Stephen Honda

Steps a Laguna Beach Photography Business Can Take to Improve Cash Flow

Without proper cash flow, a Laguna Beach Photographer cannot stay in business can not keep operating. This articles makes suggestions on how to improve cashflow.

Unfortunately, most Orange County photographers can relate to the following scenario. A new client has seen your work and calls and sets up and sets up a time for the session. The OC photographer prepares for and shoots the session. The photographer then further invests his time editing the images, creating proofs, uploading the pictures to a website and blog. He sends out an email with viewing and ordering instructions.

Next, he than patiently waits for the order - and waits and waits. He contacts the client to make sure they understood the proofing instructions. They still do not order. What is a photographer to do in this situation? The delay in orders can wreck havoc on the businesses’ cashflow. The following is a list of suggestions for dealing with this situation.

1. Identify the cause of the delay. Once in a while a client will delay ordering simply because they have come under some difficult financial stress; however, most of the time clients don't get around to ordering because life simply gets busy. The task of ordering simply gets crowded out. 

2. Communicate your ordering policy before the shoot. A photographer does not want to be in a position of trying to establish that orders need to be made within three weeks after the shoot when the client has paid for the session and the session is completed. The client's expectations may have been he would have several months to complete his order. A photographer should clearly communicate his policy early and in a straight forward manner. This will avoid confusion and help communicate that the photographers time is valuable.

3. Offer to keep the the pictures in an online gallery for a period of time, afterwhich the pictures will come down. There are several reasons for doing this. First, it addresses a basic human trait - procrastination. Many people find completing a task they want to do is easier when there is a deadline. By creating a deadline it gives your clients some structure with the ordering process. In addition, you be able to better manage online server space.

4. Charge a modest stocking fee for putting the images back to the web. Managing images does take time. This will cover some of that time, but more importantly it will provide an incentive for completing the order in a timely fashion.

Cash flow in a Laguna Beach portrait or wedding photography business is important. The above steps are proven techniques for solving this issue.

Article Tags: Laguna Beach, Photography Business

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