Meeting Clients and Building Relationships
It was a joyful night. I had just finished another session in the Botanical Gardens — one of my favorite places to shoot, particularly when I have couples in front of the camera — when my intern asked a question I had been wondering myself; “How did you guys find out about Sydney?” Over the course of the night, I had already learned they were from out of town and had driven in for the night, so it was a fair question to ask. “I think we found her on TikTok,” one of them replied, “or a friend of a friend mentioned Sydney, and that was as much of a sign as we needed.”
“How did you hear about me?” is something I consider a lot as a photographer. It’s a part of my wedding booking questionnaire and something I tend to ask clients, especially those who aren’t local. It’s also part of the reason I get on TikTok and try to keep up with whatever audios and trends the kids are using or posting about these days. Letting people know I’m here and ready to take their photos is how I can even find people to ask, “How did you hear about me?” in the first place.
However, when I think about new clients and building relationships, the most important thing that comes to mind is word of mouth. And when I think about myself as Sydney Rose Portraits, I think about how I desire to work for those who want to be themselves on their wedding day and who want to spend their special day with the people who love them in the place that they love. So, as a photographer who stresses she’s here for you to serve your needs, real reviews from actual happy clients are the best representation of how I like to build and grow my business.
It’s also a good thing to keep in mind for any photographer starting out or at any point on their journey.
With so many photographer options out there, word of mouth can end up being the most important way of reaching new clients. People trust people they know who have had a tangible experience with you, so think of each job as basically an interview for the next one. Take senior photos for your friend who is graduating, who tells their friend or sibling about how happy they were, who then decides to book you for photos, and the cycle continues. It can be as simple as that. With weddings, that wedding party is your referral list! If they love you, they will tell their friends, family, strangers on the street... you get the picture. I did a wedding in March and have gotten at least 2 weddings and an engagement booked from that same couple, all because of word of mouth.
For reviews, I highly recommend Facebook, Google, and SEO.
Get a Google Business Profile if you don’t already have one. Start a Facebook page. And make sure your website is keyworded and uses SEO so people can find you. SEO is a website feature that basically helps your website pop up as a search result for people to find you. You can’t be hired if they don’t know you exist. I’ve had multiple people find me after their wedding and wonder why they didn’t find me earlier cause they wanted me to photograph their wedding post-wedding.
When building relationships, I think about it the same way as I think about nurturing a garden. As an avid plant lover who keeps more leafy friends in her apartment than her partner thought possible, I know that requires love, care, and attention. I genuinely care about my clients, even when they aren’t actively in my email booking sessions. I always make sure to interact with them on social media and check in on them.
When I send post-wedding gallery delivery boxes to my clients, they have a personal SRP touch; they include local, handmade beeswax candles, a ring holder made by me, polaroids from their day, a handwritten thank you note, candy, and other mementos from their day (saved confetti from the dance floor, film photos, etc.). When it’s the anniversary of a couple I’ve photographed in the past, I do my best to make a post on social media as well. Not only is it a great way to keep in touch and let them know you’re still thinking about them (and would totally take their photos again!), but it also allows you to show off the gorgeous photos you took however long ago.
The first impression matters whether it’s an email, phone call, or in-person meeting. I always ask the client questions about themselves so I can get to know them, their relationship, and their lives so I can capture them as they truly are. Showing curiosity helps me know how to best capture the details of their day and also lets them know I’m invested in their experience. I make sure to be open and transparent on these consultation calls as I walk them through what to expect when working with me and the “SRP Experience.” The more a client understands your workflow, the more confident they’ll feel in the process.
Don’t hesitate to share a bit of your own story as well, and tell them about how you fell in love with photography, your style, and what inspires your work. Especially when it comes to weddings, I let the client share what they’re looking for and what matters most to them first. Taking the time to listen and connect on a personal level builds trust and lays the foundation for a strong relationship because this isn’t just about selling your services; it’s about establishing a personal connection. When clients feel they know who you are as a person, they’re more likely to trust you as a professional.
Client experience is so important for building and growing your photography community. People will remember how you treated them more than anything, and a positive experience will keep your name in their mouths with their friends and family.