Elegant Minnesota Country Club Wedding album design for Brooke Elisabeth
Check out this stunning album we designed for Minnesota based wedding and senior portrait photographer Brooke Elisabeth! It was printed through Nations Photo Lab and Brooke was kind enough to send us some photos of the printed album! Once you see the design inside, I think you'll agree that the white linen with black debossing was an EXCELLENT choice for this elegant affair. We love seeing the finished product of our work, so we are so grateful that Brooke sent these beautiful images our way!
We are smitten with everything about this wedding and the resulting album -- the couples' movie-star good looks, the timeless elegance that oozes from Brooke's images, the rain -- it all worked together to make this album a stand-out!
Here are a few of our favorite spreads from this stunning design:
We are smitten with everything about this wedding and the resulting album -- the couples' movie-star good looks, the timeless elegance that oozes from Brooke's images, the rain -- it all worked together to make this album a stand-out!
Here are a few of our favorite spreads from this stunning design:
To see the design in full, click through the slideshow:
Thank you, Brooke, for allowing us to work with your beautiful images!
Thank you, Brooke, for allowing us to work with your beautiful images!
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Design by: Kari (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Melissa Jill
Design by: Kari (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Melissa Jill
5 Features Every Sample Album Should Include
photo by Paige Vaughn Photo
As we all know, the #1 pre-requisite to selling albums...is to SHOW them! After all, you can't sell what you don't show!
But, what is the best way to show albums? What features must your sample album have in order to win the hearts of your clients and get them to say YES to their very own album, you ask? I've created a short list of 5 things that I consider essential to include in the sample albums you share with every potential client walking through your doors.
1 -- Show off your cover options.
Your sample albums should showcase your favorite cover option(s) you have available. This will simplify the decision making process for everyone who holds one of these albums in their hands. The real benefit of a sample album is that it allows clients to touch and feel it and see what they could expect from their own album.
2 -- Be intentional with the album size.
The albums you showcase should be the size and dimensions you most hope your clients will choose. The most popular dimensions for albums designed through Align are 10x10 or 12x12, so that's a great place to start. Clients are not very good at envisioning other options. They would prefer to point at one option among a few and say, "I want that," knowing that what they see is what they are going to get.
3 -- Highlight one wedding.
Each sample album should focus on one wedding and tell the story of that one day. I've written a separate post about how to choose which wedding to feature in your sample album. Featuring one wedding is more ideal than showcasing a sampling of your favorite images from a number of weddings. This approach is more true to the anatomy of an album and what they can expect from their own wedding album. It also allows you to showcase your story-telling ability throughout one wedding day, which brings us to tip #4!
4 -- Tell a story.
The album should tell the story of a wedding day from start to finish, full of details and moments that will draw your potential clients into the story emotionally. That will allow you to share your passion for albums during the meeting and again, help your clients to see what their own wedding album could be like.
5 -- Keep it simple.
Clean, simple, timeless design is key! Being intentional and selective in what you include in a sample album allows your images to stand apart and be appreciated as art. Your images themselves are interesting. You don't need to make your sample album design overly complex to create a beautiful album. Let the images shine and be your resume for potential clients!
Having an album you are excited to share with your clients at their initial meeting will only help enhance your passion for the product. When you are excited about the very product you hold in your hands, are proud of the work featured within, it will show! When you believe in the quality of the work that went into designing it and are touched by the story held within it...your client will be that much more likely to say YES to an album of their very own!
As we all know, the #1 pre-requisite to selling albums...is to SHOW them! After all, you can't sell what you don't show!
But, what is the best way to show albums? What features must your sample album have in order to win the hearts of your clients and get them to say YES to their very own album, you ask? I've created a short list of 5 things that I consider essential to include in the sample albums you share with every potential client walking through your doors.
1 -- Show off your cover options.
Your sample albums should showcase your favorite cover option(s) you have available. This will simplify the decision making process for everyone who holds one of these albums in their hands. The real benefit of a sample album is that it allows clients to touch and feel it and see what they could expect from their own album.
2 -- Be intentional with the album size.
The albums you showcase should be the size and dimensions you most hope your clients will choose. The most popular dimensions for albums designed through Align are 10x10 or 12x12, so that's a great place to start. Clients are not very good at envisioning other options. They would prefer to point at one option among a few and say, "I want that," knowing that what they see is what they are going to get.
3 -- Highlight one wedding.
Each sample album should focus on one wedding and tell the story of that one day. I've written a separate post about how to choose which wedding to feature in your sample album. Featuring one wedding is more ideal than showcasing a sampling of your favorite images from a number of weddings. This approach is more true to the anatomy of an album and what they can expect from their own wedding album. It also allows you to showcase your story-telling ability throughout one wedding day, which brings us to tip #4!
4 -- Tell a story.
The album should tell the story of a wedding day from start to finish, full of details and moments that will draw your potential clients into the story emotionally. That will allow you to share your passion for albums during the meeting and again, help your clients to see what their own wedding album could be like.
5 -- Keep it simple.
