send link or show images to client in person?

<p>Seems like this might be a frequently asked question. I tried to search for this but found too many responses and none seemed to address my issue. Maybe I used the wrong search terms.</p>

<p>Anyway, here's the question. After a wedding (or a photo session like an engagement or bridal portrait) do you simply put the images online and send the client a link? Or do you meet with the client in person and show them the images?</p>

<p>I've been using the "send a link" approach for years. But at seminars I've attended and from talking to some other photographers I've gotten the impression that some of the most successful folks insist on meeting in person. The convenience of just sending a link (and letting client order prints online) is obvious. But I see some really big advantages to showing the images in person, like:</p>

<ol>

<li>I can show the images on a display that makes the images look their best (either my big iMac or my iPad 3). If I send 'em a link, God only knows what sort of display they're viewing the images on.</li>

<li>I can get much better feedback about what clients are liking and not liking. </li>

<li>I'm in a better position to discuss their print options with them on the spot, and that might lead to better print sales.</li>

</ol>

<p>The big problem with this idea is obvious: persuading the client that it's worth their trouble to meet with me. I expect I'll be asked, "Can't you just send me a link?"</p>

<p>What do you do?</p>

<p>Thanks,</p>

<p>Will</p>

<p>It is better to meet in person for a number of reasons.</p>

<p>1. The client feels like you are giving them personalized service, which you are.</p>

<p>2. You can control their first impressions of their images to a greater degree than you think, which includes showing the images so they look their best (large, nice color, etc.), and as you say, god knows what display the client has.</p>

<p>3. You can not only pick up on what clients are liking and not liking, you can actually control that to some extent.</p>

<p>4. You can sell, sell, sell, when the emotion is still there. To this end, make a short slideshow (with music, etc.) and use it as an enticement for the client to actually bother to come in. When they get there, serve them coffee, water and cookies, show the slideshow and start selling--not only prints, and albums but parent albums, gallery wraps, etc. You can even make a virtual album consisting of 6 spreads or something, just to show them what their album might look like.</p>

<p>Note that the above becomes more important when you know you have a bride who might have body issues.</p>

<p>Nadine, thanks for quick response. You've nicely supplemented the advantages of a personal meet that I'd thought of myself.</p>

<p>So now I'm wondering—how do you sell them on the idea of meeting in person? Maybe I'm fretting over something that's actually easy, but as I said, I've never asked a client to meet me to go over the images. I just finished an engagement shoot and think this would be a good time to start meeting in person but what do I do, exactly? Send bride-to-be an email saying, "I've processed your photos. Could you get together Thursday evening after work to go over them?" And how do I respond if she says, "Could you just send a link?"</p>

<p>Forgive me. I'm obviously not a natural at this sort of thing.</p>

<p>Will</p>

<p>Give them a copy of the slideshow as an incentive. Since the slideshow isn't something you regularly offer, it is a 'rare' opportunity, not to mention something they get free if they show up.</p>

<p>Sorry to be dense, but do you mean, a slideshow on DVD? Or something else?</p>

<p>Will</p>

<p>Yes, a slideshow on DVD. Or if you prefer, just use ShowIt and post it on your site, so that others can be sent a link so they can watch it.</p>

<p>Okay, thanks for the clarification. I'm not sure I can figure out how to do the DVD thing right—without giving away high-res copies of the photos, which at this point I'd prefer not to do for various reasons that I think are good for both me and the client.</p>

<p>Instead I'm thinking of offering a big print as a reward for the client coming to the review session. Different item but I think the basic idea is the same. Thanks.</p>

<p>Will</p>

<p>If you use ShowIt (or similar), you aren't giving away high resolution copies of the images. You can't even make DVDs from ShowIt (outside of their special service). It is strictly for online use.</p>

<p>The big print is OK, but does not carry the same emotional content as a slideshow, and you do not control the client's first impressions as well.</p>

<p>Nadine,</p>

<p>I'm unfamiliar with Show-It. Looked at their website and still can't figure out what it does. Is it a web hosting service, like SmugMug, Zenfolio, Viewbook, etc.?</p>

<p>And if it's an online slideshow, that seems to get me back to the question, Why not just send a link?</p>

<p>I could easily make a slideshow in iMovie with nice transitions, add some music, and show it on my computer—without the Internet. That would at least make it necessary for the client to come to me in person. Make sense?</p>

