Credits and Copyright Written by: Lara White www.photomint.com Publisher: Gryphon Publishing, Inc. Editor: Stephanie Provines Writing Consultant: Dina Balatti Layout: Noel Mallari
I worked very hard on this guide, so please do me a favor and don't share it directly with anyone. Send people this link to get their own copy: store.photomint.com/getconnected
Š Copyright 2012 Gryphon Publishing, Inc. Gryphon Publishing, Inc. 14850 Hwy. 4, Suite A #131 Discovery Bay, CA 94505 info@photomint.com www.photomint.com All images copyright Geoff White Photography, Inc. unless otherwise noted.
Share it on Facebook
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review. You may store the PDF on your computer, tablet, and backups, and you may print a copy for personal use. Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based on the author's experience, knowledge, and opinions. The author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or misuse of the information in this book. The author does not claim to guarantee any results or financial gain to your business. As with anything in business, your results will vary.
Contents About the Author
6
Acknowledgement
7
Step 1: Prepare
39
Praise for PhotoMint and Get Published
8
Step 2: Plan
39
Introduction
10
Step 3: Attend an Event
40
What You’ll Learn
11
Step 4: Follow Up
41
For Beginners
12
Chapter 5. Weddings Are a Team Sport Examples of Teamwork
For Seasoned Pros
12
Phone Call Prior to the Wedding
48
13
Helping Other Vendors Out During Your Downtime
49
Photography Timeline, a Moving Target
50
Chapter 1. Sales, Marketing, and Business Development
How to Network
39
46
Marketing Activities
16
Business Development
17
Chapter 6. Relationship-Building Techniques
Sales Activities
18
Chapter 2. Why Build Vendor Relationships?
20
Send Digital Images
55
Chapter 3. Timeline for Building Relationships
26
Blog About the Wedding
57
Chapter 4. Networking
32
Highlight a Vendor on the Blog
57
Where to Network
34
Send Prints
58
Bridal Shows
34
Send a Handwritten Thank-You
59
35
Support Vendor Events
60
Online Networking
36
Stay in Touch
60
37
Offer Headshots
61
Offer Photo Shoots
62
Wedding and Event Associations
Industry Events for Wedding Professionals
for Vendors You Work With
53
Contents (cont.) Chapter 7. Photographing for Vendors
66
Chapter 8. Strategies for Developing Partnerships
104
68
Exploring Relationships That Lead to Partnerships
105
Creating Great Scene-Setter and Detail Images
Be in the Right Place at the Right Time
69
Images as Currency
106
Allow Plenty of Time for Photographing Details
70
Mutually Beneficial, Not Mutually Exclusive
107
Advance Planning
71
Investing in Key Partnerships
108
72
Personalize Whenever Possible
109
Camera Settings and Techniques
Avoid Direct Flash
72
Chapter 9. Getting on the Referral List
111
Bounced Flash Saves the Day
73
Closed Lists
1 13
Out of Focus Is Good
74
Open Lists
1 13
High ISO Is Your Friend
75
Moving from Closed to Open
1 14
Decluttering the Chaos
76
Case Study: Nancy Liu Chin of Nancy Liu Chin Designs
1 19
77
Getting onto the Referral List
120
The Church
78
Getting Taken Off of the Referral List
120
82
Chapter 10. Partnerships: Relationship Building for Your Top 20
12 1
The Ballroom
85
124
92
Wall Prints
124
Food
94
125
Florals
96
Slideshows
125
Cakes
98
Sample Albums
125 126
Composition and Techniques for Specific Types of Images
The Ceremony Decor and Location
The Building at Night
Marketing Toolbox
Disc of Images
Rentals
100
102
Vendor Spotlights
126
Lunch
126
Product Photo Shoots
127
Family Photo Shoots
127
Event Photographer
127
Service and Vendors
Yelp and Wedding Wire Reviews
Contents (cont.) Chapter 10. Partnerships: Relationship Building for Your Top 20
Images for Ads and Brochures
128
Your Referral List
13 1
Technical Support
13 1
Year-End Gifts
132
Let There Be Cupcakes
132
Staying Connected to Your Top 20
133
Chapter 11. Sample Albums
135
Album Design: The Cover
137
Album Design: The Layout
139
Album Design: The Back Cover
14 1
Process for Creating Vendor Albums
142
Examples of Good and Bad Images for Vendor Marketing
143
Chapter 12. Staying Organized
145
Chapter 13. Getting Published and Relationship Building
148
Chapter 14. Peers and Case Studies for More Relationship Building
153
Collaborative Partnerships: Peer-to-Peer Referrals
154
Case Study: Photographer Jay Kelly Photo
158
Final Thoughts
160
Get More from Photomint
16 1
About the Author S
ince becoming a professional photographer in 2004, my passion for capturing the perfect image has taken me around the world, alongside my husband, Geoff. Today you can find our images in over 70 magazines, newspapers, and blogs from countries near and far, such as The Knot, Grace Ormonde, Bride and Bloom, the San Francisco Chronicle, Modern Bride China, Professional Photographer, American Photo, Style Unveiled, and Get Married. Most recently, we enjoyed the honor of being selected for The Knot’s Ultimate Wedding Lookbook. As a testament to all our hard work, in 2007 Geoff White Photographers was identified by Professional Photographers of America (PPA) as being in the top 5% profitability of all home studios in the United States. Of course, what they didn’t say is that our profession has made it possible for us to have the time of our lives! This guide is going to set you on the road to developing incredible vendor
relationships, the foundation of a successful wedding photographer’s marketing strategy. Without a doubt, these relationships have been the foundation of our success. Trusted by celebrities and heads of state alike to discreetly photograph weddings, events, and parties, I’ve lived the dream. Indeed, our lives are so rich and varied that on any given day you might find us providing images to a well-known magazine editor, photographing a baseball player’s wedding, capturing a party on a wealthy client’s yacht, doing a fashion shoot, selling photos for corporate use, or educating other photographers on how to run their businesses. We have worked hard as professional artists to get to the top of our industry; however, in large part, we owe our success to our backgrounds in business. As a professional fundraiser, I’ve raised millions for charity, and Geoff sold his Silicon Valley tech company for millions
before we decided to embark on our journey—that is, our passionate dedication to both photography and business. We know we have been incredibly fortunate, and that’s why we are so excited about imparting what we have learned to you. In 2011, we founded PhotoMint, a business and marketing educational resource for professional photographers. PhotoMint publishes guides and educational resources to help photographers thrive. What we wish to share with you through this guide is that the process of developing a strong base of referrals is not all that daunting— once you know how to do it. So let’s begin. We want you to succeed as much as you do.
Acknowledgements A special thank-you to Becker, Bambi Cantrell, Kevin Chin, Nancy Liu Chin, Ed Dale, Morgan Doan, Robert Evans, Jay Kelly, Kelvin Leung, Sunni Oza, Stephanie Provines, Dane Sanders, Seshu, Michelle Walker, Geoff White, Tony White, and the Photo Society. Each and every one of you has played an important part in getting this book written or supporting me in my journey, whether you know it or not.
Last but not least, thank you to all the incredible wedding and event professionals out there creating gorgeous events every day, and the photographers who document those events down to the last detail.
Praise for PhotoMint and Get Published “Just discovered your blog and am
published. The information is easy to
“Very thorough and comprehensive.
all, thank you for applying your skills,
THRILLED! I’ve been wishing forever
understand and follow and the best
Great detailed advice along with
experience, talent and professionalism
that I could find someone out there
part is, it’s free. Years of experience
great photo examples. You walk the
to this publication, if accolades are to
who could teach me the business of
and hours of sweat and passion
reader through the submission process
be given, take them with our gratitude,
photography. Thank you so much for
went into this amazing book. It’s the
step-by-step which is very important
you deserve them.”
sharing your wisdom!”
cliff notes for getting published. Do
since so many photographers don’t
yourself a favor download this book
know where to start when it comes to
and get to work. When your weddings
submitting their work.”
Karina M.
hit the news-stands be sure to return “Getting published is a learned skill. If mastered, it can pay you back huge dividends. The problem is it’s a skill set nobody knows until they either figure
the favor to a fellow photographer and
Kevin Chin,
“This guide includes all the tips we wish
Top Wedding Photographer, Bay Area
we could tell each photographer who
give back, just as Lara White did for
is looking to be published. We HIGHLY
you when she published this amazing
recommend that photographers read
tool.”
this valuable resource!”
it out on their own (have a good time
Robert Evans
“This is THE guide for wedding
with that) or someone very kind shares
Celebrity Wedding Photographer
photographers who want to get
it with you. Lara White has given you
published and amp up their business
that gift here. Get it, read it, implement
strategy and processes!”
it... to your own success.” Dane Sanders, Author of Fast Track Photographer
“Very easy-to-read, well thought-out, and I love the step-by-step tips, as well as the sample photographs to get
Former Editor-in-Chief, Get Married
taking advantage of the insider secrets
magazine
Lara shares in “Get Published: A Guide for Wedding Photographers” your photography business is missing out.”
“The standard of the guide you have
Guide For Wedding Photographers
Kimberlee West,
written is of the highest quality…It is
is a must read for any photographer
The Boudoir Divas
clear and precise in detail…Without a
looking to get their weddings
Style Unveiled, Editorial Team
“Get this book right now! If you aren’t
they should shoot to get published!... “PhotoMint’s ebook Get Published: A
Heather and Kimberly,
Karina Timmel,
photographers thinking about what
Great stuff.”
Colin M.
doubt Lara, you are an inspiration to us
Michelle Walker Top Wedding & Travel Photographer, San Francisco
Introduction
INTRODUCTION W
Some relationships will develop into
This guide is about making your
Although this guide is written for
book, Get Published: A Guide for
partnerships—partnerships that will
images and perhaps even your
photographers, many of the business
Wedding Photographers, I thought I
lead to many positive outcomes for
services a part of the sales process
practices can be applied to other
would be able to explain the strategy
your business, including filling your
for other wedding professionals.
areas within the wedding industry,
behind getting your work published:
calendar with great weddings you
It's about helping others first and
as many of these practices are
the marketing opportunities. It's
are excited to be a part of.
foremost. Pushing your services on
valuable to other wedding service
others is not the agenda, but rather
professionals.
hen I began writing my first
not like thousands of brides book us simply from seeing our work in
Once you have some of your work
turning people into loyal, raving
magazines. Not at all. But getting
published, what do you do next?
fans who cannot help but mention
published has been one of the
This guide addresses that question
your company whenever the topic
cornerstones of our success. It's
in detail. At the heart of it is helping
of wedding photography comes up.
not the actual magazine and blog
other wedding professionals in their
That's what we are after! It takes
features that do the trick, but the
businesses. By doing so, you are
work, patience, finesse, likeability,
publicity that comes along with
creating partnerships. In the wedding
and sometimes a little luck to get it
them and the knowledge to use that
industry, a partnership is created
right. Once it happens, you will find
publicity as a tool to create and grow
between two vendors when both
yourself on the receiving end of a
relationships with other wedding
parties have mutual respect and trust
never-ending stream of great pre-
professionals. How do we do that?
for each other. They help each other
sold brides who cannot wait to book
This guide tells you all about it, so
on the wedding day (see Chapter 5),
you for their wedding.
read on.
and they help each other grow their businesses.
What You’ll Learn The most effective marketing strategy there is in the wedding industry
How to make networking work for your business
How to get on a venue’s referral list
How to compete with the best photographers in your area and steal away their business when they slack off
How to get wedding professionals to “sell” you to their brides
What marketing mistakes to avoid
How to build partnerships for your business that will keep you booked year after year
M
The best thing we can do as
why I would want to spill all my best
members of this professional industry
secrets that have helped us build
is educate our competitors and
an incredibly successful wedding
ourselves. When our competitors are
If you are starting out, you've come to the right place. To be successful
photography business. Aren't I
armed with the knowledge to run
as a wedding photographer, you'll need to build a strong foundation for
afraid all my competitors will start
their businesses with integrity and
your business to thrive. This book shows you how to develop business
copying my methods? My answer,
fair pricing, everyone wins. When no
relationships that will lead to bookings for your business. It's a formula for
quite simply, is no. I don’t think any
one is giving away the session discs
success in wedding photography, and we share examples and tips along the
of these ideas are mine and mine
free, there is hope that we can all
way. This strategy is not costly and can be easily implemented, even if you
alone. The state of the photography
make a living.
don't have any business yet. It doesn't cost a lot of money, but it will take
industry is in dire circumstances,
time. If you have been wondering what works and what doesn't work, you
and I believe one of the main causes
I believe strongly in education and
have come to the right place. We are about to tell you everything.
to be a gross lack of business
learning from others. We have
knowledge and understanding on
studied with the some of the best in
the part of many well-intentioned
our industry—Bambi Cantrell, the late
new photographers. If more
Monte Zucker, Bruce Hudson, Michele
photographers had the knowledge
Celentano, Joe Buissink, Becker, Jeff
and the tools to run a business
and Julia Woods, Hanson Fong, Ann
properly (by respecting themselves
Monteith, and many others. Now it's
If you have been in business for a few years or more and are ready to take
and the artistic community by
time for me to share with others the
your business to the next level, this book is for you. Have you ever wondered
charging appropriate prices), then
way others have shared with me.
how the top photographers got those big, glamorous weddings you'd love
the industry itself would be much
to book? All will be revealed. Read this guide cover-to-cover, or skip to the
better off. Instead of competing with
parts that you want to focus more on. Need to beef up your networking?
misguided hobbyists offering jobs for
There's a chapter devoted to that. Interested in the nitty-gritty details of
below cost, we would be competing
putting a sample album together? Just skip ahead to that chapter. Tips
with colleagues, on subjective
are sprinkled throughout the book to help illustrate the main points. Case
qualities like style and artistic vision.
any people have asked
For Beginners
For Seasoned Pros
studies are great too, as we highlight our mistakes and home runs. Learn from our mistakes. Even better, learn from our successes.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
12
Chapter 1
Sales, Marketing, and Business Development
Y
our business is made up of distinct and unique parts. Sales is different from
marketing. Marketing is different from business development. In this chapter, we look at the definitions and differences between each of these areas of your business.
For many small business owners, sales and marketing activities are often lumped together, and many owners have trouble distinguishing one from the other. Because we wear many hats in our business (photographer, salesperson, IT manager, customer service rep, accountant) it is easy to get confused and mentally merge the two areas together. Throw business development into the mix, and most people are thoroughly lost. To be most effective, it's important to understand what each area is so that you can build a plan for your business of how to integrate each of these key areas into your business plan.
Developing a marketing plan is critical to your success. Without this roadmap, you won't know where you are going or what you want to achieve. Another problem with not having a marketing plan is that you won't know how much time and effort to put into a particular strategy, and you'll have no way to evaluate it. Without a marketing plan, you are reacting to the day-to-day problems and concerns of running your business. You have a bridezilla on the phone threatening a bad review online, so you react to that. Clients want their albums yesterday, so you scramble a bit in production. You need business, badly. So how about throwing a couple thousand dollars at the next advertiser who rings you up and tells you exactly what you want to hear? Sound familiar?
We've all been there, but that's not the way to run a business. That's how you sink a business—by being in a constant state of reaction. It feels like you're always treading water.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
14
When you have a marketing plan to follow, you have taken the time to select priorities for your business. When that next great new idea comes along, you don’t get distracted, because you already have a plan that you are following.
Within your marketing plan, you want to have both short-term and long-term goals that you work on each week or month. This will ensure that your business is always moving forward. A short-term goal might be to set up a Facebook page and begin using your page to communicate events, special offers, and other information to your clients. This is something that might take you a week to set up and brand and then a couple more weeks to get going and create a viable community.
A long-term strategy would be to implement your own version of the strategy listed out in this guide, developing strong relationships with vendors that lead to more bookings for your business. This type of strategy takes much more planning and effort to implement, and the results will take longer to measure and pay off.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
15
Marketing Activities Marketing is the collection of activities you engage in to generate leads for your business—brand-awareness campaigns, advertising, and other activities. Marketing is more of a macro activity, being actively engaged in promoting your services to a wide variety of prospective clients in hopes that people will be interested in learning more about what you have to offer. Once a prospective client is identified, the micro activities to turn that lead into a client would be sales. Some marketing strategies include the following:
Mailing brochures to local event professionals
Advertising online
Magazine ads
Bridal shows
Getting published
Social media
16
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
16
Business Development Business development (also known as bizdev) is distinct from marketing, in that you are doing specific activities meant to develop your business. Business development is using a combination of marketing and sales activities in order to grow your business. The typical approach to marketing is to throw a bunch of stuff at the wall and hope something sticks, whereas business development is strategic. In this book, we define business development as the specific activities and strategies you implement in order to consciously develop partnerships:
Networking
Sending vendors you've worked with a disc of images from your shared event
Sending prints to vendors
Taking a planner out to lunch
Putting together a slideshow for a venue
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
17
Sales Activities Sales are when you are actively engaged in selling or trying to sell your services to a prospective client or lead. Sales can also mean selling or trying to sell additional products and services to current clients. Both marketing and business development are pipelines that create leads for your business. Once you have a lead, your focus turns to selling:
Phone calls/emails to prospective clients
Sending packets or brochures out to prospective clients
Consultations
Prospective client follow-up
Predesigning album presentations
Image projection sales meetings
Educating/selling clients on extra sessions, parent albums, wall art, and other add-on options
Print sales/booking specials/promotions or any other special discount offers to clients
Improving your presentation techniques via sales education
18
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
This guide focuses exclusively on business development. It's all about finding, developing, and forming partnerships that will generate leads for your business. There are many activities involved in business development in the wedding and event industry, and we are going to look at everything from the bottom layer all the way to the top. Get ready to learn the innermost secrets of how we market our photography business, where all of our best bookings came from, and how we have built up a successful photography business, brick by brick.
WHERE OUR BOOKINGS COME FROM
8% 6%
C RELIE FE NT RR A MIS LS C.
5%
WEB SE
6%
ES HERE COME THE GUID
ARCH
75%
VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
19
Chapter 2
Why Build Vendor Relationships?
“Of all the things we’ve done, we found over the years that building vendor relationships was the single most effective marketing strategy...”
T
here are many ways to market your wedding photography business: bridal
shows, magazine ads, online advertising, search engine optimization (SEO) tactics for your website, online reviews, client referrals, and so forth. Of all those methods, not one is likely to give you the same return on your investment of time and money as building vendor relationships. Vendor relationships are critical to your success. If you want to be a thriving wedding and event photographer, these relationships are the most important element of your marketing plan.
