What sets apart a photography business that books clients sporadically from one that consistently attracts dream clients? The key difference is having a well-structured system tailored to the needs of your ideal clients.
Most photographers who offer photography will struggle from time to time with filling up their calendar – and seeing all those empty dates ahead of you might feel discouraging. If you’re frustrated by the lack of predictability in securing your branding photography clients, there may very likely be some holes in your booking process that need to be filled!
Let’s examine my top 6 booking best practices for photographers.
Build a Loud and Clear Brand Identity for Your Ideal Clients
When most people learn that I am a photographer, they instantly bring up wedding photography or family portraits. I hear some variation of “Oh, you’re a photographer? Can you shoot my cousin’s wedding?” anytime I introduce myself at a networking event. This is so common because the vast majority of people will only ever work with a professional photographer once or twice in their entire life, so it makes sense that they associate the entire profession with their lived experiences.
In order to limit these kinds of misconceptions, I’ve built my brand identity to attract exactly the kinds of people I want to serve and to discourage people who don’t fit into my idea of an ideal client from bothering to contact me. Being crystal clear about the types of businesses you serve in your website copy and social media posts will help attract your ideal clients and filter out those who may not fully understand your services.
Make sure your website, brand design, brand voice, and marketing efforts are all aligned to speak directly to the kinds of clients you want.
Show Up Where Your Ideal Clients Are – Online and In-Person
Unfortunately, for introverts like me, posting randomly on social media whenever the vibe hits isn’t exactly a marketing plan and won’t result in consistent bookings. The good news is that once you understand who you are laser-targeting in your marketing, it is much easier to figure out where they are spending their time the most.
Depending on who you’re trying to reach, they may not spend much time on social media at all. You’d be better off making sure your website is Search Engine Optimized (SEO) for clients who primarily search Google for services.
Beyond virtual marketing, you will almost certainly find your best clients through in-person networking. While formal business networking meetings can bring in great clients, don’t sleep on the power of organic networking.
Once you know what types of places or community events attract your ideal clients, you can show up and become a recognized face in those areas. When people start to know you, like you, and trust you, they’ll be more likely to book with you or refer clients to you! Getting out of your house is essential for booking branding photography clients.
Make it Super Easy to Understand How You Solve Problems for Your Clients
If you can truly take stress off of a person’s shoulders by providing a level of service that goes so much deeper than just “pretty photos”, you’ll have a much easier time booking those ideal clients. With personal branding photography, for example, you’ll find that clients will look to you as the expert in how to translate their brand message and personal story into the photos, how to effectively use those photos in their marketing, and how to make their overall brand image look cohesive.
When working with larger brands with big marketing budgets, you’ll learn quickly that many expect you to serve as an art director, event coordinator, talent recruiter, prop curator, and more! When you clarify how much your services extend beyond just the photos, the right clients will book with enthusiasm.
Explain Your Process Directly – Don’t Expect Clients to Read Everything
While I wish I could send a detailed booking email and expect things to go smoothly, that is truly a recipe for disaster. Often, these folks are booking a professional photographer for the very first time, so terms and industry standards that we, as photographers, take for granted need to be thoroughly explained to the client.
For instance, how will your client know what sort of branding usage license you offer? Instead of just sending them a licensing agreement to sign, make sure you explain what their rights are to the images you are creating for them. Additionally, take time to walk them through your entire process so they know exactly what to expect from project planning to image delivery. Being proactive about getting information to your clients will make the booking process more pleasant for everyone.
Make Sure Booking and Onboarding Documents are Easy to Access
As the saying goes, “If you confuse, you lose,” and that is extra important to remember when you set up your booking documents and any onboarding materials for your clients.
Whether they need to schedule a phone call with you to initiate a project or sign contracts and pay their invoice online, you’ll want to be sure you have a seamless, stress-free process so clients don’t get lost or frustrated. Make it super easy and clear how they can book with you!
Do Not Be Afraid to Talk to Your Inquiries on the Phone
Millennials and Gen Z seem to have one thing in common since we came of age in the era of smartphones: we all sort of dread talking on the phone! This can be absolutely detrimental to the success of your branding photography services.
If you have phone-phobia, rest assured that you can overcome this problem through practice and by setting yourself up for phone call success.
Clients simply need to have more clear and direct communication. There are always a lot of moving parts and details to cover, and going back and forth over email for weeks leading up to a booking can be time-consuming. The best solution is to schedule a time to iron out the details and explain your process over the phone!
Spend that phone call time listening and asking questions, getting to understand the person’s problems and goals, then knock their socks off with your strategy for how you can help them.
Getting booked doesn’t have to be a scary prospect if you plan ahead! By implementing these booking best practices, you’ll find yourself booking dream clients and building your profitable branding photography business!
Written by Jesi Cason | Photographs by Twomermaids Photography
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