<p>Will</p>

<p>I don't own ShowIt so I can't tell you all the specifics. I'm not advocating it, just something like it, meaning you don't have to make a DVD, hence no access to high res files.</p>

<p>I think you're missing the fact that EMOTION SELLS, and direct, personal contact SELLS. You could send a link to a slideshow, but you aren't there in person to guide things along, to be a part of their first viewing of the images, to bond over coffee and cookies, to immediately offer discounts for certain products or upgrades.</p>

<p>Your iMovie idea would work just fine, but I'd make the slideshow available after the viewing by posting it somewhere accessible to the couple and their friends and family.</p>

<p>Writes Nadine:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I don't own ShowIt so I can't tell you all the specifics. I'm not advocating it, just something like it, meaning you don't have to make a DVD, hence no access to high res files.<br>

I think you're missing the fact that EMOTION SELLS, and direct, personal contact SELLS. You could send a link to a slideshow, but you aren't there in person to guide things along, to be a part of their first viewing of the images, to bond over coffee and cookies, to immediately offer discounts for certain products or upgrades.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Nadine, I am, as always, grateful for your patient help. I suspect that, in person I could have gotten the answers I'm looking for more efficiently. The "shutter lag" involved in posting messages — even with someone as incredibly responsive as you — sometimes leads to inefficiency.</p>

<p>Let me say in my defense that I'm NOT missing the fact that emotion sells, nor in any way dismissing the advantages of a face-to-face session. I started this thread precisely because I see how powerful those advantages are. My questions have all boiled down to <em>How do I get the client to agree to meet with me face to face, when pretty much everybody these days is aware that photos can be shared on the Web?</em> I'm imagining an exchange with the client that goes something like this:</p>

<blockquote>Me: Jenny, it's Will. I've got the photos from your engagement session processed and I'd love to get together with you in the next day or two to go through the photos.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Her: I'm eager to see them. Can't you just post them on the Web?</blockquote>

<blockquote>Me: Well, I have a really nice slideshow for you, plus, I'll give you tea and cookies.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Her: Sounds great, but could you put 'em on the Web?</blockquote>

<blockquote>Me: Well, yes, I could and I will. But I'd really like to sit with you in person the first time you see them.</blockquote>

<blockquote>Her: Why?</blockquote>

<p>At which point I'm out of answers. The advantage of an iMovie slideshow — or a nice custom print or two — is that it's something that I <em>cannot</em> deliver over the Web. I mean, my web site service lets me add a "view as slideshow" button to any gallery. Seems to me the problem isn't creating the slideshow, it's getting the client to drive across town to watch it with me.</p>

<p>Maybe it's just a matter of the photographer's schmoozability quotient. Mine is not as high as Jasmine Star's!</p>

<p>Will</p>

 

<p><em>Maybe it's just a matter of the photographer's schmoozability quotient.</em></p>

<p>Exactly. Trust me--I have to work real hard to get anywhere near what sales books tell you to do!</p>

<p>What Nadine has said (with the exception of discounts - I prefer to offer incentives).</p>

<p>William, you are running a business, presumably to generate profit from which you can actually eat and pay your bills. So you must maximise your opportunities, and create the conditions under which your clients will want to buy the work they have commissioned you to provide. Clients also need a lot of help and guidance when it comes to choosing the right products, remember all this is new to them, and they are not photographers or graphic designers. A key part of my presentation is an "ideas list" because it is quite unreasonable to expect your customers to know how the work should be finished and presented. Putting plenty of suggestions on the table will make the process as painless and pleasant as possible, for all concerned.</p>

<p>There's nothing wrong with putting the images online after the client has made their purchases, so that others can order if they wish to.</p>

<p>Lindsay, thanks for chiming in.</p>

<p>I fear that I confused the issue with the way I described my subject. I started this thread with the title "send link or show images to client in person?" Now, I was in fact kind of interested to know what other people do. But I should have called the thread something like "how do you get customers back for an image review session?" Because from the very start of the thread, I've been totally aware of the advantages of a personal session with the client. The tricky issue for me is simply persuading the client that it's worth her time to come sit with me. Everybody's busy these days and everybody is aware that things can be shared easily online. I'm just trying to figure out how to start getting clients to come to me in person.</p>

<p>Based on Nadine's comments, I'm getting some ideas that I think are good and that will (I hope) work for me. Just wondering how other people handle this crucial bit of customer relations.</p>