You can spend your marketing dollars on many different things. Many of those will be an expensive learning experience, where you discover through trial and error what works and what doesn’t. The problem is, as small businesses we can't afford to lose several thousand dollars on a failed marketing plan, as we need that marketing to work for us in order to bring in new clients. If we end up wasting money on marketing plans that fail, we are hit with a double whammy: we lose the money we spend on marketing, and we get no results from it, meaning we lose money on the potential new clients we were going to get.
After many years of trial and error, we hit on what really works for photography marketing. That's building relationships with event professionals (vendors) in order to share client referrals. Of all the things we’ve done, we found over the years that building vendor relationships was the single most effective marketing strategy, hands down.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
21
Take a look at how vendor marketing might compare to another strategy. For example, let's say you are looking at bridal shows as part of your marketing plan. Here are some rough estimates for the costs and time involved (this is based on my own experience with bridal shows). Booth space: $1,000-$2,400 Bridal show displays:
$500
Handouts to brides:
$200
Avg. # of bookings:
0-5
Avg. total cost for a bridal show:
$1,700
Number of bookings:
3
Cost per booking: $567
You are looking at an average cost of approximately $400–$600 per booking in a best-case scenario. Can you afford to pay that much per booking? That comes straight from the profit. If you offer a bridal show special, you have to factor that in as well. At this point, are you making any profit at all? Or even worse, are you actually losing money? And that's not to mention the 10–20 hours of your time in bridal show preparation, setup, show attendance, and teardown.
You probably can't afford to pay $400–$600 per booking, so that leaves bridal shows out. How about getting a full-page ad in a magazine? That will run you upwards of $5,000 or more (for one ad, shown one time). It might get you noticed; it might get your brand out there to other vendors. If you are incredibly lucky, it might lead to one booking. And that's best case. One ad in a magazine is not the way to build your business. That's not to say it can't be part of your overall marketing strategy, but it's not going to be the thing that launches your career and gets your calendar filled up with bookings. If that $5,000 (or $1,500) is your entire marketing budget for the year, one full-page ad is not the right move. Investing that money in sample albums for venues is a much better option if your goal is bookings.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
22
Vendor relationships, on the other hand, can be the foundation of a wedding photographer's business. Building up great relationships all over town can lead to getting on the referral lists of venues you want to work at, and ideally to bookings.
When we started out, we tried everything in terms of marketing. Much of that led nowhere and did little or nothing for our business. It's hard not to get discouraged when you have blown through cash meant to ignite your business and nothing happens. It can be so frustrating. The plan was to make a big splash with a full-page ad in our favorite wedding magazine or newspaper. We thought that once that one ad came out, everyone would be clamoring to work with us and we'd get booked up for the rest of the year. For many, this is where the photography business starts to fail. You begin to lose the support of your spouse or business partner when they start thinking that you could have enjoyed a two-week trip to Europe with the money lost on that full-page ad. You begin to question what you are doing. Everything starts to fall apart.
23
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
"...we began to see that more of our bookings were referrals from vendors..."
It took us years of being in business and tracking our bookings before we began to understand what worked and what did not. What we started to see was that our best sources of clients were coming from venues (not the tire kickers, but brides who actually booked)—venues where we had sent a disc or maybe even created a sample album for them. Or perhaps we clicked with the sales manager and they loved our work, so they were sending us more and more brides.
It's a strategy that builds upon your previous work. A venue refers us to a bride; we photograph the wedding and then immediately send the venue a disc of images. Shortly thereafter, we stop in with a sample album that highlights their venue. Now they send us even more work. It keeps going and building.
As we began to see that more and more of our bookings were referrals from venues and other wedding vendors, we realized that relationship building was the most effective marketing strategy available to a wedding photographer. We stopped other less effective (and more expensive) marketing strategies so that we could focus more time and money on this particular marketing effort: building vendor relationships.
Other wedding vendors are just like you. Their focus is on selling their own products and services. Handing out your business cards and brochures is no one else's job but yours. This guide is not about convincing others to refer you. It's about making yourself and your company so indispensable to other wedding professionals that they cannot help but sell you to their brides.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
24
A significant portion of our marketing budget goes into creating vendor albums, and marketing to
ADVICE What an event professional can do for you:
vendors overall makes up most of our marketing plan. It's what we've found to be the most effective and the best use of time and money in building our business. Throughout this guide I show you exactly how we do it.
Put your images on their website (gets your name out there) Today, we rely on vendor relationships for more Show your images in portfolios (builds recognition of your work)
than 70% of our bookings each year. It's the foundation of our annual marketing plan. We invest
Get links to your website out (helps your website's SEO, another brand
a lot of time and money into those relationships to
impression)
keep them going and growing. This book covers the techniques we use every day to develop great
Put your brochures and/or business cards out at site (passively refers you)
relationships and partnerships with our colleagues in the wedding industry. I would honestly say it's
List your business on the preferred vendors handout (passively refers you)
been the secret to our success.
Show your sample albums to prospective clients (actively shows your work)
Hand out your slideshows to prospective clients and brides (actively refers you)
Give a personal recommendation (actively recommends you)
TIP: You know what you would like from vendor relationships—referrals. What can you offer? What can you provide that the vendor needs? Images for their marketing. It’s what they want, it’s what they need. Give them what they need, and you’ve got the start of a beautiful relationship.
Chapter 3
Timeline for Building Relationships
H
ow do you go from complete newbie to having great
relationships with planners, floral designers, and venues that refer you? It simply takes time. You can take several paths to get there, depending on your situation, but they all lead to the
THERE ARE SEVERAL PATHS YOU CAN TAKE, BUT THEY ALL LEAD TO THE SAME PLACE.
same place: working on a wedding or event together. From there, you will have the tools (images of their work) in order to take the relationship further. You can start with networking
Wedding/Event
Bridal Show
Networking
Connect with Vendor Team
Networking
Emails/Phone Calls
Work a Wedding Together
Work an Event Together
or an introduction to a vendor, but eventually, you'll need to work with that vendor in order to build a working relationship.
Whether you first meet a vendor from working together at a wedding or at a networking event, your goal is to get to know them better professionally. You are looking for potential matches who would be good resources for giving your business referrals. These are people with similar business values and ethics, price ranges, and target markets. For example, if your target client is a high-end bride, other highend vendors might be good matches for you, whereas midlevel vendors are not likely to be as strong a match. Why? Brides usually have a certain budget for their wedding that applies across the board. Therefore, if they hire an expensive wedding planner, it is likely they will hire an expensive
Send Images to Vendor
wedding photographer. However, if they hire a budgetminded wedding planner, they are most likely looking for a budget-minded photographer.
Start of a collaborative relationship
27
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
As you build up your referral system through great relationships with vendors and the various business development activities listed throughout this guide, you are likely to find that you get a variety of results from a variety of efforts. This is good. You don't want all of your eggs in one basket. By developing a number of different relationships with a variety of venues and wedding professionals, you are likely to have many different sources generating leads for you.
Certain activities such as networking can potentially lead to long-term partnerships if the relationship is carefully developed. Some relationships will never get off the ground no matter what you try. Others will easily develop into a great working relationship that later becomes a solid partnership.
True Partnerships
Stage 5: At the true partnership stage, you provide partner with sales tools and they in turn refer many clients who are pre-sold on your services. You get a great deal of business from these partners.
Select Group of Trusted Photographer
Stage 4: You are among a select group of maybe half dozen trusted and referred photographers. This includes enthusiastic verbal recommendations that lead to many referrals and some bookings.
Referral Lists
Portfolio Samples
Stage 3: You have proven yourself enough to be included on the printed referral list. This may or may not include verbal recommendations— e.g., “Creative Capture Photography is great, here’s their card.”
Stage 2: You have worked on an event or wedding together and you have provided the vendor with digital images to use in their portfolios. With time, some relationships will begin to develop into business relationships, some will not.
Networking & Establishing Relationships
Some activities will lead to you being listed on a venue’s list of preferred vendors, whereas other activities will lead to your business being enthusiastically referred to the point that the bride is presold on your business.
28
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Stage 1: You are getting to know each other and trying to find a way to work together. Until you work together, you cannot move to the next stage.
ADVICE If you follow this guide, you will end up with a variety of results: Preferred Vendors List Your business name is listed along with five or so other photographers.
Referral "You should check out Geoff White Photographers!"
Recommendation Vendor to bride: "Oh, you should definitely check out Geoff White Photographers; they are great!"
Strong Recommendation Vendor has a 5–10-minute discussion with bride on why Geoff White Photographers is the ONLY photographer to consider; they are the best, so awesome, etc.). Once the bride meets with you, she is practically ready to sign.
Think of building vendor relationships as planting a vegetable garden. You plant seeds in the spring, water them regularly, and nurture the seedlings. Some of the seeds never sprout. A few of those seeds grow into magnificent, healthy vegetables. Each year, you continue to plant seeds and nurture your garden. Eventually you have a lush, healthy garden filled with a variety of beautiful vegetables. You continue to care for those plants, and they will provide you (and your family) with nourishment year after year.
Vendor relationships are the same. They take time to create, grow, and nurture. Some never amount to much, despite your best efforts. Others seem to grow effortlessly. Over the (wedding) seasons, you will gain (and give) much from these relationships, as long as you continue to put the effort in to maintain them. These relationships and partnerships have led us to many amazing weddings that have launched our career to new heights.
When you start out, remember that it is going to take time to build up these vendor relationships. Expect to invest at least six months before you feel comfortable at networking events. If you put in the time, you will find networking events get easier as you know more people. It takes both multiple contacts and time to build relationships. The relationship typically starts with an introduction at a networking event. Some relationships flourish quickly and easily; others take time to unfold,
Obviously, the last scenario is the best possible outcome you
sometimes years.
could hope for, but each of these outcomes will create leads for your business.
However long it takes, the next main step is working together on a wedding. If you meet the vendor through a wedding, you can start building that relationship immediately. By working together, you have that shared experience and the opportunity to begin building trust and rapport. You also have images of that vendor's work, which are of great value to them. You now have something to bring to the table.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
29
To implement this key marketing strategy of relationship building with event professionals, it is essential that you work together on a wedding. You'll need the images from the wedding to use as tools for building the relationship. Eventually these efforts will pay off, as some vendors and venues will begin to refer you (some more actively and enthusiastically than others). That is simply part of the process. However, there are many ways to encourage a relationship to flourish into a healthy business partnership.
Once you have a wedding with a vendor you would like to build a relationship with, you can start immediately. After the wedding is finished and you have processed the images, you can put together a sample album, a slideshow, or wall artwork for the venue. If you click with the other wedding professional, you can potentially begin to receive referrals right away. However, more often than not, it takes more time to build up a relationship that will lead to referrals. It takes time to get to know someone else and his or her business, and it often takes time to book a wedding with that professional. Until you work a wedding with them, you won't have the images to use in building that relationship.
The main point to understand is that it always takes time to build relationships. This is not an immediate marketing strategy. However, the payoff is potentially very high, as you will learn in the many examples and case studies I offer throughout this book. If you want to expand your efforts beyond the weddings you already have booked or you don’t have many weddings yet, you can meet people at networking events
TIP: If you have a couple of seasons under
and get to know them. Chapter 4 covers networking strategies in detail.
your belt, you can review past weddings for images to share with vendors. It's OK if the weddings are a couple seasons old, as long as the work is good.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
30
Networking Timeline: Building Relationships One Brick at a Time
Attend networking event
1 Month
Follow up via email/phone
Facebook friend & Twitter follow
Interact via Facebook & Twitter
Get together for drinks/lunch
4 Months
Sent thank-you note & holiday cards
2 Months
See person again at 2nd networking event
Blog commenting to further build relationship & stay in touch
More Facebook & Twitter interactions
Send occasional emails, invitations to networking events
Work on building several relationships at once because some will florish right away while other relationships may take months or years to build.
6 Months
TIP: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Client referrals
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
31
Chapter 4
Networking
N
etworking is one of the best things you can do for your business, period. People
do business with people. It's a low-cost way to market your photography business, and if you put your heart (and brain) into it, it will pay off in spades. We have tried many, many different methods of wedding marketing, and networking is one of the very best, especially if you are trying to break into the high-end market. It doesn't happen overnight, though; you have to take the time to build relationships with people.
The most important thing to remember with networking is that you actually have to make an effort to meet people and get to know them. Simply showing up isn't enough. And shoving your portfolio in people's faces while they are enjoying a martini is not the way to go either. Have a plan of what you want to accomplish, and then set out to take action. This usually means walking right up to strangers and introducing yourself or asking friends for introductions.
If you are considering a marketing plan around building great vendor relationships, networking is one of the two main ways to meet other vendors. The other way is to work with them at a wedding. If you don't have much business yet, it could be six months or more before you have the opportunity to work with many wedding professionals. Why not get started now with networking? Consider networking to be the foundation upon which you will build successful vendor relationships and partnerships. This is a fantastic marketing strategy for new photographers, and the costs are very little.
TIP: If you meet someone who is truly new to the industry and you seem to click, offer to take them around and introduce them to people you think they should meet. Be an ambassador.
33
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Where to Network This section is specific to the wedding industry, but you can apply these concepts to any group of vendors in any industry. If you are new to the wedding industry, you might not know where to find networking events. If you live and work in a large metropolitan area, these types of events should be fairly easy to find once you start looking. If you live farther away from a big city, you may need to commute a bit. Here are some ideas of where and how you can find great networking opportunities in your regional area.
Bridal Shows Bridal shows are fantastic for networking with other wedding vendors, particularly if you are new to the industry. You don't have to have a booth. Simply attend the show, and introduce yourself to the vendors in the booths and offer your business card. Let them know you stopped in because you wanted to get to know your local wedding professionals. Since they are displaying their business, allow the focus to be on them. Spend time admiring their work and chatting if they seem open. The best time for networking is during the fashion shows, when the booths are mostly empty. Be sure to step out of the way when an interested bride comes along. Be careful that you do not try to approach brides at the show, as this is considered unethical and you could even be asked to leave.
TIP: Most people at a networking event are as scared as you. Remember this and just go talk to people.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
34
Wedding and Event Associations There are numerous national and even international event and wedding industry groups you can get involved with. Many of these groups offer educational opportunities as well as networking. Attend some meetings to start, but also consider joining committees or boards. Here are some of the more well-known and respected groups to check out.
International Special Event Society (ISES) www.ises.com ISES is an international events organization dedicated to education and networking opportunities for event professionals. There are chapters all across the U.S. and Canada as well as the UK, Hong Kong, Australia, and more.
Wedding Industry Professionals Association (WIPA) www.wipausa.org WIPA is a relatively new organization dedicated to bringing professional standards, ethics, and continuing education to the wedding industry. WIPA is the first national nonprofit wedding association specifically for professionals in the wedding industry. It began in California and regional chapters in Phoenix, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, and Pittsburgh are in the process of start-up.
National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) www.nace.net NACE originally began as an organization for the catering industry, but the membership has expanded to include other event professionals. With 40 chapters across the U.S., NACE is a great organization to get involved with if you are based in the U.S. Many of the events specifically focus on the art of networking.
Wish Upon a Wedding www.wishuponawedding.org Wish Upon a Wedding is a nonprofit dedicated to creating wedding wishes for people facing terminal illness. The organization is expanding quickly, with 30 chapters across the U.S., and plans to expand with international chapters.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
35
Online Networking Facebook www.facebook.com Wedding Wire www.weddingwire.com Twitter www.twitter.com Google+ www.google.com/+ Meetup www.meetup.com Meetups are groups that can be started by anyone, anywhere. Meetups are organized and take place all over the world. Start by searching your local or regional area for meetups related to weddings, wedding and event professionals, wedding vendors, and photographers. If you don’t find anything, you can actually start your own meetup and invite local vendors to join you.
Linked-In www.linkedin.com LinkedIn is an online network for professionals in all areas of business to connect. Think of it as Facebook for business professionals. You can find both wedding professionals and photographer groups through LinkedIn, many of which will have events you can attend.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
36
Industry Events for Wedding Professionals If you live and work in a large metropolitan area, there are bound to be assorted wedding industry related events such as open houses, private parties, wedding magazine parties, and so forth. Many catering and rental companies throw annual parties to show off the latest trends. If you aren’t on the invite lists yet, ask industry friends to let you know about upcoming events. The more you begin networking, the more events you will get invited to.
Photographer Groups Networking with other photographers? Yes, absolutely! Photographers can be a great source of referrals, as well as teammates you can count on in emergencies. SmugMug, PUG (Pictage User Groups), and PPA affiliates are three such groups.
U.S.: www.smugmug.com/smugs/info www.ppa.com/community/affiliates/affiliate-directory.php www.pictage.com/thephotolife/pugs Canada: www.smugmug.com/smugs/info www.ppoc.ca/provincial.php www.prowedphoto.ca UK: www.thempa.com/index.php www.swpp.co.uk *Quickly expanding internationally Australia: www.aipp.com.au www.aapp.com.au Other: www.wedding-photography.meetup.com/all
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
37
Weddings Network at weddings? There’s going to be a team of wedding professionals working together as a team all day, so why not take advantage of the opportunity to meet the other vendors? Just because you are working doesn’t mean you won’t have a few minutes of downtime here and there. Meal breaks are a great time to get to know the other vendors. If the facilities coordinator or the wedding planner takes a meal break with you, consider it an excellent opportunity to chat them up and get to know them. This is their event, so let them shine. Ask questions and show genuine interest in their work.
TIP: Find networking opportunities as a portrait photographer via your local Chamber of Commerce, Rotary or Lions Clubs or similar community and volunteer groups.
38
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
How to Network Step 1: Prepare Be sure you have a good supply of business cards on you and a couple of brochures. Figure out some business highlights (such as recent press, an interesting wedding you've recently photographed, a conference you have attended) you will share when someone asks you about your company. Pick out your clothing to make a great first impression. Styles will vary by region and group, so select something you might wear to a wedding consultation to start with.
To learn more about networking, check out two of the very best books on networking: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie and How to Work a Room by Susan RoAne.
Step 2: Plan What do you want to accomplish at this event? Set goals for yourself, such as meet five new people or meet three planners. If there is an RSVP list available, you can review this prior to leaving so you know who will be attending, and choose who you absolutely wish to greet.
