Booking season?

[sir_click_a_lot]

I didn't have any customers during Nov. - Dec.<br>

After new years day, I booked 5 weddings and I had to turn down 3

because I was already booked.<br>

Fall is the busiest weddiing season.<br>

Is there such thing as a booking season?<br>

[cjogo]

End of MARCH unitil early NOVEMBER ---for us

[jzpics]

My bookings ran relatively constant throughout the years. I did a few shows and changed my "referral" stategy this past year. Wow! What a difference. Right after the holidays the inquires have been coming in at a rate of about 6-8 per week. Some dates I am passing along to a few other photographers. That may change, since they have not sent anything my way. Most bookings are for fall 05, and I've booked a few for spring 06. I have a feeling that there will be another spike right after Valentines Day. Good luck....john

[jonathon]

John, can you elaborate what you mean by 'change your referral strategy'? thx

[jzpics]

In the past I would simply discuss referrals with other vendors at a wedding or bridal show. Take a card and refer them if I felt they were up-to-par. A few months ago I invited twenty or so vendors to a local coffee house to set up a referral network in a more formal sense. Only five other vendors showed. We subsequently met again and have formed a pretty close bond. These are all vendors with at least ten to fifteen years in the business and are serious about their work and being loyal to the group. We plan on meeting every few weeks and discussing other joint ventures like advertising, etc. So far it has been a great experience with lots of promise. Email me if you like and I will give you more detail.....jzpics@yahoo.com

[mark_jacoby___raleigh__nc]

I'm too recently back in the biz to detect a trend but I've been swamped with inquires for weddings coming up in March -June. A couple are close to booking.

 

I thought it strange that so many couples are looking for a photographer only 4-12 weeks before the wedding. Not that I mind!