You've heard that old saying, "First impressions count." It's very true – most people will judge you the minute you open your mouth. When you're a business owner, your attitude and the way you speak to your customers will tell them a lot about you, good or bad. Be prepared for all kinds of questions about prices, quality of work, the equipment you use, scheduling and availability, your experience, all the what ifs, and the delivery of final goods. When potential customers are asking questions, they're mentally shopping around and might be comparing you to other vendors. While they're at this low level of understanding but high level of anxiety, you can take the opportunity to assure them with your answers that you understand their concerns. This is your time to shine and show people why you are the best vendor for them. Being thorough, attentive, and patient will help you win them over. Being vague, impatient, or dismissive to their questions will likely push them away. You have one shot to get it right.
If talking to people and acting as a salesman isn't your forté, this may be hard for you. Interacting with potential clients and having the ability to sell your services while creating a bond with them is something that just takes practice. It's not something that everyone enjoys doing. To make it easier on yourself, think of it as sharing instead of selling. You're sharing information about your services. You're sharing your talent with the world. You're sharing a gift by offering potential clients something that is going to bring them happiness and satisfaction for years to come. Being a good salesman is not about selling the most and being the best, but showing your clients that your passion is deeper than just earning a buck. You got into photography because you love it, right? If you are conveying your love of photography to your clients, if that message is coming through in your voice and everything do, then you've already won them over. No one wants a robot to show up and photograph their special occasion – they want someone who's going to put a creative twist on their photos and capture the emotions behind the moments, and that's something that can only be done by someone who loves photography. It might feel cheesy or uncomfortable at first, but being energetic and communicating your passion can make the difference in choice between you and a cookie-cutter studio.
Having a whimsical and entertaining personality can set you apart from other professionals. A warm and inviting personality makes people feel welcome, and will help your clients feel as though they've made a friend (and not just completed a business transaction). Many clients want to know that you have their best interests at heart and will do everything in your power to make sure they get what they're looking for. If you can keep the business side of things short and sweet in order to concentrate more on their needs and their life, your clients will feel a lot more comfortable with you than they would with someone who is all business and focuses mostly on price and logistics.
I'm blessed to say that, in my experience, every time I've met with a client they have either hired me on the spot or shortly after the initial meeting. Many of those clients had met with other photographers and even some well-established studios before meeting me. This led me to want to understand what was setting me apart from the competition. After talking with several clients, I started noticing a pattern. They explained why they preferred working with my company over the others, and I'm thankful to be able to base my advice below on their experiences.
When first meeting with any client, make sure you fully understand what they're looking for. Provide them with relevant information and also soft sell other services you may offer. For example, if you know the couple wants decorative prints and has just moved into a new home, you can suggest blowing up one or two of their favorite photos and framing them for a wall in their new home. Soft selling is more about listening to the client and recommending or alluding to services that complement their needs, but in a subtle way. I would suggest bringing a laptop or tablet to showcase your work, printed samples on photographic paper, a folder that contains a tentative contract if you've discussed a package prior to meeting, and a finished flush-mount album. Make sure you're displaying your best work and, if possible, bring examples that are relevant to their project. If they're looking for you to shoot their wedding, bring the best wedding photos you've ever taken. Explain the process of how you shoot as a photographer, and details about the contract, so both parties understand the expectations.
When first starting out, you most likely will not have a dedicated studio space to meet clients. Many professionals work out of their home. Some photographers choose to meet clients in their home, while others don't. Studio space is very expensive and can be an unnecessary cost during your first years. If you aren't comfortable meeting clients in your home, or if your home isn't a place where clients would feel comfortable, I'd suggest meeting them in public. Any local coffee shop or café is a perfectly normal place for an initial meeting but, eventually, not having your own studio space can lead to missed opportunities. You will want areas where you can shoot portraiture, modeling, boudoir, and professional photography. Studios are also great places for client
meetings, because the client is surrounded by your work, in a quiet environment, without distraction. Some people aren't comfortable working with vendors who operate primarily out of their homes, and that's ok. But you shouldn't rush to get studio space until you're doing photography full-time and it's your primary source of income.
