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Segment 27 - Ordering Session Q&A

So while they're picking what they want, you have something that you're actually writing for the surface. I am got out here. I forgot to bring it, but yeah, I have a water for, So I am jotting it down. You know what photo? They would tell me the number. I have them all number Kendra 102 103 or whatever. So they would say this one is kindred 20. I would write that down. They won't. The size 2024 came gallery wraps. Oh, yeah. And then we would actually pick out which better they wanted on the box. And, um, you know, all that stuff? Yeah. And I would be I would be writing it down. Your remember? It's like the waitress that comes and takes your order. And you're thinking she really going to get that right? Because he is not writing it down. Right? You have a question for But before I limit them, Okay, I'm assuming that when you sent the welcome guy that they've already seen the collections. So that with the 1st 1 and then the 2nd 1 what lab are you using? I used for TB, I So that's where a...

ll these great samples are. So shout out ot be I for providing these awesome samples right here. So, yeah, that's right. In the double sided while it's come from them. And I think they may be one of the only ones that has the double sided before in the 3rd 1 What size of the digitals that you're providing, What sides of those printed up to Because you mentioned they could get a canvas. So yeah, they're full size full resolution. They're buying that top package, and then I actually give them on the CD, another folder full of Facebook size. Just so they don't have to worry about re sizing because, you know, when you put a big old photo on Facebook, it don't look good. Anyway, I'm so I quickly resize that, And so you'll have to folders when she pull up that CD and one will be the full Rizwan will be Facebook are what other social media? Yeah, exactly. Yearbook photo. I'm assuming that they're going to use if they purchase the digitals, they're gonna be able to use the yearbook photo from that right, which in my area is not It's not applicable because they don't get to put their own photo in the yearbook, but her and you don't know. They're so yeah, but if that were the case, you would have to sell them in digital looking. That's the only way. I think a yearbook would accept it. So whether it's just one, you know, maybe they only want the one for the year book. You know that. But because that's not my area. I don't I don't really have that worked in but yet would have to be a digital. I would assume so. Yeah, that was okay. That was good, because people were asking the same questions. Okay, so So how long? We just were demo ing. So it's not exactly what what it was act like, but how long would this session be? How long do you tell them it will be And then was that we saw about maybe about 30 images and that What would I know? We've talked about this before. You normally shoot about 2 to 50 images and then more and I will tell you guys that there were more because a had limited time to get them ready for today. Just because you were busy and stuff like that. Normally I would and I will give you more. But so normally I would do with her session No. One. How many I edited and how many more I could edit. It probably would be more like 50 but again, it's anywhere from 30 to Teoh, 50 60 dependent on the session because she technically had two sessions. That's kind of what her numbers a little bit bigger, but there are sessions that are 30 images, and that's a gracious plenty for them to choose from. I don't like to overwhelm them with too many, because then they start to not being able to make a decision and things like that. So, yeah, purchase the fashion. I'm assuming that's the highest collection. They will get all 50 of the digital house. Exactly. Yeah. And then did you have another part to that question? How long does it take the ordering session? Usually anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. I could do an ordering session. So, um, you know, we get in, we chitchat, We start looking at photos, you start making decisions. Um, it's I would say minutes, probably Max you could probably do it if you need a little more time an hour. But I would say you shouldn't really have to have more than an hour. I mean, again, it's a matter of we already have a relationship, so we don't have any of that awkward, you know, meeting and things like that have educated them beforehand. So there's, you know, I may reiterate some stuff, but they know you know, the process before they get here. So that's why it doesn't really take a long time to go through. I sent an email or communicate were have the session scheduled, right? And I'm just wondering if this is just a thought. I sometimes don't check emails every day, and so my preference is a text, like a teenager write checks me, and I'll respond within a couple hours. This is my life is so even if I texted you and say, Hey, I sent you this email, frankly, right. So find out maybe. What is the best way to communicate with again? Yeah, So that the might not see that. Yeah, whatever. One And a lot of times teenagers don't check email. Yeah, so on the questionnaire that I usually stand out. I do ask about how to best communicate to the senior, but I don't actually ask how to best communicate with parents. So that's a good addition to that question. Here, I think, would be a great way to do it because you're right. Not everybody communicates differently, and some people