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03/12/2005 10:46:17 PM · #1 |
I promised I'd try to write about what I'm learning as I go from DPC flunkie to studio owner. This is part 5 in the series.
New Studio Part 1: Starting Out
New Studio Part 2: Organization
New Studio Part 3: Plotting a Course
New Studio Part 4: Financing
New Studio Part 5: Setting Up the Shop, Part 1
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"And I said, I don't care if they lay me off either, because I told, I told Bill that if they move my desk one more time, then, then I'm, I'm quitting, I'm going to quit. And, and I told Don too, because they've moved my desk four times already this year, and I used to be over by the window, and I could see the squirrels, and they were married, but then, they switched from the Swingline to the Boston stapler, but I kept my Swingline stapler because it didn't bind up as much, and I kept the staples for the Swingline stapler and it's not okay because if they take my stapler then I'll set the building on fire... " - Milton in Office Space
There are an immense number of really important choices for your new studio. Where will you meet clients? What kind of lighting should your sitting room have? What decor and color brings in the most clients? Unfortunately, these are all up to your own personal taste. I can't really help you there.
Fortunately, I can help with another part of setting up shop that is (at least!) equally important: documents. Before you Google wedding contracts or business letter writing, read on.
The first most important feature of all correspondence should be recognition. Your documents should all have consistent letterhead including alogo, business name, and contact information. Have you ever received a bill, tried to call them and not found the phone number in a convenient place at the top of the statement? Don't be that company. If you don't have a clear, distinct logo, now is the time to get one. Figure out where your logo is coming from now. Make sure you can use the same logo on any size and any format.
Next, we need to know which documents you will need to create. I'll focus on wedding documents and leave it to you to expand that to fill your own business need.
This is a list of documents we use:
* phone intake form
* interview form
* price list
* wedding contract
* model release
* invoice
* letter templates
-- payment due
-- deposit confirmation
-- overdue payment
-- misc. letters
1) Phone intake - this form should be located near - yep, you guessed it - each phone in your home or office. At a minimum, it needs to have the date of the event, contact info and a few questions you can use to pre-qualify the caller, such as their expectations, budget, etc.
2) Interview form - The interview form is our central document in planning for a wedding. Be sure to get all times, places, and names. You will also need to ask about shooting rules, church info, and a list of other questions you need answered from the bride and groom during the interview.
3) Price list - You need a printable price list, not just one on your website. Bring a copy to each interview. Let the clients take the copy home with them - either for their records or for comparisons when they get home. If you do not have a master price list, try bringing a rough draft to work from at the interview.
4) Wedding contract - Yup, everyone knows about this one. Get one. Have it looked over. Use it a lot.
5) Model release - We don't use one for the bride and groom. Ours is built into our contract. If a parent signs the contract instead, we do ask for the standard model release to be signed by bride and groom so that we may use their pictures. You can also find standard releases online.
6) Invoice - Put your contact information on it. Leave lots of space to write in what the client buys. Subtotals, discounts, taxes, total. Or just download one and modify it with your own letterhead.
7) Letters - you should have a standard letter for deposit confirmations, payments due and payments overdue. These will be letters you will send more than once or twice a year.
Consistent forms, letterhead, logo, etc give your business a head start on both organization and brand name recognition. You won't be scrambling for paper when the phone rings and you won't wonder how to get through your next interview.
Whenever you use a form in the first two months of creating it, see how it worked for you and when you get home, look the form over. Did you use your empty blanks? Were you writing a whole lot in the "misc" fields? Figure out what you should be asking instead of what you thought you should be asking. Do you need to add something? Delete it?
Document maintenance is as important as document creation. If you change the rules, change the contract. File paperwork immediately. Stay organized throughout the process and you will be happier about it in the end.
As always, discussion, correction and expansion is welcome!
Til next time,
Matt
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03/13/2005 07:54:09 AM · #2 |
Good advice Matt. Most of it (excluding the model release) can be used in any other job and not just yours. I know I have the same battles in my job as what you listed here.
I think standisation of letters and logos and websites and everything is one of the most important aspects of trying to market a professional company.
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03/13/2005 11:32:46 AM · #3 |
really? I thought the quote was funny anyways. :)
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03/13/2005 04:22:33 PM · #4 |
Standard (ized) paperwork and forms is great. you have this part donwpat - even the review after!
The more aspects of the business end of things you can make into a programmed affair, the more consistent you will be, will be your records, your service etc.
If you do it the same way, everyday, all the time, you will many fewer problems in the long run. It is WAY too easy to put it off (as in the filing, accounting, etc) and you end up with a big job and headache when it could have been avoided.
Filing and organizing...not even fun to photograph!
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03/13/2005 06:31:56 PM · #5 |
Hey I never said the quote wasn't funny :p I only had to read half of the first line to know what movie it was from lol And they do take the stapler don't they? lol Man I should get that movie out, its a total classic. :)
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03/14/2005 07:55:15 AM · #6 |
bump for monday morning work force.
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