France
PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP APRIL 2017
THE OLIVE BRANCH COLLECTIVE
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S O T H I S I S H OW I T ’ S G O N NA G O D OW N W H AT M A K E S O B C ’ S W O R K S H O P A U N I Q U E E X P E R I E N C E B E G I N S FA R B E F O R E W E S N A P T H E S H U T T E R F O R T H E F I R S T TIME. THE BEST IMAGES COME FROM KNOWING YOUR COUPLES ON A DEEPER LEVEL.
B Y U N D E R S TA N D I N G H O W
A N D W H Y Y O U D O W H AT Y O U D O & B Y L E A R N I N G H O W T O G O D E E P E R W I T H Y O U R C L I E N T S , Y O U W I L L TA K E Y O U R BUSINESS TO AN ALL NEW LEVEL!
learn. shoot. grow. About Château de Bouthonvilliers .............................................................................
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Your Worth as a Photographer ...................................................................................
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3 Things to cover before clicking the shutter .............................................................
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Posing Engagement Couples
8 No Fail Tips ..............................................................................................
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4 Core Poses ...............................................................................................
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Advanced Posing ........................................................................................
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Helpful Tricks ..............................................................................................
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Pre wedding work-flow................................................................................................. 22 Building a Referral based business ............................................................................. 27 Post Wedding Work-flow
Culling & Editing .......................................................................................... 34
Album Design ............................................................................................... 35
Client Sideshow ............................................................................................ 36
Reveal Party & Design Consultation (IPS) ...................................................... 37
What to sell .................................................................................................... 43
Suggested Artwork Collections ..................................................................... 47
Shooting for publication ............................................................................................. 51
ABOUT
Chateau De Bouthonvilliers
The Château de Bouthonvilliers is located in the Dunois region, or more precisely in the Perche Göet, a charming region only 1 hour far from central Paris. A magnificent forest of more than 100 hectares surrounds this house which in the past was called Boscovilore (House in the woods). The château de Bouthonvilliers is surrounded by 20 hectares of beautiful English-style grounds and is classified Historic Monument. The estate is also composed of a small French-style garden, a 1-hectare vegetable garden, a pond and a 19th century chapel set in a 16th century dovecot. This chapel is still consecrated and can hold about 50 people for religious ceremonies. The main body of the house is a 7meter-long manor house with a double exposure. The east/ west orientation makes it very bright and sunny. The elegant symmetrical architecture dating back to the 18th century got Bouthonvilliers classified as a Historic Monument. The castle is composed of two 16th century (Henry IV th) wings and a 18th century central part with mansard roofs. Inside, the period wooden floors and moulding contributes to the extreme refinement of this exceptional house.
After 8 years spent in the West Indies, Edouard de Verdun, his wife Alexia and their 3 children decided in 2015 to take over an estate owned by his family for more than 200 years. The challenge : to pass on an historical heritage by making people discover the French Art de Vivre. How, you ask? Edouard en Alexia offer to hire/ rent the entire estate for the holidays or any other type of event including professional ones. Château de Bouthonvilliers : “There where History rhymes with “Art de Vivre ”.
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YOUR WORTH AS A
Photographer
Everyday we hear people asking “How can I get clients to appreciate & value my work?” Let’s face it... Being able to pose someone and take a decent portrait just won’t cut it any more. It has almost no value. 10 years ago... Of course! But not today. With technology constantly getting better every year and consumers buying nicer cameras (or heck... Even cell phones) this is quickly becoming a way of the past. Everyone has a device that can take a decent photo and it LOOKS SO EASY to snap a photo. It’s sad but true. So then, what does that make your worth as a photographer? The short answer is that you need to have the knowledge, client experience & service that people crave. You need to have an experience built in from day one: the day you get that first email or phone call. In order to sell yourself, your services and your products, you must create value first, before numbers are even discussed. A general rule of thumb is that if you are waiting for an “objection” when presenting your prices (which then forces you to explain your value) then you’re doing it all wrong. It is very hard to back-peddle and give value once the “price” conversation has been initiated. It is imperative to build value up-front so that your prices actually look like a good value in comparison to what you promise to deliver.
ESTABLISH YOUR USP First things first; you must know your “unique selling proposition” or USP. Your USP will solidify what makes you stand apart from your competitors. It’s what you stand for, and what you will be known for. The biggest piece of this puzzle is knowing what your USP is and how to relay that information to your potential client. Examples of USP’s are all over the place. Think of them more as slogans and you will start to see them. FedEx Corporation touts “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight” and the DeBeers “A diamond is forever” campaign has been around since the 1940’s. Before you can begin to sell your photography to anyone else, you have to sell yourself on it. This is especially important since your photography can be very similar to those in your area. It’s true that very few businesses are one-of-a-kind. Just look around you: How
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many clothing retailers, car companies, toy stores, etc. are truly unique? It’s rare but hey... We all know Toy’s-R-Us is the go to place for toys at Christmas, right? Unless you can pinpoint what makes your business unique in a sea of competitors, you cannot target your sales efforts successfully. A good USP requires soul-searching and creativity. One way to start is to analyze how other companies use their USPs to their advantage. A business can peg its USP on:
1) Product characteristics 2) Price structure 3) Placement strategy (location and distribution) 4) Promotional strategy.
