Creating an Intentional Client Experience

I would argue that creating an intentional client experience is the most crucial aspect of running a wedding photography business– or really any business!! Here are the reasons why, some things I love about creating an incredible client experience, and some tips for some changes you can make in your business today!!

First of all, why does having a killer client experience matter?

#1 It matters for your CLIENTS.

No matter what type of business you run, your customers deserve an amazing experience. Why do you think we love Chick-fil-a so much? Obviously their chicken sandwiches, but also, I know that the food will be fresh, they will be kind and we will be treated with great service. As much as my daughter loves the happy meals, I cannot say the same about our experiences at McDonald’s.

If you are asking people to invest in your services, they need to be exceptional. As a wedding photographer, that means delivering an amazing experience from the very first time they reach out on your inquiry form until they need help ordering prints a year later.

TRUST and RESPECT from your clients is so important, and you cannot gain that trust without being intentional with the way you treat them.

If when they inquire, you don’t respond for a week, they will lose trust.

If they need help with their timeline and their planner cannot get in touch with you, they will lose trust.

If you don’t know how to pose them in a flattering way and make them feel awkward, they will lose trust.

Make them feel well taken care of throughout the entire process, and you will see why…

#2 It matters for your business.

There are probably 200 photographers just in my town (I made that up- but there are a lot). If your client experience is poor, they will not tell their friends. Or worse, they will tell their friends about the bad things, and having a bad reputation in your business might as well be the same thing as having no business at all.

You will notice as you really start creating an intentional client experience from start to finish, you will have clients marketing for you. Every bride will insist her friends book you, too.

Having an amazing client experience is exactly WHY I have a thriving wedding photography business. It is why clients refer me to their friends. It is also so full-filling to create true connections with my clients and make them feel loved and cared for throughout their wedding planning process.

Okay, so you obviously see the importance of creating an intentional client experience, but where do you start?

You need to make a Client Experience Workflow.

Sitting down to write down all of the touchpoints with your clients, from inquiry to delivery galleries, will help you realize gaps in your communication and will help you to create consistency from client to client. This was a game-changer for me! I would start with the thing you know you already do, like send a welcome e-mail, and how you deliver their gallery, and sending questionnaires, and then add in just a few extra things you can do to make your experience even better. For example, I like to send a little gift to my clients to welcome them to the KWP family. Having that on my checklist helps make sure I don’t miss a step so every client gets an amazing experience!

Bonus tips:

Once you have your checklist, you can add all of your e-mail templates and questionnaires to your CRM! I absolutely love Honeybook for automating these things so my clients get an amazing experience but I don’t get overwhelmed and burnout out. You can use this link for 20% off your first year if you want to try! http://share.honeybook.com/nN9QP

Need help making a workflow checklist? Download mine for FREE here:

https://katelynworkmanphotography.com/weddingworkflowfreebie

Check out more business tips here: https://katelynworkmanphotography.com/2022/03/15/what-to-post-on-instagram/

Have questions? Drop them in the comments!

With love,

Katelyn Workman