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No matter how confident we are in our client communication skills, most photographers get a little nervous about it. It’s only natural! You want to do your very best job and create a lasting positive impression, but you’re worried about slipping up or saying the wrong thing when you’re communicating with clients, which can lead to issues down the road. 

 

Luckily, communication is one of those things that gets easier the more you practice. Today, I’m going to show you how to improve communication skills as a professional photographer. This will not only impress existing and potential clients, but keep them coming back to you to form long-term working relationships.

 

Get clear on the scope of work — right away

 

Communication is a two-way street, but many of your clients may not be great communicators, themselves. It’s your job to ask the right questions so that they can communicate what you need to know in order to make them happy. 

 

When you begin speaking with a potential client about their project, it’s vital that you understand the scope of what they’re wanting from you. You need to understand it as soon as possible, otherwise you’re going to struggle with putting together a reasonable quote.

 

Make sure you ask about:

 

• The timeline
• Usage rights
• The number of images they will ultimately need
• The budget they have to work with for this project

 

That last one made you sweat a little, didn’t it? It’s always tough to talk about money, but knowing what your client is able to do will help you decide whether a client is a good fit for your services — before you invest too much time in their project.

 

You’ll also need to get really good at communicating your own pricing structure, whether that means you are politely declining a job, negotiating terms, or simply answering a direct question. Don’t know how to talk pricing with your clients yet? I’ve put together a few swipe files just for you! Get them here.

 

 

Don’t be afraid to jump on a call

 

Email feels like such a safe way to communicate {Gotta love that backspace button, right?}, but a live call will give you a much better understanding of your client’s needs. I recommend that you always start client communication with a discovery call, because nothing starts a project out on the right foot like a face-to-face talk. 

 

They can give you a wealth of information about the project, their brand, their target audience, and so on. Sure, they can do that in an email, but this way you can listen to their tone and ask impromptu questions. You can hear them describe their brand or product in real time and see or hear how they respond to your ideas and suggestions.

 

It also gives them the opportunity to see who you are. People work with people they connect with, and it’s a lot easier for them to connect with you when they can see you, or at least hear you, as you are expressing yourself.

 

Keep the lines of communication open

 

Your client should never have to reach out to you for an update! Even if you have to share some “bad news”, like a delay or an unscheduled reshoot, waiting isn’t going to make things any better. 

 

Communicating roadblocks early is the key to true professionalism; it gives them the opportunity to rearrange their responsibilities to accommodate a schedule change, and hopefully still meet their own deadlines.

 

If your client does reach out to you for whatever reason, try to respond promptly. If you can’t sit down right away to write a lengthy response, it’s okay to tell them that. A quick note explaining that you’ve seen their message and will respond as soon as you can give it your full attention will go a long way toward setting your client’s mind at ease.

 

Provide information before they ask

 

You can also set your client’s mind at ease by answering the questions you know they’ll have, before they have to ask them. 

I use a library of templates for exactly that purpose. I set my clients up with welcome and/or onboarding packets, a series of emails sharing information all my clients will need as we collaborate, and contracts/invoices that use clear language to explain my process.

 

It’s all sitting ready to go {I even have automations that send them out at the appropriate time, so as not to overwhelm new clients…thank you Dubsado!} and as a bonus, I don’t have to worry about typos because everything is already written out!

 

An email list will also keep clients in the loop, even when you’re not actively working together. I type up an update in Flodesk a couple of times a month so that my clients — both past and present — and followers always know what’s going on with Frenchly. {Want to join? You can get my newsletters by signing up here.}

 

Learn basic business writing skills

 

Most professionals are always looking for how to improve communication at work, and a lot of it boils down to coming across as a professional in your written communications.

 

Less is more when it comes to client communication. Your clients are busy, so don’t make them wade through three paragraphs when one will do just fine. When you communicate, pay attention to the details. Make sure you’re speaking to the correct point person and using their preferred language when describing the product. 

 

Find the right balance between formal and approachable. Go too casual and you won’t sound like a professional. Too far in the other direction and clients will find you intimidating. In the same vein, be sure to proofread before clicking “send”. You might be relieved to have this email off your plate, but a last-minute read through may catch that one typo that would be off-putting to a detail-oriented client.

 

Lastly, don’t overwhelm your client with too many choices! Give them a couple of solid options. It will stress them out a lot less and they’ll probably get back to you more quickly. It’s also helpful to think of emails like social media posts: clients are more likely to engage when you give them a call to action. If there’s something you need your client to do, TELL THEM! Don’t make them play guessing games.

 

Client communication gets easier the more you do it, but we all have room for improvement. Be clear, concise, and approachable when you speak with clients, and above all make sure they’re never in the dark! What are your client communication strategies? Share them in the comments or join the conversation on IG!