Wedding photographers are being hit hard during COVID-19/coronavirus shutdowns. With events anywhere from 100, to 50, to 10 people being shut down, dependent on the city, couples and photographers alike are scrambling to pick up the pieces. With the coronavirus switching things up for the peak of wedding season in many markets, it has left wedding photographers wondering how to fill the gap. Until it’s safe to resume with events, there are other ways to fill it.
Accept Early Payments
For wedding photographers who split their invoices into installments, consider asking clients to make early payments. You could offer them an exchange like a cash discount, extra prints/deliverables, or some sort of trade in exchange for early payments. The event industry is struggling in the midst of coronavirus, and hopefully, some clients can be understanding of the need for this sort of situation.
Start Taking Engagement Shoot Deposits
Start taking deposits for engagement shoots for 2021 couples. If you have any late 2020 or early 2021 bookings already set, setting up engagement shoots now can help your business. Although it’s not recommended in most places to be out and about right now, you can start to schedule engagement sessions. In-home sessions are also an option for clients who, in a couple of months, still may feel that they want to keep to the safety of their own homes.
Offer Gift Cards for Your Services
Offer gift cards for your photography services to be redeemed in the future. You can easily create e-gift cards with services like Square. Send an email to your current and prospective clients letting them know that they can purchase a gift card for engagement photography services now to be redeemed later. This is a great way to create cash flow in your business and ensure future work for yourself.
Create Elopement Packages
Some couples who have been forced to postpone their wedding are considering elopement as an option. Create wedding photography elopement packages for couples who have decided to put their plans on hold due to the coronavirus. Encourage your couples that are considering elopement to create special memories with an elopement photography package. Why should they wait to marry their best friend? They can elope now and celebrate later when it’s safe with all of their loved ones.
Sell Prints to Past Clients
Perhaps there are images in galleries from past clients that they haven’t purchased yet. Maybe they haven’t purchased any prints yet at all. Use this time to appeal to them as a small business owner and show them the value of printing their images.
Sell Wedding Photography Marketing Products
Sell marketing products to other photographers. Maybe you have a system in your business that is very successful for you and think it would be beneficial for others to learn. Sell wedding photography marketing products like investment guide templates, email templates, website templates, and more. These can be hugely beneficial to other photographers, especially those who are taking their time off during the coronavirus pandemic to work on their marketing materials.
Sell Lightroom Presets, Photoshop Actions
Do you have a unique editing style? Market your editing precepts. Lightroom presets and Photoshop actions can be a really lucrative source of income for photographers. Selling your style (or similar styles) to other photographers can help you fill the income gap during this period of time. Market your Lightroom presets and Photoshop actions on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and even Twitter.
Whatever You Do, Keep Marketing
Whatever you do, keep marketing your photography business. Once this drought is over, the flood will be coming through. There will be many people who have rescheduled their weddings looking for photographers because their initial photographer wasn’t available, and your clients will want to reschedule their new date with you. Keep your brand at top of mind for people who can’t get married right now, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to. Don’t let your photography business fall by the wayside because of the physical limitations right now. Stay strong and keep working to improve your business, so that when things stabilize, you are ready to get back in action.
Very difficult time for wedding photographers! These are great tips to help bridge this gap!
I seriously doubt people even want to talk about photo prints and such.
I was suppose to do some family portraits this Easter at a few of my daycare clients. When speaking to them and trying to establish a new date all we could talk about was the uncertainty of the future income to those daycare.
Even the ones under government subsidy will suffer. The private ones will undoubtedly see decrease in income (that is paid monthly).
A few parents were already laid off and inform the daycare that their child will not attend at least until September. The longer it lasts the less paying customers the daycare will have for the coming months.
With at least one director it went to the stock market and how she was planning to retire next year and probably will not.
I feel absolutely stupid talking about prints, future dates etc. At one point we have to stop just thinking about how we get more clients or get paid. Why not take a deep breath and try things you always wanted to do and did not have the time or the will to do.
When all that is over we will hopefully be full of energy to turn on the ignition and start rolling again.
I am much older than you. I likely see these present issues differently.
The only advise I can give to wedding photographers is - get a job. Your easy money is not going to come back any time soon, your services are not needed now and for observable future. Whatever author is suggesting is not going to work. Paying somebody for taking pictures or ordering prints is a last thing on people mind.
Wow, attention asshole detected. Watch out!
The world is really in a difficult phase right now, most of the businesses have been affected. Wedding photographers have been one of the worst-hit during these times, these are great tips for helping them cope. One more suggestion is that they can help set up a live stream for a virtual wedding and earn so little revenue from that as well. To know more on online wedding: https://www.weddingwishlist.com/virtual-weddings