Presentation when meeting potential client

[tammie_p]

If this has been asked before I apologize. I looked but couldn't find an

answer. I do not have a studio and live way out of town. I meet potential

clients in a mutally convenient location. Whether it's their home or a coffee

shop I lug around a couple of pretty big albums so they can get a solid idea

of who I am and what I do. Odviously it's not EVERYTHING I've done. Yes, it's

the best of the best. For Christmas I just got a wonderful laptop. I started

imagining all the photo's I could show brides if they were on CD's or DVD's,

but then I stopped in my tracks and wondered if this is acceptable. I guess I

just wanted to know what everyone else does. I know those of you with studios

can present alot more but those who go and "meet" their clients, what do you

do? If you were a potential bride whould you be happy seeing a couple of

smaller albums with about 50 proofs each of several weddings in actual print

and seeing complete weddings on a laptop? I'm not trying to keep potential

brides form see my work, in actuality I'm trying to show them more. Your

opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Tammie

[laura_dunn]

Hi Tammie,

I've presented both ways. I have a space to meet with clients, but always offer to meet them somewhere more convenient. I always bring my laptop and two albums. They see the albums first and I will offer to show the DVD slideshow on my laptop. I have never gotten complaints. If a couple doesn't request to see it, I always refer to my website, were most of the photos are as well as links to view complete weddings. I always show both, because many couples want to see an album, especially if they are meeting with me in person. Get a nice canvas bag that your laptop and a couple (or just one, maybe?) album can slip in, contract, and what ever else you might bring. It might be a lot to lug around, but worth it!

Laura

[jeremy_graves]

The laptop is great, but I usually keep my slideshows under 3 minutes. I like to include at least one example of before and after photo editing and some engagement shots. If you've got XP on the laptop, it's as easy as dumping all of the images in one folder on the desktop, opening it up and clicking 'view as a slideshow'. I also keep a copy of my web site on the computer in case the meeting place doesn't have an available web connection. Many potential clients like to refer to images on the site, and it's just easier to have it up in front of them.

I get my business cards from overnightprints.com, where you can get full color, uv coated, 300dpi cards, printed front and back for about $80 per 1000 cards. I've put a shot on the front of the card that is always featured prominantly in the slideshow, so it serves as a reminder of the work they've seen.

[paul_fialon]

Hi Tammie,

If you have the ability to burn your own DVDs I would suggest making a short slide show presentation, (under five minutes), showing it after you present your albums to your potential clients, then give them the DVD to take home with them. My clients have really loved this because its convenient to pop it in at their home to show others and revisit your work at anytime without having to get online to see your site. Recordable DVDs are pretty inexpensive and with some nice packaging makes for a nice marketing piece for your future client! Best of luck, Tammie!

[joshroot]

I bring my laptop, but I don't think there is ever a replacement for having real photos in the clients hands.

 

In their minds, wedding clients are paying for "real" photos, not just images on a computer screen.

[suzanne_.]

Hey, that's my question too! I recently did a presentation, at my home, using only the computer with DVD slideshow--no prints. I still don't see why the images on my website, which is why they contacted me in the first place, aren't representative of my work. Perhaps this was an error in judgement on my part, and I didn't realize that people still want to see prints. I've been shooting weddings for a couple of years for another wedding photographer when he's double booked, and sometimes as his second shooter, and am just going out on my own.

[wulf...]

This is a really cool program that I found out about on DJs site. It's just a screensaver but it moves around and zooms in and out of pictures like Mac screensavers. Also plays MPEGs and CDs. Would be cool to have it playing in the background while you show prints to the couple.

 

http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~gstitt/motionpicture/