Having a post-wedding workflow is key! It seems like it’s entirely second-nature, but this is the exact thing that can get you more clients!
When your couples feel loved by you when they receive their gallery after their session, they are going to tell all of their friends. And then, when those friends get engaged, they are coming straight for you! (And then when they have babies and finally do a boudoir session, you’re already in the good books!)
Having a post-production workflow is invaluable. From saving you the dreaded procrastination that can come with the culling and editing process to being consistent AF, this is going to raise the standards of how you’ve been working after a wedding.
We are huge fans of Dubsado here at Pepper for our CRM and we highly recommend it. But whatever system you have, when it comes to the post-wedding workflow, it can be as simple as this:
Back up photos in multiple places immediately after you get home
We cannot stress this enough! It should be the first thing you do when you get inside (after you probably chug a gallon of aqua and crush a snack!). Then you can rest easy the rest of the night and following morning knowing those bad boys are safe and secure. And don’t just back up in one place. Multiple places is definitely the way to go!
Make a realistic schedule for the post-wedding editing process
Break down the culling, editing, and choosing photos for a blog process. Trying to do it all in one day is going to leave you feeling exhausted and probably frustrated! Not to mention way more likely to procrastinate. Break it out into steps. Ie. first few days after the wedding, cull photos. Three days later, edit. Within a week, draft blog. Even if you need to break up the culling process, do it! Day 1 post-wedding, cull ‘getting ready’ photos. Day 2 post-wedding, cull ‘ceremony’ photos. Day 3 post-wedding, cull ‘reception’ photos. As you are doing this, don’t forget to mark the ones that you definitely want to use in your blog by starring them. This will make it easier when it comes time to provide copy and publish it. Blogging is not only an amazing way to showcase your work, but also boost your SEO when you’re using those badass images and Alt tags, keywords, etc!
Image delivery
Mark that date on your calendar! If you’ve given your couples a six week deadline for receiving their images, make sure you have carved out those first few days for the bulk of your editing and then you are setting yourself up for success. Once the main culling and editing is underway, you are on the straight path to having your images delivered to your couples!
Products/Product delivery
Whether you include a high-quality album in your collection or offer it as an add-on, make sure you have given yourself enough time to order and receive this! So once those first few days of editing are done, you should be ready to select images for the album. If you are having your clients choose images, having that initial editing done within the first week will help because then they can choose their top 40-50 images and you’re on the road to having them printed! Once your package is ready to go, wrapping it beautifully is the icing on the cake. If the option to hand-deliver is there, go that extra step. If not, then everyone loves receiving beautifully wrapped mail!
Client touchpoint/follow-up
The final step. Sending out a one year ‘Happy Anniversary’ card or a Christmas card with a bonus print are both incredible ways to keep your name fresh in the couple’s minds, not to mention to make them feel like you genuinely care – because you do! Then when they are ready for maternity photos or family sessions down the road, you have already won them over with your killer client care! These little things go a long, long way.
So there it is! A 5-step post-wedding workflow that is sure to keep people talking about not only your talent and amazing images, but your customer care as well! And stay tuned, because Part 2 featuring how to take your business to the next level and book more clients; beyond the basic post-wedding workflow, will be coming your way soon!
Kelsey Munson
Badass Public Relations Executive
Pepper – Your Badass Business BFF Inc.