These are what marketers call the “four P’s” of marketing. They are manipulated to give you a market position that will set you apart from the competition.
UNCOVER YOUR USP TO POWER UP YOUR SALES: Put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Too often, photographers fall in love with their service and forget that it is the customer’s needs, not their own, that they must satisfy. Step back from your daily operations and carefully scrutinize what your customers really want. What could make them come back again and again and ignore your competition? The answer might be quality, convenience, reliability, friendliness, cleanliness, courtesy or customer service. Remember, price is never the only reason people buy. If your competition is beating you on pricing because they are larger, you have to find another sales feature that addresses the customer’s needs and then build your sales and promotional efforts around that feature. Know what motivates your customers’ behavior and buying decisions. Effective marketing requires you to be an amateur psychologist. You need to know what drives your customers. Go beyond the traditional customer demographics, such as age, gender, race, income and geographic location. Cosmetics and liquor companies are great examples of industries that know the value of psychologically oriented promotion. People buy these products based on their desires (for pretty women, luxury, glamour and so on), not on their needs. Uncover the real reasons customers buy your product instead of a competitor’s. As your business grows, you’ll be able to ask your best source of information: your customers. You could ask them why they liked your service over others, plus ask them to rate the importance of the features you offers, such as product offerings, helpfulness & assistance, How comfortable you made them feel and service. You will be surprised how honest people are when you ask how you can improve your service.
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Finally you need to take the next--and hardest--step: clearing your mind of any preconceived ideas about your product or service and being brutally honest.
WHAT PART OF YOUR BUSINESS SETS YOU APART? notes:
WHAT CAN YOU PROMOTE THAT WILL MAKE CUSTOMERS WANT TO PATRONIZE YOUR BUSINESS? notes:
HOW CAN YOUR BUSINESS HIGHLIGHT YOUR USP? notes:
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CAN’T FIGURE OUT YOUR USP?
TAKE ACTION FIRST: Identify what makes you different from other photographers and write it down. Create a statement similar to the ones discussed that clearly explains your difference. SECOND: If you have trouble with this and have been in business a while, ask your customers. Do a poll with five or six of your best clients and ask them why they do business with you. Ask them to identify a few key things about your business that they feel makes you stand out to them from other photographers. If you see some overlap in the answers from all of them you will have your USP. THIRD: Get that USP out there!! Make sure to let the world know what your USP is. It should be in all your marketing and in every point of contact with the public. Don’t let them guess what it is, but reinforce why you are the best choice. Use your USP often in your regular social marketing. You may not get a flurry of work in the door all at once but you can build a clear message in the minds of prospects so that when they do need a photographer you will be the clear choice.
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THREE THINGS TO COVER BEFORE
Clicking the shutter
Photographers have a tendency to focus on the actual photographic session. Why wouldn’t they!? It was most likely their passion and why they got into this profession in the first place. The problem with focusing on the shoot is that you will more often than not, fail to stand out from the crowd. Your clients experience will be sub par and there is no way that you will truly be able to succeed using this method. These are the 3 things that we suggest that you invest time into before you even click that shutter.
1. Client Connection I want you to take a minute and think about your client connections. Are you truly connecting to your client? Do you know all the small nuances that make your couple unique? What he loves most about her? Or what he does that makes her laugh? How does he make her feel loved? Take some notes below on how to talk to & connect with your clients before the wedding day even happens.
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2. Client Expectations Most problems arise when we, as the professional, fail to do our job at managing client expectations. We often over promise and under deliver or don’t explain clearly the process. Remember that these couples have probably never done this before and if we don’t explain the steps, then our referrals and sales will suffer.
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3. Client Preparation Ever wonder how to get couples to wear more stylized outfits at an engagement session or why the timeline they sent you is ridiculous? It’s simple. You didn’t prepare them prior to the engagement session or the wedding day. Take some notes below to get your couple on the same page as you.
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POSING
Engagement Couples
I love making my session fun and interactive because it is a way for my clients to show their true selves and personalities during their time with me. For example, on my side link pose I may not tell the bride exactly how to link with the groom. This ensures that she does it the way she is most naturally inclined to. I have listed some tips/tricks and games to help you have fun with your couples. All will be explained in more detail during our hands on posing class so feel free to take notes in the spaces provided.
8 NO FAIL TIPS WHISPER SOMETHING DIRTY notes:
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THREE THINGS YOU ARE PROUD OF HIM/HER FOR notes:
ONE THING YOU ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT FOR THE WEDDING DAY notes:
THE FRUIT GAME notes:
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LEAN BACK FOR THE WORLDS SLOWEST KISS notes:
WALKING ON A TIGHTROPE AND THEN KISS notes:
THE NO KISSING GAME notes:
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EYES CLOSED & WALK TOWARDS EACH OTHER notes:
FEEL FREE TO ADD SOME OF YOUR FAVORITES HERE notes:
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4 CORE POSES
Before I start each session I explain and demonstrate to the couple the four core poses that they will need to learn to have a great shoot! Below you will find examples for each. The basis for each pose is that with simple movements and no movements of the feet you can create a wide range of images in a few minutes. I also tell them once they master the core poses we will move on to “advanced posing� which all couples advance to very shortly into their session and this is a huge confidence booster.
