Are You “My Brand Of Kool-Aid”?

You would be surprised how often the following happens. Often enought that I am writing this post.

Two people contact the studio via our contact page on the same day, and both inquiries are requesting our services on the same wedding date. Yikes! Who do I reply to first?

Lets call the first inquiry, Customer A, and their email reads something like this, “Packages and prices please.” That’s it. Nothing else. Or, “pricing please.” You can just tell that they are quite possibly copying and pasting the same request to a list of photographers they have found.  And this is very understandable, as there are just so many photographers to chose from.

I also understand that couples are on a budget when they are planning a wedding, and that some budgets are larger than others. And I understand that the planning of a wedding can just wear you out. However I will be more receptive to a request that shows some excitement about our services. Wouldn’t you?

Later that same day I receive an email from Customer Type B, and their email reads something to the effect of, “We love your work and we have read your blog. (I added the, “we have read your blog” bit. Couldn’t help it.) We can see that you are passionate about what you do and we would love to have you at our wedding. Could you please tell us the next available time that we can meet with you to discuss our needs? Hope to hear back from you soon!”

Customer B “drinks my brand of Kool-Aid”. I love you customer B. This is the customer that comes into my studio and proclaims that they love my work. That in some way, my particular style of artistry touches them. They like it so much that I am the first photographer that they have talked to. I love talking to customer B! They drink my brand of Kool-Aid! It is so much easier for me to talk with this customer, and should they choose my services, I know that it is much more likely that they will be more than satisfied with my finished product.

Now, out of the two emails we receive, both asking for coverage on the same date, who do you think we are going to contact first? Am I going to contact both inquiries? You bet I am going to contact both inquiries! I am a father of twins, and as every parent knows kids are expensive! However I am going to ask my intern to schedule one consultation before the other.

Interested in our photographic services? Then please contact the studio here.

Aric C. Hoek BFA, CPP
Professional Photographer