CWE Editor Resources

Welcome!

This page is a resource for members of the Cinnamon Wolfe editing team!

email templates

Here are some “templates” for you to look at for reference. Remember, these are a starting point and samples, not necessarily meant to be used verbatim. I always find that writing in your own voice/style is beneficial even if the words are “perfect”. Read these to understand the points I’m trying to get across and how I’m trying to get it across.

So much about successful client communication is being yourself, being kind, being firm and being direct. Skirting around issues and hemming and hawing isn’t going to get you anywhere. In our dealings with clients, they aren’t necessarily always “right” and a lot of times (even though we are working FOR them) we might know way more about (whatever the issue is) than they do.

My goal and mindset is to really try not to be afraid of a client or afraid that they might no longer use our services. But I also never want to be short, rude or unkind either. Communicating in email can sometimes come off that way b/c it is difficult to communicate empathy and emotion this way, so it is a fine balance.

So take the below, learn from them and then use your own voice and style to craft your emails. If you ever want me to look at an email first before you send, that is always fine too!

Welcome email when you first receive a client

Hey there ______! I’m ______ and I’m your new editor! I wanted to introduce myself and make sure you have my contact information. I’m really excited to be working with you this year and can’t wait to get started. A few weeks before the first item on your google sheet, I’d love to set up a call with you to talk through the process and make sure you feel comfortable with it as well as go over any editing preferences you might have.

I will follow up with you then and we can set something up. Until, then, let me know if you have any questions at all!
Thanks so much,
___________

Feedback to client after done with gallery

Cinnamons notes on providing feedback: You will likely have to provide more and more detailed feedback to clients who are brand new. The longer you work with someone normally the less feedback you will have to provide with the exception of “difficult” clients.

If you have a client who seems to be unhappy or is providing YOU a lot of feedback after they receive a gallery, I would recommend continuing to provide detailed feedback for them on every gallery you complete. Clients definitely get in their own heads about things and sometimes we are the easiest to “blame”. Sometimes clients simply do not understand that HOW they are shooting and HOW they are prepping the gallery is preventing us from getting them a cohesive and consistent gallery back. This is where our feedback will help. The more we can point out the issues we are seeing in their gallery, the less easy it is for them to blame us for inconsistent work.

Our goal is to provide cohesive + consistent edits from top to bottom. Not to provide intricate editing on each individual image in a gallery. That is not our speciality! If they feel like the gallery is not consistent, it likely has to do with an error/issue on their part and it’s up to US to figure out what that issue is and tell them so that they can fix it!

Hello!! (catalog name) is done and ready for you in dropbox!

I loved this one so much because _______(I change this up from email to email obviously so it’ doesn’t become stale…but I do like to mention something positive about the gallery every time)

A couple of notes for you: (this is an extensive list of feedback examples. There are SO many scenarios that could occur that I can’t list all of them, but this is a good sample from some of the most common. Please read through all of them especially if you are going to give a client feedback!)

You’ll notice a few images marked red - those either had some eyes closed somewhere or were slightly OOF/soft. Just wanted to mark them for your review

I noticed the anchors on the 35 mm were slightly warmer than the anchors on the 85mm. I made images consistent by lens but you might see some differences in full capture time because of those differences in the anchors (show screenshot if it’s helpful.)

During reception there were lots of variations in color due to the DJ lights. I followed your anchors but there might be some that didn’t totally hit the mark simply because of how often the lights were changing. Let me know your preferences for that in the future.

Catalogs still coming in?

Hey there ______! I was reviewing the calendar and it looks like there are a few catalogs of yours on the schedule that haven’t come in yet. Just wanted to check in on those and get a status update! Here are the specific ones I’m seeing: (list them out.)

Looks like these are past the 14 business days so don’t forget to fill out the Delayed Drop form when you drop them. (The link for that is in your dropbox folder so it’s easy to find!)

Let me know if you have any questions and talk soon!
_________

Delayed Drop form needed

Hey there! Looks like you dropped a catalog that was past the 14 business days but we haven’t yet received the Delayed Drop form. The catalog doesn’t count as dropped until we receive that form so make sure you fill it out with your selection on return time ASAP!

Thanks so much and talk soon,

____________

exact process from start to finish (video)

Below you will find a video walkthrough of the entire process from start to finish for completing a gallery and getting it back to the client.