Lessons

Lesson Info

Pre-Planning and Client Consultations

My next giveaway for today is someone called the image file and it's who I use for my website company hosting all my images and they've been amazing because if anything this company makes me money and I don't have to do anything for her the reason being I had a website before I moved over to these guys on dh I would upload my images on dh never really sell that many online after a wedding and then my suggestion from these guys were at ten percent off discount for the first fourteen days and then we'll making maybe five to seven k like a thousand pounds worth per year I don't do anything it just does it all in the websites of adding discounts and things like that I don't get charged per page if you can imagine I keep all my online galleries for maybe two years and then what I would do when we talk about sales and marketing I will like offer promotions just before christmas and say do you know what twenty percent or fifty percent off for print orders in the next couple of weeks and the w...

edding albums do online or when I look at my stats brides and grooms from two years ago when they're trying to refer me for someone they want to still see the images so there's still online it doesn't cost me any money where's I know other websites I looked at was all based upon the size I think I have fifty gig at the moment and the other thing I want to thank james specifically from the image fall you know how I know I am now poor james had to listen to me saying I'm doing video now I want to put a video on my website I don't want to take a lot of space because I don't pay you guys loads more money I need to somehow downstairs my video but I still want to look good these guys have done that for may um on top of that I wanted to try an academy website I wanted my commercial website and I wanted my wedding website all underneath so I now have three websites underneath one website for no extra money I don't know I may be wrong but I don't know anyone else out there my online cells all I pays papal they don't make a commission for my online sales where's there's no that other companies that don't mention names but you guys definitely we use them here they will take fifteen percent of yourselves plus you have to pay the pope healthy this is when I get banker mode you can see this is thisa serious so they are offering a freebie prize for an accomplice for dennis a pro account for a whole year with a wordpress block side attached to up there also help you set it up give you arm to my name on dh they will also this you and I say bug james because james is going to kill me for saying that that he is amazing if I'm not sure how to do something to this website he will call me back so when I start talking about customer service, it works both ways my supplies that I have chosen pull it out the back for me when I need help and vice versa where's I don't wanna have someone that just goes yeah, I'll call you back or really busy and then I have to chase them so james, if you're listening thank you, thank you. And I'm sorry for the nagging because I have a new pitch to them as well after this so if someone can again tweet I'm gonna pick them probably tonight or tomorrow morning on I will read out all the winners tomorrow tweet me you can put creative life in there too and I just want something really random and funny and then I'll think of something okay, so we want to move on to, um planning a really good consultation how do we get the best of trying to get someone to book you when they come to see you and for me first of all it's about whenever you speak to a photographer generally, so if we were to do something now they will say hey I do this and I have these albums and we will do this on the wedding day and I have it's all me me me me me me me me no hello how are you? I can't let me tell you about you so at least I would say and I have really long consultations I will actually go to them I won't meet them in a location together I always feel like if I go to them I feel much more humbled but I'm a location that they've asked me to if they do need to come to me they will come to me too but I feel like I'm showing I'm making the other I feel like I'm committed and I will drive a couple of hours four hours where whatever it is and I will make sure schedule that and have time with them but then what I would say to you guys is its bundled into my prices I don't do that for free that makes sense however, when they look at my pricing to do that it includes a pre wedding consultation but they've already have so in some ways I'm gambling I'm gambling that I could go see someone and then not book may the mass my loss but I rather have that and then when they do book may I know my percent of the profit is always covered like I've covered that cost for that journey um I will ask them similar of these questions have given you some questions so who are they how did they may um especially for a bride her wedding dress and I might make her excited about something like where you get your wedding dress from how about your shoes oh if you haven't got a wedding dress yet go and see this designer that designer on be helpful so again for me as well you'll see me do this in action but I wanted to say as much of this up front so we can try and have this israel as possible so I'm not interjecting them every couple of minutes because I've met them briefly over lunch for about five minutes to think you guys with wei I think the stuff that they're going to talk about it is going to be great I want them to talk from there the other thing I always ask is you need to know who they've seen already or who they are potentially going to see do they know the style why are they here? Why did they like your work so it's no good me grabbing a wedding album that is with a russian couple that is so overly posed and that's not them I will then pick the appropriate album that I have a couple of similar to them to find out as much as you can and listen listen listen and for me who probably guess this is hard work because I just talk and talk and talk report um and this goes for anything