There’s a difference between a client who is happy with your work and a client who comes back to you for their EVERY image need. 

 

One likes your photos, and that’s great! But no matter how unique and skilled you are, they can probably show those photos to a handful of other photographers, ask for something similar, and get it. 

 

The other client is a bottomless well of projects you love. They share your name with their friends and grow to trust you more and more with each project you complete. While the first client is definitely a win, the second will keep you in business! And the difference is all in the experience of working with you, not in the deliverables you offer.

 

While I’ve got lots of in-depth content on elevating your client experience {I’ll link to some of it at the bottom of this post} today I’m enrolling you in Client Experience 101. We’re going to go back to the basics of giving your clients the unforgettable, smooth-as-butter experience that takes them from “I really like these photos” to “how do I get you on retainer, you beautiful photographic genius, you???”

 

Start the Client Experience Strong

 

One big mistake I used to make early on was going with the flow. Being flexible is fine, but only to a point! I didn’t want to do anything that might make my client choose another photographer, so I ended up following their lead most of the time. 

 

But here’s the problem with that: if they were able to do my job, they would just do it! So of course, many of those experiences became frustrating for me. I was looking to someone who did not know photography to decide everything. What step came next, how long I would have to complete a project… even when I could be done {my head hurts just thinking about all those reshoots}. 

 

So even if you still feel butterflies in your stomach as you reach out to new brands, it’s important to come across confident and knowledgeable. 

 

• Have a process {even if you adjust it over time}
• Pitch to ideal brands {instead of just waiting for someone to come to you}
• Leverage yourself as a consultant and expert {don’t just be their paid shutter finger}

 

Make It Easy for Them

 

If your process is confusing or feels like a lot of work to your client, that’s what they’ll think of when they think of you. No matter how incredible your images are, they are not your client’s whole world! They have a full workload and personal responsibilities, just like everyone else. 

 

But if you make it effortless? How could they not come back over and over again?!

 

Some of the ways I make it effortless for my clients:

 

• They can easily book a discovery call with me based on their availability, with just a couple of clicks.
• Before the call, they fill out a questionnaire. This familiarizes me with their needs without adding time to our call or asking them to remember all the things on the spot.
• I use branded documents I create in Canva so they always have the right info at the right time!
• I send contracts they can sign digitally, straight to their inbox.
• Their invoices can also be paid in a few, easy clicks from within an email.
• I use a Gallery like Pixieset to deliver the images. They can select their favorite images right from the galleries!

 

{Have I mentioned lately how much I adore my CRM, Honeybook? That’s what makes so much of this possible!}

 

By the way, if you’re ready to create some branded documents of your own, my Client Proposal Toolkit is going to make your life a LOT easier! You’ll look super professional, save all kinds of time, and give your client the next level of the experience they’re craving.

 

Communicate

 

Do I sound like a broken record when I talk about communication? 

 

Maybe, but I have no plans to stop!

 

Good communication is the foundation of a stellar client experience. Whatever challenges your client presents {and your client is a human, so yes, there will be challenges} poor communication can make them a hundred times worse. 

 

On the other hand, good communication puts nervous clients at ease, clears it all up for confused clients, and shows micromanaging clients that you know what you’re doing.

 

Start by identifying any questions you are being asked by all your clients. They’re having to put time and energy into finding that answer! So how can you give it to them before they have to ask? That’s why I put information about my process into my welcome guide, proposal, and contract. If they don’t know what comes next at ANY given point in a project, they can easily refer back to those documents and breathe a sigh of relief. 

 

And if things don’t go as planned? {Because YOU are human, so yes, things sometimes will not go as planned.} REACH OUT. Be honest. Don’t make them play the guessing game. They may not be thrilled to hear that there’s a delay or that the setup they had their heart set on just isn’t going to work, but they’ll be even less thrilled to be blindsided by that information after waiting days to hear from you.

 

Be the Expert

 

You know how a few paragraphs ago we talked about leveraging yourself as an expert? A lot of the time when I say that, the response is, “But I don’t feel like an expert, yet!”

 

If it makes you feel better, most of us are still waiting to “feel” like experts. So you’re in good company!

 

Expertise will come with time and experience, but you probably still have a lot to offer, right where you’re at. Just by reading blogs like this one, you’ve already started building a mental library of photography business know-how your client doesn’t have. Don’t be afraid to use that! And try to invest time {and money, if possible} into photography and business education that will give you even more to offer. 

 

In the meantime, there’s one thing you can definitely be an expert on, and that’s your own process. Sit down and really give some thought to how you can do your best work, how to guide your client through their journey easily, and what checkpoints you can make along the way to stay on target. 

 

If they see that you are confident in the way you work, clients are less likely to try and dictate the process. Things will go a lot more smoothly all around, because you—the photographer—will be the one in charge of creating beautiful photos!

 

Ready to Elevate Your Client Experience?

 

These are just the basics! They’ll help you a lot, but there’s even more you can do to create a solid, can’t-miss experience for your clients. If you’re ready to keep going, here’s where you can:

 

• Attract the right clients for you
• Set up client projects
• Improve client communication
• Run successful client shoots
• Elevate your client experience from beginning to end