How to Build Long-Term Relationships With Your Portrait Clients

Portrait photography is deeply personal. Whether it’s traditional corporate head-shots, special family anniversary shoots or a candid lifestyle session, every client will want to be 100% comfortable with the results.

It’s your job to make them so thrilled with those images they’ll come back for more. And tell everyone they know what a fabulous photography experience they’ve had.

These client relationships are more than just transactions, they’re how your business will grow and thrive.

Read on to discover how to build personal, profitable relationships with your portrait clients.

It’s All About Trust

Central to any relationship is trust and your photography clients are no different.

Without it, those relationships will have wobbly foundations. Will you deliver what you’ve promised? Will the images bring a smile to your face?

With it, they’re reassured you’ll be professional, meet deadlines, communicate clearly and produce excellent images. And that it’ll be a stress-free experience.

Building this non-negotiable takes time but once in place, it’ll open the doors to repeat bookings, loyalty and precious social proof.

So how do you build trust?

Make a Strong First Impression

Start your trust-construction project from the very first interaction, for example ensuring they get a prompt reply to their initial query.

Step forward a specialist photography CRM like Light Blue which makes sure this response is quick, friendly and reassuring. You’re on it; you’d love to find out more; your calendar is available to book in a chat on a convenient date.

Positive interaction #1 ticked. Trust-building mission has commenced.

Keep the Communication Flowing

First set of foundations in place, keeping communication organised, responsive and personalised is central to cementing the relationship.

No matter how good your intentions and organisational skills, simply noting in a diary when to next get in touch increases the chances of human error.

With a photography CRM by your side, you can set up workflows for each client, automate when crucial emails and texts are sent and never miss an important communication milestone for a shoot.

You’ll have the peace of mind they’re getting the right info at the right time, and they’ll appreciate your professionalism and responsiveness.

Make it Personal

Personalisation needs to go beyond those super-handy, time-saving email templates and automations.

To create trust, you need empathy – the most underrated superpower for photographers.

Putting yourself in your clients’ shoes is essential to understand what matters most to them

Maybe they’re nervous about the shoot, camera-shy to the point of almost cancelling. It’s your job to reassure them both before and during the session that you’ll make them feel comfortable.

You can focus on the sense of fun you create, on not forcing them into poses they’re uneasy about and on letting them quickly delete any images that make them cringe.

Empathy helps create the connection needed to explain why they’re stressing over a specific detail or reacting in a certain way. And when they feel heard and understood, that’s when trust grows.

Clients then relax in front of your lens, allowing you to capture more genuine, powerful moments.

Your CRM can help here when you add specific notes to each client’s profile. Those little details that can reassure and ramp up relationships.

It can remind you that Anna M. doesn’t like being photographed outside when it’s raining. It jogs your memory about Paul W.’s preference to be shot from his left-hand side. And all without random notes in random places – or an over-worked memory.

Go To Infinity and Beyond

Every portrait photographer will strive to offer the basics: images that suit the brief, clear communication, staying within budget etc.

It’s how you go the extra mile that will set you apart and inspire the lucrative loyalty your business demands.

Anticipating needs, not just meeting them, is a wise call. Aim to think ahead and consider any potential challenges, offering solutions to circumstances they might not have thought of:

• Suggest a great Plan B undercover location if an outdoor shoot looks to be a weather wash-out.
• Share a helpful list of tips with nervous clients about how to be comfortable in front of the lens.
• Check for any last-minute additions to a team’s professional headshots session in case someone’s been missed off the list.
• Offer an indecisive client an ‘extra’ half-hour in their shoot – before quoting, if you like – to soothe any anxiety about getting every shot right.

Each extra little detail will give clients more reason to be happy with your service and increase the chances of them booking again.

Share Friendly Follow-Ups

When you want clients to be with you for the long-term, the work doesn’t stop when you’ve delivered their prints and products.

Get that personalised questionnaire sent out and address any tricky feedback with professionalism, openness and patience. Your relationship – and reputation – are on the line here.

Shoot over, you can keep engaging with them via a newsletter, special offers and anniversary check-ins. Encourage them to follow your social accounts where they will, of course, find inspiring examples of your latest work, handy advice and further proof that you’ll be the best photographer (again) for their next project.

Want to build long-term relationships with your portrait clients? Go forth and start your trust-building mission. And watch as your CRM calendar gets filled up.