TIP: Don't go on an empty stomach. It's hard to talk to people, shake hands, and exchange cards with your mouth full and fingers sticky. You’re there to grow your business, not your waistline.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
39
CASE STUDY How We Got on a Top Planner's Referral List In our second year in business, we photographed a small wedding, and it was our first time working with a planner. The planner was quite new herself, and while this particular wedding didn't have much in the way of decor, she made sure that the wedding went off without a hitch. After the wedding, we provided her with a disc of images and made sure to provide her with anything else she needed from that wedding for her own portfolio. We developed a relationship with her over time, and she liked working with us. She began to recommend us to her clients more and more. Over the years, as our rates went up, so did hers. Back when we met her, she was a new planner finding her way. Now she's one of the top planners in the Bay Area. Had we not developed that relationship with her in the beginning, it would be difficult to get to know her now, because every photographer in the Bay
Step 3: Attend an Event This is pretty simple, yet very hard for most people. When you attend a networking event walk right up to a stranger and introduce yourself. This is the reason you’re there in the first place. Don't just waste a great opportunity by standing around. Be confident and friendly; even if you are new to the industry, it doesn't mean you fell off the turnip truck yesterday. You have experience and insight from other fields, so take advantage this.
Be careful not to come off as too pushy and avoid shoving your portfolio in people's faces, Don't focus only on what you do; be sure to ask people you meet to tell you about their business, and ask intelligent questions. People love to talk about themselves! You never know what you might have in common that could lead to a relationship.
40
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Area is trying to get on her list.
Step 4: Follow Up Now that the event is over, the most important part is the follow-up. You met several people in your industry. You can do nothing and hope to see them again in four months at the next event (and hopefully remember their names). Or you can follow up now and put in the time and effort to develop a new relationship. Here are some options for following up with a new contact:
Call them the next day to invite them for after-work drinks or lunch.
Send them a handwritten note with your brochure, letting them know you enjoyed meeting them and look forward to working with them in the future. Email a note inviting them out to lunch or drinks this week or next.
We created our own notecards for sending little notes to vendors. You could also make notecards for a vendor using images of their work, giving yourself a small photo credit.
Reaching out and contacting someone you've recently met via phone or email can be scary, yes. What's the worst that can happen? They say no or ignore your email? You've lost nothing. It's as simple as this.
TIP: If you are new to the industry, it’s often easier to focus on connecting with others who are also new to the events industry (such as newbie floral designers, planners) because they will likely have more time available to meet new people, will need images for marketing (product photo shoot) and will be eager to get their business off the ground as well. 41
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
ADVICE Networking Tips for Connecting with Wedding Vendors 1. Ask a planner to keep you in the loop about networking opportunities.
5. Create a follow-up plan after each event. Take notes on who you met
Planners get invited to ALL the events and are often willing to pass along
and any other details you can remember. The next day, send an email
invites if you ask. When you are at an event, ask people what other events
saying you enjoyed meeting them. You might also want to mail them a
they are planning to go to this month. This is a natural subject to talk about,
promo packet if it seemed like a good match. Invite them to be friends on
and you can learn about upcoming events.
Facebook. If you've worked together in the past, offer to send them images.
2. Wear something unique that will help you stand out from the crowd. A
6. After-parties. Often people will go out for drinks or lunch together after
friend of mine always wears bright yellow, as that is her signature logo color,
the event. This is where the best networking happens, so take advantage of
and she stands out in a sea of black.
these opportunities. Take it a step further by initiating this yourself.
3. Expect to invest 6–12 months in networking before you get to know
7. If you have a photography brochure, keep a small stash in your car
people and start feeling comfortable. You have to attend as many events as
for when the opportunity arises. As a female, I specifically use a larger-size
you can initially. Some will be great; others might be duds. Eventually you’ll
purse at networking events for holding a few brochures. I don't hand them
feel like certain groups are more of a match for you, and then you can be
out to everyone, but will if it seems like a good connection.
more selective. As I've emphasized repeatedly, expect that it will take time to grow these relationships—but you must plant the seeds first.
4. Set a goal to meet three new people who will help you grow your
8. For organized events where there is a speaker or presentation, the best (and often only) networking time is the first 30 minutes, so be sure to be on time to maximize the opportunity.
business. Simply walk over and introduce yourself. I always think of myself as "helping out" another shy person and I've made some great connections this way. If there’s an online RSVP list, I’ll review the list prior to see who's coming and whether there’s anyone that I specifically want to meet. Avoid falling into the trap of hanging out with the same people all the time. We tend to gravitate toward the familiar, but if you’re going to achieve your goals, you need to meet new people.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
42
9. The very best networking is at the exclusive invite-only events. These are smaller and more intimate, and often they're celebrations or grand openings for a studio or the like. In order to be invited to these, you have to expand your network. Attend as many events as you can and talk with people, and eventually you will start getting invites to the private events.
10. Wedding magazine parties. Magazines often have yearly parties for advertisers or (potential advertisers), so be sure to get yourself on these invite lists—by submitting to them regularly. This is a great way to begin building up your relationship with magazine editors. It takes a couple of times, but eventually they will remember you.
11. Bridal fairs are a great place for networking, and during the fashion show is the best time. All you have to do is walk around and introduce yourself. It's pretty easy, and the vendors are in the mindset of talking to people as they are often bored during the fashion show. If you’re looking to break into the high-end wedding scene, the best thing you can do is attend the high-end bridal fairs. Not only will you get to see what high-end looks like in your market, you have the opportunity to mix and mingle, see upcoming trends, and more. Many vendors attend the high-end bridal fairs simply for the networking opportunities.and frequently get together after the show for drinks and dinner. Make it happen by inviting another vendor or two to join you after the show.
TIP: Enjoy a drink or two, but be careful not to overdo it.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
43
For new photographers, network with new wedding vendors such as planners and floral designers. Unlike seasoned pros, other newbies will be
Dear Susan,
more willing to give you time and attention, simply because they are in the same boat as you. Understand that established wedding professionals are busiest during the height of wedding season (May–October in many places), and be courteous of their time. If they don’t get back to you right away don't take it personally.
Think of other newbies as part of your class or the latest crop of wedding professionals. It's a great opportunity to build relationships with your peers, and three or four years later, you will have grown up together in the business. These people can become your fiercest advocates, your close friends, and your colleagues. If you choose to align yourself with other wedding professionals that are as ambitious and hungry for business as you are, over time these relationships may blossom into incredible partnerships.
Networking is a great tool you can use to grow your business if you use it correctly. If you are shy and nervous and don't talk to anyone while you are at events, networking is going to be a poor use of time. If you don’t actively follow up with contacts after meeting them, networking is going to be a much slower process for you. Remember, you aren’t going to these events to kill time and have some cocktails; this is a serious marketing strategy that you can implement to grow your business and develop contacts into relationships. It's up to you. As with anything, you'll get out of it what you
It was great meeting you the other night at Morgan’s open house. What a great event and those cake pops, to die for! Since we are both new to the industry it would be fun to get to know each other better. Would you like to get together for coffee or drinks next week?
put into it.
Lara *Make sure to enclose your business card 44
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
ADVICE Plan for Success Set goals for the event—e.g., meet two new planners
Review the RSVP list to make notes of who you want to connect with
Consider some talking points (toot your horn)
Have a glass of wine if it helps to relax, but don't overdo it
Icebreakers Do you know a lot of people here?
What’s been your favorite wedding so far?
What other events are you attending?
How long have you been in the industry?
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
45
Chapter 5
Weddings Are a Team Sport
N
ow that we've covered networking as a way to meet event
professionals, let's take a look at the other way to meet people in your industry: working with them. Every single wedding and event you photograph is created by a team of people, usually wedding professionals. Each one of these people is someone you have an opportunity to get to know professionally. Weddings are team events, so getting to know your teammates is good business practice.
A wedding goes much smoother when the professionals work together as a team to provide a seamless experience for the guests. When you step in with a collaborative attitude, vendors take notice. They will recognize that you aren't one of those types to just show up and do your job without concern for the event as a whole. If you show other vendors that you truly care about the clients having a great experience and not only great photography, you will win friends and build relationships.
Examples of Teamwork Think about applying the following examples to your business. Being a great photographer is one thing, but being a stellar professional who can be counted on before, during, and after the event makes you much more memorable for future bookings.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
47
Hi Kevin (videographer). My name’s Sarah, and I'm the photographer for Heather & Steve's wedding next weekend. I wanted to introduce myself and let you know we'll be working together. Do you have a moment to discuss a game plan for the day?
Phone Call Prior to the Wedding When a vendor calls you prior to the wedding day to introduce herself, this is a sure sign of someone who is a team player. It means she cares about her work and wants to ensure a great wedding experience for everyone. Reach out to the vendor team, and let them know a little bit about yourself and how you work. It's a great way to show you care, and it also lays the foundation for a working relationship down the road.
48
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Helping Other Vendors Out During Your Downtime Show that you care about the experience by pitching in when the occasion calls for it. I have carried empty dinner plates down a long hill when a caterer was an hour behind (they didn't realize how much time was needed to get up and down that hill). During cocktail hour, I have directed guests when they were lost and loudly complaining why the venue staff wasn't there at that moment. I have taken a second to run back and grab the videographer when some unscheduled activity was about to start. DJs have made sure we didn't miss a change in the reception timeline. Planners have personally served me a hot meal even though they were exhausted too.
I'm not saying to forget about photography, but there are on occasion critical moments when another vendor could use a hand. No one likes to feel like they failed on a wedding day or let the bride and groom down. By lending a hand when possible, it shows that you care about the wedding and you care about being a good team player. That's how you build an excellent reputation among your peers.
49
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
One wedding we photographed had a lion dance team show up during cocktail hour that was not on the timeline. We were just about to take our dinner break during this time, but as soon as we saw the lion dancers lining up for their entrance, one of us raced back to the break room to grab the videographer.
Photography Timeline, a Moving Target When the schedule gets behind on the wedding day, the most significant way this influences us as photographers is the portraits. When the timeline gets off track, we often take the heat for it; even though the ceremony started 45 minutes late, now it's the photographer taking too much time on the portraits even though you are just taking the 45 minutes you were allotted; it's not your fault the makeup artist was dawdling all morning, right?
Here's the thing: we do get blamed for it, and there's nothing to be done for it. You can complain all day that you are not the one causing the holdup, and you are simply doing your job. However, nobody else cares about your needs to get great portraits of the couple, and the other vendors are focused on their issues (soups need be served, the venue is only available until 10 p.m., etc.).
When the timeline goes awry in the morning (where it usually does), brides don't realize that it sets in motion a whole chain of events that lead to extra fees and overtime for most of the vendors. What was going to be a lovely, distraction-free 30 minutes for toasts at the reception is now going to be filled with waiters noisily carrying plates back and forth to make up some lost time. And of course, those beautiful toast images you were going to create are now ruined by waiters coming and going out of the shot, blocking those critical moments.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
50
The best approach and the sign of a true team player is to hustle through those family and couples portraits and try to get back on the timeline. You might have had 30 minutes planned; now do it in 10. Maybe you can take the couple out after toasts for a few minutes during sunset (better lighting anyway). Be sure to discuss with the caterer or planner the best time to take the couple out. As the bride and groom are always served first, if they are not there to be served the next course, no other guests can be served either. Everything works together, and as vendors, we are all reliant upon one another. Do your best to be a team player, and you will be remembered for it.
TIP: You know how you wait nervously for feedback or response from a client after you blog a sneak peek or release a gallery? Think of the wedding day timeline as the planner's masterpiece. Read it immediately, and let the planner know if you anticipate any problems with the flow and time allotments for the portraits. Then thank the planner for putting together a great plan! 51
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
ADVICE Team Player Tips Be respectful to everyone, vendors and guests alike (Never use offensive language, swear, see or gossip about other vendors or clients)
Be a calming influence on the bride and groom (Ease tension; don’t create it)
Be on time (Be early!)
Park in the vendor parking area and only use the vendor entrances
Dress professionally or in all black if the planner prefers
Stay off your cell phone: turn the ringer off and don't text
If you take the bride and groom away during cocktail hour, let the planner, caterer, and facilities coordinator know where you are going and how long you'll be gone
Lend a hand when you can
Don’t act impatient when the bride is running behind (Smile through the frustrations of the day and even when your feet are killing you!)
Always do the best you can and assume the same about others
Chapter 6
Relationship– Building Techniques for Vendors You Work With
O
nce you have photographed an event, you can start putting the pieces
of your plan into place. This chapter deals with what to do once you have worked with a vendor on a wedding.
Each time you work a wedding or event, you have a new opportunity to develop relationships with the vendor team from that event. You might not know initially which relationships will blossom into a strong professional relationship, so ideally you will lay the groundwork ("planting the seeds" mentioned in Chapter 3) for a future partnership. Following are some techniques to get started.
Remember: You may not be able to do everything for everyone. Pick and choose what works best for the situation and your available time and resources. Some techniques will help you build stronger relationships, while other times it may seem that no matter what you do, the wedding professional is simply not interested. That's fine. Some relationships will blossom, while others will not.
54
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Send Digital Images One of the easiest ways to impress wedding professionals? Send them a disc of images from the event that they can use for their blog, website, or portfolio. You'd be surprised at how many photographers don't (or won't) do this, and because of that simple fact, it's easy to stand out from the crowd. It doesn't take long to burn a disc and pop it in the mail. We do this pretty much for every vendor we have a relationship with or want to have a relationship with. If it's someone we haven't worked with before, we try to get to know them a bit first and understand better what they need. Once we have established a relationship with them, we'll send out images with or without watermarking, depending on the relationship and their needs.
Sending out a disc of images to the venue, the caterer, the planner, and the floral designer should become a routine part of your wedding workflow. It's good business. Those vendors are desperate to get their hands on professional images of their creations. They need those images to sell those concepts next time.
TIP: If you are a part-timer, pick and choose activities that will give you the best bang for your buck. I’d recommend sending out discs routinely as part of a part-timer strategy.
For bonus points, send a disc without watermarking. This allows the vendor more flexibility in using the images on their blog and website. Many vendors will mix images from a variety of weddings together, and you can imagine how it's going to look with a bunch of differently watermarked images, right? That's not a very professional image for them to put out there. We carefully choose who gets non-watermarked images. We always ask for (insist on) photo credit but allow the vendor to work that into the way that best fits into their website design scheme. What we are really after is the verbal referral. I'm sure you can imagine a strong verbal referral to a bride needing a photographer is going to be much more effective than many brides being exposed to your watermark as they glance at bouquet images on the website.
Be the hero they can count on to provide them with gorgeous images of their work, no strings attached. You would be surprised at how few photographers actually take the time to do this consistently. One floral designer I spoke with recently said she had gotten discs for only 6 out of 40 weddings this year.
It costs you very little in time and money, but the gains to your business are potentially huge. If you only have time for one activity, choose sending discs out.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
56
Blog About the Wedding This one is easy to do and something I highly recommend that you add to your workflow. Within each wedding blog post, I recommend linking to the entire vendor team. This shows that the wedding was a team effort, and you are recognizing all the other vendors that worked hard to create such a beautiful wedding. You can then email the team with a link to the blog post and a thank-you. If you want to take it a step further, mention them in the blog post and how they contributed to the wedding day.
Highlight a Vendor on Your Blog Highlighting a vendor you work with is a great way to show that vendor some love while at the same time providing valuable information to your prospective clients. If it's a floral designer you are highlighting, you would feature lots of images of their work and discuss what you like about their style, describe the experience of working with them, and so on. For a venue highlight, you would select images that feature the venue and show off what a great place it is for weddings. Mention the great service and use the
This blog post is an example of how you might highlight a particular vendor on your blog.
names of professionals that the client will work with. As a bonus, these types of posts tend to do very well in Google searches, as they have a lot of SEO value going for them. Obviously, you will want to send them a link to this post, with a note thanking them for making it easy to work with them and how much you enjoy working with them.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
57
Send Prints Sending prints from a wedding is a simple and inexpensive way to make a good impression with someone. Vendors always appreciate receiving packages, especially those highlighting their work. We send a carefully wrapped box of a handful of 5x7s that highlight their work. We go through the wedding and select specific images for the florist (decor and flowers), images for the caterer (food related, perhaps the reception room with candles lit), and so forth for other vendors.
This is an opportunity to show your quality and care in packaging while adding more exposure to your brand. For vendors who are interested in having some images for their blog or website, receiving this little care package is a great way to let them know what is available.
58
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
ADVICE To Charge or Not? Should you charge vendors for prints or digital files? The business model described in this book focuses on building a strong vendor network that will lead to many referrals to brides. This is not about earning some pocket change for a few vendor prints, which is a very small short-term gain in the big picture. Think strategically, and go for the long-term benefits of building a solid relationship with that vendor. Would you rather make $30 on a few prints or book 10 weddings from that vendor referring you?
Send a Handwritten Thank-You Sending out a hand written thank-you note is a quick and easy way to make another great impression with a vendor you have recently worked with. It's something that is becoming so rare in today's world of email and instant messaging, and most people appreciate the time and effort that goes into a hand written note. Again, this is another subtle example of how you'll take care of their clients. Make this a part of your Monday morning routine. We send hand written thank-you notes to people when they refer us, as well as to planners after the wedding, thanking them on making the wedding great, how we enjoyed working with them, and so on.
TIP: For a seasoned pro, go back a couple seasons and pick out your best events and market images from those. Vendors are always happy to get great images of their work, even if it is a few seasons ago.
Support Vendor Events At some point, wedding vendors will host some type of industry event or party, and if you’ve been developing a relationship with them, you will most likely receive an invitation. This could be an open house, a new office party, a celebration of a career highlight, or perhaps even an in-house bridal show.
It's important to attend these events if possible to show your support and help make the event a success. Not only are these events great networking opportunities for you, it shows the person hosting that you value your relationship with them and you aren't only there for referrals. It should be a two-way relationship that both parties can count on professionally.
Sometimes venues will host small bridal shows (with no more than a dozen brides in attendance) that require you to spend a full day on the property and may not lead to any bookings for you. No matter. Do your best, and lend your support by showing up and participating. You can always network with the other vendors there. The main thing is that you let the venue know they can count on you.
Stay in Touch Send occasional emails, or pick up the phone once in a while. It's important to stay in touch when you are developing a relationship. If you don't have an upcoming wedding, say hello, see how their season is going, and catch up. Every phone call and email should not be all about you and whether they can send you any business; build a relationship that is based on mutual respect and professional friendship. Most wedding professionals work in solitude, and it can get lonely. Reach out and make friends. Invite people out for lunch or a drink.
60
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Offer Headshots Many vendors need headshots (or updated headshots) for their website, Facebook page, or other media. Why not offer to do a quick headshot for them on the day of the wedding? It's easy to take a quick headshot, either a straightforward business type of headshot or of them in their environment, such as an image of the planner sitting alone in the reception ballroom or even an action shot of them setting up details.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
61
Offer Photo Shoots If you’re a newbie and haven't worked anywhere yet, you can build relationships with brand-new planners and florists by setting up a photo shoot of their work. The reason this works is because both of you are in portfolio-building mode. Obviously, you do not watermark these images, because the purpose is to help them build their portfolio.
