When you’re working with photography clients, it’s super important to make sure everyone is on the same page. That’s where a welcome guide or proposal comes in. You might think they’re pretty similar, but actually, they’re two very different animals!

In this blog post, we’re gonna break down the differences between the two, including how to use them, what to include, and when to send them.

With this knowledge, you’ll be able to pick the right document for your business and forge even better relationships with your clients or customers.

 

What are a welcome guide and a proposal

So let’s start from the beginning because if you have not been using them, you might be confused by what they are. In their simpler form, they are PDF brochures you send to your clients. Alternatively, you can create a secret page on your website, or build a template in your CRM (a Client Relationship Management tool, like Honeybook, Dubsado or 17Hats).

These brochures are used to send relevant information to your clients at different points of the project. You could of course send all that information by email, but if you’ve managed some photography projects in the past, you probably know that there is a lot of information to share and it would make for reaaaaally long emails 😅

Why should you use brochures

These brochures are a part of a bigger strategy to create a stellar client experience. The goal here is to make working with you super easy and enjoyable for the clients, so they’ll come back for more and tell their friends about you.

Overall, using brochures like welcome guides and proposals can help you stand out amongst your competition and make a strong impression on potential clients. They give you the opportunity to showcase your work and expertise, set expectations, and build trust with your clients. They’re also a great way to demonstrate your commitment to providing a high level of service and attention to detail before the work has even begun.

Another reason why you should use them is that they’ll save you a ton of time. By providing a comprehensive overview of your services, pricing, and policies, you can save time by answering common questions upfront (and building trust with your clients – win-win!). This will help streamline the booking process and reduce the back-and-forth communication that can eat up your time. And don’t forget that once you’ve created your welcome guide or proposal, you can reuse it for multiple clients, further saving time and effort.

To save even more time, you can start with a template. I created a few in Canva especially for food and product photographers so you don’t have to overthink it. You’ll just have to customize to your branding and process. I even included some photography specific copy to make it easier (no Latin gibberish for you!). Check it out here.

What is a welcome guide

Well, a welcome guide is exactly what it sounds like – a guide for welcoming new clients. It’s kind of like a welcome mat but in document form.

I have used it in different ways, but the main way I use it is to introduce my studio to a potential client. For example when they have found my portfolio and filled out my contact form. Or when a brand I have been pitching gets back to me asking for more information.

In this case, the Welcome guide can also be called a Services Guide (or a Pricing guide if you choose to include your prices).

The purpose here is to introduce potential clients to your work and give them a sense of your style and personality.

what to include:

• an introduction of you, your studio, and your team if you have one
• an overview of your process
• a list of the services you offer
• a pricing list if you decide to include your rates (I typically don’t as I usually price each project based on the specifics)
• a short portfolio to showcase your work and your style
• testimonials
• FAQ
• office hours and contact information
• next steps – where I usually include a link to a scheduler like Calendly

The purpose here is to show off your work, your services, and your process. And to set the expectation for a smooth project run by a professional photographer (yes, that’s you).

To make the process even smoother and time efficient, I suggest you create several copies of the guide based on the different types of businesses you work with. For example, you could have one for restaurants, one for food brands, one for products, etc… You want the client to think this guide was made specifically for them. The idea is to tailor each guide to reflect the specific process, answer the right questions in the FAQ, and include relevant images in the portfolio section.

To make this process even more efficient, I have an email template ready to be sent for each type of work, with the specific Welcome guide as an attachment. This allows me to answer any inquiry in a matter of minutes without having to stop everything I’m doing.

What is a proposal

Basically, a proposal is your sales pitch. It’s your one chance to make the client decide to choose you over any other photographer he’s talked to. No big deal.

That’s why I strongly recommend you use a well-designed and well-thought-out document for that. As you can imagine, a proposal can be a powerful tool for winning over new clients and landing bigger projects. It can help you make your case and show the client that you’ve thought through every aspect of the project and are prepared to deliver top-notch results.

What to include:

• a cover page – summary of the project, the goal, the vision, etc.
• a breakdown of your process and timeline – present each phase of the project and how long you expect they’ll take
• a detailed quote – the meat and potatoes of your proposal! It should include a short description of the scope of work and deliverables, and a detailed breakdown of your fees, including the licensing fees and usage rights.
• project expectations – a quick word on how you work, your payment and contract terms
• previous projects, or case studies – show your client that you have done similar projects before and that you are therefore qualified for the job. It doesn’t have to be client work, it can be a personal project. Careful, this is not a mood board, the pre-production work starts only after the deposit has been paid!
• Testimonials – nothing beats social proof to establish your expertise
• FAQs
• office hours and contact information
• next steps – let them know how to book you and what will happen if they do!

Important note: the proposal you will send can be only as good as the research you’ve done to gather the information about the project. That’s why I always recommend getting on a discovery call with the client. Besides creating a human connection, it will also allow you to get all the answers you need in order to provide them with a complete and accurate quote!

 

Conclusion

In a nutshell, a welcome guide and a proposal can be valuable assets for any photographer looking to provide their clients with an exceptional experience. A welcome guide can help establish expectations and showcase your brand and work, while a proposal is your sales pitch to convince the client you are the photographer for the shoot and to explain your fee structure.

There you have it. I hope this helped clarify the difference between a welcome guide and a proposal template. But most of all, I hope it made you realize how much these brochures can help you save time, build trust with your clients, create a more seamless booking process, and achieve greater success as a photographer. So start creating your own welcome guide and proposal today, and if you want a head start, go check out my template shop!

 

 

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