are in a texture. Some people are. Some people are always only emails, and people aren't some people to Facebook messaging, etcetera. So, yeah, that's a great, great idea. Absolutely. You think that music is really important to have in their like for background noise? Yeah, way were discussed in earlier What music to put with this, and I am not super musically inclined, like I don't I just listen to whatever comes on the radio, so I don't know a lot of names of songs or fans or whatever, but then when it comes time for a slideshow, I get wrapped up in what the words were saying. So I try to pick something that talks about something that is, you know, either lighthearted or, you know, be things like that have used one that purpose, like will really make moms cry. No I know. I know. It's that Taylor Swift song Never grow up. Yeah, I know it's not a bad strategy because it triggers, Right? Right. Really? That was a good song for that purpose, you know? So anything that might trigger emotion. You know, you don't want a balling per se, but you want them to have a genuine emotion. So I think thinking about the song and choosing one that that might garner some emotion is a good idea. The butterfly kisses that one. Yeah. Yeah, that's a good one. Actually arrested the ordering session. Do you have any, like, background? Not quiet, but again, I mean, we're talking. I'm a talker, so I don't need the music. But if you aren't as talking to this made, I've had somewhere, it's like they're like, I really love this, and they're watching it go by and then you're, like, really quiet. I really haven't interject with something like, Oh, what do you like about that? Or you know Oh, I love that one, Teoh. Remember when we did that or things like that? So that's why I personally don't. But I do think it's a great idea. Yeah, you could have it softly playing as their scrolling through. I think that's a good idea. Total They may fantastic. I'm wondering if you could say again the name of the lab that you use because some people missed it. But then also, would you actually have your clients physically look at another set behind that? Because that's on our set, right? Would you have them physically? I usually the way I have set up that stuff on my coffee table, and then I have a display table. And so I pick it up and show them the difference between 11 by and a about 10 so they could physically see that, Okay? Or, you know, whatever size they choose, then they could physically see what it is. I don't typically hold the campuses because they are actually hanging on a wall, and there's there, a little more cumbersome toe, maybe hand. But then they get up and look at them on the wall because they they can get to them. They're not like, behind something or whatever, so, yeah, I definitely do that. Let them touch and feel it is important. Um, I don't tend to sell a lot of albums, Which is why I didn't bring any with us. But I know you mentioned maybe an album. I think it depends on your market. Um, my market doesn't really go for that. So I don't That's why I didn't bring it out here because I don't tend to sell it. But I do think having an album and having them be able to flip through it is a good idea. Um, is an excellent alternative idea. Yeah, it's unique. I love that. In fact, I want to order one way, and then the lab again is pretty be pro d p I dot com. So, p r D p I, um, wasn't eight by air with a with, like, that image you knew for gallery wrap, you obviously have to have the extra right. I'm gonna have ad space, you know, sometimes, like if you most images Errol, any images normally remounted to be like print about four by six. So if you're enlarging on that app doesn't show you like the cross the crop pass factory shares Don't know like, Oh, wow, it's actually gonna cut this off. It doesn't on the app, but I do have a piece of paper that your yeah, in my home that does show the crop affects that. I also explain that to them as well. And this one, I love it too, for campus so I can go in and just add, just so I could make sure that her fingers aren't cut off. But I will say I was we were in an alley and I was as far back as I could possibly get. And I had my widest possible wins owned. So that was all I couldn't. I couldn't physically do it in camera just because you wait like that, Do you know? And I said, I'm sure you think about something like this might be one that they want to do. It calories. I need a little bit of extra speed, right? And that's why I tend to have to force myself not to take everything vertical and close up. Because I know that I'm not gonna You know, when you get to be certain sizes or if you want the canvas, I'm gonna be basically right. Yeah, definitely. Keep that mind. But again, I think this one is going to look fabulous. Became so I'm gonna just add a little bit of space to make sure that we can wrap it around at the top. The bottom is probably got a good A mountain. It's just the top with her fingers up there. And like I say, if I have been in a area where I could step back further to pull by, would ever Phil Birdie had that same question Online car. Did you have a question? I also du in whom are my ordering sessions in my home is I struggle with having samples of camps is faster, but I don't want to order necessarily campuses. A little kid, right? Use the ones of your family as your example, if you actually have No, I actually have singers, but but again it's in a room that we never go in in. No one else that comes to my house ever goes in that room, so it doesn't