From contract signing to wedding day communication

How much do you communicate with the bride/groom after they sign the contract?

I'm not talking about the regular communication within a month or so of the wedding to work out timeline and shot lists, etc. What i want to know is if you communicate with the couple periodically to build rapport. With contracts being signed 18 months out or more, it's a long between signing and the wedding. If you do this, I'd appreciate if you'd share what you do/say as I'm running a bit dry on ideas. Thx.

I don't.

- People book -> send out booking email with invoice for deposit, order for balance, contract and online client management system / wedding wedding login details.

- 8-12 weeks out -> send email to arrange pre-wedding meeting (to go over the timeline etc). I'll normally block book 4-5 pre-wedding meetings on the same day to limit my time out of the office (and some the afternoon/evening before). This means that all the pre-wedding meetings for a 35 wedding season are wrapped up in 6 blocks. Much more efficient as it means I pretty much only have one pre-wedding meeting day required per month.

- 4 weeks out -> send email balance invoice (due 2 weeks prior)

I don't generally have to do much/if any communication over timelines, shot lists etc as my online system does that all for me.

Pretty much all the standard emails are templated which get tweaked over time.

Rapport is built straight away in the initial consultation. If you do it face to face.

We spend about 1.5 to 2hrs with each client, if they still like us after that amount of time, we know that they will enjoy having us around all day.

Thanks for the replies. I guess building rapport was the wrong way to say it. I, too, have spent a good amount of time at the consult and have gotten comfortable with the couple. I want to generate chatter from the bride and groom for the purpose of wom advertising. I send a small gift after booking and I was just looking for other ideas.

Ok, I see what you are wanting.

For that, you need to create work that is so unique and inspiring that they feel compelled to boast about it via social media and too their friends.

Gifts etc. are not the way to go, not unless your clients are getting gifts of things like washing machines, holidays or car etc. It will get treated like junk mail and binned, or put somewhere to gather dust and never be spoken of again.

I had one referral this year who booked me, because they didn't realise I was at their friends wedding, which they attended! Until after the pictures were put on facebook. They loved the pictures, but loved the fact that we were practically invisible even more.
Another from a couple who I haven't even photographed yet, just because they felt so at ease during their consultation.

I have seen people giving money to clients who refer them, but they are just recommending for the monetary gain as soon as you stop giving away money no one will bother. It also won't attract the clients you actually want to deal with stylistically.

Typically clients will post things on facebook, pinterest etc. and that will be the end of it, they won't go round telling people to hire you, but if they are asked they might recommend you. That's the most you can ask for.

You are offering a service, so that has to be pleasant and efficient. And then offering a product. That has to be presented professionally and the contents to the standard they expect if not beyond them.

If your after care is full of gifts, treats and messages, then your client might start to feel pressured or semi stalked, and that will work against you, undoing all your previous good will.

You also can't expect referrals from every set of clients, I have done plenty of weddings where the couple might be getting married for the first time, but every one else there is already married. In that situation any "chatter" would just result in people wishing that they had found you for their wedding 5 years ago!

Referrals might take years to come back to you, a couple you photograph in 2014, might have a few single bridesmaids that meet someone in 2015 get engaged in 2016 and because 2017 is an odd number, decide to get married in 2018! But if you are lucky they will of liked your photo's and ask the previous bride who you are and then they book you 4 years later.

This is a long game, which is a hard concept in this age of instant gratification. Besides if you work hard for your success you get to appreciate it more when you finally make your endeavours work.

My first thought when I pay someone and they start giving me crap I don't need or ask for... "He should have just charged me less and not sent me this crap."

I appreciate the input. I will keep it simple as it is for now as the response from the brides has been extremely positive. I won't be making it more complicated than it needs to be though.

Obviously, your experiences may vary.

Free gift? Well why not.. Just make it photo related. Let's say the bride is getting ready and you had her a nice small album from her engagement session...Your next customer might come from one of the Bridesmaids... or what if you gave the bride and groom a nice 4X6 album before the end of the reception.

If you start giving high ticket items like an IPAD then well maybe you should lower your prices *L*

scorpio_e wrote in post #17417160
Free gift? Well why not.. Just make it photo related. Let's say the bride is getting ready and you had her a nice small album from her engagement session...Your next customer might come from one of the Bridesmaids... or what if you gave the bride and groom a nice 4X6 album before the end of the reception.

If you start giving high ticket items like an IPAD then well maybe you should lower your prices *L*

ipad! Ha! For now I have started with a 5x7 frame after booking with a note that says I am looking forward the helping them fill it with a happy memory from their special day (or something like that).

If I booked someone for a wedding, the last thing I'd want is free gifts prior to the wedding. But then again, that's just me.