Prior to an initial meeting with a client, getting organized will prepare you for success. The first part of getting organized is making sure you have the confidence and knowledge to answer any question that may be asked. Clients are interviewing you as if they're an employer and you‘re a job seeker. Knowing the appropriate answers to any and all questions is key, so make sure you put some thought into it beforehand. Understanding your trade and the business is important because clients are looking to you for assurance that they made the right choice for their event. That's where the second part of getting organized for the initial meeting comes in. Your packages, services, and products should reflect the expectations of even the most demanding clients. If someone is on the fence about hiring you, don't be afraid to offer incentives and discounts. Discounts should be automatically priced into your packages, so when the time comes to offer them you will not be short changing yourself or your team members.
The third part is references. Having references on file and sharing testimonials and success stories from real customers is a great asset. It provides clients with peace of mind when dealing with someone they don't know much about. I have a list of people I currently use as references, as well as many past clients who would be happy to vouch for me and my services.
When meeting with potential clients, my expectation is for everyone to at least seriously consider hiring me, even if they decide not to sign at that very moment. I trust that my salesmanship will give them the confidence to hire me, and I usually employ a handful of sales tactics in order to seal the deal. I aim to make it very difficult for anyone not to hire me, and approximately 98% of my meetings end with a signed contract.
A few pages ago we talked about albums, which are a great addition to your sales portfolio for showcasing your work. I would strongly advise you to build this into your services. Create a sample album as soon as you have shot a wedding or event that you are proud to showcase. There are plenty of album companies to choose from, but if you want to see samples before purchasing, go to wedding trade shows or bridal expos to see what‘s trending. Having of-the-moment products to display when meeting with potential clients is very important. It shows that you are flexible and current, and that you offer an all-inclusive experience as a one-stop shop to anyone seeking photography services.
Offering incentives and other add-ons for free is another great way to sell your services and seal the deal. Try to offer sweeteners or bonus perks that don't cost you much to add on. Having inclusions helps the client understand that you are willing to work hard for them and that you''re not just about the bottom line. If they feel that it's more about their day and what you can do to help them, then you become more valuable to them than a vendor who only cares about making a profit.
In the past, I have attracted many clients to my company through pricing alone. While in the beginning, I'd like to think my talent as a photographer attracted them, my personality and prices sold me. Some photographers who have been in the business for some time, can charge a larger sum of money for the same amount of time. Starting off, I recommend you research what the competition is doing, and charge approximately. I personally started charging equal to or less than what my competitors were charging. I did this because I wanted to pass on some savings to the clients, while getting my name out there. This was free marketing and
advertising for my company. This allowed me to get work, refine my craft, and continue to push my company to potential other clients. After doing this for a year or so, I decided that I needed to increase my prices. Incremental increases in prices are normal, and this has helped me book larger, more expensive jobs. These jobs included additional services as well. Having the flexibility to offer additional services in conjunction with your specialized ones, can have long term benefits to your bottom line.
One of the most important parts of getting organized is presenting yourself in a professional manner. To be taken seriously as a professional, you should look the part by dressing appropriately and keeping a clean, put-together, well-groomed appearance. Yes, people do judge books by their covers. Of course, how you present yourself is about more than just your looks. Make sure to be polite and always ask them first about their wedding and how their planning is going. Once they feel comfortable and engaged, they'll naturally open up about what they're looking for and what’s in their budget. Any discussion of prices and packages should typically be saved for last, so that they don't feel uncomfortable and/or so that they have adequate time to survey your skills and the other items you spent time preparing, like your references. The goal is for your clients to consider you a friend by the time you begin to talk about packages and pricing. Letting them know that you are going to work hard to make sure they're satisfied goes far. Excelling in customer service should be your number one priority. As long as it is, your clients will have no problem deciding that you're the best choice for them – and letting other people know it.
Looking at other businesses, I observed that customers purchase products and services, but usually don't think twice about the customer service or warranties that accompany a product during the buying experience. Some of the most successful businesses in the world are successful because they balance quality products with 5-star customer service. Experiences like these earn loyal repeat customers who come back again and again. Good communication is one of the keys to providing that level of service for everyone. Consumers aren't shy about leaving negative reviews of companies that will take money and are never around to help when issues arise. Regardless of the scenario, dealing with problems effectively and efficiently is important. Businesses that can't do this won't stay successful for long. Never let your clients feel like there isn't an option, or you're not willing to offer assistance. They paid money to get a product or service from you, and they deserve your attention to detail. Always under promise and over deliver and you'll be golden.
