photo by Maggie Grace Photography
When fresh, new inquiries roll into your inbox, it’s hard not to get pumped about the potential of photographing that wedding. But what if you’re not meshing with the prospective client as well as you would like? Whether you’re not vibing with their initial inquiry or you don’t think you’ll be a good match for the client after a couple of back-to-back emails, we came up with an easy guide on how to break up with prospective clients!
photo by Lukas Korynta
Step 1: Don’t Beat Around The Bush
If you aren’t vibing with a potential client and you think it’s time to for you all to go in another direction, don’t hesitate to start that conversation with them. It’s not fair to you or that couple to keep this professional relationship going if you don’t have any intention in moving forward with them. Instead, start prepping an email to them using the rest of the steps below.
Step 2: Be Honest
In your email, be sure to be honest. Kindly express your reasonings for not moving forward and be sure to keep it professional. Although it’s not going to work out with this client, you don’t want to burn any bridges or risk the chance of a bad word-of-mouth.
photo by Samantha Donaldson
Step 3: Offer A Referral
Since you’re choosing to not move forward, think about giving a list of referrals for photographers that you believe will be an even better match for the couple. If you have the time to do so, post in a Facebook group or two to gather a list of people that you know will for sure be interested in the job based off of availability for the date, price point, and vibe.
Step 4: Thank The Client
At the end of it all, be sure to thank the client for their time and their interest in you and your work. Although you feel it’s better to go in a different direction, the client saw something in your work that they wanted to be a part of and it’s good to give that recognition and be grateful for their inquiry.
photo by Kindred Wedding Storytellers
Step 5: Put It In Writing
In a time where there are an endless number of ways to communicate with someone, it’s best to break up with a client in writing preferably over email. Just because you can write a text, post on someone’s Facebook wall, or even slide into someone’s Instagram DMs, this is a time to be professional and concise. Your email should outline your reasoning, offer some referrals, and thank them for their time and interest.
No matter the reason, you’ll now be prepared to write a kick ass email when needing to break up with a prospective client. If you’re on the hunt for more business tips and tricks, here are 5 reasons why editors aren’t featuring your work.
