
What do you love about that size? Why is that the perfect size? (So everything that they say you're going to try to drill down until finally, hopefully, you can get an honest answer.)
what made you come in to see us and not just do it yourself?
And so when she said we do it ourselves, we wanted we bought this house. And we redid it if we want something we would do in ourselves.
I just can't imagine spending this kind of money on a picture of me.
Well, it's not actually for you. Right, something to consider is, who is this actually for? What is the purpose - right and so, so it would be in response to someone having a difficulty, that's when I would do it.
WHEN THEY ARE FIGHTING YOU
What's the most important thing for you to get out of this experience?
Is it fair to say that the most important thing about the experience is actually just like to not to spend anything?
IF THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO MAKE A DECISION
1. AGREE WITH THEM - IT'S NOT INEXPENSIVE
2. THE FIRST TIME YOU DO ANYTHING IT CAN FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, BUYING A CAR, ET.
3. THIS IS WHY WE TAKE TIME SO YOU CAN FEEL CONFIDENT IN YOUR CHOICES BY SEEING IT WITH YOUR OWN EYES.
4. THEN WE FIGURE OUT THE FIANANCIAL PART
5. IMAGINE THIS PIECE IN YOUR HOME - WHAT'S IT GOING TO TELL YOUR FAMILY, WHAT WILL IT GIVE THEM
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
It feels like what you were telling me is that you love this size, and you love the box, but you feel like you can't do both. Is that right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, and that you also love the canvas?
So there's a couple things I could do. Because like I said earlier, you know, I hate deleting portraits that I never loved and wanted, I love to help people be able to have what they want o they don't have like a sense of loss about things. Because that's not what this is about.
THIS IS SARAH'S PRODUCT AND PRICING, NOT OURS
So let me ask you, what if if we do both things? What if we could do the Canvas at the print price, and I'll save you 1000 bucks right there. Still get the canvas. But if we're doing both I can absorb the cost and we could do it at the print price.
CAN'T DECIDE
But I'm someone who has to process before I spend money I have to think it through. I can't just decide right here.
Look, I totally get it, we could schedule, you know, another appointment to look over things.
The reason why we make our decisions when we're looking at them when we're all together is so that your eyes can actually see what the truth is, because when these go away, it's like, well wait, Well, which one was it? And what size? And what does it look like on the wall - like it gets even harder?
I understand it feels really hard. Now, it only gets harder if we're not like looking at them. And then if I can't be a part of the conversation, then I can't offer suggestions. I can't put something perfect together for you.
So how about we just kind of slow things down for a minute. And we just, let's just focus on what feels really important. And let's see if we can actually figure out what the perfect thing is for you.
What are you afraid of making us a decision today? What's making you stay?
Well, I'm not the kind of person I just need to process.
Why? What are you afraid of?
Tell me what you're thinking about?
Is it the size?
Is it whether you want to pay up front and get a discount?
Or do a payment plan?
Is it because you and your husband make decisions together?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Let's go take another look. Let's go see, you know, what's too big? What's just right, what's not big enough?
(We look at the 30.)
You know, it's like, so this is the size of your love. Do you remember why you love that? Like, what is it that you're able to see in this portrait at this size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, so now let's go down a size. What gets lost at this size? What's missing at this size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)Okay. And if they're like, well, nothing, I think it looks great.
It's like, okay, so would you just feel more comfortable if we did this size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)Yeah.
Or if it's like, oh, it just looks too small. It's like, Yeah, I know. And if it looks too small, now, it's gonna look too small forever.
Let me help you have the size that you're actually really going to love and be so glad that you did.
Tell me why is this the size that is perfect?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I WANT THE SMALLER SIZE
You know, we can certainly do that, you know, but talk to me like, What is it that you're not feeling sure about? What's going on? Let's talk about that. Tell me about that
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Oh, my husband's gonna kill me
You know what, What's going on? Let's talk about that. Tell me about that
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) you know what, I want this. I'm going to do it, and I'm going to handle him
Okay, good. Because, you know, once I put this order, and you know, it's a conversation between the two of you just want to make sure that you understand that you feel comfortable with that.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Yep, I do. I'll take care of him.
You know, I have, I have worked with, you know, hundreds of hundreds of families over these years. And what I can say to you, one thing for sure is that Tomorrow is not promised. And, you know, making a decision that we will look back on and be so glad that we did is one of the most beautiful experiences we can have. But that moment is right now.
---------------------------------------
IF THEY ARE SUPER AGGRESSIVE
Listen, it seems like this isn't something that you either need or want to do. I don't want to talk you into something that isn't the thing.
I NEED TO THINK ABOUT IT
I get it. You feel like you need to think about it.
That makes sense.
Listen, I've been doing this for a long time. And when someone says they need to think about it, what I've learned is that it's either one of two things.
Sometimes people are just not sure about the choice - so did we make the right choice here?
So let me ask: Do you love what we put together for you? Does it feel perfect?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
YES, I AM SURE
(Go to the LOGISTICS step)
NO, I AM NOT SURE
Okay, that's fair!
Let's go take another look at it and see, you know what the right thing is for you.
What I love to do is help people have everything that they would love to have. So let's figure out like what even matters,what even feels important, and let me see what I can put together for you.
Do you mind if we just kind of go back and just just clarify that because I'm wondering, like, did we choose the right portrait? Did we choose the right size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Should we just take a minute and maybe just go back over and just really clarify like, what's the what's the ideal for you guys?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(MAKE SURE IT'S THE RIGHT PORTRAIT)
Let's make sure that we've chosen the right PORTRAIT (Confirm that)
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) We love this one.
And why was it this one again?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) (Let them answer)
Okay, so let's make sure that we've chosen the right size (Confirm that)
And the size, we feel good about this size? Not one size bigger, one size smaller?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
You know, go down a size, like how does this feel for you?
You know, what gets lost?
Can you live with it?
Do you just not like it?
Does it just have to be you know, at the 40 in size for you to love it?
Okay, so now we know it's the right portrait at the right size, right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Now that we know that, does that get you closer to what you want to feel more of or further away?
So we know what you want - sometimes if people are still feeling unsure at this point, then something's concerning you within the numbers.
So can I ask you: so is it the idea of the cost of this, like the idea of spending money on something like this costing that amount?
Or is it the logistics of actually paying for it, like how do I do this?
Is it thinking you have to do it all at once?
Or is it that you've never done something like this before?
Like, talk to me what's going on?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) (Yeah, I just can't imagine spending this kind of money on a photo.
YOUR RESPONSE: Well, for sure, me either.
That's what's on your phone, snapshots, photos. Do you see yourself handing down your cell phone to your kids and grandkids so they will have photos?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) (Yeah, most people don't plan to do that. That's why we create Heirloom Portraits that are passed on to generations after us. So THIS is different.
IF IT'S THE LOGISTICS
Okay, okay, let's see what we can figure out - like, what's most important, and let me see what I can do for you.
MOVE TO "DISCUSSING THE MONEY"
IF IT'S THE IDEA OF SPENDING MONEY
You know, if it's the idea of spending this kind of money, like, is this the first time you've ever done something like this?
Because, you know, if so, of COURSE it feels uncomfortable, it's gonna feel like the, you know, the strangest thing you've probably ever done.
So I totally get it. Because, you know, most people that come in have never had an experience like this before. Right. And it's kind of like, you know, the first time that you buy a car, it's like, wow, really, you know, anything I've ever wanted, has always cost more than I wanted it to. So I totally get it. And it's it makes sense that it feels uncomfortable. Right? If this is something that you've never had before.
DISCUSSING THE MONEY
So what I can say is that what we do is we help families with this a lot, because no one has this kind of thing in their budget.
We'll just figure out the financial part. and then we make sure that you've got some breathing room, and this feels comfortable for you.
What we do is break it up and space it out over time, so it DOES feel more comfortable, feel manageable.
More in the realm with the regular, typical things we do. And it doesn't have to feel like such a big deal. But then at the end of it, you just have this glorious piece that's perfect. So how would it be if we just kind of talked about like, just some different options we could do?
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY STILL HAVE CONCERNS AND JUST NEED TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS:
Look, I get it, you know, I'm not trying to make you change who you are, or, you know, I understand that for some, the process they go go through to feels really important. And then if you honor the process, and you feel like that will help you make a decision you can feel good about so I'm not gonna try and talk you out of that. I definitely want you to feel good about whatever you do.
But let's do this. Let's make sure you've got all the information so that as you're thinking about it, or as you're talking with whoever, you've got everything that you need, you know, to go into that decision.
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
But let's make sure that we've chosen the right PORTRAIT (Confirm that)
Right size (Confirm that)
And the size, we feel good about this size? Not one size bigger, one size smaller?
We love this one. And why was it this one again?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay, so we know it's the right portrait at the right size.
And then these others that you love, we love the idea of being able to have all the these How do you feel about you know, the Album or the Portrait Box?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay. So what else is there?
I'm just curious, like, what else do we need to cover so that you can have all the information?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And, you know, this is why we make the decision when we're together looking at the portraits because we can really, you know, see with our own eyes, the reality of the choices that we're making, we can really see, you know, what's the impact going to be?
And here's the thing you know, to think about it, you're not going to have it in front of you, your eyes will not tell you the truth, if you think it'd be way bigger, or way smaller, but when we're together, we can really see like, this is what this decision will look like and feel like.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY: And all sounds good, but I have to take the time.
(Then we just know that they've got this fear and anxiety that we're not gonna be able to fix.
you can TRY to identify the fear below to see if you can deal with it.)
SAY THIS:
You of couse can think about it, but I'd like to help you if I can. What's causing you to feel concerned - are you feeling like you are making a mistake or is it a timing issue - what's causing you concern?
(IDENTIFY THE FEAR:)
1. Do I feel like I'm making a mistake?
2. Am I not that kind of person?
3. Is it is the timing wrong?
4. If they're really closed down, you can straight up say, Okay, so is it fair to say, you know, does what feels most important right now is to actually just not spend anything?
And if they say YES:
Okay, so let's go pick out what's important to you
And then once they've relaxed a little bit, you might say you know
CONFIRM THEIR CHOICE UP THIS POINT
IF THEY WANT SMALL SIZE
...can if we even just go up one size, do you see how much better that is? And here's the thing if we go up one size, I can include these other two or whatever. Like, I totally get it but like to see the difference in what happens when we just go up one size)
And if they say NO:
Okay, so that's not the most important thing. Let's figure out what is the most important thing, let's take a look.
NOT FEELING SURE
DON'T WANT TO MAKE A MISTAKE
Okay, I get it. I want to help you, if I can.
I'm just curious, like, what are you able to do, you know, in a conversation at home that you feel like you're not able to do here when we're looking at them?
Okay, so what I'm hearing is that there's something that you just don't quite feel sure about yet. Does that feel true?
You know, very few people have done something like this before. And they want to make sure that they're not making a mistake.
So, but the way that we make sure that we're not making a mistake is to see it in front of us. So that we don't go too big but we also don't go too small.
The reason why we make the decision together is because we're able to look at things, right? And this is how we make an intentional, educated, informed decision. Right, as people is to have them in front of us.
Because once this all goes away, it's like, Oh, God was what size you know, at a 20 inch in your mind looks huge. But when you see it on the wall in reality, you realize, oh, it's not actually that big. Okay, so the reason why we do it now together so that we can really take a close look at things and make educated intentional choices.
Right. And so as far as like going away and thinking about it, now, we've just taken away a really important tool, which is what our eyes tell us, is right for us.
So I totally get wanting to take time, but that's what we've got right now. And I'm here to show you different possibilities. So that what is perfect for you can land, because you've seen it for yourself.
(USE SETTING ANOTHER APPOINTMENT LANGUAGE)
SETTING ANOTHER APPOINTMENT
So if you feel like you still need to think about it, then we need to set another appointment and here's the deal.
We can't make any decisions over the phone, text, email. The only time that we make a decision is that when we're looking at the portraits together, so that we can see the reality of the decisions being made.
Okay, because when all this goes away, and I say this one or that one, you know, a 30 or 20 your mind cannot accurately see it. So we can we can get together again, but it means we have an appointment and we look at things together. Cool?
or we can just go take another look right now, so that you can see it with your eyeballs, and you're gonna know what feels right.
Let's, let's make sure you've got all the information so that when you're doing all of this thinking and talking to people that you've got things really clear. Let's go back and take a look.
Can you just send us a screenshot? So we can make a decision at home?
Well, so number one, we don't send out screenshots. But one of the reasons why we don't is because, you know, lots of times you'd want to compare, you know, well, what about this one to that one? What about the size to that one, and you can't do that with a screenshot
---------
IF THEY HAVE CHILDREN AND HAVE ANY BABY PORTRAITS ON THE WALL
Can I ask: Did you have any portraits taken of your children at birth, or whem they were younger>
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Now that you have those pictures, you know, how do you feel about having those, like, every time you see them, you know, how's your feeling about them changed over the years? Right from from when you first saw them to now when you look back at them?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
And that that's what happens with this portrait? You have you have that same feeling of like, Oh, look at us.
that we really hold dear to us, we always make things work for the things we hold valuable.
THIS IS ALL HAPPENING SO FAST.
You know, it's like, no, you've been making this decision for years.
You've been wanting this for years.
Now. It's just the moment where it gets to happen.
But you know, this has been something that you've been thinking about, because you haven't ever had it before, when you've been watching, and each year that goes by, where you just have, you know, the neighbors photos is another year, where you're making the decision that one day you'll have it.
What if that day could be today?
PAYMENT PLAN EXPLANATION
We can only make space in our budget for something once we realize its importance in our lives.
And this is that moment right now.
We figure out how to make a space for it.
A friend of mine, her father was very smart
- and he had this great way of looking at things
- whenever she felt she was facing something that felt impossible is he said,
"Darling, anything can be eaten, thinly sliced. "
I love that because it is so true!
So, when something seems impossible,
what we do is we space it out over time, right?
We give you some breathing room. All right?
just break it up and spaced it out over time,
for whatever breathing room you need. I help families do this all the time to be like, it doesn't have to be one or the other. Let's massage it in there. I do have two payment plans
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "I have to think about it. Like I don't - like it sounds wonderful but I'm like - I need a little bit of time to figure out.")
So what's the part of it that is making you feel like you have to hold back?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
IF THE ANSWER: The $$$ money,
So, can we talk real numbers and see what it would be over a certain amount of time
because when we talk reality, then that can help? If we have that conversation together, and see what we can figure out, then I can see what I can do to help you.
Let me add in a tax because I gotta pay the man.
So would you prefer
three months
six months
nine months
a year?
So that'd be six payments of $177.
And you get that collection with those FIVE pieces.
And you know what we could do?
So this is what I'll say to you - guys, I know this is a big deal. Right?
What I can also say to you, is that the ripple effect this will have on your family we can't even APPRECIATE in this moment.
I mean, if you can imagine having something like this at their age? Yeah. Right.
So we take care of the financial part,
but then they get to see themselves like this every single day.
It's such a gift.
OFFER A CHOICE OF AFFIRM OR A PLAN. SAY THIS:
If it helps you breathe, I do have two payment plans - We have two different ways to do it.
The only difference is the delivery date.
So it's kind of up to you about, like, how long do you do want it to take and how long do you need it to take?
But I'm gonna ask you, do you shop on Amazon?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Yeah at night I'm shopping and my husband is saying "what did you buy?"
Do you know when you add to the cart, there are two options. One says "with credit card" and the other one, says "AFFIRM." Are you familiar with that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) - (Some will even say they have the APP)
It's all over. Affirm is the biggest one - and Amazon works with them. And WE work with them too. Our clients love this. It is so popular. We do this more than anything else.
If you go with Affirm, they have options, and you pick your own payment plan, the best one for you.
It's super easy and takes less than 2 minutes.
The advantage to you is that your order is shipped as soon as it's ready, so everything is DELIVERED right away - and you pay however YOU set it up with Affirm.
The second option, if you don't like what you get from Affirm, you can do our LAYAWAY PLAN.
The way that works is you pay a down payment TODAY - and when you pay the last payment, then the order will ship.
Really, the question becomes, you know, how long do you NEED this to take? And how long do you WANT it to take, because everything gets delivered when the balance is paid, but it's up to you,
How long do you want it to be before this is displayed in your home?
Why don't I send you an AFFIRM link, so you can see what options are and we'll go from there?
Affirm will come back privately to you with the number of payments and interest options. It could offer interest-free choices and also choices with interest, and then you get to choose what works best for you.
There are no prepayment penalties if you pay it off early.
It might give you the option to autopay but it's not required.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(SEND THEM THE LINK.)
IF THEY CHOOSE THIS AFFIRM OPTION, FOLLOW THE "AFFIRM PROCESS STEP BY STEP" BELOW AND SEND THEM THE LINK THROUGH THE ZOOM CHAT or JUSTCALL.