bother me, but I get what you're saying because, yeah, you might not want that. But I use that room exclusively as my room. You know, nothing. So it's not. They're all on display, but maybe find somewhere that you can or I don't think it's the worst thing in the world to just show your family's canvas and say this is what size it would be. I mean, they could still see right the product and they could touch it and feel it if they wanted to, and they could see how big you might would have it. So, yeah, what a great thing. So I wasn't sure if if you were going to keep going with them or were you done with kind of what you want? I don't kind of what I wanted to show just because I wanted to show their their reaction. And, you know, this is special circumstance because they are going to get all the photos. You know, We're just, you know, doing sort of a mock trial, if you will. Exactly. I don't know. So I would love it if you guys have any or people online have more questions for client for mom and daughter, just like we had the teens yesterday on a panel. If you weren't with us and we were able to ask them questions, it would be cool if you guys want have questions for a mom and daughter as well. The most common thing I get asked by seniors and or appearance when I'm booking and then keep going from There is I just want all the digitals or can I get this CD or what Not So if you like how you structure yours, are you happy with the fact that you are getting product as well as the digitals? Rather than just saying, Here's the digitals. Here you go. I mean, is that for as a parent and knowing full well that you're the one that's going to be paying for this? Are you okay with that? Like it's, um, it's prods me to actually order the products and not set it aside and try. Remember, do it later and have to go to Costco where I mean, there are other options to do it. But to trust the process. I also am intrigued with the other ways that she's displayed the products. The pictures gives me some other ideas. So, um, I actually appreciate have Bean having that opportunity to do that. And I will say on that note that a lot of times when maybe in the past, when I have just sold a CD, I'll hear from someone later saying, Oh, yeah. You know, I never really did order anything. You know, domain because they had the CD, and they just never took that step up to do it, so it doesn't make it easier. I would assume right. I'm a working mom and have other activities going on. And this is and I'm also kinetic. I want to touch and feel so Works for me. Yeah, we have the US keeping the questions. We've got some questions coming in from online. This is from Patricia Night. How would you feel about having an ordering session in your home? Uh, but you would have to clean the theme. That would be the I prefer to go to the photographer. So my believe if it's not too far away. Great. Yeah. Great. Fantastic. Another question is, um how would you where Where do you go about finding Where are you advertised to, I guess, is the question Where do where do you go about finding photographers as faras photographers? Um, we would what? There's always google. I'm serious. There's always Google, but to talk to other seniors, other friends who have gone through the process, and then we do have a friend who does photography on the side. So I guess it's just, you know, who we know. And having the connection and trusting that person is really important. I want to see their product. I want to know what they do and and get what we want out. Right. So would you be, um it sounds like it would be more, um, interested in the in person yourself, then have you? Then what? Could you imagine what it would be like if you were just doing an online having to choose things online? Personal. You can't be there and look at them. And I don't know if it would work, but so the better experience, I think. Well, we think I have some more questions that are for you. Okay, Leslie, About the ordering session. So I don't know if we wanna say goodbye and thank you so much to Joe and Kendra and then go for some questions before we go. So thank you both so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah, OK. OK, so let's dio some questions for Leslie. Uh, we touched on it a little bit here, but how do you educate us from Tracy Kinney. How do you educate your clients on the difference between the quality of the canvas from pro dp I if they wanted to order it from Costco or right? Yeah. I mean, you really do have to educate them on that process. You could even have a sample of a Costco print. Just, you know, main just kind of not maybe displayed that you pull it out, whip it out when you need it to you and say, Well, you know, this is this is what I could give you, And this is what Costco could give you, and it is gonna be a difference, especially when it comes to color. It's gonna be huge difference. So maybe you have, like, a little, um, Matt board of a couple of different print places like Wal Mart and Costco, and wherever else is in your town and you just pull that out, that would be the most beneficial way. I tend to just, you know, most of my clients trust me, and they get the products for me that if they do get the CD, then I tell them a lab that is in our town that I approved, you know, today like I'm just like, Look, Costco, Walmart, Walgreen's all these places I know you could go to, but I highly recommend that you go to It's called J and E. It's a local printer that doesn't really good job. They don't. It's not quite the same as