Do you have a standard photography workflow? Or are you more like a “wing it” type of person?

For a really looooooong time, I was more of a “wing-it” type of person. 

As a creative I sometimes struggle with checklists and productivity hacks because my brain loves variety. I’m all for buying a pretty planner, but when it comes to actually using them…. Well let’s just say most of them end up as pretty handy coasters for my coffee 🤪 

Which is why I totally understand why you might be putting off creating a system for your photography business. But there will come a time when it might become a little too much for you to handle. And as your photography business grows you will need to create a photography workflow in order to create a repeatable experience for your clients.

Perhaps you have been in business for a while – and your workflows feel pretty bland. Maybe you set them up in a season of growth, watched a few Dubsado tutorials and designed them to do the basics. They might be functional, but feel more like a checklist rather than a way to deliver a branded experience for your clients? The biggest thing I hear from my clients when refreshing the photography workflows is how much more energised and inspired they feel. Because when you infuse your heart and soul into your workflows – it creates a magical experience, not just for your clients, but for you too!

As a heart-led photographer, I know you want to help your clients feel valued and seen (I would take a wild guess this is one of the many reasons you decided to become a photographer). You crave a personal connection, and you want your work to really make a difference in your client’s lives.

But creating a photography workflow with personalised brand touchpoints, will serve you too!! Not only because it will help you stand out from other photographers in a similar niche, but it will also help you create more boundaries, ease and freedom in your photography business.

Trust me it also helps you to feel more excitement and joy for my your work – instead of just going through the motions you will feel more energised from your own creative process.

You can help your clients feel nurtured and supported at every touchpoint (whether that be through simple email OR a video recorded just for them).

Instead of having a functional photography workflow (that sends out Invoice reminders, automated emails and questionnaires) you can create something that will be spoken about, that will make your clients feel seen, appreciated and valued! Because your client’s expect that you do the job you were hired to do, but what they might not expect is how you make them FEEL while working with them!

So how can you go about transforming your photography workflow, into something that feels more like an experience rather than a checklist?

Every touch point can become an opportunity to connect

Whether that’s your lead capture form, your Investment guide or even something as functional as a questionnaire EVERYTHING IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONNECT.

The easiest way to connect is through video, which is why I always advise my clients to incorporate more video into their process. There are soooooo many ways to use video in your process, but one of the ways I love to use it is to provide your clients with more educational content or to give things context.

In the example above, the video explains the purpose of the questionnaire and how and why the questions have to be answered in as much detail as possible. The questionnaire then goes from being a daunting task, to something exciting and valuable. This helps the person completing the form to have context as to why the questionnaire is vital to the process, but also makes them feel supported and that they can trust the person they are working with to gently guide them towards the results they are seeking.

Infuse your incredible brand personality into your photography workflow

For a long time I thought my personality was a weakness in my business, because I am introverted and shy. But once I started to look at my strengths (and the things that made me different), I found it really easy to infuse my personality into my client journey.

And you can do this too – whether you are really outgoing, funny & whitty or more shy and reserved there are soooo many ways to let your personality shine.

Here are some ways to show your personality throughout your client journey:

• Create personalised GIFs to use on your emails
• Create beautiful pdfs that speak to your brand values 
• Use brand imagery that visually connects your brands personality
• Through the way you make your clients feel while interacting with them
• Make sure that every document and email is written in your brand’s tone of voice

Find ways to educate and build trust in your photography workflow

Sometimes it can be really easy to get into the mindset of “this is obvious”, but what you sometimes forget is that you have been doing your work for a loooooong time. Something that seems obvious to you, might not be for your clients. 

Try to bear this in mind when doing anything “process” related in your business. You might need to do a little more explaining than you think you do, and from experience it’s always best to over communicate and explain things than leaving your clients feeling lost. It’s also an opportunity to show your expertise and experience. 

We all have processes and systems (even those of us who like to wing it, or leave things till the last minute) – but let’s make your photography workflow inspiring and energising!! You can transform seemingly mundane tasks into something that brings you and your clients pure delight, or supports your creative process. If you are looking for some more inspiration, head on over to my new Portfolio page for some more ideas. 

If this really resonates with you and you want to find out more – head on over to see how we can work together. Or sign up to my newsletter where I share more tips on how to run a thoughtful & intentional business rooted in slow business values & principles.