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photo by Tero Vesalainen via iStock
I’ve been covering new and innovative tools for your photography business this year to help photographers get back into the swing of things as the pandemic subsides and as more photographers are filling up their calendars once again. And I just discovered a new photography invoicing tool that makes collecting your money easier than ever: Podium Payments.
Podium Payments is a photography business tool that allows you to do all of your photography billing on an app, so you no longer have to send invoices through email or snail mail. It is also a photography business tool that makes it easier for your clients to pay you, since they can pay you directly from a text message thread.
If you’ve been looking for innovative ways to have your clients pay you, like buying different card readers for photography businesses, then you need to take a look at Podium Payments.
It’s All Mobile
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The number one reason why this photography business tool is so easy to use is that it is all mobile. You create your invoices on the Podium app, which you can do off of your phone, and then text those invoices to your clients.
Whereas less than half of all emails get opened, over 95% of all text messages do. This means you can rest assured that your invoices are going to be received by your clients as soon as you send them.
You also have the option of sending a link to close deals while you are texting your clients. This means that you can actually make more money, on top of getting your payments faster. Think about it… how many times has someone reached out for your services and then lost interest before you were actually able to get them to go online and pay for them? Podium Payments gets rid of this problem.
It Saves Back and Forth Time
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Depending upon what photography business tool you’re currently losing to collect your invoices, you may be spending a lot of time going back and forth with your clients trying to collect.
I have tried just about every payment platform there is, from PayPal to Zelle to Venmo, and each one comes with unique problems. With PayPal, all of your invoice reminders are being sent to your client’s email (and we all know your client never catches up on their inbox). With Venmo, you never know if your client actually has their notifications turned on on their phone. Your payment request could be sitting there for weeks without them realizing it.
Podium Payments prevents this back and forth by texting your client their invoice (and by sending a reminder about that invoice, should they need one). This automated invoicing system prevents you from losing money on communication problems. If you’re working with high-profile clients, they’ll appreciate the easy communication as much as you do.
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It Features Customizable Invoices
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This photography business tool also allows you to customize all of your invoices with the touch of a button. You can create an invoice that features your company name and logo, as well as your address. You can prevent your customers from paying with more expensive options, like credit cards, or you can make it easier for them and allow every method of payment. Podium Payments works with Google Pay, Apple Pay, credit and debit cards, and e-checks.
When you send your invoice to your client’s phone, you can also customize the message that gets sent along with your invoice so your customer feels cared for throughout their entire transaction.
It Keeps Track of Your Accounting
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What other photography business tool does your accounting for you?
Chances are that your photography business income could be a lot better, especially right now during the pandemic. By using a photography business tool that keeps track of your accounting, you are not only saving time by not needing to constantly follow up with your clients about their invoices, but you are saving time by easily exporting your financial data to yourself.
The Podium Payment platform keeps track of how many invoices you have out that are still unpaid. It keeps track of how much money your business has brought in over any specific period of time. It also keeps track of the average amount of time it takes your clients to pay their bills. You’ll be shocked at how quickly your average payment time goes from a few days or even weeks to just a few hours.
The Podium Payment platform also integrates easily with a wide range of accounting softwares, like Quickbooks, so nothing gets lost in translation.
It Gives You and Your Clients Flexibility
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Every photography business tool that I try out for my business gets put through one litmus test: does it make my life or the lives of my clients easier? With Podium Payment, the answer is a resounding “yes.”
Podium Payment gives me flexibility because I can connect it to multiple bank accounts. Since I do my budgeting through the use of multiple different bank accounts, this ensures my money is always where I need it to be. It also gives me flexibility because it allows me to process refunds to my clients easily. I don’t need to refund clients very often, but when I do, chances are I just want to offload that client. By allowing me to send refunds right away, Podium Payments ensures I am not spending any more time dealing with a difficult client than I need to be.
However, Podium Payment also gives my clients flexibility. As I discussed, it lets them use a huge variety of payment methods so that they don’t have to worry about digging their credit card out of their wallet that they left at home. It also lets me itemize each invoice so that my client knows exactly what they’re paying for and when.
Of course, it also provides both my clients and I with protection because their software is PCI-compliant and features advanced fraud protection. This means that the software will catch a stolen credit card before I do.
If you’d like to try Podium Payment for free, you can do so at their website.
