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10 Opportunities for Communication

Lesson 34 from: From Images to Art: Storytelling in Wedding Photography

Jim Garner

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Lesson Info

34. 10 Opportunities for Communication

Lesson Info

10 Opportunities for Communication

There's ten opportunities within the art of communication after wall during the relationship you have with your clients, I'd love to go through them with you there's the initial inquiry time. Okay, phone versus email. I'm gonna really say get on the phone. They're going to send an email to you hey, whats your costs? Right? Say, hey, we talked about this is the third time probably hey, we started playing prices everybody else, but we do things differently. We'd love to talk to you in person can give you a call, okay? I want you on the phone said the same thing. Can I give you call really want to tell you we're also doing some really exciting things I want to show you in person what we do, it's, because we're really the art art focused. We're not picture takers that's not what I should say that we did buy there's nothing wrong with picture taking at all. I'm just saying we're we're not individual image oriented. We deliver art for each client there say it that way. Uh, we got a pre quali...

fied during the phone conversation as well. You know, we don't want to spend a lot of time meeting with clients that don't appreciate our value, the art and so prequalification happens in the form of asking questions and then letting them know what you're starting point if that's out of their price range then that's okay, one thing that we need to get used to doing is accepting no and feeling feeling okay with that when people say no to us you're out of our price range. I remember the early days in during this transformation during our first attempt at these ten steps during our attempt at these ten steps uh there when we began this does not attempt right? Because we're in and right now we're always in and by the way I met him right now I remember being so fearful of people, not a forty nights because our pricing sort of change remember we went through a type of price change that is is a massive um it's it's not forget the term yeah, a large one yeah, transition yep, thank you. Say it again. That's right that's what this whole workshops about transformation so a transformational price structure change we moved to for tears and I want people are going like this. They're used to my old bythe roll thing ah, our lead by the rule, but and they said we can't afford that or we don't that's not what we're looking for we're looking for and they said no be okay without because that frees up the weekend for someone who is it was a big step guzman's are dealing with that right now and it's really working out for them by the way we heard that personally so let's talk about initial meeting it should be an environment that represents your brand period we talked about solution to doing that your job is listening someone thinks I have to present myself we'll have to have to show this here's what I do and here's what we do and here's how I lay out my schedule on this is what I do just sit there and listen well yeah it's another liberation moment most people think I have to dog and pony show no, you don't listen actually you remember the ping pong ball just keep throwing the ball back oh, really tell you more about your just okay oh, your shoes have you peter issues really? And your veil tell you more okay, we're venue. You getting ready? Okay, perfect. Joe, you interested in multiple locations? You hey, take a look at this. Have you seen this? This is what we do. We call this experiential solid you know anything about this? Throw it back to them. Uh, it's it's really easy to have a meeting and katarina cara do most of these meetings now and I come in partially through and say hi just what we found you know, the photographer made photographers presented after prequalification hey where he was great to meet you I've heard a little bit about your wedding and well it's kind of a tag team effort the way we do it and it works well it's really fun and and we get to know the couple we get them excited and we show some slide shows that in this process and then we say go think about it we're the type of its our first that are absolutely no pressure at all we want you to meet with his many other photographers as you possibly can until you know you found the right photographer we know that's more important to us that you have the right photographer that then we be hired and we honor your decision no matter what it may be again take your time we'll let you know since we've met with you regarding that date we will let you know if anyone else inquires about that date and just asked if we could have the courtesy of letting us know within a couple days after that does that sound reasonable it's this low pressure approach that really really gets them going wow that's nothing like those other photographers that I went to that's nothing like them they were all competing over price and hard selling me to book right now or you'll lose me forever so keep that in mind you're stepping your style away away from the masses away from the the cutthroat compete over prices place and you're now catering to the type of clients that prefers that higher level of service go for him do it right way so you asked a lot of questions you ask more questions and then show your work that relates to your day it's fun to be able to go oh you're getting married at newcastle golf course here's a book newcastle golf course that's part of the inertia part of releasing the boulder down the hill it picks up speed because the more you do stories some or you create your portfolio that more able you are to really get in there space and hey I did won just like your wedding day hey I saw a dress you might like here look at this one in this story stuff that's really fun the market kit with sample