THE SIDE LINK
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CHEST TO CHEST notes:
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THE PROM POSE
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SEPARATED
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ADVANCED POSING
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HELPFUL TRICKS
KNOW YOUR COUPLE Get to know your couple for the first 15 minutes minimum. I always make sure my first spot is a few minutes walk away from the parking lot to catch up with my couple or get to know them better.
EXPLAIN THE PROCESS I let my couple know how important great light is and that I may move them around a bit and that I use prime lenses and have to move in and out with my feet not my lens. I also go over the four core poses with them.
SAY THEIR NAMES Use their names and use them often, this establishes a better relationship and is overall the polite thing to do.
USE YOUR WORDS WISELY Use specific words and commanding words. Do not use maybe or I think or what if. This way the clients knows exactly what you want and have the confidence they need to proceed.
DON’T TOUCH Do not touch your couple. Use hand robotics to move them (will be demonstrated during the engagement shoot at the workshop)
GIVE PRAISE Praise your client and if something is not working still praise and move on.
SET THE TONE Your tone of voice will reflect their emotions. For a quiet intimate moment be quiet and soft with your voice, for a joyful moment, raise your voice and tone more to be happy etc. 19
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LEAD A MORE FULFILLING
Life
STR EAMLI NE YOUR WORK FLOW - P RE W E D D I NG Everyone wants to know... How do I work less but keep my standards up? It’s actually not as hard as it seems. Repetition and having a system is really important when it comes to work flow. From the first email to the wedding; follow along as we go through each step together!
THE INITIAL EMAIL / CONTACT EXAMPLE Thanks so much for writing and congratulations on your engagement!! I am so honored you have reached out to me to capture your legacy! Below is a bit of information about Jaime Davis Photography, and I’d love to chat more if it sounds like something you guys are looking for. I just celebrated 5 years of marriage this past January with my husband and I know what a blessing it can be! I not only love shooting weddings, but I love marriage even more. To me, wedding photography is way more than just taking images. I want your day to be better and even more memorable because I am there serving you and capturing all of the memories that are being made. I photograph for your granddaughter to find one day, a single image in a silver frame. That silver frame that bears witness to your lives together when things get tough, when things are great and I believe you will have these images to walk through life with, this is why I feel photography is worth the investment. Great news, as of today, I am available on your date! The investment for your wedding photography with me is $XXXX. My packages always include an engagement session with professional hair and makeup, color corrected digitals, two photographers, and a live reveal party! I take on a limited number of weddings per year in order to give my clients the attention that they deserve, and would love to hear more about your wedding to see if we are a good fit for each other! The link below is where you can access my collections and find out more information about the process and how to make the most out of your experience! INSERT LINK HERE
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Here are a few recent weddings for you to look at in a whole, just as delivered to my client. It will give you a good idea of my shooting style and you’ll be able to get familiar with the online galleries that I offer - they are beautiful and so easy to use! INSERT GALLERY LINKS HERE I believe in investing in my couples and getting to know about them and their stories. Being comfortable with your photographer helps me capture the real emotion between you as a couple! This is why my collections are called an experience :-) I’d love to meet with you at my office/studio to get to know more about your love story and about your big day but also to ensure we are a great fit! My studio/office is located off the 55 freeway and Edinger. What days and times work best for you? Thank you again for getting in touch with me. I know how important your wedding day is and I feel so grateful that you are considering having me capture your legacy for you. Please let me know if you have any questions at all and I look forward to hearing back from you and welcoming you into the family! In the meantime be sure to follow my adventures on Facebook and Instagram! I have an adorable dog and a husband who looks like Ryan Gosling whats not to love about that combo ;-) (@jaimedavisphoto) Feel free to call my personal cell: 714-362-1649, I do not hold office hours ;-) Instagram: jaimedavisphoto Facebook: jaimedavisphoto XOXO Also just for reaching out be sure to read my complimentary Wedding Experience Bridal Guide by clicking here! Jaime Davis | Owner Lead Photographer
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THE FOLLOW UP EMAIL EXAMPLE Hi (Bride) and (Groom), I hope all is going well with wedding planning. (Insert something here maybe about them or their venue/inquiry) I wanted to follow up with you in regards to the email I sent you a few days ago. I am here to answer any questions or concerns you may have. I look forward to capturing your legacy and hope to hear back from you soon. Jaime Davis | Owner Lead Photographer
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THE CONSULTATION I meet with the clients at my studio but this can also be done at a local coffee shop or somewhere in your area you love. I spend about 45 minutes just getting to know my couple, asking how they met, and details about their wedding. Be sure to engage the couple and really get them to talk, when you ask where they met and they say “In College� do not just end the conversation there. Ask them if they met in class, at a party etc. Keep the conservation flowing. Statistics show that when people have their first encounter with someone new, if they do all the talking or a majority of it they automatically will say they LOVED the person they just met.
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SHOOTFLOW / HONEYBOOK After the couple books me I immediately put their information into my work flow management system. I have every step of the way including emails and to dos separated out for each clients. The first email they receive is their welcome to the family email followed by an engagement questionnaire email that helps me determine their location and time of year we should schedule their session. Another RAD feature of Shootflow is the couple can fill out information about their wedding day and it will auto generate a timeline based on their answers including start time and drive time to and from locations. This has saved me SO much time over the last year in my work flow. While they fill out that information it also ask for vendors names and emails so a few weeks before the wedding I can introduce myself to everyone and then after the wedding send them emails with the gallery and or blog link!
