How to Make a First Impression That Gets You Instant Bookings

So on our first date… my husband, Jared, ALMOST didn’t make a good impression. 

 

See— he arrived late. 

 

I don’t know about you, but when a date arrives late on the first date, it gives me one big impression: uhhh do you really care about this date?! 

 

Luckily, he called me and said he had made a wrong turn because he was new in town… good thing he was cute! 😉 

 

Needless to say, first impressions can often be our making or breaking. They are THAT important. Especially when it comes to sending our prospective clients our pricing information. 

 

Consider where your couples are at when they inquire: they have Googled, Instagrammed, and Facebooked their way through dozens of photographers and narrowed down their search to maybe a top ten they decide to inquire with, one of which is you. All they know is that they don’t want to go over budget, want to get this done, and want someone to come in and magically give them everything they’re looking for so they can stop stressing! 

 

Enter: your price guide.

 

In the midst of their messy search, if your price guide doesn’t INSTANTLY make some sort of connection and a great first impression, you will more than likely be price shopped or set aside as a “maybe” as they quickly move onto the next photographer. 

 

So how do you make a first impression that’s more than just “oh, these photos are pretty”? How do you make a first impression that gets your prospect dreaming of working with you by the time they skim to the collections page? 

 

#1: Consistent branding and professional design

 

Consistent branding and professional design is one of the foundations to your price guide. It tells the clients that you are reputable, experienced, and that you are going to give them an experience. 

 

#2: Create a relationship 

 

On first impression you want to show prospects that you are not just a photographer, you are their guide. After all, they don’t just want imagery, they want a relationship. 

 

Consider adding an about page to your price guide. Allow the prospect to really get to know you, your process, and/or your philosophy. It’s within these things that they can find better connection with you.

 

#3: Meet them where they’re at

 

When it comes to conversion, remember that it’s not about you; it’s about the client. It’s about their story, their journey, their needs, and their wants. You can talk all day about you and what you offer, but if you don’t stoop down and get on the clients’ level, walk in their shoes, and speak to their pain points, you risk the error of disconnection instead of connection.

 

Within your price guide, craft a vision and story they want to be a part of. What is your experience like? How will it make them feel? What will they get out of the end of it all? 

 

When you make the process about THEM instead of about your WORK, you make them feel seen and heard, even if they’ve never met you. This is how we convert: with connection!

 

It’s a misnomer that if you have beautiful work, your collections will sell themselves. Everyone your prospects inquire with will have pretty pictures… and probably similar prices. The photographer they choose ultimately will probably be because of connection. 

 

Does your price guide have connection? You get one chance to make that first impression!

 

When you price correctly + present your pricing intentionally = you’re more likely to book clients that are a perfect match for you! This is why I created a free collection plug-and-play pricing calculator. Enter your email, plug in a few numbers, and like magic you can see what you **really** should be charging to make profit!