book takeaway remember this I showed it to you earlier um this thing has been really helpful to us I recommend everybody create your marketing kit I've seen one it's a beautiful inn in our audience today I love your money yes it's absolutely beautiful we all need one again here's our ours looks they take away this it's got a general here's our price points but again look at this and but don't worry about it too much we're going to get a custom proposal on really do everything we can to give you all the services you like within your budget okay, allow us to do that for you, thies price is good better best holy cow member in good better best good, better best holy cow they're old they're they're actually mohr than what we would do in the custom proposal so when they get that custom proposal with everything they wanted their pleasantly surprised it's even more affordable than we think remember we subtract in our custom proposal additional services that we give away for free is in review we gotta review at this point would be additional time on the front end of your wedding for experience and enhancing activity let's take on the day like other cultures would we'll do the experiential style? It won't be additional photo shoot it's a value of one thousand dollars for those two hours but we'll throw those in because we know in our hearts that will make your day even better than it wass okay, wow, what a presentation and what an awesome offer I am going with them got it and then they could read through all of this stuff where they're making the decision orienting their minds to this story or it their minds to the story it's all about the art books, art books and by the way, complimentary gauge engagement shoot two hours of our time additional one thousand dollars cost and if you'd like to have this visual thing, I'm sure ing them a signing book in our studio you could make one of these albums to its only seven hundred fifty dollars on top of that okay but if you not just use the photos for any any brochures or personal things that you'd like to have those those images are complimentary to you okay but we don't we reserve on ly the retouching for the art that we put them in so those won't be digitally mastered even though we'll say hey you going to use those in a in a brochure anything let me reach retouch a couple for years my gift you okay do you see how I'm totally approaching this from I got your back standpoint and not I'm going to take from you all the money that you have all right very very important so let's get into art of communication time of booking show gratitude how simple is that okay cover letter and binding contract you're gonna provide recommendation of vendor list the a team that you like to work for you've got to you to establish a report scheduled engagement shoot hey thanks for booking is also excited let's do your complimentary gauges shoot whatever we have whatever you'd like to have it spring is coming in cherry blossoms university of washington campus let's do this we got a beautiful day coming up thursday you up I'd love to do that okay we're getting to know them getting in the inner circle is so important engagement session I love him again it's my opportunity to give to the clients even before anything else happens they've booked us by the way they've given us fifty percent down at this point we must take fifty percent I have to, um way talked about this earlier if they cancel their wedding which we've had a handful in our careers have cancelled their wedding, things didn't work out of the date changed we say it's non refundable but often and more often than not we've had to keep it a few times if it cancelled a couple weeks prior and there's no way we're going to re book it we can't get it back, but if we do report we absolutely have their money back because we can make that money from the next opportunity we don't want bad energy at all in this community everybody talks to everybody else and you always have to have the best reputation so give of yourself but don't get walked on that's what these documents are all about so you're hearing my heart here you're in our studios philosophy and culture is really being helpful to others and it's that tenfold rule that we've found along the way that perfect has come true every single time given your heart and make it of with authentic desire to make their day even more special and it comes back to you tenfold um but all you have to be structured in your gift to remember the experiential style. We said one of the rules is careful with giving something away. Unless and this is really important you assigned a value to that gift. So that's why I have the expensive five hundred dollars an hour. So you must write that out. Spell that out, it's the same here we've got authentic desire to do will really take care of our clients. But they have to understand through these documents that this isn't just walking all over us. This is authentic that's, why you have to have these documents and spell it all out. Okay, not just documents. Sorry it's not doctor it's communication. You must communicate. Okay, learn it documents our form of communication sorry. Learn who they are and what they're about that's what engages? Shoot us! Give them an opportunity experience what experiential styles about it's simple images put together in story it's quickly click step back. Let them enjoy it's not a photo shoot it's playfulness you start sometimes how many glass of champagne or it could end with a glass of champagne or dinner dinner plans for them I start mine always at sunset, work into the dark night often or like morning like too don't be wrong, but experiment with new locations it's playful you can always wait for good weather, which we need in seattle. We need in seattle on opportunity for to shoot a couple, whether or not on a day that we can control on the subject of that people environments where the weather is difficult. Um, be sure to set your appointment's up. Always two. So two bookings, two