how to book weddings

This week’s article comes to us from G.E. Masana is a NYC based wedding photographer and author of “Advertise and Sell Your Wedding Photography” published by Marathon Press. His roster of clients have spanned from the Beauty Editor of ELLE to actors, cinematographers, and even a NYC art gallery owner. He was previously was on “The List” of contributing photographers for Martha Stewart Weddings. NYC Wedding Photographer.

When noted wedding photographer Joe Buissink meets with prospective wedding couples, he doesn’t merely sell his service by detailing specifications. In other words, his presentation isn’t about telling couples that he’ll go to the park for bride and groom portraits or that they’ll receive thirty 8x10s in a leather album.

Then again, maybe he does mention some of these specifics… but my point is that’s not what his presentation’s selling.

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cover of "get Connected"Just a quick  reminder today that your 40% discount on our brand new ebook, Get Connected: Build Relationships to Drive Your Business, ends in just a couple of days. If you have been thinking about checking out the latest material from PhotoMint (written by yours truly) then now is the time to pick it up at this price. The feedback on this has been amazing, and in fact photographers are getting leads almost immediately from putting the tips into action. Here’s a few comments:

“I have already started networking with the newest vendors here in my area. They are sending me leads from the first day I met with them.”

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Let me ask you a question. How do you keep track of your leads? Please God don’t say post-its. Or random slips of paper. You do have a lead tracking system, right? If your answer is “not really” or you aren’t sure, then read on Photographer. Let me help you out on this one.

I know what you are thinking, I really do. If she wants you, she’ll book you, right? Wrong.

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Today we are talking about how to book weddings. You know by  now that you need to invest time and effort into marketing; marketing is what gets your phone to ring and email inquiries coming in. Having an email follow up is critical if you are a wedding photographer.

Once you’ve gotten a  wedding lead, you need to stay focused and do everything you can to book a consultation with the bride. Everything you do after you get an initial inquiry for a wedding is called follow up.

You need a system for keeping track of your leads that you can easily maintain, so that leads don’t slip through your fingers and get booked by someone more on top of their leads and consultations.

Your work is probably awesome, I get that. You want to be cool and laid-back, not a pushy sales person. If they want to book you, they will, right? And if there is only you and one other option within 25 miles, you can probably afford to go with a laid back, “let them come to me when they are ready” approach.

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Last year was not easy for you, businesswise. I know you’d like to do things differently this year. A fresh start, a new path. And the timing—now—couldn’t be better, right?

Running a photography business is hard work. It was supposed to be easy; what is it they say about doing what you love? The money will follow? Not quite. No one tells you how hard it’s going to be. You’ve got a great product and not enough clients.

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