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ENGAGEMENT SESSION I include an engagement session in all my packages and make sure to schedule them at least 3 months before the wedding date, usually it is much earlier than that though. I try to deliver the engagement session within 48 hours or do a live reveal with them within a week. I tell them it usually takes two weeks so this is where under promise over deliver comes into play.
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BETWEEN ENGAGEMENT SESSION AND WEDDING DAY At this time you want to send emails to follow up and see if the clients have any questions about their day. There are many ways you can help your couples so do be afraid to offer assistance.
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TIMELINE MEETING I reach out to the client about 2 months before their wedding day and see if they have developed a reception timeline with their venue and or dj so I can compile that information with mine. If I have not been to their venue before and it is a local venue I try to meet with the couple in person for coffee or lunch at the venue to go over the timeline for their big day. If I have been to the venue before then I will either just meet the couple nearby or over the phone to ensure they understand the timeline and how important it is to be on time.
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Business
BUILDING A REFERRAL BASED
Building a business that comes from mostly referrals is actually not as hard as it seems. It’s really all about loving your clients, venues, planners and other vendors so that they have nothing but amazing things to say about you. That doesn’t sound complicated right? It’s not! It’s more about thoughtfulness, planning and follow through.
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5 TIPS TO GETTING MORE REFERRALS SPOIL YOUR CLIENTS Treat your clients like gold because well to us they are! I love gifting my clients, it is one of my main love languages. I give my clients a gift at their consult even if they do not book me, after they have secured their date and become part of the family, their engagement session, right before their wedding and then one on their wedding day! And hey the gifts don’t stop after the wedding day is over. I send the bride a custom locket from chasing lockets every year on their anniversary and they go CRAZY with it on social media. Helping with the timeline, doing a venue walk through with them, grabbing coffee (your treat), shooting a text or email saying hey hows it going, or hey I saw “xyz” today and totally thought of you. You would be so surprised at what may seem like a small gesture to you means the world to your couple. Part of my work flow is I send them a questionnaire when they book me that asks questions all about them as individuals and as a couple. One of the questions is I ask their fave beverage and candy bar and before their engagement shoot I stop by the store and pick it up for them to refuel in between locations. When you spoil your clients you give them an opportunity to talk about you via social media and to family and friends. Putting you in great light even before you meet the wedding party and mom/dad!
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CUSTOMER SERVICE IS KING Not only do I spoil them by gifting them treats, I also make sure no email goes unanswered more than 24 hours, I let them know ahead of time if I will be away from the office more than a few days. Another example of a small gesture is I have brides who will need an extra hour on the wedding day to make sure I capture every important moment of their legacy and I give it to them at no charge. I once had a bride who was in love with my work and wanted to hire me, she also really loved my albums but couldn’t afford that extra $1000, well I gifted them an album and boy was she stoked. In turn she has referred 4 of her best girlfriends to me, and two of those girls have each referred me two more brides that I booked (before I even took one photo of them!!!). That is 8 new brides from one girl who I spent an extra $400 on, best marketing money EVER spent! By going the extra mile you help establish a relationship with your client and create more than just the average photography experience with them. Be sure to also under promise and over deliver. I have another questionnaire I have my clients fill out before their reveal that asks who is coming along, what kind of products they are interested in and the snacks and drinks they like. I had a bride that was floored when she walked in the studio and saw Chocolate Chip cookies sitting on the table in the viewing room. I mean you thought I just gave her $100! It is these things that will set you apart from that other photographer on the preferred vendor list and in turn get you more referrals. Caring is sharing (the more you care about your couple and show it the more they will want to share you with their friends)
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SPOIL YOUR VENDORS Treat your vendors like you do your couples. Gift them too! I love to establish a relationship with all the venue coordinators I work with. I send them an email with a link to all the images once they are completed (you would be surprised how few people do this), if I really love the venue and want to work there more I will spend a little extra and bring by an album for them to use. I also stop by once a quarter with custom cookies (the ones in my welcome kit) and just say hello and check in. By doing this you are slowly building a relationship but also staying in the front of their mind. It works without fail that the first few weeks after those quarterly visits I end up getting inquiries from the vendors/venues I visited! Soon after esp after working a wedding with the vendors I am put onto their preferred vendor list, and yes their may be 4 or 5 other photographers on that list but they usually mention my name when speaking of photography to the client because of the relationship I have built. Another way to gain referrals from vendors is by asking them out to lunch or coffee to get to know more about THEM and their business. I love to follow them on Instagram and Facebook, heck I have even gone to Disneyland with some of them.
