How do you get good paying clients without meeting them?
 

Although I did book a wedding this year where it was only over the internet (the bride is working over seas and wanted to book for later in the year), it's not the norm for me. This past year we were doing work on our house, so I was meeting clients at coffee shops. Let me tell you, it is DIFFICULT to up sell your product when your showing it on a small screen with virtually no sound. Although I can start meeting clients at my house again, it would be great if I could book clients over the phone and email. If anyone wants to share their thoughts or tips, that would be great.

Tim - I typically meet my clients at a coffee shop. I bring a laptop and sample DVDs. I plug a splitter into the audio out on the laptop and plug in two sets of headphones for the couple. That seems to work.

Art

This bride didnt want you to over pay you and have you send the rest of the money to another "service" did she?

I don't meet any of my couples before a wedding now, and i haven't for over a year. It's working out so well!

I guess the following are important:
- good online demos
- good clear send-outs in their packs, tell them exactly what they will get for their money
- be friendly and approachable on the phone/emails
- be very confident about your product when you do speak to them (phone/email)

other than that, i'm not sure what else I do!

Yep I'm with Richard. I have met all my clients before hand (coffe shops, school campuses...), but now I have a new website up, with demos and such. So I will see how things change.

JS

No nothing like that. It was a Nigerian Prince with 20 million dollars in an off shore account and they needed my help to access it and I would share in the profit... haha.. just kidding.

Nope this is a real person. Her deposit has long been cashed. Real money, and real family here in Nor Cal.

Every clients is different, I've has clients book me over the phone without ever seeing my work, others like meeting first, you have to build on a good reputation. Personally I enjoy meeting the couple before hand and make it a requirement, I'm usually one of the most expensive items on the wedding list and I feel that I'm not just doing a job but sharing in their joy. I've found my couples to be more relaxed around me when we had a meeting, that way I'm not a complete stranger on their wedding day. The most important aspect of your business is a good website, without this you are literally invisible, non-existent! Think of a website as your store, the more elegant/professional the look the more clients will be willing to pay, trust is built on professionalism, most people don't buy from a store that looks like it need a new paint job, your website is a direct translation of your work.

I never meet my clients either - but then I do a lot of weddings for an agency. They do all the advertising, paperwork, liasing, get music licences, make the NTSC versions, talk for hours on the phone to a bride who constantly changes her mind and so on.

I just get the best bit - get shoot the day and edit it down to a master tape. Yo!

tom.