Managing workflow can be one of the most difficult things for a wedding photographer to stay on top of. Previously, I ran my wedding photography business in a traditional way by using lots of paper and notes. I always had issues and problems that I could not solve. Below is some of the problems that I was able to solve using a studio management tool called Shootq.
1. Organizing Leads. It can be very difficult to keep all the potential brides in order. Maintaining contact with the potential lead is the key to being able to book later. Leads can be entered into Shootq with the "Quick Lead" tab. The basic information about the lead is stored and notes about the freshness of the lead and details about your booking efforts are embedded.
2. Access to Studio Information. Since I started using Shootq, I have access to my studio's information, including leads, booking and payment information from any location. For example, if I were to shoot a wedding in the Baltimore, MD area, I could go to any computer, log into Shootq, and have access to all the information about a wedding or portrait shoot that I may have scheduled the next day in Philadelphia or Delaware. Your files are not stored on your computer, but safely at Shootq.
3. Contracts Delivered Anywhere. Booking brides and grooms that are in other locations can be a real problem. For example if a Delaware photographer wanted to book a bride that was getting married in Baltimore, he would have to mail or fax her the contract. With Shootq, you can send the contract and booking information via the Shootq system and the bride can sign it electronically. This opens up the opportunities to do business in areas that are not in your local area. It opened up wedding opportunities to my business in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. Paperless contracts have eliminated much of the paperwork associated with booking a wedding or engagement session.
4. Sell more products. There is a delicate balance between upselling quality products and being an overbearing salesman. With Shootq, you have the opportunity to have your catalog of products attached to the booking proposals. The wedding photographer can include high quality photos of the products inside of the proposal. The bride or groom can add options such as high quality wedding albums to their packages while booking.
These are by no means all the reasons for that studio management tools are valuable. Other studio management tools are just as powerful. Some examples include Studio Cloud and Tave. I highly suggest that all wedding photographers consider implementing a studio management tool.
DP
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