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Top 3 Things to Establish Before Taking on Clients

May 11, 2021 ·

Here’s the thing: I made a lot of mistakes when I first started taking on clients. Like, A LOT. Looking back, there’s a long list of coulda/woulda/shouldas that I should have established before taking on food photography clients that honestly make me cringe now.

Photo of Jennifer Thompson, in a white kitchen, scooping cookie dough onto baking sheet.

While I can’t go back and undo the mistakes that I’ve made, I hope to help you avoid them in your own food photography business. That’s why I’m sharing my top 3 things to establish before taking on client work.

Scroll below for the Top 3 Things to Establish Before Taking on Client Work and if you haven’t already, don’t forget to subscribe! 😉

Top 3 Things to Establish Before Taking on Clients

1. Pricing: this may seem obvious to some, but I remember my early days in business when I was quick to say yes to client work before discussing pricing. This led to me taking on projects that I knew very little about, then having a long list of deliverables and not much return to show for it. Not only was I being unfairly compensated for my work (by my own hand), but it also made me feel sour about the work I was producing. Instead, ask your clients exactly what content they require and give them a quote for those specific deliverables. If their budget isn’t in line with your quote, I suggest offering them less deliverables to meet their price point (so long as it doesn’t fall under your base rate).

2. Deadline: what does “no rush” mean, exactly? 1 month? 6 months? 1 year? Ask your clients to be specific with their deadline. Also, if a client needs a project completed faster than your normal turnaround time (like say 1 week instead of 4), I suggest charging a rush fee. Having to quickly complete a project could mean reorganizing your schedule and potentially delaying other projects. A quick turnaround also means longer working hours and you deserve to be compensated for this.

3. Expectations: talk to your clients to really understand their vision. This will help avoid disappointment on the client’s end and a potential reshoot on yours. Mood boards and shot lists are a great way to understand what your client is looking for. For example, it would be a mistake to assume that a client wants a light and bright shoot simply by basing the shoot on their current branding.  It’s possible that the client had planned on going a different direction aesthetically with this campaign, like dark and moody, and would be disappointed by the images produced. Also, we often like to think clients hire us because they love what we do, but sometimes what a client wants and what we can deliver aren’t sympatico. It’s ok not to be a good fit for every project and FYI – it’s also ok to turn down a project you don’t feel you’re a right fit for.

By establishing pricing, deadlines and expectations, you’ll have a good foundation to create work that both you and your client will be happy about.

If you like this type of content, follow me on Instagram and Subscribe to my YouTube channel to never miss out on the action!

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New on the Cashmere & Cocktails IG account:

Looks like it’s time to spike the eggnog again. Looks like it’s time to spike the eggnog again. 

Getting through the festive season sounds much more tolerable with some extra cheer in my cup. Special shout-out to my fellow content creators. I hope you’re all still hanging on ‘cause let’s be real: Q4 = 9th circle of hell. 

Cheers to surviving the holidays! 🥂

#spikedeggnog #eggnog #eggnogseason #eggnogrecipe #eggnogcocktail #eggnogtime #christmasreel #christmasreels #christmasreelsofinstagram #holidayreel #holidayreels #reelsholiday #reelschristmas #holidaysarecoming #holidaysarehere #holidaysarehard #christmasiscoming #christmasishere #christmasisnear #christmasiscomingsoon #christmasisalmosthere #survivingtheholidays
Me rocking a purple wig & sipping on a lavender gi Me rocking a purple wig & sipping on a lavender gin fizz is proof that whatever dignity I was holding onto has evaporated into a Lavender Haze 🫠💜

Full recipe details below 👇

Lavender Gin Fizz {Lavender Haze}

• 2 oz @empress1908gin 
• ¾ oz lemon juice, fresh
• ¾ oz lavender simple syrup
• 1 egg white
• club soda, to top off
• lavender sprig, optional

1. Add gin, lemon juice, lavender simple syrup and egg white to a shaker. Dry shake vigorously for 15 seconds (which is about how long I have left of my sanity 😵‍💫).
2. Add ice to the shaker and shake for 30 seconds.
3. Strain into a coupe.
4. Top with club soda. Garnish with lavender sprig and serve immediately.

 #purplehairdontcare #lavenderhaze #lavender #lavenderhair #lavenderdrink #lavendercocktail #lavendercocktails #ginfizz #ginrecipe #ginrecipes #gindrinks #gindrink #empressgin #purpledrinks #holidaycocktail #holidaycocktails #holidayrecipes #holidayrecipe #recipeshare #recipeshares #recipereel #recipereels #recipereelsofinstagram #taylorswiftedits #taylorswiftlyrics #taylorswiftmidnights
#recipevideos #recipevideo #reelrecipe #reelsrecipe
Getaway Car (get-uh-wey kahr 🔊): a poor schmuck Getaway Car (get-uh-wey kahr 🔊): a poor schmuck you use to get out of your current relationship. 
“I needed to break up with Galvin, so I used Dom as a getaway car.”

If this sounds like you, make this cocktail👇 (recipe below)

Sidecar {Getaway Car}

- 2 oz brandy or cognac
- 1 oz orange liqueur
- 1 oz lemon juice, fresh
- Sugar, for garnish
- Lemon twist, for garnish

1. Rim a glass using a lemon wedge & sugar. Much like your emotions, set the glass aside.
2. Add brandy, orange liqueur, lemon juice & ice to a shaker. Shake vigorously until the shaker is cold & the bad karmic energy of your actions has been expelled. 💫
3. Strain the cocktail into the glass. Garnish with a lemon twist & pretend nothing happened. 🥂

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This one’s for my girlies haunted by the memory This one’s for my girlies haunted by the memory of a relationship they mega regret. Grab your pitchforks, ladies. We ride at dawn. 

👇Full Recipe Below

The Devil’s Margarita {Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve}

- 1 ½ oz tequila blanco
- 1 oz lime juice, fresh
- 1 oz simple syrup
- ½ oz red wine

1. Fill the shaker with ice. Add tequila, lime juice and simple syrup. 
2. Shake until it’s as cold as your ex’s heart 🥶(approx. 30 seconds). Pour into glass.
3. Set a spoon at a 45 degree angle over the glass, with the back of the spoon facing the heavens.
4. Pretending it’s the blood of your foes, slowly drizzle the wine over the margarita until you have approx ¼ red wine on the top.
5. Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy!

#recipereel #recipereels #taylorswiftmidnights #margarita #margaritas #recipevideo #recipevideos #recipeoftheweek #recipesharing #reelsrecipe #reelstrend #taylorswiftlyrics #wouldvecouldveshouldve #cheers🍷 #cheerscocktail #cheers🍸
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