dates. Okay. We knew engages shoot. Our primary date is february fifteenth. Our secondary is a week later. And then if one cancel because of rain. Okay, the second one is good to go, but you have to schedule up. Okay? Our backup date is now the week later. That's. How you keep them happy when when we all know we want to cancel. Sometimes we have to have an opportunity for them to go. No big deal. We have a back up date. Really important. That's a big tip. That's not part of this slide show. Provide exceptional images during the engagement shoot described experiential opportunities. Oh, I have a really this isn't a long time ago. This engagement should happen. Um, but I found these slides it. When I was researching this program, I put this in a program years ago, we read it to you. It was great to finally meet you on saturday jim rebecca I just want to email you and thank you we had a great time and really enjoyed it we still can't believe how beautiful wasa serious perfect and we can't wait to see the pictures you made the session truly enjoyable relaxing rebecca and even more are even mohr excited for for you to show her what a day then we already were which we didn't think was possible thank you jim we had an amazing time feel so blessed to have been able to hire us our wedding for type for I'm not a big picture person but rebecca and I were talking and I told her I feel like I could have done that all day it was truly great relaxing and fun time we both just wanted to thank you again for everything and we're so excited to see the pictures small office thanks jim and hope you and katarina had a great anniversary thanks again jim you're the best john and rebecca I photographed them on our anniversary when katarina in my anniversary and what a gift that wass from the groom of all people what and warmhearted special thing to experience that's what it's all about we should aim for taking care of people that way here this cute couple donna rebecca and boy did they I mean you just you just fall in love with your clients if you have these this policy in place aren't they adorable so this is the shoot we did we went all the way up to deception past state park met them played on the beach so this is february twentieth to our anniversary that we shot this um then we had it we waited for the perfect day just happened a land it's february here in seattle is a cloudy day guaranteed but we have to have a good day that day so it's going to be our anniversary how did sacrifice that with my wife and and you know we celebrated later of course celebrated evening but it was worth it in their client obviously felt it on dh felt like they needed to send us that wonderful letter thank you well here's how their book look they're signing but you want to see it I showed it to you earlier I think in a slide but here's the book with negative space for signatures you see how easy this design is just one or two images with negative space oh my gosh this could add so much revenue to your business see the kind of stretching techniques I showed you earlier the retouching techniques pretty easy uh might have pictures of it on in the next little slideshow stupid but there it is not out looked on their wedding day showed you this earlier so we have opportunities we need to take advantage of them again you keep hearing you say we need to be in the inner circle are client if you if you want teo make make this this business model work for you it's all about the experience from the first male what they come across your name all the way through the processes continue with pre wedding this is this is another opportunity to send them love keep him in monthly contact continue to build a relationship on trust so we have on our calendar hey give a follow up to tricia andrew let him know that we're getting excited they hear from us even if at this point just a simple text hey beautiful day I hope you know our wedding wedding days just like this you know it could be anything so draft pre ceremony timeline okay this is important how the timelines gonna work out and we also obtained a list of desired family photos okay we give them a template and say phyllis in philip the fifteen images that you'd like to have or less like fifteen we want not to be a family shoot out well I used to shoot tons of family photos and now I say hey keep it simple we want to keep your experience great I just want qi family shots I'm going to shoot him in either formal or a casual mohr experiential way let me know what style you like or maybe you like both we can find time to do both get I don't want to be overwhelmed with looking at the camera shots too much. Okay, so keep your list small and we give them a sample of what a list looks like and that list is really small it's very small mom and dad with the broad mom dad with the groom both families together that is in the tool is our sample the tool kit I can hear is that sample in the tool kit the family I'm gonna find out for you? Yeah, the family sample form noting a formals yes, it is okay our sample for what formal images should look like good. Anyways, it is a small bride and groom brian with mom bride with that bridegroom with mom and mom and dad okay, stuff like that and you make it small because, boy, you're going to get stuck doing a whole bunch of family shots that actually you only want one or two spreads of the family in the art but don't get me wrong those pictures individually should be framed everywhere and those are the ones I sell a lot of on smart mark okay, so you want to do a lot, but you could do a lot of them at the reception can't you spell it out and documentation coordinate logistics with wedding planner, okay? Lots of communication wedding plans by the way they refer us so much wedding coordinators who we mark it too in fact pre sell talk about the book talk about the art so let's get it to the wedding day first priority you've built a relationship with your broad you need to be able to hug your bride if it's a cultural