Starting a photography business is such an exciting thing, but soon, you'll find yourself trying to make your life easier-- I mean, there has to be an easier way to send invoices, contracts, galleries and track all of the projects you're working on, right?
Well, there is! I'm going to tell you about a few different programs that have seriously changed my life and photography business! I honestly use these programs every day and for every client! I'm sharing these with you because they are completely worth the subscription fees (but I've also got discount codes for you, so can you really say no??). These programs take the stress-work out of the booking process AND will give you back all of that space in your Google Drive or DropBox (and make your gallery delivery look and feel so much more professional!). Are you dying to hear what these programs actually are??
HoneyBook
HoneyBook legitimately has changed my business. It's basically a one-stop shop for all of your booking needs. I've got customized canned email responses saved in HoneyBook so any time an inquiry comes through my website contact form, I can send a personalized email right back without having to type a single thing. It also reminds me to follow up with people who I haven't heard back from (OR it allows me to automate a follow up email). HoneyBook also lets me send contracts & invoices through email and allows my clients to sign & pay online with the option of a payment plan. I love HoneyBook, but so do my clients. They love that they can pay online with a credit card and that if they are paying with a payment plan, they are sent reminders for when their payments are due. HoneyBook will give you back your time spent emailing. (Which, if you're taking the time to write out every single response, is a long time.)
You can get 50% off your HoneyBook subscription with this link: http://share.honeybook.com/X9oc7
PASS+
Before I started using PASS+, I was sending client galleries through Google Drive. I didn't want to spend the money to have a subscription for an online photo gallery service. It didn't seem worth it. Then one day, after all of my Google Drives (from my 3 emails) were completely full, I decided to look into different online photo gallery services. I had been given photos from two different online photo gallery services, so I knew what a few of them felt like using as a client. I looked into PixieSet, but I just didn't like the way it was set up. It was kind of confusing for me as a photographer user. And then I also looked into PASS+. It was SO easy to set up and makes it so, so easy to deliver galleries. My clients love PASS+ because they are able to just save their link and access their gallery at all times. I love it because I can continue to add photos to their galleries and their link allows them to see their older photos as well as their new photos. PASS+ also backs up your photos and stores them for TEN YEARS. I chose the Unlimited Photo Plan because I won't ever have to worry about taking photos down. I can just continue to upload photos and it works as a double back up for me. I also love that client's can purchase professional prints that will be delivered straight to their door. It's amazing. I seriously cannot recommend PASS+ enough. If you want one free month of PASS+ use this link: http://picti.net/UJAyR
Google Sheets
I use Google Sheets for my clients to book sessions. I create a "calendar" each month with my availability and then send them the link each month. They are able to sign up for dates and times that work for them. I love that they can see what times and days are and are not available and that they can easily book themselves. We don't ever have to have the "When would be best for you" discussion because they get to choose their times and I have the option when creating my calendar to block off dates that I wouldn't be available for sessions.
All of these systems and programs have taken some time to get used to and creating systems that worked for me and my business was definitely a process, but creating those systems has seriously changed my business. If you've got questions about using HoneyBook, PASS+ or Google Sheets in your business, feel free to reach out at hello@sadie-banks.com! I'd be more than willing to help you get on your feet and save that precious time of yours. Time truly is money and if you're spending all of your time editing, emailing or running the backend of your business, then what's the point? Your business should be freeing and something that you can truly enjoy. So I'm serious. If you have any questions, reach out because I want you to have more time to spend with your family and doing what you love because you deserve that.
