Unless you work with experienced models, the majority of your clients are not used to being in front of the camera. In fact, most of them are getting married or having a professional photoshoot for the first time ever, and they have no photography knowledge whatsoever. It’s YOUR job to educate your clients and “hold their hand” from start to finish. You are the expert, and as an expert – you need the right tools to provide an impeccable experience.
5 benefits of having a Client Guide for your Photography Business (Free Template)
[FREE CLIENT GUIDE TEMPLATE AT THE END OF THIS POST]
A great way to answer all your clients’ questions and set the right expectations is a Client Guide – a Wedding Guide, an Elopement Guide, a Boudoir Guide – you name it. If you don’t have one yet, you’re missing out big time. Not only does it help build trust with your clients, but also saves you tons of time, gets you new leads, and helps you upsell add-on products and services. Keep reading to learn about the 5 benefits of having a Client Guide, and how it can tremendously help your Photography Business.
1. You save time
Are you tired of answering the same questions over emails or calls, again and again? We’ve all been there. A Client Guide will completely change the game for you. Compile all the tips, FAQs, and recommendations into a stylish brochure, and share it with your booked couples to help them prepare for the big day. This resource alone will cut the “back-and-forth” communication completely, and free up tons of time.
2. Build trust with your clients
Besides the final deliverable, it’s the experience you offer that sets you apart from the competition. A happy client who’s enjoyed working with you will go out of their way to recommend you to their friends and family. The same goes for an unhappy client. Make sure you provide an amazing journey right off the bat.
A Client Guide helps you educate and prepare your clients for a stress-free event, be that an elopement shoot, a wedding ceremony, a family, or boudoir session. It positions you as an expert, who has a deep understanding of the process and can guide and support the clients. Your job is to help them relax and be more prepared for the big day. After all, their mood has a direct impact on how your final images turn out. There are no retakes with important events.
Your Guide can include anything from suggested outfits, pose recommendations, preferred time of shooting to catch the perfect light, locations, props, and recommended vendors. Walk them through your process, let them know how long it will take to deliver the photos. Go that extra mile to make your client feel cared for. If you build trust in the beginning, your clients will never question your judgment, and you will feel more relaxed as well. Everybody wins!
3. Cross Promotion
The wedding industry is preponderantly based on referrals, and you want to build strong connections within it. Include your favorite vendors in the Bridal Guide – be that florists, recommended venues, bridal shop, wedding stationery, or makeup artists. Suggest to cross-promote each other, they will most likely be happy to return the favor and include you in their list, too. Consider diversifying your recommended vendors list. Here are 100+ Black-owned businesses in the creative and events industry that you can choose from.
4. Collect new leads
While most photographers use a Client Guide for clients who’ve already booked, you can also use it as a resource to attract new prospects and convert them into paying customers. When someone lands on your website, they’re probably in the research phase, actively looking for the right photographer that suits their needs. Use this opportunity to grab their attention and connect with them. Offer a Client Guide as a freebie on your site (via a pop-up form or an announcement bar). Include important FAQs, examples of your work, a special discount to motivate them to book you. Make sure to collect their email in exchange. Connect with them, and suggest a call to learn if you’re the right fit for each other.
5. Upsell your products
Consider mentioning some add-ons in your Client Guide, such as prints, albums, greeting cards, and more. Just to remind your clients about these additional options you can offer. Even better if you can show some real examples of how your products look. Take time to include photos of some real printed albums, you’d be surprised how it can boost your print sales.
Get a Free Wedding Guide Template
Are you inspired to start creating your own Client Guide and enjoy all its benefits? If you think that you need crazy design skills to put one together, we’ll stop you right there. This time, it’s a piece of cake! We did the homework for you and created a beautiful and functional 40-page template to create your own client photography magazine. All you need to do is download it, replace the logo, images, and text, choose the preferred layouts and you’re good to go! The template is editable in Figma (free to use). We’ve also included a How-to video tutorial.
If you offer mentoring and education for other photographers, you can also use this template to create guides and resources for peers in the industry. The options are endless.
Download Free Wedding Guide Template
It goes without saying – a Client Guide is only half the work. Your website should look dapper and work perfectly, as well. It needs to speak to your future clients, flawlessly guide them through the pages with call to actions, and encourage them to contact you. If you feel like your website needs some improvement, check out our Design Templates for Squarespace, and grab an extra 20% off when you use code HAPPYMUSE20.
Creatively yours,
Squaremuse Team