Make yourself indispensable to a wedding professional, and you will have more referrals to great clients than you know what to do with. (Remember, again: It takes a lot of time to build relationships.) Some will grow into long-lasting business relationships that provide excellent leads for years. Leads that book. Other times you may find that a particular vendor wants to send you business, but the leads simply are not a good match for what you offer.
After implementing these techniques for several seasons, you will find some to be more effective for you than others. Refine your system as you go to ensure the best return on your dollars and time. And when something doesn’t work out, don’t take it personally; don’t pout and whine and tell the vendor how they need to give you more business. Adjust, learn, and move on.
CASE STUDY A Planner Remembers Who Sent Discs "A few years back, one of my clients had hired a big name photographer prior to hiring me. After the wedding, I had to contact the photographer to see if I could get a disc of the images so I could select some for my portfolio. The answer was a flat out NO. When I persisted, they told me I could have five images free, so I sent them my list of five. Once I received them, four out of the five were the wrong ones and I couldn’t use them for anything. Will I ever refer them again? NO. And I will seriously consider [not] taking on a client that has already hired this photographer prior to hiring me. (This was also the photographer who ‘stole’ the bride and groom from their table just as meals were about to be served, told no one, and as a result, dinner was delayed 30 minutes. Can you say disgruntled guests and kitchen staff? I was literally searching all over the facility for them." ~Dina Balatti, Planner, Bella Celebrations
CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY
Three Incredible Weddings from Being Flexible
How We Grabbed a Spot on the List of a Top Planner
Sometimes you get an opportunity to work with a planner because of their
There was a particular planner that we wanted to work with for several
relationships. This happened to us when a well-known planner found that
seasons, but the opportunity never arose. She wouldn't refer anyone she
her regular photographers were inflexible about a particular client request
hadn't worked with before, so the only way we were likely to work together
(an image treatment that many photographers would consider tacky). The
would be on the chance that a bride hired both of us on her own. When
planner needed another "big-name" photographer, so she came to us since
that finally happened, we made sure to get many great detail images of all
we were on the venue's list. When she sent her clients to the photographers
the decor. We read the timeline carefully and planned our approach. We
she normally worked with, they practically scoffed in the clients' faces
spoke with the planner beforehand to understand exactly where we would
when they requested this particular image treatment. The clients wanted a
find the assorted details so nothing was missed. After the wedding, we did
photographer that was open to their ideas and could approach the job as a
our usual thing and sent her a disc of images a few weeks later. At the next
collaborative effort.
networking event, she approached us to tell us how incredibly impressed she was with our quick turnaround in getting a disc to her. Soon she began
Because we handled this client request with respect, we were able to book
regularly sending us clients.
the wedding, which turned out to be incredible for our business. Not only did the client end up buying a triple-volume album set (with matching sets for the parents), but the planner began referring us to more of her big-spending clients. Once we got the initial contact from the planner, we worked hard to prove ourselves as we knew that if we impressed her and her clients, there would likely be more bookings. And of course, there were.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
63
CASE STUDY Diving Deeper into Our Process We include these marketing activities as part of our standard wedding workflow. Activities are spread out over several weeks so that event professionals are being continually reminded of our work and what we can do for them—how we can work together as a team.
After each wedding, we go through some standard activities that are part of our routine wedding workflow. We start with selecting images for vendors. These are key images that show off their work, images they would appreciate as part of their portfolio. You want to think in terms of what images would really help sell their services. Which images will help THEM get more bookings? For example, a florist once told me that the images I had created of some centerpieces done with candles and vases were critical to her; she would be able to "sell" that particular look to clients booking holiday parties wanting something inexpensive but beautiful. We provided those images to her in high-resolution format without watermarking so she could use them to promote her own work, not ours. This made us an indispensable resource to her business, and she wanted to work with us as much as possible. So each time she had an opportunity to recommend a photographer, our name was her first and strongest recommendation.
I select anywhere from 10 to 20 images from the wedding that highlight the work of various vendors, more or less depending on the relationships and the relevance of the particular wedding (new trends or a big job get more focus).
This image became an important selling tool for the florist.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
64
We remaster those (retouch, increase contrast, etc.) selections and then
Very rarely would we watermark these images, unless the vendor has
place a print order of 5-by-7s for each vendor. The planner gets a copy of
requested this or we do not expect the vendor to recommend us.
every print, the florist gets anything with flowers, the venue gets anything featuring the venue, and so on. I don’t want to overwhelm them with too
After we have sent out prints and discs, we coordinate with the vendors on
many images, and I also want to stay focused on their work, as I want them
any further marketing efforts. We find out what they might need and use in
to see us as a marketing resource for them.
terms of marketing materials. Sample albums, slideshows, notecards, wall art, and custom flyers are all options. Depending on the potential for this
In communications with vendors, it's important to make it about them–after
relationship to grow further, we will create various other pieces as needed to
all, if they had created ugly centerpieces with dead or dying flowers, your
suit the vendor. As the relationship grows, we invest more time and money
detail photos will not be that great. Your detail photos of the wedding are
into creating sales tools for them.
only as good as the team who creates those details. Without a talented event team—florist, makeup artist, cake baker, planner, invitation designer,
You can do as much or as little as your time and resources allow.
lighting designer, caterer, and all the people that help make the event
I encourage you to put together your own marketing plan based on some of
happen–you wouldn’t have much to photograph. So remember to share the
the ideas you find throughout the book.
glory with the team, and let them know how you appreciate them and their efforts in making the flowers or the bride gorgeous. If they referred you to the job, be sure to let them know how much that means to you and your business.
NOTE: Be sure to get your Vendor Marketing Workflow Checklist, one of the bonuses that comes with this book.
After they have received the prints, we follow that up by sending out the disc of low-resolution images to certain vendors who we have established trust with or have worked with before. If we are keen to build a relationship with that vendor, we will also send a disc out. The disc contains either highlights or the entire wedding, always including the remastered files. Sometimes we handpick the images so the vendor doesn’t have to slog through all the family photos, but it depends on their needs, the relationship, and time constraints.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
65
Chapter 7
Photographing for Vendors
ADVICE
A
s you begin to develop relationships, you will want to consider how
to create images especially for vendors. Vendors have different needs
Will My Client Object?
than brides, so if you are planning to take this on as your main marketing strategy, you'll want to understand how to create images that suit the needs
One question you may have about photographing for vendors is how to do
of the vendor.
it without compromising your client, When we are hired by a bride, we are working for her, and we do not compromise that just to capture images for
In a nutshell, images for vendors need to sell their products and services.
marketing purposes. However, there are many periods of downtime during a
Images must convey the romance, the elegance, or the dream of this
wedding that you can use to your benefit. We do not slack at the wedding,
particular product or service. For a hotel, images should highlight the beauty
and we are not Zen-like in our calm, relaxed approach. We are in constant
of the location, how amazing the ceremony area looks when decorated, how
go mode and always looking for more—more angles, more details, better
beautiful the plain ballroom can be once it is transformed. For a caterer,
lighting. Once we have taken care of client needs, we will use any additional
images should show juicy appetizers served in a visually appealing manner
time to capture images for our partners. For example, during the meal
and make the viewer hungry. A bride and groom photographed from behind
service, we might pop into the kitchen to get behind-the-scenes images for
(meaning faceless, it can be anyone) enjoying a sunset may conjure up
the caterer. We might run outside during blue light to get those gorgeous
romantic emotions and the desire to experience that kind of moment. That
blue sky images of the venue. We might be watching for the dessert table
kind of image sells the location for a prospective bride. Don't worry; your
setup so we can capture those desserts and all their glorious details before
clients will love these images too. How do I know this? Because that's what
guests come and devour them. We might be stalking a waiter entrance with
the images in magazines look like.
salads to get one of those cool freeze-the-action images. While waiting for the ceremony entrances to begin, we might grab a handful of garden flower images or capture the scenic vistas. We find the opportunities to fit the images in all throughout the day.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
67
Creating Great Scene-Setter and Detail Images (This section is adapted from Get Published: A Guide for Wedding Photographers. It details the technical aspects of creating the types of images that are discussed, and how to do it within a busy wedding environment.)
Most wedding photographers consider themselves people photographers, not product photographers. In truth, being a well-rounded wedding photographer in this day and age means being good at portraits, photojournalism, landscape, architectural, and yes, even product photography. Brides may not hire you because of your detail photos, but your detail photos will cause planners and other wedding vendors to fall in love with your work, which is a big step toward creating lasting partnerships. The following advice is meant for photographing the details of the wedding day. It is often the details that separate one planner from another, one floral designer from another. We can't stress enough how important these images are to them.
68
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Be in the Right Place at the Right Time We've all heard this saying, and you wonder how it applies to detail photos and not only photojournalism. At a wedding, most of the details end up getting used and abused by the end of the day, so it's important to not tack on photographing details as you happen to walk by them in the course of the day, but to plan capturing details like you plan when and where the portraits happen. Photograph the dress and shoes before they're worn, the escort card table design before guests take their cards away, the flowers at their freshest, the appetizer plates before they are served or attacked by hungry guests, the reception room before any guests get access to the room and put all their purses and coats on their chairs, the dessert table before the drunken revelers demolish it like kids in a candy store. Without such forethought, your detail photos will be snapshots at best, or you'll miss them entirely, and the rest of the advice in this section will be moot.
69
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Allow Plenty of Time for Photographing Details This is especially important if you are not already an expert detail photographer. It may help to think of the details as portraits that you have to schedule into the timeline. And don't worry: As you get better at photographing details you'll get faster too. The wonderful difference between portraits and details is that you don't have to wait for the details to stop moving, smile, and look at your camera.
TIP: Arrive 30 minutes early on the wedding day to give yourself time to focus only on the details. This approach allows the bridal party time to get used to you being there: they don't get camera shy when you are photographing details, and you can quietly switch to photojournalistic photography, getting a quality of photos you might never attain if you come barging in the room photographing them before they warm up to you. 70
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Advance Planning Before the wedding, be sure to talk with the planner, florist, and/or venue to get a sense of the details and how decor heavy the wedding will be. Work with these other vendors to adjust both the wedding timeline and your own photography timeline as needed, in order to give you the time to photograph the details well. A good planner will actually schedule time for various detail images in the timeline, and work with the photographer's schedule to ensure that these images are captured. Remember, these vendors want and need photos of their work, so they will be more than happy to adjust the timeline when possible to allow you to do your job.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
71
Camera Settings and Techniques Now that you have details scattered throughout your timeline like portraits, let's think about some of the technical details. Keep in mind that these are guidelines, and while someone can always find an exception to the rule, generally applying these principles will greatly increase the quality of your detail photos. In fact, most of this advice will improve all aspects of your wedding photography.
Avoid Direct Flash This is another good time to think of details as people. You probably know that direct flash gives you portraits with flat lighting, low contrast, and a generally unflattering look for your subjects. Well, the same applies to details. Don’t do it, period. What’s that you say? It’s too dark in the reception room? Read on!
TIP: If there is a wedding planner involved, why not capture a few images of the planner helping the bride? You can also capture some hair and makeup images that would benefit the makeup artist.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
72
Bounced Flash Saves the Day Directional light is one of the cornerstones to studio and portrait photography, and you should apply the same technique with wedding details. Whether using natural window light or on-camera flash, try to photograph your details with side lighting, to show off their contours and features. In a reception room you may well have to use flash to supplement low room lighting; this is fine when used correctly. First, if you are using a diffuser on your flash (which you generally should be), remove it. If you are photographing the cake, for example, and there is not enough light, or it's flat light, aim your flash to bounce off a wall to the left or right side of the cake, and this will give you wonderful side lighting showing off the contours of the cake. This will not always work, depending on the room layout, colors of the walls, and other location-specific details, but with practice you will start to learn when to use flash and when to use or not use your diffuser. As a general rule of thumb, for detail photography, we only use flash when there is simply not enough light or when we have flat lighting and want to add directional bounced light, as in the cake example.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
73
Out of Focus Is Good What?! OK, to clarify, you don't want blurry detail photos, but you also don't want detail photos with everything in the frame in focus. You generally want a shallow depth of field (only a part of your photo, and often only part of an individual detail, in focus, and the rest out of focus). Low f-stops (large apertures) are your friend. We photograph most of our details at f2.8 or lower, often at f1.4 and f1.2 with prime lenses. Isolate the detail from the scene, whether it's a table centerpiece from the clutter of table settings, wedding favors from salt and pepper shakers, a wedding cake from the 15 tables and a DJ setup behind, or the signature cocktail drink on a bar from the bartender and wall of bottles behind. Shooting at very wide apertures also offers the benefit of dramatically reducing or even eliminating the need for flash in most situations.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
74
High ISO Is Your Friend This applies not only to detail photos, but also to all your low-light photography at a wedding. With the advent of digital photography and Photoshop, many photographers have fallen into the trap of "pixel peeping" their images on their large computer screens and have subsequently become scared of any digital "noise" to the point where they expect every image to look like an ISO 100 image photographed in full sun. You must remember that we are used to seeing grain in photos from looking at decades' worth of film images. So while you don't want to shoot at high ISOs unnecessarily, don't be afraid to turn it up, especially if you shoot in RAW mode and process your photos with basic noise reduction (which is included in most if not all RAW converters these days).
It's hard to give specifics because cameras' ISO/noise ratios have changed dramatically over the past few years and still differ a fair amount between camera makes and models, but I will give an example based on equipment we've used. Most of the images you see in this guide were photographed with Canon 5D or 1D Mark III cameras. With the Canon 5D we'll shoot up to ISO 1600 without thinking about it, and even 3200 on occasion. With the Canon 1D Mark IIIs we generally leave them in auto-ISO mode, where it is set to automatically ratchet up to ISO 3200 as needed, so many of the detail photos you see in this guide were photographed between ISO 1600 and 3200 (particularly the reception details).
Remember, this is with cameras that were released in 2005 (5D) and 2007 (1D Mark III), so if you have newer cameras you can likely go even higher with your ISO. Just remember to test this method on unimportant photos before you start photographing the kiss and first dance with it!
75
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Decluttering the Chaos Have you noticed how many things they can fit on a wedding reception table before you even add the food and guests? Or how about the chaotic scene in the bride's getting-ready room, complete with last night's leftover room service and bags of Doritos everywhere? Magazines and their readers don't want to see this stuff. They want to see beautiful details, usually one at a time, in a clean setting with nice lighting. So pay attention to your composition, with particular attention to the corners and edges of your frame.
Just as importantly, don't be afraid to rearrange things to improve the scene. The dress can and should be moved, and don't be afraid to ask for the rings and other jewelry to move to a nice surface with better lighting. Ask the bartender to make one of the signature cocktails, and take it somewhere with a nice background and lighting, or have a bridesmaid hold it. When photographing reception tables, feel free to move salt and pepper shakers, glassware, ugly table cards, or any other item to improve the photos, but be respectful of the venue and catering staff and put the items back when you're finished.
And remember: Use a shallow depth of field to choose what you want in focus and what you don't. We often use prime lenses, such as the 50 f1.4 and 85 f1.2, both used wide open to capture details. This allows you to have a table centerpiece in focus with much of the foreground and background elements on that table out of focus, let alone other tables in the background.
76
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Composition and Techniques for Specific Types of Images Now that we've covered some of the basic camera settings and techniques for photographing scene-setter and detail photos, we'll discuss specific types of images that you'll be photographing on a wedding day. Pay attention to not only the tips on camera settings, but also the discussion on composition and perhaps even more importantly, the tips on working with the rest of the wedding team to allow these photographic opportunities to happen. Remember, these images were not captured by blind luck; it is a combination of camera knowledge, composition techniques, and preplanning with the wedding team that allows this to happen, within the confines of a hectic wedding day.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
77
The Church First and foremost, the most important thing to remember when photographing in a church is to be respectful of the church, its staff, and the sacredness of the space. It would take a completely separate book to share with you the horror stories we've heard about some photographers' behavior in churches. Don't become a member of this small group that gives photographers a bad name. Second, until you have photographed at a church more than once and have developed a relationship with the staff, always speak with the church coordinator beforehand to learn what you can and can't do before, during, and after the ceremony. Use this opportunity to get their contact information, so you can send images to them afterward. Even if they don't end up sending you business in the future, establishing a good relationship with them will make it infinitely easier to work at that church in the future, as they will see you as one of the respectful photographers.
Now that we have that out of the way, let's talk about what and how to photograph at the church, from a scene setter and detail point of view. This will vary from church to church, but use these photos and examples as a list of suggestions you can pull from depending on the situation.
78
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Churches have some of the best architecture you'll find in any city or town. If the church is surrounded by other buildings, try to isolate the church or de-emphasize the other buildings. Photograph the sign; even if it's not pretty it's still part of the story. To emphasize the height and dramatic entrance of a church stand in front with a wide-angle lens, usually in vertical orientation, and walk closer so you have to look up to see the church—but be careful of overdoing this by getting too close or using a fish-eye lens, which can introduce too much distortion. You can photograph this at a midrange aperture (f4.0–5.6) unless you are really trying to isolate it from the surroundings, such as big skyscrapers looming behind.
Whenever possible, ask the church staff if you can use the balcony and how to access it, which is often through a locked door or secret stairway. Also, the most important thing to remember is the acoustics of most churches are designed so that sound from the rear balcony projects throughout the entire church (think of where the church organ usually is), so take care to be extraquiet when ascending to and walking around on the balcony. We sometimes even remove our shoes for this. Usually you want to go to the front of the balcony, in the center so the aisle below is centered in your composition, and use a wide-angle and/or fish-eye lens to capture the dramatic view. Capture both horizontal and vertical orientation, especially if the church has a dramatic ceiling. Don't use flash; you want to capture the ambient light, especially if there is stained glass. While on the topic, NEVER use flash in the church except for during the processional and recessional, and check with the church coordinator to make sure even that is allowed. While you're up on the balcony get some images from other angles (sides of the balcony), and if you have time (or a second shooter) get a few medium/telephoto images of the front of the church and bridal party.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
79
This is a great type of image that shows the grandness of the church, from an uncommon point of view (not many people lie down in the aisle!) and usually doesn't include people's faces, so it's easy for a bride to imagine herself in the image. This helps both the church and you sell the bride. Use a wide-angle and/or fish-eye lens, medium-low aperture (say f4.0 or f2.8 if you have to); increase your ISO as needed (we usually photograph at ISO 1600 in the church); and put the camera in vertical orientation and place it on the ground. Aim the camera at the bride and groom, take a photo, and then tilt it back a bit; take another photo, tilt back more, and repeat, so you end up with four to six photos that progressively show more and more of the ceiling in the photo. This procedure will typically be less distracting than lying down on the aisle trying to look through the viewfinder, which we definitely do not recommend! You goal is to be silent and invisible while still getting great photos.
