Creating a Successful Photography Client Experience

Your photography client experience is the foundation of your business. It’s not just about delivering stunning images; it’s about how you make your clients feel every step of the way. From that first inquiry to signing the contract, every interaction matters. A simple and intentional photography client experience not only ensures happy clients but also saves you time and energy, especially when you use tools like HoneyBook to streamline it all.

Here’s how to create a smooth, professional photography client experience that wows your clients – and helps you book more weddings with confidence.

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Keep scrolling for show notes, and a full transcript!

First Impressions Matter

The inquiry stage sets the tone for the entire photography client experience, and quick responses are so important. Studies show that more than 80% of clients book the first business that responds to their inquiry. But as a busy photographer, staying on top of emails isn’t always realistic – especially if you’re in the middle of wedding season or dealing with low-energy days.

This is where a client relationship management (CRM) system like HoneyBook becomes invaluable. By setting up an automated email response, you can make sure potential clients receive a personalized message as soon as they hit “submit” on your contact form. And when you use features like HoneyBook’s smart fields, you can include details like their name, wedding date, and venue, making it feel like a one-on-one interaction while saving yourself hours of work in the process.

This is a simple but seriously impactful step that not only makes you look professional but also builds trust, which is so important for turning inquiries into bookings.

Speak Their Language (Not Photography Jargon)

Your couples aren’t photographers – they don’t know or care about the difference between “bokeh” and “depth of field.” It might feel natural to highlight the technical details of your work, but these kinds of terms can leave clients feeling confused and disconnected. Instead, focus on what matters to them: your ability to capture meaningful moments on their wedding day and deliver images they’ll be obsessed with for a lifetime.

Clear, concise communication is key. Avoid overly long emails that overwhelm your clients or responses so short they feel impersonal. Your goal is to find a happy medium that gives them all the necessary information in a way that’s easy to understand. Using customizable templates in HoneyBook can help you send emails that are on-brand and client-focused without having to start from scratch every time.

Guide Clients Through Every Step

When it comes to the booking process, never assume your clients know what to do next. Even the most detail-oriented couples can feel overwhelmed by the logistics of wedding planning. It’s your job to guide them with clear instructions and next steps at every stage of the process.

For example, when you send over your pricing guide, include a section at the end about what they should do next – whether it’s scheduling a consultation or filling out a questionnaire. Then, once they’ve decided to book, outline the steps for signing the contract and submitting their retainer.

This level of hand-holding not only helps clients feel supported but also builds their confidence in your ability to manage their big day with ease.

Simplify the Booking Experience For Your Photography Clients

The easier you make it for clients to book, the more likely they are to move forward without hesitation. Offering simple, straightforward payment options is a big part of this. Nobody wants to feel like they’re jumping through hoops just to give you their money!

Using HoneyBook, you can set up automated payment reminders to ensure clients never miss a due date. For an even more seamless experience, you can use their auto-pay feature, so payments are processed automatically on their scheduled dates.

After the booking process is complete, sending a personalized thank-you email is the best way to celebrate the milestone. Congratulate your new clients on taking a such a huge step in their wedding planning journey and reassure them that they’ve made the right choice by hiring you!

Why a Great Photography Client Experience Benefits You, Too

A streamlined photography client experience isn’t just about making your clients happy – it’s about protecting your own energy and boundaries. When your process is clear and professional, you avoid unnecessary stress and awkward situations (like chasing down payments or clarifying confusing emails).

Happy clients are also more likely to refer you to their friends and leave 5-star reviews, which means less time marketing yourself and more time doing what you love: capturing those unforgettable moments.

Take Time to Reflect and Improve

As the year winds down, take some time to audit your current process. Are there any steps in your workflow that feel like roadblocks?? Do you have the right tools in place to automate repetitive tasks? Even small tweaks can make a huge difference. Remember, a polished photography client experience isn’t something that just happens. It’s the result of intentional planning and thoughtful adjustments over time.

Ready to Simplify Your Workflow?

If you’re ready to elevate your photography client experience and streamline your workflow, HoneyBook is a game-changer. From automating inquiries to sending contracts and tracking payments, it’s designed to make your life easier while delivering a polished, professional experience for your clients.

Need help getting started? Check out my template shop for ready-to-use tools, including email swipe files and smart file templates. These resources are fully customizable and designed to save you time while keeping your business running like a dream.