(They will be asked to enter name, mobile phone number, and address They will check and see what their options are.
WHEN YOU SEND THE LINK, SAY THIS:
Now, when you enter your name be sure to use your name as it's shown on a government-issued ID. Let me work that up and send you that link.
WATCH FOR ONE THING: if the CLIENT says, "There is nothing available for us," then say:
What do you mean by nothing available for you guys? Can I see it?
(Have them turn the phone so you can see the front) (is it saying that there is NO AVAILABILITY or is it saying that they have to pay a LARGE DOWNPAYMENT. So if the link is for a total of 4,000 and it comes back to them that they have to pay $1,000 today, that means they are qualified up to $3,000.)
(BREAK UP the down payment with HALF TODAY and then the other half within 30 days by saying:
Can we take a down payment today of HALF?
And then can you take care of OTHER HALF within the next 30 days?
(Just make sure that the dates don't overlap or they will be paying you and AFFIRM.
ELENA: Sometimes they will let them space out the down payment, too - BUT make sure client understands there will be two payments.)
MAKE A NEW AFFIRM LINK for the $3,000 and send it, get approval.
Take the $500 down payment.
Set up the other $500 payment for a date,get the card.
IF AFFIRM DOES NOT WORK AND THEY NEED TO HAVE OUR LAYAWAY PLAN. SAY THIS:
Let me tell you about our LAYAWAY PAYMENT PLAN.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
It's just between you and me - no credit check.
I'm just going to take a card - and you and I decide how much each month you're going to pay on that card.
It's going to be a set amount, and it will be automatic.
And then, just like any other layaway plan, when that's all paid for, your portraits will be delivered.
Does that work for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
IF THEY WANT LAYAWAY, say this:
How much would you like to put down today?
LET THEM REPLY! They may say “half." BUT they MUST put at least 25% down.
VERY IMPORTANT: IF THEY WANT TO PUT DOWN LESS THAN 25%, SAY THIS:
Thank you for letting me know that - we DO like to do 25% down. That would be $$$$ today.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE.)
Okay. So you’re paying $$$$ today. How many payments would you like to break the rest up into? I would say most people would like to have their products within 3 to 6 months - to do that, we can break it up into 3, 4, 5 monthly payments. Which would you prefer?
HOPEFULLY, THEY’LL SAY 2 OR 3 OR SOMETHING SHORT-TERM.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY NEED A LONGER TERM SAY THIS
We can take it out a year, most people don't want to wait that long. But listen, if you need breathing room, we can set it up for this, you know, and then when things kind of ease up for it, you can take care of it more quickly. You know, and also people call me all the time because they want they want to do that they you know, they want some comfort in the moment. But then later on, it's not as bad as I thought it was gonna be and they take care of it more quickly.
We don’t charge interest for our layaway plan - but we do have a processing fee, just so you know. And we do ask that you provide TWO credit cards for payment plans, a Primary and a Secondary.
The Secondary Card will ONLY be charged if the Primary card is declined for some reason.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Great!
SAY THIS AS YOU ARE TAKING PAYMENT TO HELP PREVENT BUYERS REMORSE:
I think it’s AMAZING that you’re doing this for your family!
IF THEY SAY NO TO A PAYMENT PLAN
“When we go through this, there’s some people who truly believe that this will make a difference in the child’s life and the end result is more important than the cost.
Imagine if this can help your child feel confident about a college or job interview or being able to say no when necessary with peer pressure, etc. what would even be the value of that back to you?
Obviously, there’s always a ceiling and a comfort range based on what’s happening in your life. And then there are people that the cost is more important than what this portrait can actually do to help their child. Which one is most important to you?“
"I understand...you don't want to go overboard...but since cost is obviously on your mind, would you be willing to share with me your comfort zone?"
--------
I DON'T GET IT UNTIL IT'S PAID?
Well, right. I mean, it makes sense, right? Yeah. Yeah. But to say like, you know, I'm sorry, I've learned this lesson the hard way. You know, the couple times I've been burned, I never would have thought that that would have happened. But now I just have to have this policy. I don't think that you would ever do that. But you just have to have the policy.
IF THEY SAY NO TO A PAYMENT PLAN
“When we go through this, there’s some people who truly believe that this will make a difference in the child’s life and the end result is more important than the cost.
Imagine if this can help your child feel confident about a college or job interview or being able to say no when necessary with peer pressure, etc. what would even be the value of that back to you?
Obviously, there’s always a ceiling and a comfort range based on what’s happening in your life. And then there are people that the cost is more important than what this portrait can actually do to help their child. Which one is most important to you?“
"I understand...you don't want to go overboard...but since cost is obviously on your mind, would you be willing to share with me your comfort zone?"
--------
I DON'T GET IT UNTIL IT'S PAID?
Well, right. I mean, it makes sense, right? Yeah. Yeah. But to say like, you know, I'm sorry, I've learned this lesson the hard way. You know, the couple times I've been burned, I never would have thought that that would have happened. But now I just have to have this policy. I don't think that you would ever do that. But you just have to have the policy.
I totally get it.
You know, when we're talking about like consumer debt, you know, the kind of trouble that we get into, like, when we go out to dinner too often, you know, and we look back and we regret these choices, because what do we have to show for it?
Right, it makes complete sense to like, tighten the belt is be like, No, I'm not ever doing that.
Again, because it feels bad, it feels like you didn't spend money on something that was worthwhile, or that you got a real return from, right.
But when we're talking about something like this, this is much different than like consumer debt that you regret.
This is so you can have something that is going to give back to you every single day of not only your life, but the people in your family.
Right, the way that this pays you back is unlike anything else. So that's why you know, this tends to really fall outside of that kind of thinking around debt, because it's just different.
It just, it isn't the kind of thing that we regret. If I were to come back to you in 10 years and say, do you wish you hadn't done it? What do you think you would say?
No, with no regrets
But if I were to say, Hey, do you wish you'd spend less going out to dinner?
You would probably say yeah. That was a waste.
Do you think you would ever feel that way about this?
So that that's why, you know, we hold this outside of that
You know, well, I understand, like being frugal being financially responsible. But this is not that.
Tell me one other thing that doesn't, you know, lose value over time.
if you have anything you know, from your parents or your grandparents, I mean, how precious is that to you now? That's what we're talking about here.
We consider cost and we consider value. Right?
And there's the there's the cost of doing it, there's the cost of not doing it, you could talk about it like that, you know, the cost of doing it versus you know, how much more it gives you right?
And when you think back on this are you going to be thinking about you know, the money that you spent Are you going to be enjoying this like what's going to be more lasting for you?
SAY NO TO LEGACY COLLECTION, MOVE TO DESIGNER LINE
So we can definitely look at other options, but I would say that most of my clients cost is a factor.
So I just want to understand where your head is on this - so I guess I should probably ask you: Do you think of this as more of an EXPENSE or more of an INVESTMENT?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That's fair!
The thing is that a portrait like this is different than any other purchase - it carries an emotional significance far beyond ANY price.
Like: What is it worth for your children to see EVERY DAY the love they’ve been born into, and can count on for the rest of your days?
What is it WORTH to never have to see the magic of your daughter’s childhood fade?
What is it worth for YOUR child to finally see themselves as beautifully as YOU do, and to HAVE that for themselves ALWAYS?
These are just not everyday purchases - that's why they don't fit into the everyday budget.
This is one of those things that SOMETIMES families choose to stretch for, because THIS moment in time never comes around again.
AND it's really one of the only things you could EVER buy that doesn’t depreciate the moment it becomes yours.
The other thing is that the VALUE is something you get to experience over and over EVERY time you look at it - THAT'S why this isn’t just an expense. It’s an investment that GROWS in value.
YOU know - people change, kids grow up, memories fade, and nothing communicates WORTH like a fine art portrait that grows more precious with each passing year and that's why the VALUE ALWAYS surpasses the cost of the initial investment.
The financial part - that is the most fleeting part about this.
Let’s figure out what’s possible for you, and what I can do to help.
I can help you in a couple of ways
I can help you make hard choices, or I can help you with some creative payment options.
First, why don't we figure out what you really WANT and then as far as payment plans, we can see what's possible?
How does that sound?”
(IF THEY SAY NO, MOVE TO DESIGNER LINE OPTION BELOW)
OKAY, LET'S LOOK AT OTHER OPTIONS.
So I've showed you our LEGACY line portraits, which all have a WIDER frame.
Are you absolutely certain that you want WIDER frames or would you be open to looking at our minimalist frame DESIGNER LINE?
I would love for you to keep this collection in THIS size because, not only are the PORTRAITS the right size for your walls.
But your children get to see their connection with their family AND ALSO see themselves displayed looking comfortable in their own skin, having this moment where that amazingness is reflected back to them, the way that you see them.
Our designer line would give you ALL OF THAT without the WIDER frames and at a lower price point. They ARE FRAMED, but it is just a sleeker frame and you never have to change the frame according to your decor. Even if your decor changes, you know, 10 years from today, your piece will still fit in.
***********************
MIRROR EXAMPLE
Most of us as parents would give anything if our children could just see what WE see in them, right?
The best way that I know to explain that it REALLY DOES AFFECT THEM is
It's like when you look at a mirror, you're looking to SEE yourself, but
MOST PEOPLE don't typically like what you see.
But imagine having a mirror that EVERY time you looked at it, you LOVE what you saw.
But then every time you go to look at it, your face gets to be this small, and you can't SEE yourself clearly.
So for these portraits to do what they are capable of,
it HAS to be in a size that your children can SEE themselves
THIS is a time where kids CAN'T see themselves
They are listening to all these other things
and it becomes HEAD TRASH
But when they have something LIKE THIS that tells them they are awesome every single day when they walk into the house, it's huge.
That's why it needs to be at a certain size.
***********************
(ask the husband directly)
Mr. XXX, did you have portraits on the walls of your home when you were growing up?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Yeah, an 8X10.")
How did that make you feel?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Okay, I guess..")
Did it make you feel loved?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, Dad answers" Sure, I guess so..")
iIf it had been bigger than an 8X10, do you think you would've felt more loved?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, Dad answers. "Yes.")
This is what we are trying to do for your children.
That is why it’s important to have your PORTRAITS ON THE WALL in the RIGHT SIZE.
Let's talk about the pricing
The 40 inch DESIGNER COLLECTION would be
exactly the SAME SIZE ON YOUR WALL, minus the width of the LEGACY frames. Our Designer line has a sleeker outer frame.
So for the 40 inch collection, with your $2000 CREDIT
it would be 8000 MINUS $2000 = $6000 in ICE,
or 7500 MINUS $2000 = $5500 for GALLERY CANVAS or STEEL
Which of those finishes are your favorite?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So that makes it as much as $1000 less than the Legacy line, based on the Designer finish you choose the GALLERY CANVAS or STEEL finish ($6500 versus $5500)
How do you feel about that, the 40 inch collection in XXX Designer finish?
(GET A DECISION ON THE COLLECTION AT THIS POINT)
(IF THEY SAY YES TO THE 40-INCH DESIGNER COLLECTION, ADD IT TO THE CART IN THE DESIGNER FINISH THEY WANT.)
Great!
You liked the XXX finish, right?
Let's put that in the cart.
IF THEY ARE HESITANT BECAUSE OF COST
I understand.
Honestly, it sounds like this is what you REALLY WANT
One of our PAYMENT PLANS would work beautifully for you.
IF THEY STILL SAY NO, MOVE ON TO 30-INCH DESIGNER COLLECTION.
You know, we could do the same design in the 30-inch collection. Jeannie, let's see how a 30 inch collection would look on that wall.
How does that feel?
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
YES TO DESIGNER LINE COLLECTION
MOVE TO
WALL ART DECISION IS MADE - ADD ON BOX OR ALBUM
NO TO DESIGNER LINE COLLECTION
MOVE TO
NO TO COLLECTION-OFFER A SINGLE
Can you tell me more about that? Tell me what you mean by that?
(LET THEM TELL YOU) Then ask,
Compared to what?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) Other photographers
Compared compared to other photographers, yeah. Do you feel like there's any difference in what we do versus them?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What was it that made you want to come to us instead of going to them?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What do you think this *should* cost?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Can I ask: how did you arrive at this number?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
How does this experience and this portrait compare to what you’ve done beforehand?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Well, we're here now, we have a choice to make. And so this is when we get to decide, you know how you will get to experience this portrait. And if it will give you what you would love for it to give you. And from what I'm hearing is that actually at the next larger size, the 20 inch that that's what it was doing.
Would you like to see, you know, if we could space it out a little bit more, maybe work with a monthly payment a little bit more to make it comfortable for you so that you could have the portrait where you get to see her eyes looking back at you and you get to see that smile? How would that be?
You feel you should “start somewhere”. What is holding you back from doing this portrait justice THIS time?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
What is it worth to do this portrait justice instead of having it feel insignificant?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I’m just curious… what message would you like to send with this portrait? What is it worth to have the message be “my family is worth something like this”?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
This only feels expensive the first time you decide your family is worth an heirloom fine art portrait. After that, it becomes what is expected, and you are unwilling to settle for anything less.
The Mona Lisa is worth billions of dollars, but it is after all only dabs of paint on canvas. The worth of art is what it makes us feel… my question to you is, what does this make you feel? What is that feeling worth?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
The reality is we don't have to go huge. We just need to have it be big enough. That's it. Listen, what I heard you say, is that you the reason why you want to do this, and what you wanted out of this was to
EXAMPLE: be able to see her eyes looking back at you.
But we're gonna lose that if we go down to the smaller size, let me help you have the size where you get to have that.
You know, what, if, let me help you - do this size, it's gonna make you happy. And I'll give you all the rest. Because this is the size that you're gonna love - if we go smaller, every time you look at it, you're gonna think about what it could have been, and what you wished it was. Let me help you.
Can you tell me more about that?
(LET THEM TELL YOU) Then ask,
Ok, putting aside your dog's knee surgery and your son going off to college for a moment... Is this something you *want* to do?"
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE, "Well yes absolutely!")
I hear you. Do you mind if I ask… just for a moment, can we put financial concerns to the side?
Just for a minute— we can come right back to it (big smile)
When you think about these portraits, and the reason this felt important, why was that?
Why now?
(They need to hear their reasons in their own ears, from their own mouth--NOT YOURS) This is giving them the chance to persuade themselves.)
After they've told you, you can say,
Well, it sounds like this is pretty important to you...
And if you really were free to have the perfect thing from this, what would that even be? I’m just curious.
When they tell you, repeat it, and ask:
A 40” canvas. But why, though? Why *that* portrait, at *that* size. What does it help you feel, and why is that important? Just out of pure curiosity.
They tell you.
Keeping what you’ve just told me in mind, when you think about not having this, now or ever, because this moment in time never comes around again, would you like to see what we could do to make this possible?
(After all that they will most likely say yes, and then you’ve got a chance to find something workable.)
If they say "no, we really can’t do it," your last ditch effort can be:
When you say can’t do it… could you… could you tell me a little bit more about that? Sometimes when I understand a little bit more, I can come up with something we haven’t thought of yet.
(If they are solid no’s all the way through with no openings, you’re done.
Most importantly— their desire to find a workable solution will only match their desire for the portrait and what it does for them. If the desire is weak, the problem solving part will be too. That’s why the beginning is the most important part, because that’s when the flames of desire get fanned.
It's only after an exchange like the ones above that you should offer some suggestions.
Well, if... (the thing that matters to them),
and... (the block in the way), what if we could....
(suggested solution specifically connected to what they explained to you)
Here are some suggestion phrases:
"What if..."
"What do you think about..."
"If you could..."
"Do you feel like..."
"If we could put that aside for the moment, how do you feel about..."
EXAMPLE
Well, if this portrait is the most powerful way for your children to see how loved they are, and you haven't had anything that celebrates your family is a beautifully as this portrait does, but it just seems totally financially out of reach,
how would you feel if we came up with a payment plan that helped you have everything you wanted with monthly payments you can live with?
TO ASK AWKWARD QUESTIONS:
I'm just curious...you don't have to answer
I understand.
Yeah, it's really - it's impossible to have any idea.
You know, what you're going to love what's going to be the perfect thing.
You know, that's what we take this time, so you can see it with your own eyes.
So it really is impossible to have an idea ahead of time. So I can appreciate that you're feeling that way.
Do you have this as a line item in your budget? Because you would be the first!
No one has this in their budget, and no one thinks oh, on Tuesday, I'm gonna go spend on fine art portraits, right.
So what happens is, is we have this conversation where we figure out you know, how do we massage this in with everything else? That's important, right? Because no one plans on this.
This isn't in anyone's budget. So this is where you and I talk about, okay, what do we need to do so that this is comfortable for YOUR family. And there's a couple different things we can do.
What were you thinking of you know, when you're thinking about this?