Clean, simple, timeless design is key! Being intentional and selective in what you include in a sample album allows your images to stand apart and be appreciated as art. Your images themselves are interesting. You don't need to make your sample album design overly complex to create a beautiful album. Let the images shine and be your resume for potential clients!
Having an album you are excited to share with your clients at their initial meeting will only help enhance your passion for the product. When you are excited about the very product you hold in your hands, are proud of the work featured within, it will show! When you believe in the quality of the work that went into designing it and are touched by the story held within it...your client will be that much more likely to say YES to an album of their very own!
I hope you've found these tips helpful!
----------> If you are overwhelmed with design and want to give outsourcing a try, click here to find out more about the design styles that Align offers. We have 3 standard design styles but can definitely customize to meet most needs. So don't hesitate to send us examples of designs you like and let us know what your preferences are, and we will design to those specifications. After you take a look at our design styles to find out which one would work best for you, click here to sign up for a free account with Align. When you do so, we'll send you a free welcome gift -- our "Top 10 Most Popular Album Companies" Resource List. That way you can find out which album printing & binding companies are the most popular among photographers who use Align, and more importantly, WHY. We'd love to be a part of creating beautiful heirloom albums for your studio and clients!
----------> If you are overwhelmed with design and want to give outsourcing a try, click here to find out more about the design styles that Align offers. We have 3 standard design styles but can definitely customize to meet most needs. So don't hesitate to send us examples of designs you like and let us know what your preferences are, and we will design to those specifications. After you take a look at our design styles to find out which one would work best for you, click here to sign up for a free account with Align. When you do so, we'll send you a free welcome gift -- our "Top 10 Most Popular Album Companies" Resource List. That way you can find out which album printing & binding companies are the most popular among photographers who use Align, and more importantly, WHY. We'd love to be a part of creating beautiful heirloom albums for your studio and clients!
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Blog post written by: Melissa Jill
Blog post written by: Melissa Jill
Delaware Barn Wedding album design for J. Nicole Photography
This album design is a stunner! From the opening full page portrait spread to the sparkler exit at the end, every spread is a page-turner!
J. Nicole is a talented Delaware-based photographer who we have had the pleasure of working with for 4 years now. Jessica shared with us that this couple planned their wedding from out of state during COVID lockdowns and had to reschedule and rely on the groom's mom to do most of the planning. As a result, Jessica met the couple for the first time on their wedding day. But you would never know it from these photos! The couple is so laid back and Jessica clearly was able to put them at ease and capture their wedding day beautifully!
This album design came together so easily. The couple only requested two quick photo swaps and then approved it! After the couple approved their design, they used the remaining revision rounds to further revise the design for parent albums. To find out more about our recommended strategies for designing parent albums, click here!
Here are a few of our favorite spreads from this gorgeous design:
J. Nicole is a talented Delaware-based photographer who we have had the pleasure of working with for 4 years now. Jessica shared with us that this couple planned their wedding from out of state during COVID lockdowns and had to reschedule and rely on the groom's mom to do most of the planning. As a result, Jessica met the couple for the first time on their wedding day. But you would never know it from these photos! The couple is so laid back and Jessica clearly was able to put them at ease and capture their wedding day beautifully!
This album design came together so easily. The couple only requested two quick photo swaps and then approved it! After the couple approved their design, they used the remaining revision rounds to further revise the design for parent albums. To find out more about our recommended strategies for designing parent albums, click here!
Here are a few of our favorite spreads from this gorgeous design:
To see the design in full, click through the slideshow:
Thank you, Jessica, for allowing us to work with your beautiful images!
Thank you, Jessica, for allowing us to work with your beautiful images!
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Design by: Denise (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Melissa Jill
Design by: Denise (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Melissa Jill
New Jersey Barn Wedding Album design for Jennifer Larsen
New-Jersey based Jennifer Larsen is one of our beloved Client Advocates and she is no stranger to this blog! I checked, and this is the SEVENTH TIME we've featured one of her beautiful designs! Click here to see them all!
Obviously we can't get enough of Jen's work and we just adore her as a person as well. She is so kind and encouraging! She also has a passion for hospitality and has translated that into creating a well-tailored client experience that goes above and beyond to serve her clients.
Click here to watch a short video where Jen shares how she has elevated her client experience through her album workflow. It's SO insightful!
As for today's featured album design -- it's another stunner from Jen! It's the perfect combo of capturing the personalities of the couple in the most timeless way possible. And this album is going to allow them to remember and relive this amazing day for decades to come!
Here are a few of our favorite spreads from this gorgeous design:
Obviously we can't get enough of Jen's work and we just adore her as a person as well. She is so kind and encouraging! She also has a passion for hospitality and has translated that into creating a well-tailored client experience that goes above and beyond to serve her clients.
Click here to watch a short video where Jen shares how she has elevated her client experience through her album workflow. It's SO insightful!
As for today's featured album design -- it's another stunner from Jen! It's the perfect combo of capturing the personalities of the couple in the most timeless way possible. And this album is going to allow them to remember and relive this amazing day for decades to come!
