When I first resolved to enter the photography business, I had absolutely no clue how much work it would take to really get my business off the ground! I finally had to set mini goals in order to stay focused and motivated, and so that I wouldn’t become too overwhelmed with everything I needed to do to establish myself as a professional in the field. Having had previous experience in past careers, I knew how crucial marketing is to creating a strong first impression with potential families and brides who might want to book with me. That’s why my goal over the past few months has been laser focused on rebranding – part of which was the creation of a wedding welcome guide for brides and grooms who book their wedding photography with me! I’m so excited to roll this out!

I customized a template that was purchased online through galler.ee, changing the wording, colors, and of course the images to better reflect my personality and branding. Although I spent much time deliberating, I loved how easy it was to edit the files in Photoshop and send them off for printing through Bay Photo (who was one of the only labs that carried all of the press card sizes I needed!). Other sites, such as Design-a-Glow, offer additional templates for you to customize to fit your style. It’s totally worth the expense if you’re like me and have absolutely no time to create one from scratch – I’d rather be spending time with my family, personally!

The boutique boxes were purchased from HB Photo, and I plan on continuing to use them not only for these guides, but also for photo packaging. They had so many sizes, colors, and types of boxes to choose from, and included tissue paper along with the gold band to polish everything off for a very cohesive image! Pricing was very reasonable too, especially if you buy in bulk!

I totally believe that little details can make all of the difference, so I used gold heart confetti shapes as an accent to my blush pink and mint branding colors. The lollipops were a last minute addition, and I absolutely love them! They are clear with bits of edible golden flakes in them, and were custom made for me by a vendor on Etsy. In case you’re wondering, they’re marshmallow flavored, and taste AWESOME. :) I recommend taking some time to decide on a little gift you can add in to go that extra mile. Think about what suits your personality and branding most, and then run with it! Since the hearts and gold foil seem to have made their way into my branding, the kitschy golden suckers were a total no-brainer!

Lastly, I always like to toss in a few extra business cards, because as a photographer, your best advertising is word-of-mouth! What better way to reinforce this than by including some extra cards? That way, your client will want to go run and tell all of their friends about your awesome customer service right as they open their welcome guide… and they just so happen to have your contact information right at their fingertips! I recently had my business cards redone by Spin Digital Print specifically because they offer gold foil printing. I am so glad I went with them, because now I love the fact that I communicate directly with a person throughout the entire printing process. It’s always wonderful to establish a relationship with a printer, as it ensures a second opinion and another set of eyes in the mix.

First impressions are so important when you’re the face of your business. Continuing to make awesome first impressions and showing off your professionalism is a wonderful way to ensure referrals and repeat business. A welcome guide, either hand delivered or mailed to your client, can do just that!

I hope this has given you some ideas as to how to implement a welcome guide into your business! Feel free to comment below or contact me if you have any questions!