not just a client consultation disguise would generally you'll know when you meet someone in a crowd of them and you have like I think that's how you judge someone in thirty seconds and you do some people just got I just love them just even their persona that aura that your accent like within two seconds you know I love your accent on then dana just victory you just have this almost or about you there's just so loveable likeable and almost our miss by per year oh my gosh, these women is amazing she told magazine she should be standing here so that kind of thing and then you'll get people that you meet that you find this quite hard work so say I'm going to do this okay, I'm we're gonna almost b I'm gonna come talk to you you're gonna talk to mae okay? I'm gonna play up the fact that I'm good, okay let's have a conversation. Yeah, I mean nothing in particular just so what exactly are you looking for in a photographer um just life it's okay, we're talking no particular style I don't know, so what get you tow walk into our door to say, hey, I like what you quit there anyway how you feeling? Just like I'm fishing like I'm kind of trying to get that person that stopped paying attention to what they're doing and pay attention. No, I'm making film comfortable. Yeah. I'm gonna bring it. I'm like watching them making you wear going under again and dinah's gonna I'm not gonna make it easy for you, but okay, let's do it again. So I time coming into head set a wedding? Yeah. Do you want tea? Water? Yeah, my way. Yeah, yeah, that we come on, sit down. Coming and I do that because these guys okay? And, uh, when? When you're planning on it having your wedding, I'm going to stop now, but if I can get a close up of dana, why is dana and making me feel more comfortable? But she started asking what you were looking. I was standoffish. Innocent, I guess, but he's going to see started asking you, you know, things that make you feel more comfortable instead of talking about photography, he started talking to you, and then we throw this to the audience. How about she leaned in towards you physically? Yeah, she made me feel like you know what, teo, she got me, she cared, and she's just there, she's made me halfway it doesn't actually matter what way you really are a good actress. It doesn't matter what she said and believe me, I have run sixty people in investment bank and I had training in I guess, but I do have some knowledge, bravery of this stuff kind of people that really introvert people that extra and I think it really helps my job. I'm probably quite good at sussing people out quite quickly and and changing the way I act. So even if there's, a quiet, brighter, were kind of quietly there's someone really doubt, I'm like, yeah, I'm really crazy about to really going to go on, but you made me feel like I could join myself out of it was almost like I want to go, okay, you know, what's really weird and you came at me, your face was dark and then all of a sudden it brightened up, so I thought you visually change you more I'm hoping where the cameras were the internet saw that too, so it's not only what you say, but she also talk about this when we get that lovely couple is she nodded, and even though my head was down, she came to my level, she met me where I wass and she just didn't blast me the whole wedding stuff do you want a glass of water? Guess even just this. What happened? You guys it's just that I couldn't ask for better audience even even what happened earlier, like you almost plan into my hands, but a kind could walk into your studio or your home and the matter of asking them if they want to drink or just pitching yourself is already you've lost the cell on that one. Good that the whole glass ofwater got me then and that she leant forward she's not thinking about selling that she's thinking about let me make you feel comfortable. Yeah to me, it's not about the shoot it's about not making how do you feel? I'm guessing dave is gonna be really good at this because dana would have to have done this. She would not be best friends with bill clinton and oprah. You would have got two minutes. I let you talk to him and bang. There you go, that's it? Yeah. God, certainly you. Oh, my god did it this way. And I disrespect lorenzo, but I almost you're both very personalities. But she has a gift beyond belief. Working with those people to do that in two minutes, I couldn't do that, but they only give you like, but what are you building on? They as she probably don't even care? What your name is not what photos you take now you've taken up, they just want together photo done and be onto the next year exactly so I know that's why I took off to be home with my children because they really it's tough that's true love you great photos because of europe yeah because of what you just did here is what you did with whether it's a celebrity or someone not so because imagine now if I was like I don't know sandra bullock there we go because everyone keeps joking with the sound of you both would talk to me very different may yeah so you're imagine your clients come in they are your celebrities they are paying your bills they are your blood they are you're talking, walking, marketing sounds people and the slightest thing like all I remember from our conversation was water all I'm going to do when I go back home is go she offered me a glass of water I she takes with cool photos by dodges like her that's the difference of me booking you or somebody else you make dinner reservations of sandra bullock and then just show up and then no is there any question wade? You have like a really fantastic question and I don't know if now is the appropriate time, but I'm gonna roll out with it so when interviewing the client in terms of this are you yourself also deciding if it's a good fit and have you ever met with some people that you showed them your style you show them what you did and you said you know what? I don't think this is gonna be a good fit so busy going both ways yeah tell that story later on we'll go tell that now so I made my couple predominately the woman was more stronger in the relationship and she was really really