This is a quick and easy photo to capture, and the florist will love you for it. Many photographers do not capture the floral decor in the church, as it's usually a seemingly small detail amidst the grandeur of a church, but it's not a small detail from the florist's point of view! Get down to eye level with the flowers at the end of a pew, usually set to f2.8, and arrange your composition so the other flowers/pews trail off in the distance, usually at an angle (think diagonally). Get close enough to the flowers so that you attain a shallow depth of field, making the other flowers and pews soft in the background.
80
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
TIP: While churches are not typically high on our list of places we collaborate with, there are always exceptions to the rule. There are several churches we have worked at over the years that have given us consistent business.
When your movement is restricted or you must stay in the back of the church, take advantage of the opportunity to create images that capture the architectural features such as stained glass windows, ceilings, murals and so forth. If there is a balcony, ask to use it. These types of images make great wow shots.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
81
The Ceremony Decor and Location While your photos of churches will usually not be the ones that garner you strong relationships and lead flow, your photos of ceremonies at other venues (whether indoor or outdoor) are likely to be some of the key photos the venue will use to sell to brides. It's very hard for a bride to look at an empty lawn or ballroom and picture what her ceremony will look like. Whenever possible, adjust your timeline to give you time to photograph the ceremony setup before any guests arrive. This can be especially important for some of the national hotel chains that have internal guidelines specifying that they are not allowed to use photos in their marketing that have people in them.
Whenever the aisle is decorated, be sure to capture this, both within the setting of the whole ceremony area (for the venue) and close-up details of the flowers (for the florist). We often get down low to make the aisle look more dramatic and to reduce the background when it is distracting. When you have a dramatic background (such as an ocean) also take some shots from a higher angle to capture that.
82
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
The florist typically has a lot more creative latitude when decorating an outdoor wedding, and is often called upon to help transform that plain lawn or patio into a gorgeous ceremony, so be sure to capture all the details. If you can't get to them before the ceremony, you can use shallow depth of field and judicious framing to isolate these details during the ceremony.
Here's a great example of an outdoor ceremony that doesn't identify people within the image and shows off the florist's work and the venue setting. Note how the composition is such that it makes you feel like you are sitting there right behind those two men—this is by design—it gives the bride the same feeling when she looks at the photo and imagines what the guests will see as she is standing in front of the beautiful floral arch. This is perhaps a bit of an advanced concept, above and beyond just photographing the static details and setting, but when your images can transport a bride into that setting, making her forget she's looking at an image, that is a powerful selling tool.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
83
Whether it's a specially erected tent with a grand transformation or a simple ceremony setup in a hotel courtyard, always remember to take the time to capture this. It will be one of the key photos you use in building relationships with the venues, planners, and florists involved.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
84
The Ballroom Before we look at specific examples, you need to learn some of the techniques we use to allow us to get great images of ballrooms (and these techniques apply to photographing any location where the wedding reception is held).
First, always try to talk to the venue coordinator and/or planner before the wedding day to arrange the timeline so that you may photograph the reception before any guests get access. The first thing guests will do is run to claim their seat, put their jacket and bags on the chairs, unroll the napkins, and generally mess up the entire table. Of course, when you are explaining this to the planner, be sure to tell them you want to get great photos of the room setup before guests mess it up, so that you can provide them great images of their work. They may not care if the bride gets a great image of the reception setup, but when they know they will get it for use in their sales and marketing, all of a sudden you'll find they will bend over backwards to accommodate you. Remember, you are doing them a huge service, and in exchange, all they need to do is a bit of extra planning.
If you approach it this way then you'll often be able to get your second request, which is to have the room cleared of all staff for five to ten minutes while you photograph the room. Ask for ten minutes, hope to get five minutes, and always try to get the key photos within two to three minutes. Don't get too worried: we're not saying you have to photograph all the reception details in a few minutes! What you want to focus on first are the wide-angle images of the entire room. Ask the coordinator to dim the lights as necessary and to have people manning the key entrances to the room if possible to stop people coming in, put your wide-angle lens on, and go through this sequence.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
85
Start at the main entrance where the guests will enter the room, capturing an image from the point of view of what everyone will see when they first enter the room. Next, go to where the bride and groom will be sitting, and take a photo of how the room will look like to the bride and groom for much of the evening while they are seated. Next, go to a spot, usually the corner of the room, where you can capture the entire room, usually with one table in the foreground, with the entire room in the background.
Compositionally, beware of DJ and band setups, which are often messy with speakers, cables, and stages, and be careful of dance floors, which can break up the room into two halves, often making the room look smaller (try different heights to diminish the impact of these items). Whenever possible, quickly scope out the room prior to it being cleared so you'll know which door guests are coming in, where the bride and groom's seats are, and what spot you'll get the best overall room shot from. With experience, you'll be able to scope a room in a minute or two and take all the overall room shots in three minutes or less.
As soon as you've finished the overall room images, immediately tell the coordinator that the staff can come back in. Remember they are under intense pressure to get the room all set up and ready for the guests on time, so be efficient and courteous, but remember to be professionally assertive to get those five minutes! If the venue coordinator's name is Sarah, a simple "Sarah asked me to photograph the room for her sales team� will usually get you instant cooperation from any staff member.
Next, you can focus on the elements of the reception setup, from rows of tables to individual tables, table settings, centerpieces, and all the way down to name cards, wedding favors, and the details on the side of the cake. Remember the techniques described in the prior sections, about using shallow depth of field and no flash or bounced flash to isolate individual details and get great lighting. We can't emphasize enough how important it is to get the ambient lighting into your reception room and detail photos. Use a low f-stop and high ISO, with judicious use of directional flash.
86
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
TIP: Try not to use a tripod for the ballroom photos, as it slows you down far too much. Use a low f-stop and high ISO so that you can hand-hold your camera. Otherwise you'll turn a 5-minute shoot into a 30-minute shoot.
These types of images are absolutely critical to the venue as well as the planner, designer and rental company. They need images such as these in order to show prospective clients how the space will look transformed. Often the facilities coordinators are showing a large empty room, so these types of images will help prospective clients understand how the room will look when set up.
87
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
When photographing a ballroom make note of any key architectural features of the room, such as the ceiling in this example. Also note how the composition has one table emphasized in the foreground, cropped close to the table so you don't see all the chairs (which would make the table look too small), the bottom-right corner is distraction free to keep the viewer within the image, the dance floor in the middle of the room has been minimized, and the DJ setup on the right side is not distracting. When composing these types of photos it is important to move around slightly both left to right and up and down, while looking at the corners and edges of the frame. With practice, you'll be able to quickly narrow in on the best composition that has the fewest distractions and best shows off the features of the room you want to emphasize. Moving 12 inches in any direction can dramatically alter many of these small details. Remember that this all comes with practice, so keep working at it, and eventually you'll be getting magazine-quality room shots in less than three minutes.
Often there will be a special head table; it might be a sweetheart table for the bride and groom or a king's table for the entire bridal party. Try to isolate this from the rest of the room either by composition angle or shallow depth of field, as appropriate. In this example, the room had an architecturally dramatic ceiling, so we captured a second image highlighting that as well. Also note how the chandeliers are not cut off in either photo: compositionally they were deemed to be a feature in both photos, and having a bright light cut in half on the edge of a photo is a big distraction to the viewer.
TIP: Ask the staff to adjust the room lights to where they will be set when the guests enter the room. Often the lights will be on full while they are setting up the room, and you want to capture the ambience of the room as the guests will see it. If they are going for a very dark, moody look then you can ask them to turn the lights up just a touch if necessary, depending on your camera settings and lens choice.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
88
A long head table an in otherwise plain room will often not be photographically interesting when photographed head on from the long side or short side. An interesting composition is to emphasize the length of the table by shifting your point of view to the chair side of the short side of the table. Use a shallow depth of field (typically f2.8 or less, depending on lens choice), and have something near the foreground in focus and everything else fading off into a soft background. In this example there are a number of large centerpieces all in a row, which could all blend together, so the shallow depth of field allows us to isolate the first centerpiece from the rest. Pay attention to the row of chairs, quickly adjusting them if they are set haphazardly and not in a nice line. We will often photograph this image in vertical orientation, but in this particular example, there was a view of the outdoors with the gorgeous early evening dark-blue sky. If you are photographing a head table like this that does not have tall centerpieces, then try a horizontal composition with a prime lens set to f2.0 or lower, and focus on the third or fourth plate in, so the first couple is soft. This helps draw the viewer into the image.
89
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Reception tables have a lot of stuff going on; it's a wonder there is even room for the food and people. When photographing individual details on a table, choose a lens and aperture that allow your item of focus to play the dominant role in your composition, and deemphasize the other things. This centerpiece was not very large, so we moved in closer to it and used a very low f-stop to get a shallow depth of field, such that even the items on the back of the table are out of focus, giving us great separation and making the centerpiece pop out of the clutter.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
90
Just as some rooms have great details on the ceiling, some have them on the floor. Here are some examples of gobo lighting, which is often used to project the couple's initials on the dance floor. Remember to turn off that flash, especially for these photos, or you'll wash out those cool gobo lights. Use a wide-angle lens, position the gobo light pattern in the foreground (experiment with both your angle and shooting height), and capture the pattern in the context of the larger room. We often get good results with crouching down to get a lower point of view.
When photographing larger portions of the room, including multiple tables and/or a very large head table, adjust your composition (by walking around) to find an angle that strikes a good balance between having some separation between tables so they don't all blend together, and reduce large open spaces between tables, especially dance floors. Notice that the head table image (taken from the point of view where the bride and groom will be sitting) is taken from a low enough angle to hide most of the dance floor, but high enough so the chairs on the other side of the table don't blend in with the band's stage, and the great ceiling architecture is included as well.
91
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
The Building at Night These are some of our favorite images to get at a wedding, one reason being that so few photographers take the time to do these and do them well. They usually require some pre-planning so that you have time to go outside the building at the correct time, and I usually recommend you only do this if you have a second photographer remaining inside to capture any spontaneous action in the reception. We usually allot 10 to 20 minutes for these photos, depending on the venue and how far away we have to walk to get the right angle. The best time to take these photos is during "blue hour," which typically starts about 15 minutes after sunset and lasts about 30 minutes, cloud conditions notwithstanding. Websites and at least one iOS app can explain further about blue hour and tell you when it occurs in your area on any day of the year.
These photos are all taken with a tripod (one of the very few times we use a tripod on the wedding day) and are long exposures, typically ranging from 5 to 30 seconds each. This is also one of the few times we'll use a higher f-stop, in the f5.6–f8.0 range. Make sure you have a nice, solid tripod firmly planted on the ground, and use the two-second timer so you don't shake the camera when the shutter actuates. On a windy night don't extend the center column too high, and hold the base of the center column where the tripod legs meet firmly to the ground with your hand. If your camera has an eyepiece shutter, close it to prevent light leaking in from the back. If your camera tends to have too much noise in dark shadow areas, then you can reduce the ISO a bit for these shots, as long as the camera is very steady. And TURN OFF that flash! Also remember to adjust all your settings when you walk back into the reception.
92
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Typically we'll use some of the rules of landscape photography when taking these photos, mainly keeping the horizon line level, and place the building in the top or bottom third of the frame, depending on how the sky is looking and how much foreground you want in the image. Notice how it's not just the building but the combination of the sky and the grounds that brings these photos together. Often the lights on the building will illuminate the surrounding grounds close to the building much more brightly than they look to your naked eye, and you'll get a natural vignette.
This image is one of our favorite nighttime photos of a wedding venue. Certainly the fact that it is a Ritz-Carlton property on bluffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean doesn't hurt, but the real story with this photo is how it cemented our place as their top choice when recommending photographers to any of their clients. They put this photo on their website, and a couple in Guam saw the photo and decided to have their wedding here. They booked their wedding over the phone and told the hotel it was because of this photo.
YES, READ THAT LAST SENTENCE AGAIN – it sums up the entire point of this book. Take great photos for vendors, build relationships with them, and reap the benefits. You can bet that couple hired us to photograph the wedding, and nobody else stood a chance.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
93
Food Caterers rarely get great photos of their food presentation from photographers. Perhaps this is why they don't like to feed us—but give them some great photos, and suddenly you'll be eating the same meal the guests are getting. We could go on for pages about how to take great photos of food, but in general, use the same techniques we've already taught you: isolate the food or parts of the food, use very low f-stops to get a very low depth of field, and pay close attention to your composition, always scanning the edges and corners before taking the photo. Look at food magazines to get inspired for how to take great food photos.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
94
If you want to build relationships with caterers, arrange time to quickly capture the food after it is plated up. Shoot close up and at eye level to create delicious looking food images.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
95
Florals The larger the wedding, the bigger the flowers and the earlier the florist typically gets involved in the planning process, to the extent that some florists are also wedding designers and even planners. So it definitely can pay off in spades to develop great relationships with florists. Plus, there are also wedding magazines dedicated solely to wedding flowers, so opportunities abound to get your work published in those magazines for other marketing benefits—and to help create new relationships and cement old ones with florists and planners alike.
We can’t resist sounding like a broken record: use a shallow depth of field to isolate the details. Also, pay attention to what is in the background, especially with flower images, as different colored backgrounds can make or break a flower photo.
96
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Floral designers need images of their creations to show what they can do. The best time to capture these images is as soon as the decor is finished, while it is still perfectly fresh. Create a variety of images in both vertical and horizontal formats.
97
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Cakes Just as with flowers, there are magazines dedicated to wedding cakes. We'll reiterate our advice to use natural light and bounced flash (usually without a diffuser) to show off the cake. You want the light coming from one side, which accentuates the shape of the cake and the smaller details. You can take close-up photos of parts of the cake, but the two main photos you need are the whole cake, and the bride and groom's anniversary cake if there is one. We often use a 28mm prime lens at f1.8 or a 50mm at f1.4 for these photos, depending on the size of the cake and how much of the background we want in the photo.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
98
Find the best angle for the cake. Side lighting is ideal, or you can always bounce the flash. On occasion, you may want to photograph some cakes from a top down perspective in order to highlight the top tier.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
99
Rentals When photographing a wedding where a wedding planner or florist is also acting as a wedding designer, there will often be furniture rented specifically for the event, whether it's Chiavari chairs and fancy linens or lounges with special lighting and chandeliers brought in. The rental companies are not usually involved with brides directly, so you usually don't need to form a relationship with them; it's the wedding designer you want the relationship with. Wedding designers usually only work on weddings with higher budgets.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
100
Whenever rentals are brought in, it’s a great idea to plan to capture it. The client, designer and rental company will all appreciate having these kinds of images. Check with the planner beforehand so you’ll know where to find these areas and when they will be ready.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
101
Service and Vendors Here are examples of other wedding vendors in action on the wedding day. Sometimes these images are used in a venue's marketing materials, to showcase services such as the Ritz-Carlton's white glove service or special intermezzo course. A planner might like to use an image on her website of her working with a happy client. A DJ could use a photo of himself working a large crowd on the dance floor. These are often spur-of-the-moment photos you can take throughout the day that don't need much pre-planning or thought. (Isn't that a relief?)
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
102
Images such as these can be especially helpful for vendors that need images showing their services in action. Notice that in two of the images below, the name of the service is highlighted in the image. That makes for a great marketing image.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
103
Chapter 8
Strategies for Developing Partnerships
W
hen you decide to make vendor relationships the key focus of your
marketing strategy, you need to understand that you will be investing a lot of time and some money into developing those relationships. Some will blossom into your best partnerships; others will send you one or two referrals a year. You can't control which relationships thrive, as there are many factors outside your control. You can, however, increase the odds in your favor. Here's a look at how to approach it with a professional attitude.
Exploring Relationships That Lead to Partnerships As you invest time and resources to build relationships with other vendors, you will find that some turn into friendships (and potential referrals), some turn into great business partnerships, and some never get off the ground. That's how it goes. You need to understand that not all relationships will blossom for you. There are many factors at play; you simply can't take it personally.
What you can do, however, is learn to recognize those relationships that are going somewhere. Many wedding professionals have little to no business experience. It doesn't occur to them to improve their business by building strategic relationships. Or they might really enjoy your friendship but don't feel your work is a good fit for their clientele. Or perhaps they are single-mindedly focused on their own business, and they don't see value in partnerships. Be friendly and professional, but learn to spot the difference so you can invest your time and efforts wisely.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
105
Images as Currency As photographers, we have a huge advantage over any other vendors. We have the images. Everyone wants them, but those images are under our full control, and we own the copyright. Without our professional images from events, it is difficult for planners, venues, caterers, rental companies, and floral designers to sell their work. Sure, they can show an empty ballroom and describe how great it's going to look, but that's nothing compared to the impression gorgeous images can make to a sales presentation. As a photographer, I don't need to tell you how powerful images are.
What I do need to explain, though, is that you hold the keys. And you can use those images to develop relationships with anyone you've worked with. Everyone wants images of their work. Limo companies need images of the bridal party having a good time in their limo. DJs need images that show off how much fun their dance floors are. Floral designers need images to sell different styles of bouquets. Hotels and caterers need images to upsell their add-on products like custom cocktails and fancy dessert bars.
If you want to get to on a referral list, those images are going to help you get in the door. Those images of yours? That's your currency. Use it.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
106
Mutually Beneficial, Not Mutually Exclusive A great partnership goes both ways and benefits both parties. We've discussed how the images play a big part in developing a relationship from your side, but what are you looking for from the vendor? You would like to be put on their referral list. You would like to have a sample album in the venue—and perhaps business cards or brochures if appropriate. But the most important thing you would like? A strong and enthusiastic verbal referral. There's nothing more powerful for your business than having a happy vendor refer your services to a trusting bride.
However, it's important to note that each vendor works differently, and you cannot expect everyone to provide you with a verbal referral. It's the ultimate goal, but some vendors simply do not do this. It's important to respect that everyone has the right to run their businesses how they see fit. Some venues are more hands off when it comes to referrals, and when asked by the bride, they hand over a printed list and direct them to a pile of sample albums. In this case, your goal is to get on that printed list and create a standout album that begs to be chosen from the pile. For best results, adapt your approach based on the situation.
You cannot expect that any vendor will refer you exclusively and no other photographers. Most would find that practice unethical, as it does not serve the client. Vendors typically refer a number of photographers based on the
TIP: After receiving a timeline from a planner, be sure
needs of the bride, which can include budget, style, personality, and skill
to call and thank him. When a planner has finished the timeline and sent it out that is his work, and he needs assurance that it is well received, in the same way we photographers wait by the phone and check email after sending images out, waiting for (hopefully) positive feedback.
sets (some photographers are great for outdoor weddings and mediocre for indoor weddings). But that doesn't mean you can't be their favorite.