culturally okay then ah hug at least in our culture here in seattle means that we have developed a friendship and I'm so happy to see you and you're so welcome to my wedding jim and I am so happy to be serving you on your way here we go you ready energy and it goes energy out I come in I storm and where's my bride ah here we go are you ready? You've done your job if you get a hug from that bride don't get me wrong it's that's a cultural thing it's not everybody's hug huggy and some people really annoyed by people like me I get it but I get it but always be sensitive to cultural differences, etcetera second priority you look so beautiful even if she hasn't had to make a pawn no makeup, no dress you're glowing I say that so much because I'm eating and they are aren't they? You're glowing uh okay, this is gonna be the best day ever I can't wait to see you in your dress all right, energy in because energy out all right you can't do that I couldn't do that at sixty wedding guy sixty five weddings I just could not do that cause I'm like ryan's going to good day where's the pride no so awful oh boy I blown it I've blown it before and then you're trying to rebuild a relationship that energy so it's the first opportunity energy ratchet energy there might be nervousness energies right here huh? You can pop it up instantly by just coming in with the right energy so communication through body language do what it takes to keep control of the energy okay do what it takes the reveal really quick jimmy don't mind when talking about the wedding day there have been some questions let's see can't find who it is right now but other people throughout the weekend who asked about talking to the wedding planner the wedding coordinator do you talk to them on the wedding day do you talk to them ahead of time? Is that something that you do it all? Yes I believe that's a critical whole thing all right there are referrals we want to be their friend I know what a lot of people are thinking out there their night near oh they were always pushes on boston's around why don't you enter that relationship using the communication style that I'm talking about now and say hey coordinator hey jim gardner and team we really want to make this beautiful day for our bride and groom and what I want to do is just go over with you before him and really make sure that I'm doing the right thing for you to make your job easier. And I, of course, would love for you to help help help us make that same experience for a couple of swell so let's get a meeting together or have a little talk skype, whatever. Let me buy you coffee. Whatever let's get to know each other. Ah, little bit extra ever there will come back to you big time, big time indeed. Because at at some level, you realize that every single one of the upscale weddings in seattle has a quality coordinator and you know what? They're often the same coordinator it's, often the same coordinator. You have great opportunity. I remember when I introduce the storytelling philosophy in seattle, I knew I had was a reinvention year. I had to go big on my marketing. One of my marketing tactics was to go really big in a magazine. No photography had ever done this since ya lira, a double like center full double page advertisement about our studio with just a lot of negus space and a few small images on it. So was I marketing to bride's little bit, but mostly I was telling everybody, jim gardner is reinvented and all those coordinators those people also advertised that magazine and know the cost of doing that which was five thousand dollars to do that is a substantial cost and they'll win, huh? Interesting, jim gardner and team they're doing something different and then we called everybody hey and jim garner hey, you know we're doing stuff differently to talk to you. Can we take you out for coffee? Can we take you out on hey, can we buy you a dinner that blew up our business on that reinvention? You remember reinvention years of the times were you marketing you go big and then you could step back a little bit put all your marketing funds into I'm going down this new path this is my reinvention year my season of taking it to a different level go for it go big or not at all don't do little tiny ad or whatever your particular market might have mohr less results from a magazine at at the time that I did, it was about a magazine ad it could be about online bridal gallery now who knows there's many ways to mark yourself, but you've got to be everywhere and not just one place to get everyone's talking about every gotta create a buzz about you, so do I answer that question rather fantastically red bull weigh love it red bull way okay so we're gonna share sneak peeks okay? This official reveal we share a lot of sneak peeks during initial reveal we build momentum ah sneak peek someone's gonna ask is an image that's good eventually being the album that we just fell in love with hay and we just want to email you this seventy two dp I branded image remember the trickle effect for social build momentum relive the wedding day with him column up oh my goodness you're wedding is so beautiful things were really I was just I can't believe it v I p treatment doesn't even even need to be said because you're already at this higher level of service nurture the romance ship a music lighting soft seating beautiful all right eliminate distractions they're about to see their first slide show okay, sneak peaks were up to this point um we're going to say what you're about to do now is you're going to see a sneak peek of all your image is on ly a few those images have been digitally master but that's okay because all about what's yet to come your album were you about to preach your album were to show you a slideshow we're going to bring out a proof book with all the images now none of the images are only a few in the book have been retouched but don't worry it's just a simple tool to be able to communicate what? You eventually want to be in your art piece okay, so you