With the right systems in place, you can create a stress-free client experience that supports your clients—and your own well-being. Let’s make 2025 your smoothest year yet!

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Show Notes

Mentioned on today’s episode of Keeping It Candid:

Check out the Shop!

Episode Sponsor: HoneyBook
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Destination wedding payment chaos – Making it Easy for Your Wedding Photography Clients: 5 Essential Steps for a Seamless Experience

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What do your taco choices reveal about your wedding photography business? Take my quiz to find out!

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Other Episodes & Blogs You’ll Love

Utilizing Systems To Deliver An Amazing Client Experience with The Finer Points

Stop Making Your Photography Clients Jump Through Hoops

Up-Level Your Client Experience With This One Simple Question

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TRANSCRIPT

Episode 063

[00:00:00] Sandra: I see this a lot, especially on social media, where photographers feel the need to talk about the equipment that they’re using, the lens they used, using terms like depth of field and Bokeh and things like that. All great words, but they don’t mean anything to your clients.

[00:00:19] They don’t understand what the hell Bokeh is. They don’t know what depth of field means. And if they’re asking you about your camera equipment, chances are they printed their list of questions off of The Knot.

[00:00:29] Welcome to Keeping It Candid. I’m Sandra Henderson, photographer, system strategist, and here to help you level up your photography business with real strategies that work. If you’re tired of beginner advice and quick fixes that don’t actually solve anything, this is the podcast for you. Each week, we dive into simple, sustainable systems for client workflows, automation, and communication strategies that are designed to keep your business thriving without the burnout.

[00:00:59] Because your business should support you and not the other way around. Whether you’re balancing a chronic illness or just done with the endless hustle, Keeping it Candid is here to help you reclaim your time, work smarter, and focus on what truly matters.

[00:01:15] Happy Wednesday, everybody. Welcome back to Keeping It Candid, and my condolences to all of my fellow Bravo fans, because it has been a sad week. It was announced that the cast of Vanderpump Rules is being entirely replaced for the next season, which honestly, I personally am not entirely surprised about because if you watch the show, you know, that everybody like legitimately hated each other at the end of last season.

[00:01:42] And I genuinely don’t think I had it in me to watch another 13 or however many episodes of these people fighting about the exact same thing over and over and over again. So I’m a little skeptical about a new cast, but I am at least relieved that we are going to get a little bit of a change up.

[00:02:01] And I’m a huge fan of Real Housewives of New York as well, and they got a whole new cast and it’s an unpopular opinion, but I actually love the new cast. So we’ll see how this all plays out.

[00:02:14] But thankfully we have Southern Charm coming back to give us all the dramatic fix that we need in the meantime, which is probably my favourite show or one of my favorite shows on Bravo. And you can definitely catch me putting that on as background noise on Friday while I’m getting some more work done before the weekend.

[00:02:32] I have to have some sort of background noise on, and it really varies if I’m going to be watching TV or listening to a podcast, listening to music depends on what kind of mood I’m in and what kinds of things that I’m working on. If you are a background noise person, too, I would love to hear what it is that you’ve got playing. Come over to Instagram. Send me a DM @simplysandrayvonne and let’s chat about what it is that you’ve got filling up the space while you are trying to get through that editing. And speaking of that editing that most of you I know are probably still in need deep in the midst of ,trying to get it all done before the holidays. And trying to get rest and all the things that I talked about on last week’s episode.

[00:03:16] But that doesn’t change the fact that engagement season is almost here and we’ve really got to start thinking about 2025 now, if we haven’t already.

[00:03:27] So today we are going to be talking all about creating a successful client experience from inquiry to booking. But first, before I get to that, We have this week’s All The Rage segment. I feel like I need to have some sort of like sound or little bit of music or something right here like you would hear on the radio, but this week I want to talk about whether or not you should post your editing cue to your Instagram stories.

[00:03:54] If you ask other photographers, they’re going to tell you no, don’t do it. But chances are, if you poll your audience, which is the people that are actually interested in seeing your content and people who are actually potentially going to hire you, the people that you are wanting to speak directly to. If you ask them, chances are you’re going to get an entirely different answer.

[00:04:19] Speaking from my own results and a few other of my colleagues who I know have done the same thing. Our results overwhelmingly, voted in favor of that editing queue being posted.

[00:04:31] I see a lot of other photographers that are talking about not posting this editing queue. They have this idea that it’s meant to be a “look at me; look how busy I am” type- vibe, and I genuinely hate that that’s the assumption that people are making.

