Photo by Ali Bonomo

Meeting with your prospective clients prior to booking will lead to better photos, less miscommunication, more sales, and happier clients! Time, comfort, etc., aren’t great excuses as to why you can’t meet with prospective clients, but here are five wonderful reasons why meeting with your couples is seriously one of the best moves you can make as a wedding photographer!

#1 In-person meetings are the best way to build trust

Trust is paramount when it comes to getting your clients comfy in front of the camera. By meeting with your couples prior to them signing the dotted line, you’re fostering the pillars of a strong and trusting relationship, which will make your job easier down the road! The more your clients trust you, the goofier and more authentic they will be in front of your camera.

#2 Selling yourself over the phone is never easy and is always awkward

This point is totally related to trust, but it’s worth mentioning none the less! It’s difficult to sell yourself and your services to a couple over the phone. Non-verbal communication is such a key factor for us humans when we’re deciding who we like and who we don’t like. And most purchasing decisions come down to just that: who do I like and who can I trust? Phone calls and emails eliminate the ability for your couples (and you, too!) to evaluate compatibility. You want your couples to connect with you as a person because if they love your work and they feel comfortable around you, chances are, they’re going to hire you!

Photo by Maddie Mae Photo

#3 Setting expectations with your clients via email is where things get lost in translation

Tone doesn’t translate in email and expectations of your couples may get lost in translation if you rely solely on email for client communication. When you meet with a prospective client in-person, not only are you building trust and selling who you are and what you do, but you are also setting expectations. Consultations should definitely include information about timelines, your approach, what the engagement session will be like, what’s included in each package, etc. Setting these expectations, in-person, is SO much better than sending a long email that your couple might not even read or understand. I think doing everything you can to be proactive, will help to limit the number of times confusion occurs.

#4 Upselling products and or services works out better in-person

Speaking of what’s included in your packages, it’s near impossible to sell a couple on something they think they don’t need over email. For example, if you sell albums (which you should), bring a mock album with you to your consultation and let your couple feel the paper and recognize the quality in-person. Tell them what designing these albums for your clients means to you. Let them know that digital files aren’t the same as prints. You telling them in-person, where they can feel your passion and look you in the eyes, will help generate more sales for you. I promise.

Psst. Want more help with IPS? Enroll in our Building A Scalable Business with In-Person Sales. 

Photo by Tomasz Kornas Photography

#5 It’s extremely difficult to get to know someone, let alone their relationship, over the phone

My last reason is basically the opposite of reason number one! While it’s definitely important for your couple to get to know you in person, it’s equally beneficial for you to get to know them! Why? By getting to know your prospective clients, you’ll have such a better connection with them and that will show in your photos. If you’re wanting to capture authentic moments and document a love story, you need to know the couple and their relationship. Think of how much more confident you’ll be during the engagement session if you’ve already met and shared a beer or coffee with your clients. And not only will you feel more confident, but you’ll create better images. This is such a game changer.

Even if you can only meet with your couples for 30 minutes before they sign your contract, we hope you’ll give this strategy a shot!

Looking for more how to’s on working with clients? Check out these 5 Red Flags You Might be Sending to Potential Clients.