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GET TO KNOW THE WEDDING PARTY Have fun with the wedding party and get to know them, more than likely at least one if not more of them are engaged or about to be. I encourage all of you to attend other wedding activities if you are invited as much as you can. I was invited to one of my brides bridal showers, I was able to attend and made a 2 hour drive one way to do so. I did not know any of the girls except the bride. I also brought a gift for the bride like a would for a friend off her registry. I mingled and introduced myself to the bridal party members. I also chatted and sat with some of them and a few others during brunch and got to know them as much as I could. A few weeks after the wedding I received a call from one of the girls that had attended the shower (not a bridesmaid) and wanted to book me for her wedding right then and there over the phone while I was shopping in Target. She said she loved not only my work but how I interacted with everyone at the shower and my presence. She was shocked to find out later I was not friends of the bride but her photographer showing her support. I recently shot Brook’s wedding (the new bride) and was added onto the venue’s preferred vendor list as well as on their sister locations vendor list. My husband gave me such a hard time about making that drive but boy did it pay off. After attending showers or even rehearsal dinners encourage them to follow you on social media and vice versa. And I cannot stress enough to introduce yourself to everyone (parents included) I know it can be tough because the day moves so fast. Show up 15 mins early leave your gear in the car and just come say hello as a friend. Remember their names (not hey you) and say goodbye at the end of the night. All my associates know that we typically will stay 15-20mins after our end time so we can say our goodbyes to the wedding party and parents. This has made a huge impact and even the parents who appreciate the gesture (after all they were probably the ones cutting that check for $4 grand) and end up telling all their family and friends about you!
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SAME DAY TEASERS No matter how late I get home or how tired I am I ALWAYS do a same day teaser of my fave photo of the day or one the couple requested. I make moo cards with an engagement photo on the front and then their gallery link on the back, I keep some on me, give some to the wedding party/parents and put the rest by the bar. I make sure to tag the couple on social media this way people who could not attend the wedding see a professional photo on their feed and not a cell phone shot. I also text the bride my fave vertical photo (we all know she is DYING for a new screen saver). Everyone is shocked to see a professional photo the next morning, family and friends that couldn’t attend go crazy and the bride and groom continue to talk about you.
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LEAD A MORE FULFILLING
Life
PART 2
STR EAMLINE YOUR WORK FLOW - P OST W E D D I NG Post wedding work seems daunting and no matter how much you minimize your pile of work it never seems small enough. How long does it take you to edit? How long to design an album? If it takes weeks or for some people months, then there are a TON of things you can do to streamline your system and be able to spend more time with friends or family. Now doesn’t that sound nice?
First things first... Obviously you want to download your cards as soon as you get to your computer. NEVER leave your cards in the camera or leave them in the car. I always pull cards from the camera, put them into the pouch and then put them on my person until I am able to download them & back them up to a completely different drive or cloud service. I have seen too many people with horror stories about this so be cautious!
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CULLING & EDITING
There are a multitude of ways to go about the process of culling but I am going to explain to you the two fastest ways that I have found. The first would be to use photo mechanic. Photo Mechanic loads images fast (using the smaller jpg image) and allows you to quickly go through and cull through a bunch of images. I prefer this method when I am doing engagement sessions or smaller studio sessions. It is extremely quick and I have culled an entire wedding in an hour using this method. All that being said, I actually prefer a different method. This is something that I set up years ago using the keywords in Lightroom. My problem wasn’t really the speed of culling but more the overwhelming process of it all. I would see 3000 photos in the gallery and that would deter me from wanting to edit at all. It was just too much. So I decided to break it down into bite sized chunks. Studies show that people tend to stick to something when the tasks are more easily achievable. They feel like they are accomplishing something instead of being weighed down by it. This method takes me about 4 or 5 days to complete a wedding BUT I only spend a small amount of time each day on the task. Imagine spending time with your family during the day, going out to lunch or dinner with your friends and then coming home to edit for an hour or so before bed? You did what you wanted all day long and didn’t feel like you were giving up anything! Take some notes below on how I sort, cull and edit my weddings all from within Lightroom.
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ALBUM DESIGN To me the hardest part about the album design is not the actual design but the choosing of the images. For my process, I first upload to PASS (which is similar to Pixiset or other Cloud Gallery systems) and then once in pass I go through and make a folder of my favorite images. This is what they see first. To me this step is imperative! Not only will it look better to the client but also help me significantly with the album and the slide show. We will consider these images our “Base Images� - they are the ones we love most and feel like they portray the feel of the wedding best. Take some notes below as I show you how to design your album in record time using these base images:
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SLIDE SHOW Slide shows are so IMPORTANT!! This will make a giant impact on how you sell to your client ( which will be discussed more in the next section) If you are currently sending your clients a gallery online then STOP! Bring them in to your studio or go to their home and give them a presentation to remember. There are many options for slide shows : ProSelect, Animoto or even just iphoto on mac if you cant spare the cash for a program. Here I will walk you though the important parts of building a slide show such as length, number of images, music choice and so on.
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THE DESIGN CONSULTATION
The excuses for not doing a design consultation are too many to number but they all boil down
to two things; fear and not believing in your product’s worth. “I don’t want to come off salesy” (fear) ; “I’m afraid that they wont like the images” (fear) ; “My clients wont spend” (not believing in your product’s worth) ; “They only want the digitals” (not believing in your product’s worth) “ ; “They are going to feel like I am blind siding them” (both fear & not believing in your product’s worth)... I can go on but I wont because you get the idea.
It’s simply easier to email them the digital files / gallery then it is to make time for them. Think
about that for just a moment. You don’t want to take the time for a client that spent a TON of money with you. You got their money and now you are done with them. That may not be how you perceive it but that may just be how the client feels. On top of that, we as professionals should always be in control of every situation. When we send the client the link, we have no control of how and in what circumstance they view the images. Don’t believe me? Let me tell you about my experience - the experience that sent me looking for a better way.
