How to Eliminate Discovery Calls (And Still Book Dream Photography Clients)

🧁 Welcome to the Episode

So here’s the thing — I’ve been a little MIA on solo episodes lately, and I’m just going to own it. Life happened, client delivery happened, and honestly? The distraction became the episode. This week I’m sharing what’s been lighting me up over the last month, including a live training I hosted called Out of Office Ready and the very big idea that came out of it: what if your inquiry process could keep moving even when you’re not available?

✨ What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why a discovery call isn’t the only way to qualify a lead — and what photographers are using instead
• What VideoAsk actually is, how it works, and why it might be the discovery call alternative your inquiry process has been missing
• How to start an asynchronous lead conversation without scheduling a single consult call
• The difference between a templated and a custom video response — and how to know which one is right for you
• How to test this concept without investing in new software first
• Why video is becoming the new standard for high-touch client communication (and how to stay ahead of it)

Why I’ve Been MIA (And What Finally Got Me Back in the Recording Chair)

Okay, I’ll be transparent: it has been over a month since I sat down to record a solo episode for you. I have approximately 15 solo episode ideas in my queue that I keep meaning to record. But instead of talking about those things, I ended up talking about the thing that kept pulling my attention — which I’m pretty sure makes for a better episode anyway.

Here’s the quick catch-up: I attended the Creative Educator Conference, hosted my first live training in five months called Out of Office Ready, ran another round of my Email Like You Mean It Sprint, made some big updates to Systems in Session, and — most importantly — booked my second Disney cruise. Yes, y’all. I have the cruise bug.

But it was that Out of Office Ready training that sent me down a rabbit hole I want to walk you through today, because it completely shifted how I’m thinking about your inquiry and booking process.

How to Keep Your Inquiry Process Running When You’re Out of Office

The whole concept behind Out of Office Ready is simple: can your business function without you, even temporarily? Not perfectly, not forever — just enough that you can step away without everything grinding to a halt.

Originally, I planned to rerecord my free training Love Your Leads, which teaches the three steps to book your leads faster and with less effort. That training is about four to five years old at this point, and I was still pitching a service I don’t even offer anymore. So yeah — it needed a refresh.

But as I started thinking about what my Systems in Session clients needed to feel prepared for summer and time off, I realized this was bigger than just updating an old training. The real question wasn’t just “how do you book leads faster?” It was: how do you keep your inquiry process moving when you’re not available to manage it in real time?

That reframe changed everything. And it’s what I want to dig into with you today.

Why Photographers Think They Can’t Eliminate Discovery Calls (And Why They’re Wrong)

Every time I bring up streamlining the inquiry process, I hear some version of this: “But Colie, I can’t automate that part. I have to have a sales call. I need to make sure they’re a good fit. My leads always have questions.”

And here’s my honest response: I hear you — and also, a sales call is not the only way to do any of that.

You can qualify a lead without a call. You can answer their questions without a call. You can assess fit without a call. What you can’t do is make yourself available for a real-time conversation every time a new inquiry lands, especially when you’re traveling, on vacation, or just trying to be offline for a few days.

So the question I want you to sit with is this: what would need to be true for your inquiry process to keep moving even when you can’t pick up the phone?

Client Experience Videos: The Strategy I’ve Been Teaching for Three Years

I have been talking about client experience videos for at least three years. For most of that time, I felt like I was kind of just talking into the wind — getting a few “that sounds interesting” responses but not a lot of real traction.

That has changed. In the last three to four months, I’m seeing real momentum. More and more people are looking for ways to make themselves less available inside their business while increasing the quality of their client communication. And video is a huge part of how they’re doing it.

Part of what’s driving this, I think, is the AI conversation. So much written content — emails, social posts, all of it — is being generated by AI right now. Which means your leads and clients are probably craving more of you: your actual voice, your face, your energy. Video gives them that, without requiring you to be on a live call every time someone has a question.