into photography she was just learning on it was great we thought we're a great match and then as the communication went on she just almost booked the deposit to me and the more questions she started asking me the more it was like I do posing I'm not going to not interact and I can't pretend to not be me I am not a fly on the wall when people look at my work and go that's really natural lovely I'm like yeah but I just happen to say ted just chin out and now this and then just something stupid to get a real laugh on the more it went on I just thought it's not found home, eh? So I just say so I said I think I'm going to give you a deposit back please go and have a look at these photographers that I really look up to their amazing they are more your star I just hate it if you want to come back and you change your mind then fine and as you ended up getting another booking on dh she did come back and go I changed my mind I don't think I want a documentary for took over yeah, and even I would say for any photographer out there I think sometimes we're so desperate to get a cell booking but I know horror stories I only have to say I am so blessed because I have the best clients in the world I don't have writer's my kind are demanding don't get me wrong, but I am I I am them but they trust may we pushed the palm kick the ball up the park, we have fun on dh these guys they're going to be great today as well you'll see me more almost inaction and time I have the bill report in like, what, five, ten minutes where's, no money after hours thie other thing the internet might want to know is I meet my client more than ones before the wedding there. So I actually have a lot of banter up from before we even start that I can kind of I know what winds him up ones you are the little things that you've told me like my mind is like a mane mind map when we are talking the minute I get my car and then those notes go to my film crew she loves this she hates that so I've had clients that I'm not allowed to take a profile shot at all all day um and what we did is unappreciated we worked out how far we could push the profile that we thought look good and even with camera skills and lighting so she trusted me and she knew it was very difficult for me and my second shooter even tougher film because honesty was the most moving um and she was ecstatic so what however is hard for you guys the more you put into your clients the more they're going to be like crazy raving fans and just going oh my gosh these people are so great e good when it goes really quiet ee ah any questions you have same over here they're just eating it up I just give me your lunch and so they're getting for lunch so it sze quite good she's desert way things like you got here like smile so I could come into you and be like, hey, come get your wedding but even we just if we go tight my expressions yeah yeah yeah mmm mmm mmm really interested in your wedding day? Yeah, you'll be number like thirty five I'm gonna shoot today and I have seen you again like rolling my eyes just this doesn't matter what words come out of my mouth, so I normally before I get off my car before I make my client, I like, almost, like, pump myself up and be like, okay, positivity. If I get on with this couple, we're going to get on, I'm going to shoot the wedding and have a good time. If not, I'm gonna get to meet some cool people and have a chat today and then come in smiling, going, you know what? I'm really excited to meet you, so even this right? I'm like, except sweet told me what address? And I'm doing this in my hands and now more I'm much more interested then, yeah, yeah, whatever that I wanted to really just keep playing this whole role play thing, even people watching at home there is huge difference doesn't matter as she won't, I say, and sail spill the whole body language thing is huge. So you like mirroring memory? Not too much so you can really get into this where I'm going to marry you now freaks me out when someone does and then I moved my hand that they moved my hand, but that's, maybe, like whoa, it's a little bit to camera show with a little bit given this, I guess I kind of just don't think about that I would be a little bit more natural otherwise my brain is focusing on where I'm looking around, but you'll see my eyes go care let's do that. It seemed forward so fast moving. Yeah, and does that just make you feel? But with yes, I guess it would be like I'm looking in the mirror, but I can not stand. Yes, may it doesn't make me feel comfortable because I wouldn't sit like daniela's, maybe just because I wanted a mirror her so there is kind of, I guess, the rules out there about this whole report, but I'm just giving you snippets of work for mei and again, I want to say to the audience, this will either work for you or not work for you. The other thing I want to start talking about his personality, so I'm an extrovert, but then I'm also no one's going to believe this. I'm also really shy. I hate the part of the wedding day where I have to do group shots and I have to call out when everyone's looking at me, I'm like no, I don't like this either, but I'm embracing it because I know my angle. Is going to help people learn so uh but if I am a quiet person there's no point me trying to be someone I'm not and being like hey, let me just crack some jokes because I'm not really funny and let me just pour some drinks of the internet bu like if you acquire you're probably going to shit couples that are quiet too and just have your way just smile be happy and for me even for film and photos here okay I'm assad and we're happy smile with your eyes everything we kind of know that we tell our clients we don't d'oh and you could have had a really crappy day before you meet your clients and something really bad happens you have to take five minutes out and forget it and think about this is the most important day of their lives and they're going to trust me to take hold of their dreams but I'm gonna kick us I have to kick us I'm not gonna go in there going I see now okay ready for a question alright fantastic quite it was a good time we're going to be oh that so at