After 10 years in the wedding industry (7 of those as a videographer), I’ve finally landed on my can’t-live-withouts in my business. Maybe you are just starting out, or maybe you need to shake things up with your business and try something new. Or maybe you are like me and love looking to other videographers and creatives to see their setup and what works for them in their business! Here are my TOP 4 business essentials as a wedding vendor and videographer:
Client Relations Management: HONEYBOOK
You NEED to have a good and reliable CRM (Client Relations Management). Back when I started with weddings as a photographer, I used my trusty binder and paper contracts (yeah, you read that right) in true 2013 fashion. I had no formal system, and as I got more serious and gained more clientele, that system was not working for me anymore. I’ve tried my hand at a few CRMs, but Honeybook took the cake for me.
They have an amazing app, great interface with countless automations and customizations. And it’s super client friendly! My couples can views their packages details, invoice, contract, and pay their balance. They can even set up automatic payments. Honeybook also has integrations, so I have mine linked to my gmail and quickbooks!
Here is a link to 25% off your first year!
Music Licensing: Musicbed
If you are a videographer, you NEED to understand copyright and licensing. To keep things legal, you have to purchase the licensing to every song you use. Makes sure your couples understand this, and that while you may be able to use a JB audio in your instagram reel, you can’t use it in your deliverables.
How to Choose the Best Songs for Your Wedding Films
Sometimes I spend hours, even over days, trying to find the perfect song(s) for a wedding film. But Musicbed makes the process a little easier. They have such a good variety of everything, and different subscription options. When I first started I used to pay per song, but found the yearly subscription started to suit my needs much more as I film more weddings and often use multiple songs per film.
Musicbed also has an option to save songs, so if I hear one I might like for a later project, I can save it, or even add it to a project folder. They also have music categorized in lots of specific genres and vibes, making it easy to find inspiration.
Special Tip: Have a form or section in your questionnaire that specifically asked questions regarding music: what vibe and style they prefer!
Film Delivery: Vidflow
I started out delivering films on good ol USB. As you know, that has quickly become outdated, and I haven’t done that in quite sometime. But finding the best way to delivery films digitally was a challenge, especially given the size of the files I was delivering. Then I stumbled across Vidflow, and wow, I don’t think I’ve loved a program more.
The Best Way to Delivery Wedding Films to Clients
What I love about Vidflow, is their pay-per-use pricing!! That’s right, no monthly or yearly subscription needed. You pay per upload, depending on how many GB. I have found this so refreshing and convenient. It offers an amazing viewing experience that works with a suite of TV apps and mobile, which makes it easy to view and access anywhere. Plus, 10 years of hosting?? Yes please.
Bookkeeping: Quickbooks
No one really likes this part of the job, but it’s necessary if you are running a proper business. I still do all my bookkeeping myself, so Quickbooks is a must. It integrates with Honeybook and my bank, and makes categorizing expenses and income easy.
Hope you enjoyed my top 4 business essentials as a wedding videographer! See more blog posts for vendors here! Thanks for being here.
