The experience your clients have with you is one of the most important aspects of running a successful photography business. Of course, you can take beautiful photos, carefully edit and create amazing results. However, the truth is that there are a lot of people who can do that! Your wedding photography client experience will set you apart and make you stand out. It’s so important for ensuring happy customers who trust you enough to refer you to their friends and family.

This guide is all about how to create an unforgettable photography client experience – from the minute a couple inquires to after their wedding day is over! 

What is the Photography Client Experience?

Now, what does the “client experience” actually mean? Each couple’s experience with you begins before they even send an inquiry. They might look through your social media, scroll on your website, and get to know your digital footprint before you even know they exist. Then, they send you an inquiry, you talk to them and get to know each other, they book with you, you document their day, and send them the photos! All of this, along with everything in between, and even after the day is over and the photos are delivered is part of the client experience. And you definitely want to make sure it’s a good one every step of the way!

Why is the Photography Client Experience Important?

The truth is that most of your clients (unless they’re photographers themselves) won’t notice the things that we notice as photographers. For the most part, when they see their photos, they won’t be able to tell that you made sure they were in the spot with the best lighting or that you spent hours editing each photo to perfection. That doesn’t mean those things aren’t important! But, Maya Angelou said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Your clients may or may not be able to tell if your photos are better than another photographer’s, but the difference between you and another photographer, could be as simple as the way you make them feel – before, during, and after their wedding day. The client experience is the best way to stand out!

How to Create an Unforgettable Photography Client Experience

Now, let’s talk about creating that photography client experience! Remember, the important thing is that you’re unique. Use these tips for inspiration, but tweak them to match your personality and the experience you want to create. For example, some photographers love keeping in touch with their clients, planning FaceTime or coffee dates to get to know each other, and being more like a friend throughout the process. But, for a photographer who is more introverted, doing this may just feel forced and over the top, and maybe doing a personalized client gift is more their style. Be authentic and true to yourself – and you’ll attract clients who love you for you!

Now, here are some ideas and tips for an unforgettable client experience.

Send Client Gifts

Gifts are an amazing way to personalize the client experience and make your couple feel special! You can send one right after booking as a “thank you,” give them something on their wedding day or send a gift when you deliver their photos. No matter when you decide, getting something thoughtful in the mail is fun for anyone! 

Personalizing your client gifts is the best way to enhance the client experience. If there’s something you learned about them that you can incorporate in the gift. This will really let them know that you thought of them and made sure the gift was unique! You can order custom boxes, or buy plain ones and personalize them with a stamp of your logo. Include a few small items, like candles, chocolate, a gift card to a local coffee shop, and a few personal touches and a handwritten note! If you’re sending your gift after the wedding day, you can get an engraved USB with a box and deliver the photos along with some other small gift items.

Let Your Clients Know What to Expect

One of the best things you can do as a business owner, and to give each client an amazing experience, is to answer their questions before they even ask them! Every step of the way, make sure they know what to expect. For example, after they submit an inquiry, make sure you have a message on your website that tells them how long it usually takes you to respond. After they’ve booked, send tips throughout the process and give them advice as they plan, updating them on weather and anything they need to know as the day gets closer. At the end of the wedding day, tell them how long they can expect to wait for the photos! 

Every step of the way, make sure your clients know exactly what’s going on and that they don’t have to stress – because they know you’ve got it covered! 

Send a Sneak Peek

The standard turnaround time for wedding photographers is 6-8 weeks, but put yourself in the couple’s shoes. They just got married, and they’re so excited to see their photos and share them. A great way to add to your photography client experience is to send a sneak peek the next business day. If your work schedule is more flexible, try the day after their wedding! Choose a few photos to edit and send them along! Some photographers let their clients know they’re getting a sneak peek, while others keep it a surprise. Either way, being able to see photos of the most amazing day of their lives will be so special.

Over Deliver to Your Clients

Always deliver more than you promise. This means if you tell them their gallery will have 100 photos, send them 125! Throughout the process, surprise your clients by giving them even more than you promised. There are lots of fun ways to do this. For example, you could get things done earlier than you said you would or add GIFs to their photo gallery! Exceed their expectations every step of the way and you’ll have clients raving about you!

Follow Up After Sending Galleries

It’s common to send over the final photo gallery and not hear anything from your clients. They’re often busy getting settled after the wedding festivities, excited to share photos with their loved ones and can forget to let you know how much they love them! Following up after sending their photos, and shooting them an email to make sure they love the photos is a great way to add to their client experience with you. This way, you’ll know for sure that they got the photos and are thrilled with them. This will also give you a chance to ask if there’s anything they’d like to see adjusted as well as an opportunity to ask for a review!

You can also keep the client experience going after the photos have been sent by staying in touch. Some clients can naturally turn into friends. Even if you aren’t going to be BFFs, follow your couples on social media and interact with their posts! They’ll remember you when their friends are getting married and they’ll know that you truly care about each couple.

Keep Improving Your Photos and Your Client Experience!

As your business grows, the client experience you give to each couple will grow too! 

The best way to be present for every couple is to keep improving your photos and the experience you deliver. Check out these tips for photographing an elopement, these photography tools that can enhance the client experience and learn from every photo you take and every couple you work with!