Davina is amazing! Her "Get to Know You" questionnaire changed not only the way we think about engagement shoots, but the way we think about our entire business in general. The idea of REALLY getting to know your clients so that you can bring out what is uniquely them has played such a big part in our whole "clients turned friends" approach to business. By building on those relationships and really investing like that in our clients, we've been able to take all the work out of future bookings because our couples can tell that we're going to be the photographers that really care about them. The GTKY sheet is not just another product for your business...it's a revolution. Because once you start thinking about your clients this way, your business will be changed forever.
Before I starting using the 'get-to-know-you-questionnaire' with my clients, it was hard to know what to expect when showing up at their engagement session. I didn't know how my clients would react to filling it out, but all of my brides have said they had so much fun writing out their answers! It gets them even more excited for their wedding and they are happy that I actually care about who they are as a couple so I can capture their relationship the best I can. I've found it to be a huge help because now when I show up to an engagement session, I know what kind of personalities they have and what kind of pictures they're looking for. It also helps us feel more comfortable with each other from the beginning because I already know a bit about them as a couple. And having a comfortable bride and groom is priceless!
I absolutely love the Couples Questionnaire. All of the couples have said they enjoyed doing them. Several grooms admitted that they were not expecting to enjoy it but found themselves getting really into it once they started. Some of the answers I have gotten have been so personal and so emotional--reading them really gives me insight into the relationship between my bride and groom. The answers help me feel like I better know the couple and how to approach them in my shooting.
I think people are perhaps a little more open in their answers since they are filling it out alone on their computer vs. being asked by me face-to-face to share their intimate thoughts and memories. I have a feeling most of my couples keep their printed answers in a box along with their cards, invitations and other special mementos.
Davina’s client information questionnaire is perfect! It made such a difference in my sessions when I started using it. I come to the session feeling like I am meeting old friends instead of strangers, we have plenty to talk about at our session, and it helps so much in determining the perfect location and focus of our session! I also love having all of their information in one place… I print it out before heading out to the session to brush up on their information and I have their contact information right there. I feel so much more informed and prepared and more bonded with my clients due to the information I’ve gathered using this system. We can skip a lot of the small talk and become more comfortable early in the session. It’s great! Thanks, Davina.
-Shannon Montez: photographerI have been using the questionnaire and concepts from Davina for my shoots for a couple of years now and it has totally evolved the way I shoot and interact with my clients. Their answers have sparked deep conversation which allowed us to connect quickly on a personal level, helped me to find some super fun ways to give them neat surprises they will enjoy through their wedding planning, and allowed me to choose fun locations for their session where they can open up and be themselves. Now that I have been using this questionnaire and adapted it to our studio, I can't imagine shooting without it. Many doors have been opened to shoot amazing places and moments because of this simple step. We've been to football stadiums, subway stations, open fields, pig farms and go cart racing, the fun never ends! Knowing that someone can do a handstand or the way they hold hands is meaningful to them and helps me to capture more than images... it helps me to capture meaning and that is what we as photographers set out to do, create something moving, something with a story and emotion not just another image.
