One of the most common questions I come across from people who are looking for tips for wedding photographers is this –
“How do I turn an inquiry into a paying client?!”
You’re doing all-the-things already. Showing up on social media, blogging, boosting that SEO rank… The inquiries are coming in but you’re not booking them nearly as often as you’d like. I’ve been there, friend! So how do you go from getting ghosted on the regular, to having a booked-out calendar?!
My first tip might sound a little too easy to be true, and is likely something you’re already doing…
Just Respond
You’d be surprised how often wedding photographers (and really, business owners across the board) are not responding to their emails. In October I contacted a business in hopes of taking photos in their space. I didn’t receive a reply from them until January! There isn’t a single wedding client around who will wait three months to hear back from a potential photographer.
That being said, I don’t believe that there is a magic rule that you MUST reply within a certain timeframe. It’s more important to do what works best for you, setting a schedule that you’re able to manage. CLICK HERE to check out a blog post all about how quickly to respond to new inquiries!
Answer Questions Before They’re Asked
Nothing makes a potential client feel more supported than receiving the answers to a question they haven’t asked yet. It makes them feel seen and helps build their trust in knowing you truly understand them and what it is they’re looking for from their wedding photographer. To start, think about questions that you’ve been asked by previous couples – both the ones that have booked with you and the ones that haven’t. How can you use those questions to better serve potential clients in the future?
Be Confident
People want to spend their money on someone they know they can trust. If you want your clients to feel confident that they’ve hired the right person for the job, you need to actually BE confident that you are the right person!
Show Your Work
Lastly, make sure you have a visual example of what it is your potential clients are looking for. If they’re getting married at a specific venue, send a blog post or gallery from your most recent wedding there. If you haven’t worked at their venue, try including photos from a wedding with a similar colour scheme and design palette, or even a wedding in the same season! Anything that will help paint a picture of what the end result could be if they hired you.
I mention this step last because I truly believe that being a talented photographer isn’t enough to set you apart in the world of wedding photography in 2022. I’m sure you’ve done your research by now. You know there are a LOT of photographers out there. Taking extra steps to serve your clients outside of the creative magic you can make with your camera is what’s going to help you stand out from the rest!
Cheers to putting an end to ghosting, and making 2022 the year you booked out your calendar more than ever before!
Looking to dive in even further? Let’s connect over a 1:1 Clarity Call! We’ll walk through your inquiry process step-by-step to make sure you’re confident it’s working just as you want it to!
Get more tips for wedding photographers on the blog:
3 Reasons I Love Auto-Responders
3 Game-Changing Systems + Workflows
The Wedding Photography Timeline of Your Dreams
Thanks for the helpful tips.
You’re so welcome! I hope it was helpful for you :)
Yes. And the faster you answer the email, the better.
So true! That’s why I love auto-responders so much.