The business of business.

[JBrunner]

In commercial world, clients called, if the day they wanted was available, I wrote it in my calendar book. Information about the shoot was recorded in the book as the day approached with the entry.

Now that I'm doing the wedding gig, and it's starting to take off, I'm faced with a plethora of follow ups to inquiries, quotes, follow ups on follow ups, keeping track of who is who, etc. "Selling" the day and dealing with lay person clients has become far more cumbersome, well not so much that, but difficult to keep track of. It's pretty easy to let something slip through a crack.

Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas short of hiring a personal assistant (not quite there yet) to make sense and keep track of all this? Everything is great except this organization thing.

 

[Solarize]

Click Dead Link Removed

I've not got it yet, but have heard good things. It's a pretty in depth database managment programme, designed specifically for photographers who need organisational help. Glad things are going well for you.

Ciaran

 

[MattKing]

Click Dead Link Removed

I've not got it yet, but have heard good things. It's a pretty in depth database managment programme, designed specifically for photographers who need organisational help. Glad things are going well for you.

Ciaran

Your link doesn't seem to work.

Matt

 

[Solarize]

Hmmmm - ok, it's www.fotosf.com. I'll try mending that link.

 

[BobNewYork]

Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas short of hiring a personal assistant (not quite there yet) to make sense and keep track of all this? Everything is great except this organization thing.

Ritalin Jason, RITALIN

Bob H

 

[bsdunek]

I've kept things in order for years with a Franklin Planner. They also have a computer version you might want to check out: Dead Link Removed
You could keep it on one of these new little laptops and have it with you at all times.

 

[Lopaka]

Here is how we kept details of each wedding client straight back in the days before personal computers:

Each job had a large envelope (about 9 x 12). We pre-printed 5 x 7 cards with places to list all the pertinent specifics - dates, times, locations, names and phone numbers. Inside the envelope was kept a copy of the contract, receipts, the photographer's check list and any other pertinent information. The checklist included notes about any special relatives expected at the wedding they wanted photographed, whether there was any divorce/remarriage among the parents and how that would be handled, and any other special notes about the day. Anytime there was a phone call or meeting with the clients, any updates or additional info would be noted and retained in the envelope. We stored all the envelopes for future weddings in a file drawer by wedding date.

Since weddings may be booked as much as a year or more in advance, and a busy wedding business might have a lot of future bookings, it's impossible to remember all this stuff. Your booking calendar marks off the dates and times for which you are committed to a job. Everything you need to know is in the envelope to be reviewed before starting out on the job.

Bob

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

We had a similar filing system at A Moment In Time. We used manila folders. The first sheet was always the contract which included names, date, location, dollar amount, stuff like that. The second sheet was a payment sheet, how much and when. The third had names, number in bridal party, dirctions to event and after that the pages just sort of filled up. Honestly, the paperwork end was why I got out of the wedding business and I don't miss it at all.

Wishin' ya well, J.

 

[mwelsh]

take a look at ShootQ. I don't know anything about it other than its a oranization and planning software program for photographers. I've heard about it on podcasts.