If you want a deep dive on all four types of client experience videos worth creating — including a sales call replacement video with real client examples — I’ve got you covered. One of my favorites is what Hawaii-based family photographer Alison Bell does: the moment an inquiry comes in, if she’s available for the session, she records a quick personal video and sends it right back. No special software — just her, her phone, and a response that immediately kicks off the conversation. It’s simple, it’s human, and it works. But today I want to zoom in on one specific use case: keeping your inquiry process moving while you’re out of office.

How to Use VideoAsk to Eliminate Discovery Calls for Photographers

During the most recent round of Email Like You Mean It, multiple participants asked about VideoAsk on the feedback form. When multiple people ask the same question, I pay attention — so on day three of the Sprint, I scrapped my original plan and created an entirely new live training on how to qualify your leads when you’re unavailable. VideoAsk was front and center.

So what is it? VideoAsk is a tool that lets you have a video conversation with someone asynchronously. Think of it like Voxer, but with video. You send a question or response, they respond back in their own time, and the conversation unfolds naturally without anyone needing to be available at the same moment.

Why VideoAsk Works as a Discovery Call Alternative

The moment a VideoAsk request hits your inbox, you can watch or read what the lead sent you, take time to formulate a thoughtful response, and record your answer when you’re ready. No calendar coordination. No waiting until you have a clear schedule block. No scrambling to be camera-ready in five minutes.

The conversation starts almost immediately, and it continues at a pace that works for both of you. It’s not usually a single-message exchange — there’s often a back-and-forth, just like a real sales conversation. It just doesn’t happen in real time.

And if after all of that back-and-forth you still feel like a call would help close the gap? You can always schedule one. But at least your lead has gotten their questions answered and has enough information to decide if they want to move forward — without anyone having to wait for a calendar opening.

What Does VideoAsk Cost?

VideoAsk has a free plan that includes 20 minutes of processing time per month. That’s genuinely enough to test it and see if it’s a fit for your process. If you go over 20 minutes, you can upgrade — but there’s no financial commitment required just to try it out.

How to Test This Without New Software

Here’s the thing: I’m not telling you to go sign up for a new piece of software today. Test the concept first.

The next time someone submits an inquiry, record a two-to-three minute Loom video in response. Use their name. Answer their specific questions. Walk them through your process. Send it. That’s the experiment.

If that approach gets a great response — if people feel more connected to you, if they’re booking faster, if the back-and-forth gets shorter — then you look at tools like VideoAsk to make it more centralized and organized.

I prefer VideoAsk because everything is in one place. I can go back and review an entire conversation, rewatch what a lead sent me, and keep the thread tidy. But the concept matters more than the software, and you don’t need to invest in anything new before you’ve proven it works for you.

What’s Coming Next

I currently have three Systems in Session clients who’ve added client experience videos to their inquiry and booking process this year. And just this month, two more clients are actively working on their VideoAsk setup — we’re recording the videos and pushing them live in the coming weeks.

Client experience videos are here to stay. Whether you’re using them in your inquiry process, your onboarding, or your delivery phase, video is becoming a core part of how smart creative businesses communicate with their people — without burning out their availability.

One more thing: I was recently a guest on Alora Rachelle’s Often Ambitious podcast, and our episode — Systems & Video: Creating a Warm Client Experience for Wedding Photographers — ended up being almost entirely about adding video to your client experience. It’s framed around wedding photographers, but honestly the concepts apply to any creative service business. Go give it a listen.

🔗 Links Mentioned

• 🎙️ Episode 237 — Creative Ways to Use VideoAsk on Your Website with Carolyn of May Pop Creative (link to episode)
• 🎙️ Episode 123 — Three Client Experience Videos Every Creative Should Have (link to episode)
• 🎙️ The Client Experience Strategy That Builds Trust & Attracts Ideal Clients — episode with Alison Bell
• 📝 Four Types of Client Experience Videos — related blog post
• 🎙️ Systems & Video: Creating a Warm Client Experience for Wedding Photographers — Colie on the Often Ambitious podcast with Alora Rachelle
• 📹 Try VideoAsk (Colie’s referral link)
• 🎓 Systems in Session
• 📧 Email Like You Mean It Sprint