Hey, there! As of March 2023, HoneyBook has rebranded, which means they are updating a lot of terms and phrases we frequently use throughout our blog posts. That doesn’t change anything below; it just means you’ll see some different terminology from us moving forward. For more details, we have a breakdown of the changes in this blog!
As a photographer, wedding pro, or client-focused brand, you’re always looking for new and exciting ways to take your work to the next level.
Whether it’s through creativity, training, or new clients, there are endless possibilities for enhancing your work, your business, and your experience. Amazing, right?
When it comes to client experience, specifically, what if there was a simple – yet incredibly effective – solution that can elevate it entirely? As a photographer, for example, you’ll have a style guide that shows potential clients exactly how you shoot and edit, so they can decide if you’re the right photographer for them.
But usually, these “style guides” are PDFs that are clunky, hard to download, and hard to update.
Well, we’ve got a fix for that. Let me introduce you to something that will change your business: HoneyBook Smart Files.
Watch our latest video below to see how to create a living, breathing style guide for your photography business using HoneyBook Smart Files, or read below for the tutorial!
If you need a quick refresher, Smart Files is an amazing HoneyBook feature that allows you to transform existing documents into personalized, mini portals/websites for your clients. These can come to life in many forms, including:
Of course, we’re talking all about how to create and share your Style Guide with tools like HoneyBook! Think of it as an elevated version of any existing brochures or PDFs you may already have. It also gives you an easy way to show your potential clients how you style and edit your photos, so they can ensure you’re the photographer for them.
You can do all of that without having to send PDFs individually and also makes it easier to update your portfolio and onboarding process in minutes.
For a quick minute, we’re going to talk to wedding photographers (and photographers in general): Think of your current intake process now. What materials do you send new clients? How do you send them? And how much time does it take? And do you feel like you’re showing off your best portfolio pieces?
In our experience, most photographers have well-designed digital brochures and PDFs they send via email. Simple and to the point. While there’s nothing wrong with that, we’re here to ask: How can that process and experience be better?
Enter: HoneyBook Smart Files and your Style Guide.
With this, you’re essentially bringing any existing files and portfolios to life in a new and exciting way. Instead of manually sending everything via email – and hoping nothing gets lost in the process – you’re creating a mini, personalized website for your clients.
It not only elevates their experience, but it helps you:
The best part? Your style guide can come to life in so many different ways, allowing you to express and expand your creativity even more!
Before you create your Smart Files “site,” it’s helpful to outline what you want to include. Think about the type of information you already share with clients as they’re determining if you’re the photographer for, and add it to your outline!
You might want to include Smart Files for prospective clients that include:
You can also create Smart Files for after they accept your proposal and pay. Here are some example ideas:
Now that you know what you want to include, it’s time to bring your Smart Files to life! Thankfully, it’s all super user-friendly. All you have to do is create new sections, then drag and drop as needed! In each section, you can add elements like text, images, GIFs, and whatever else you want.
Another one of our favorite things about Smart Files is that they are completely customizable. This way, you don’t have to sacrifice any branded elements you’ve created through your current assets. With Smart Files, you can customize and add elements like:
Once your Smart Files are finished, it’s time to share your new stunning creation! What’s amazing about Smart Files is that you can share in a couple of different ways:
1. You can simply send the Smart File manually to your clients
2. You can automate the entire process through HoneyBook! For example, you can create an automation to send it when someone inquires, or after someone books your photography services. Once you automate it, there’s no need for you to set a reminder on your schedule to email your style guide manually – HoneyBook will do it for you!
Beyond Smart Files, there is so much more HoneyBook can do for your business — whether you’re a photographer, wedding pro, or you run a different kind of business.
We’ve seen firsthand how Smart Files can:
If you’re ready to elevate your entire client experience and want to understand how to leverage features like Smart Files, our HoneyBook Course might be the perfect fit for you!
Inside our HoneyBook Course, you’ll get:
Plus, you will get FULL access to future course updates as HoneyBook continues to add new amazing features, including all the automations, of course!
