It struck me tonight after having 2 consultations with clients, how lovely it is to meet couples face to face. The internet is such a great tool and I gain so much of my business through internet searches, email and Facebook yet there is still something so much better about face to face meetings and consultations.
In the past I have steered away from home consultations because I run my business from home. I was a little bit nervous about inviting people to my home as I wanted everything to be perfect. What if the children argued or the dogs barked? What if the phone rings constantly or the neighbours have a row?
It is bound to happen at some point, but it is life and real people seem to like real life.
The first of tonight's clients had come quite a way from her home to collect an order, we have "chatted" quite a lot via the internet but never met in person, so it was lovely to put a face to an on screen profile. I hope that it was nice for her to meet the supplier behind her stationery, to see that it really is handmade in my little office (the dining room). That each invite has been created with care and time and each guest will receive a little piece of that as a start to their special day.
The second couple had lots to discuss, much of which we couldn't have done without brainstorming ideas and visual keys. They could ask my capabilities and I could show them real products rather than leaving it all to the imagination. We talked for quite some time and I feel I know them as a couple a bit better now and have a better understanding of what they are looking for. Would I have got that through the written text of emails or even through descriptions via phone calls? Probably not, that is why I aim to have more face to face meetings from this point on...it is the future!
