Photography Video Marketing Challenge: How to Prep for Your Shoot

Am I in good hands? That’s the question your clients ask themselves when they consider hiring you. Whether it’s an engagement shoot or a newborn session, clients want to know they’re working with someone who’s going to take care of them and their memories during a shoot.

So how can you put them at ease? Many photographers create a flyer or email telling clients what to expect on the day of their shoot, but it creates an even greater impact to show potential clients what they’ll be experiencing.

Newborn photographer Kelly Brown wanted to give her clients a look into what a newborn session is like — not a behind-the-scenes video, but a video designed to prepare them for their day with Kelly, with tips explaining what they should do, giving parents with a new baby reassurance that — at least when it comes to their photo shoot — they’ll know what to expect.

Style: Classic
Song: “Baby Steps” by Douglas Romayne

The aim of this video is to educate your clients – to address any questions they have, or may not have even thought of. It can act almost like a video FAQ, giving solutions to problems before they arise, and letting clients (or potential clients) know you’re committed to giving them a good experience.

Tips for making a great video to prep your clients:

• Choose just a few tips for the video. Decide on the information that’s most important, or that clients may need visuals for, and include those. For instance, Kelly told her clients parents should dress in cool clothes, leave time for feedings, and bring any items they wanted to include in the shoot.
  
• Illustrate your tips with images or video. Include images that illustrate good locations or examples of clever props to inspire your clients and give them direction. It also gives them (and anyone they share it with) an extra look at your photography.
  
• Include text or voiceover. Make sure you clearly state your tips, using just a few simple instructions to make sure your clients understand your point.
  
• Let your personality shine. A video about prepping your clients is almost like a conversation. So be yourself. If you’re quirky, then select photos and text that reflect that. If you’re romantic, then your video should be, too. That honesty will resonate with your viewers and reassure them.
  
• Add your logo and URL. Make sure anyone who views your video and likes what they see can come find you.

Knowing they’re prepared will help you clients relax and put their trust in you. As an added bonus, this type of video can be leveraged for marketing. Kelly’s video has more than 35,000 views on Facebook, and not all of those views are from current clients looking for information. Upload your video to YouTube, post it on social media and find out how offering advice can be a savvy way to put current clients at ease and market to others who haven’t booked you yet.

Do you have a video that preps your clients for a shoot? Come share it with us in the Animoto Social Video Marketing Community.

Portrait Photographer, Sue Bryce and Animoto launched a series of challenges designed to encourage, inspire and motivate photographers to start marketing with video. Participants create a video a month and post it on social. This is an in-depth description of one of the 12 challenges.