Tips on providing your vendor all they need to give you an end product you can both be proud and excited to share.
So you're getting married, or maybe you're getting ready for your family portraits to be done. You've found your photographer and your videographer, and you have a Pinterest board full of inspiration. Or maybe, you have no idea where to start! In this article, you'll read tips from me—a freelance media specialist, and someone who has been in your shoes—on what you should prepare in order for you to have an end product that you're happy with! P.S. Keep reading for three free resources!
Tip #1 - Know your vision
I remember when I was first starting to look for a wedding photographer and videographer. I had at least two Pinterest boards full of photography inspiration. If you had access to my YouTube watch history, you'd see hours of wedding videos. As someone who has a very high appreciation of photos and videos, it was easy for me to establish my vision. I know that's not the case for everyone however. You may know you want photos or videos, but not sure how you want them to look or what kinds of shots you want to get. I encourage you to think about a starting point. I admit, I love when my clients are willing to give me some creative freedom, but it's helpful to know some sort of expectation. The last thing I want is for you to be unhappy with the outcome of a shoot. You don't have to have everything detailed out to a "t." Freelancers and vendors are honored to help you when it comes to creativity. Either way, thinking about your vision for a project will help everyone in the end!
Tip #2 - Know your vendor
I remember when I chose my wedding videographer and photographer. I was in awe with their style and personality. When hiring a vendor, it's important that you vibe with the person. You're not only spending your money on them, but you're spending your time with them. In addition to hitting it off with my vendors, I had a big respect for their shooting style. All artists develop a style and story for their content. Some artists are willing to leverage creative agency, while others aren't. Simply put, some artists are open to a client guiding the end-product. If this is the case, come prepared to your meetings with a mood board. (You can visit my Etsy page for a mood board template)
"You're not only spending your money on them, but you're spending your time with them."
Tip #3 - Fill out your forms
If you are someone who hasn't filled out a project agreement for your vendor yet, side eye! Just kidding ;) Truth time though, project agreements, contracts, edit forms, invoices etc. are all crucial to a good end product. Some even simply take a simple response in an email! These forms and agreements are meant to protect the client and the vendor. It's likely that the vendor has taken careful attention to include details to take good care of you as a client. They might have even invested money into a legal team to make sure their forms are legally sound. The sooner you attend to these tasks, the sooner vendors can get to work on your dream project!
Tip #4 - Ask questions
If you have ever worried that too many questions are a bad thing, I hope to change your mind by the end of this paragraph. Your vendor will be asking you lots of questions to make sure we understand your vision, have all your details correct, are happy with your product, and more. It's only fair that you have the same privilege. I hope I am not just speaking for myself by saying this, but as a vendor, I love when people want to gain clarity about the work I do. The better a client understands a workflow, it often leads to less misunderstanding in the end! On that note, I also make sure my clients only communicate with me over email. In any situation of confusion or miscommunication, I always want to be able to point back to a paper trail. Texts, direct messages, etc. are not safe to rely on, especially since those messages can be unsent and deleted now.
Takeaways:
I hope all these are helpful for you as you prepare for working with your vendor. What questions do you have when it comes to hiring a freelancer? Let me know in the comments below! As always, my overall goal is to make my clients feel prepared going into a project. If you don't know where to start, I offer a planning/brainstorming meeting for most of my services. I'd love to work with you to tell your story, click the button below to get in contact with me! Want to read more tips on how to be a successful freelancer or client? Subscribe to my newsletter using the button below, and get 3 FREE resource templates, and more tips and tricks from me! :)