mine, but it would get them, you know, 57 day bet tens that would look okay. And then I tell them that if you are thinking of a large print, I would recommend that you get that through me on Ben. Just order gift prints or things like that from, you know, your CD, because that way I know I'm giving you the best possible quality, and that usually is good for them. But I don't personally have the example, but I think that's a great idea. I think it's a great day, and I do appreciate because because that's the reality is people are gonna go make prints, so that's a great idea. You give them a suggestion because ultimately, if they're sharing those with people, that's your brand, right? So you're protecting your brand. Exactly. By going ahead and doing that. That's great. Okay, a question from Ali on and photography Eliane. I'm sending my clients proving link with a password to view, and then they have to book an ordering session to come and view them toe order. I've been having a hard time. Once I sent the link for them to actually agree to come in and book a session ordering session. Do you have any advice on what I should do to get them to actually come in? Can she quits in the willing can only have him do the ordering session? That would be my suggestion. I think a lot of times once people see them there, we were all busy. I mean, you know what I mean. Like OK, well, I've seen them now to really have to go to your house in order on them. I can see why that would be a concern of a client. I could see it from a client's perspective. So my idea would be to just not send them anything online and and just making in person or keep it online. That probably not. But just choose which one you want to dio and stick to it. Now you might want to send them a sneak peek of, like, one or two images, if you really want to get them like excited or are posted on Facebook would be even better. Because then everybody sees it. And not just them. But I would just I would not I would not give him the link beforehand. Think that's the answer, right? Eyes one way or the other. Yeah. Question here. That when you first started doing this that people would be like, Oh, I'm not gonna order right now or whatever. And I'm nonconfrontational. So I'm like, OK? No. Yes, you are. You are not leaving the house and walk in the door and find your checkbook and produce the money. Right? So how did you change that? Honestly, it took just several ordering sessions to just really And they really informing them ahead of time and it took it. Took several before they got the hint. Eventually, just me continuing toe. Okay. You know, this is when you need to place the order. I accept. Check at the time was all I accepted in cash. Now I have a credit down the square. So maybe say that to them and say, you know, okay at the order instruction, be sure to bring if I'm talking to a senior, Always saying make sure you bring your mom or dad or whoever is making the purchase because this is the time we're purchasing. And you need to, you know, bring whoever is writing that check for U S O. It's going to take you a little bit of getting used to it because I'm with you. Once they were there, I was like, Okay, because what could you really do at that point? So then each time that would happen, I would get mad at myself for not telling them what I needed to tell them beforehand. So I would each time tell them the next person more stuff until eventually it just got to where it was like, OK, nobody's nobody's kind of giving me that checkbook excuse anymore. Oh, I don't have my checkbook. Come on, you've had in your pocket book. You know, you do right well, but that's definitely thank you for asking that question because Nicky Hot and asked something very similar on. And eso that's Madero Photography also asked, Do you plan for another ordering session? The families are not prepared to actually place the order. Yeah, well, I will tell you this story. Um, So I think it was last year I had a senior who booked me the girl herself. Booked May. She's very independent girl. I probably didn't make the best decision As faras communicating with parents. Onley communicated the senior, but lessons learned. Right? Um, it was a quick thing. Okay? Yeah, do it. And I had the date available, and so we just went for it. But I didn't do my process that I do now for that particular session. So when it came time for the ordering session about an hour before the ordering session, the mom calls me, and I was just like, Oh, hey, you know, do you have to reschedule? Like that's what I'm thinking. Um, well, really, I don't I don't have the money. And I was like, Oh, okay. Never had that happen before we thank God she called. May I do? I do appreciate that. So I said to her, I said, Well, you know what? There really isn't a point in going through the ordering session. Um, right now I hold on to the images. I'm not gonna get rid of them. Why don't you let me know when you're in a financial? Um, when you can financially make make a make a payment or whatever. I said, I really want you to see these photos, but I don't want you to see him and then not be able to order them and things like that. So we didn't do the ordering session. Months go by. I thought I would never hear from the mother again. But sure enough, A couple months later, she called me and said, OK, now I'm ready. And I said, Okay, let's do the ordering session. So it prevented me from having to do ordering session that didn't result in a sale. And it let me have you help her get to where she could afford