I had finished up a wedding and sent it off to the bride! YAY!!! I was done with the photos... I just
hope they love the photos. 30 minutes later I got a text from the bride. She was with her girlfriends at a bar and was now sitting in a bar bathroom stall alone crying her eyes out because she loved her photos so much. WOO HOO!! She loved the photographs! But wait... She is in a bar bathroom alone crying. Is that where I really wanted her to be the first time she saw the photos? On her tiny phone without her new husband? Of course not! So I took control of the situation and started doing “viewing parties” after the wedding in the couples home (or in a parents house or whatever) and I decided to lump in the album proofing and also offer canvas prints and other product to them at the same time. I was so nervous for my first viewing party - I had all the same fears as everyone else and I assumed that I would be heading home without a sale. So what happened? I sold $2200 in additional product and the clients were crying and hugging me because they loved the experience. Instead of letting my own ideas and thoughts depict what and how much they spent, I allowed them to spend money on their own terms. Since that day many things have changed and I have learned from my mistakes. So follow along and take some notes so that you too can avoid the pitfalls, make significantly more money and sell to your clients without felling like a greasy salesman.
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PREPA RE TH E S PAC E FO R S E L L I NG OK guys we are going talk a bit about your consultation space. Most people think you throw up a TV, put some snacks out and you’re in business. To be honest, this is better than doing NOTHING... But its not exactly the best way to make money and give your client the best experience either. Most photographers are at one of 2 places in their business: 1) You have a Studios Space 2) You have to meet clients at their homes Most of these tips are going to apply to the # 1’s out there but I will also try to give tips for the # 2’s as well but it’s just very hard to control a situation when you have no idea what it looks like or how it functions. Let’s start out with the screen. Screen Type: Projection screens much better than TV’s for many reasons. Not only can you control the size but the projector usually allows people to see their images at full size, without a border! Larger than life and without the ultra high def which will show off everyone’s imperfections. Nobody out there wants to see their flaws so if possible go projection.
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Screen Size: You want your screen to be as large as possible. If you are projecting on a wall (always the best option) you would want your projection to be at least 100” diagonal if not larger. I know this seems huge but it’s made to have a giant impact AND you can project wall art at actual size right onto the wall. If you are a #2 then I would suggest to bring along your own projector and screen to the clients home. You can’t assume they have a large TV to hook up to. Portable projection screens are actually easy to tote around and easy to set up. You may not get 100” but you can still get pretty big!
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Seat Placement: It seems obvious that you want your main sofa directly centered in front of the projector but there is a little more to it than just that. You want to have enough seating for parents and other people that they couple wants to bring along. Our studio has seating for about 10 and additional standing room. Make sure that your projection screen is more than 10’ from the sofa - you don’t want it too close! Try to have all your seats at the same height so that everyone feels like they are on the same level. Don’t be higher than the couple (thats the power position) and don’t be too low either (makes you seem inferior).
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Artwork & Product Placement: Most people will purchase what they see so if you show a single canvas, then you will more than likely sell a single canvas. In my studio I don’t sell 4x6, 5x7, or 8x10’s (except matted 8x10’s in a box) because I simply don’t want to sell those items. I want people to purchase big pieces for their home so why show them anything else. Place your artwork in strategic locations. It’s all about what your client sees and when. Take some notes below as we discuss how important the artwork location is and why you should always show certain items no matter what.
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ART COLLECTIONS & WHAT TO SELL It’s a fine balance between offering options and overwhelming your client. So how do you know what to offer your clients without sending their head spinning? Well, I will show you what I have offered for the last few years and talk about what works for our wedding clients. This isn’t just about what sells the best but how to leverage specific items to not only offer a better, more complete product for your client but to also spike your sales. Imagine if you were to walk into a best buy and are looking for a TV. Does the sales guy offer you the cheapest TV just because he is worried you may not want to spend more on a bigger or nicer TV? NO. They not only tell you about the sound bar that adds to the TV Experience but also get you to add the HDMI cable & wall mount that makes the TV more functional, right? Of course they do! So why do we shy away when price comes up? We simply don’t value what we do and what we sell. We need to start thinking about this from a helping standpoint. Don’t sell something they don’t need but find out what they want and what they need so that you can provide that for them all the while making them thrilled with the end result.
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Albums: Quality wedding albums are extremely important. You need a product that you can stand behind and doesn’t look like something they can get on their own. I personally use RedTree, Millers and Nations Lab for my albums. Redtree it top of the line and their prices match but if you are looking for something midrange and beautiful try Millers. For those on a tight budget but want a product that looks nice, go with Nations Lab Album 99. They have 10x10 and 12x12 albums for $99 - and they are real leather! Follow along and take notes on why I sell 20 page base albums and design for 50.
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Portfolio Boxes: I have gone through many portrait boxes in my day and only one has hit the spot: Global Image USA - Signature Portrait Box. They are amazingly beautiful and hold between 10 and 20 mats depending on if you include the easel on the bottom. I like mine with 10 mats and the easel but no matter which option you choose, this display won’t disappoint. Follow along as I explain when and where to sell this product.