[00:04:48] Personally. I just think it’s another level of transparency between us and our clients. It lets them know where they are in the process and gives them just another reminder of how long it’s going to be until they get their photos.

[00:05:02] Especially as photographers where we are giving such a personalized experience. I do still think it’s important for our clients to realize that our entire world doesn’t revolve around them. We have other clients. We have other photos that we have to get to, and that helps paint that picture as well. So, if you don’t want to post your editing cue in your stories, then don’t. Nobody is forcing you to. But if somebody else is, it’s legit not impacting you in any way, shape or form. So let’s just zip it and carry on with our day.

[00:05:33] Sandra: You know that feeling when you’re overwhelmed with emails, contracts, payments, and client inquiries, wondering how you’re going to keep it all together? Girl, same. I mean, at least until I started using HoneyBook. HoneyBook is an all in one client management system that helps you stay organized and make your workflow feel manageable.

[00:05:55] Even on days when your energy is low. As a photographer balancing chronic illness, it has been an absolute game changer for me. Over the last six years, I’ve leaned on HoneyBook to grow my business without burning myself out in the process. From automating inquiries to sending contracts and tracking payments, HoneyBook makes it easy to deliver a polished professional experience without the chaos.

[00:06:19] Whether you’re balancing health challenges or just need more time to focus on the parts of your business that you love, HoneyBook helps simplify your day to day so that you can feel like you’re actually able to get ahead. If you’ve been looking for a way to get your business more organized and less overwhelming, head to share.

[00:06:35] honeybook. com Forward slash Sandra to get 30 percent off your first year. It’s one of the best investments I have ever made for my business. And I know that it can help you too. A special thank you to HoneyBook for being a sponsor of this episode. And now let’s get back to it.

[00:06:57] In the first years of my business, I had a client who wanted to book their wedding with me. And after I sent their proposal, they completely ghosted. I sent a few follow up emails and I never got a response. So eventually I sent one last email with a final deadline saying if I didn’t hear back and didn’t receive payment by X date, then I would be canceling their booking altogether.

[00:07:20] I did eventually hear back. I can’t remember at this point, if it was before or after that deadline that I set, but they said that they were actually on vacation for the last couple of weeks and that one of their family members was supposed to pay their invoice while they were away, so they had no idea that any of this had been transpiring.

[00:07:38] In hindsight, I should have picked up on several red flags, but I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. And honestly, I even started feeling a little bit bad for pestering them about getting paid. And I say that I should’ve picked up on those red flags because to date, this actually ended up being one of the most difficult weddings of my career.

[00:08:00] It was a really, really hard lesson to learn, but it completely changed how I approached the inquiry to booking process. These days, I really focus on making sure that clients know exactly what to expect, how to move forward and when things need to happen. So we are going to talk all about how you can build an experience that feels smooth stress-free and sets the tone to leave your clients saying, wow.

[00:08:26] A great client experience doesn’t just impact the client. It impacts you too, because when your process is smooth and professional clients trust you more, which means they’re more likely to book without hesitation or confusion, or most importantly, any red flags. And that confidence starts to trickle down to their referrals too, because happy clients love to recommend someone who made their experience easy and enjoyable.

[00:08:53] And let’s not forget the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you’re not in for any surprises from your clients down the road, which always takes all of the fun out of this business.

[00:09:03] So let’s start at the beginning with the inquiry process. It’s important to respond quickly and professionally, but that doesn’t mean that you physically have to be the one responding personally.

[00:09:14] How do you do both? Well, if you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, it is going to be no surprise to you when I say: auto responders. At minimum, you need to set up an autoresponder that says something along the lines of, I received your email and here’s when you’ll hear back from me. You never want to leave people wondering what to expect, because confusion and unanswered questions is what takes away from that trust that you are working so hard to build.

[00:09:42] At this point heading into 2025, you can’t afford to not be using auto responders. We live in a time when instant access is everything and more than 80% of clients are hiring the business that responds to their inquiry first. So it’s so important to be that first one landing in their inbox. And when you use features like HoneyBook smart fields and smart files, you can sent a personalized, automated email response to them that includes their name, their wedding date, and any other personal information that you want to include, while also sending along things like a pricing guide so you can start giving them that information that they’re looking for.

