Christmas Card Sessions: 3 Quick Ways To Educate Your Clients To Book Early
Its crazy how fast christmas comes and goes. I feel like we just had Christmas and now it’s here again. I am sure all you photogs out there are wrapping up your Christmas card shoots.
One thing I learned this season is that most people don’t know when to book there session for Christmas card photos. Most people simply don’t know how long it really takes to get there photo back and giving the fact that everyone wants them done at the same time. Also, it may take a little extra time depending on how may gigs you took on.
In this post I will share with you something that I learn this season and will implement our photography business immediately. It’s important to keep clients happy and one way is make sure they understand everything clearly.
3 ways to educate your clients to book early
1. Advertise early
People are creatures of habit and don’t associate Christmas card sessions until it’s practically Christmas. To combat this create a post (on your blog or FB) and tell people to start booking. One thing you should also try is creating cute or fun graphics to advertise in your emails and social networks.
Post reminders and graphics a few times. Marketers say it usually takes a few times of seeing something until the light bulb inside our head goes off and we realize what’s going on.
2. Limited availability
Be sure that your entire following knows that there is limited availability. Even if you don’t plan on turning any one away it will still create and sense of urgency and prompt people to book. Plus, every season has limited availability, it’s not like you can do a million sessions in a month.
3. Importance of booking early
If you want people to book early than it’s recommend you start bringing this up to your followers and past clients early. That just makes sense. Also, bring in the emotion of how special these pictures will be as they will be sent to all their friends and family.
Then be clear that you can’t possible do every shoot and be ahead of the crowd to ensure that your clients can get them back in a timely manner. It is easily possible for sessions in the middle of the pack can pushed into December.
Naturally, you can see that anxious and at times irate clients can begin to freak out. So, be sure to update your contract for the season with the correct time frame and express that clearly during your consultation.
When clients try to push you and want to cut others who are ahead, you are covered. Confidently remind them of the contract they signed then gently tell them that you know how important Christmas cards are and are diligently working on the post-production part currently.
Aspiring or Protog, always conduct themselves in a professional manner and get their session complete in a timely manner.
Did I miss any? I’m sure you have plenty of good ideas to share about this. How would you do it?
Can’t wait to read your responses. Thanks for reading this quick post and I hope you never have to deal with crazy clients during the holiday’s no matter how fun it may be (sarcasm added).
