This is a post for photographers. Brides and Grooms, feel free to zone out and come back tomorrow for Valentine’s day!
I recently posed a question on a Facebook Photographer group asking if it was okay for me to not use a program many other photographers were using, and using well. I didn’t want to fall behind. Sometimes, when the peers in your industry are utilizing something to help their business and their clients, its best to jump on the wagon and use it also. Sometimes. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Blogging are some examples. If everyone else is upping their game, you should too because you want to stay current. Again, this is only sometimes. Sometimes you need to make the best choice for your business. That doesnt mean you can decide to not figure out Pinterest or Blogging because its too hard or because you dont want to work harder.
I made that choice recently with ShootQ. ShootQ is a client and calendar management system. Basically, it can do everything needed to manage your clients including booking, new client emails, and receipts. It can also manage your calendar for you. Reminding you when you have shoots or appointments, or when your taxes are due. As you saw in my goals for this year, implementing ShootQ was one of my business goals. In January, I signed up and started to enter in all the information required. I have been trying to get the hang of it for over a month now. And…its not clicking. Its not making things faster or easier for me. I know this system works for hundreds, possibly thousands, of photographers. I know it saves some of their lives. But, its hurting mine. So, I have decided its not for me and my business. I want to take care of my brides and grooms in a different, but still amazing, way.
Making these kinds of decisions can be hard. You need to have a clear mind about why you are choosing or not choosing something. It truly needs to be the best decision for the business. However, dont be afraid to make it!! Make a pro and con list, ask some close friends, and listen to your gut!
So, thank you to ShootQ! You are awesome, but not for LGP.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Get it, girl! Sooo often I judge whether ot not I’m doing things “right” by how other photographers do it. It got to be crippling- I couldn’t make a decision for my business until I’d asked everyone around me how THEY do it. Good for you for recognizing that though something may be a popular solution, it’s not the solution for you.
I for one am a firm believer that there is no substitute for a good old fashioned paper trail!! and i would think in your line of work that the more personal interaction you have with clients the better! all these expensive fancy programs that claim to do it all online and make it easier? pfft, maybe for some, but not for everyone! You go girl!
I found your work through Katelyn a while back and recently just re-stumbled onto your website. LOVE the growth in your business because the last time I was here things looked really different! I have to say, this post made me SO happy. I’m also someone who cannot for the life of me jive with ShootQ. I won a year free so I really tried to give it a shot but I feel like the only thing I ever use it for is client questionnaires. I couldn’t figure out what I was doing wrong when EVERYONE else loves it (so it seems!), but then a few months back I just realized it doesn’t work for *me* and *my business*. So it is what it is
Thanks for sharing! Made me feel less alone hehe 
Two things:
(a) who ever is responsible for your site/facebook branding deserves a big piece of pie and a pat on the back. It’s outstandingly, connectedly fantastic.
(b) so, it’s obvious I’m a year late to your blog post, but I was working on setting up ShootQ for my wife these past two weeks (too many years have gone by that we haven’t locked this end of the business up tight) and I was hitting the same walls you appeared to have hit. It wasn’t making enough sense for the $. A google search pulled up this post (among others) that made me feel a bit better about it.
(3, I lied) did you ever find an alternative? Or just stick with paper? I’m about to test Daylight (http://www.marketcircle.com/daylite ) and wanted to share. I’ve used Billings (made by the same people) for years now, and couldn’t be happier, so I assume the same level of quality will show up on this.
Either way…thanks for the post!
@Joel Awwwh thanks!! Jen Olmstead with Deleted Space Creative did such a great job!! We actually did just stick with Excel. My husband loves numbers and enjoys accounting so he takes care of it for me each month. If he didnt enjoy it, I would probably have employed a bookkeeper. I hate it so I procrastinate and then at the end of the year we are in a bad place, so I definitely needed someone else to take it over for me! Glad you guys found something that worked for you! That is awesome.
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