Wedding Photographers - What Does Your Order Form Look Like?

[astrostu]

I have what may be a stupid question (in fact, I'm hoping it is and hoping that people have a simple solution). I provided about 540 proofs to a couple I photographed a few months ago. I offer various things like sepia or B&W conversion, selective color, vignettes, etc. And various print sizes. And a comments part for each photo if there's something they really want me to try to change about it (like removing someone's elbow).

How do you present all that in a simple order form? The one I made is 34 pages long and the bride messaged me today with, "The order form is 34 pages and cannot be modified. How do I do this that makes it easiest for both of us?"

I've been telling other people just to list the few they want as an e-mail message to me. But I think the situation I'm in is kinda silly and there HAS to be a better way to do this. What is it?

 

[FrankLamont]

Online.

 

[Big Mike]

Photo Cart - Photography Shopping Cart | Online Proofing - Pictures Pro

 

[cirekoy]

It's about psychology as much as anything else, which is why online order forms are so great. When someone sees 34 pages of order form, or they are bombarded with lots of options, they will "shut down" and feel overwhelmed.

Online is best, but if you really need a paper form that is "simple" the only way to do it that I can think is to limit your options to reduce this psychological breakdown and/or reduce the number of proofs...

 

[bennielou]

My background is Sales, so I take it from that standpoint.

I have a very legal contract.

And I also have a questionairre that they must all fill out.

 

[astrostu]

I was thinking that I would MUCH rather have an online form for them to use. But, (first) Mike - that software is EXPENSIVE!! I know the idea is that the amount of money that people will make through using it more than justifies the price, but for me who now does 1 wedding/year (1 last year, 1 planned for this Sept.), it is way out of my budget. However, I do plan on scripting something myself for the next one. I just literally have zero time over the next 3 weeks (working 12 hrs/day to get ready for a conference at the beginning of March).

So yeah, I DO plan on doing something online next time. But, what do you do with people who want paper? I may be relatively young, but I'm sure there was a time before computers when people had wedding photographers and there were paper forms. Perhaps I should just have people put the digital manipulation options they may want in the comments section so I could make it like a spreadsheet? ... columns for print size, rows for print number, and then final wider column for comments?

 

[Aggressor]

Have you considered smugmug? Just post all of your photos in there and your customer can order as much as they like. They'll print and ship your photos for you too. They do have a monthly fee and they take a commission off your order, though. However, this may be a little more palatable than PhotoCart/RedCart because it allows you to make monthly payments (1 year is less than PhotoCart), and it makes your (and your customer's) life easier.

Use the code below to get $5 off:
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