It can be expensive to start a photography business with gear, insurance, contracts, etc., but let’s not forget the must-have tools for new photographers! I’ve been in your shoes, friend. It can feel overwhelming and confusing on where to begin when starting your business. You have your camera? Great! Now what?! Today, I am happy to share with you the three must-have tools for new photographers! My hope is that you can learn from my own experience and save time (and money!) on your photography journey.
CRM
CRM stands for client relationship management. This is a crucial tool that will help to keep your projects and calendar organized. A CRM will also send client communication for you automatically so you can live your life without sitting at your computer all day. You can also sync your CRM to your Google calendar so you never “forget” about a session again. I use 17hats as my CRM. I explain more about why I love and recommend 17hats in this blog post. If you want an all-in-one platform that lets your clients book their sessions online, automates your workflows, handles your bookkeeping and so much more, 17hats will be your new best friend! Start your free, 30-day trial today with my referral link!.
Gallery Delivery Platform
You want to be seen as a true professional when you send your final galleries, which is why I recommend a gallery delivery platform like Pixieset! Your clients can view, share, download, and order products with ease. Sending images via email, Dropbox, Drive, etc., isn’t ideal and is incredibly time consuming for you as a business owner. When you can provide your clients a personal link to view their images in a beautiful gallery, they’ll be incredibly impressed! Start your free Pixieset account now and also receive an additional 250 MG of storage when you use my referral link!
Lightroom
Believe it or not, when I started my business I edited my clients’ images in iPhoto (don’t make that same mistake!). It was a free photo editing app that came with my Apple laptop. Boy, is that embarrassing! You’ll definitely want to start your Adobe Creative Cloud account and subscribe to Lightroom Classic for simple, quality editing software. You’ll also have access to Photoshop in case you need it for one low monthly price of $9.99.
Alright friend, now you’re ready to go! These three must-have tools for new photographers will not only bring you back freedom in your business, but it will help you stand out as a professional! Your clients will sing your praises for the wonderful client experience you offer. Hopefully if you are not already utilizing these tools, you will start today!
Have any questions? Feel free to reach out or leave a comment below! I’m always here to help and am cheering you on! Curious to see what’s in my camera bag? Visit this page which is packed with helpful tips just for photographers like you!