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Canvas, Metal & Acrylic Collections: This just happens to be my favorite thing to sell and also happens to be one of the main things that photographers get wrong when choosing wall art. Most of us tend to purchase a single canvas. I know I did back in the day... And you know what? Thats what my client bought. Why do you think the client got a single canvas? I know I am repeating myself but it was because your clients purchase what you show. Currently in my studio I only have 2 pieces showing that are made of one piece BUT they are composite images and I charge accordingly for them. My end goal? I want every client to walk away with a collection or two and to be thrilled about it. Collections make a statement so go big or go home!
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Other Misc. Products Of course I also offer other items but you have to make sure that you keep them minimal and completely unique. You want the main focus to be on the album and wall art and you don’t want these items to take their place. Let’s discuss the other options out there today and why they may or may not be a good product to sell.
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SUGGESTED ARTWORK
Collections
Below is what I offer to my clients. I purchase my canvas prints through CG Pro Prints & metal through Bay Photo. I also like using White Wall for acrylic but don’t normally offer this to my client. I try to choose either metal or acrylic and not both. There is no need to confuse them with more options and they are both similar. I selected metal because the price point is lower than acrylic and made it easier for me to make more profit.
42”x 60” notes:
31”x 52” notes:
88”x 36” notes:
60”x20” notes:
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50”x 48” notes:
44”x 44” notes:
54”x 45” notes:
36”x 36” notes:
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T HE P RE S E N TATI O N FLOW As soon as your client walks in, have drinks and snacks for them ready. When I used to do home viewings I would arrive with champagne or wine and their favorite snack. Even if they had made other food and appetizers for the party, its still a nice gesture. Their Names should be on the screen welcoming them back. Take a few minutes to chat with them. Ask them about their honeymoon and what is new since the wedding. People love to talk about themselves so keep the conversation away from you and all about them. Talk to the parents too (if they come) and hand out the wine and champagne! We want to get them into a happy & excited place so that they are prepared to purchase. We always start with the slide show. This gets people in an emotional state! You wont believe how many tears / laughs that you will get. Something about music and photos just speaks to people. The last Image is usually an image of a room with their art hanging. This shows what it would look like in a home. We are trying to get them to visualize the artwork. After the slide show and discussing which images they would love on their walls, we go straight into the album reveal. I explain that the base album comes with 20 pages but I designed 50 pages because it seemed to fit your wedding story the best. I explain that as we go through the album they are welcome to swap images or remove pages they feel are not important. When we get to the end, most people haven’t removed anything! I reiterate “WOW! That was all 50 pages!!” Sometimes they remove pages at that point but boy it’s hard so most end up with 40 or 50 pages total. Thats a 20+ Page upgrade. If you’ve done your job right, then at this point you should have sold some kind of art for their home, and an album or upgrades to an already purchased album. Either way it’s a huge score! Don’t forget that we also offer a discount for purchasing that day only! This is a huge push to get them in and to buy today.
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ACC E P TI NG M O N E Y Why do we make it so hard to ask for and accept money? It’s shouldn’t be as hard as it seems! If we are helping them - not selling to them - and they WANT art for their bedroom... Why would we not be happy to take their money which they are gladly giving to you? Phrasing things in a way to seal the deal is also important... Say things Use “Taking all of your requirements and desires into consideration, I think these two products would work best for you. Would you like to go with [X] or [Y]?” Once you get them to pick one, then you simply state “Thats a great choice! I will get that written up for you” and move on. If you dwell on it then they may back out. If they seem to have an issue with the cost, let them know that you do take credit cards or even payments. They can put a deposit down (we suggest 30%) and then the remainder would be split into payments over the next 3 months. Once the art is paid off, that is when you deliver. Obviously its more ideal to get it all at once but if the option is that they either don’t buy or they make payments, then take the payments and consider it a win!
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SHOOTING FOR
Publication
Getting published can be an integral part of our professional process and adds incredible value to clients and vendors around us. Brides want photos that look like they belong in a magazine, fellow vendors need professional images that showcase their work & talent, and magazine editors love having images that fit seamlessly into their publication’s vision and design aesthetic. So how do we go about making our images publication worthy? Follow some of these simple steps.
COLOR CONSISTENCY Create images that make a strong visual impact. For this, color can be key. What colors did your bride chose to highlight? Take those colors and don’t deviate from them throughout the entire day. If her colors are blush and powder blue, then its a good idea to steer clear of the hotel’s burgundy curtains or the matching lime green chaise. Instead, scout out the guest who’s wearing a powder blue dress and ask her to hold the signature cocktail, or clear some space on a table and shoot the invitations against blush linens. The more you can stay true to your bride’s color scheme with each individual detail, the more visual power the images will have as a whole.
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ORIENTATION Every blog, magazine and editor has a different style with different needs. Because of this make sure you photograph each item both vertical and horizontal. By doing this, you are making it easier for editors to picture a final layout as they scroll through your gallery. For example, horizontal images are great for banners & social media but vertical images are often pinned more frequently on pintrest and is more likely to go viral. By shooting both orientations, you show the publication that you care about not only the potential of the publication but also the online and social media aspect.
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THE ANGLE MATTERS Have you ever studied the way that products are shot in a magazine? No matter what the product is, you will have more editorial appeal if you shoot the item when shot at the same level. It fills the frame and shows off the item in question. This holds true not just for product shots but for wedding details as well. Don’t shoot down at the item. Scoot yourself lower so that you are at “eye level” before you take the photo. It seems so simple but this one thing makes detail shots more appealing for not only editors, but readers as well!