107
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Investing in Key Partnerships Once you have spent a year or so attending networking events, sending discs and doing what you can to get to know vendors and to prove your value to them, you will find that certain relationships begin to rise to the top. These are connections that are on their way to becoming great partnerships. The potential is there because their clients are a great match for your services.
Not every relationship will flourish, and some may flourish but won't lead to bookings because their brides cannot afford your services or prefer a different style. You want to be on the lookout for vendor relationships with the greatest potential, so you can put in the time and the effort to take it to the next level.
ADVICE Partner with Local Businesses for Cross-Promotional Opportunities This concept can be applied to many different types of photography with a little creative thinking. Pursue collaborative partnerships with local businesses that serve
ADVICE What do I mean by partnerships? Being a good vendor partner means working hand-inhand with other vendors. Understanding that designers are relying on you to get them a disc of the wedding images. Giving a strong referral to that vendor when it benefits your client, and knowing that vendor does the same for you. Not badmouthing them or their services in public. These are key elements of a good partnership.
your target clientele. Such as:
Dentists and orthodontists (kids and seniors photography) Pet stores and services (pet photography) Hair Salons and makeup artists(portraits) Doctors and hospitals (newborn and maternity photography) Children’s Clothing Boutiques (kids and family portraits) Lingerie Boutiques and makeup artists (boudoir photography)
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
108
Personalize Whenever Possible Here's an example of how you can personalize your approach
ADVICE Pay to Play? Some Thoughts on Paying for Referrals
to suit the needs of the venue or vendor. One local venue refers us along with a good number of other photographers
Not all incentivized referral programs are inherently immoral or unethical. When
and vendors. It has a bookshelf with sample albums from
I was doing research for WIPA (Wedding Industry Professionals Association) as
photographers, as well as a bookshelf filled with some business
part of the ethics committee, I took on the role of looking deeper into this hot-
cards and brochures of their partner vendors. One day when
button issue for our industry; as part of the charter, it was my job to help determine
we were dropping off a sample album, we noticed that the
whether accepting or offering payment for referrals was going to be part of the
business cards on prominent display were sitting in a variety
membership rules.
of interesting business card holders. It seemed the weddings manager had a thing for unique business card holders! We
As part of my research, I spoke with vendors across the country and found that
found a great business card holder on Etsy (www.etsy.com)
kickbacks, referral fees, and industry discounting are not as black and white as you
that matched our branding and could be personalized with our
might think.
logo. For $19, we got additional branding, and we know our cards are prominently on display.
Here are some examples:
Rental companies often offer a small percentage of the total rental bill to planners and caterers. It's up to the planner or caterer to pass that discount on to their clients or keep it as part of their service fee. A lot goes into rentals, such as designing and placing the entire order, receiving and checking in deliveries, and ensuring that all items are returned in proper condition. This takes hours of time to coordinate, so the planner or caterer may structure his or her fees to include this "extra" as part of her earned salary, or she may pass the discount on to the client as a courtesy.
We work with one planner who offers start-to-finish turnkey service for us. Everything is handled, and all we have to do is show up at the event and shoot. We have no relationship to or contact with the client. The planner handles the contract, payments, timeline, and client care. We're OK with the service fee added on to our fees; it seems more than fair.
109
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Chapter 10 deals with those special relationships that are a perfect match for clients and that respond favorably to your efforts in building a great relationship. These tend to be business-minded people who understand the value of strong partnerships for both sides. They understand it's a two-way street and are interested in helping you, in helping the client, and in how you can help them.
Next, we'll take a closer look at referral lists. These are the bread and butter of vendor relationships. A referral list is what a venue hands out to brides who are looking for recommendations on other wedding services. Typically being on the referral list means you have worked at the venue or with that vendor at least once before, and they are giving your company their seal of approval. This means a lot to a bride. It can be overwhelming to try to plan an event with so many moving parts. Having a tool to discern one photographer from another is a big help. And it's a big help to your business if you are featured on that list.
The more referral lists you can get on, the more referrals you will get for brides. What's especially powerful is when they see your name on several lists as they visit with different vendors. (Once you get that call or email, though, it's up to you to sell your services.) Let's take a look at what those referral lists are all about.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
110
Chapter 9
Getting on the Referral List
G
etting onto the referral list of a local venue or planner can be great
for your business. It means that many of the brides booking weddings with that venue or vendor will see your name on a list of trusted wedding professionals. It increases not only your reach, but also your reputation. Your existence on the list shows a bride that you have experience, that you work well with that professional, or that you know how to photograph at that location. Most importantly, it shows a bride that you are trusted to do quality work.
But how do you get on a referral list? It depends. Sometimes the stars align, and you find yourself on a venue's referral list with little to no effort. Other times, you want to get on a list so badly it kills you, but that list is locked down like Fort Knox. Try as you might, nothing is going to get you on that list unless its gatekeeper moves on. Mostly it takes some work on your part and a lot of patience to get your company on a referral list.
Let’s look at the factors at play in determining how a list comes together.
BEWARE: The magazine ad you’re supposed to pay for to be recommended by a venue. Such lists are quite easy to get onto if you’re willing to pay a hefty fee, but are highly ineffective. Once this type of publication moves in, the venue’s referral system tends to fall apart. Instead of genuine referrals, brides are given an ad book. Don’t waste your money on these.
Closed Lists The venue or vendor is very cautious about who gets on a list; vendors must meet certain standards and uphold the venue's idea of quality.
The list has been there a long time, and the person in charge doesn't bother with updating the list. It works, so why change it?
The person in charge has worked closely with everyone on the list, there is a great deal of trust, and she feels her clients will always be well taken care of by everyone on that list.
Open Lists A new person recently took over bookings, and wants to put together a fresh list.
The vendor likes to keep the list fresh, always on the lookout for emerging talent.
An outside publication is responsible for list creation; business owners now have to pay into the venue's corporate brochure to be on the list.
Venue and hotel professionals frequently move around and sometimes like to bring their favorite vendors.
You happen to network with a vendor on the very day that they’re thinking about updating their list. This might sound like a fluke, but it’s happened to us repeatedly, so keep networking!
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
113
This wedding (and the publicity we received from it) launched our career into the big leagues.
Moving from Closed to Open Many different factors and circumstances go into getting on a list. Build
took care of his clients. We stayed in touch with him and developed a friendship.
strong relationships with the vendors you work with; impress them with your
Several years later, he moved to a Ritz-Carlton property. One of the first things
team-player attitude and gorgeous work that you are willing to freely share with
he did was throw away the old referral list, and suddenly we found ourselves at
them. Eventually you will find yourself getting added to referral lists. Remember
the top of the new one. Not only that, but he strongly recommended us to his
that this business is not about mutual back scratching, and most vendors can
wedding clients, telling them if they wanted the best, we were the only choice.
see through that attitude of "what's in it for me?" Be genuine, and prove yourself
This relationship and his job move turned out to be one of the biggest breaks in
worthy. Vendors want to refer other vendors that are a great fit for their clients.
our career. While every other photographer in town was scrambling to get on
If you make that easy for them, it will happen naturally.
his list, we were there. Obviously, vendors were coming out of the woodwork to befriend him now that he was at a Ritz-Carlton. However, he wanted to surround
We worked at a midlevel venue a couple of times and really bonded with the
himself with vendors he knew he could trust. The point is, it takes time to build
catering manager there. He loved our work, but he especially loved was how we
these kinds of relationships.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
114
Of course, it doesn't always go this way. Others we have tried to build working relationships with simply weren't interested. Remember to always be professional and polite, but move on to more fruitful potential partnerships. Never burn bridges, because you don't know how things will play out later, and all industries are small worlds. I can't stress this enough.
Getting on referral lists is a big help to your business, but do not make the mistake of thinking it starts and ends there. Don't think that because you have secured a spot on a list you can rest on your laurels. Continue to prove to the venue why you deserve to be on that list. Take care of their clients, and take care of the venue. If you drop the ball, another photographer is waiting in the wings—someone who is younger/fresher/better/ hungrier for the business.
It's important to understand that you should never put all your eggs in one basket. You want to diversify your business. Don't try to get on only one referral list; try to get on several each year. Venues and vendors referring you will come and go. People may love your work and refer you to every bride, but then they move to Las Vegas, and the gravy train halts. Or things are going great, so you slack a bit, and suddenly your referral business has shifted to the hot new photographer in town. Business comes and goes just like that. It's no one else's job to give you business. That's your job exclusively.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
115
I assure you that the great things for our business did not happen because we are "such awesome photographers" (or some other such magic that you don't have). These things happened for us because we work hard, we identify what we want, we make a plan, and we go after it—in all of the ways we are sharing with you in this guide. Sometimes we get flat-out rejected. Some people think we are God's greatest gift to wedding photography. Other people won't return our calls. You'd think you get to a point where you "make it" and all the doors are automatically opened for you and you are invited to all the champagne parties. Nope, not even for us, and not for any well-known photographer you can think of. You have to always be on your game, and you have to accept that sometimes you win big, but other times you miss a job you desperately wanted. Just remember not to take it personally, and move forward with your plan.
“It’s not personal, Sonny; it’s strictly business.” ~The Godfather
116
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Club A: Right Place at the Right Time 1. We sent prints to the wedding/events manager
3. I mailed some 5-by-7 prints, followed up, and we
with a handwritten note.
were added to their list.
2. We followed up with an offer to create an album.
4. They send us referrals all the time, and we work
The manager's assistant asked me to come by next
in that location about five times a year. The best
day to meet with the manager. The next day the
part? Some of our highest-paying weddings come
event manager breezed in, said she was new, needed
from that country club. Of course, we continue to
collateral, liked my work, and could I get her a disc?
hold up our end of the bargain: we provide them
She'd love an album; could I put their logo on the
with whatever they need for sales tools—slideshows,
A Tale of Two Country Clubs
front of it? Then she left her assistant handle the rest
albums, prints, and so on—and when they call and
of the details. It was that quick and easy.
ask for something, we get it to them.
We identified two country clubs that we wanted to work at more frequently. We had photographed a wedding at each of them, and we put them on our target list of venues whose lists we wanted to be on. Since we had work from previous weddings several years prior, we had a starting point with each of them. Here's what happened.
Club B: Can’t Crack That Nut
CASE STUDY
1. Sent prints with a handwritten note.
8. Nothing, nothing, nothing.
2. Left a voicemail and email about a sample album;
9. Attended a networking group specifically to
neither were returned.
network with the event manager. She wasn’t rude,
3. Left another voicemail and two more emails. 4. Called to say we have an album we’d like to deliver.
5. Sent another email. 6. Tried to find anyone else to connect with.
but she simply wasn’t interested.
10. Finally got another wedding there (a year and half after trying to connect; it was spectacular).
11. Sent over images and a handwritten note. 12. The event manager emails us, asking for an image for a print ad. Hallelujah!
7. After 8 months of zilch, we finally dropped off the album.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
117
After nearly two years of trying, we were finally getting somewhere. Or so we thought. Despite all these efforts on our part, the relationship just never got off the ground. Perhaps she had a list from ten years back, and the photographers on that list still showed up and did a great job. So why rock the boat? We’ll still provide the image for the ad; it doesn’t hurt us or take much time, so why not? The catering manager could decide to give us a try this year. She could leave her position and her replacement loves our work. It’s a chance that costs us nothing.
You can’t always win, but you should still try! In the first scenario, we were lucky that we followed up at the right time. Is it worth the time? Absolutely. We probably should have clued in much earlier that the second venue wasn’t interested, but since the results had been so spectacular with the other place, we could see the value to our business in making that connection, so we continued to invest the time.
118
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
CASE STUDY Nancy Liu Chin of Nancy Liu Chin Designs Nancy is a nationally known and respected floral and event designer in the Bay Area who has been in the industry for almost 12 years.
As a floral and event designer, Nancy spends a lot of time focusing on the details. So naturally, she prefers to work with photographers who take gorgeous and unique detail shots that show off the wedding details. Surprisingly, she says some photographers do not understand how to create a variety of unique detail images.
Nancy feels that the best vendor relationships are with those who collaborate with each other. She feels weddings are very much a team event, and good vendors will work together to make the best possible experience for the clients. It’s the responsibility of all vendors to create a positive relationship and Nancy feels that if photographers want to build their brand and relationships with designers and planners, they have to take equal responsibility in getting a wedding published or featured in editorials. Getting published is a key component of Nancy’s marketing and brand strategy, so she prefers to work with photographers who are equally into the details.
If there is not a good variety of detail images, the wedding is not likely to be selected for publication. What she finds frustrating is when the photographers are too busy or not interested in submitting a wedding to be published. In addition, Nancy would submit the images herself but often without the disc of (non-watermarked) images there is not much
TIP: Take advantage of the fact that most photographers are resting on their laurels when it comes to providing discs to their vendors. If you have time to implement only one step from this entire guide, this could be the one.
she can do. The best-case scenario is a photographer who works hand-in-hand with her or the planner and this is what she calls a partner. Being a good partner involves learning about the wedding floral design beforehand so that important details do not get left out. And of course, details don’t just include florals and event details but also capture the setting. Sending a disc with non-watermarked images after the wedding, submitting appropriate weddings for publication, and staying in contact about anticipated editorial coverage are the things that can set a photographer apart from their competitors.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
119
Getting Onto the Referral List Nancy recommends photographers for her clients based on many factors including style, budget, professionalism, technical specialties, location, and personality. She recommends both seasoned pros and up-and-coming photographers, based on what will be a fit for her client’s needs.
Getting Taken Off of the Referral List What are some reasons a vendor might not keep their spot on her referral list? The biggest offense—lack of professionalism. Vendors who show up late, perform poorly, dress inappropriately, or treat clients or other vendors rudely.
When I asked Nancy how frequently she receives discs and prints from photographers, she investigated. She has received 20 discs out of 42 weddings last year (she’s the designer I mention in Chapter 6). Some of those weddings were within the past three months, so she hopes to receive more.
I was appalled to hear that. I thought it would be more like 75%. The key takeaway is that with so few photographers bothering to build relationships with the floral designers, event stylists, wedding planners, caterers, and venues, it should be EASY for you to stand out from the crowd. A simple disc will delight them.
As the wedding landscape continues to shift, Nancy believes everything is moving toward digital—not only digital photography, but also digital portfolios. She is moving away from sample albums. In her studio, she shows a moving slideshow presentation to her clients. Nancy sees herself using Pinterest in the future, as it allows her to create mood boards that use some of the same images, depending on how she organizes them. This means that digital images are going to become even more important to floral designers, event stylists, and planners.
You can visit Nancy at www.nancyliuchin.com 120
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Chapter 10
Partnerships: Relationship Building for Your Top 20
O
nce you have been building relationships for 12 months or more, certain
relationships will develop more than others. You will start to see more and more referrals coming from these sources, and you may find that these referrals are more likely to book, as they have been given a strong (usually verbal) referral to you, and the client is your right match.
You need to understand which relationships are most beneficial to your business and take steps to encourage those relationships to grow, protect, and nurture them, as well as make sure that it is mutually beneficial. You may find some relationships never seem to go anywhere, or they just aren't a right fit business-wise. What's important is that you are aware of this so you don’t end up wasting time and resources on developing a relationship that isn’t going to lead anywhere for your business. Also be watchful of a relationship that is not working the way you want it to; you have no right to be angry or unprofessional. It's no one else's job to promote you. Don't sulk or act like a child because you aren’t getting referrals. There may be other factors at play, and your behaviors will be noticed (and commented on to other vendors), so always keep it professional.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
122
We are friends with a florist, and for years we recommended him exclusively and enthusiastically to every bride. We handed out his brochure, and in fact he was the only florist we recommended. But after a few years, we realized this florist never, ever recommended us. Not a single time. He'd call and thank us for the referrals and for the business, but he did not reciprocate. Who knows why: maybe he didn't like our work; maybe he felt our pricing was too high for his clients; maybe we didn't go out drinking together enough.
That doesn't mean we can't be friends, but we do not refer him anymore. We refer a florist who responded positively to one of our sample albums, asking for more. She asked for images for print ads with tight deadlines, and we got them to her (quickly, without charge, and without watermarks). What does she give us in return? Lots of business. It is a great partnership; we understand each other and respect each other.
That’s where the concept of the top 20 comes in. Once you have been implementing the various strategies we provide in this guide, certain relationships will develop more than others. As you review your different sources for leads, you will find that certain relationships are responsible for a great deal of your business. These are the relationships that you need to pay the most attention to.
TIP: If you are a mom who offers portraits, try networking with local mom groups (check meetup and google groups) in your community.
123
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Marketing Toolbox There are many ways to build and grow those relationships, and we will cover them in this guide. Think of all these methods as tools in your toolbox. You can pick and choose which tool and when to use it. The system is most effective when you can personalize your approach for the particular needs of the vendor or venue. For example, wall art won't work in a hotel that doesn't meet with potential brides in an office space. You can have a gorgeous canvas print hanging in the manager's office, but if she doesn't meet with brides in there, your marketing dollars went down the drain. Here is a look at the different tactics you can use to build those promising relationships into true partnerships for your business.
Wall Prints Some vendors have a client meeting space that would be greatly enhanced by a large wall print or set of canvas wraps. This is the sort of item you would definitely want to talk with them about first before you invest the time and money to create it. The image should be carefully selected as something that will stand out, make a big impression, and reinforce the glamour and romance of that venue or vendor. On a wall print, you would most likely want to be sure your name and/or logo is visible so that prospective brides see your name. No one’s likely to book you from seeing your logo one time on a wall print while touring a venue, but it’s a small impression. Get enough impressions, and it will start to add up.
124
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
al c i n Images for Tech port Your Referral List Sup F Ads amily Photo t c ing dd u We Shoot s s Prod o tful Gift
t Pho ts o Sho
Slid
r o d n Ve ts h g i l t Spo
Wire Reviews
esho
Wa ll
ws Yelpws Revie
Dis Ima c of ge s t n er ve
E aph ogr t o Ph
Deligh
Prin
ts
e l p m s a S um b l A Lu nch
Disc of Images Depending on the vendor (if it's someone we know and trust), we will send a complete disc of images out to venues, planners, and some floral designers. It depends on their needs and preferences. We never include watermarks on these, but we do ask for photo credit in some form. By releasing the images without restrictions, vendors can use these images for their own promotional purposes. Blogs, websites, portfolios‌it creates a lot of goodwill and opens the door for partnerships down the road.
Slideshows Slideshows are great because they cost nothing more than the time to create them. Be sure to make the slideshow specifically for the vendor. A vendor slideshow would not be filled with portraits and other types of images that appeal only to that bride and her family. You can create online slideshows or burn discs for venues to hand out to prospective clients. Slideshows can feature one wedding or multiple weddings but should always be tailored to the individual location or vendor.
