The current Coronavirus pandemic needs no introduction. I am quite sure if you are a wedding photographer like me, then your business will have been struck over the last couple of weeks. We’ve gone from having a full diary with many weddings to look forward to, to now not knowing when we will be able to shoot again. Then there is the financial cost that we will have to shoulder.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had a lot of clients reschedule their wedding and reach out. And they are mostly asking about what would happen if the pandemic impacted their big day.
So I thought I’d share my five tips on how to handle rescheduling requests. These tips have worked well for me, and I am not saying that my way is the correct way, so if you don’t agree with my tips, then feel free to consult others.
But hopefully, my tips will help you put something in place so you can help your customers to reschedule their weddings with the least impact on your business while maintaining excellent customer service.
TIP #1: CONSIDER YOUR CONTRACT & WHAT YOU CAN DO
We all have a contract, right? And there are cancellation policies, as well, right? Okay. So there’s your starting point. However, these aren’t normal times. Customers are being forced to reschedule or cancel their wedding because of a situation no-one in this world predicted.
I see many photographers quoting their contract online that says that there are no refunds for any advance paid. So, if the customer has settled and you’re not delivering the service anymore, well then, tough!
As I said earlier, these aren’t normal times. What you do now will make your customers remember you. So, make sure it’s for the right reasons, make it easy to work with you. And make it an experience they will be telling their friends about — friends who in the future may be getting married.
Remember, wedding photography is above all a people’s business. The customer is always the king. Dealing with your customers with compassion, understanding & flexibility in this crisis will set you apart from your competition.
TIP #2: CALL, DON’T EMAIL
Nowadays, it’s all too easy to hide behind our email. This is a difficult situation for everyone, and as business owners, our income has taken a huge hit. For some, it may even prove to be a fatal hit. But for brides, this is the day she’s been dreaming of since she was a little girl. Try to keep that in mind. It’s not just about the money they’ve invested but also emotional energy too.
This is one of those occasions in which picking up the phone helps. Give them a call.
Ask your bride how they are. How are their loved ones, their jobs? Your concern should be genuine. And keep in mind that people can see right through you if you’re just going through the motions. Plus, it shouldn’t be hard to show you care in the current climate!
You see, emails can be misinterpreted and often sound very formal and impersonal. All my customers have appreciated a friendly call where I understand their situation and come up with the best solution possible for them.
So, moving on, once you’ve agreed on a course of action, definitely follow it up with an email. The email should thank your guests for their time & confirm what you spoke about. That way, you’ll still have an audit trail for future reference.
TIP #3: TRY CREATING AN AVAILABILITY CALENDAR
If there was one thing that has helped my couples and my business the most, it has been this. The calendar has all my availability, which the bride and groom can instantly see. The idea is that when they are talking about their venue and possible changes in dates, they can pick a new date with my availability in mind.
Till now, the only cancellations I have had were from before I implemented this on my website. Also, I’ve had several brides tell me that they usually have my page open while they were discussing dates with their wedding planner and wedding vendors.
TIP #4: TRY TO FORM A GROUP OF ASSOCIATE PHOTOGRAPHERS
Getting together with some of your local wedding photographers might help. While we fight our way through this crisis, what several of us have done is agree to shoot for each other as the lead photographer at a discounted rate.
The key is finding wedding photographers locally whom you can trust to deliver to your high standards. That is easier said than done, but luckily for you, I’ve always been active in the local industry, so over the years, I have developed a good network of my fellow photographers.
Yes, using an associate wedding photographer will mean that I’ll be making less profit. But, it’s better to earn something rather than losing the entire booking and earning $0.
TIP #5: CASH FLOW IS KING
For the wedding photography industry, when the dust settles, while we will lose some bookings, we might gain a few where couples have found their old photographer can’t do the new date. For many of us, the cash flow will begin again — just later. Besides, good cash flow is the foundation of a healthy business. Having lousy cash flow can kill your business, even if it is otherwise profitable.
So when customers are rescheduling to new dates, try to ask them for a voluntary 50% payment of the balance on the original wedding date, and the remainder can be paid later when the wedding day is near. You can tell them why: cash flow. Just make sure you don’t sound like you’re going out of business if they don’t pay. Keep it friendly, and don’t press the point hard; otherwise, it could backfire on you later.
Postponing or canceling your wedding is no joke. So, if you have any additional questions about postponing your wedding in this difficult time, feel free to contact me.
