071. Stop Getting Ghosted and Book Photography Clients

How to Stop Getting Ghosted (and Book More Photography Clients!)

You’ve gotten a new photography inquiry. This potential client seems pretty great, and you’re excited to work with them. You’ve got your follow-up messages set. You’re ready to keep the conversation going and get booked. But then…your new lead never responds.

You just got ghosted. Ugh.

Getting bailed on by clients is so frustrating. It can leave you feeling discouraged, wondering if you’re doing something wrong. But you know what? You’re not the only one this happens to! And you can stop getting ghosted and book more photography clients by making just a few changes.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Episode 066: Pricing Tips for NEW Boudoir Photographers
• The #1 Secret Business Owners Need to Know to Find Clients
• Episode 056: Complete Breakdown of My Photography Marketing Strategy

Step #1: Stop worrying about the leads who ghost you.

Getting ghosted sucks. Especially if you’re just starting out and trying to book more clients. You’re left feeling all the feelings and overthinking everything. What did I say? Are my prices too high? Did they pick another photographer over me?

So, here’s the solution to this particular problem: Stop worrying about the ones who ghost you.

Dwelling on the people who bailed won’t do you any good. Instead, look forward. Keep working on the leads who will book you in the future, because there are plenty of those leads. Stay consistent with your strategy (which we’re about to get into). It will pay off!

Step #2: Reply to your leads strategically.

Have the leads who ghosted you asked about pricing right off the bat? I’m betting they did. It’s super common, and honestly, it’s likely because your clients don’t know what else to say! It’s an easy way to start a conversation, and it’s information they need.

Your first instinct may be to reply with your literal pricing. That’s what they’re asking for. But I want you to get creative with your reply. Frame your answer in a way that explains why your pricing is the way it is. Talk about what they can expect, what’s involved. Talk about the whole experience!

Here’s an example of what I’d say if someone emailed me asking about pricing:

Thank you so much for contacting me! I’m so excited you are interested in booking a session with me. 🙂 

I’d love to meet with you via video chat to discuss your session, clothing options, and just get to know you in general. Would you have some time available to chat? If not, that’s totally fine. Consults aren’t mandatory! Here is my consult scheduling link.

I’m including some pricing information below.

• My Luxurious 1 hour session fee is $299, which includes hair and makeup and 4 outfit changes.
• Albums start at $699 and range up to $4999, with the average client spending around $1-2000, depending on their price point. Popular question- yes, digital files of the images in the album are also included!
• I have payment plan options available as needed as well.

I can’t wait to officially meet you and rock your session. We will have a blast!!”

See how I answer the question about pricing but include context? This is the fee, and this is what you’ll get out of it. That’s the difference. And it’ll cut those ghosting incidents way down.

Step #3: Speak to your ideal client.

One of the best ways to avoid getting ghosted is to start at the beginning and understand your ideal client, because they won’t ghost you. If you’re marketing to your ideal client directly (and properly), you’ll get them to take action and book a session with you.

Think about what pushed your past clients to book you. Was it a story you shared about a boudoir session where you coached your client through their insecurities? Was it when you shared images that your audience raved about?

This is the kind of content you want to replicate and include in your content strategy. It’s the content that will catch the attention of your ideal client and get them to say, “Okay, it’s time to book her already!”

Step #4: Meet your ideal clients where they are.

As an introvert myself, I would love to tell you that you can book more photography clients while staying inside your house. But you can’t! You have to go outside and get to know your community. You have to go where your ideal clients are — in the real world.

For me, that meant meeting other business owners, going to networking events nearby, and attending bridal fairs or vendor shows. I did this consistently — I’m talking about going to all the things for a solid two years.

Because I was everywhere my ideal clients were, all the time, they didn’t even know about other boudoir photographers in the area! I made them think I was the only option around. I became a staple in my community.

I know it can be uncomfortable, but it gets easier the more you put yourself out there. You can do it!

Step #5: Build your online presence.

Let’s get back to your online strategy. The in-person part of marketing is essential, but you still need to pay attention to your online presence. Not just the content that your ideal clients want on social media or your blog, but everywhere you’re online.

I’m talking about email marketing, your website, and other content platforms. All of your online channels should work together to help you get booked. If someone meets you at a community event and wants more info, they should be able to get it from your website. If someone stumbles across your Instagram, they should be able to find similar content on your YouTube channel or podcast.

There’s a lot that goes into building a cohesive strategy. You can learn more about it in Episode 56 of the podcast where I break down my own photography marketing strategy!

Ignore the ghosts and keep doing your thing

Getting ghosted probably bothers you right now because you aren’t as busy as you want to be. It feels like every potential client that you come across has to book you. But it won’t always be like this.

If you take away just one thing from the episode and the five steps I outlined, it’s this: the busier you get, the easier it’ll be to ignore the people who ghost you. And the easier it’ll be to find and market to the people who will book you.

However, there is a way to jumpstart the process and ditch the ghosts even faster. My high-level marketing program, Forever Booked Out, is designed for photographers just like you. If you wish you had a step-by-step guide that helps you get booked out (but not burnt out), you’ll find it in Forever Booked Out. Sign up here!