You will learn how to order more clients to take photos now! It’s easier when you ask the right questions. This blog will guide you through meeting your first client. This is the most important meeting where they decide who to hire and with what budget.
The first customer meeting is an end or end
The first photo session helps the client decide if you’re the best person to work with. They want to know how experienced you are and how confident you are. Are you confident enough to lead the project?
This is why photographers need to ask questions that make them think. That allows them to think of you as someone different from other options. Few photographers will manage the first meeting like you. They will probably talk more than list, and they won’t ask the same questions as you.
What are the four questions to ask a customer of a photograph?
- The first question is simple. You ask: “how did you hear about me,” but not in the way you asked before. Simply asking, “how did you hear about me” prompts a one-word answer. That doesn’t help because they might say, “Google” and how exactly does that serve you? I have a better way to ask it, and that’s what I call the “Burger Method.” You’ll hear people say it’s a sandwich, complain sandwich, etc… call it whatever you want. I just want you to book more customers.
With this approach, you are structuring your conversation to serve multiple needs. You don’t put the claim in the middle like the usual method. Instead, you are asking an important question in the middle. With this approach, you can boost your clients’ egos, make them trust you more, enhance your brand, and still get the job done. The video goes into full detail about this method and why it is particularly effective in American culture.
- Ask: “what does a successful project look like to you” and the client will write the script for you! They will tell you what is most important to them and what is near the top of the list. You may find yourself focusing on a part of a project that the client doesn’t appreciate. That’s why it’s so important to get the definition of success from real customers.
- Ask: “are you OK with the payment schedule” and increase the odds to get paid on time. Customers, as we know, are notorious for wanting something urgent. When it came time to pay, the urgency was no longer there and we needed the energy to match.
I recommend asking them if they agree to a payment schedule. This will help focus on the payment schedule. It gives customers another chance to suggest a payment method that works for them (assuming it works for you, too). When we allow them the opportunity to have a say in the payment schedule, it greatly increases the likelihood that they will pay on time. Payment reminders can be exhausting for a person!
- Ask if they have a graphics department at their company (for commercial clients) and see how quickly you add to your budget. This is the client’s win and the photographer’s win. In the video, I will explain this in detail and give you insight into this question.
When you hold meetings with your clients, it puts you in an advantageous position. Remember that thoughtful entrepreneurs often find monetary success the most. Ensure that the customer leaves the first meeting (online or in person) with complete confidence in your ability to deliver the right way! The video will expand on each question and give you a broader idea. When you ask these four questions correctly, watch to see how your bookings multiply