SIMPLE BACKGROUNDS Details almost always look better when the background is uninterrupted and simple. True, you have to be intentional about seeing out these types of backgrounds but the difference is huge. Take the details into another room or outside. Ask people if you can move their items or even use a bridesmaid dress for a simple one color background. The extra effort makes a large difference to editors. It increases editorial appeal because the focus where it should be: on the beautiful details.
LEAVE SOME SPACE When shooting for a magazine cover make sure you leave some visual space above the heads of the person or couple in the image. Why? Most photos produced by digital SLRs have a length to width ratio of approximately 2:3 – or 4×6, like the common print size. Although magazines vary widely in dimension, they tend to be closer to square than this wide rectangle proportion. Basically, photos going on magazine covers are going to be seriously cropped! What’s this mean to the photographer? You have to zoom out. Imagine the top and bottom of the image in your frame getting completely lopped off, so all your relevant content needs to be within that inner 4:5 ratio area.
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FROM BEGINNING TO
End
From the beginning to the end, this is our wedding process. We thank you so much for coming along with us on this trip of a lifetime and hope that you take home with you a fresh new set of eyes for 2017. There is nothing you can’t do if you put your mind to it. Weddings should be fun, not daunting and most of all profitable. Start charging your worth, speeding up your processes and even sending out some of the work. We as business people feel like we can do it all but honestly it can become very hard the more you grow. We hope that this workshop will get you to that point. Until next time... au revoir.
OBC SPONSORS
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POSTING & PUBLISHING Below you will find the Olive Branch Collective posting and publishing rules for and all photos taken during the workshop. 1) In no circumstance shall any images be published digitally (blog, social media, etc.), or any printed magazine or other printed published material. 2) You are allowed to use these images on your personal business website & personal business blog as well as on your business social media accounts such as Instagram & Facebook. 3) No Images are to be posted anywhere (this includes social media) before July 1st 2017 unless the images are behind the scenes photos about the workshop and shall not include images of the styled shoots at any time before 7/1/2017 4) After 7/1/2017, when posting images, please tag images with the following: INSTAGRAM
@ theolivebranchcollective
facebook.com/groups/OBCOLLECTIVE/
@jaimedavisphoto
facebook.com/jaimedavisphoto
Instructor
@handlebarstudios
facebook.com/HandlebarStudios
Instructor
@theeventsboutique
facebook.com/TheEventsBoutique
Floral / Design / MUA & Hair
#chateaudebouthonvilliers
facebook.com/bouthonvilliers
Venue & Formal Catering
@millerslab
facebook.com/millerslab
Invitation Suite
@laurenperrystudio
facebook.com/laurenperrystudio
Watercolor Stationary Design
@ride_in_tours
facebook.com/rideintours
Vespas & Picnic Baskets
@zhannasalatova
facebook.com/zhanna.salatova
Wedding Dress Designer
@futuremrs.ferreira
facebook.com/jaclyn.cruz.5
Wedding Model
n/a
facebook.com/ill.dustin
Wedding Model
@shelbydaniellephotography
facebook.com/ShelbyMelancon
Engagement Model
@ xmrxbrightsidex
facebook.com/heyitsdomo
Engagement Model
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OUR GO TO PROGRAMS & COMPANIES
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PROPHOTO | WEBSITE
CG PRO PRINTS | CANVAS
HONEYBOOK | STUDIO MANAGEMENT
REDTREE | ALBUMS
PHOTO MECHANIC | CULLING
NATIONS LAB | ALBUMS
LIGHTROOM | EDITING
RYANS DENN | WOOD BOXES
PHOTOSHOP | EDITING
MILLERS | PRESS
ALIEN SKIN EXPOSURE X2 | CREATIVE EDITING
PRODPI | PRESS & FOLDERS
FUNDY ALBUM DESIGNER | ALBUM DESIGN
BLACK RIVER | CRYSTAL BLOCKS
FUNDY ALBUM PROOFER | ALBUM PROOFING
BAY PHOTO | DIBOND & METAL
PROSELECT | SALES MEETINGS
GLOBAL IMAGE USA | FOLIO BOX & MATS
PASS | FILE DELIVERY
H&H COLOR LAB | JEWELRY
TYNDELL | BAGS & PRESENTATION
PHOTO FLASH DRIVE | USB
SHOWIT | WEBSITE
PASS | FILE DELIVERY
HONEYBOOK | STUDIO MANAGEMENT
CG PRO PRINTS | CANVAS
SHOOTFLOW | STUDIO MANAGEMENT
MILLERS | ALBUMS & PRESS
PHOTO MECHANIC | CULLING
ARTSY COUTOUR | CANVAS
LIGHTROOM | EDITING
RYANS DENN | WOOD BOXES
PORTRITURE | SKIN SMOOTHING
CHASING LOCKETS | JEWELRY & GIFTS
PHOTOSHOP | EDITING
TYNDELL | BAGS & PRESENTATION
SMART ALBUMS | ALBUM DESIGN
PHOTO FLASH DRIVE | FOLIO BOX & USB
IPHOTO | SALES MEETINGS
REDIMAT | PHOTO MATS
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