The Art of Closing the Sale as a Boudoir Photographer

 

Two simple shifts you can make to your client inquiry process that will help you close more sales and book more sessions on your discovery calls!

 

“I am so excited for my boudoir session! I just want to run it by my partner one more time before booking.” 

“Thank you so much for all the information! Can I sleep on this for one more night and get back to you tomorrow?”

I’d bet all my Starbucks points that your potential boudoir clients have said this, or something similar, on your discovery calls!

(And you know I can’t survive without my iced coffee, so that’s a bet I’d never wager unless I knew I was gonna win. 🤣) 

 

Closing the sale as a boudoir photographer is an art. 

Your clients are coming to you ready to bare the most vulnerable parts of themselves. They’re probably feeling a little nervous, and they’re definitely hoping for an experience. 

An experience where they come away feeling beautiful, pampered, empowered and loved. 

As boudoir photographers, we are so incredibly lucky to serve women in this capacity. Gosh, what an honor! I get goosebumps just thinking about it. 

Deciding to have boudoir photos taken is a special event for your clients, there’s no doubt.

That’s why your sales process has to be one-of-a-kind and completely client-centered to match. 

 

But, on the flip side, your boudoir photography business is also just that—a business! So closing sales is uber-important if you want to keep creating an impact for your clients and earn a darn good living doing it. 

What I’m trying to say, Boo, is you can’t be afraid to ask for the sale. But you absolutely can do it in a way that feels completely natural to you and your clients. 

 

So, how do you close the sale as a boudoir photographer?

There are two simple shifts you can make to your client inquiry process to start booking more sessions without making your clients feel rushed or pushed into buying.  

 

Here they are!

#1 – Book the session and accept payment on the discovery call.

Inside my Boudoir Client Workflow and Email Guide, you’ll get a complete script template to follow on your discovery calls, so you’ll know how to start the call, what to ask your clients, when to pause for questions, what details you should be sharing, etc. (To grab that complete client workflow guide and discovery call template, click here!)

On your discovery calls, after you’ve walked your clients through their session, fees, product options, and any questions they have, the next step is to reserve their session date on your calendar by accepting their deposit while you’re still on the call.

Whenever possible, it’s always best to reserve their session and process their deposit while you’re on the phone. Here’s how I do it:

As we’re chatting and checking our calendars for the perfect date, I’ll take their credit card information and plug that right into Square. Next, we’ll also go over their contract together (I use a standard contract template from Honeybook here—nothing fancy!) to make sure everyone’s on the same page there are no follow-up questions at this time. 

 

So, to recap: Be ready to accept payment and sign contracts while you’re on the discovery call.

That way, you don’t have to end a really great call by emailing everything out and crossing your fingers they’ll get back to you by asking for an invoice to officially book. 

This scenario is ideal. However, sometimes your client may not be ready to put down their deposit or sign the contract right away. They might want to think it over or chat with their significant other before committing— totally understandable! 

When this situation comes up, here’s what you can do….

 

#2 – Immediately following the call, send a recap email that includes your deposit invoice.

 

If your client isn’t ready to book on the phone, send them a recap email that goes over everything you talked about as soon as you hang up. (A plug-and-go template for this recap email is also included in my Boudoir Client Workflow and Email Guide!) 

 

Important: Always include your contract and deposit invoice in this email as well, and let your client know that once their deposit is submitted, you’ll choose a date for their session together.

 

Do not reserve a date on your calendar for a client until their deposit is paid. (👈Pro tip!)

 

Why do I recommend sending the invoice and contract in this email?

 

You’ve completed the discovery call, and your client has all the information they need to make a decision. The ball is in their court now. 

 

If they decide they’re ready to book, you are saving them a step because they won’t have to reach out to ask you for an invoice and contract. Instead, it will be right there ready for them. You’re making it as easy as possible for them to book with you, providing that excellent client experience you want to be known for at every touchpoint.

 

There you go! 

 

Those are the two shifts you can make to your boudoir photography client inquiry process to close more sales and book more sessions. 

 

For a complete walk-through of my entire boudoir photography client experience (from initial inquiry to product delivery), check out my Boudoir Client Workflow and Email Guide! 

Inside this guide, you’ll learn how to build your boudoir client experience with plug-and-go templates for every step in the process. Get it today by clicking here!