<p>Will</p>

 

<p>You don't need to persuade the client to come in for a personal session William. You simply tell them that is your policy, and you make that clear at the outset. It really is that simple. If they don't value their investment enough to give up a little time, then do you really want those clients? </p>

<p>I only waive the in-house consultation if the client is several hours away, in which case we can conduct things via skype, and with product videos to support an online gallery. If I have to travel that far for a shoot, I go armed with plenty of beautiful samples to whet their appetite - often spending decisions are made before I even get my camera out (I speak as a portrait photographer, but the basic principle of creating desirability is the same).</p>

<p>Thanks for this follow-up, Lindsay. Very helpful. I guess I need to stop being anxious about it and just DO IT. ;^)</p>

<p>Will</p>

<p>Will: "Hello XXX, I'm just calling to let you know the images from your shoot are ready to view, I'm really looking forward to showing them to you!"</p>

<p>Client: "I'm busy, can't you just send me a link to an online gallery so I can look at them when it suits me?"</p>

<p>Will: "No, as per our brochure and earlier discussion, I don't do that for a number of reasons. The images have been shot and processed with considerable care and it's vitally important that you see them as they will appear in print. Our in-house viewing equipment is properly calibrated for this purpose. And you'll see our range of beautiful finished products. I've got some great ideas for some of the photographs which I think you will love".</p>

<p>Client: "But how will my family get to see the pictures, they don't live nearby so they can't come to your studio"</p>

<p>Will: "No problem, we can put a viewing gallery up in a few weeks, for a limited time. But we don't do that in the first instance because it's vital that you, the client, see the images at the right size and on colour corrected screens. Are you free next week?"</p>

<p>Client: "Right, fine, is there a slot on Tuesday?" <br>

OR: "Sorry, I'm too busy to come to see you"</p>

<p>Will: "So you are aware, as per the terms of our Contract we aim to hold images for XX months from the date of your shoot, but we cannot guarantee their availability beyond that. We'll look forward to hearing from you when your schedule is a little better".</p>

<p>Makes sense Lindsay. </p>

<p>I've talked this over with my wife and it's become clear to me now that part of my anxiety is that I'm trying to change my M.O. — starting with a client whose shoot was a few days ago. I didn't actually make it clear that this was what I wanted to do. So I'm going to have to give this a try with her, and from this point forward make sure everybody knows <em>in advance </em>that this is The Policy.<em> </em><br>

<em> </em><br>

Once I get this working I think it's going to make a huge difference — not just to my sales (although that will be nice) but to my photography, because getting immediate feedback from clients is so useful. And of course, as my work improves, sales will, too. I delivered some baby-portrait prints last week to a client whose wedding I shot a couple of years ago. She was in the neighborhood and I asked her to come by so I could show her the prints in person. This wasn't a selling session: She'd placed the order online, I'd made the prints, and I just wanted to see how she reacted. It went very nicely and really it was that session that persuaded me it's time finally to start doing this for everything.</p>

<p>Thanks again,</p>

<p>Will</p>

<p>Will, clarity is everything in business. Having clear, easy to understand Operating Procedures will make everyone's life much easier, believe me. You may need to be flexible on occasion, for example if your client has a disability or illness, but otherwise you must stick to the rules. It is your business after all, you make those rules for the benefit of your clients and your studio. Good luck, and let us know how things go.</p>

<p>Kind regards,<br>

Lindsay</p>

<p>William, I don't use ShowIt but I know about it a bunch from Jasmine star. I can tell you about my system too.</p>

<p>So ShowIt, first it's a site that is helpful if you know very little about web design. They have these things called pass galleries now and these little sites that make it so you can make slide shows tailored to the clients that still look branded on the site that you can choose to give them the password to the gallery or not for high res downloads. Many people are using it to not give high res images on disc any more. The nice thing is that they were the first to do, was make it very facebook integrateable so that it shows a link to you each time. Now at least from my use of Zenfolio they have social media integration that's good too. For their individual sites, I use basic HTML from my prophoto site and put in an embeddable slideshow from zenfolio which easily gives you the code. But if you aren't down with editing html you could possibly even do it through a word press site or just go with show it.</p>