Contracts are important. They are designed to protect both you and the client. Gaining a lead and having them sign a contract doesn't necessarily mean you won the job. It can still unravel quickly, if you do not write a clear and concise contract. There are plenty of great examples of well-written contracts online, or you can get a professional involved in helping you write one. Make sure you clearly explain all expectations that were communicated through email, text messages, and conversations. I now have a template where I just change the information, like payment terms, rates, hours, etc. Once I have an informal contract ready, I typically send it over to the client for review. They will sign it once they are satisfied with the terms.
After a client signs the contract, you should ask them to sign an optional model release form. You can either have one drafted by an attorney or find one online. Having a standard model release form is vital to your business because it grants you permission to use photos from clients' weddings and events for advertisements, promotions, and other website or social media posts. Neglecting to have a model release and publishing client photos without consent can have a negative impact on your business. Typically, clients feel comfortable signing a model release when I explain to them that future brides like to see examples of beautiful weddings, and by allowing us to use their photos as examples their special day will help many other brides have a great experience. Learning how to become better at selling will make you a winner. Keep it honest, and watch your words. Learning a photographer's vocabulary will help you avoid the "dirty" words in the industry like, "large," "customers," "proofs," or even "photo shoot." The more preferred-sounding your language is by using terms such as "portraits," "images," "clients," "originals," "sessions," and "perfect size," the more polished and professional you'll appear (and less like a cheesy novice photographer). These details may seem insignificant, but people pick up on the nuance of the language you use when talking about your services.
Another thing to determine before a meeting is the amount you require for deposits and how any payment plans are going to be structured. When meeting with clients, I already have an idea of what they are looking for. I will write up a contract even if they haven't asked. I will also itemize the fees, costs, and tax so everything's clear to them. I have decided to make payment plans available as well, so I show them their preferred package cost split up over the course of months. Usually this piques their interest, since many professionals do not offer this service. Being as accommodating as possible will go a long way towards your continued success and reputation of being easy to work with.
Another thing I do is ask potential clients what they've seen offered by other professionals. It's important to understand what your competition is providing in terms of services. I've had clients tell me about competitors' packages that are priced closely to mine, but the incentives and product add-ons that I offer are what made them choose me over the similarly priced vendor.
For example, one company told a client that they would only receive up to 200 finished, edited photos. What this really means is that the company was going to go through and select what they thought, in their opinion, were the best photos to give to them – out of several hundred or even a thousand or more! I was totally shocked when I heard that, because I give my clients all of their photos, in high-res JPEG format on a disc or USB drive. I never give watermarked images or low-res proofs. I believe the photos belong to the clients and that they deserve to own them all. All rights are transferred to them when I have been paid in full.
I usually shoot between 800-1,200 photos on my own. I believe that my opinion about a photo is just that, an opinion. An image that is great in my eyes may not be perceived the same by the client. I stand firm that providing the client with as many options for their final photos as possible is a best practice in customer service.
Hopefully these practices will bolster your reputation and the word will spread. We live in a digital society, so it's highly likely that potential clients have already gathered a lot of information about you and your company before ever meeting you. Obviously you only want great reviews, so just continue to practice good business, fair pricing, and excellent customer service and you should have nothing to worry about. Your skills as a photographer should take a back seat to your business practices in this area. No one wants to work with a talented jerk. Gathering positive feedback from your customers is a useful way to boost your online reputation. Having positive reviews, preferably 5-star, will make your job easier because many people trust the opinions of others more than anything you (the salesperson) could say. Make sure you have some time to get the appropriate feedback and make it available to the public. Surveys and comment cards are a great way to gather feedback, and you can always ask permission to publicize positive remarks on your website. There should also be an option on your website that is easily accessible for anyone to leave comments about your business.
When meeting with your clients, make sure you are confident in what you offer and understand your business from A to Z. Uncertainty can lead to a sales loss. It's a balancing act of friendliness and knowledge that will set you apart from the competition. Understanding what your clients' needs are first will help you tailor your discussion to them. As you continue to have additional meetings it will come naturally, and you'll start winning the hearts of many clients.