what point do they are? Sorry is the couple familiar with your price list like you have to console creations you have a second consultation where does that come in like do they know coming in about what they're doing with their life um and this is particularly because I hit a higher market, so I did my research and what I did was I made sure that my starting price was above what the mid range wass and this may be different here in different countries, but in then you k like, if you don't charge a certain price, the high market won't even look at you doesn't matter how good you are, it's a bit like if I could buy a bentley for the price off a skoda, do you have skoda's? Um, I cannot figure fought then I probably wouldn't buy the bentley because I would expect that the penny cost money this is the other way thing that photographer is a really great technically because they're charging two little they're never going to put the client that they want to hear, but I probably will really go in death to that in sales and marketing and pricing, but what? I will really ask the question not go off topic is ill, then have a starting price on the website. As soon as they inquire, we have a conversation and I send them my prices and in my e mail that says, if our prices airing your budget, we would love to have a consultation with you I don't want to waste their time on I don't want to waste my time, it's only fair doing it the other way around and trying to up so someone and they fall in love then in there with your work and then you hit them with double the amount that they thought they were going to go down well hope that answers the question yeah did up for one more yeah do you uh see cher is manz asked do you build engagement shoots into your pricing package or is that a separate because my end do you do them I dio on my kinds pay for them because I sell the experience and it's not half an hour shoot it's like three or four hours and again it's the rial building the working on it's kind of quite an analytical how we deal we work out how how they feel comfortable their faces where can I go especially fusty clients that don't like noses or feel self conscious about here or just only don't like the camera I call it we have to get rid of this thing between us and it needs to be just like this so we can ban toward and then I sneak in the camera take my shorts or then I can talk through the back of the camera and they're laughing joking with may and I do like this okay so we talked about smiling slowing down so probably I didn't do this on day one I know when I looked at my slides last night was like oh my gosh, I didn't talk about that and jim thank you for the white balance that was even on the side there just weren't sure so kind of when you're even maybe full of red bull and caffeine or nervous normally when you're nervous you talked really really quickly and your figure but should you survive this and I was like just slow down and almost his shoulders will drop down, take a deep breath before you start and then talk slower than you think you would do that even really, really slow when you're talking to your kind's because I find that first little bit of banter if you're not an extra for being an introvert doing this it's not working you don't know who these people are just like okay, I'm a bit nervous, but I want to show him nervous kind of um I can't act and this is what sold me again may most people find it really uncomfortable to hold someone stare for too long and you're like, hey, this was a bit weird, especially maybe female to male a swell and I am conscious as well for me if I have a couple sing here, I'm not going to stare at the guy the whole time because otherwise if I was sitting there with her be thinking, hey, she chickened out my mom was good all these city things you were talking and laughing about it but you could have that kind of very jealous woman that's sitting there and you won't get the cell because of that you have to gain both their trust and for may I think I try and gain a woman's trust first and we'll talk about things I don't want to almost double now but you're going to see we work with these guys as much as I can and then what I want to happen is that we have the lightbulb moments you know, she's doing this ah she's saying that and then after the consultation working a brainstorm what do we learn? What do we know about the clients? How do we then use that? And this is the whole two days that day and a half we've put together we're going to storyboard and we're going to shoot for an edit and we're gonna have a story behind it we're going to specifically choose equipment for white shots and I'm going to shoot it probably with two lenses and maybe a macro don't make it really easy do you see us? Sorry I've tried to put this course together to slip the lightbulb moment on my radio the uh um tell stories I always final one thing about building report is late ings of someone so diner if you said to me you're really scared about I don't know a bride has I've got really bad skin and I'm really nervous about it can I will say to this star and this is a true story in spain we had a wedding with a bride wishing fate only she ended up putting on different cream of a friend's the night before, and she woke up on the wedding morning with the most terrible face ever on one side. Nightmare number one I would say to you, honey, please don't ever do that and just make sure you bring a skincare. However, I couldn't obviously fixit we gave her into haste means but we fixed it imposed for her on we tried to shoot unlike her a different way and I know that she will not want to see it like that. She also had sweat patches where it's so hot a game we try to shoot around it and fixed it so you don't already is going this woman is thinking about not photography but how am I gonna look like that's? What they want? Help and you'll hear stories that that's a true story, a swell from my brides and grooms and think like the client put yourself in my client's shoes, what are their fears until stories where you showing that you have managed those fears for other people and they can trust you?