Hi OSP!

Happy Saturday! It's been a long time but it is always good to come home.

Recently, a bride-to-be asked me about different wedding album options and all I could do was show her via the Web several choices.

I noticed that many of you have gobs of albums that you share with your clients. Are all of the images in those albums your images? Or, do the different album manufacturers offer "sample" albums. If they do, how does that work when the images are not yours?

I know, I know, me and my questions. But, this is a totally new industry for me and there's a lot to learn on the biz side. Thank you in advance for your help!

Clients have a moderate interest in book types but most always "look great " to them. They honestly don't care about bindings, round corners vs. square, gilding. They usually like what album types they are presented with.

As for images - use yours! Invest in a few sample albums. Most companies have discounted rates for studio samples. A few sell pre-made samples - but don't use those. Make your own custom. I had the Graphi sample kit when I first started out. It was a sample of their transparent cover with a few of their stock graphi images. I showed them a few times, but I had the HARDEST time convening to the clients that they were not my photos. I was a flop. It was confusing for them. They sounded so disappointed when I told them they weren't my images. I ofen got a heavy sign and and "oh".

You're clients are going to want to see what you can do - what sets you apart from everyone else - what you can deliver to them. Use your sample albums to do this. I also suggest having your sample books be from one wedding - To show an example of the end result that they'll have.

We made a connection with a local photographer last year who let us borrow a couple of his album when we were getting started, but I never felt great about showing them to clients...We got our own albums as soon as possible, and are planning on adding more as soon as possible.

Some companies like Graphi offer a sample album with THEIR pictures in them, but you still want to get YOUR images in front of the client.

Thank you Sandra and Mark, I REALLY appreciate it. Your advice is sound wisdom and I'll get going on creating an album.

Does it look bad only having 1 or 2 albums?

I dont know abut looking bad, but I know it looks way better than not having any at all

i have a confession. I don't have any sample albums of the albums I currently use in my packages, so I don't show any when I meet a perspective client... but I still have a full schedule of weddings and almost always book during a face to face meeting with a bride.

not that I would recommend having no sample albums (Im working on this for myself), but I think the most important things a bride is looking for when she chooses you are your personality and your images.

that said, I think it's better show albums full of your images rather than those of other photographers. she wants to see what she would get from YOU.

my $0.02 =)

True.Very true, I need to put my creativity to work and create an interim solution until the album is ready. :-)

The first 2 years, I had no albums and sold no albums. Half way through the second year I had sample albums from the manufacturer with other people's images and it made me feel like a fraud - as if I were trying to pass off someone else's work as my own, so I still didn't sell any albums because they were add-ons to my packages. Once I started including albums in my packages, every client wanted to see a REAL album with my design and my work. Right now I only have one sample album and a second one on the way.

You really only need one sample of each product you offer - having a second should just be to compare something different like size or cover choice/option. DO update your samples every 2 years so that everything looks fresh and modern.

It's much easier to sell something that clients can actually see, touch, and smell (mmm.. leather). Words mean nothing without having a mental image of what it is we're talking about. (This is also why it's important to charge enough to be able to keep fresh samples of your products on hand!)