Photography is all about relationships, whether that’s documenting the relationships between others or building your own relationships with clients. Part of being able to build your business as a wedding or event photographer is doing just that - making connections with people such that they will hire you again and again.
Having great social skills will put you on the right path when it comes to forging bonds with clients. But, there are other more tangible things you can do that will make your client’s day and get them thinking about how you’re such a great person, and a great photographer too!
So what can you do that will leave your clients feeling warm and fuzzy? Let’s review!
Offer a Freebie
Make no mistake about it: weddings and other events are expensive. When it comes down to brass tacks, many people that are planning weddings or another event are looking for a balance between quality and value. Unfortunately, sometimes that means they select a photographer that offers more value and less quality.
Something you can do to increase your value-to-quality ratio is to offer some sort of a freebie to your clients. This does not mean you should give them two or three hours of free work on their wedding day. Rather, it means offering a small token that doesn’t cost you an arm and a leg, but will be viewed by the client as a really nice gesture.
Try giving your clients a free 8x10 print. Have a custom card made that features a photo from the event you’re shooting with a few details printed on the card just as a nice reminder of the day. For a casual event, have a mouse pad made with one of your images or print one of your images on a t-shirt. For more formal gatherings like weddings or corporate events, give your clients a handful of small prints from the day. The point is that everyone loves free stuff, and it can certainly make your client’s day when they are presented with a nice free gift. It can also be a great tool for you to get their business in the first place!
Be Unique
When it comes to weddings and events, there is a lot of stiff competition for every job that comes around. Potential clients may very well interview three, four, or more photographers before deciding on one, so you’ll need to do what you can to seal the deal.
Certainly one way for you to stand out from the crowd is to be unique and offer services that other photographers may not offer. Perhaps you become unique because of your style of photography. Maybe you offer certain products that really wow customers, like high-end photo albums. But another great idea for being unique is to offer a service that is sure to get the crowd excited whether it’s a wedding or another type of event: a photo booth.
Photo booths like the T12 from EZPhotobooths make offering this kind of unique service quick, simple, and easy. You can set up your T12 photo booth all by yourself - it requires a tablet, DSLR, and ring flash - and then it’s good to go! In just a few minutes you can have a novel attraction ready and waiting for the event’s guests to snap their own photos. Photo booths aren’t just fun; they get people excited about getting their picture made. What’s more, the T12 photo booth is constructed of high-quality materials that make it a worry-free setup - no worries about it getting tipped over or otherwise damaged.
Then, after the event, you can easily peruse the images taken in the photo booth and incorporate the shots into the final collection of photos you present to your client. So not only will you have the excellent shots that you took, but you will also have more candid images that will remind your client of their special day or event. You can’t beat that!
Offer Your Assistance
Sure, you’re at a wedding or an event to document the occasion, so you probably won’t be asked to straighten the bride’s train before she enters the church or help straighten the tie of the guest speaker you’re about to photograph. But that doesn’t mean you can’t do those things. While it may seem trivial, just being a nice person, offering your assistance to resolve little problems like those mentioned above, and being willing to be a team player for the betterment of the day will go a long way in impressing your clients.
At the end of the day, you won’t be judged solely on your images; you’ll be judged on how you behave, the way you carry yourself, and certainly how sociable and friendly you are. Photography is a service-based industry, so commit yourself to going above and beyond the call of duty. Pin on boutonnieres, offer the mother of the bride a kleenex when she starts to cry, and tell the CEO that’s about to speak he has lettuce between his teeth. Just be helpful! Combined with offering unique services and giving away a freebie here and there, you’re sure to make your client’s day and build your reputation as a stellar wedding and event photographer at the same time.