ready? Okay those poor low champagne let's close the drapes let's bring down the lights, turn up the stereo crank up the subway over literally base equals emotion all right? You want to feel the music build you've built a foreign language and music or whatever around them maybe two the first dance photo about that initial slideshow and that sets the tone for future album sales. Okay. Beautiful album reveal repeat v I p service it's the same thing as the initial revealed in individual slide shows. This's now your first raft you're we're going to have plenty of opportunity to make changes okay, this is how we saw your wedding day we saw your you gave us thirty images that you really love we did our best to put them all in there the ones that you really loved that right column in the document we put them all in there I'm happy to tell you okay this pour champagne let's turn down the lights his tour of the base let's do it again and set the tone no distractions it's critical you can't do this in a coffee shop my goodness it's got to be a special moment reveal album repeat the album score form comes out they're charged over yours the first draft is great there's only a couple things I would want to change perfect let's talk about that from a feeling level one through five one through five really get like two or three that are like in the three level you pulled out the proof book anyway, if we change this out with this without making a four five yeah, that making four you just sold that spread as well they're keeping in the book okay here's a problem? We did ten extra spreads member I called you we needed a solution because I shot too much with that experiential time that we gave you it's totally my fault what I want to do is absorb the cost of that. So if you buy three or four additional spreads I'm gonna throw in all the rest so this is making them always leave as a winner I'm a throwing all the rest and if you only want to make these two changes I can really afford to take care of you in that way. Okay setting the tone for the album's change form they were not going to make a lot of changes because they fall in love with that you've taken care of them that's the smart sell technique that we went over yesterday revisions review process okay there's the revision form goes out with them the fundi proof for goes up to communicate changes online and then final delivery so this is delivering something that would last generations so we amp that up you make a perfect delivery we maximize the impression it's so fun to take that graphic studio book oh it's heavy you know and you open the book because everyone's harish it's true and then you open it for the first time in first page oh it's awesome experience and that's how you lay it out you bring gloves and he laid down there he rico you ready we're just gonna walk away and let you enjoy okay put your champagne on the side don't spill your champagne on it you know we walk away and it's like oh my gosh it's so it's always oh my gosh it's so much better then I thought it would ever be it's so much more beautiful and it really is when you could touch and feel these products you will feel so good in your heart about what you've done for these clients okay this attire road what I'm telling you this entire experience is just starts with making a decision going down a different path you could get here you could experience what I'm talking about right now just make that decision so let's finish this final delivery make a special event it's all going to turn a real referrals for you you take care of your clients you'll be talked about throughout the town sky's the limit don't forget this very important ten year one year anniversary number ten in the client communications handwritten card complimentary custom print opportunities so wall art hey, we never did that wall art for you what you think I'll give yu were running discount this month or something like that build a little urgency and it's your anniversary what do you think we're not gonna let this opportunity pass us by? Let me take care of you it's my fault because I really didn't finish that process properly for you. So I'm gonna give you a significant discount on creating that remember you can do that because the margins are absolutely extraordinary. Okay, remember we talked about this yesterday you're going to start your pricing on the product by finding the cost to produce that and then selling it for thirty percent more, okay? And then after you get some traction some footing with that ten percent of next year after you sell a couple and then go ten percent up pretty soon your key stoning it, which means you're doubling the cost. Okay, so if it's one hundred dollars you're signing for two hundred all right, then you're getting better at precinct that are so now you're double keystone on my gosh two hundred percent profit and somehow we've gotten to a point where it's people it's it's a thousand percent profit and you can certainly afford to discount it if you get there um to make that relationship even better really quick, you got to jump in because folks, we're talking about this in chat room and, uh, well, they were joking. I think it's actually a legitimate question, how big is your champagne budget for the month? Because it is something that, like, we see a lot of you you mentioned, like setting the experience of different times and everything on that, and I think I probably over emphasize the champagne a little bit. I do, I do, and to be honest, hey, guys, you would like some champagne. No, we're good right now. We're perfect. Thank you that's often I'm just setting the tone for what it's experiences about certainly don't feed champion everybody, but I will tell you those very large bottle parties are a trend right now in seattle, and I was serious when I said I will hey, guys, instead of taking pictures right now, you guys want to buy you a glass of champagne in the bar. I will sometimes have two by two, three bottles at sixty bucks each because