<p>But for me, I've changed over to giving the images in advance. So what I do is most of my clients buy the royalty free reprint rights on disc. So now I deliver those in person to their home because I work from a small apartment in the city and don't have a studio. But I tell them I'm going to do a presentation as well and ask them if they have a dvd/bluray player. If they don't then I upload the video to my ipad as well as my zenfolio site (which does HD video now too). I originally thought I'd haul my big 27" imac but I was worried about it getting banged up. The imac would be preferable frankly as it is color corrected and high def, and dvd is standard def, but it's ok as long as you aren't sitting right next to it, and they love the freebie. </p>

<p>So using iMovie, I haven't used the most recent version, but last I checked it had some real problems with compression of images. It often makes images look blocky, particularly in areas like blacks and browns, particularly in transitions or if you do the ken burns effect. Because of this I graduated to Adobe Premiere Pro + Adobe after effects + adobe encore. If you are comfy with imovie possibly do final cut pro instead. It's like the pro version of imovie. It's a little more intuitive than premiere pro. I use adobe after effects to create a draft of their album (even if they haven't ordered one, which then people usually want to order after seeing it) and a slide show of other shots too, usually the funny ones in there with the emotional highlights. As Zach and Jody Gray suggest I do it to their first dance music which I ask about in the client questionnaire in advance so I don't have to remember it from the night of their wedding. My understanding is that you can only legally use this music if you do NOT charge for this disc. It can only be a gift if you are giving a DVD. I think if you are just showing it on your computer or ipad it is ok, but obviously you wouldn't be charging for that.<br>

The other thing is I bring a baked good with me, like brownies or cookies. Preferably still warm from the oven. This is also something Zach and Jody do. You can even choose to make it part of the pitch when getting a couple, that after you do a viewing party. They could invite parents or friends to see it. It's hard at first when your clients weren't expecting the viewing after, but when you let your clients know that in advance for future stuff, I find it works very well. Also, at that meeting I take another page from Zach and Jody's book that is 24 hour only 20% off discount on everything. Have with you a square card reader to take credit card orders. It's worth the loss of a few dollars going to square to get the ability to instantaneously get a sale. I also show them how to use the online ordering site through zenfolio and how to select shots for their album and then show them their slideshow website that they can show their friends and show them how they can share shots directly from the zenfolio gallery website. </p>

<p>But I would never go back to not delivering them in person if I can. I had a client from washington state, and I'm in Massachusetts, so I just did the presentation using the online version of the slideshow and had them on the phone while they watched it so we could talk back and forth about it. Also just seeing them so happy reliving that special day is such an amazing experience.</p>

<p>Hope that helps. </p>

 

<p>"As Zach and Jody Gray suggest I do it to their first dance music which I ask about in the client questionnaire in advance so I don't have to remember it from the night of their wedding. My understanding is that you can only legally use this music if you do NOT charge for this disc. It can only be a gift if you are giving a DVD. I think if you are just showing it on your computer or ipad it is ok, but obviously you wouldn't be charging for that."<br>

<br>

I appreciate laws vary in different jurisdictions, but you may want to double check that Vail. 'Commercial usage' is not always distinguished by the handing over of money, but more by the association with a business, brand or service. The music I use on one of my sites, and during viewings, requires that I license the music for that purpose. It would not in any way fall under 'personal or domestic usage' and I suspect the law may be similar in your neck of the woods.</p>

<p> </p>

<blockquote>

<p>My understanding is that you can only legally use this music if you do NOT charge for this disc.</p>

</blockquote>

<p> <br>

We've been through this before and it's dead wrong. Copyright violation has nothing to do with payment. It's someone else's music, it's got a copyright, there are licensing fees for using it.<br>

<br>

I always find it amazing to read these kinds of things on photo forums. If I made a music video for my new song and used images I found here, even if there was nothing being sold, just a video I put together, would the photographer be happy about it? Especially if it got millions of views?<br>

<br>

Photographers need to learn about copyright law and respect the rights of others.s Especially when talking about "royalty-free" for their own images. There is no "royalty free" for published music.</p>

<p>BTW, I explained music licensing to Vail in this post:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/wedding-photography-forum/00Zt8r</p>

<p>Nothing has changed. It's still illegal, screws over the writers and performers, and it is really unfortunate to have photographers who think their copyright is sacred are so willing to screw over other copyright owners, especially when it's already been explained.</p>

<p>Point taken everyone. I'll go back to using my <a href="http://triplescoopmusic.com/">triple scoop music</a> selections that I've paid for. They are really pretty good. I hear music bed is good too, I haven't used them before though so I can't say from experience.</p>