it and because I didn't show him to her and then let her leave without it, I think she wanted to see him. So she did what she had to do to come up with whatever money she was willing to spend. Um, so you know, if if you get in a situation where it's too late and they're already at your house and they've already said. Well, now I can. You know, I didn't bring anything or can't buy this right now, then, Yeah, you may have to, um, do another ordering session or what you could do is go ahead and have it all written up. What is it that you want? Whenever you can afford it? This is going to be the total. Um, I've got it that way. You don't have to do another ordering session. You can just have it on file. They could give you a call if you want to offer a payment plan. That's an option. Things like that. There are ways around it. I probably would try to go anyway. But having another ordering session If they've already seen photos at that point, then at that point, I would just go ahead and write up in order and say OK, and then, you know, they call you and change their mind about one or two things. You still have a guy that you don't have to then redo the whole process. Yeah, clients. And if you do, how do you handle that? Very the only out of time out of town seniors ever do or with with senior ology, so they're just given the photos for their time for modeling. I have done family many sessions. I do. The only time I ever shoot families is once a year. Several of my best friends live in Charleston on day. They always want me to take the Christmas card photo. So for that purpose, I will go down there. I will do many sessions, and the CDs included not just mail it to him because they're out of town, right? They're not going to do in ordering session. Even if I waste my time and put him online there. Probably immunity me like it's just it's not worth it in the end. So I just figure this is how many you're going to get. You know, I think I do images on a CD period. Um, and that's what they get. And they don't even look at him. They get what they get it done. You know, they don't use cheese. E thinks Skype would be something that would be helpful. Yeah, I think he could do Skype just because at least you get the interaction with them that you don't get from an online ordering Of course, there's an exception to every rule, and you gotta work with what? You got it. If that's not an option and you did an out of town one, then, yeah, you might would have to put him online. But I definitely think Skype is great because at least you're there, toe walk them through the process, and you can maybe pull them up on your screen and control. Um And because Skype you can share screen so you could pull up the photos on your computer and say, OK, I'm going to scroll through these. I'm will play my slide show, and then I will scroll through him. You guys tell me when the star when not to star type thing. I think that's a great idea. Absolutely. Or, you know, the other option is to come up with a out of town package, just kind of like what I did for the mini sessions that I do. Maybe you come up with the, you know, destination senior package, and this is what they get in your None. That's an option to Yeah. Where do you get this beautiful package portfolio printed? Where'd you get that from? Because you know, this came from Miller's Miller's great offices, the image portfolio and I create. I mean, I designed it myself, and it's actually printed on, um, the Pearl. So it's shiny pretty. It is shiny and pretty in it. It also looks It feels so, yeah, national, and it feels so rial. And I will say I just added it not too long ago because I personally couldn't always remember off the top of my head what was immunity me like. I'm like, Oh gosh, you know, yet that that's in that I didn't want to be going home, what was in that package again? So this way I have it and I can hand it to them and I can look at it with them. And I mean, I know what's in the packages, but sometimes when you're on the spot, your mind goes blank and without having something to look at. So it's nice and because they can hold it and taken. Look at it now. What's in here is the same thing that was in the welcome God that I sent them. But they've for gotten sometimes about that that time they get here and they can hold this so on what is it actually do? It was a hardbound yes, in image polio, which is what it's called. And it is, Ah, hardbound book. And I mean, you can get There's a company called Re Re Binder that I get my cardboard. Um, think little folders from they have some that are now that they're leather of their cloth. And then I think you kind of like a menu from a restaurant where you could probably just stick a piece of paper in them. But the book itself that would work, Um, and you could get it in whatever, you know, whatever color I looked at those to get, but they didn't have a color that went with my brand, so I didn't get it. But there's a cool to in that way, if you do change up your packaging or whatever, you don't have to order. You know you just print another piece of paper, but it's still in a nice folder. Paper presentation dot com have lots of different folders and presentation type folders. They're not hard and thick, but that would work as well. But being able to hand them something is always nice. Are you a paper person? Well, I invitation. Oh, yeah. Before I had a photography business. Had an invitation. A South. We like to throw some parties that you do with a lot of monograms with a lot of monograms. Exactly.