Thinking of raising your prices in the new year? As your prices climb, you want to make sure that the level of service you are providing matches your new pricing. So, what are some ways we, as photographers, can do this?
Before the Session
Gather information. Get to know your client as well as you can before the session. You could send them a questionnaire asking things like the names and ages of those being photographed, is the photo shoot to celebrate a milestone or special occasion, birthdays or anniversary. Think of questions appropriate for your genre/client. Reference this questionnaire before the session so that you can learn the clients’ names. Calling your clients by their names goes a long way. Bring up other points from the questionnaire during the session to create conversation. Keep track of birthdays or anniversaries so that you can send them well wishes when their special day rolls around. When you show a real interest in your client, it makes them feel as if you actually care about them as a person.
Communicate. There are lots of ways you can communicate with your client before the session to foster the relationship. Send them a welcome guide after they book with you. Email your clients periodically and fill them in on how your process works, answer questions they could have, and set expectations. They may or may not have worked with a professional photographer before and even if they have, your policies and procedures will be different. Think of everything that might need managing and create an email to explain before the issue arises. Some things that might need explaining: how your pricing works, how many images they will receive, the amount of time they should expect before they receive their images, what happens if the weather doesn’t cooperate, what to wear, how long the shoot will last, etc. These emails should be brief and to the point. You wouldn’t want to put all of these things into one long email. We all know that clients typically don’t read and/or don’t remember. Break up the information into smaller chunks and send in separate emails.
Repetition. Know that your clients will forget things and will ask you questions that you’ve already answered. Be prepared to repeat yourself. Over-communication is better than lack of communication.
During the Session
Remember the questionnaire you sent the client when they booked? Be sure the read over it before the session. Memorize names and details to help you create conversations during the session. Make sure you are prepared and ready to start when the client arrives. Make a point to be fun and upbeat during your time together. If young children are a part of the session, let your client know that you do not expect perfect behavior, nor do you expect them to be still and quiet the whole session. Assure them that you will lead them and let them know exactly what they need to do. If you have a senior or teen client, maybe you play their favorite music during the session. Whichever genre you are shooting, keep the conversation flowing and give your clients positive feedback throughout.
After the Session
Thank them. After the session, send your client a thank you via email within 24 to 48 hours. Additionally, send a handwritten thank you card after the gallery and/or products have been delivered. You can also thank them when you post their images to your social media accounts.
Keep in touch. When you blog your client’s session, send them a message to let them know. Follow up with your client a few weeks after delivery to make sure they don’t have any questions. Wish them well on their birthday or anniversary. Keep in touch through email a few times a year. The next time the client needs a photographer, you want to make sure that you are the first one that comes to mind.
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