Coping With Short Lead Times and Short Coverage in Weddings
DEAR DEVLIN
Coping with Short Lead Times and Short Coverage in Weddings
Dear Devlin,
I’m feeling stuck and a bit anxious. I’m far from a newbie but this is the first year that I am way under target for bookings. Looking at the ones I do have, many are shorter days or elopements. I’ve done a lot of work to improve my enquiry process, my website and socials but I’m just not seeing the consistent enquiries or getting the level of bookings I need. I know I’ve put the effort in, so it’s frustrating to feel invisible.
I’ve tried Meta ads with no results and I’m now wondering if I should try Google ads instead. I guess I’m asking – what should I be focusing on? Is it just a tough year, or am I doing something wrong?
Thanks,
Worried from Wiltshire
“Don’t underestimate the power of saying: “I still have availability for this year.” Say it loudly. Say it often. Post it on Instagram. Put it in your bio. Email past leads. You say that you are doing the work on socials but, sometimes we position ourselves a little too strongly on there.”
Dear Worried from Wiltshire,
First of all, thank you for voicing what so many photographers are quietly thinking right now. You are not alone. I’m hearing this from across the industry, and yes – it is a tough year for many. But let’s break this down so it feels a little less overwhelming.
Shorter Lead Times and Shorter Coverage Are This Year’s Reality
This season is shaping up differently. Many photographers are seeing couples book later than usual, and/or choosing shorter coverage. That doesn’t mean your business is in trouble, it means it’s time to adapt. If the market shifts, you shift with it or risk getting left behind.
Rather than panic over fewer full-day weddings, ask: how can I maximise revenue from these shorter bookings? Could you offer hourly add-ons, upsell albums, or suggest upgrades like Super 8 footage or video highlights? The businesses that will thrive this year are the ones flexible enough to adjust without compromising their value.
Also, don’t underestimate the power of saying: “I still have availability for this year.” Say it loudly. Say it often. Post it on Instagram. Put it in your bio. Email past leads. You say that you are doing the work on socials but, sometimes we position ourselves a little too strongly on there. This means couples find us but dismiss us because appearances make them think there’s no point enquiring as we’d likely be booked up. You have gaps, so make that super clear.
Don’t Chase a Magic Wand
I get the temptation to jump ship from Meta ads to Google ads. But beware the thinking that there’s one perfect marketing tactic that will solve everything. There isn’t. What works is creating a system where your marketing efforts feed into each other.
Inside my mentoring programme, I teach photographers to think of marketing not as drops into a bucket (gone as soon as they land), but like circles in water. One creates another, and another, and they all pull together into momentum.
That might look like this:
- A Google Ad that sends someone to a clear, conversion focused landing page.
- That page has Meta retargeting set up so even if they bounce, you can still reach them.
- Or a Meta Ad promoting a lead magnet, something free and useful to your ideal couples.
- They download your lead magnet and go into a nurturing email sequence.
Once your ecosystem is in place, your organic marketing becomes the icing on the cake, not the whole cake.
Keep Going
You’re doing the work, but sometimes you need to ensure that you are connecting the dots. Sometimes the results lag behind the effort, and that’s maddening. But please trust that the work you’ve done hasn’t disappeared. Now is the time to stay visible, get specific with your messaging, and lean into strategies that build momentum rather than short bursts.
Thinking is that any ad takes a year before it can be properly measured. Now I know you want those gaps filling for this year so I would recommend Google Ads over Meta Ads.
Here’s why: people do not open Instagram with the intention of booking a wedding photographer. They do open Google though.
Have you watched our recent class on Google Ads with Becy from Belle Art Photography? Getting bookings quickly is exactly why she started running Google Ads in the first place and she walks you through the process for setting up an ad in the class.
There is still plenty of opportunity for this year, so please do not be disheartened. You’re not behind. You’re in the process.
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