tbdinh
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 p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · 100% Booking Rate Next Year After Consultation. Here Is How I Did It | |
glort wrote:
let me adress these things Individually......
Branding.
In my unpopular as always opinion, branding is way over blown in this game.
The customers are largely one off's. They aren't buying their favourite brand of Cola. A master of Photography taught me when I was starting out., It only takes ONE photo they really love to get them to book.
30 years later I still believe that is absolutely correct.
The irony is, the picture they so love does not even have to be relative to them or their wedding.
They may love a shot taken in the wide open spaces of the country when their wedding is completely in the heart of the city.
it just has to be the instant pic they see in their mind when they think wedding pics.
Weak Folio.
As above but lesser important than you as a person which is the MOST important thing of all.
I can't even remember the last time I showed a folio to wedding clients printed, electronic or otherwise. They pretty much now see the pics on the walls or if i'm doing an out of studio interview I probably show them a slide show of a single wedding I shot. Most of the time they will be lucky to see that because they will be talking and telling me things.
Your folio is not the most significant thing to booking, it just helps get the non referrals through the door.
Expensive Compared to Competitors.
This can be a problem. in an over saturated market where the product is nothing but another commodity and the clients appreciation and knowledge of that commodity and ability to differentiate shit from clay is limited, you have to have something outstanding and make them believe they are getting their moneys worth.
That does not have to be quality of work. It can be service levels, turn around times but mostly it's the ability to build trust in you are the one to give them the pictures they will love more than anyone elses.
That's not best quality or artistic merit by shooters standards, it's by the individual Clients belief.
SEO.
Nothing to do with your booking rate. At all.
Again just an instrument to get them through the door. Once they lift the phone send the email walk into your studio, the most and pretty much only relevant thing is YOU!
Reputation
Meh!
Only thing you really have to worry about is you don't have a bad one.
reputation is largely what non customers think. Other vendors, past clients etc. Not many brides no crap about wedding shooters until they are or think they are about to be engaged. Generally The " reputation" is by advertising and marketing and some good referrals.
It's not a car or a clothing label we are talking about here, it's a one off purchase.
If reputation was significant in the booking rate, I wouldn't have been able to book the other shooters that worked for me that no one had ever heard of. they trusted me when I said these people would do what they wanted and that's why they booked my stringers same as they book associates as they are called now.
There is only ONE really significant thing in your booking rate... YOU.
How you talk to them on the phone or in emails but mostly how you come across to them as a person.
If they don't trust you,. you don't appear confident and ready to help, seem like someone they will enjoy spending the day with, someone they believe will give them the pictures THEY want, then you have a huge uphill battle to book them.
The reason you got this booking rate was partially about all those things you mentioned.
90% of it was your own self confidence and presentation that elicited their trust and rapport.
That's the toughest thing of all to achieve so don't sell yourself short or confuse what you actually achieved. I'd say the overwhealming thing was self confidence.
Having got that nailed, You'll go far.
 ...Show more →
Honestly I don't know what does it for me. The better I get, the easier it is for me to command my price. Yelp reviews, branding, better at consultation, everything helps a bit.
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nick williams wrote:
Im at 95% when they meet me , which is not to bad. The hard bit is getting them to answer the phone.
I would be happy at 75%. 95% that's great number. I've booked many clients through different ways: Facebook chat, email, phone, in person. Some never met me in person, but they are OK with it. Whatever works for them.
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deepbluejh wrote:
I find more and more that clients are looking for trust and a personal connection when making decisions on a photographer for their weddings. The market is SUPER saturated and to be honest there are probably a lot of people they simply would not care to have shoot their wedding (and it has nothing to do with the quality of work).
Wedding photography is a buyer's market.
I agree everyone is looking for personal connection. But that is not all of it. Price, quality (value), service are also as important.
I have alot of inquiry for destination weddings. After explaining they are responsible all the travel fees and $500 extra for traveling fee, many brides express how much they want to book me if I was local. Some couple are able to swing it if they are professional and value photography, but those are few. I have many potential clients that tell me, "Why am I so expensive?" when there are alot of full time photographers and part timer undercutting each other. When you deliver quality and competitive pricing, people question you less.
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