they're double quadruple retail in these bars one hundred eighty dollars out for five or six spreads that will come from that experience is still net profit, and, boy, that marketing is the best marketing money we could possibly spend. Yeah, I went through a trend there I was doing it during the early days the experiential style were first developing it everyone was signing onto it everyone's doing it even thie clients that were picking our it's good better best holy cow the better okay, nobody ever ends up in good because that's only a backyard wedding amount of time and a very, very small book they always end up it better because the psychology of how it works and you know they're about massive bottle party they want to do it too, and I would eat one hundred eighty dollars and they wouldn't buy any more spreads. Okay and that's part of this process. Okay, that's totally part of this process you go well, you know, they didn't buy anything extra and I spent all that money on say to yourself oh, well, because you took care of the bridal party and that's your future business alright always think in those terms just trust the ball rolling down the hill, trust the big boulder, let it go and just trust it so I really appreciate that question. Um don't go too far for so the canadian relationship guys, what you do for your clients after your your services are completely what you doing for him? I strongly recommend you work on it, so studio essentials um you gotta have these arts to use essentials thes air the documents or the communications you gotta have a good cover letter these air standard things that go out with each client once you have them, all you do is change the name of them and tweak him suddenly for each and every client save you ten times just having so cover letter you gotta have one. Thank you. Thanks for choosing introduces a legal contract makes that legal contract which is a firm thing. Legal contracts don't aren't a friendly document this makes it friendly. Gotta have a cover letter from logistics and specifications sets a professional tone, shows accountability you will absolutely show up on time. You never been late in your life to a wedding stuff like that. Okay, jim really quick tio send us via email every time. Where is this paper? Well, many of these give you sent via the mail many of them of more professional that way contracts need to be signed by the male because we need a standard signature and you re give a return envelope with a sam to take out the pain of it so well that kind doesn't they read it they understand it they can call, so the question on sign returned offered to put a check for the deposit in that envelope and how long do you give them to return that to you yeah, you know it's it's a follow up call at times but we give them plenty of time and we let them know take your time with that document read it have your attorney look over if that's something you need to do it rarely happens but again, if somebody were enquiring a date until we get that contract we're gonna give you a couple more days let you know we're going to be a friendly reminder to get that in so that we confirm up the date for our business sick and security so thank you ok start the art this document is hey we're getting going ok continue regular okay continue regular consistant communication game time for design process okay here's why okay update client prior to them enquiring increasing efficiency okay here's what it says we're so excited announced we've begun working on your wedding book okay the next few weeks who will need to schedule some time to resent initial design to for you to view all the revisions are rarely necessarily want to ensure that you're thrilled with the final product so invited to preview the book designed and note changes that are personally important to you okay it's a simple document but it really sets the tone and it helps it updates the client prior to them enquiring what's going on with my book you guys into it are you starting it? Templates ing increased efficiency maybe one more real quick here destination proposals okay this is a different proposal kant different type of proposal it's thirty percent mohr for destination this is good better best wow this is wow okay and it just looks different program one two and three defines the offerings lead in for custom proposals okay this's their lead in for custom proposals okay if the date is available female commission dates available okay, so initial inquiry inquiry immediate response points of inquire you email this out and it says dear client save congratulations engagement thank you so much for initial interest in our work your wedding date of x is currently available thank you so thank you so much for enquiring etcetera, etcetera, etcetera were having the following days and times available we'd love to meet we didn't discuss it professional very professional template emails at efficiency I want you to note that on the left side of all of our documents is our strip of images there's psychology behind that we want to have always with the left brain literal brain document something to remind them what they're higher is for and these are all story type images, single images on the right so on the left side of the documents so psychology behind that all of our documents have that lot of people put pictures on their business cards it's the same philosophy same why don't we do it in our in our contracts and email correspondence as well couple questions from the outside get a few more documents and we're doing really good on time so good question delivery and if you mail this document are you I would want to print that on like an ink jet printer might not turn out that well do you do you order a stack of them that you could print on or how do you do that so it looks nice yes this is the pictures are actually inward and we actually do printing on our color printer and we send him out exactly how you see it printed specifically so we'll change these images out