Sample Albums Sample albums are a great tool within your marketing tool box that you can use to further develop relationships. Sample albums do require more time and investment to create, so it’s worthwhile to take the time to plan which venues will receive a sample album, and to carefully select the images going into the album to give it the best chance of getting seen by prospective clients. Sample albums play such an important part of vendor relationships that the next chapter is devoted to the subject entirely.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
125
Yelp and Wedding Wire Reviews Another great way to help your vendor or venue is to write a Yelp or Wedding Wire review for them, highlighting some of the great things about their location or service. You can also add in a few relevant images. After you are finished, be sure to send them a link.
Vendor Spotlights Similar to a Yelp review, you can do a vendor spotlight on your blog, highlighting the work of a particular vendor, why you recommend this person or service, and some of the special things you have seen them do for their clients. This is especially great during winter when you don't have many sessions to blog about. Use many photos of their work. This is an important step to showing your vendor how much you believe in their service.
Lunch One of the best ways to get to know a vendor is to take them out to lunch or drinks. It's simple; you phone them and invite them out to lunch this week or next. Many people will claim to be too busy, but some will take you up on the offer. This is a great strategy that many people talk about but don't actually do. Will some (or many) of your requests get rejected, ignored or put off? Yes, that will happen. So what? It’s not personal. It’s a numbers game. Reach out to ten people and two or three might say yes. Ask as many as needed until you get some yeses, and build from there.
126
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Product Photo Shoots Many vendors are in need of a photo shoot to create great portfolio images of their work. Caterers, invitation designers, florists, rental companies, and linen companies all need great images. When they are just starting out, it's hard for them to put together a portfolio of their work, and they usually end up with horrible point-and-shoot, heavily flashed images. This type of activity requires a bit of time, but if you are a new photographer hungry for business, what better way to endear yourself to another industry professional? Approach a planner for help with coordinating a photo shoot with these vendors; they know who is new or in need of a new portfolio.
Family Photo Shoots If you are trying to connect with someone more established in your industry, it might not be a portfolio they need but a family session. Industry professionals are just as busy (and sometimes cash poor) as the rest of us. You can offer to do a maternity session or family or kid session for them as a way to get to show them what you are like to work with. Imagine the kind of enthusiastic referrals a planner would give you if you were her family photographer!
Event Photographer As you become more known to people in the industry, you may be asked to photograph industry events. Remember to be on your professional best behavior. The turnaround, presentation, and other factors are all on display for your peers. Show them what a pro you are. In addition, take advantage of the opportunity to network while you are at the event.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
127
Images for Ads and Brochures We consider it a huge compliment when a venue or vendor asks to use an image for their brochure or magazine ad. We always agree to this enthusiastically; it's like a free ad for our business! We simply request photo credit, which is never a problem. Once we see what type of campaign is happening with the image (full-page ad, huge banner in a hotel, postcards) we will support that campaign by featuring those images prominently on our website and blog. Brides will see these images and start to recognize our work and our studio name. See this as free marketing your studio can benefit from. If you don’t have other images published yet, you can count this as a certain type of press/publicity. If your images appear in a wedding magazine via an ad, can you not legitimately say "as seen in‌" on your email signatures? Think of other ways you can maximize the marketing and turn it into an opportunity for your studio.
ADVICE Should You Charge for Images Used in Ads? That depends. Is this a potential partner? Is it someone you would like to receive referrals from? If there is an opportunity for a business relationship, you have much more to gain from building a long-term relationship than earning a few hundred dollars from an image (you only need one booking to make it worthwhile). On the other hand, if the vendor isn’t a good match for you in terms of leads, consider giving them the image as a goodwill gesture or perhaps barter services. You never know where your bookings will come from. This could be a personal ambassador of your business. And you can't buy that kind of marketing.
Here are two examples of our images being used in partner magazine ads. Not only do we get the exposure, but we also create a stronger bond with that vendor by being featured in their advertising.
CASE STUDY Helping Your Partner with Upselling Once you have established a great relationship with a wedding professional, how can you take it to the next level? You can create images specially designed to help them with upselling add-on experiences—like linen upgrades, rentals, and extra touches that can take an event from great to extraordinary. We routinely look for opportunities to create these types of images because we know that the salespeople can better illustrate the value of their add-on products and options with gorgeous images. It’s all about understanding how you can add value. Provide your partners with the tools they need, and they will surely return the favor.
Examples of photos used by some of our partners to upsell their products and services. By creating these images, our partners know they can rely on us to help them sell additional services to their clients. Without images, it’s much more difficult to sell addon experiences that will enhance the event.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
130
Your Referral List If the services are a good match for your typical clients and you can vouch for their work, consider including them on your referral
VENDOR RECOMMENDATIONS We have worked with hundreds of wedding vendors in the Bay Area. We think these vendors offer superb quality and service. If you would like to hear more about our experience with these and more vendors, we are always happy to chat!
list. Be aware that brides tend to book things in a certain order, so it can be hard for you to refer venues when most brides have a location before they have a photographer. Similarly, most brides have a photographer before they have a makeup artist.
PLANNERS
HAIR & MAKEUP
FLORAL DESIGNERS
Your vendors go here!
Your vendors go here!
Your vendors go here!
Technical Support Because we work with computers and digital files every day, we are often able to help out other wedding creative talent with small
DAY-OF COORDINATORS
INVITATIONS
LIGHTING DESIGN
Your vendors go here!
Your vendors go here!
Your vendors go here!
issues such as how to put an image on Facebook. When someone reaches out to you for help, offer it if you can. Support others in your industry, and they will support you. You’d be surprised at how many opportunities there are to help vendors in this way, as many people are intimidated by the technology we are using every day.
WEDDING CAKES
VIDEOGRAPHERS
REHEARSAL DINNER
Your vendors go here!
Your vendors go here!
Your vendors go here!
Including your partners on a referral list is a great way to continue and strengthen the relationship. For more information on how to improve your consultations once you’ve gotten a referral: Tips on Improving Your Consultations
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
131
Year-End Gifts You might want to reward vendors who give you a great deal of business with a special personal gift such as a spa certificate, dinner at a nice restaurant, or something similar. It's a personal choice and up to you.
Let There Be Cupcakes! Sometimes you want to reach more people, and you can't afford fancy end-of-year spa gifts for everyone you'd like to thank. Think of something interesting and fun that will surprise and delight them. One year we ordered several dozen mini-cupcakes and delivered them to everyone on our top 20 list. By personally delivering the gifts, it was another opportunity to stop in and chat, and it's just another opportunity to make an impression. For individual planners, we dropped in with a box of four cupcakes. For hotels with a large staff, we brought a box of 20 or more, so the entire catering and wedding staff could enjoy it.
Other ideas you could try:
Delivering candied applies for autumn
Sending Halloween cards
Partnering with a florist to send an arrangement
Valentine's Day candy deliveries
On occasion, we have a very special wedding, and we want to thank the planner and the venue for referring us to this type of job that we know will lead to a lot of publicity and/or more bookings. We want to do something extra special as a thank-you and make a great impression.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
132
Sometimes, you are building loyal fans of your work from the sidelines. It's not just the catering manager who can refer you. Do you know we actually booked a wedding because a couple was celebrating their engagement at a Ritz-Carlton one evening, and the waitress actually whipped out our brochure right on the spot? That one still blows my mind. Be courteous, be professional, and be excellent at all times.
Staying Connected to Your Top 20 Follow and comment on their blogs
Follow them on Twitter and engage in dialogue
Comment on their Facebook pages, particularly posts that are not getting any comments
Connect on LinkedIn
You probably will not have time to do all the activities all the time, so choose what fits your abilities and resources and the needs of your partner best. Remember, these items are supposed to help sell THEM, not you. However, do it right, and they won't be able to help from gushing about your services. There is nothing more powerful than a personalized and enthusiastic recommendation from someone who had a great experience with your brand. It's worth far more than the exposure you'd get from having a watermark on that wall print.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
133
CASE STUDY
CASE STUDY
Hotel Slideshows
A Planner Speaks Out on Referrals
We sent a hotel we work with a link to an online slideshow we had created for it specifically. It featured the various settings people could choose for their ceremony,
"There are certain vendors involved in weddings that are just
as well as the three different rooms available for receptions. Each image in the
'givens'—a planner would never ask a client IF they are having
slideshow was specifically chosen to "sell" the venue and how great it would be
a photographer or an officiant, or flowers, and so on. Either
to have a wedding there. The sales manager loved the slideshow, and she began
they have already hired these vendors or are looking to the
sending it out to her out-of-town clients so they could get a taste of the hotel and
planner for referrals. During the interview process, planners
a wedding experience without being there. After a while, the sales manager asked
ask potential clients whom they have already hired, or ask
us to make a different version of the slideshow, only featuring smaller weddings in
specific questions about what they are looking for in that
the locations they used for intimate gatherings. She felt it would help her sell the
type of vendor so that we can make our referrals. What I have
smaller spaces better to have a tool that focused on that experience exclusively.
found is that while some photographers/other vendors may
She found that to be so successful, a few months later she asked us to separate the
ask a client if they have a wedding planner, why not ask who
images from the main ballroom into two categories: lavish events and the minimal-
is their planner, to plant that seed? I know this may seem a bit
decor, understated events. That way she could help her clients visualize the type of
pushy on my part, but once I started asking certain vendors
wedding they were considering. We were careful to include images of the types of
to try this, my bookings from those vendors increased
upgrade experiences the hotel offered—dessert bars, special cocktails, upgraded
dramatically."
appetizers, and so forth. Kind of like planting the seeds for the catering manager of the types of add-ons she could offer the clients. Obviously, we got a ton of
~Dina Balatti, Bella Celebrations
business from this location. Every client that ever comes through there sees our work in multiple places such as sample albums and slideshows. Sometimes we have to play by corporate rules, meaning no photo credit or logos in some cases. Are we OK with that? Absolutely. We aren't stock photographers making our living off selling a single image. We are wedding photographers, and we make our living from weddings. And we get a lot of business from this hotel each year. So why would we do anything to jeopardize that? You have to see the big picture.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
134
Chapter 11
Sample Albums
S
ample albums are the bread and butter of our vendor relationship
program. We allocate most of our marketing dollars toward sample albums for vendors. Albums are great because brides can see, touch, and feel them. The impact of an album is much higher than a postcard or business card. More expensive, yes, but also much more effective. Before you go off and create a bunch of sample albums, there are some things you need to consider.
How many sample albums does the venue or planner have? This will help you determine how to create an album that's going to do its job. Fifteen brown and black albums? Make yours with a pink cover. All slip-in matted albums? Make yours in the style of a custom-designed coffee table book.
In order for your sample albums to work well, they must stand out from the pile. Notice how the pink cover stands out from under the pile?
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
136
Album Design: The Cover The album cover for a bride might be a nice portrait, done
a bride choose that album above all the others. Consider
in a timeless material. The album cover for a vendor should
how the albums are presented to potential clients. Is
be an image that highlights that service. If the album is
there a pile of albums at the venue to choose from? Make
for the venue, then the image should sell the romance of
sure yours stands out from the pile by selecting a unique
that venue. If the album is for the floral designer, it should
cover material. Are they stacked on a shelf? Can you add
be of a gorgeous floral detail. Something that will make
something cool and catchy to the spine to get attention?
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
137
These examples are all cover designs for vendor albums. Select images that the venue or vendor will want to grab and show a prospective client how gorgeous their venue can look once transformed.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
138
Album Design: The Layout The layout for a vendor album is also very different from a bride's album layout. In a client album, there will be lots of images that tell the story of the day, family portraits, and portraits of the couple. In a vendor album, you want to tell the story of the event itself and feature all the details that made the day special. If this album is for a catering company, feature the food. If it's for a venue, choose images that sell the venue. By doing that, you ensure that the salesperson will use your album specifically when selling the venue to a prospective couple.
What does that mean? It means we choose images specifically with the vendors in mind. We take many detail shots, and the best ones get featured in vendor albums. For example, with a venue, a bride wants to see how the ballroom is going to look all set up; she wants to see how the ceremony area looks when set up for a wedding. It's very hard to sell an empty room, so a venue salesperson needs tools to help them illustrate for a prospective client how gorgeous that room is going to look on their wedding day with their flowers and table settings and so on.
Obviously, the salesperson wants to show off his venue in the best possible light, so an image with zero decor, flimsy chairs, and ugly lighting is not going to help them sell. Neither is a photo littered with half-eaten plates of food and purses and jackets cluttering everything up. They need an image that shows how fabulous the site can look. If you can create those images and provide them to the venue, you are helping them do their job. By helping them do their job, you are ensuring your images get shown to
Choose images that highlight the vendor team (or their work) that created the event.
the bride. You can see the impact that can have for your business, right? Now imagine the bride goes to four venues and sees your sample albums in three of those locations, and at least one facilities coordinator specifically recommends you. That's powerful.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
139
These are some examples of album layouts that we’ve created for vendors. Most of the spreads focus on details and features that the vendor team would want to highlight to potential clients. We include a handful of wedding highlights to give the albums some emotion and life, but the point is to showcase the vendor's work (catering presentations, decor, ballroom setup, and so forth).
140
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Album Design: The Back Cover We use the back of the album for our branding. Every sample album has the same back cover—a signature image that we use on business cards and various marketing pieces as well as our name, logo, and contact information. We do this to create a consistent look for our sample albums and make sure that brides keep seeing that same image (our signature image) on the back of sample albums everywhere she goes. She'll be able to instantly recognize our books this way.
TIP: For the most impact, deliver your sample
We also use the spine for additional branding.
141
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
albums in person. Not only do you get a chance to see their reaction, but you also have another opportunity to make a great impression and ask what else you might provide that would be helpful to them. You can also refill brochures or business cards on display. The face-to-face interaction is priceless, and they often mention a potential client also, which you can follow up on later.
Process for Creating Vendor Albums Over the years we have developed and refined our system for vendor
One thing you need to understand is that some albums you create will
albums. This is the process we have found to be the most effective in terms
pay off. Others will get stuck at the bottom of the pile, never to see the
of time and money. Please note that this is our current process, to a T. It may
light of day. It's a risk you take, and it's a numbers game. Some will pay off;
not fit your needs.
others won't. Don't take it personally. I know this is common sense advice, but I often see photographers act very unprofessionally when a venue is
Not all weddings get selected for a vendor album. It really depends upon
not providing them with the leads they were hoping for. Do I witness it
the vendors involved and the ability for that particular wedding to help
firsthand? No. I hear about it in the form of gossip from other vendors. You
sell the vendor team. Big, glamorous wedding with tons of unique details?
must avoid this at all costs. Word gets around that you are a prima donna to
Absolutely. Small, intimate, second-marriage wedding, minimal details?
work with, and you can kiss your referrals good-bye.
Probably not—unless that venue specifically needs a tool to reach that segment of the market. Perhaps they would like to book more of those
Act like a professional at all times, and if something is not working for you,
types of weddings, but struggle when all they can show is images of young
ask yourself why. Try to figure out how you could have done better. Would
couples with big weddings. We do have one partner who frequently books
a different size have been more effective? Did your design and layout not
weddings for affluent, eccentric types. To connect more with that type of
sell the venue, making it of little use to the salesperson? Does the cover look
client, they constantly need images to highlight the many different types
like all the others? As you refine and improve your process, you will increase
of weddings at their venue—older couples, different cultural backgrounds,
the value of each sample album. Learn to create more effective albums
unusual elements. Work with your wedding professional as a partner to
and understand how to personalize the project according to your partner's
create sales tools that work for them.
needs.
We have found that we get the most referrals and bookings from venues, so
Over time, you will find that certain relationships are blossoming and result
that is our focus. We design one album for the vendor team, and we work in
in many leads that book. Track your results so you can evaluate which
all the details that highlight the vendors we have identified in that wedding—
partnerships are most beneficial to your business. Once you have the
typically the venue, planner, floral designer, and sometimes the caterer,
data, you can determine where to allocate further resources. For our most
depending on the situation.
financially beneficial relationships, we do not hesitate to supply them with as many additional resources and tools as we can in order to further that relationship and book more brides.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
142
Examples of Good and Bad Images for Vendor Marketing Here are some side-by-side comparisons of images to illustrate what does and does not help sell a venue. You want to think in terms of highlighting the venue and what makes it stand out, what makes it unique. This may be contrary to what types of images are going to sell you. As a photographer, it's the touching emotional moments that sell your services. But remember, the goal here is not to sell your services, so you have to think like a facilities coordinator. With a venue, it's about the location, the views, and the architecture.
143
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Images on the left are great for clients, but do not help venues sell their space. Images on the right are better images for vendor marketing.
CASE STUDY We use Asuka Book for our vendor albums. We find it cost effective, with great looks and minimal turnaround time. Here's a typical order: Big, Gorgeous Wedding: 2-10x10 albums: venue and planner 2-7x7 albums: floral designer and possibly caterer 2-5x5 albums: bride We design the album as a 10-by-10 and then resize for the smaller albums. The 10-by-10 album is under $150, and the 7-by-7 sizes are about $40. The 5-by-5 size is $25. It depends on the number of pages you select and the options, but this gives you a rough estimate.
We create the largest albums for the venues and planners because they give us the most business, so it makes sense to invest more. We want our albums to really stand out, but the costs add up quickly, so we pick and choose who is most likely to give us a verbal referral, versus who might show our album along with many others. We also ask the vendor their preferences; some planners prefer a 7-by-7 size as it fits in their bag better for on-site meetings. If a florist requests a larger size, we would not hesitate to do that. Each relationship should be treated individually.
When we are creating a set of vendor albums, we always include a purse-size gift for
Here are some more examples of great images that do not sell your partners. These images belong in your portfolio, but they aren’t going to do much for floral designers, venues, and planners. Now you can see the difference and will be able to look at your images with an eye for what will help your vendors with their portfolios.
the bride. It's part of our marketing. You know that bride is going to carry that cute little album around in her purse and show it to everyone she comes into contact with. And of course she loves receiving it, so it's a win-win for everyone.
For more: Our Approach to Sample Albums
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
144
Chapter 12
Staying Organized
A
s you get to know vendors, you will find that certain relationships seem to flourish more
than others. You have established a great bond, and you are starting to get referrals to clients. As time goes on, you will find certain relationships are extremely beneficial to your business. They are referring your services enthusiastically to brides, and those brides are booking you. This is the perfect scenario. This is what you have been working toward. Now that all your hard work is paying off, you might forget that without a steady stream of TLC that relationship could wither away.