[00:10:21] And then as the inquiry process continues, we want to talk more about streamlining communication. When you’re emailing, you want to make sure that it’s clear and concise. Skip any and all professional jargon. And I know

[00:10:36] I see this a lot, especially on social media, where photographers feel the need to talk about the equipment that they’re using, the lens they used, using terms like depth of field and Bokeh and things like that. All great words, but they don’t mean anything to your clients.

[00:10:55] They don’t understand what the hell Bokeh is. They don’t know what depth of field means. And if they’re asking you about your camera equipment, chances are they printed their list of questions off of The Knot.

[00:11:06] Because I know that that question is on there. I’ve been asked it a million times myself. And when you give the answer about what kind of camera equipment you’re going to use, your potential clients are going to look at you with blank stares.

[00:11:19] Because again, they have no fucking idea what you’re talking about. One camera to the next, it doesn’t mean anything to them, but somewhere an expert told them that they need to be asking this question.

[00:11:30] So here’s your permission to skip the jargon, stop using technical terms and start relating to the person who is actually hiring you.

[00:11:39] You also want to make sure that your email lengths are a happy medium. You don’t want anything that’s unnecessarily long winded, but you also don’t want anything that’s too short either.

[00:11:50] I had someone email me twice this summer, where all they responded with was a thumbs up emoji. And while I appreciate the heads up that they got the email, it was such a waste of my time. And I was so frustrated. Like I genuinely would have just preferred not hearing anything at all than to have to waste my time opening up my inbox, just to see an email that included a thumbs up. That’s just me. Maybe you guys feel differently, but I just felt like it was a waste of my time. So find a happy medium between a really long unnecessary email and something that’s as short as an emoji.

[00:12:29] And when you use a CRM system to do this, it gives you a place to create templates for all of these emails that you can modify it any time to make sure that they are always on point. And if you aren’t sure what to say, head over to Chat GPT and use that as a starting point. It’s so important to make sure that you modify it so that it actually sounds like you and matches your brand voice, but it is such an incredible starting place. I use chat GPT for literally everything.

[00:12:58] You can also pop over into my shop, where I have all the email templates and smart file templates that you could need already done for you. There’s an email bundle specifically that I think is going to be a super helpful and fits perfectly in with what we’re talking about. This inquiry email bundle includes auto responders, three follow-up emails, and an email about why someone decided to book elsewhere.

[00:13:23] These templates are fully customizable, but they’re also ready to use if you love the way they sound and they fit for your business. Just copy and paste, set up a few automations and you are good to go.

[00:13:36] Streamlining your communication isn’t just important for wowing our clients and standing out against the competition. It’s also the first step in setting boundaries around your office hours, and it’s one of the simplest automated systems that you can set up for your business.

[00:13:51] Photographers, let’s be honest. No one has time to be creating templates from scratch all the time, especially when you’re juggling inquiries, bookings, and everything in between. That’s why I created my template shop, your one stop spot for everything you need to streamline your business. Inside the shop, you will find HoneyBook smart files, email swipe file templates, and workflow outlines designed to make your life so much easier. And the best part is that they are all fully customizable. So you can tweak them to fit your business perfectly, whether you’re trying to automate your inquiry process, polish up your client communication, or finally get your CRM running like a dream. I have got you covered. Stop wasting your time, DIYing everything and start using templates that are ready to work as hard as you do.

[00:14:40] These tools are built to simplify your life, boost your efficiency, and make your business look so polished, all while being totally customizable to fit your style. If you’re ready to spend less time on admin and more time behind the camera, head over to simplysandreevon. ca forward slash shop and check them out.

[00:15:01] Trust me, your future self will thank you.

[00:15:04] Now onto the third thing that you want to do to create a successful client experience from inquiry to booking, is guiding your clients through the process. You never, ever, ever want to assume that people will know what to do and never assume that it’s going to be easy for them. You really want to spell it out for people like they’re five.

[00:15:27] And I mean that with the most love and in the politest way. You really want to hold their hand and guide them through the process because it builds trust. It helps these potential clients know that they’re going to be able to rely on you and you are going to keep all of your bases covered throughout the time that you’re working together.

[00:15:46] So some ways that you can do this is to include things like next steps at the end of all, major emails, for things like your pricing guide, your booking, confirmation planning, a timeline, anything like that, any of those major touch points at the end, just let them know what those next steps are going to be and it will go such a long way.

[00:16:06] And then lastly, I want to talk about the actual booking experience. A seamless booking experience is so important because when you make it difficult, you are literally taking money out of your own pocket. I talked about this on an episode last season, I’ll have to go back and figure out which episode it was and I’ll drop it in the show notes. But I was doing a destination wedding at a resort last year, and this resort could not have made it more difficult for me to spend my money.

