As a Washington DC wedding photographer, there are so many different aspects to my business. There’s the shooting side of it– the part where I show up and do the “in the spotlight” part of my job, but then there is also the business side of things. The behind the scenes aspect tends to be where most photographers lack skills. So, I have compiled my favorite tips and software that I use to stay on top of inquiries, editing, scheduling, consults, and more.
Inquiry and Email Organization
So, one of the very best software programs I have come across is Honeybook (Click the link for 20% off!). Honeybook is so useful for keeping track of all of your inquiries. I simply created a contact form on Honeybook, which was then embedded into my website so that my inquiries are directly imported to Honeybook. From there, you can send emails, your brochure, questionnaires, etc. It’s a fantastic resource to integrate into your business. I will say that there is a little bit of a setup process, but once everything is set up and in working order, it takes the stress out of answering client emails. It has been a complete lifesaver.
Website Host
For me, one of the big ways I market is through SEO. SEO is, in short, the tools and words you use in order to rank well on Google. For example, as a wedding photographer, I would want to rank for my area– i.e. Washington DC wedding photographer. One of the best website hosts, for non-coders (I am the least tech savy person, but this website host has been amazing) is Showit. They have built in SEO tools and make it easy to add the correct words and photos in to start ranking for your keywords.
Scheduling
This one has a few different components. I am a firm believer in a paper planner. There is just something about having an organized, pretty planner. But, I also like having a copy on my phone. So, I use Calendly for clients to be able to schedule meetings etc. But, I also use the calendar on my iphone. I put all of my sessions and weddings in right after they are officially booked. That way, I always have everything on me at all times.
Editing
If you have not heard of Photo Mechanic , you are really missing out. It’s the best tool for culling images before you import into Lightroom. It makes it so that you don’t have to import every image you take into Lightroom– which clogs your Lightroom catalog and takes up a lot of space on your computer.
Completing Tasks
This one seems pretty straight forward, but it can be hard to stay on task and focus. So, I like to write down all of the tasks I need to do for the week in order of importance, then cross them off as I complete them. I also like to do this for my daily tasks. This can be for business and personal tasks. I like to also set aside a certain amount of time to work on things. I will work on editing for an hour, then clean my home for an hour, then need to do something for the kids, then come back and answer emails for a set amount of time. This helps break the day up so that you don’t get burnt out doing one thing.
There you have it, a few of my top tips and programs I use to help me stay organized and on top of all of the ins and outs of juggling my business and personal life!
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For now, warmly,
Renee
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