See how a simple sneak peek can earn you rave reviews, dramatically increase your print sales, and help you build a brand that lasts! (Featuring: ANDREA DE LA CRUZ, IN COMMON PHOTOGRAPHY)
Imagine that you’re sitting at a diner, and you order a cold, creamy milkshake. The waiter returns with a tall glass of… cherries? And you’re left thinking, “Cherries are great and all, but WHERE IS MY HECKIN MILKSHAKE?”
Now imagine this: the milkshake is your photography. And the cherries? They’re all the little extras you give your clients: the hand-written thank-you notes, the mini bottles of champagne with your logo on the label, the personalized Greetabl gifts…
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We love it when photographers give their clients cherries – and clients love it, too. But you don’t want to become so invested in the cherries that you neglect the milkshake; that you keep piling on the fun extras, but the core of your business – the photography – is an afterthought.
We want to help you make the best milkshake EVER, with the right balance of shake to cherries. We’re talking about a photo-centric client experience that will keep them coming back for more.
Keep reading.
How to Make a Killer Milkshake
“I waited more than three months to see one single image from my wedding.” Florida photographer Andrea De La Cruz is describing her own photography experience. “I wish my photographer had sent me at least two to three pictures to hold me over – just a small sneak peek!”
Andrea De La Cruz courtesy of In Common Photography
Now, Andrea’s experience with her wedding photographer informs the way she treats her own photography clients. “By the time I got my wedding pictures, I didn’t even care anymore. And I don’t want my clients to have that experience.”
How does Andrea maintain her quality standards and quickly get photos to her eager clients? It all comes down to one simple ingredient:
The Sneak Peek
Photographs are the heart of what you do. And there’s no better way to get that heart thumping than to deliver a breathtaking sneak peek to each client. You read that right: a sneak peek of your clients’ photos is more important than custom-branded caramels or a gift card to Starbucks.
Andrea delivers her sneak peeks quickly and efficiently using two failsafe techniques:
- Her camera’s built-in WiFi
- Simple editing apps on her smartphone
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Make Use of Your Camera’s Wifi
Most modern professional cameras are WiFi-enabled, meaning they can generate their own WiFi signal and connect to your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. This allows you to send photos directly from the card in your camera to your device.
“Before I even start my car after a shoot, I’m looking through my photos and sending my favorites to my phone,” Andrea says. “I do a quick edit and send the sneak peak to my clients, and they absolutely love it!”
Editing Apps are a Pro Photographer’s BFF
You probably do your editing in Lightroom, or even outsource your post-production to an editing company. But before you dig into your heavy-duty culling and color-correction, you can use an easy editing app to make quick adjustments to your sneak peak images. These are some of our favorite editing apps:
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PRO TIP: Sneak Peek Quality Control
Try to match your mobile editing style to your final editing style as closely as possible. It’s also a great idea to remind your clients, “This is just a sneak peek, so the images aren’t print quality. Feel free to share them on social media, though! You can tag me at _______ …”
A Little Extra “Oomph” for Wedding Sneak Peeks
“For my weddings clients, I go a step further and make a little sneak peek slideshow using Animoto,” shares Andrea. “It’s great because Animoto slideshows are super-shareable. So even if it’s just a sneak peek of 10 to 15 photos, my clients always share their slideshow – which just gets my name out there even more!”
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Not Offering Sneak Peeks? Here’s Why You Should.
Capitalize on your clients’ excitement.
Immediately after a shoot, your clients are at their most excited to see their images. Think of the sneak peek as a shot glass-sized milkshake. Now they’ll be even more excited for the full glass!
Reassure your clients that they are, in fact, totally photogenic.
Most folks feel nervous about being photographed, and many actually believe they’ll look terrible in their photos. A sneak peek will reenforce the fact that you know what you’re doing, and you made photos that make them look fantastic.
Control what your clients see and share.
When you curate a sneak peek, you also take charge of what your clients see first – and what they’ll wind up sharing with friends and family. This empowers you to maintain control over your brand with only your very best work on display.
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Get shares early and often.
Don’t waste days (or weeks) waiting to post a blog post or send a full gallery. Make the most of every minute to enjoy some word-of-mouth advertising. Your clients will excitedly share their sneak peek photos, increasing your social media followers and earning you new potential clients.
Buy yourself that much-needed editing time.
Whether you outsource or DIY, it takes time to properly edit a full shoot, and clients are notoriously impatient. You’re much less likely to get those “are my photos ready NOW?” questions if you:
- include a clear delivery timeline in your contract, and
- send a sneak peek ASAP
Happy clients spend more on prints and products.
People spend money on things that make them feel good. Supercharge those good feelings by delivering sneak peeks that are fast, fun, and evocative of all the things that matter most to your clients. Later on, when the final files are ready, your print sales will thank you!
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Sneak Peeks: Keeping Spirits High
No, not those spirits, and no, not that kind of high. We’re talking about the excited energy you and your clients feel about their photographs!
Andrea vows to always put herself in her clients’ shoes, and to make sure they receive the best possible customer service at all times.
“The sneak peek makes my clients so happy,” she says. “Then they’re even more excited when they get their ShootProof gallery – and the way they purchase prints and digital images shows it!”
Start with Your Favorites. End with Theirs!
When you deliver your clients’ ShootProof gallery, encourage them to make use of Favorites. “I’ve shown you my favorites. Now show me yours!” Not only do Favorites help you hone your portfolio, but you can also convert a Favorites collection into a nifty Mobile App so your clients’ best-loved images are always at their fingertips.
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Are you ready to send your first sneak peek?
Comment below and let us know what your clients had to say!
Written by ANNE SIMONE | Featuring ANDREA DE LA CRUZ, IN COMMON PHOTOGRAPHY
Hello Anne Simone, your article helped me a lot to improve. Thanks.