[00:16:36] I took $20 us to the pharmacy and was told that it was too large of a bill and they couldn’t accept it. Then I tried to use my credit card to book a private lounge for my way home, because I was just exhausted and wanted to relax. And they told me that it was just my specific type of credit card that was wrong, that they could take any other type of credit card, except for mine. Then I went to go and buy a bottle of water at one point and was told that now they could only accept Canadian funds because it was only Canadians on the resort. And it was just like, it was one thing after another. And I was so frustrated and honestly just did not feel valued as a customer.

[00:17:20] So I share that story because it really makes you see how offering multiple and a simple payment options can go such a long way.

[00:17:30] They literally lost over $150 for me because they kept denying my methods of payment.

[00:17:38] You can also automate things like payment reminders to take all of the awkwardness out of chasing people down for missed payments, which I absolutely love. And HoneyBook even has a feature that you can set it up so people have to auto pay. Meaning that on any payment due date that you set their credit card will automatically be charged so you don’t have to worry about them remembering. They don’t have to worry about remembering and everything is going to get taken care of automatically.

[00:18:06] I also love to send out custom thank you emails after payments are made, especially after that initial retainer, because it’s a great time to congratulate them on taking this huge step in wedding planning. If you’ve ever planned a wedding before, you know, that hiring a photographer is one of the big decisions that you have to make right in the very beginning. So you want to congratulate them on that, hype them up and make sure that they never have even a second of buyer’s remorse wondering if they made the right choice in hiring you.

[00:18:36] So before we wrap things up, let’s do a quick little recap.

[00:18:39] First. You want to make sure that you are giving an amazing first impression with a quick personalized response. You’re going to streamline and clarify the emails that you’re sending.

[00:18:49] You’re going to use tools that keep templates and communication simple for you and your clients and you are going to get to know those tools so well, they are going to be like your new best friend. And then you’re going to give your booking experience a little extra sparkle with things like automated payment reminders and thank you emails.

[00:19:09] A great client experience isn’t something that just happens when you really get along with someone. It happens when you intentionally plan out every step to support your clients within your own boundaries. Supported clients are happy clients, and happy clients mean reviews, referrals, return clients, and even more bookings.

[00:19:29] So I want you to take some time over the holidays, maybe during that window between Christmas and New Years where no one really knows how to exist- and I want you to do a self audit of your process that takes a lead from inquiry to booking. See if there are any hurdles or roadblocks that you need to fix and brainstorm some ways that you can make this process even better.

[00:19:51] Even the smallest tweeks can make a huge difference, so I don’t want you to overthink this and if you need any help, getting started, make sure that you head over to my website. Visit my template shop simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop.

[00:20:05] Or come over to the unfiltered community on Facebook. You’ll find a link to that in the show notes. You can come and ask for advice and ideas on how to make this inquiry process even more amazing for your potential clients and myself and some other amazing photographers are there to support you and help you out along the way.

[00:20:24] Now, if anybody needs me, you will find me on my couch working through the last of my editing for the year today, catching up on the last couple of episodes of last season of Southern charm. I am a re watcher. I can’t help it. I have no room in my brain to retain what happens in between seasons. So I have to go and rewatch to get caught up or it’s like, I have absolutely no idea what’s happening.

[00:20:48] So that’s where you’ll find me this Wednesday. As always, if you love this episode, I would love it if you would share it with some friends who would love it too. And it just said the word love a lot there, but share this episode with somebody who you think is going to get some takeaways from it too. Screenshot the episode and share it on social media, on your Instagram stories, and come and talk about your favorite takeaway on Threads.

[00:21:11] I would love to hear what you got from this episode and how you’re going to use it in your business. So until next time friends have a great rest of your week.

[00:21:21] You’ve been listening to Keeping It Candid, and I cannot tell you how thankful I am that you’re here. Running a photography business doesn’t have to mean endless hustle and burnout, and I hope today’s episode brought you one step closer to that work life balance that you deserve. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe and leave a review.

[00:21:40] It helps other photographers like you find the show and keeps me inspired to keep bringing you more tips every single week. If you’re looking for tools, resources, or ways to work together, head to SimplySandraYvonne.ca to get started. Until next time, keep it simple and don’t forget to take care of you along the way.

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