Here are a few of our favorite spreads from this gorgeous design:
Click through the slideshow to see the design in full:
Thank you, Jen, for allowing us to work with your beautiful images!
Thank you, Jen, for allowing us to work with your beautiful images!
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Design by: Kari (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Melissa Jill
Design by: Kari (View More) // Design style: Classic (View More) // Blog post written by: Melissa Jill
The #1 Key to Selling Albums
The number one rule in album sales is:
If you want to sell albums, you have to show clients physical studio samples. This can be a tough pill to swallow when albums run anywhere from $300 - $1,200 in costs for the photographer. And that's just the printing and binding. That doesn't take into consideration the costs and time investment in getting it designed and ordered. Yes, studio sample albums are an investment. But they are an investment that will pay off.
A few years ago I decided to start offering Queensberry Duo albums as an option for my high end clients. These albums are gorgeous -- high end mat paper surrounds images that are inset in the pages, and images can even be mounted flush to the edge of the page. So it is a more contemporary version of a matted album combining both matted and flush-mount features into a high end custom product. The album I chose to offer is 18x10 inches horizontal with a dark brown micro-leather fabric. The cover material is so soft, I am tempted to use it as a pillow. The album is INCREDIBLE. But it's not cheap. The studio sample I wanted to get was over $1,000. Yikes! Not only does that money come out of my bank account, but that means I have to charge my clients $3,500 for an album of its kind. All sorts of fears went through my head. What if no one else loves it as much as I do? What if my clients don't see the value and aren't willing to pay the high price tag?
A few years ago I decided to start offering Queensberry Duo albums as an option for my high end clients. These albums are gorgeous -- high end mat paper surrounds images that are inset in the pages, and images can even be mounted flush to the edge of the page. So it is a more contemporary version of a matted album combining both matted and flush-mount features into a high end custom product. The album I chose to offer is 18x10 inches horizontal with a dark brown micro-leather fabric. The cover material is so soft, I am tempted to use it as a pillow. The album is INCREDIBLE. But it's not cheap. The studio sample I wanted to get was over $1,000. Yikes! Not only does that money come out of my bank account, but that means I have to charge my clients $3,500 for an album of its kind. All sorts of fears went through my head. What if no one else loves it as much as I do? What if my clients don't see the value and aren't willing to pay the high price tag?
I swallowed my fears and took the leap. I ordered my studio sample and said a prayer right before my first client meeting in which it rested on the ottoman in my office. Kari, the bride, came in and we started out the meeting chatting about her upcoming wedding. When it came time to share my two album options, I showed her the standard, lower-priced album that comes in all of my packages, then I showed her the Duo. I explained its features and told her the price. She fell in love with it as she turned each of the textured mat pages and felt the micro-leather. At the end of the meeting she told me that she didn't have the budget for the Duo but that she wanted to see if she could move some things around to be able to increase her photography budget and include it in her package. And that's just what she did.
The expensive Duo is not for everyone, but it does appeal to a certain segment of my clientele. And if they see it and love it, they are often willing to increase their budget, even though they never intended to spend $3K on a wedding album when they first walked into my office.
You can't sell it if you don't show it. But if you DO show it, you might be able to sell something that your clients didn't even realize they couldn't live without until they touched it. That's the power of a studio sample album.
Not sure where to start with creating a sample album? Read up on 5 features that should be included in every sample album in order to win the hearts of your clients and get them to say YES to their very own album!
To help even further with your sample album needs, we've created this Resource List for the Top 10 Most Popular Album Companies used by Align clients, along with testimonials from photographers who use each of them. Also included on the list is a general idea of what each company charges for a standard 10x10 album. You can download it for FREE today by clicking here and signing up for an account with Align -- no order necessary! Or if you already have an existing Align account and want a copy of this resource guide, you're welcome to email us for a copy.
The expensive Duo is not for everyone, but it does appeal to a certain segment of my clientele. And if they see it and love it, they are often willing to increase their budget, even though they never intended to spend $3K on a wedding album when they first walked into my office.
You can't sell it if you don't show it. But if you DO show it, you might be able to sell something that your clients didn't even realize they couldn't live without until they touched it. That's the power of a studio sample album.
Not sure where to start with creating a sample album? Read up on 5 features that should be included in every sample album in order to win the hearts of your clients and get them to say YES to their very own album!
To help even further with your sample album needs, we've created this Resource List for the Top 10 Most Popular Album Companies used by Align clients, along with testimonials from photographers who use each of them. Also included on the list is a general idea of what each company charges for a standard 10x10 album. You can download it for FREE today by clicking here and signing up for an account with Align -- no order necessary! Or if you already have an existing Align account and want a copy of this resource guide, you're welcome to email us for a copy.
Take the leap. Invest in sample albums. Make them beautiful, unique, and exactly what you would want if you were a bride or groom. Then show them to your potential clients and see the investment pay off.
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Blog post written by: Melissa Jill
Blog post written by: Melissa Jill
