Do Clients have your cell #?

[thatsridiculous]

I'm a little unnerved now that a client has my cell phone number. We did her wedding just over three weeks ago, and I'm getting a lot of texts from her demanding to see the pictures. I explained, both in person and via contract, that I will need at least 4 weeks to edit her wedding (a full 8 hours with two shooters) beforehand. She knows the policy. I just texted that to her again, and hope it gets heard. I don't want to be a bitch, but come on. It's a) tax season, both sales and federal, b) the second wedding I had on that same day, and c) I work full time at a day job. 2500 pictures don't edit themselves while i'm at work. Oh, and she works third shift, so when she texts me, its after hours, as in 1 am. Also not ok. First time in my life that I wish I had a land line. She's just a kid, 18 or 19, so that's part of it.

Does this happen to you guys, if so, any additional advice as to how to deal with it?

[ChristopherCoy]

My cell is my business line, so yes they have my number. A few of them have opted to text me, which was really surprising. Usually I ignore the texts and wait until normal business hours to call them back.

My only advice is, don't sleep with your cell phone next to your bed.

[thatsridiculous]

Yeah, she's lucky I sleep like a rock. I'd have been pissed if it had woken me up.

There's an update - after sending her the policy via text, she informed me that she wasn't irritated, but was being pressured by others and wanted an update. Completely understandable, but not what she texted me at all. I smoothed it over and asked what gallery password she wanted to deflect an argument, so I think it will be alright. Just don't like the whole thing in the first place. If she had called, none of this would have happened. Some people just don't deliver tone well with written words, and she's one of them.

[rusty_tripod]

Yes. It is also my business number.

[Tom]

Absolutely.

Brides generally give you a little more time if you will rush and do a sneak preview soon after the wedding.

If you take longer than a week to get pics up, you are killing any chance of print sales to people other than the B&G. Within the first week, some of the guests will still be caughtup in the festivities and buy prints from you.

[thatsridiculous]

I do a sneak peek the day after the wedding. I have to work full time to supplement my income... I just don't have enough time to get 2500 pics down to 600 and then edited and online within a week.

[MicWayWal]

Originally Posted by thatsridiculous

... but was being pressured by others and wanted an update. Completely understandable, but not what she texted me at all. I smoothed it over and asked what gallery password she wanted to deflect an argument, so I think it will be alright...

I give brides my cell because I want them to have direct access to me. I want them to know I am completely accessible to them. I do have to put up with the occasional pesky bride, but it is worth it overall to have good lines of communication with my brides.
I put their images on my website when they are done. BEFORE the wedding I put up an intro page where I am eventually going to put the finished images. On this page is the anticipated date of reveal. So when friends and relatives go to the page they will see for themselves when the images will be ready. This way they won't ask the bride. It takes the pressure off of her to answer those questions. After I have a private reveal to the B&G I will post the images from the wedding for everyone else.

[suerenee]

I might be setting myself up here to get shot...but have you ever thought of outsourcing your editing?

I, too, am stuck with the day job. My hubby got laid off from Dell last March and finally found a new job. I know I will keep the day job for at least another year to build up the coffers. I've given thought to how I will balance my life once the wedding side of my biz picks up. If I get to where I have more than 1 wedding a month I will outsource the editing...Time with my family is worth more to me than sitting in front of my computer while my kids play outside. but...for now, I don't have that problem LOL! ;)

My cell is my biz phone. I don't always answer it after hours if I'm busy and it stays downstairs on the charger at night :)

[Tom]

Originally Posted by suerenee

I might be setting myself up here to get shot...but have you ever thought of outsourcing your editing?

I, too, am stuck with the day job. My hubby got laid off from Dell last March and finally found a new job. I know I will keep the day job for at least another year to build up the coffers. I've given thought to how I will balance my life once the wedding side of my biz picks up. If I get to where I have more than 1 wedding a month I will outsource the editing...Time with my family is worth more to me than sitting in front of my computer while my kids play outside. but...for now, I don't have that problem LOL! ;)

My cell is my biz phone. I don't always answer it after hours if I'm busy and it stays downstairs on the charger at night :)

Or teaching a spouse to edit, then putting both names on the shingle.

Thomas & Penelope Photography

[KaseyLynn]

I also use my cell as a business line. If it's after hours I don't answer, but so far I haven't had a problem with my clients abusing it.

[sandralemin]

Yes they have my number. My contract tells them what to expect after the wedding. But, since most people never read the whole theing (2 pages) I remind them before the wedding and then the day after their wedding I send a reminder what to expect. We upload a mini sneak peak slide show while they are on their honeymoon. and our timeline is 4-5 weeks after the wedding they receive what ever is in their package. But usually in 3 weeks or less their galleries are up so they can start to see their wedding images.

Just keep in touch with her that should fmake her happy.

[ka5txl]

Originally Posted by thatsridiculous

..... Some people just don't deliver tone well with written words, and she's one of them.

Happens here all the time.

[kayumangi]

Better yet get a free number from google voice and you have the option to redirect text and calls to any phone you like, or just leave them all on google voice =)

And it's all free =)

[smdebnam]

You could get a free google voice number. You can forward the google voice number to you cell when you are expecting a call from a client or on a wedding day and turn off the forwarding whenever you want to. You can also place calls from your cell and have them display as the google voice number. Works for text messages too. Keeps your cell phone number private!

[ChristopherCoy]

Originally Posted by smdebnam

You could get a free google voice number. You can forward the google voice number to you cell when you are expecting a call from a client or on a wedding day and turn off the forwarding whenever you want to. You can also place calls from your cell and have them display as the google voice number. Works for text messages too. Keeps your cell phone number private!

I use my cell for everything - home, studio, mobile... etc. And because my father works for Chevron, we are under his plan because of the company discounts. And because it was established in Louisiana, I have a 337 area code.

I've been wanting to change my number to a local area code like 214, or 940, but since I've had my 337 number so long, I don't want to have to deal with tracking everyone down and making sure they have my new number.

If I get a Google number, I can use it as a local studio number, without affecting my current number or AT&T usage plan? I would probably only use the forwarding feature, and maybe the outbound caller id feature, but I wouldn't want it to interfere with anything else.

ETA: After researching GV this morning, I decided I was going to try it. How bout there aint a single Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton number available?!?!? Not one. Not even Arlington! NO NUMERS for the ENTIRE metroplex! Now what does THAT say about Google Voice?