Photography Client Welcome Packet: What to Include
Photography welcome packet: purpose of a packet, what to put in and format and length.
In this article
A photography welcome packet is a short guide you send right after a client books. It tells them what happens next, what you need from them, how to prepare and how to reach you. Keep it to a few pages, make it easy to read on a phone and send it the day they sign. Its job is to answer questions before they are asked and to replace nervous silence with a plan.
Purpose of a packet
After booking, clients usually have the same handful of questions:
- What happens now?
- When do I pay what?
- What do you need from me?
- What should I wear or prepare?
- When will I see my photos?
- How do I reach you?
A welcome packet answers these once, in one place, so you do not answer them again by message across six weeks. It also sets the tone. A clear packet tells clients you are organised, which helps them relax in front of the camera.
It differs from your onboarding checklist, which is your internal process. The packet is what the client sees. And it is not the contract. Do not repeat legal terms. Point to the signed contract instead.
What to put in
Include what clients actually use. Start with this list and cut anything that is not needed.
About the process
- A short timeline from booking to delivery, with dates
- What you will do and when they will hear from you
About the job
- Date, time and place
- Who is attending from your side
- Where to meet and where to park
About payments
- A summary of the schedule and where to find invoices
- How to pay
About preparation
- What to wear, with a few examples
- How to prepare for the session or day
- Weather and plan B
About planning
- What you will ask them for, with dates
- Questions about family groups, special requests and key people
About delivery
- When to expect photos, and in what form
- Whether there are previews
About contact
- How to reach you and when you reply
- Who to call on the day
Add a short "good to know" list for anything you are often asked: guests with cameras, unplugged ceremonies, children and pets, rain.
Format and length
Keep the format simple.
- One page or scrollable link: easier on a phone than a big attachment.
- Headings and short blocks: clients scan.
- Few images: a couple of examples of what to wear is plenty.
- Plain language: write like you talk.
- Under 600 words is a good aim for most packets.
Avoid a 20-page brand brochure. If you want more content, split it by stage: a short welcome now, a planning guide closer to the date and a day-before reminder.
Make sure it works offline or in a weak signal. Many clients will open it in a car or at a venue.
Timing of sending
When you send matters as much as what.
| Moment | What to send |
|---|---|
| Same day as booking | Welcome message with the main link |
| Two weeks after | Planning form and reminder |
| One to two months before | Timeline and preparation guide |
| One week before | Final details and contact numbers |
| Day before | One-line reminder with time and place |
| After the shoot | Thank you and delivery date |
Splitting it this way means no single message is overwhelming. Compare this with the pace of your first reply, covered in how fast to reply to inquiries. The first days after a booking are the same: speed and clarity count.
Example outline
Use this as a skeleton and fill it with your own details. These are examples.
Welcome Thank you for booking. Your date is held. This page has everything you need.
Your date at a glance 14 March, 10:00 to 18:00. Venue name and address. Lead photographer and assistant.
What happens next
- By 28 November: fill in the planning form.
- January: planning call.
- 14 February: final payment due.
- 14 March: the day.
- By 9 May: your gallery arrives.
Payments Your schedule is in your invoices. Questions? Reply to this message.
Preparing Wear colours you feel good in. Avoid very small patterns. Tell us about anyone who is not comfortable on camera.
On the day Call us on this number. We will arrive 30 minutes early.
After the day We back up the same evening. A preview arrives within a week.
Contact We reply within a day, usually sooner.
For tone and wording of ongoing messages, see client communication templates. The packet is a piece of the whole client experience.
Keeping documents in one place
The packet works best next to the other documents, not in a separate email. ClickBook gives each client one private link holding the proposal, contract and invoices, with no account needed, so the welcome note can point there. Take a look at the demo to see the client side.
Mistakes to avoid
- A very long packet nobody reads.
- Repeating contract wording.
- Sending it weeks after booking.
- Attachments that do not open on a phone.
- Making promises you cannot keep, such as exact delivery dates.
Frequently asked questions
What is a photography welcome packet?
It is a short guide you send to a client after booking, covering what happens next, how to prepare and how to reach you.
How long should a welcome packet be?
Short enough to read in five minutes. Many studios use one to four pages or a single scrollable page.
Should the packet be a PDF or an email?
Either works. A single link or short email is easier to open on a phone than a large attachment.
Is a welcome packet needed for small sessions?
A lighter one helps. A short message with time, place, what to wear and how to pay covers most portrait sessions.