How much DID you planning on spending?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) (If they'd say a couple 100)
Oh. What made you arrive at that number?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That's what our other photographer charged
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So you've been through other photographers
What made you want to come to us?
What were you hoping for different?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Yeah, there's a lot of that out there. Right, cheap photographers?
Yeah. You know, you kind of have to wonder WHY but I won't speak for them.
Thinking about what you might want to get and the cost beforehand - it can be really difficult to have any kind of idea, you know, what feels perfect for you until you're able to see it.
And the whole point of this meeting is to be able to really take an educated look, and make intentional decisions once we really see the reality of what the choice would look like.
So I totally get coming in here with that idea because how would you know otherwise? And it's it's really typical for people to feel that way.
But I guess what I'm really wondering is that, you know, what, if we could do this in a way that really felt like you did the people in the portrait justice because you can see them?
Would you like to just take a look and see like, well, what size would it needs to be at least for that to happen?
So let's go back to to the one that you love. Let's just take a look and just see because I want you to be able to see with your own eyes, whatever decision that you make.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF NO:
I understand.
What can we take out to get this number more comfortable for you?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
We can do it this way - we can go one size up. And we can include this other one.
You've got the size that you love, you've got this other one, you know, but you'd also mentioned that you would love to be able to give something to your mom.
So you know, what we could do is if you want to then I could do duplicates for grandparents. And then we can share the love so everyone gets to enjoy this.
How does that sound?
I DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY
So how do you mean?
When you say you don't have any money like, how do you mean?
Listen, you know, we're happy for you tospend whatever you like, even on the smallest one. I mean, that's why we do this is because this isn't available to everybody. But we want to make it possible for everybody.
And so for me, you know, I always just like to find out, you know, now that you've seen these, and now that you've had the experience, you know, quite often people change their mind. And they realize like, oh, wow, I actually do want more than I thought.
So I was just like to ask, you know, now that you've seen them, you know, what feels important to you about this? If, if you couldn't do anything, like what would that even be?
You know, we do it this way because, you know, it's not everyone can do we want to make it possible for everyone to do it. But you know, now that you've seen them, right, now, you might have some different thoughts about it.
if you could do anything like what would that even be like what even feels like something you know, that you'd like?
Kaylee, let's, let's say that you could put something on your wall? Because I'm just curious about even like, again, like, you know, what - if you could put something on your wall? Like, what would what would you love to see?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So then le'ts see what size does it need to be at least?
(So whenever someone has this, like, well, I want the moon and stars, but I don't have any money.)
It's like, okay, we're not even going to talk about, you know, the upper range of what's possible, let's just talk about what size is it needs to be at least for to accomplish what it's capable of, which is to be noticed, which is to make people feel something, right. That's, that's the power of art. And if it's so small, that it never gets noticed, it may as well not even exist. So I'm not saying that we have to go huge. But I am saying there's a size where it's big enough, where the person who's in it feels like they have this presence of significance. Right? So how about this? How about we take a look, you know, we're not we're gonna skip the 60s and the 40s and the upper larger sizes? Let's take a look and see, when what is the size where it just looks too small, where it feels insignificant. No one's gonna notice that you can't really tell like, is this your daughter? Or is it you know, a neighbor kid down the street? Let's take a look and see.
IF THEY ONLY WANT THEIR FREEBY -
(Get three NO's before you throw in the towel
- No means one of three things…
I don't fully understand the value,
I want it but not at this price,
I really don't want it
Keep the conversation going by asking questions,
help them visualize how much they will enjoy them long into the future,
Possibly negotiate price or products to get to a yes.)
I don't want to spend money on something that I can have on my phone.
Maybe it's for you and maybe it isn't but what would that be?
----------------------------------
That makes sense.
You absolutely can just take the gift certificate size.
NOTE: IF THEY HAVE A GIFT CERTIFICATE FOR A PRODUCT, LIKE A 10-INCH, AND IT’S A FAMILY SESSION, THE “ONE” MUST BE A FAMILY PORTRAIT, NOT A SINGLE OF A CHILD, CHILDREN, ETC.!
IF you have literally offered every single thing you can, and they're still like, "nope," they only thing we can do is just the ONE, I ask,:
Do you mind if I ask you, is it fair to say that
the most important thing about this experience is actually to not spend anything at all?
The reason I ask is, I love to help people have what they'd really love to have,
and that is never just the one at the smallest size we offer.
It's really no problem if that's what you choose,
but if you could do something else, what might that even be?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I just want to make sure that this is really what you want
Yeah. You know, it's kind of like when you go out to dinner, right?
And they present you with the bread and the butter.
And you say "you know what, this is perfect. "
And you decide that's going to be your meal.
You know, before you've even had a chance to take a look at the menu,
So in this moment, I can see it makes perfect sense to be like, "yeah, we'll just take this. "
But would you like to take a look at the menu and even just SEE what's possible?
Because, you know, most likely there's something else on the menu
you just would enjoy more.
that way you can make a choice about that once you've seen what's possible and what you like?
Because I mean, the portrait you don't notice, don’t see and enjoy every day
is not all that different than the portrait you never did.
Do you mind if I ask…
is it fair to say this is a decision that needs to put finances first?
If it’s yes, then you can ask them if it’s ok to put the financials to the side, just for a moment,
to see what even feels important.
That if you were Beyoncé and this was your birthday, what even feels like the ideal?
(TALK ABOUT LAST FAMILY PORTRAIT)
When did you last create family artworks/portraits?
4-5 years ago?
Wow! There must be a lot of change since then!
How do you feel about those artworks now?
What do they mean to you today?
Remember when we discussed the reason for your session?
(INSERT REASON FOR SESSION FROM SHOOTING PLAN)
EXAMPLE: cherish the treasure of your family's legacy with a stunning Fine Art portrait,
What is the best size to truly do that justice?
So if that's really what we're doing this for.
“I JUST WANT THE FREE ONE”
Do you think that size is significant enough to truly enjoy your kids?
This just feels too small for your beautiful family
Let me show you what I mean.
(SHOW 30/40 INCH SINGLE BESIDE 10 INCH ON THEIR WALL IN PROSELECT)
(Compare the eyes of (choose youngest child)
At this small size everything you love is impossible to see
Which makes it impossible to experience the connection
It’s just the truth
— it’s either a size that allows this to be truly seen and appreciated, or it isn’t.
So you absolutely CAN get it in that size, but are you sure that's what you WANT to do?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Is it fair to say that the lack of cost for the
gift certificate size is the most appealing part of choosing that size?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I understand. No one wants to pay more than they have to for something they love.
But honestly, I'm thinking about the other cost, the cost to your family -
You absolutely can choose just this one.
and avoid paying the cost of a larger size now,
But there is still a cost and I want to make sure that you understand
because I don't want you to be mad at me because you end up being unhappy with your family portrait in the long run
So are you sure that's what you want to do?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
The 10 inch is so small
- I'd love for you to have your family portrait as a larger size.
And so, if you are able to let us hold on to that booking fee - upgrade your 10"
14" is $1,500 so that's a great value
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
***********
I think what might be really nice is to have there be like a 14 inch of her. So that is a little bit pretty without being huge. And then we could do that in exchange for your deposit. Normally, it's 1000 bucks. But if we're doing those two things together, then I can absorb that.
I understand.
I don't want to either.
The thing is -- all the things that that matter to me, you know,
they always cost more than I want them to cost - I get it.
“I've got all this other Christmas spending and you know, and we've got a tight budget”
I understand. That makes sense.
Can I ask, why do you even want to spend money on things at Holiday time?
Like, when you're thinking about buying Christmas gifts this year, what is it that you want to help our, our friends and family feel?
Whether it's like the heated socks, or the sweater, or you know, a new coffeemaker, or what have you, you know, versus a portrait like this — What is the feeling they are hoping to give another through that gift?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Last year, how did it work out? How special did the gift fee? how long did that feeling last?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Just thinking outloud, like how would it be if they could give a gift that only became more special with each passing year?
In 40 years, what do you think will be more precious to your family,
the sweater that no longer fits,
or a portrait like this?
In 40 years, what will remind your daughter best
of the love you gave her in childhood,
the plastic Fischer Price kitchen set
that got taken to the dump,
or a portrait like this?
Is there really any personal connection to a gift
that even comes close to a portrait
that has your child and the people she loves the most in it?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I mean, when you think about a portrait like this,
what is the feeling that your family will get to feel every single time they look at this?
Think about it this way - this is how you keep the magic of childhood alive
every single day of the year,
it's like having Christmas morning
every single time your child looks at it,
it takes them right back into that experience, unlike anything else, right,
because all the Christmas decorations get put away. Right?
The presents get absorbed, you know, into the mess of every day, right?
You know, the brand new plastic kitchen,
just gets dirty and shoved to the side.
And it's not special anymore. Right?
But when you think about these portraits,
their specialness remains, their specialness only gets more and more important as time goes by,
unlike any other gift you're gonna buy this year, right?
Because every single time your family walks into this room and sees this portrait,
they're gonna get this feeling,
this message of "I love you so much,
you matter,
You're everything to me.
And I want you to be reminded of that every single time you walk through this house. "
There are seasons of the year, but more importantly, there are seasons in a family.
It can be so easy to be so consumed by the time of year that the season of family gets pushed aside, invisible.
It’s only when we look back, that we see what has gone by and what we no longer have.
Your family is not the same as it was 5 years ago. It will be completely different again in 5 years to come, let alone 20.
It’s no problem if this year just passes by again too. But this is the moment where we decide if this season of your family gets to be honored and celebrated, or if the Christmas budget wins and a present is more important than a treasure.
It’s the difference between something that at best gets absorbed into the ordinary, or at worst sold for $5 at a yard sale.
When you think back on any Christmas gifts you’ve either given or received, are there any that you would run into a burning building for?
If your house was on fire, would you run for the heated socks or a family Portrait? The new coffee maker or the portrait that has your grandmother in it?
We are not talking about a small sum of money here, and yes the cost of this probably blows your Christmas budget right out the water, but legacy was never meant to be compared to the ordinary.
A portrait like this is not something you do every year.
This season of family will not come around again like the holidays do.
Imagine if each of you had a portrait like this of your family when you were babies?
And another when you were older?
And another when your families joined?
And again when your own children were babies, held by your parents?
Maybe you have a visual legacy to pass on to your children, maybe it starts right now with this one.
This is the moment where we get to choose: what visual legacy will your family be gifted with?
And what better time than Christmas to treasure the seasons of family?
A family portrait only becomes more precious with each passing year.
Can that be said of any gift found at the mall?
OFFER SINGLE
I understand.
A collection is just not in the cards right now.
Jeannie, would you show the single on the wall again?
(SHOW SINGLE WITH FRAME IN THEIR FAVORITE SIZE)
So it sounds like you are learning more toward using your $1000 credit toward the single then in your Goldilocks size? (the 40”)
(OFFER A SINGLE IN THE LEGACY LINE FIRST)
A single FAMILY PORTRAIT is such a great choice because it will help your child have that feeling of belonging and know where home is. - see in themselves what you WANT them to see about themselves.
Then the gift you're sending forward
every time they come home, this is going to catch their eye, and it's going to tell them something
we get to decide in this moment, what that's going to be for them
If the reason for your family session is…
to show the children of your family how connected you truly are,
how loved they are,
it makes sense that it's large enough for everyone to truly see themselves?
so it shows your family how important they are,
All of those things can't happen in just one very small picture? They can't.
That's part of why I recommend the 40 inch size. Are you guys good with that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So at this size, which finish do you like In the LEGACY line, you can have it on canvas painted or in our signature finish? Which is your preference?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) YES
CONFIRM LEGACY SIZE AND FINISH
IF NO TO LEGACY, OFFER SINGLE IN DESIGNER LINE
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) NO
I understand.
Jeannie, would you show the single without the FRAME? So this is what the DESIGNER LINE would look like since it has more of a minimalist FRAME that is sleeker
(SHOW SINGLE WITHOUT FRAME IN THEIR FAVORITE SIZE)
So if the cost is more of a factor, we do have the option of looking in our DESIGNER LINE - the portraits come ready to display, you save on the frame, but the ACTUAL PORTRAITS would be the same size. Would you like to do that?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE) YES
IF THEY ADD ON A SINGLE IN EITHER FINISH
That is such a smart choice, because you were able to use your $1000 credit and then... let’s go ahead add that to the cart and apply your credit.
So SMART to do that because when you buy wall art, other wall art that size and below, along with our boxes and albums are 50% off
What are you thinking to do with the rest of the portraits that you love?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
WALL ART DECISION IS MADE - YES
MOVE TO
WALL ART DECISION IS MADE - ADD ON BOX OR ALBUM
SINGLE WALL ART DECISION IS MADE - NO
Hmmm...let me think...
I don't know if this would make a difference, but I do have one more option that COULD work -
IF THEY DO NOT WANT TO ADD ON A SINGLE,
MOVE DOWN TO
PRICING STORYBOARD SLIDE-OFFER STORYBOARD
IF THEY WANT A SINGLE SMALLER THAN A 30
MOVE DOWN TO
IF THEY WANT A SINGLE THAT IS TOO SMALL -20”
WHAT STEPHEN SAYS TO SELL A SINGLE ON A CHILD/COUPLE
Listen, let me show you what the 20 inch looks like. It's gorgeous. You'll love it.
That let's you still use your $1,000 WALL ART CREDIT and it's only 1500.
How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Now I recommend that you get it in our Legacy line because it's rated to last longer. If you get a frame a Michael's you would pay $500 for framing, but we would not be able to guarantee it for life.
The framing would only be $750 and you might as well get it done, right, we finish it's complete. It's done. It's guaranteed for life, so that is why you just let us do it.
What are your thoughts?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(If they don't go for this, offer a single in the designer line, $2400, $2200, can still use their WALL ART CREDIT, $1000 making it $1400 or $1200)
I understand.
Is there a reason why this size feels like the ideal?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I get it. The smaller size IS less money. I course I will honor your decision to do the smaller size.
But with your permission, I'd like to show you what is possible for you if you decide to go UP JUST ONE size.
Jeannie, would you show it on the wall in FAVORITE SIZE?
But think about it this way - the money part is the most fleeting part of the whole experience.
because the MOST lasting thing about THIS decision is the SIZE.
What you will ALWAYS have is the experience of the piece, for many decades,
and we're here to help you have what you love now but also from now on.
I really think that your family looks amazing in a 30 inch.
We don't pay attention to things that are all the same.
If a size is chosen that is just like everything else, nothing changes, and it disappears into nothingness, invisible.
Being noticed, and having impact, means being different
This is the moment where we decide,
will this portrait be invisible, or have the power to nourish your family, or will its impact be fleeting, like cotton candy?
Which size holds the most presence?
(IF IT’S TOO SMALL)
NEGOTIATING THE SIZE FIRST - (IF THEY ARE WAVERING BECAUSE OF PRICE NAIL DOWN THE SIZE FIRST) HOLDING UP A FRAME DURING THE SALE TO SHOW THE DIFFERENCE IN SIZE
IF THEY SAY: "I don't know if I could do that or not"
"It's okay,
"Let me see what I can do to help you
because ultimately, your money is not my goal,
your loyalty to us and
fulfilling your vision that's my goal, right?"
“I can tell that this might not be exactly what you want.
If you could just wave your magic wand
and get exactly what you want,
the size that you connected with
and felt like the children really came to life,
like if money wasn't a concern, cost was the same
which size do you love?
what would that be?"
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
"So if I understand you guys,
the 40" is where your heart is at?"
Great! Let's add that to the cart. You liked the XXX finish, right?
(ADD THE SINGLE TO THE CART IN THE FINISH THEY WANT)
SINGLE SIZE IS FINALIZED
That is such a smart choice
Remember, if you buy wall art, other wall art, boxes and albums are 50% off
WALL ART DECISION IS MADE - YES
MOVE TO
WALL ART DECISION IS MADE - ADD ON BOX OR ALBUM
WALL ART DECISION IS MADE - NO
IF THEY DO NOT WANT TO ADD ON A SINGLE,
MOVE DOWN TO
NO WALL ART - OFFER BOX OR ALBUM
No problem, if you can't decide today, or you're waiting to move into your new home, or waiting on your tax return... or.......
IF THEY CAN’T DECIDE
If your order is not complete today,
then you're welcome to pay for a second ordering session.
A second ordering session fee is only $200
and gives you three months to schedule another ordering session.
I should also let you know that we do have some offers
that will only be available during your ordering session.
Any products ordered during a completed ordering session will be
kept for reorders, but
after three months, if a second ordering session is not paid for or held,
portraits will be discarded -
we discard portraits you don't want.
I mean, if you don't want them, we don’t either.
Do you want to go ahead and pay for that second ordering session now?
It's really better to do that because
Portraits may be deleted if you forget and we don't hear back from you punctually.
We cannot guarantee any availability of portraits after the next four weeks.
“To avoid an additional session fee, we would need to
fill out all paperwork today, if you would like your 10” we can do that for you.”
(Start filling out paperwork for the gifted portrait (if that’s what they decided)
and then as I fill it out I mention something for their holding fee.
Undecided clients are almost always ZERO’s for me.... so I don’t delay the process)
Do you see how much more present and how much more significance this has even just going up one size.
Like if we just went up one size, because what I'm trying to do is I'm trying to get her from a hard flat, no way to a 20.
And then I'm going to try and keep the fee.
And so that's going to be a $1,300 sale, instead of giving her back 300 bucks.
How would you keep the fee in that situation?
I would, then I would say listen, you know, I know that she really loved this other one. Or, you know, are there any grandparents that you'd love to share the love with? Because I can do a couple of different things. And depending on what they say, like if I know that she loves one for the wall, but the daughter loves something else. I'm gonna say, Listen, how about we do this? How about I include an additional one, so she gets to have one in her room, and then an eight by 10 for her grandmother. And we can just do that in exchange for the fee. Normally, that would be like 1000 bucks, but how about just so that we can have more come from this. So I'm going to try to find out something that they expressed that they wanted, and then try to give that to them. So it's either an extra one for the kid and extra for the grandparent, maybe I go from an eight by 10 to a 14 inch,
BOX and ALBUM Minimums and Maximums
PORTRAIT BOX Minimums and Maximums
LEGACY ARTISAN BOX, 14-INCH (11x14)
INCLUDES UP TO 25 PORTRAITS, $4000
LEGACY 11x14, Fully Wrapped Leather Cover in choice of COLORS:
Minimum 15 portraits (double-sided prints)
Maximum 90 portraits (45 double-sided prints)
DESIGNER PORTRAIT BOX, 10-INCH, (8x10)
INCLUDES UP TO 15 PORTRAITS, $3500
DESIGNER 8x10, Fully Wrapped Leather Cover choice of COLORS:
Starts at 15 portraits (double-sided prints)
Maximum 50 portraits (25 double-sided prints)
ALBUM Minimums and Maximums
LEGACY 20-INCH ALBUM, (8x20)
INCLUDES UP TO 45 PORTRAITS, $8000
LEGACY 20x8, Leather Wrapped, ICE Cover in choice of COLORS:
Minimum 10 page-spreads (20 sides)
Maximum 50 page-spreads (100 sides)
Page Capacity: The base price of all FINAO ONE series albums includes 10 spreads or 20 individual page sides. The Maximum recommended size with standard thick pages is 32 spreads/64 sides, 50 spreads/100 sides with medium pages.
LEGACY 12-INCH ALBUM, (12x12)
INCLUDES UP TO 25 PORTRAITS, $5000
LEGACY 12x12, Fully Wrapped Leather Cover in choice of COLORS:
Minimum 5 page-spreads (10 sides)
Maximum 50 page-spreads (100 sides)
DESIGNER 10-INCH ALBUM, (10x10)
INCLUDES UP TO 15 PORTRAITS, $4000
DESIGNER 10x10, Fully Wrapped Leather Cover choice of COLORS:
Minimum 10 page-spreads (20 sides)
Maximum 50 page-spreads (100 sides)
IF WE GIFT THEM EXTRAS FOR PORTRAIT BOX/ALBUM, SWAP FOR HOLDING FEE
ALBUM and BOX DUPLICATES
What are you thinking to do with the REST OF THE PORTRAITS that you love?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
People are complex so it's hard to just splice them into one moment, you know?
There will probably come a time, like 10 years from now, you're gonna wish you had more, that's a great reason to just put all the rest of these in the box.
Jeannie, besides their wall art, how many other favorites DO they have?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So the favorites that you have now, we don't HAVE to make any more hard choices and go through those again - so I guess I should make sure - are those all the ones you KNOW you would love to have or would you like to go through them again?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(FINALIZE THE IMAGE COUNT)
So now that we know that these are the portraits you love...
I always try to do the best I can up front, so because you have purchased wall art, our ADD ON'S, such as the PORTRAIT BOX or AN ALBUM, are available to you at 50% off.
You have so many beautiful ones that you kept. too! When you’re an older mom and those kids are gone, you are going to be so glad that you have all of them permanently archived.
My least favorite thing is to delete portraits that I know are loved and wanted.
Really, that's the perfect amount for either an
ALBUM OR
A PORTRAIT BOX
Either choice is a beautiful way to feature your other favorite portraits.
That way you don't have to settle for just one aspect of your family - you will get to see all these different aspects of their personality - different feelings and moods. Anytime you just need to have more these favorites will exist and you have it.
Jeannie, can you put up the LEGACY slide up for that?
TECHNICAL-SHOW THE LEGACY PRICING SLIDE ON THE SCREEN IN PROSELECT
(SHOW THE LEGACY PORTRAIT BOX OR ALBUM SLIDE )
Let's look at the Legacy prices
And I will explain what that would look like
TECHNICAL-SHOW THE LEGACY PRICING SLIDE ON THE SCREEN IN PROSELECT
(INTERNAL NOTE:
ALBUMS:
For the 8x20-inch LEGACY ALBUM, we will include UP TO 45 PORTRAITS for $8000/$4000.
For the 12-inch LEGACY Album, we will include UP TO 25 PORTRAITS for $5000/$2500.
For the 10-Iinch DESIGNER ALBUM, we will include 15 PORTRAITS for $4000/$2000.)
BOXES:
For the 14-inch LEGACY ARTISAN BOX, we will include 25 PORTRAITS for $4000/$2000.
For the 10-inch DESIGNER PORTRAIT BOX, we will include 15 PORTRAITS for $3500/$1750
Our LEGACY ARTISAN 14 INCH Box, an add-on to your wall art, wrapped in leather, made in Italy, so unique and the PORTRAITS are the FULL SIZE of the print, hard mounted, coated and fits perfectly in the box.
It has a clear cover, so it's almost like the "cover" can be changed because you can put a different portrait on top. You can also use an easel to display one at a time.
OUR LEGACY ALBUM is available in TWO SIZES, 20-inch and 12-inch. We describe our Legacy Albums as a work of art bound in a book with the same type of archival printing used in museums, so it's meant to be handed down.
The attention to detail is like nothing I’ve ever seen.
The 20-inch LEGACY ALBUM is a panoramic album. It's handcrafted here in the States, and bound in fine leather. It features an ICE Cover!
The 12-inch LEGACY ALBUM is handcrafted in Italy, of fine Italian leather.
Albums are custom designed so EACH ALBUM is unique, one of a kind.
So you would have your choice OF THAT LEGACY 14 inch PORTRAIT BOX which is $4000
or ONE OF OUR custom-designed LEGACY Albums. The 20-inch Album is $8000, and the 12-inch Album is $5000.
Adding on the BOX or an ALBUM means you get your Digitals for those portraits too and they are printable to 8x10.
IF THEY PURCHASED WALL ART
Because you purchased wall art, either one is 50% off so the LEGACY ARTISAN BOX would be $2000
and the LEGACY ALBUMS would be either $4000 or $2500.
How does that sound? Which would you prefer, AN ALBUM or a PORTRAIT BOX?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(OFFER THEM the LEGACY BOX OR THE LEGACY ALBUM)
(GET THEIR RESPONSE -
THEN OFFER A NOSTALGIA DUPLICATE ALBUM)
You know, one of the things that we do that is SO SPECIAL IS make it a NOSTALGIA ALBUM - what that means, is if there are letters or sentimental things that we can scan, we can add those to your album design. Would you have an interesting in doing something like that? (if they ask about the price, it's only $500 per 10 items scanned)
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
GET THEIR RESPONSE
THEN OFFER DUPLICATE ALBUM
Have you thought of adding on a DUPLICATE ALBUM so each of your children can have one?
It's a great way to start their visual legacy.
There is a little bit of a difference as far as DUPLICATE albums.
Our 12-INCH SQUARE LEGACY Album, you can get an exact duplicate in an 8x8 SIZE for $995 - regardless of the number of pages.
The 12x12 LEGACY ALBUM is the only one that has that option, of getting a SMALLER duplicate.
Then for a FULL SIZE duplicate album in our LEGACY (or our DESIGNER LINE), a duplicate would be HALF the cost of what you pay for the ORIGINAL.
Would you like to add on a duplicate ALBUM today?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
NOTE:
(If they want anything in the ALBUM changed, this would require ORDERING a separate FULL SIZE album AT REGULAR PRICE, as that would not be a "duplicate.")
OR A DUPLICATE BOX
Then for a FULL SIZE duplicate BOX in our LEGACY (or our DESIGNER) LINE, a duplicate would be HALF the cost of what you pay for the ORIGINAL.
Would you like to add on a duplicate BOX today?
(INTERNAL NOTE:
ALBUMS:
For the 8x20-inch LEGACY ALBUM, we will include UP TO 45 PORTRAITS for $8000/$4000.
For the 12-inch LEGACY Album, we will include UP TO 25 PORTRAITS for $5000/$2500.
For the 10-Iinch DESIGNER ALBUM, we will include 15 PORTRAITS for $4000/$2000.)
BOXES:
For the 14-inch LEGACY ARTISAN BOX, we will include 25 PORTRAITS for $4000/$2000.
For the 10-inch DESIGNER PORTRAIT BOX, we will include 15 PORTRAITS for $3500/$1750
---------------
IF THEY HESITATE AND SEEM UNSURE ABOUT ADDING ON A BOX OR ALBUM
-----------------------------
OLD- DON'T DO THIS NOW ---BEFORE YOU OFFER DESIGNER LINE BOX, OFFER TO PAY PART OF FRAMING
br>
I know what you are thinking
- this collection still needs to be FRAMED
and that would be an added expense.
I was thinking...i would like to help you out with that -
If you DO make the decision today to add on the box,
what I would like to do is:
50 INCH COLLECTION
SAY THIS:
We can include ALL OF THE FRAMES FOR THE 50 INCH COLLECTION
If you paid for those yourself, that would be
$3,750-THREE
$4650-FOUR
for ALL of the FRAMES
But if you decide to add on the PORTRAIT BOX, ALL of your frames are on us - I'll pay for those.
Would that work for you guys?
40 INCH COLLECTION
SAY THIS:
We can include the frame for the LARGEST PORTRAIT, the 40 inch FAMILY PORTRAIT
IF YOU PAID FOR THAT FRAME YOURSELF, THAT WOULD BE $1350
So if you decide to add on the PORTRAIT BOX, your FAMILY PORTRAIT frame is on us - I'll pay for that. That just leaves you paying for the other frames so that the collection frames match.
(IF THEY ASK WHAT THE PRICE IS FOR THE OTHER FRAMES:)
24S ARE $850 EACH
14S ARE $650 EACH
Would that work for you guys?
(IF NO, ASK "Would it make a difference if we PAY FOR THE 40 INCH FAMILY PORTRAIT FRAME and I was able to offer you 50% off of the OTHER FRAMES?)
Would that work for you guys?
30 INCH COLLECTION
So if you decide to add on the PORTRAIT BOX or ALBUM TODAY, what I can do is offer you THE FRAMES FOR THE 30 INCH COLLECTION at 50% off
IF YOU PAID FULL PRICE FOR ALL OF THOSE FRAMES YOURSELF, THAT WOULD BE ...
TWO ON THE SIDE-$2550
FOUR ON THE SIDE-$3250
- would that work for you guys?
(IF THEY ASK WHAT THE PRICE IS FOR THE OTHER FRAMES:)
30 & TWO 20S COLLECTION FRAME would be $2550 so 50% off would make it $1250
30 & FOUR 10S COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3250 so 50% off would make it $1775
As a LAST DITCH OFFER ON THE FRAMES,
So if you decide to add on the PORTRAIT BOX, your FAMILY PORTRAIT frame is on us - I'll pay for that. That just leaves you paying for the other frames so that the collection frames match.
*************************
US PAYING FOR THE LARGEST FRAME, AND THEN ASKING THEM TO PAY HALF FOR REST OF FRAMES FOR THE MASTERPIECE COLLECTIONS, MEANS THESE COGS:
30 & FOUR 10s: WE’RE PAID $9,950 - 15.33%
*************************
GET A DECISION ON ADDING ON THE PORTRAIT BOX OR ALBUM - IF FRAMES ARE INCLUDED, ADD THE FRAMES TO THE CART NOW
---------------------------------------------
LEGACY BOX
IF THEY SAY NO TO A LEGACY BOX OR ALBUM, THEN offer them the DESIGNER BOX OR DESIGNER ALBUM
(ADD ADDITIONAL PORTRAITS TO THE BOXES:
Additional ones added to the box are $250 each / 50% off = $125
Blocks of 10 would be $2500 / 50% off = $1250
(INTERNAL NOTE:
LEGACY ALBUMS AND BOX
THE LEGACY 8x20 ALBUM includes up to 45 PORTRAITS. $8000
Minimum 10 page-spreads (20 sides)
Maximum 50 page-spreads (100 sides)
Page Capacity: The base price of all FINAO ONE series albums includes 10 spreads or 20 individual page sides. The Maximum recommended size with standard thick pages is 32 spreads/64 sides, 50 spreads/100 sides with medium pages.
THE LEGACY 12x12 ALBUM includes up to 25 PORTRAITS. $5000
Minimum 5 page-spreads (10 sides)
Maximum 50 page-spreads (100 sides)
THE LEGACY 14-INCH ARTISAN BOX includes 25 PORTRAITS, $4000
but it can hold a total of 90 portraits (45 double-sided)
DESIGNER ALBUM AND BOX
DESIGNER 10-INCH GOLD ALBUM includes 15 Portraits, $4,000
10x10 Designer Album has a minimum pagespread of 10 (20 pages) and a max pagespread of 50 (100 pages)
DESIGNER PORTRAIT BOX includes 15 Portraits, $3500. It can hold a total of 50 portraits (25 double-sided)
************************
(IF THEY HAVE ONE CHILD,
OR AS A GRANDPARENT GIFT, OFFER A BUY ONE AT FULL PRICE AND GET ANOTHER)
What I have had some parents do is since they are 50% off is get two PORTRAIT BOXES - two for the ORIGINAL price of one.
SO EACH BOX WOULD BE $2000 (OR $1750)
What is cool about that is ONE box stays with you
and another box goes to your daughter or son
on their wedding day as a treasure box with
portraits from this session. I love it because you can include other things such as love letters, gift cards, momentos.
so at the beginning of THEIR family, THEY will be starting with part of your family LEGACY going with THEM. How does that sound?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
---------------------------------------------
(IF THEY SEEM UNSURE OR WORRIED ABOUT THE LEGACY COST)
Another option would be our DESIGNER PORTRAIT box OR our GOLD PORTRAIT ALBUM wihich are each in a 10 inch size. We could do the same with our framing offer, if you decided to go with one of those options.
Would you like to hear more about those options?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY YES, MOVE TO
NO TO WALL ART - SHOW DESIGNER BOX OR ALBUM
IF THEY SAY NO, MOVE TO
DO NOT WANT WALL ART OR BOX/ALBUM, OFFER PORTOLIO
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
(INTERNAL NOTE:
THE LEGACY 8x20 ALBUM includes 45 portraits.
THE LEGACY 12x12 ALBUM includes 25 portraits.
THEY CAN HOLD UP TO 90 PORTRAITS.)
---------------------------------------
ALBUM COVERS
---------------------------------------
8X20 ALBUM HAS AN ICE FRONT WITH A PHOTO (RECOMMEND AT THE ORDERING SESSION)
12X12 ALBUM IS LEATHER, NO FRONT AND BACK PHOTO
10X10 ALBUM IS LEATHER, NO FRONT AND BACK PHOTO
PHOTO COVER-if a client asks if they can have a photo cover, but then we would explain that it's not leather and we recommend leather for longevity but we CAN do a photo cover.
IF THEY ADD ON A LEGACY BOX OR AN ALBUM, ADD TO CART
MOVE TO
WHAT'S MISSING
Our DESIGNER PORTRAIT box OR our GOLD PORTRAIT ALBUM are fully wrapped and have an easel included, very lovely - I always imagine my mom's with the kids on their lap enjoying this part of Their family story and over again.
(HAND THEM THE BOX - OR BY ZOOM, SHOW DESIGNER SLIDE IN PROSELECT )
Jeannie, can you show the DESIGNER BOX AND ALBUM SLIDE?
The DESIGNER BOX is smaller at a 10 INCH size, and with their classic fine-art look, they are an especially beautiful way to display your favorite portraits on the bookshelf or table..
The GOLD ALBUM is also CUSTOM DESIGNED, the pages are ALMOST unbreakable - I guess you could bend them if you really tried, but peanut butter and jelly will wipe right off.
Digitals of the portriats you put in EITHER the box or the album are COMPLIMENTARY and printable to an 8x10.
The DESIGNER 10 INCH BOX, would be $3500. The GOLD ALBUM is only $500 MORE AT $4,000.
Because you purchased wall art, either one is 50% off so the BOX would be $1750 and the ALBUM would be $2000.
Would you prefer the DESIGNER BOX or does the DESIGNER ALBUM sound like a better fit?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
---------------------------------------------
(IF THEY HAVE ONE CHILD,
OR AS A GRANDPARENT GIFT)
What I have had some parents do is since they are 50% off is get two PORTRAIT BOXES - two for the ORIGINAL price of one.
SO EACH BOX WOULD BE $2000 (OR $1750)
What is cool about that is one box stays with you
and another box goes to your daughter or son
on their wedding day as a treasure box with
portraits from this session and others with love letters, gift cards,
so at the beginning of her family, she will be starting with part of your family going with her.
(ADD ADDITIONAL PORTRAITS TO THE BOXES:
Individual portraits are $250 each
Blocks of 10 for $2500 / 50% off = $1250
______________________________________
IF THEY SAY NO TO THE DESIGNER BOX OR ALBUM
Hmmmm....Let me see what else I have that might work for you guys....
MOVE TO
WHAT'S MISSING?
-----------------
(INTERNAL NOTE: THE DESIGNER PORTRAIT BOX CAN HOLD UP TO 50 PORTRAITS.)
-----------------
(INTERNAL NOTE: For the 20-inch LEGACY ALBUM, we will include 45 PORTRAITS.
For the 12-inch LEGACY Album we will include 25 PORTRAITS
AND for the 10-Iinch DESIGNER ALBUM,, we will include 15 Portraits.)
(Internal Note: 10x10 Designer Album has a max pagespread of 50, or 100 pages)
NO TO WALL ART - OFFER BOX OR ALBUM
I just to make sure I understand, so we are all on the same page -- you guys don’t want Wall Art so you will NOT be using your $1000 Wall Art credit towards wall art, correct?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I understand.
What are you thinking to do with the REST OF THE PORTRAITS that you love?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I understand
...if we can't do the moon and stars, let's see if we can help you have a piece of the moon.
Let's talk about like what feels most important and see what we can do for you.
Jeannie, how many favorites DO they have?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So the favorites that you have now, are those all the ones you KNOW you want to keep or would you like to go through them again?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(FINALIZE THE IMAGE COUNT)
So now that we know that you want to keep XXX amount of portraits...
Let me think.. You know what...that's the perfect amount for an
ALBUM OR
A PORTRAIT BOX
Either choice is a beautiful way to focus on the variety of your other favorite portraits! I'd love to help you have those, so that you don't have to settle for just one aspect of your family. But you will get to see all these different parts of their personality - different feelings and moods. So that anytime you just need to have more of this, you have it.
Jeannie, can you put up the LEGACY PORTRAIT BOX AND ALBUM slide?
(SHOW THE LEGACY PORTRAIT BOX OR ALBUM SLIDE )
So you would have your choice OF THAT LEGACY 14 inch PORTRAIT BOX which is $4000
or ONE OF OUR custom-designed LEGACY Albums. The 20-inch Album is $8000, and the 12-inch Album is $5000.
Matching digitals ARE COMPLIMENTARY with wall art, boxes, albums and are printable to 8x10.
Do you like an ALBUM or a PORTRAIT BOX better?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY YES TO THE BOX OR ALBUM ADD TO CART
IF THEY SAY NO TO THE BOX OR ALBUM
You know, my least favorite thing is to delete portraits that I know are loved and wanted. So let me see what I can do for you.
I know that you were not able to purchase wall art - it sounds like what you really want is the variety of these portraits - is that right?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
I understand that - I would really love for you to have those.
Would it make a difference to you if we applied your $1000 wall art credit to the box or the album?
That would put the $8000 20-inch Legacy Album at $7000
the $5000 12-inch Legacy Album at $4000
and put the $4000 Legacy Portrait Box at $3000.
How does that sound?
---------------------------------------------
(IF THEY HAVE ONE CHILD,
OR AS A GRANDPARENT GIFT)
What I have had some parents do is get two PORTRAIT BOXES - now if you did that, then I could do two for the ORIGINAL price of one.
SO EACH BOX WOULD BE $2000 (OR $1750)
What is cool about that is one box stays with you
and another box goes to your daughter or son
on their wedding day as a treasure box with
portraits from this session and others with love letters, gift cards,
so at the beginning of her family, she will be starting with part of your family going with her.
(ADD ADDITIONAL PORTRAITS TO THE BOXES:
Individual portraits for $250 each / 50% off = $125
Blocks of 10 for $2500 / 50% off = $1250
______________________________________
---------------
IF THEY HESITATE AND SEEM UNSURE WHAT THEY WANT
Let me explain more about the differences in an ALBUM and a BOX
OFFER ARTISAN BOX IN THE LEGACY LINE! - SHOW SLIDE OF BOX AND ALBUM
Our LEGACY ARTISAN 14 INCH Box, an add-on to your wall art, wrapped in leather, made in Italy, so unique and the PORTRAITS are the FULL SIZE of the print, hard mounted, coated and fits perfectly in the box.
It has a clear cover, so it's almost like the "cover" can be changed because you can put a different portrait on top. You can also use an easel to display one at a time.
OUR LEGACY ALBUM is available in TWO SIZES, 20-inch and 12-inch. We describe our Legacy Albums as a work of art bound in a book with the same type of archival printing used in museums, so it's meant to be handed down.
The attention to detail is like nothing I’ve ever seen.
The 20-inch LEGACY ALBUM is a panoramic album. It's handcrafted here in the States, and bound in fine leather. It features an ICE Cover!
The 12-inch LEGACY ALBUM is handcrafted in Italy, of fine Italian leather.
Albums are custom designed so EACH ALBUM is unique, one of a kind.
The 20-inch ALBUM includes 45 portraits,
and the 12-inch ALBUM and the BOX includes 25 PORTRAITS
and you get Digitals for those portraits too.
How does that sound?
Which would you prefer, AN ALBUM or a PORTRAIT BOX?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
(IF THEY CHOOSE EITHER ONE, DON'T SHOW THEM DESIGNER ADD ONS)
(INTERNAL NOTE: THE LEGACY ARTISAN BOX We will include up to 25 in the BOX for this price BUT IT CAN HOLD UP TO 90 PORTRAITS.)
(IF THEY SEEM UNSURE OR WORRIED ABOUT THE LEGACY COST)
Another option would be our DESIGNER PORTRAIT box OR our GOLD PORTRAIT ALBUM wihich are in a 10 inch size.
Would you like to hear more about those options?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY YES, MOVE TO CHECKLIST ABOVE
NO TO LEGACY BOX AND ALBUM, SHOW DESIGNER BOX AND ALBUM
IF THEY SAY NO, MOVE TO
DO NOT WANT WALL ART OR BOX/ALBUM, OFFER PORTOLIO
------------------------------
(INTERNAL NOTE: THE LEGACY ARTISAN BOX CAN HOLD UP TO 90 PORTRAITS.)
(INTERNAL NOTE: For the 20-inch LEGACY ALBUM, we will include 45 PORTRAITS.
For the 12-inch LEGACY Album we will include 25 PORTRAITS
AND for the 10-Iinch DESIGNER ALBUM,, we will include 15 Portraits.)
(Internal Note: 10x10 Designer Album has a max pagespread of 50, or 100 pages)
Our DESIGNER PORTRAIT box OR our GOLD PORTRAIT ALBUM are fully wrapped and have an easel included, very lovely - I always imagine my mom's with the kids on their lap enjoying this part of Their family story and over again.
(HAND THEM THE BOX - OR BY ZOOM, SHOW DESIGNER SLIDE IN PROSELECT )
Jeannie, can you show the DESIGNER BOX AND ALBUM SLIDE?
The DESIGNER BOX is smaller at a 10 INCH size, and with their classic fine-art look, they are an especially beautiful way to display your favorite portraits on the bookshelf or table..
The GOLD ALBUM is also CUSTOM DESIGNED, the pages are ALMOST unbreakable - I guess you could bend them if you really tried, but peanut butter and jelly will wipe right off.
Digitals of the portriats you put in EITHER the box or the album are included and printable to an 8x10.
The DESIGNER 10 INCH BOX, would be $3500. The GOLD ALBUM is only $500 MORE AT $4,000.
Would you prefer the DESIGNER BOX or does the DESIGNER ALBUM sound like a better fit?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY YES TO THE DESIGNER BOX OR ALBUM, ADD TO CART
---------------------------------------------
(IF THEY HAVE ONE CHILD,
OR AS A GRANDPARENT GIFT)
What I have had some parents do is since they are 50% off is get two PORTRAIT BOXES - two for the ORIGINAL price of one.
SO EACH BOX WOULD BE $2000 (OR $1750)
What is cool about that is one box stays with you
and another box goes to your daughter or son
on their wedding day as a treasure box with
portraits from this session and others with love letters, gift cards,
so at the beginning of her family, she will be starting with part of your family going with her.
(ADD ADDITIONAL PORTRAITS TO THE BOXES:
Individual portraits for $250 each / 50% off = $125
Blocks of 10 for $2500 / 50% off = $1250
______________________________________
---------------
OFFER GIFT PRINTS
Okay, so sounds like the next best option would be to add on GIFT PRINTS
Are there any GIFT PRINTS you would like to add? Would your mom love to have a picture of you? Or a picture of your family?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
MOVE TO WRITE UP THE SALE
IF THEY SAY NO TO THE DESIGNER BOX OR ALBUM
Hmmmm....Let me see what else I have that might work for you guys....
MOVE TO
DO NOT WANT WALL ART OR BOX/ALBUM, OFFER PORTOLIO
-----------------
(INTERNAL NOTE: THE DESIGNER PORTRAIT BOX CAN HOLD UP TO 50 PORTRAITS.)
-----------------
(INTERNAL NOTE: We will include up to 15 in the DESIGNER ALBUM for this price.
(Internal Note: 10x10 Designer Album has a max pagespread of 50, or 100 pages)
FINISHES
DESIGNER LINE has more of a minimalist FRAME that is sleeker):
JEANNIE, CAN YOU PUT UP THE DESIGNER LINE SLIDE?
WITHIN OUR DESIGNER LINE we have THREE options. This is a really good option for people who don't want any visual distractions, they just want to focus on the person in the portrait.
GALLERY CANVAS is cotton canvas with an anti-glare finish with more of an art gallery look.
There is a minimalist frame that you don't really see.
ICE is similar as far as the frame, and is our glossiest finish and really makes the portrait pop
STEEL is a more of a muted finish, modern, clean lines and obviously metal.
What feels like it's the right finish for you?
THIS IS MORE EXPLANATION OF OUR DESIGNER LINE FINISHES IF THEY NEED IT
Gallery Canvas
~ Timeless Modern beauty ~
Archival certified 12 colour printing, cotton canvas and an exclusive protective, anti-glare finish.
It will never collapse, sag or bulge.
Bring a little bit of the
art gallery to your home.
Steel
~ Clean, contemporary metal ~
Colors are infused into the metal, creating a
dramatic result. A durable, anti-scratch, water-proof art piece for home décor.
A modern and edgy look for the contemporary family.
Ice
Handcrafted in Italy
~ Dynamic, glossy presentation ~
Contemporary and unique
Once printed, it is opaque, highlighting the
vibrant colors and breathtaking detail.
The ultra-transparent panel
ensures a long-lasting fine art piece.
Clients who relish in the art of negotiation are motivated by the thrill of getting a good deal, which makes their buying experience feel even more rewarding.
Not only did they get something they wanted, but they got one over on you in the process. Their positive sense of self comes from getting more from you than you felt comfortable offering, giving them an experience of having “won.”
They will never be the loser–they will either win by getting a good deal, or win by walking away so that you lose their sale.
Psychology:
This need arises from a desire for self-affirmation, personal accomplishment, and the satisfaction of feeling they have made a savvy choice. Underneath this is a lack of self worth, which can only be appeased by feeling better than.
Recognition:
Watch for clients haggling and demanding discounts.
Objections:
"This other photographer charged … ,
I don’t want to spend more than that."
"What's the best you can do for me?"
"I’ll give you $500 for all the digitals."
Address:
Connect with their sense of achievement by offering exclusive collections put together just for them, or limited-time promotions.
Present your offer as an extraordinary opportunity that they have the unique chance to seize.
“This is not something I offer– don’t tell anybody else, because they won’t be able to get it. I just want to do the best I can for you.”
Be prepared to offer multiple solutions, until you get to the one that really hurts (but make sure it doesn’t really).
“This is the best I can do, otherwise I won’t be able to keep the lights on. I really can’t go any lower.”
This is where you let your pride take the hit to make the sale, understanding that you are simply playing a psychological game and it is no reflection of what you or your work is worth. They came to the interaction with how they like to play, and you can either play along or lose the sale.
By keeping these in mind, you can be better prepared for what comes your way. Happy selling!
--------------
SARAH
WHEN THEY SAY:
I did this with this photographer, and it didn't cost blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Now they're in this comparison mode.
When you start picking up these cues, start high, so that you can give away a whole bunch, but still end up in a good place.
And then have it just be like:
Listen, I really I can't go, I can't go any lower, and I gotta keep the lights on, you know, I've got staff to pay. I really wish I could, you know, do this, but my margins, they just don't allow for it.
Recognize you're just playing a game, then you could just play the game and not get offended.
Like they they're trying to get a feeling of significance, you know, by by you know getting this good deal because they just have to feel like that they did it
Give them the best deal.
Talk about how, you know, at full cost, you know, this is going to cost you $15,000. But this is what I can do for you.
(So you're always saying like, what it could be versus what you're doing for them.
And then it's like, well, you know, if we're going to go even lower, what now it's not even going to make that much of a difference. Because if you were gonna pay full price for this, you know, you'd be paying more than if we just did this combination that I've come up with. So it's so then you have to start making these comparisons.)
Thank you for asking about that. I'm really upfront with people - I always try to do the very best that I can like, right away
We've really put together the ideal for you, you know, is there anything that you feel like you would actually be okay living without?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay.
IF THEY ARE PERSISTENT
I completely undertand why you are asking. Like I said, I always try to do the very best that I can like right way.
ah, you know, I'd love to do that.
But in fairness to other clients, my other clients pay full price.
And I don't think that would be fair if I gave you them, you know, for for this discount or for free.
So it's just really it keeps things fair.
So if you want to lower the final total: Is there anything that you feel like you would actually be okay living without?
Most of my clients feel: If I came back to you in like five years, and was like, You know what, I'm going to buy these back or do here's your money back, I'm gonna just take all this back and everything that's come up, most would say something like over my dead body.
Really, we’ve offered generous payment plan options too.
From booking and planning calls, to design, portrait and ordering session, retouch, production, to the final product – there are many hands that touch each client's experience
and we produce the best quality.
OBJ- Other Photographers we’ve used don’t charge that much.
It’s true - no other studio
offers our experience
or the quality that we offer,
so the initial cost IS less.
it’s like McDonalds and Mortons - they both sell beef, but wouldn’t you agree that the experience is different?
Would you ever consider going to McDonalds to celebrate and honor your anniversary?
In a similar way, clients who choose us value their family so much,
so they want quality portraits
and a beautiful experience
- that’s why they come to us.
You may not believe
capturing a beautiful record
of this stage of your family’s journey
is worth this,
you don’t have to invest in this.
You have a complimentary art piece that was a gift to you
and we would love to make that for you.
Which one would you like?
IF THEY ARE STILL PERSISTENT
ah, you know, I'd love to do that.
But in fairness to other clients, my other clients pay full price.
And I don't think that would be fair if I gave you them, you know, for this discount or for free.
So it's just really it keeps things fair.
Really, it would be unethical for us to charge anything less than what are charging other clients.
I understand
Let's get it down to what you're comfortable with. Let's see what changes we can make so that you feel good about this. It does add up,
I understand this as an investment and everyone has a budget.
Where would you like to begin or I can suggest some options?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Okay. well, let's talk about the purpose of Wall art
versus the purpose of all the rest of the variety in a box.
We shine a light on what we love when we put something on the wall.
And the purpose of fine art is to impact people - to make people feel.
And the very specific purpose of this session
was to help your child
see something in herself to
help her feel differently about herself,
which means it has to be big enough to capture her attention.
It doesn't have to be huge.
But it does have to be big enough,
When we're talking about the smaller sizes,
they end up being one of many
they get swallowed up
by everything else around them,
don’t capture people's attention,
they get ignored.
have no IMPACT on your FAMILY or CHILDREN
So when we're talking about the purpose of wall art, these are the things that's really important to make sure that we consider because
it's either accomplishing what it's capable of,
which is very powerful, or isn't.
************
IF THEY DECIDE ON THE BOX
***********
I tell you want I would love to do - I would hate to have to delete portraits that I know you love.
So the LEGACY BOX is 4000.
Would it make a difference to you if we apply your WALL ART credit to the box- we would take $1,000 off,
So it would be 3000 to do the 15. So basically, you're getting the portraits for 3000 versus 3750.
I think what might be really nice is for you to have at least a 14 inch of her. So that is a little bit pretty without being huge. And then we could do that in exchange for your CREDIT. Normally, it's $1500.
But if we're doing the box I would love it if you would have those two things for her and then I can absorb that 14" cost.
When we do these two things together, then I can do the 14 just in exchange for your CREDIT.
So you get a 14 inch, but now we're using the CREDIT., you know, towards the variety, which sounds like the thing that you really want - but you tell me. Would that make a difference to you?
Does that work for you?
(GET AGREEMENT)
SO COME DOWN IN PRICE ONE SIZE, BUT INCLUDE THE LARGER SIZE
Listen, you know, and instead of going down to size, you know, to save some money and have something that you're not ultimately happy with? How about I meet you in the middle? Right? And we take $500 off, and we'll we'll do we'll do the 30 inch, you know, for, you know, half of what it would cost you for if we were doing the 20 whatever, however you want to say it, like meet them in the middle, because I would rather do that, then it'd be like, Okay, well, let's do the 24 and lose 1000 bucks.
I'm just curious...and you don't have to answer if you don't want to...but what I personally really want to know, what would it need to be to feel, you know, like, worthy of investing in?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
One of the things I really love about my
Asian/Indian/Chinese, etc.
clients is how much they love their family.
So when was the last time that your family back home got to see your children?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
How many members of your family are here, if you wanted to all go home for a visit and everyone could get together?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
So you have 11 members here. I have a friend and every time she flies home, it's like $2,000 a ticket. How much would it be for you to fly home?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Let's just say on the cheaper side, you get a great deal and it would only be 1000, So it's going to cost you $11,000 to jump on a flight and get there. When do you think that's going to happen?
Sometimes my INDIAN clients tell me: We don't spend money on this. We can get it for so much cheaper in India.
Probably never going to happen though, right
Because all of you are not going to be able to time a trip where all of you go together. So it's just never going to happen.
So why don't we do this - why don't we figure out how to make it happen here. Because the reality is that you're gonna pay full price of 22,000 at a busy time when you're all gonna go. And maybe it will happen in five years, seven years or 10 years?
So I understand that PORTRAITS are probably cheaper in India. right?
Sure, but like how much money are you gonna spend to GET THERE?
And really, is it ever going to happen?
Because it's hard, right?
Coming to a different country, you are losing your roots, the family, sometimes you bring some part of the family, but the sense of belonging is lost - it dissolves - but the family that's still in India or Asian - they are missing out on the children now.
So how do we help share this with them so you know,so they're not missing out on you know, this year, this child?
Portraits, these portraits though are
giving children a feeling of being rooted HERE. so they don't have to go somewhere else to have that - they get to have that on the walls of their home.
Because that portrait is making them connect with the roots through the year. to know where they belong, where they are coming from is in one portrait, they know where they can go apart from that.
_____________________
EXAMPLE: TO INDIAN/ASIAN CLIENT
So one thing I have really noticed is that a LOT of my Asian/Indian clients work in TECH.
And I noticed this THING that happens.
All the engineers, all the people underneath are Asians, Indian, Chinese, Filipinos, but the people at the leadership level are Caucasians why?
Look at Apple, who's doing the presentations, but who are the engineers?
Who are the brains behind it all? But then who are giving the presentatioons and presenting the concepts to the world?
You know what the difference is?
It's because the ENGINEERS don't FEEL important enough. They grow up with these LITTLE pictures of families.
So THAT'S the importance they feel. They don't FEEL important enough, so then they don't get to those important positions in life.
So I get it - people spend money on what they feel is important, right?
a home
a fancy car
People sometimes do that because it signifies to OTHER people - they want them to know WHO is important.
THESE PORTRAITS - tell your child that THEY are important to YOU.
(FIRST GENERATION VS SECOND GENERATION
the question will come down to the first generation versus the second or the third. The people I was talking to a second generation I could the first generation tends to go back more often because their roots are still there.
The second doesn't, and then it makes sense for the second one, because the first one is like figuring out every which way to go back over a year or so.
I go every 10 years, or maybe not, you know, not even like 18 years. Who knows, right? So it doesn't apply to me like I could use that analogy for somebody who's second generation to get it.
But also, I like the idea of like, the family that's still in India is missing out on the children now. And it's gonna be maybe another year before they get to see them. Right? So how do we help share this with them? So you know, they're not missing out on you know, this year, this child?
giving the children a feeling of being rooted here. experience so that they don't, they don't have to go somewhere else to have that they get to have that you know, on the walls of their home.
Because they are choosing a different country, they are losing their roots, they are losing the family, sometimes they bring some part of the family, so there is the sense of belonging, but often the sense of family is lost - it dissolves - but that portrayed is making them connect with the roots through the year. Yeah, where they belong, and is in that one portrait. So they when they know where they belong, where they are coming from, they know where they can go apart from that.)
REDACT
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Right now, my main concern is my grandkids and taking care of them.
I get it. You know,
Can I ask you a question, Bob. Sure. This is the thing that keeps getting me is that this is actually for them. Like this is I know, it doesn't seem like this is a way that we take care of our grandkids. But I mean, do you have anything of your grandfather? You know, your history, your family?
I would say no, I do. But no. But a lot of things were important. My grandkids, I can see this is important. But so their education, so as being able to take care of them, to have food on the table for them, it's a lot of things that we are responsible now for our grandkids.
And I just can't see how we can make our way through to to budget for this, which is nice. But the reality is, there are other things that the kids need are much more important.
Yeah. You know, and it's true. You're right. So this is what I'm wondering if we could get it to a point where you could feel like you know what, I can deal with that.
You can it doesn't have to be an either or, you know, we either space it out a little bit longer, you know, or maybe we talk about that we need to come down to size but but keeping it where it's big enough to do what it it, what it can accomplish?
Would you like to take a look and just see like, what if we space it out a little bit more? Or she would go take another look and see like, what's, what's the next size down? Like?
So it's like it's gonna be 100 and whatever dollars or, you know, $32 a week, you know, could we swing it so that you guys get to keep it at that size that really has an impact that, you know, just just, you know, makes your eyes light up?
And then if not, I mean, the last thing I want to do is talking about going down a size,
So here's the deal, we can have it be smaller, we can have it be less expensive.
But what's gonna happen is it every time she looks at it, she's gonna think about what it COULD have been and what she doesn't have.
And so I'm here to help you have it be the thing that's going to be perfect for not only HER but also for your grandkids, that this is the thing they run into a burning building for?
Can we just talk about, you know, what we could do as far as spacing it out? And then maybe if it's like, you know, if they're doing this and that, like, you know what, I could come down a little bit on this, like, maybe there's something that you could do, but that you're the champion for this size, because you're trying to save her from being disappointed and for him being the reason for it.
(the key thing with people who don't value portraits is to is to connect with what they do value and he values his grandkids.
He does. He does. Yeah.
So to help him see that this is actually a different way of taking care of his grandkids in an elastic way, they're not going to remember, you know, the toy set that, that he got them for Christmas, you know, and, and as much as you hope they remember the fishing trips when they're five, I mean, will they, they just, they just don't, you know, memories fade.
But when it comes to family portraits, there is a reason why people run into burning buildings. For them, it's the first thing you want to save.
Because it's something you canNOT get back it is it is a gift to them. It's a treasure unlike any other.
And this is where you just come in, and you just and you just because it's true, right?
I mean, the portraits that we give to our kids and our grandkids are priceless beyond measure.
And if you'd had any portraits, it's like because someone in the family took the time and spent the money to make sure that the later generations would have it.
And that's what it means to be a grandparent, you know, we've take care of the ones coming after us. And that you really respect that that's what he wants to do for his grandkids. And this is a part of that. Okay, so
Ask Bob did he have anything of his grandfather, and putting it in those two? Yeah, terms really helps somebody to relate it to themselves.
you know, it's like, you know, and if you did have a portrait of you and your grandfather, that would be something that you could show your grandkids today and say, This is my grandfather, and tell the stories, so that they feel the richness of the legacy of your family.
**************
It's the art on the wall that that is that reminder so that they don't forget about it. It's kind of like having, you know, Christmas morning every single day.
like how amazing it is to have Wall art, because it's like Christmas morning, every single time you look at it.
And can you imagine that one day, their daughter will come with your granddaughter to your house, and will look at this portrait and say, this portrait has been forever, in my mother's house and has been since my childhood, and you leave it like that.
END OF SALE-HOLDING FEE SWAPS
MAKE SURE THE CLENT IS LOOKING AT THE PORTRAITS.
(This is *especially* true when you're talking about what your are including, or what you are exchanging for the fee.)
(The last thing you want to do is to refer to it by its product name, rather than its purpose, how the client feels about it, or how the child feels about it. It's what is DOES vs what it IS.)
It's not an extra 8x10, it's "this other portrait that you loved of Jack smiling, that one you thought you'd love to have on your desk."
Or, "Let's take a look at these two portraits of Johnny and Sally, they would look so precious on the mantle underneath their sibling fairy portrait. That way they could each have something special of the themselves while you get to have the one of the two them together you love so much. If we're doing the 40" I can include these two for no cost, they go so beautifully together."
Or "how about we make sure this portrait, the one Sally loved but wasn't your favorite, gets to exist. We can just do it in exchange for the fee, and she gets to have her favorite too."
PORTRAIT BOX or ALBUM
I know you REALLY want ALL of your favorites in your box/album.
AND I want you to have them.
I tell you what: If you let me keep your holding fee, I'll include those EXTRA portraits. How does that sound?
DIGITALS, ESPECIALLY IF LIMITED EDITION GETS ONLY PRINT(S)
I know you got prints, and digitals are not included with just prints.
BUT if you let me keep your holding fee, I'll include digitals of the prints for you. How does that sound?
MUTE TO DISCUSS
MUTE TO DISCUSS: YOU ARE ASKED TO MUTE THE AUDIO/LEAVE THE ROOM SO THEY CAN TALK ABOUT IT
TELL A CLOSING STORY
Absolutely, we can do that,
but before we do, can I just tell you one thing?
I haven’t always done this
What I had been doing was all wrong
Parents were both dying and I didn’t realize it
Didn’t enjoy the time I had with them
That’s when I understood
- We are ALL going to pass away - we just don’t know when
It wasn’t until they were gone
I commissioned a beautiful portrait with my family
I’m so thankful we have that
The life I have lived has placed me in a spot where I had to wonder if
I would ever get to be hugged again,
it made me want to make sure
people I care about knew that they are valued, accepted, and loved. Right then.
Because I didn't know if I was going to stay alive.
Cancer is a gift because it gives you the gift of clarity of what is important
So treasure these moments.
Remember the feeling and cherish it.
None of us ever know.
Nothing else matters.
I hear ya. It's always tough to choose what to spend money on.
But let me tell you what I know:
Portraits are the ONE purchase in your life that will GROW in value as time goes by.
My best friend's mother recently passed away.
Used their portraits together at the memorial service.
She thanked me profusely
because she now understands, more than ever, the value of those portraits
10 or 20 years from now, when you look back at all the purchases you've made,
I can promise you that the ONE purchase you will never regret is the one that showcases your beauty and your love.
CLOSING STORY
So you guys take a few minutes to talk.
And before I go, can I tell you a quick story.
Okay, so there was a time when I was really nervous about money
And an opportunity came up for my husband and I to have a portrait created.
And it was not good timing.
And it was expensive.
It was not a small check but like today, it was a very good value.
And I didn't want to do this.
And I kind of said, Okay, and then after I kind of had a moment where I regretted it.
Flash forward to when I got the artwork back, framed and I could SEE it on the wall.
So now you could hand me back my check. And I assure you, this is no a little money. I would not trade it for those portraits.
If we were out of town, and this house was threatened by fire and our neighbors said grab something, that is what we would grab - we would grab those portraits.
Now, I know right now it's feeling like a lot of money to you.
But I believe and I think that you will feel the same way about your portraits that I feel about mine.
And they'll have as much value to you.
So I appreciate you taking a couple minutes to listen. You guys talk, figure out whatever's right for you and just call to me when you are ready.
IF YOU NEED TO STEP OUT OF THE ROOM
NOTE: To lock the screen so neither the computer nor the second "screen" or "projection" is accessible,
hit the WINDOWS icon button and the L on the keyboard.
This is important if, for instance, we needed to
leave the room so the clients could discuss something between them.
We would not want to leave anything open for them to take snapshots of or to page through, etc.
IF THEIR DISCUSSION IS NOT JUST A DECISION BUT TO TALK ABOUT FINANCES
you know, I totally get wanting to go, you know, talk about it amongst yourselves, if I can be a part of the conversation, then I can offer some different things that we still don't know, you know, it'd be helpful to you or not. So if we could have the conversation together, that will help me have some ideas about some different things that we can do, because you don't want them to leave.
if we can, if I can be a part of the conversation, I can be helpful to you. So if it's okay with you, you know, can we have that conversation together, and let's see what we can figure out. Let's see what I can do to help you.
So
it's always best to have this conversation together. So then you can ask, you know, what do you mind? If I ask you, you know, is it? Is it the portraits? Is it the idea of spending money on something like this? Or is it how to work this out financially?
Like you, you want to have the conversation together? So asking, like, is it this? Or is it that?
Because for him to say, Look, I just don't want to spend money on something, I'm not going to take care of the grandkids?
Like, okay, I get it. So and then you're talking about the real thing,
FRAMES-LEGACY-SINGLE-PURCHASING AND UPGRADING
IF THEY ARE GETTING A SINGLE UNDER 30 INCHES AND PURCHASING A FRAME SEE BELOW
START BY SAYING
The thing I love about OUR frames is it is just SO obvious that they are custom
________________________________________
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
SINGLE FRAMES
LEGACY 30" and above:
We can include a HANDCRAFTED FRAME
BELOW THAT SIZE, it DOES need to be framed, so really you have two options.
For people who have a strong framing preference or handy husbands who want to build a frame out of the barn wood from the house you grew up in, you CAN do your own framing.
But we also offer a framing line - the benefit to you is that framing with us means you have a LIFETIME GUARANTEE with the portrait. Would you like to know what we offer?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Have you ever been to the Louvre, or even the National Portrait Gallery downtown?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
There's two primary reasons why I encourage you to have it framed through us.
It's done and ready to hang on your wall when you receive it, instead of sitting in the closet
for six months.
We've seen framers in the past scratch our portraits, things like that.
By us being the first and last hands to touch it, we're able to totally guarantee it with a lifetime warranty on the portrait AND the frame.
So if anything WERE to ever happen to our framing, or anything would happen to the portrait, we will replace it for you.
One of the things that you'll notice is that we don't have standard framing.
We have HANDCRAFTED FRAMES
and that is what we offer because of the quality
Historical pieces, the frames are HAND-BUILT
and the ornamentation is fixed to them
THEN they're hand-finished on top of that
We choose only the BEST WOOD FRAMES to ensure the utmost quality to give each frame the distinctly rich look and feel of a museum masterpiece.
Now, I do have a few that are standard frames, some of the more modern ones.
Some people like things that are simple,
Some people like things that are ornate
- You saw my most popular frame on my Masterpiece painted studio sample
So some of the reasons why I love them are
-These are created in the United States.
-custom made, so it does take a minute for them to be created when we place your order.
-not cookie cutter frames
Jeannie, can you show them the frame slide?
PUT UP FRAME SLIDE
- SHOW SINGLE SLIDE IF THEY GOT A SINGLE
(on zoom - IN PROSELECT)
This is the frame that we showed when we showed you
your SINGLE
-You can hopefully see how the gold pulls out the warmth of the skin tones?
that's why GOLD has been the standard in portraiture for hundreds of year - and it's what you see at the Louve or the National Portrait Gallery.
A proper classic frame will go with ANY decor
and it's why we always match the frame to the PORTRAIT.
It's a lot like the perfect Chanel purse.
It can go with jeans and a T-shirt or with a gown at a black tie affair.
And can you see how it keeps the focus on the portrait and not the frame itself?
The frame IS important because it complements the portrait.
How do you feel about that frame?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Which one are you leaning towards?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Sometimes I get the question: Does the frame REALLY matter?
Well, what WE frame we guarantee our portraits for LIFE, so I think that really matters!
There is so much history, character that has been designed into our frames - your great grand kids may end fighting to keep that frame....
a cheap storebought frame - well, it just won't LAST - Heaven forbid anything should happen to the frame OR the portrait because they don't give you ANY guarantee.
What WE frame, we will replace it, no questions asked.
If it is framed elsewhere, which of course, you are welcome to do, it is out of our hands at that point
so if anything were to happen to it, there is nothing we can do about it.
You are probably curious about how the price compares - I could show you that online, if you want to see it - museumclassicframes.com --
Now what I haven't mentioned yet is that our framing prices are on par with having it done locally but the craftsmanship is unmatched.
And we have taken out the guesswork for you because we handpicked specific frames to complement our artistry.
So a frame like this on a 40-inch portrait would easily be probably about a $1500 frame.
Because you purchased WALL ART, then our FRAMES are 50% off the prices that you are seeing today.
So tell me what you would like to do with framing today.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE: "I think i will let you guys do it")
It is better - number 1 - you know you have done it right
Number 2 - it is shipped ready to be hung up
Number 3 - If we frame it, we guarantee it for life"
and 4 for the price, honestly, and trust me on this, it is about what it would be if you had it done locally.
and the time you are going to have the most clarity on the portrait is when you see the portrait, you see the sizing and you see the frame - you have all three elements here
So we will go ahead and take care of that today for you.
(JEANNIE, ADD TO CART)
OR UPGRADING
________________________________________
LEGACY 30" and above:
We include OUR HANDCRAFTED STANDARD FRAME WHICH IS THIS ONE, THE CONTEMPORARY
Jeannie, can you show them the FRAME UPGRADE CHOICES for SINGLES?
PUT UP FRAME UPGRADE CHOICES
FOR SINGLES SLIDE
(JEANNIE, IN THE BACKGROUND, WHILE THE SLIDES ARE UP, CHANGE THE SINGLE FRAME FROM THE CONTEMPORARY TO THE ENGLISH IN PROSELECT)
(on zoom - IN PROSELECT)
This is the UPGRADED frame.
- You saw my most popular frame on my Masterpiece painted studio sample
The thing I love about OUR frames is it is just SO obvious that they are custom..
And of course, it means you have a LIFETIME GUARANTEE with the portrait.
OUr FRAMING UPGRADE ARE PREMIUM FRAMES, just the BEST quality and gives the look and feel of a museum masterpiece, all hand-finished. for hstorical pieces, the frames are HAND-BUILT and the ornamentation is fixed to them
-These are created in the United States.
-custom made, so it does take a minute for them to be created when we place your order.
-not cookie cutter frames
Now, I do have a few that are standard frames, some of the more modern ones.
Some people like things that are simple,
Some people like things that are ornate
There is so much history, character that has been designed into our frames - your great grand kids may end fighting to keep that frame....
You are probably curious about how the price compares - they are on par with having custom framing done locally but the craftsmanship is unmatched.
Because you purchased WALL ART, Our upgraded frames are 50% off too.
So JEANNIE, what would the TOTAL COST TO UPGRADE the FRAMES for this SINGLE?
(JEANNIE GIVES JUST FRAME UPGRADE PRICE FOR THIS SIZE SINGLE)
How does that sound? Does that work for you guys?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY: NO TO UPGRADING THE FRAME
(CONTINUE ALL FROM HERE)
SAY:
I understand. We will note that we have the included standard framing. The Contemporary frame will look wonderful on your Portrait!
So that's your
STATEMENT PIECE (SINGLE)
That is all going to look so good - great choice - those frames will look amazing. So we will go ahead and take care of that today for you.
SAY: Jeannie, let's go ahead and add that to the cart.
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
FRAMES-COGS
PRICING-COLLECTION FAMING
50 INCH COLLECTION FRAMING
50 & TWO 30S = $3750
50 & FOUR 20S = $4650
40 INCH COLLECTION FRAMING
40 & TWO 24S = $3050
40 & FOUR 14S = $3950
30 INCH COLLECTION FRAMING
30 & TWO 20S = $2550
30 & FOUR 10S = $3250
-----------------------------
RETAIL, COST, COGS%
50 & TWO 30S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $12,200 - 13.91%
50 & TWO 30S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $10,200 - 16.30%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3750 (50=1650+1050+1050)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$514.28
50 & FOUR 20S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $12,200 - 16.54%
50 & FOUR 20S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $10,200 - 19.32%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$4650 (50=1650+750+750+750+750)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$694.56
40 & TWO 24S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $8,700 - 18.76%
40 & TWO 24S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $6,700 - 18.76%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3050 (40=1350+850+850)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$711.84
40 & FOUR 14S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $8,700- 22.01%
40 & FOUR 14S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $6,700- 22.01%
NOTE: Our HIGHEST COGS is on the 40-inch collection with 5 portraits (40-inch and four 11x14s), when ALL FRAMES ARE INCLUDED - COGS IS FOR THE 40 & four 14s, AT 18.44%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3950 (40=1350+650+650+650+650)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$895.12
30 & TWO 20S AND A BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $7,500 - 15.82%
30 & TWO 20S NO BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $5,500 - 15.82%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$2550 (30=1050+750+750)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$402.84
30 & FOUR 10S AND A BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $7,500 - 15.82%
30 & FOUR 10S NO BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $5,500 - 15.82%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3250 (30=1350+550+550+550+550)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$565.10
________________________________________
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
IF A BOX IS NOT PURCHASED: ????????? -
50" collection - include 5 frames
40" collection - include 3 frames - they pay for two frames and we will cover the rest
20"/750 each - TOTAL $1500
14"/650 each - TOTAL $1300)
30" collection, 5 frames - include 3 frames - they pay for two frames and we will cover the rest (10"/550)
SINGLE FRAMES
LEGACY 30" and above:
We can include a FRAME if we have to
LEGACY or DESIGNER SINGLE 20" and above:
Artisan Portrait Box - 15 at $4000 (50% off at $2000)
or
Designer Portrait Box - 15 at $3500 (50% off at $1750)
STANDARD FRAMING IS INCLUDED
UPGRADING FRAME, FOR A SINGLE: REMEMBER, THE "ENGLISH" AND "CONTEMPORARY" FRAMES WERE CHOSEN FOR COLLECTIONS BECAUSE SIZE-WISE THEY WORK WITH ALL OF THE SIZES IN THE COLLECTIONS, BIG AND SMALL
Let me just ask: Would you like to look at your choices for UPGRADING the frame(s)?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
IF THEY SAY: YES TO UPGRADE THE FRAME
Jeannie, why don't you bring up those two slides so we can show them what the STANDARD frame looks like that is included and their UPGRADE CHOICES?
(DECIDE ON THE FRAME)
You guys - that is so smart and such a good value. Just so you know, the retail price of frames would be...
50-inch Collection - (1) 36x48 & (2)20x30 (ALL CAN BE MASTERPIECE PAINTED) $3,750.00
50-inch Collection - (1)36x48 (4)16x20 (ALL CAN BE MASTERPIECE PAINTED) $4,650.00
40-inch Collection - (1) 30x40 & (2)20x24 (ALL CAN BE MASTERPIECE PAINTED) $3,050.00
40-inch Collection - (1)30x40 & (4)11x14 (ALL CAN BE MASTERPIECE PAINTED) $3,950.00
30-inch Collection - (1)20x30 & (2)16x20 (ALL CAN BE MASTERPIECE PAINTED) $2,550.00
30-inch Collection - (1)20x30 & (4)8x10s (THIS COLLECTION NOT PAINTED!) $3,250.00
NOT FRAMED BY US/FRAME NOT INCLUDED
- MASTERPIECE COLLECTIONS, MEANS THESE COGS:
50 & TWO 30S: WE’RE PAID $10,000 - 11.54%
50 & FOUR 20S: WE’RE PAID $10,000 - 13.48%
40 & TWO 24S: WE’RE PAID $6,500 - 9.29%
40 & FOUR 14S: WE’RE PAID $6,500 - 10.90% - 708.50 = 5791.50
30 & TWO 20S: WE’RE PAID $5,500 - 9.01%
30 & FOUR 10s: WE’RE PAID $5,500 - 11.20%
***********
A FRAME IS INCLUDED WITH 30-INCH AND LARGER.
***********
FOR FRAMES 30, 40 and 50-INCH, WE WILL INCLUDE EITHER THE ENGLISH OR THE CONTEMPORARY FRAME, THEIR CHOICE.
FOR 30, 40 OR 50" COLLECTIONS: The included frame will be either ENGLISH or CONTEMPORARY.
(There is nothing smaller, and anything bigger will not look good on ALL sizes in our 3- and 5-portrait Collections.)
FOR A 60" OR 70", the included frame will be the PLEIN AIR FRAME
If they want a different frame than what is included on a SINGLE, charge them 50% of the retail of the frame they want
WHAT ABOUT INCLUDING A FRAME ON 50% OFF ADDITIONAL PIECES, COGS???
YES, PER MINDY, ON 30-INCH AND LARGER, EVEN AT 50% OFF, THE FRAME WILL BE INCLUDED.
If they want a different frame than what is included on a SINGLE, charge them 50% of the retail of the frame they want
FOR 70 AT HALF OFF, $9500, INCLUDING FRAME TOO HAS COGS OF 28%
FOR 60 SIGNATURE AT HALF OFF, $7000, INCLUDING FRAME TOO HAS COGS OF 14.39%
FOR 60 MASTERPIECE AT HALF OFF, $7000, IINCLUDING FRAME TOO HAS COGS OF 17.65%
FOR 50 SIGNATURE AT HALF OFF, $3500, INCLUDING FRAME TOO HAS COGS OF 24.01%
FOR 50 MASTERPIECE AT HALF OFF, $3500, IINCLUDING FRAME TOO HAS COGS OF 29.17%
FOR 40 SIGNATURE AT HALF OFF, $2500, INCLUDING FRAME TOO HAS COGS OF 18.04%
FOR 40 MASTERPIECE AT HALF OFF, $2500, INCLUDING FRAME TOO HAS COGS OF 23.79%
FOR 30 SIGNATURE AT HALF OFF, $2500, INCLUDING FRAME TOO HAS COGS OF 12.97%
FOR 30 MASTERPIECE AT HALF OFF, $2500, INCLUDING FRAME TOO HAS COGS OF 17.72%
************
Hidden
FRAMES-ORIGINAL
FRAMES (IF THEY PURCHASED LEGACY LINE)
(The most important thing is to come off
confidently as an absolute expert and
authority on framing. By doing so, you will
find that 99% of the time people will trust you.)
-------------------------------------------
STYLE RECOMMENDATIONS
GREY CANVAS BACKGROUND, LEGACY
FOR A LEGACY PORTRAIT AND A TIMELESS LOOK WHAT I TYPICALLY RECOMMEND ARE:
GOLD FRAME
My FIRST CHOICE would be a GOLD frame with a GREY CANVAS BACKGROUND draws your eye to the people in the portrait - if you have ever been to the PORTRAIT GALLERY, there is a reason why ALL the frames are gold - it brings your eye to the skin tones..
BLACK/BROWN FRAME
My SECOND CHOICE would be a BLACK-BROWN frame which would still serve to draw your eye to the people in the portrait and would be a little more of a contemporary look.
SILVER FRAME
If that feels too severe, then I would recommend a SILVER frame which is a little more neutral, more warm but still has a modern look.
SHADES OF GREY BACKGROUND, MODERN HEIRLOOM
FOR A MODERN LOOK WHAT I TYPICALLY RECOMMEND ARE:
BLACK FRAME
My FIRST CHOICE would be a BLACK frame with a GREY CANVAS BACKGROUND draws your eye to the people in the portrait and still has a contemporary look.
SILVER FRAME
If that feels too severe, then I would recommend a SILVER frame which is a little more neutral, more warm but still has a modern look.
GREY CANVAS BACKGROUND, BLACK AND WHITE PORTRAIT
FOR A MODERN LOOK WHAT I TYPICALLY RECOMMEND ARE:
BLACK FRAME
My FIRST CHOICE would be a BLACK frame with a GREY CANVAS BACKGROUND draws your eye to the people in the portrait and still has a contemporary look. It's a cleaner line with with a nod to the traditional
SILVER FRAME
If that feels too severe, then I would recommend a SILVER frame which is a little more neutral, more warm but still has a modern look.
BRIGHT WHITE BACKGROUND, MODERN HEIRLOOM OR BLACK AND WHITE PORTRAIT
YOUR THREE CHOICES FOR A MODERN FRAME THAT I TYPICALLY RECOMMEND ARE:
BLACK FRAME
A BLACK frame with a white BACKGROUND is typically what I recommend because the contrast makes the portrait pop and has a very contemporary look. It's a cleaner line.
SILVER FRAME
If that feels too severe, then I would recommend a SILVER frame with a white BACKGROUND which is a little more neutral, more warm but still has a modern look.
WHITE FRAME
A WHITE frame with a white BACKGROUND can actually be awesome, really fresh and modern
Which of those frame suggestions do you prefer?
-------------------------------------------
IF THEY ARE GETTING A SINGLE UNDER 30 INCHES AND PURCHASING A FRAME SEE BELOW
START BY SAYING
The thing I love about OUR frames is it is just SO obvious that they are custom
________________________________________
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
Your LEGACY LINE COLLECTION
SINGLE FRAMES
LEGACY 30" and above:
We can include a HANDCRAFTED FRAME
BELOW THAT SIZE, it DOES need to be framed, so really you have two options.
For people who have a strong framing preference or handy husbands who want to build a frame out of the barn wood from the house you grew up in, you CAN do your own framing.
But we also offer a framing line - the benefit to you is that framing with us means you have a LIFETIME GUARANTEE with the portrait. Would you like to know what we offer?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Have you ever been to the Louvre, or even the National Portrait Gallery downtown?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
There's two primary reasons why I encourage you to have it framed through us.
It's done and ready to hang on your wall when you receive it, instead of sitting in the closet
for six months.
We've seen framers in the past scratch our portraits, things like that.
By us being the first and last hands to touch it, we're able to totally guarantee it with a lifetime warranty on the portrait AND the frame.
So if anything WERE to ever happen to our framing, or anything would happen to the portrait, we will replace it for you.
One of the things that you'll notice is that we don't have standard framing.
We have HANDCRAFTED FRAMES
and that is what we offer because of the quality
Historical pieces, the frames are HAND-BUILT
and the ornamentation is fixed to them
THEN they're hand-finished on top of that
We choose only the BEST WOOD FRAMES to ensure the utmost quality to give each frame the distinctly rich look and feel of a museum masterpiece.
Now, I do have a few that are standard frames, some of the more modern ones.
Some people like things that are simple,
Some people like things that are ornate
- You saw my most popular frame on my Masterpiece painted studio sample
So some of the reasons why I love them are
-These are created in the United States.
-custom made, so it does take a minute for them to be created when we place your order.
-not cookie cutter frames
Jeannie, can you show them the frame slide?
PUT UP FRAME SLIDE
- SHOW COLLECTION SLIDE IF THEY GOT A COLLECTION
- SHOW SINGLE SLIDE IF THEY GOT A SINGLE
(on zoom - IN PROSELECT)
This is the frame that we showed when we showed you
your collection
your SINGLE
(in person) - Let me show this to you. (put frame over projected photo)
-You can hopefully see how the gold pulls out the warmth of the skin tones?
that's why GOLD has been the standard in portraiture for hundreds of year - and it's what you see at the Louve or the National Portrait Gallery.
A proper classic frame will go with ANY decor
and it's why we always match the frame to the PORTRAIT.
It's a lot like the perfect Chanel purse.
It can go with jeans and a T-shirt or with a gown at a black tie affair.
And can you see how it keeps the focus on the portrait and not the frame itself?
The frame IS important because it complements the portrait.
How do you feel about that frame?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Which one are you leaning towards?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Sometimes I get the question: Does the frame REALLY matter?
Well, what WE frame we guarantee our portraits for LIFE, so I think that really matters!
There is so much history, character that has been designed into our frames - your great grand kids may end fighting to keep that frame....
a cheap storebought frame - well, it just won't LAST - Heaven forbid anything should happen to the frame OR the portrait because they don't give you ANY guarantee.
What WE frame, we will replace it, no questions asked.
If it is framed elsewhere, which of course, you are welcome to do, it is out of our hands at that point
so if anything were to happen to it, there is nothing we can do about it.
You are probably curious about how the price compares - I could show you that online, if you want to see it - museumclassicframes.com --
Now what I haven't mentioned yet is that our framing prices are on par with having it done locally but the craftsmanship is unmatched.
And we have taken out the guesswork for you because we handpicked specific frames to complement our artistry.
So a frame like this on a 40-inch portrait would easily be probably about a $1500 frame.
Because you purchased WALL ART, then our FRAMES are 50% off the prices that you are seeing today.
So tell me what you would like to do with framing today.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE: "I think i will let you guys do it")
It is better - number 1 - you know you have done it right
Number 2 - it is shipped ready to be hung up
Number 3 - If we frame it, we guarantee it for life"
and 4 for the price, honestly, and trust me on this, it is about what it would be if you had it done locally.
and the time you are going to have the most clarity on the portrait is when you see the portrait, you see the sizing and you see the frame - you have all three elements here
So we will go ahead and take care of that today for you.
(JEANNIE, ADD TO CART)
So the pricing for COLLECTION FAMING WOULD BE
50 INCH COLLECTION FRAMING
50 & TWO 30S = $3750
50 & FOUR 20S = $4650
40 INCH COLLECTION FRAMING
40 & TWO 24S = $3050
40 & FOUR 14S = $3950
30 INCH COLLECTION FRAMING
30 & TWO 20S = $2550
30 & FOUR 10S = $3250
-----------------------------
RETAIL, COST, COGS%
50 & TWO 30S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $12,200 - 13.91%
50 & TWO 30S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $10,200 - 16.30%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3750 (50=1650+1050+1050)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$514.28
50 & FOUR 20S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $12,200 - 16.54%
50 & FOUR 20S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $10,200 - 19.32%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$4650 (50=1650+750+750+750+750)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$694.56
40 & TWO 24S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $8,700 - 18.76%
40 & TWO 24S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $6,700 - 18.76%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3050 (40=1350+850+850)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$711.84
40 & FOUR 14S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $8,700- 22.01%
40 & FOUR 14S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $6,700- 22.01%
NOTE: Our HIGHEST COGS is on the 40-inch collection with 5 portraits (40-inch and four 11x14s), when ALL FRAMES ARE INCLUDED - COGS IS FOR THE 40 & four 14s, AT 18.44%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3950 (40=1350+650+650+650+650)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$895.12
30 & TWO 20S AND A BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $7,500 - 15.82%
30 & TWO 20S NO BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $5,500 - 15.82%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$2550 (30=1050+750+750)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$402.84
30 & FOUR 10S AND A BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $7,500 - 15.82%
30 & FOUR 10S NO BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $5,500 - 15.82%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3250 (30=1350+550+550+550+550)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$565.10
________________________________________
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
IF A BOX IS NOT PURCHASED: ????????? -
50" collection - include 5 frames
40" collection - include 3 frames - they pay for two frames and we will cover the rest
20"/750 each - TOTAL $1500
14"/650 each - TOTAL $1300)
30" collection, 5 frames - include 3 frames - they pay for two frames and we will cover the rest (10"/550)
SINGLE FRAMES
LEGACY 30" and above:
We can include a FRAME if we have to
LEGACY or DESIGNER SINGLE 20" and above:
Artisan Portrait Box - 15 at $4000 (50% off at $2000)
or
Designer Portrait Box - 15 at $3500 (50% off at $1750)
Hidden
FRAMES (IF THEY PURCHASED LEGACY LINE)
(The most important thing is to come off
confidently as an absolute expert and
authority on framing. By doing so, you will
find that 99% of the time people will trust you.)
-------------------------------------------
PAUSE - COUNT TO 3
Your LEGACY LINE COLLECTION
SINGLE
DOES need to be framed, so really you have two options.
For people who have a strong framing preference or handy husbands who want to build a frame out of the barn wood from the house you grew up in, you CAN do your own framing.
But we also offer a framing line - the benefit to you is that framing with us means you have a LIFETIME GUARANTEE with the portrait. Would you like to know what we offer?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Have you ever been to the Louvre, or even the National Portrait Gallery downtown?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
There's two primary reasons why I encourage you to have it framed through us.
It's done and ready to hang on your wall when you receive it, instead of sitting in the closet
for six months.
We've seen framers in the past scratch our portraits, things like that.
By us being the first and last hands to touch it, we're able to totally guarantee it with a lifetime warranty on the portrait AND the frame.
So if anything WERE to ever happen to our framing, or anything would happen to the portrait, we will replace it for you.
One of the things that you'll notice is that we don't have standard framing.
We have HANDCRAFTED FRAMES
and that is what we offer because of the quality
Historical pieces, the frames are HAND-BUILT
and the ornamentation is fixed to them
THEN they're hand-finished on top of that
We choose only the BEST WOOD FRAMES to ensure the utmost quality to give each frame the distinctly rich look and feel of a museum masterpiece.
Now, I do have a few that are standard frames, some of the more modern ones.
Some people like things that are simple,
Some people like things that are ornate
- You saw my most popular frame on my Masterpiece painted studio sample
So some of the reasons why I love them are
-These are created in the United States.
-custom made, so it does take a minute for them to be created when we place your order.
-not cookie cutter frames
Jeannie, can you show them the frame slide?
PUT UP FRAME SLIDE
- SHOW COLLECTION SLIDE IF THEY GOT A COLLECTION
- SHOW SINGLE SLIDE IF THEY GOT A SINGLE
(on zoom - IN PROSELECT)
This is the frame that we showed when we showed you
your collection
your SINGLE
(in person) - Let me show this to you. (put frame over projected photo)
-You can hopefully see how the gold pulls out the warmth of the skin tones?
that's why GOLD has been the standard in portraiture for hundreds of year - and it's what you see at the Louve or the National Portrait Gallery.
A proper classic frame will go with ANY decor
and it's why we always match the frame to the PORTRAIT.
It's a lot like the perfect Chanel purse.
It can go with jeans and a T-shirt or with a gown at a black tie affair.
And can you see how it keeps the focus on the portrait and not the frame itself?
The frame IS important because it complements the portrait.
How do you feel about that frame?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Which one are you leaning towards?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Sometimes I get the question: Does the frame EALLY matter?
Well, what WE frame we guarantee our portraits for LIFE, so I think that really matters!
There is so much history, character that has been designed into our frames - your great grand kids may end fighting to keep that frame....
a cheap storebought frame - well, it just won't LAST - Heaven forbid anything should happen to the frame OR the portrait because they don't give you ANY guarantee.
What WE frame, we will replace it, no questions asked.
If it is framed elsewhere, which of course, you are welcome to do, it is out of our hands at that point
so if anything were to happen to it, there is nothing we can do about it.
You are probably curious about how the price compares - I could show you that online, if you want to see it - museumclassicframes.com --
Now what I haven't mentioned yet is that our framing prices are on par with having it done locally but the craftsmanship is unmatched.
And we have taken out the guesswork for you. because we handpicked specific frames to complement our artistry.
So a frame like this on a 40-inch portrait would easily be probably about a $1500 frame.
Because you purchased WALL ART, then our FRAMES are 50% off the prices that you are seeing today.
So tell me what you would like to do with framing today.
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE: "I think i will let you guys do it")
It is better - number 1 - you know you have done it right
Number 2 - it is shipped ready to be hung up
Number 3 - If we frame it, we guarantee it for life"
and 4 for the price, honestly, and trust me on this, it is about what it would be if you had it done locally.
and the time you are going to have the most clarity on the portrait is when you see the portrait, you see the sizing and you see the frame - you have all three elements here
So we will go ahead and take care of that today for you.
(JEANNIE, ADD TO CART)
So the pricing for COLLECTION FAMING WOULD BE
50 INCH COLLECTION FRAMING
50 & TWO 30S = $3750
50 & FOUR 20S = $4650
40 INCH COLLECTION FRAMING
40 & TWO 24S = $3050
40 & FOUR 14S = $3950
30 INCH COLLECTION FRAMING
30 & TWO 20S = $2550
30 & FOUR 10S = $3250
-----------------------------
RETAIL, COST, COGS%
50 & TWO 30S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $12,200 - 13.91%
50 & TWO 30S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $10,200 - 16.30%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3750 (50=1650+1050+1050)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$514.28
50 & FOUR 20S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $12,200 - 16.54%
50 & FOUR 20S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $10,200 - 19.32%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$4650 (50=1650+750+750+750+750)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$694.56
40 & TWO 24S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $8,700 - 18.76%
40 & TWO 24S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $6,700 - 18.76%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3050 (40=1350+850+850)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$711.84
40 & FOUR 14S AND A BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $8,700- 22.01%
40 & FOUR 14S NO BOX/ALBUM: WE’RE PAID $6,700- 22.01%
NOTE: Our HIGHEST COGS is on the 40-inch collection with 5 portraits (40-inch and four 11x14s), when ALL FRAMES ARE INCLUDED - COGS IS FOR THE 40 & four 14s, AT 18.44%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3950 (40=1350+650+650+650+650)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$895.12
30 & TWO 20S AND A BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $7,500 - 15.82%
30 & TWO 20S NO BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $5,500 - 15.82%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$2550 (30=1050+750+750)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$402.84
30 & FOUR 10S AND A BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $7,500 - 15.82%
30 & FOUR 10S NO BOX/ALBUM WE’RE PAID $5,500 - 15.82%
COLLECTION FRAME RETAIL-$3250 (30=1350+550+550+550+550)
COLLECTION FRAME COST-$565.10
________________________________________
IMPORTANT: BEFORE you add ANY PORTRAIT to the Cart, do any zooming/cropping to the image in the LAYOUT first, BEFORE ADDING IT TO THE CART! Before it’s added to the cart, it should be zoomed/cropped in the LAYOUT as it will be printed!
IF A BOX IS NOT PURCHASED: ????????? -
50" collection - include 5 frames
40" collection - include 3 frames - they pay for two frames and we will cover the rest
20"/750 each - TOTAL $1500
14"/650 each - TOTAL $1300)
30" collection, 5 frames - include 3 frames - they pay for two frames and we will cover the rest (10"/550)
SINGLE FRAMES
LEGACY 30" and above:
We can include a FRAME if we have to
LEGACY or DESIGNER SINGLE 20" and above:
Artisan Portrait Box - 15 at $4000 (50% off at $2000)
or
Designer Portrait Box - 15 at $3500 (50% off at $1750)
FRAMING OBJECTIONS
PORTRAIT RENEWAL, RETURNING CLIENTS WITH PORTRAIT RENEWAL
THE PORTRAIT RENEWAL PLAN FOR FRAMES - WHEN THEY COME BACK
(Bradford let's them keep the original portrait that is in the frame so that he can sell them the new one in a second frame
He will replace the original unless they upgrade to a 40"
and you charge them the difference in the price between a 30" and a 40"
and then sell them the frame
If they don't upgrade he does not let them keep the original piece,
but if they do upgrade then he makes money on the frame
BRADFORD said that people who come back ALWAYS SPEND MORE and he always makes more than his average, and more than they spent the first time but that the majority never come back)
RENEWING-SAME SIZE PORTRAIT
Your gift certificate is for the same size portrait you purchased
You absolutely can get the same size portrait
and then take the old portrait out and get a framer and just use the frame.
What I would like to do is let you keep that portrait in that frame
- or else, what would you do with the old portrait?
What I would suggest is to upgrade your portrait.
the difference between the 20" and the 40" is 2,000
40” is Triple the size
and if you upgrade to the 40" I can include the frame for 50% OFF
The benefit of that too is that it is ready to hang
and you also keep your original portrait framed
RENEWING-20" PORTRAIT
Your gift certificate is for a 20
- we do have a special offer on the 40"
- if you purchase a 40" we include the frame at 50% OFF
so then the difference between the 20" and the 40" is 2,500,
(then he would sell the frame for $1,000 and make $3,000 on the sale)
INCLUDE FRAMING, IF YOU WANT TO
regarding the booking fee after introducing the 30" pricing.
And let's say the final price for a 30 and an extra 14 is $3000
And so here's one other thing.
If you let us hang on to that booking fee,
we will take care of all framing.
You save well over 50% over our retail framing
AND all your artwork now has a lifetime guarantee.
Would you let us do that for you?
WRITE UP SALE
I love the final collection you created here!
Here’s why I love it.
What do you think that this is going to mean to your family (5) years from now?
(pick the number of years that the children will have moved out.)
How do you think it will make you feel to still have this part of them in your home?
When your kids and eventually their families do come home to visit and for the holidays, how do you think it will make them feel?
How do you think it will make their kids feel?
This is a legacy piece.
it is a big deal.
But, you know, if I were to come back to you, you know, in five years, 10 years, 20 years, it's like, "here's your, you know, $177 a month back. I'm going to take all these back from you," you'd be like "over my dead body. Get out of my house!"
When you create a piece of art in your home
with IMPACT because it an appropriate size,
makes a statement to your children too that
THIS is important.
It's worth doing and
it's worth doing right
and in a way that feels significant.
How do you guys feel?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
ADDRESS RETOUCHING before they can address it
Everything gets our SIGNATURE RETOUCHING - which is to a 10" portrait size.
But just so you are aware, for your wall art, we do ARTIST LEVEL MASTER RETOUCHING on 20 inch WALL ART and above where our artist will remove stray hairs, softens skin, makes you the best version of yourself AT THE SIZE YOUR WALL ART IS GOING TO LIVE ON YOUR WALL.
We've found that things that might not be noticed at a smaller size do get noticed when wall art is printed larger.
As soon as the stray hair is out of place, you're going to be seeing that every single day you walk by that portrait if we don't.
So I'm gonna make sure it's absolutely perfect.
IF THEY HAVE RETOUCHING CONCERNS
(So if they want to comment, that's fine. I need to hear that.
But then I need to kind of take back the position of the "expert" that my eye knows what's best and that they can trust me.
That way, no matter the end result, they have trusted me that that is how to look their best.
If they ask about concerns (double chin, stray hair), I say
Got it. Of course we address those things. You needn't have asked but I'm glad you did.
We have a guarantee that you will be happy with them.
(For instance, especially with dogs where we will have to remove the leashes sometimes hands look a little wonky look a little off when they're not holding the leashes we try to get them first of all to pose correctly so that that's not the case.)
Our artist will make you the best version of yourself...
I used her for my portrait and she did a beautiful job
While I would love to look 21 again, that's not who my children know and love.
I want to look like a softer version of myself, its really important that I still look like me and the age that I am
IMPORTANT: AT THIS POINT, IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, ADD APPLICABLE RETOUCHING NOTES TO EACH OF THE ORDERED IMAGES IN PROSELECT, including any specific things that the Client asked to be done.
What else would you like to add today?
- until the order is complete.
Let's talk about when we might see you again
WELCOME TO THE EVER AFTER FAMILY!!
SOME clients know they want to update their wall art every two to three years, because they know by then their kids will be totally different little people - and of course, we want to be your family photographer.
OTHER clients don't want to lose ANY memories, so they don't want even a whole YEAR to go by without a PORTRAIT SESSION - it might not be the whole family, it might be of just the kids, maybe you guys as a couple, but what has been REALLY POPULAR is doing a FAMILY YEARBOOK.
The way that works is they know they want to come in yearly, so we do a custom session and create a custom concept every year based on where the kids are and what they are into. Then they have a FAMILY yearbook of each year to look back on.
The reason I am mentioning this now is
right now anything you ADD ON is 50% off including your next session, so instead of $600, your next session would be $300.
PLUS it takes one more thing off of your plate - we're not going to pick the session date today, THAT'S going to be on our TO DO LIST to reach out to schedule. AND as a VIP client, we would contact you FIRST for YOUR CHOICE of dates.
What are you guys thinking - would you like to go ahead and take care of your next session?
NO
I understand - what are you guys thinking, 2-3 years?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
That's awesome - I'll put a date on my calendar to reach out to you so you guys don't have to remember to do it.
YES
Okay, cool.
The last question is what time of year are you thinking, SPRING, SUMMER?
(ALLOW FOR RESPONSE)
Great, I am going to put you guys on our VIP LIST to reach out when we open those dates.
Jeannie, go ahead and add that on.
IF THE HUSBAND AND WIFE ARE IN TWO DIFFERENT ZOOM LOCATIONS, BE SURE TO ASK THEM THE QUESTION:
Can I can I share my story with you? Would you mind?
You know, do you know how this all started? This all started because I was in this workshop. And someone asked me like, what my most traumatic painful experience was, and I was like, Oh, I can tell you it was my school photo when I was 11. And I saw that photo, and I thought, I'm hideous.
And for the next several decades, I hid myself.
And now I'm like, I don't care anymore. It took me decades to get over.
And so I thought to myself,
What if I could help kids avoid that whole thing?
And all that therapy and all the decades of having to get over it and have a sense of self?
What if I could just give this to them in this moment when they really need it?
And that's how this whole thing started was let me, let me help you see who you really are. Because when you're 11, 12 13, you can't see it.
So like, I'm on a mission to do this for as many families and kids as possible, because frankly,
what I want to help your child have an experience of knowing the love that they were born into?
Imagine if every child had a portrait, you know, of their family and they got to see the love that they were born into - the world would be a very different place.
What would that have been like if you had this portrait like with your dad holding you and like, every time you looked at it, he just knew how much your dad just thought you were the Sun and Moon.
And then when my mom died, I felt the loss of that keenly and realized how knowing you are loved really affects you growing up and how important it is. I really want EVERYONE to have that - a portrait with their mom and a portrait with with their dad.
I'm so glad you guys are part of this project!