Ok photographers -- let's talk about bells and whistles. Some of the added "extras" that you build into your workflow to help raise your clients' experience levels, help them FEEL the love and be over-the-top thrilled that they hired YOU above any other photographer they could have chosen.
Up to this point my workflow series, I have been sharing workflow strategies and resources that I consider vital to a basic wedding workflow. I've shared them roughly in priority order and with the conclusion of Part 20 last month, the basics are covered. I'm continuing this series with what I like to call "The Bells & Whistles". These are additional components I have added to my workflow over time as I've increased my prices, in order to improve my clients' experience. They aren't vital to a wedding workflow, but they are fun extras that can set you apart from other photographers. If you have missed the workflow series up to this point, I would encourage you to start from the beginning to build an amazing foundation of customer service and a sustainable system for your workflow before you move on to this section and take things up a notch. Click here to find a complete list of the posts in The Workflow Series and get caught up!
First up on the list of bells & whistles -- the new client kit!
When I first started my business, I met with clients and when it came time to talk about pricing, I handed them a full-color print out of my package info on nice sturdy card stock. It worked. It was a decent, although minimal, presentation. A few years back I was inspired by my friends Justin & Mary Marantz to fancy it up a bit and present my potential clients with something more robust. My new client kit was born:
Up to this point my workflow series, I have been sharing workflow strategies and resources that I consider vital to a basic wedding workflow. I've shared them roughly in priority order and with the conclusion of Part 20 last month, the basics are covered. I'm continuing this series with what I like to call "The Bells & Whistles". These are additional components I have added to my workflow over time as I've increased my prices, in order to improve my clients' experience. They aren't vital to a wedding workflow, but they are fun extras that can set you apart from other photographers. If you have missed the workflow series up to this point, I would encourage you to start from the beginning to build an amazing foundation of customer service and a sustainable system for your workflow before you move on to this section and take things up a notch. Click here to find a complete list of the posts in The Workflow Series and get caught up!
First up on the list of bells & whistles -- the new client kit!
When I first started my business, I met with clients and when it came time to talk about pricing, I handed them a full-color print out of my package info on nice sturdy card stock. It worked. It was a decent, although minimal, presentation. A few years back I was inspired by my friends Justin & Mary Marantz to fancy it up a bit and present my potential clients with something more robust. My new client kit was born:
My new client kit is a gift I give to potential clients when they meet with me. Every potential client that I meet with in person gets one before they even decide if they want to book.
The grey box is a document box I found at The Container Store. A white ribbon is used to make it pretty and give it that "this-is-a-special-gift" look. When opened, the contents are wrapped in white tissue paper secured by a sticker with the clients' names on it - an added personal touch.
The grey box is a document box I found at The Container Store. A white ribbon is used to make it pretty and give it that "this-is-a-special-gift" look. When opened, the contents are wrapped in white tissue paper secured by a sticker with the clients' names on it - an added personal touch.
Inside are the goodies. Lots of handy info: my packages, tips for getting your best wedding images, a list of recommended wedding planners along with my top 10 reasons to hire a planner, and my favorite vendor list. All of these documents were created in Photoshop with lots of pretty photos and printed on a heavy card stock. We secured groups of pages with fun star shaped paper clips for some added whimsy.
Also included as a "just because" gift to the couple are two wedding magazines - a national magazine and a local magazine - preferably one that a wedding I shot is featured in.
I like to include helpful planning information in the kit in order to communicate to couples that they are not alone -- that I am here to help. I also like to throw in the "just because" gifts to bless them. My hope in giving potential clients this kit is that it will lay some groundwork for what kind of experience they can expect if they choose to hire me as their photographer.
After they open it during our meeting, we talk through the package information to make sure all of their questions are answered, and I also talk through a few of my tips that relate to planning out the timing of their wedding. I like to do this early on, before their timeline is set in stone, so that they are well educated on the impact their chosen timeline will have on their photography -- and even more importantly -- on their enjoyment of their day.
One of my favorite moments in each client meeting is handing this new client kit to the bride. I love the look on her face and the unanticipated excitement she shows as she unties the ribbon and opens the tissue. SO fun!
Thanks again for reading! Let me know if you have any questions or added thoughts by leaving a comment below. And to find out about more resources I offer photographers, click here!
After they open it during our meeting, we talk through the package information to make sure all of their questions are answered, and I also talk through a few of my tips that relate to planning out the timing of their wedding. I like to do this early on, before their timeline is set in stone, so that they are well educated on the impact their chosen timeline will have on their photography -- and even more importantly -- on their enjoyment of their day.
One of my favorite moments in each client meeting is handing this new client kit to the bride. I love the look on her face and the unanticipated excitement she shows as she unties the ribbon and opens the tissue. SO fun!
Thanks again for reading! Let me know if you have any questions or added thoughts by leaving a comment below. And to find out about more resources I offer photographers, click here!
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