How you can improve your wedding photography business with cold leads

Cold leads can make you feel a little bummed out. It’s totally understandable–– nobody likes being “rejected” for lack of a better term. It’s easy to look at a cold lead like a failure. But you can turn those potential clients into a major help for your business with some simple review and feedback. Here’s how cold leads can help your wedding photography business.

Study your communications

Go over your communications with the lead that went cold. What do you suspect didn’t go right? Review how you can improve on your communication strategy. Did you follow up with the lead? How about more than once? Take a look back on any email conversations, and try to think back or look at notes from any calls or meetings that you may have had. Before you reach out and ask for feedback, review your communications to make sure there are no glaringly obvious reasons.

Be brave: ask for feedback

It may sound daunting, but it can sincerely help your wedding photography business. Ask your cold leads for feedback. Why did they choose to go with a different photographer? How could your communications have improved things? Was there any way that they would have been set on you instead? Some people that you reach out to will be kind enough to take the time to provide you with feedback. But how exactly do you ask cold wedding photography leads for feedback?

How to ask cold leads for feedback

When reaching out to someone who may have turned down (or even ghosted) your services, it’s a bit more delicate than your regular client communications. You’re asking someone to be honest about why they rejected you! It’s important to be kind, patient and hear them out. Sending a simple followup through email that asks for feedback is the best way to start. Let them know that it would genuinely help your business to understand why they chose to go with someone else. If they respond with their thoughts, make sure to take their feedback as an opportunity to grow. It can be easy to get discouraged by this kind of feedback. But you’re reaching out for feedback because you care. You want to grow and understand how to better entice future clients.

With wedding photography leads, it can be as simple as a price tag. Some couples may prefer to go with someone a little cheaper solely because of their budget constraints. Others may have just clicked more with a different photographer. That’s okay! Not every client is your client. That’s important to understand too. It will help you define your ideal client, and how to spot them, for future leads.

Every cold lead is an opportunity for a future booking

It’s important to remember that when leads go cold, that simply keeps room for an opportunity open. Use the constructive feedback to grow and improve your wedding photography business. Plus, asking for feedback shows clients that you’re a good sport. You care about them, and why they chose to go with someone else. They may even keep you in mind for future recommendations!