Turning a passion or hobby into a successful business takes a lot of time, effort, resources, self-directed learning, and persistence.
This is certainly the case for photographers, who must try new techniques, put them to good use, arrange photo shoots, showcase their work, and, of course, manage the business side of it all.
Trying to balance all of those responsibilities is enough to run you ragged, even if you have a few employees to help out.
Zenfolio aims to alleviate some of this burden by helping you build a customized website to showcase, share, or sell your photos and videos. You could, for instance, allow clients to order and pay for your services, along with any packages or products, before a shoot even takes place.
But even with these services, how do you hear from prospective clients in the first place, and how do you schedule their photo sessions?
Rather than relying on back-and-forth phone calls and emails with clients, Jotform allows you to create a customized contact form or photography booking form and collect important details from prospective clients before a photo session.
Jotform even has a free, built-in Google Calendar integration that automatically adds appointments with clients to your calendar once they submit a form with a desired date and time.
Instead of having clients fill out and return paper model release forms and agreement forms, you can use Jotform to get these important documents electronically signed before you schedule a photo session or pick up your camera.
The best part is that connecting your JotForms to your Zenfolio website is a breeze.
After customizing your data-collection tools to match your business, you can either embed forms on your Zenfolio website or include a hyperlink that sends clients directly to your forms.
Although the embedding process involves some coding knowledge, it enables clients to fill out the forms you need while they’re still on your website. Since clients aren’t redirected elsewhere, they can spend more time on your website and learn more about what you do.
If you’re worried about formatting issues or simply want another option, you can also direct clients to your online forms through hyperlinks on your Zenfolio website. All you need to do is copy the URL for your form and paste it into the link.
You can even use Jotform to keep clients in the loop with customizable autoresponders, reminder emails, or shareable PDF files that match your unique voice and business.
Conclusion
Running a photography business can keep you on your toes, but it’s not something that should keep you up at night.
With data-collection assistance from Jotform, Zenfolio can help you focus on doing what you love: freezing priceless moments in time and preserving them for people to enjoy.
Online forms cut paper out of your workflow, eliminate the need for time-consuming manual data entry, and allow you to collect the important data you need from clients.
If you’ve heard the phrase “f/8 and be there,” you know how important it is to be in the right place at the right time, with the right tools at the ready.
Zenfolio is the right place, Jotform is the right tool, and now is the right time to give both a try.
Send Comment: