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Client Profiles

Quick Reference​

A client profile is the central record containing everything you know about a person or company you work with. Think of it as a digital file folder that stores contact information, job history, payment records, communication logs, preferences, and notes all in one place.

What's Stored in a Client Profile:

  • Contact Information - Name, email, phone, mailing address, social media
  • Jobs History - All past, present, and future bookings
  • Leads History - All inquiries, quoted and won/lost
  • Payment Records - Total revenue, payment history, outstanding balances
  • Documents - Signed contracts, invoices, questionnaires, photo releases
  • Communication Log - Timeline of emails, calls, and interactions
  • Notes & Tags - Custom notes, preferences, and categorization
  • Custom Fields - Flexible fields for any data specific to your workflow

Quick Actions:

  • View all clients: Clients page in main navigation
  • Search clients: Use the search bar (searches name, email, phone)
  • Open a profile: Click any client name throughout ShootPath
  • Edit profile: Click Edit button on client detail page
  • Add a note: Use the Add Note button on client timeline
Finding Clients Fast

Use keyboard shortcut Cmd/Ctrl + K to open quick search and jump directly to any client profile by typing their name.

Detailed Guide​

Anatomy of a Client Profile​

When you open a client profile, you'll see several sections that together give you a complete picture of your relationship with that client.

Header Section​

The top of the profile shows:

  • Client name - Full name (can be individual or company)
  • Contact method buttons - Quick links to email, call, or text
  • Total revenue - Lifetime value of this client across all jobs
  • Tags - Visual labels for quick categorization
  • Action buttons - Edit profile, add note, create quote, view portal

This header stays visible as you scroll, so you always have access to key information and actions.

Contact Information Tab​

The first tab contains all the ways to reach this client:

Basic Contact:

  • Full name (first and last)
  • Email address (primary contact method)
  • Phone number (mobile preferred)
  • Mailing address (for sending contracts, invoices, or gifts)

Social Media:

  • Instagram handle (many photographers connect with clients on social)
  • Facebook profile
  • Other social platforms relevant to your workflow

Preferences:

  • Preferred communication method (email, text, phone)
  • Best time to reach them
  • Communication style notes ("prefers quick texts," "likes detailed emails," etc.)

Why this matters: Having complete contact info means you can reach clients however they prefer. Some clients never check email but respond to texts instantly. Others want everything formally documented via email.

Jobs & Booking History Tab​

This tab shows every booking this client has had with you:

Active Jobs: Jobs currently in production appear at the top with:

  • Job number and type
  • Session date
  • Current status (e.g., "Awaiting contract signature," "Payment overdue")
  • Quick action buttons

Completed Jobs: Past work is archived below with:

  • Job type and date
  • Final amount paid
  • Gallery link
  • Notes from that project

Jobs Timeline: See at a glance when you've worked with this client:

  • First booking: November 2022 (Wedding)
  • Second booking: June 2023 (Anniversary session)
  • Third booking: March 2024 (Maternity session)
  • Fourth booking: October 2024 (Newborn session)

Why this matters: Understanding a client's history helps you:

  • Anticipate their needs (annual family portrait due soon?)
  • Reference past sessions ("Remember that golden hour magic from your anniversary shoot?")
  • Price appropriately (loyal clients might get special rates)
  • Identify patterns (books every fall, prefers outdoor locations, etc.)

Leads & Inquiries Tab​

Every time this client has inquired about your services (including before their first booking):

Lead Records:

  • Original inquiry date
  • Lead source (how they found you)
  • Type of session they inquired about
  • Lead status (quoted, won, lost)
  • Quote sent (if applicable)
  • Outcome and notes

Why this matters:

  • See what they've expressed interest in but never booked (opportunity for follow-up)
  • Track lead source for the original inquiry (referral, Instagram, Google search, etc.)
  • Understand their decision-making timeline (how long between inquiry and booking?)

Financial History Tab​

A complete financial picture of your relationship:

Summary Stats:

  • Total revenue (all-time)
  • Outstanding balance (any unpaid invoices)
  • Average job value
  • Payment reliability score

Invoice History:

  • All invoices ever sent to this client
  • Payment dates and amounts
  • Payment methods used
  • Any late payments or disputes

Payment Patterns:

  • Do they always pay early? Late? On time?
  • Preferred payment method (card, check, bank transfer)
  • Have they ever had a chargeback or dispute?

Why this matters: Financial history helps you make smart business decisions:

  • Offer payment plans to reliable clients
  • Require upfront payment from clients with payment issues
  • Reward loyal clients with flexible terms
  • Identify high-value clients worth extra attention

Documents Tab​

All files associated with this client:

Contracts:

  • Every contract they've signed
  • Signature dates
  • PDF downloads

Invoices:

  • All invoices (paid and unpaid)
  • Download or resend options

Questionnaires:

  • Responses from session questionnaires
  • Contact forms they've filled out

Photo Releases:

  • Signed model releases
  • Usage permission forms

Other:

  • Receipts, delivery confirmations, custom forms

Why this matters: Everything is in one place—no more hunting through email for "Did they sign that release?" or "Where's their questionnaire response?"

Communication Log Tab​

A chronological timeline of every interaction:

Logged Communications:

  • Emails - All emails sent through ShootPath (sent/received)
  • Manual notes - Notes you've added after phone calls, in-person meetings, or conversations
  • System events - Automatic notes when contracts are signed, payments are made, galleries delivered

Example Timeline Entry:

Feb 5, 2024 at 2:30 PM
Email sent: "Your Gallery is Ready!"
Opened: Feb 5 at 4:15 PM
Clicked gallery link: Feb 5 at 4:16 PM

Feb 5, 2024 at 4:45 PM
Note added by you: "Client texted - loves the photos!
Asking about ordering prints. Sent her print shop link."

Feb 6, 2024 at 10:00 AM
Payment received: $150.00 (final balance)
Method: Credit card

Search & Filter:

  • Search within the communication log
  • Filter by type (emails, notes, system events)
  • Filter by date range

Why this matters: The communication log answers critical questions:

  • When did I last reach out to them?
  • Did they receive and open my email?
  • What did we discuss in our last conversation?
  • What actions am I waiting on from them?

Notes & Tags Tab​

Your custom organizational system:

Notes: Free-form text notes for anything worth remembering:

  • Client preferences: "Loves candid shots, dislikes posed photos"
  • Shooting considerations: "Daughter is shy, needs extra time to warm up"
  • Personality notes: "Very punctual and organized"
  • Post-session insights: "Particularly loved the sunset shots by the lake"
  • Business intel: "Budget-conscious but values quality"

Tags: Visual labels for categorization and filtering:

  • Session types: weddings, newborns, families, corporate
  • Status: vip, repeat-client, referral-source
  • Marketing: newsletter, instagram-follower, review-left
  • Behavioral: price-sensitive, books-last-minute, needs-reminders
  • Custom: Whatever makes sense for your business!

Why this matters: Six months from now, you won't remember every detail about every client. Good notes make you look professional and attentive: "I remember you mentioned Emma loves butterflies—I found the perfect park with a butterfly garden!"

Custom Fields Tab​

Flexible fields you define for your specific needs:

Common Custom Fields:

  • Referral source (specific person who referred them)
  • Anniversary date
  • Children's names and birthdates
  • Pet names (for pet photography)
  • Special requests or accommodations
  • How they heard about you (specific detail beyond lead source)
  • Social media permission (yes/no)
  • Marketing opt-in preferences

Why this matters: Every photography business is different. Custom fields let you track what matters most to you without cluttering everyone's profiles with irrelevant fields.

Creating a New Client Profile​

There are three ways clients are added to your system:

Method 1: Automatic Creation from Lead or Job​

Most common. When you create a lead or job, ShootPath offers to:

  • Select an existing client from your database, OR
  • Create a new client record on the fly

You enter the basic info (name, email, phone), and the profile is created automatically.

Method 2: Manual Client Creation​

Sometimes you want to add someone to your database before they have a lead or job:

  1. Go to Clients > Add Client
  2. Fill in the contact form:
    • First name (required)
    • Last name (required)
    • Email address (required)
    • Phone number (optional but recommended)
    • Address (optional)
    • Notes (optional)
  3. Click Save

The client profile is created and ready for future leads or jobs.

When to do this:

  • Networking events: Met someone who wants to book in the future
  • Referrals: Someone gave you a name before the person has reached out
  • Past clients: Migrating your client list from spreadsheets or another system
  • Pre-event: Client list for a corporate event you're shooting

Method 3: Import from Spreadsheet​

If you're migrating from another system or a spreadsheet:

  1. Go to Settings > Import Data
  2. Download the CSV template
  3. Fill it with your client data
  4. Upload the completed CSV
  5. Review and confirm the import

ShootPath will create client profiles for everyone in the file.

Pro tip: Start with a small test import (5-10 clients) to make sure your data maps correctly before importing hundreds of records.

Editing Client Profiles​

Client information changes over time. Keep profiles current:

How to Edit:​

  1. Open the client profile
  2. Click Edit button (top right)
  3. Update any fields
  4. Click Save

What You Can Edit:

  • Contact information (email, phone, address)
  • Name (if they got married, preferred name changed, etc.)
  • Tags
  • Custom fields
  • Notes (or add new ones)

What You Can't Edit:

  • Job history (edit jobs individually instead)
  • Financial totals (these are calculated from invoices)
  • Communication log entries (except delete your own notes)

When to Update Profiles:​

After Every Session: Add notes about what worked well, preferences you discovered, any special requests for next time.

When Contact Info Changes: Clients move, change phone numbers, update email addresses. Ask during rebooking: "Is this still the best email for you?"

When You Learn New Info: Client mentions they're expecting a baby, moving to a new house, or their daughter is getting married—add a note! Future-you will appreciate the reminder.

Quarterly Review: Every few months, review your top clients' profiles and ensure everything is current. Add tags, update notes, verify contact info.

Client Notes Best Practices​

Notes are one of the most underutilized features in CRMs. Used well, they transform client relationships:

What Makes a Good Note?​

Specific, not vague:

  • Good: "Prefers 8-10am sessions, daughter naps at 11am"
  • Bad: "Morning person"

Actionable:

  • Good: "Wants to book annual fall session every October. Send reminder in September."
  • Bad: "Liked the fall session"

Preference-focused:

  • Good: "Loves candid/lifestyle shots. Dislikes formal posing. Comfortable with gentle direction."
  • Bad: "Nice session"

Context for future:

  • Good: "Requested outdoor location last time due to daughter's sensory sensitivities. Avoid studios."
  • Bad: "Did outdoor shoot"

Note Categories to Consider:​

Shooting Preferences:

  • "Loves golden hour light"
  • "Prefers studio over outdoor"
  • "Wants traditional family portraits with everyone looking at camera"

Communication Preferences:

  • "Prefers texting for quick questions, email for formal communication"
  • "Very responsive, usually replies within an hour"
  • "Needs 2-3 days to review proposals before making decisions"

Personality & Comfort:

  • "Camera shy—benefits from extra time and encouragement"
  • "Very organized and punctual"
  • "Casual, laid-back approach to planning"

Family & Personal:

  • "Son Liam (age 5) loves dinosaurs—great conversation starter"
  • "Celebrating 10th anniversary in June 2025"
  • "Moving to new house in March—potential 'new home' session opportunity"

Business & Budget:

  • "Budget-conscious but values quality"
  • "Willing to invest in premium packages"
  • "Books 3-6 months in advance"
  • "Prefers payment plans over lump sum"

Post-Session Feedback:

  • "Particularly loved the shots by the oak tree"
  • "Wants more candid laughing shots next time"
  • "Requested fewer closeups, more full-body family shots"

Referrals & Marketing:

  • "Referred by Sarah Johnson (wedding client)"
  • "Active on Instagram—tag as @clienthandle"
  • "Left 5-star review on Google"
  • "Referred 3 new clients so far!"

When to Add Notes:​

Immediately after interactions:

  • After phone calls
  • After in-person meetings
  • After sessions (while details are fresh)
  • When you learn something new in casual conversation

During the booking process:

  • Preferences mentioned during consultation
  • Special requests or concerns
  • Budget discussion outcomes
  • Decision-making factors

After delivery:

  • What they loved (do more of this next time!)
  • What they were less excited about (adjust approach)
  • Future opportunities mentioned
  • Referral potential

Using Tags Effectively​

Tags are visual labels that help you organize and filter clients. Unlike notes (which are free-form text), tags are standardized labels you create.

Creating a Tag System:​

Session Type Tags: wedding, portrait, newborn, family, senior, corporate, event, commercial

Relationship Status Tags: new-client, repeat-client, vip, referral-source, at-risk (hasn't booked in a long time)

Marketing Channel Tags: instagram, google, referral, facebook, past-client, wedding-show, venue-partner

Engagement Tags: newsletter-subscriber, social-media-engaged, review-left, portfolio-feature

Behavioral Tags: books-early, last-minute, price-sensitive, premium-buyer, needs-reminders, very-responsive

Lifecycle Stage Tags: lead-only (never booked), one-time-client, annual-client, lapsed (used to book regularly but stopped)

Custom Tags: Whatever makes sense for your business: pet-owner, expecting, anniversary-year, prefers-outdoor, studio-only

Tag Best Practices:​

Be Consistent: Decide on a naming convention and stick to it. Use lowercase, hyphens for spaces, plural or singular (not both).

Don't Over-Tag: More tags doesn't mean better organization. Focus on tags that help you filter and segment meaningfully.

Update Tags Regularly:

  • Remove new-client after their second booking
  • Add at-risk if it's been over a year since their last session
  • Add vip when they reach a certain lifetime revenue threshold

Use Tags for Action: Tags should enable actions. Create filters and saved searches like:

  • Show me all newborn clients whose session was 11-13 months ago (time for 1st birthday!)
  • Show me all repeat-client + vip (my most valuable relationships)
  • Show me all referral-source (who to ask for more referrals)

Custom Fields for Your Business​

ShootPath provides standard fields, but every photography business has unique needs. Custom fields let you track exactly what matters to you.

Setting Up Custom Fields:​

  1. Go to Settings > Custom Fields
  2. Click Add Field
  3. Choose field type:
    • Text - Free-form (e.g., "Referred by")
    • Number - Numerical values (e.g., "Number of children")
    • Date - Calendar dates (e.g., "Anniversary date")
    • Dropdown - Predefined options (e.g., "Preferred location")
    • Checkbox - Yes/no (e.g., "Social media permission")
  4. Name the field
  5. Choose where it appears (client profiles, job records, or both)
  6. Save

Custom Field Ideas:​

Referral Tracking:

  • "Referred by" (name of person)
  • "Referral thank you sent" (yes/no)

Dates & Milestones:

  • "Wedding anniversary"
  • "Baby's due date"
  • "Children's birthdays"

Preferences:

  • "Preferred session time" (morning, afternoon, evening)
  • "Preferred location type" (outdoor, studio, home)
  • "Editing style preference" (bright & airy, moody, classic)

Pet Photography:

  • "Pet names & breeds"
  • "Special needs or behaviors"

Family Dynamics:

  • "Number of children"
  • "Ages of children"
  • "Blended family notes"

Marketing Permissions:

  • "Permission to share on social media"
  • "Permission to feature in portfolio"
  • "Newsletter opt-in"

Business Details (for corporate clients):

  • "Company name"
  • "Industry"
  • "Billing contact" (if different from primary contact)

Viewing Client Information by Tags​

Once you've tagged your clients, you can filter and segment:

On the Clients Page:​

Filter by Tags:

  • Click the Filter button
  • Select one or more tags
  • Client list updates to show only clients with those tags

Combine Filters:

  • Tag: repeat-client + Last booking: Over 12 months ago = Lapsed repeat clients to re-engage
  • Tag: newborn + Custom field: Baby age 11-13 months = First birthday session reminders

Save Filters: Save commonly used filters for quick access:

  • "Annual portrait clients due for rebooking"
  • "VIP clients for exclusive offers"
  • "Referral sources to thank and ask for more"

Smart Client Lists:​

Create dynamic lists that update automatically:

  • Overdue for Rebooking: Repeat clients whose last session was over X months ago
  • Recent Inquiries: Leads created in the last 30 days who haven't booked yet
  • High-Value Clients: Lifetime revenue over $5,000
  • Social Media Fans: Clients tagged with social media engagement

Merging Duplicate Clients​

Sometimes you accidentally create duplicate profiles:

  • Client inquired twice under slightly different names
  • You imported a spreadsheet and some clients were already in the system
  • Client used different email addresses for different inquiries

How to Merge:​

  1. Go to Clients page
  2. Search for duplicates (look for similar names or same contact info)
  3. Select both profiles
  4. Click Merge Clients
  5. Choose which profile to keep as primary
  6. Review data that will be combined
  7. Confirm merge

What Happens:

  • All leads, jobs, invoices, and payments are moved to the primary profile
  • Communication logs are combined chronologically
  • Notes from both profiles are preserved
  • Tags are combined (duplicates removed)
  • The duplicate profile is deleted

Be careful: Merging can't be undone! Double-check before confirming.

Client Privacy and Data Access​

Clients have the right to know what information you're storing about them and to request changes or deletion.

Client Data Requests:​

Access Request: "What information do you have about me?"

Response: Provide a summary or export of their profile data:

  • Contact information
  • Job history
  • Financial records (invoices, payments)
  • Communication log
  • Notes (you may redact internal business notes)

Correction Request: "My phone number is wrong in your system."

Response: Update their profile with the correct information immediately.

Deletion Request: "Please delete all my information."

Response:

  • If they have no active jobs or outstanding balances: You can delete the profile
  • If they have completed jobs with financial records: You may need to keep financial records for tax/legal purposes (explain this to them). Anonymize personally identifiable information but retain transaction records.
  • If they have active jobs: Complete the contracted work first, then handle deletion request

Marketing Opt-Out: "Stop sending me emails."

Response: Immediately remove them from marketing lists. You can still send transactional emails (invoice reminders, gallery delivery) but no promotional content.

Data Portability:​

Clients can request a copy of their data in a standard format:

  1. Go to their client profile
  2. Click Export Data
  3. Select format (PDF summary or CSV data export)
  4. Email the export to the client

This fulfills GDPR and CCPA data portability requirements.

Deleting Client Profiles​

Sometimes you need to remove a client from your system:

When to Delete:​

  • Duplicate profile (after merging with the primary profile)
  • Test client you created during setup
  • Spam inquiry that never became a real lead
  • Client requests deletion and has no financial records to retain

When NOT to Delete:​

  • Client declined or ghosted (mark lead as lost instead—this data is valuable!)
  • Client you "fired" or had a bad experience with (keep the record for reference if they ever inquire again)
  • Client with completed jobs (even if years ago—historical data matters)

How to Delete:​

  1. Open the client profile
  2. Click Actions > Delete Client
  3. Confirm you understand the consequences:
    • All associated leads will be deleted
    • All jobs will be deleted (if no financial records exist)
    • Communication logs will be deleted
    • This cannot be undone
  4. Type "DELETE" to confirm
  5. Click Permanently Delete

Alternative: Archive Instead Instead of deleting, consider adding an archived tag and filtering it out of your main client view. This preserves the data without cluttering your active client list.

Best Practices Summary​

Keep Profiles Complete: Always fill out name, email, and phone at minimum. The more info you have, the more professional you look.

Add Notes After Every Interaction: Don't rely on memory. 30 seconds to write a note saves you minutes (or embarrassment) later.

Review Profiles Before Sessions: 5-minute profile review before a shoot makes you look organized and attentive to client needs.

Tag Strategically: Use tags for filtering and action, not just categorization. If a tag doesn't help you do something, you don't need it.

Update Contact Info Regularly: Verify email, phone, and address whenever a client books again. Don't send invoices to old addresses!

Respect Privacy: Only collect information you actually need. Don't be creepy or invasive. Use data appropriately.

Never Delete (Unless Required): Historical data is valuable for understanding your business. Mark things inactive instead of deleting.

  • Client Communication - Learn how to track and manage all client communications
  • Repeat Clients - Strategies for turning one-time clients into long-term relationships
  • Client Privacy - Understand your legal obligations for protecting client data
  • Managing Jobs - See how client profiles integrate with job management

Questions? Look for the help links throughout ShootPath, or use the support widget if you need assistance!