The Biggest Mistake Wedding Pros Make on Sales Calls (And How to Fix It)

17 Mar

I can’t tell you how many times I see luxury wedding pros hop off a sales call smug as anything because it only took 20 minutes.

“That was so easy!” they think. “They seemed interested!”

And then… radio silence.
No follow-up. No booking. Just another “We’ll think about it.”

If your sales calls are short and “easy,” you’ve just had a superficial, forgettable conversation.

You treated it like a transaction. They left feeling like just another name on your enquiry list.

Why Quick Sales Calls Are a Red Flag

A quick call might feel like a win, but here’s what’s actually happening:

You ask the same dull, predictable questions everyone else does (“So, what’s your vision?”)
You assume you know what they want without really understanding them
You waffle on about your services instead of actually listening to their story
You think a quick call means they’re “sold” (spoiler: it doesn’t)

Luxury wedding professionals don’t just sell services. They sell an experience, a transformation, a feeling. And you can’t do that if you’re rushing through the most important part. Actually getting to know your couple.

The Fix? Act Like an Alien on Your Calls.

I tell my students this all the time: act like an alien.

Pretend you’ve just crash-landed on Earth and have no clue why humans get married, what a wedding even is, or why it matters. Question everything.

When they say, “We want a romantic, intimate wedding,”
→ Ask: “What does romance actually look like to you? Paint me a picture.”

When they say, “We just want our guests to have fun,”
→ Ask: “Fun means different things to different people. Are we talking elegant black-tie fun or tequila shots and dancing until 4 AM?”

When they say, “We want it to feel luxurious,”
→ Ask: “Luxury is personal. What feels like luxury to you? Is it understated elegance, Michelin-star dining, private jet service, or something else entirely?”

You don’t just nod and take their words at face value. You dig. You challenge. You get them to articulate things they didn’t even realise about themselves.

What Happens When You Get This Right?

When you start questioning everything and truly listening, a few things happen:

They leave feeling deeply understood (which makes you unforgettable)
They trust you more (because you clearly get them better than anyone else)
You position yourself as the expert (because you're guiding them, not just taking orders)
The booking becomes effortless (because you’ve built an emotional connection, not just given them a price list)

Luxury isn’t about speed. It’s about depth. And if you’re not making people think, if you’re not uncovering the real reasons behind their decisions, you’re not selling luxury. You’re just another vendor going through the motions.

The Real-World Difference Between a Shallow and Deep Sales Call

Let’s break this down further with an example:

Scenario 1: The Boring, Forgettable Call
Planner: “So, what’s your vision?”
Couple: “Oh, we want something romantic and intimate.”
Planner: “Amazing! I can definitely help with that.”

That’s it. The conversation moves on. The couple leaves thinking, “Hmm, they seemed nice.” But did they feel connected? Seen? Like their wedding was truly understood? Probably not.

Scenario 2: The Call That Converts
Planner: “So, what’s your vision?”
Couple: “Oh, we want something romantic and intimate.”
Planner: “Tell me more. When you imagine the day, what’s the first thing you see? Is it a candlelit dinner under the stars? A soft string quartet playing while you exchange vows in a grand historic hall?”
Couple: “Oh, wow, definitely the candlelit dinner. That’s what we love. Something very personal, warm, and elegant.”
Planner: “Got it. So what makes that feel luxurious to you? Is it the details, like hand-written menus and custom scents? Or is it more about the exclusivity, like a private chef creating a one-of-a-kind experience?”

See the difference? Now you’re not just another vendor. You’re inside their head, shaping their dream day with them.