We all know just how important client connection & experience is in our business – but how in the heck do we get there? One of the tools that I have used since the beginning of my businesses is client questionnaires! Not only does this help you prepare for the session, but it also helps the clients to know that you are organized & invested in their experience. If you want to know more on how to help your clients prepare for their session, check out this blog post (but not till your done reading this current one :p)

I think that my love for client questionnaires probably stemmed from me being uncomfortable in meeting new people, so I figured why don’t I try & learn a little about them before hand therefore we feel a little more like friends & a little less like strangers!

Since I am a wedding & elopement photographer, I typically use them for couples so that is what this post will be based around. But in all reality, a client questionnaire can be used for any type of shoot whether it be newborn, graduation, brand sessions, boudoir, anything!

I think there are a lot of different ways to create these types of questionnaires, but I personally use google forms. Since I am a little technologically stupid, it has been the simplest way for me to send them to my clients directly using my email! There are also ways that you can set up these questionnaires on your website, but you are talkin to the wrong lady hah!

So first of all why are they important?

Well like I mentioned before, getting to know your client as best as you can, even before you meet them, is super crucial to being prepared & setting great expectations! We will go over the types of questions that you can use later on in the post, but think of it like an exam. You don’t (or try not to) go into an exam totally unprepared, just like you should go into shoot with some awesome ass knowledge in your back pocket!

What kinds of questions do I ask?

I have found for myself that my questionnaires have evolved over time just like my business has. After creating your first questionnaire, continue to tweak it as you go along to best fit your practice & the things that you would like to know! Eventually you will find that sweet spot!

I am going to give you some examples of questions that I have in my couples questionnaire that would be used for possibly an engagement shoot or just a general couples shoot. Keep in mind that my wedding questionnaire is WAY more in depth & goes way more into the specific details of the day. Maybe that’s something I will dive deeper into a another day!

So let’s get down to the bitty gritty – what kinds of questions do I ask?

• Names & email addresses so you can identify who filled it out
• Mailing address. I like collecting this as I send out Christmas cards to all past clients every year
• Ask who is filling out the questionnaire & let them know they can fill it out together
• Is it there first time having photos taken? If not, when did they last have their photos taken? This can be really helpful because if they have, they might have had things that they liked or didn’t like about the experience that you can use.
• What do you love about your partner?
• How did you two meet?
• Describe your perfect Sunday together – this is great for adding some personalization into the session. Maybe they love playing cards, done & done!

Now that you have gotten to know a little about them continue with these:

• Are there any shots of mine that really stand out to you? Why?
• Do you have a special location in mind for the shoot?
• Is there anything else I should know?
• How did you hear of & choose Seanna Leaf Photography?
• If someone has referred you, would you mind sharing their name so I can thank them?

I would caution about asking toooo many questions in the client questionnaires as it can become more of an annoyance than anything, so start off with what you feel is most comfortable and then add or subtract questions as you go. ASK your clients afterwards what they thought about filling out the questionnaire before hand! This will give you great insight into if it works for your clientele or not!

Thanks for reading about how to create effective client questionnaires & if you would like to check out more tips & tricks of the trade click here! If you would like to dive deeper into this topic or any others you might want help with, checkout my mentorship options here!