Let me tell you about a low point in my business. This is the kind of low-point that will make you cringe but you’ll also see how it fueled my better-business-glow-up.

It was 2021, and I had modeled my entire brand voice, services, and dream client avatar after one insanely talented designer who worked in my area. I loved her style. I lived and breathed her design philosophies. I built an entire business strategy around attracting someone exactly like her.

And then… she emailed me.

Spoiler alert: I blew it. Not because I didn’t get the job (I did), but because I let my fan-girl energy override my boundaries. And it cost me.

What Went Down

Her inquiry was… casual. Red-flag casual:

“Hi I got your information from [redacted]. can you shoot a house on Friday”

And me? Blinded by design love, I moved mountains to make it work (if memory serves me right, I think I actually rescheduled a different shoot to make it happen). I shot the house but was totally ghosted on the rate / contract conversation leading up to the shoot. And during the shoot, I was referred to as “her” or “she” (never by name). As for the photos? They made it into her published design book…so… win?

Does any of this sound familiar? The moral of the story is: when you skip the boundaries, you train your dream clients not to take your business seriously.

What I Changed (and What You Can Steal)

These days, I take every new inquiry (yes, even my dream clients) with the same exact process and handling. Here’s exactly how my inquiry and onboarding process works now, and why it’s changed everything.

✨ Step 1: The Inquiry Form (Inside A&A)

• What it looks like: A form on my website that starts every client relationship.
• Why it works: It filters inquiries automatically and keeps me from scrambling in my inbox.
  

✨ Step 2: The Automated Response (Inside A&A)

• What it does: Sends tailored info based on what they need.
• Bonus: It includes a link to book a discovery call.
  

✨ Step 3: The Pre-Call Questionnaire (Inside A&A)

• What it looks like: Thoughtful, strategic questions sent after they book.
• Why it works: I understand their pain points, their goals, and what kind of support they need before we hop on a call.
  

✨ Step 4: The Discovery Call (aka the “chill sales chat”)

• What I do: Follow my sales script, showcase relevant work, explain licensing, and let them ask questions.
• What I don’t do: Over-explain or undercharge.
  

✨ Step 5: The Booking Link (Inside A&A)

• What it looks like: One clean link.
• What it does: Client chooses a date, signs the contract, pays the deposit…without me needing to lift a finger.
  

This system protects me from scope creep, ghosting, and fangirl-fueled chaos. But more importantly, it helps clients feel confident that they’re hiring a professional with a process. It turns dream clients into dream partnerships. The big lesson?? Don’t wait for your business to get burned before you build the boundaries. Your systems are your brand and the right clients will thank you for them.

Check out Accelerate & Automate if you want done-for-you systems that will help you run your interior photography business, not the other way around.