regularly as well if that answers your question yeah for sure images although just like really generic images or are their images of their particular waiting yeah that's how we why we change them out it's a really great question and I think something that you reminding me to do more often so I would want to put if I were really wife on all the correspondence with that particular couple if they're getting married in newcastle wanted make him all newcastle images so and that's an easy thing to do if we just open up a album that last album my shot at newcastle and go copy paste copy paste copy paste boo correspondents really good idea thanks for reminding me to do that we haven't changed these out a long time um but there there is a template for you in the transformation toolbox on the business side on the business side of the transformation toolbox ok, this is e mail correspondence about when we're available to photograph their engagement shoot same sort of thing photo reveal so talking about managing scheduling for important events like the photo really reveal okay email templates efficiency for studio set expectations what will be covered at the meeting? During the photo of you appoint, you will be presented with a beautiful slideshow of your wedding photo collection as well as approved book you will then take proof book home we could take time to slight some perfect images for your custom wedding book, etcetera, that sort of thing okay, so you're setting expectations what the meeting is going to be like studio programmes, wedding pricing you've seen this early when I have to go over it good, better best wow so I will tell you right now at this stage of the ten steps where we are at I currently I am finishing always step nine okay always reworking step nine, always stepping up client experience, finding new ways to do it that's where I am with the ten steps that's where we are, we'll always be ok, so at this stage here's where all of our business comes from, okay, referrals from previous clients they want what their friends had now I've been doing this long enough that they all know that I deliver albums and I deliver art for the walls referrals from those who experienced our service certainly the bridal parties member or family members that were guests at the wedding as well so coordinators air planners are instrumental at this stage now for us okay other vendors vendors are our dear to your friends so and I think tar vendor that supported us yesterday at sotto park urban feast thank you I will certainly work with you guys again and I love that you're my friends so the website is last see that's it the bottom of the list here so it's most that's what I'm talking about when we dropped we kicked that big boulder off the hill and started ruling we're no longer dealing with the same um places where things are so important the website when I was getting started was instrumental now it's not as important because we've gone so far it down the path through the valley across the river now with the documentation traverse the crevasse with a client communication as well and we're coasting along um social media is also very bottom end of where our business comes from way saw this meeting spaces shooting space is now it's a total gift to be able to share the space with good people boy we made it through step nine wow good could we have done in these three days guys evaluate our business brace the art focus philosophy we find the creative inspiration identified our unique style we've decided we're going to go for to find our goals where we want to be in ten years five years, three years two years to get to that goal structure our business to get there we really took on emotional of understood emotional brain how works with sales learned the entire process is sales and unleashed real profit on the way and that set us free set us free we committed to pop product and partnerships we found friends that will help us get to this new place of unlimited potential profit potential and built great relationships as a result we practice and played and refined we find our craft and we began to be known for that new and fresh look that's fresh in our area we looked outside of our home to find inspiration and we refined refined refined we practiced okay we took control of our workflow we diminished we decreased our workflow by more than half by producing art for each client it's getting really good we mastered come on client communication that even makes the boulder pick up inertia now business doesn't come from website anymore it comes from the community that we served doing this new path ways work this new business model's work so here we are it's step ten before we get there, let's. Do a quick action, explore ways to communicate and increase, improve upon your client's experience. We're all going to do that, obviously.

Class Materials

bonus material with purchase

Foldable Field Guide
10 Steps to Success

Ratings and Reviews

Ester Knowlen Photography
 

LOVE LOVE LOVE all the bits on how to create a wow shot without stressing about getting it/catching it by chance. So SPOT on!! A little bit of planning, a little bit of vision, and great ideas/recipe for amazing "wow" shots that are prompted and genuine (unique just like the people we shoot), rather than stressed over and chased. :) Amazing video!! :) Thanks Jim Garner!!

222 N 43rd Pl
 

This is such an amazing course. It is my first purchase that I have made with Creative Live and I couldn't be more pleased. Jim shared so much information and so many insights. It's great to be able to watch the segments over, picking up something new every time. Taking volumes of notes! I am starting to implement Jim's approach to photography—storytelling. I am just starting out in wedding photography and am so excited to have found this gem tutorial! I would highly recommend this to any photographer who wants to take their work from photographs to art.

Student Work

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