How valuable it is to have it at your fingertips which jobs you've worked together? You'll want to keep track of these relationships on paper (or online) somewhere. If you've been in business a while and are starting to think about developing those partnerships, putting all the details together in one place will give you a great head start. It's a goldmine of information for you to begin your relationship marketing. Additionally, you may find that you have worked with a particular vendor on several jobs together. If you can refer to those experiences when talking with the vendor, your pitch will naturally be stronger. If the vendor doesn't remember you, you can refer to a wedding you worked on together: "Oh yes, we worked together on Cindy and Dan's wedding at City Hall last year…beautiful work!"
NOTE: Now that we use Shootq, the clients actually input all their vendor information for us, so we no longer need to keep up a spreadsheet of this information. If you don’t use a studio management sfotware, I recommend using an excel spreadsheet that lists the vendor name, vendor type and wedding date and wedding couple in separate columns so you can sort by vendor or vendor type. It’s a great tool to help you keep track of how many times you’ve worked with a vendor and which weddings you might want to focus on promoting.
Recommend a spreadsheet of the names of the top relationships and a quarterly breakout of the steps you are taking or ways that you have recognized or connected with that particular vendor. Otherwise, it's too easy to let a season go by without any contact. Meanwhile another photographer who desperately wants to connect with that planner is taking them out to lunch. You have to stay on top of your game; otherwise someone else more eager than you will quickly take your place on that referral list.
146
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
TIP: You must track each inquiry and booked client to be able to understand what your results are. Sometimes you get a lot of leads but no bookings, meaning simply that your services are not a good match for that vendor. For more information: Tracking Lead Sources
ADVICE
Example of a Top Twenty List VENDOR
Does the partner prefer personal attention or business attention? Some people prefer to develop friendships and enjoy receiving special gifts such as spa certificates or being treated to lunch. Other people may enjoy receiving tools that help them sell better (perhaps reach their corporate sales goals). Customize your approach to the individual for best results. Examples of business attention: Marketing items like sample albums, brochures, slideshows
1st Quarter JAN - MAR JAN: Thank You note for referring planner Rebecca S.
Carrie Smith
JAN: Sent Asuka Book from Jenna & Ryan
2nd Quarter APR - JUN
3rd Quarter JUL - SEPT
APR: Sent birthday message
JUL: Took out to lunch
MAY: Offered thank-you cards (custom for her)
Send email touching base
4th Quarter OCT - DEC
PARTNERSHIPS
OCT: Sent disc of images from Susie & Chris + Amber & Joe
Personal Recommendation Website Referral Website Link Vendor Referral Handout Show Albums Images on website Hands out slideshows Shows images in portfolios Has brochure available at site
AUG: Wedding Wire review
DEC: Sent earrings holiday gift
JUL: Sent Asuka Book of Pritha & Rhett
OCT: Delivered wall portrait for meeting space
JUL: Sent blog entries from Haidee & Wilson, Diana & Andy
NOV: Sent prints from Wedding University
JUN: Offered lunch FEB: Reviewed her on Yelp
FEB: Vendor prints & disc from Pritha & Rhett
APR: Sent additional prints from portrait session for daughter and son
FEB: Sent new website mailer
Jeanie Francis
Thank you note - Wedding University
JUL: Sent Asuka Book of Pritha & Rhett
DEC: Delivered holiday gift AUG: Sent vendor prints from Haidee & Wilson, Diana & Andy
Wedding University Sponsor
Personal Recommendation Website Referral Website Link Vendor Referral Handout Show Albums Images on website Hands out slideshows Shows images in portfolios Has brochure available at site
MAR: Lunch w/ Kevin & Jubilee MAR: Delivered framed print from portrait session
Joan Little
JAN: Asuka Book from Cyndie & Willie
APR: Sent disc of team images
MAR: Send disc of images for website & PDF of editorial
APR: Reviewed website design
JUN: Yelp review
DEC: Delivered holiday gift
AUG: Vendor spotlight on blog
DEC: Sent digital negatives from Weintraub party
APR: Sent disc of images for her website
Personal Recommendation Website Referral Website Link Vendor Referral Handout Show Albums Images on website Hands out slideshows Shows images in portfolios Has brochure available at site
MAY: Offered custom design ed thank-you cards
Bonus Worksheet “Figuring Out Your Top Twenty� will guide you through the steps to put your own Top Twenty list together.
Wall portraits Headshot session for business Examples of personal attention: Spa gift certificate Family portrait session Lunch out
What have you done for them lately? Keep track of your top 20 with a spreadsheet broken down by quarter, so you can verify that you are giving love, attention, and gratitude to your partners.
However you choose to do it, it's important to stay organized as you begin to put your plans into action. These plans take time to implement, and they take time to nurture and grow into rewarding relationships. Because of the time involved in these types of marketing strategies, it is likely that you will not see results right away. And that's where, if you aren't careful, things will start to slip through the cracks. Ensure your success with this approach by keeping organized records of who you've contacted in what form. That way, you'll never let six months or a year go by without stopping in to say hello or dropping a note or disc in the mail. Just like with gardening, if you don't water the plants, they will eventually die.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
147
Chapter 13
Getting Published and Relationship Building
G
etting your work published in wedding magazines and blog can be fantastic for your business. It can open
doors for you and allow you to access the insiders club of wedding professionals in your area. However, getting published is the start of the marketing process, not the end. It's what gets us noticed, what gives us a foot in the door, so to speak. At the high-end level, it's simply not enough to have gorgeous images. Your competition can create gorgeous images too. You have to have more. Getting your work published regularly is a great way to stand out among your peers and competitors, and that will get you noticed by the top planners, your peers, and other vendors.
It doesn't happen on its own, though; just because you are in the current Grace Ormonde or The Knot doesn't mean everyone knows about it. You've seen how small the photo credits are, right? Tiny. It's up to you to get the word out. Think of the publicity as a tool to use in your marketing toolbox. Now, instead of just telling people how great you are, you have a tool that you can use to say basically the same thing. That publicity is a way to shine a spotlight on your brand. But what's especially great about getting a wedding published is that you can toot the horn of the entire vendor team involved with that wedding.
Let the vendor team you worked with know that one of their weddings got published, and give credit to their team, especially since they might not get credit in the magazine directly. Make the vendors your heroes, and they will remember it. This alone will pay huge dividends in future months. Everyone wants to work with a success. Once you've been published, you have something tangible you can use to build wonderful relationships with other vendors, particularly those involved with that particular wedding. Strong vendor relationships are the key to our success as well as many well-known, successful photographers.
You've finally gotten some kind of fantastic publicity. Congratulations! Getting press and publicity is an art unto itself, and you should be proud of yourself. Now that you've received some press, take the time to do some promotions so that you get the most benefit from the press and publicity. Getting a mention in your local paper or having an image published in a magazine is wonderful, and there are ways that you can get even more mileage for your studio.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
149
Make Your Editorial Work for You:
Other Promotional Ideas:
Blog about it. Be sure to credit the vendor team for making it happen;
Let other vendors you want to work with know that your work is
be sensitive to the fact that the other vendors may feel slighted if they
getting published, and "partner" with them to help them get publicity
did not receive a byline credit.
as well.
Email the blog post to the entire vendor team, thanking them for
Frame a magazine cover and article for the studio.
giving you such gorgeous work that was easy to get published (make the vendors your heroes).
Frame a magazine cover and article for key vendors or have them made into a tabletop display.
Email the blog post to the bride and groom, encouraging them to forward it.
Have color tear sheets as part of your consult package.
Purchase several copies of the magazine, and mail to the bride, venue,
Link to recently published work in your email signature.
planner, florist, or other key players. Promote your published work in your email signature with a list of Scan the magazine so you can place on your blog and offer high-
magazine names your work is currently featured in.
resolution PDFs to each vendor for their publicity materials. These can also be printed and framed as gifts, or you can help them place on
Include an "As Seen In" widget on your blog featuring a link to that
their websites.
blog post featuring the magazine.
Mention in your newsletter if you have one.
Dedicate a page on your website to showcase the editorial features.
Mention your recent work being published when networking. You
Have a sample album made with a wedding that is being published
have to toot your own horn, because no one else will.
so that you can maximize the connection between your work and the magazine. We often have brides comment about where they saw our
Mention on your Facebook page and Twitter, and post images. Tag
work: "Oh, I saw this wedding in The Knot magazine!"
vendors and your clients in relevant images.
Add key images to your website galleries or even to your intro slideshow to build on the image recognition.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
150
If you are interested in the high-end wedding market, it is essential to forge relationships with wedding planners. Planners are typically very keen to get their work published, and this is a great way to stand out and get noticed. The turnaround time to get a wedding published is anywhere from one month to a year or more. I recommend submitting regularly and frequently as part of your workflow to ensure a constant stream of featured images that you can use in your marketing and in building relationships with related vendors.
Those features in magazines and popular blogs are valuable tools you can use to develop interest in your work and further your reputation. People will notice you and want to work with you as they keep hearing your name and seeing your work in magazines. We have put a great deal of time and effort into getting our work published regularly. This has led to being featured in over 70 magazines and popular blogs in just a few years, which equals one feature per month, usually several. However, if we did nothing more than post a self-congratulations feature on our blog every time we get something published, the time involved would not be worthwhile from a business standpoint. It's what we do after we've been published that makes the difference.
To learn more about the process check out Get Published: A Guide for Wedding Photographers (www.photomint.com/getpublished). This step-by-step guide covers everything from how to photograph details (which are central to pleasing wedding vendors) to how to put together submissions and what editors are looking for.
Go to www.photomint.com/getpublished to get your own copy.
151
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
An example of how you can create an image for your email signature to promote your recent press.
We include a PDF of our press in all our consultation packages.
152
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Chapter 14
Peers and Case Studies for More Relationship Building
K
now who's a great resource for leads of brides looking for a
photographer? Other photographers. There's no rule that says your competitors have to be your enemies. Being a photographer is hard work, and it can be lonely. Why not embrace your colleagues and support one another? There are many, many benefits to being friends with your competitors, and building a strong community of wedding photographers is not that difficult. It's amazing to have a resource for sharing ideas, giving constructive feedback, supporting one another, and having emergency backup in case you are seriously ill or injured for a wedding.
Collaborative Partnerships: Peer-to-Peer Referrals In San Francisco, my husband and I and a couple of other photographers, Michelle Walker and Kevin Chin, organized a group of Bay Area photographers that was originally called the ShortList and has now expanded to the Photo Society. We invited other photographers to join us that met certain criteria of ethics, values, and standards. The group has been meeting quarterly for years to privately discuss current issues and offer support, advice, and encouragement to one another. We have all relied on each other or stepped in for one another during emergencies such as a broken arm due to a biking accident, a volcano ash incident that closed airports, a terrible flu, being on crutches, and a bride who put the wrong date on her contract.
154
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
In addition to the many benefits available to you from collaborating with your colleagues, the simple mindset of thinking of your competitors as colleagues—people you trust, support, and respect—will make you a stronger businessperson and a leader in your industry. Other wedding professionals will respect you and even be in awe that you are not filled with insecurities and anxieties that everyone else is better than you and out to steal your ideas.
The main benefit of being friends with other photographers that relates to the subject matter of this guide is lead referral. A referral from another photographer is particularly strong because this bride is actually looking for a photographer right now. She's at the perfect stage in her weddingplanning process as far as you're concerned.
Referral systems between photographers work great for a couple of reasons. First, there are only so many dates, and once a photographer is booked for a date, he or she is no longer available. Why say no when you can say "no, but here's someone who is available and their style is very similar?" It's supereasy to do, and there is no loss to the photographer if they are already going to say no.
TIP: Use a google calendar to keep track of booked dates within your photographer referral group so that you only refer photographers available on that date.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
155
Second, you can refer someone that is a similar match in style, which is something most other vendors cannot do as well as a photographer. To a bride who is overwhelmed with choices, this can be very helpful. The other big advantage is that you are each benefiting from the other's marketing. All the relationships and efforts that brought that lead to them in the first place is now something you can take advantage of, and vice versa. As high-end photographers, we found it especially helpful that these leads were highly qualified—meaning, most of these brides could afford our services, as they were referred from venues and planners of a similar pricing stratus.
One year we got 11 bookings from ShortList referrals. That was 25% of our entire business. When you track your leads and understand where your bookings are coming from, you can put even more time and effort into that source of business. The last thing you want to do is neglect a great source of business for a year (because you are so busy) to then have that source dry up from lack of attention on your part.
There are many ways to develop a collaborative photographer group in your area. It's important to align yourself with other photographers with similar ethics, values, quality, and pricing. There are several different styles of photography in our group, but each photographer's work is of the highest caliber. You want to be comfortable referring someone and be able to stand behind their work and your referral. In our group, we found that similar pricing was important so that we were all playing on an even playing field, and no one would undercut the group with cut-rate pricing.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
156
CASE STUDY Caribbean Wedding One day we got a call from the mother of a bride in Turks and Caicos, a little group of islands in the Caribbean. She'd gotten our name from another photographer in our referral group, Nick Brown. He had been to the island to photograph a wedding the year prior and had been highly recommended to the family. He was not available, so he referred them to us. At first, we thought it was a prank call. She said that our biggest package was not enough to meet their needs, and could she add on another photographer, several additional days of coverage, and a few more albums? Of course, all our flights, accommodations, and meals would be taken care of. Not only was it an incredible wedding to be a part of and a wonderful family, but they were our biggest clients that year.
After the wedding, we flew home to process their images, and about six weeks later, they flew us back out to give them their wedding premiere in person, in their home (I suggested I could mail everything, but they wanted the full experience). As a thank-you, they put us up in a stunning oceanfront villa for a week, in addition to paying our day rate for two travel days.
We got that wedding for one reason only, because we were part of a referral network with other photographers. We were able to benefit from his marketing and reputation on the island. Because he was respected, when he referred us, that carried weight. We weren't just a one of many names in a list.
Video Interview: The Power of Networking with Photographers
The four-volume set of albums we created for this couple.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
157
CASE STUDY Jay Kelly of Studio J Photo Group Jay Kelly is a local photographer in the Bay Area who does a fantastic job with vendor marketing. I see his work already up on the walls of the exact same places I am delivering wall portraits to, so I know he stays on top of his marketing to wedding professionals.
I asked Jay if he would be willing to share some of his strategies with you, and he was more than happy to oblige. I appreciate his willingness to share, and I think that shows that you can be competitors and colleagues at the same time. Q: How important are vendor relationships to your business? A: Vitally important. It’s a lot of maintenance. Essentially, it’s all about developing trust and rapport. After that, it’s easy. Q: How much of your wedding business comes from vendor referrals? A: 75%. So you can see why building vendor relationships is so important. Q: How long does it typically take to get on a referral list? A: You only need to work at a venue once. After that, it’s all about the follow-up. Ask the facilities coordinator out to lunch or for drinks. Many will be too busy, but you’d be surprised at how many will agree once you start asking regularly. Q: How do you build rapport?
TIP: Jay recommends the meal break as a great time to chat up the vendors, especially the facilities coordinator or planner. Use the time to get to know them, not chat about yourself. Ask them questions, and learn more about their business, letting them know you appreciate and enjoy working with them.
A: You have to be the easiest person to work with and then back that up with great work. You want to create the impression of “we like working with him; he’s a joy to be around; if there are any problems, he will handle them.” On top of that, venues will hear back from clients, and so you want to ensure that the clients have a great experience as well.
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
158
Q: What types of follow-up have you found to be the most effective? A: We do lots of slideshows for venues, and those have really paid off. Wall prints are great too. Ask them what they need, what they will use before investing too much time. Sometimes you have to physically go there in person and meet with them, checking out the space for wall portraits, where they keep their sample albums, et cetera. Q: Are there certain marketing activities you’ve found to be ineffective? A: Print advertising. The return on investment minimal. Q: How do you get it all done along with all the other daily tasks of running a studio? A: You don’t have to do everything. Little efforts have definitely paid off. But if you are planning to make this a major strategy for your business, I recommend you hire someone to help out. There’s a lot of time spent packing up prints, writing notecards, ordering prints, making deliveries, et cetera, and if you want to make this an integral part of your business, you’ll probably need a hand with some of those tasks.
You can visit Jay at www.prostudioj.com
Images on p. 158-159 copyright J Photo Group
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY
159
Final Thoughts I
they came from, and we make a list of
strategy is that it’s very diversified. As
you will end up with a great variety of
all the relationships that have given us
one relationship fades, another one
results. You will have built relationships
referrals. We list out people we would
blossoms. You never want to put all
with many professionals across
like to work with, and create a plan to
your eggs in one basket. If you rely on
disciplines.
make that happen. It’s a lot of work and
a single source for most (or all) of your
time, but you can scale it to work for
business, it can be devastating when
How do we get it all done? We shoot
your business. Even if you only work on
that resource dries up, goes under, or
all summer, and we market all winter.
a few key relationships each year, after a
changes direction.
Our booking season officially kicks off in
few years of that you will have a strong
January. Our goal is to have a number of
foundation of business to keep clients
All of our best weddings come from
new key marketing pieces in the hands
coming in season after season.
referrals. This has been one of the most
f you follow the strategies in this book,
of our partners in early January in order
important elements to our success, and
to maximize the results during booking
Throughout the year, we review our
I hope that by sharing it with you, you
season. As soon as we start wrapping
plans and where we currently are with
will also experience success in your
up summer production toward the end
them. Some relationships we identify
adventures. Good luck in your journey,
of November, we begin working on
as needing more effort to help them to
and remember,
those key marketing projects we feel
blossom; others are established and we
will pay off the most. We start with
simply need to show our appreciation.
sample albums for our best partners, as
And of course, some relationships begin
those take the most time. We sit down
to fade. It’s all part of the process.
and review all the bookings and where
What is great about this marketing
it’s a process.
Get More from PhotoMint Did you learn anything from this book? I hope it has been helpful for you, or even business transforming! I’ve love to hear what you thought of this book or how it has helped you; send your testimonial to: testimonials@photomint.com This project has been a true labor of love for me, and I would deeply appreciate any help you can give by spreading the word so others can get this great education from PhotoMint. Here’s the best way:
Share Help me get the word out by sharing this link with other photographers:
store.photomint.com/getconnected
Thanks!
JOIN THE CONVERSATION Facebook: facebook.com/photominteducation
OUR MISSION PhotoMint helps wedding photographers
Twitter: twitter.com/larawhite Blog: photomint.com/blog YouTube: photomint.tv
like you get results quickly and efficiently in all areas of your business. We teach photographers at every level how to increase profits, streamline studio operations, and get more time for the things you love: shooting incredible images and spending time with those who are most important to you. Everyone deserves to be successful doing what they love. What’s possible for you?
PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY