Lecture Notes: Sales and Client Conversion in Dog Training

Introduction

• Speaker: Bri from Fort Collins Dog Wizard in Colorado
• Achievements:
  • Over 50% conversion rate in 2023
  • Winner of conversion award at the Wiscon conference in January
• Emphasis on impressive eval conversion rate rather than lead-to-client

Bri's Background

• Bri has been with Fort Collins Dog Wizard for over three years
• Role focused on client engagement, though not a dog trainer
• Passion lies in connecting with clients and understanding their journey

Lecture Outline

• Discussion on leads, client journey, scheduling evals, improving evaluations
• Focus on client buy-in, navigating objections, and follow-ups

Understanding Leads

• Key questions:
  • Where did the lead come from?
  • Where are they in the client journey?
• Different lead sources indicate different stages in the client journey:
  • Facebook leads are at the top of the funnel
  • Google, referrals, or events indicate readiness for training
• Importance of vetting leads to save time and improve client experience

Initial Client Contact and Evaluation

• Strategy to improve initial contact:
  • Provide pricing and program information
  • Understand client goals for personalized recommendations
• Evaluation process:
  • Use the PREP method: Personality, Relatability, Empathy, Painting the picture
  • Active listening and empathy are crucial
  • Importance of making clients feel heard and understood
  • Final goal: get client buy-in both financially and emotionally

Client Journey and Funnel

• Customer journey is nonlinear; requires multiple touchpoints
• Importance of understanding where the client is in their journey
• Funnel stages: awareness, consideration, decision, purchase, loyalty
• Conversion rates vary based on lead source and funnel stage

Objections and How to Handle Them

• Common objections: price, competitors, timing
• Strategies:
  • Differentiate your services from competitors
  • Emphasize lifetime support and unique offerings
  • Be flexible with timing and payment plans

Follow-up Strategies

• Consistent follow-up is crucial:
  • Industry standard: 6 follow-ups over 30 days
  • Importance of respecting client communication preferences
  • Use open-ended questions to maintain dialogue
• Follow-up after evals within 2-3 days, adjust based on client feedback

Conversion and Sales Techniques

• Create a communication matrix tailored to client preferences
• Adjust frequency of contact based on client feedback
• Use technology to track and manage leads efficiently

Final Thoughts and Q&A

• Bri encouraged questions and shared her excitement for future training seminars
• Focus on recorded calls as training tools
• Financing options can be used tactically in sales
• Importance of personalization and client-centric communication

Conclusion

• Bri's approach combines empathy with strategic sales techniques
• Continuous improvement in handling leads and evals leads to high conversion rates
• Upcoming seminars will focus on practical sales exercises and role-playing scenarios

These notes summarize the key points and strategies shared by Bri during the lecture on sales and conversions in dog training. They can serve as a guide for implementing successful client interactions and improving conversion rates.