Do you give your clients wedding gifts?

[heatherfeather]

I had a thought as I passed the card section of the grocery store.

I think I might consider giving each client a nice wedding card with a smallish cupon with credits for prints. Until now, I haven't done anything. But it might be a nice incentive for them to think even more positively about my biz at very little cost to me.

What do you do?

[CarnaggioGurl#1]

I give each wedding client a small personalized photo album with 50 4x6" prints.

Oriental Trading has a few nice photo albums...for about $9 each.
I did not give anything to the couples in the beginning, but I always felt bad. I started offering a free newlywed session, but didn't get much biz out of that.

People are more likely to call you back when you give them "free" stuff! (Just make sure you are charging enough for your weddings so you don't get hosed!!)

[Sam]

I couldn't resist.................give them free stuff, but make sure you charge them for it. :-)

Sam

[shming]

GraphiStudio gives you a calendar with every book you order. So we design the calendar for the following year and in late November or December the calendar magically shows up on the doorstep. So - they paid for it, didn't know that they were getting it "the gift" only problem is all of our referalls know that we do that now. Oh well - it was nice while it lasted :dunno

[jasonscottphoto]

GraphiStudio gives you a calendar with every book you order. So we design the calendar for the following year and in late November or December the calendar magically shows up on the doorstep. So - they paid for it, didn't know that they were getting it "the gift" only problem is all of our referalls know that we do that now. Oh well - it was nice while it lasted :dunno

We do the same thing with our Graphi calendars :D

[Agnieszka]

GraphiStudio gives you a calendar with every book you order. So we design the calendar for the following year and in late November or December the calendar magically shows up on the doorstep.


Heh, +1 .. works out great :thumb

[zoomer]

No gifts here.

[pinkymaling]

GraphiStudio gives you a calendar with every book you order. So we design the calendar for the following year and in late November or December the calendar magically shows up on the doorstep. So - they paid for it, didn't know that they were getting it "the gift" only problem is all of our referalls know that we do that now. Oh well - it was nice while it lasted :dunno

or least we forget:)
if we have a cute little prop (such as an umbrella or parasol ) for our bridal shots....we give the prop to the bride, as we try not to repeat the same shots for other brides. It puts a smile on their face and they can remember their shoot each time they look at it. Or they can give it to a friend that is getting married next....as a good life token:)

http://www.backdrop-photography.com/Public-Galleries/Whitney-Bridal/035-036/880949871_eKsbf-L.jpg

[SEAyers]

I also gift the calendar from Graphi. The brides seem pleased, as well as surprised, with this small token.

I will confess that I sometimes gift a 16x20 print to the bride when things went very well.

[CandiCunningham]

I have given bottles of wine, Victoria Secret gift cards and my personal fav custom Christmas Cards from the e-session with my brand and logo on the back :-)

CC=):lust

[ElectricDreams]

I don't think you can really go wrong with a bottle of wine or champagne. It doesn't have to be expensive stuff, just the thought that counts. If you think of the couple like customers a lot of people don't get free gifts for paying for services, but I always think it's a nice gesture.

[GadgetRick]

One thing I've always done with my gifts--no matter what I was selling at the time--is I try and give them something which they'll keep and use regularly. Here's my reasoning:

Everyone gives bottles of wine/champagne/etc. Great idea. People love it. Unfortunately, once they drink it, well, it's gone. So I was looking at ways to make them remember me.

The ideas many have had here about photos or books, etc. are AWESOME ideas. They'll look at them over and over and, when someone comments on it, there's a reasonably good chance they'll say, "Yeah, our photog gave it to us as a wedding gift." That's what you want from your gifts.

So, anything which the customer(s) will keep and use regularly is a great idea.

[jasonscottphoto]

I think you have to be careful w/wine and champagne because some people don't drink.

I agree something photo-related is good.

[ian408]

I couldn't resist.................give them free stuff, but make sure you charge them for it. :-)

Sam

Yeah Sam. In the retail world, this is called a SALE.