How to get clients to do content shoots when they’re really busy

TL;DR:

• Give clients a clear shot list so they know what to expect.
• Start with easy content and build up to talking-to-camera or trend videos.
• Be their hype person – positive feedback goes a long way in building confidence.
• Work around their schedule by keeping shoots short and capturing content during things they’re already doing.
• Make approvals easy by using a simple workflow to get content reviewed and approved quickly.

Getting clients to make time for a content shoot can feel like trying to schedule a meeting with a celebrity.

They’re busy, their calendars are packed, and anytime you try to book time with them, it keeps getting pushed to next week, next month, or the mysterious land of we’ll get back to you.

But if you manage social media for clients (which we assume you do since you’re reading this blog), you know how important original content can be. You need fresh photos, videos, Reels, and Stories to keep their social presence active – and waiting around for the perfect window in your client’s schedule isn’t exactly a content strategy.

So, we asked our Facebook community of social media marketers: How do you get busy clients to actually make time for content shoots?

Here’s what they had to say, plus a few more ways to make content shoots easier for both you and your clients.

Why clients struggle to make time for content shoots

Before you start sending another “just checking in!” email, it’s worth figuring out what’s actually getting in the way.

For many clients, a content shoot sounds like a much bigger commitment than it needs to be.

They might be thinking:

• “I don’t have an hour to spare.”
• “I don’t know what I’m supposed to film.”
• “I’m not comfortable on camera.”
• “We have too much going on right now.”
• “What if I look awkward?”
• “I’ll let you know when things calm down.”

The solution isn’t to convince them that they’re wrong. It’s to remove as much of the work, uncertainty, and pressure as possible from their side.

1. Give your client a detailed plan before the shoot

One of the easiest ways to make a content shoot feel less intimidating is to eliminate the element of surprise.

Don’t just send your client a calendar invite that says “Content Shoot” and hope for the best.

Give them a detailed plan ahead of time so they know exactly what you’re going to capture.

Your plan could include:

• The types of content you want to create
• The specific videos or photos you want to capture
• Where each piece will be filmed
• Any products or props you’ll need
• Whether they’ll need to speak on camera
• Any trends or scripts you want to try
• Roughly how long each section will take

"Show them examples of people in their industry creating content… don’t show them extremely produced content show them the real people like them doing a great job telling their story well." – Ashley W., Marketing Owner/Co-Founder

Don’t give them a 10-page production brief (they’re already so busy this will stress them out more). Instead, try to send a simple shot list or a very short brief. 

Most importantly, give them a chance to review it beforehand.

If they know they’ll be asked to film a quick product demonstration, answer a customer FAQ, and grab some behind-the-scenes footage, they can mentally prepare for it.

2. Start with the easy stuff

If your client isn’t completely comfortable creating content, don’t kick off the shoot by putting them in front of the camera and asking them to deliver a 30-second Reel in one take.

Starting with low-pressure content gives your client a chance to get comfortable with the camera, the environment, and your direction. By the time you get to the more intimidating shots, they’ve already had a few wins.

"Starting with the easy, low-pressure content first and working our way up to the things that might feel more intimidating like talking to camera, a silly trend, etc. It helps build their confidence as we go." – Danielle D., Community Manager

Here are some ideas to start with:

• B-roll
• Product photos
• Them working
• Behind-the-scenes clips 

Once they’ve warmed up, move into the content that requires a little more confidence.

Maybe that means filming a short talking-to-camera clip next, followed by something more playful like a trend.

"Start them slow. Maybe it’s having them just do a voice over . . . maybe it’s just a static post." – Ashley W., Marketing Owner/Co-Founder

3. Be your client’s personal hype person

This one might sound a little silly, but positive feedback can completely change the energy of a content shoot.

Your client may feel awkward, self-conscious, or unsure of themselves on camera. If the only feedback they’re getting is “Okay, let’s do that again,” they’re probably going to get more nervous with every take.

Instead, be their hype person.

Tell them when something looks good. Celebrate a great take. Let them know when they’re getting more comfortable.

“Perfect!”

“That was SO good.”

“Okay, that one is definitely a Reel.”

“See? You’re a natural.”

It might feel cheesy at first, but confidence is contagious.

Your job during a content shoot isn’t just to capture good footage. It’s also to help your client feel like they can actually do this.

"LOTS of positive feedback. I basically become their personal hype person during content days. Make them feel like a star!"  – Danielle D., Community Manager

4. Stop asking for a “content shoot”

“Content shoot” can sound like a big production involving cameras, lighting, outfits, scripts, and hours of posing for Instagram.

Instead, frame the request around what you actually need from them.

Rather than: “Can we schedule a one-hour content shoot next week?”

Try: “Could we grab 20 minutes next Tuesday while you’re already at the office? I’ll bring a shot list so we can capture a few videos and photos for the next month of content.”

Now it doesn’t seem like you’re asking them to become a full-time content creator. You’re asking them to give you a small window of time to capture content while they’re already doing their job.

"For us, it's super easy: just hop on this Zoom, and I will ask you a few questions. If you want them to do anything, make the steps really easy; they should take less than 5 minutes and have no blockers." – Fatima. H.S., Government

5. Make the shoot as short as possible

If your client is genuinely busy, don’t start by asking for half a day.

A 15–30 minute content session can give you plenty to work with if you have a plan.

Before the shoot, identify exactly what you want to capture. For example:

• 3–5 short-form videos
• A few talking-head clips
• Behind-the-scenes footage
• Product or service demonstrations
• Photos for feed posts
• Photos for Stories
• B-roll you can reuse in future Reels

The goal is to get as much usable content as possible from a small amount of your client’s time.

And remember: you don’t need every piece of footage to become a finished post immediately. A few good clips can be repurposed across multiple pieces of content.

6. Build content capture into their existing schedule

One of the easiest ways to get busy clients to participate in content creation? Stop treating content creation as a separate event.

Look at what they’re already doing.

Is there a product launch coming up? Film it.

Are they hosting an event? Capture behind-the-scenes content.

Do they have a team meeting? Get a few workplace clips.

Are they visiting a client, opening a new location, attending a conference, or launching a new service?

Those moments can become content.

Instead of asking: “When can we schedule a content shoot?”

You can ask: “You’re already going to be at the new location on Thursday. Can I meet you there for 20 minutes and capture some footage while you’re there?”

7. Bring the shot list and the ideas

Never send a busy client a message that essentially says, “Okay, we’re filming! What do you want to do?”

That’s how a 20-minute shoot becomes a three-week delay.

Come prepared with a shot list that tells your client:

• What you want to capture
• Where you’ll film it
• What they need to say or do
• How long each shot should take
• Which social posts the footage will be used for

And share it with them before the shoot.

That way, your client can flag anything they’re uncomfortable with, gather anything you need, and show up knowing exactly what’s going to happen.

"Provide a full script (this should be obvious) but there’s more… have them change words out to make sure it naturally sounds like them so it’s more comfortable." – Ashley W., Marketing Owner/Co-Founder

The less thinking your client has to do, the easier it is for them to say yes.

8. Give them a few easy things to film themselves

Not every piece of content needs to come from a professionally planned shoot.

For clients who are constantly on the go, create a simple list of things they can capture on their phone whenever they have a spare minute.

For example:

• A quick video showing what they’re working on
• A behind-the-scenes clip
• A new product arriving
• A team member answering a common customer question
• A quick tour of their workspace
• A before-and-after
• A reaction to something happening in their industry

Make the instructions incredibly simple.

“Send us a 10-second vertical video of you unpacking the new product” is much easier to act on than “Please capture some behind-the-scenes content this week.”

"Get their entire team involved . A lot of the time The business isn’t best known by the boss it’s the front end staff. Empower them and educate them on how they can help." – Ashley W., Marketing Owner/Co-Founder

9. Create a recurring content day

If your client constantly puts off content shoots, try making them predictable.

Instead of starting from scratch every time you need new content, establish a recurring shoot day – once a month, every six weeks, or whatever makes sense for their business.

For example: The first Tuesday of every month = content capture day.

Once it becomes part of their regular schedule, you don’t have to negotiate a new date every time.

It also gives you a predictable content pipeline to work from.

And if your client knows you’ll be there every month, they can start planning around the shoot rather than trying to squeeze it into an already packed calendar.

10. Show them what the content will actually do

“Your Instagram needs more content” probably isn’t going to inspire anyone to clear their calendar.

Instead, connect the shoot to a business goal.

Explain what you’ll be able to do with the content you capture.

For example: “If we can get 30 minutes of footage next week, I can turn it into enough short-form content to cover the next few weeks of your social calendar.”

Or: “I’d love to capture a few videos answering your customers’ most common questions. We can turn those into Reels, Stories, and educational posts.”

11. Take the pressure off being “camera ready”

Some clients avoid content shoots because they hate being on camera.

If that sounds familiar, remind them that not every piece of content needs to be a polished talking-head video.

You can capture:

• Hands demonstrating a product
• Employees working
• Behind-the-scenes footage
• Product close-ups
• Workspace footage
• Voiceovers
• Screen recordings
• Customer interactions
• Photos without people looking directly at the camera

"Start them slow. Maybe it’s having them just do a voice over, maybe it’s just a static post."  – Ashley W., Marketing Owner/Co-Founder

And when you do need your client on camera, keep the expectations realistic.

They don’t need to nail a 60-second monologue in one take.

Give them short prompts, let them try again, and capture plenty of B-roll that you can use to make the final content feel more dynamic.

And remember that confidence tends to build throughout the shoot. That’s another reason to save the more intimidating content for later rather than making it the opening act.

12. Make scheduling ridiculously easy

If you’re asking a busy client to coordinate with you, don’t add another round of back-and-forth.

Instead of: “Let me know what times work for you.”

Give them options.

Try: “I can come by Tuesday between 10–11 a.m. or Thursday between 2–3 p.m. Which works better?”

Even better, find a recurring time that works for both of you and put it on the calendar.

13. Show them what happened last time

Sometimes the best way to get a client excited about another shoot is to show them what you did with the last one.

Share the posts, Reels, Stories, or campaigns that came from the footage.

You can say: “Remember the content we captured last month? Here are the six posts we created from that shoot. I’d love to do another quick session, so we have fresh footage for next month.”

Psst! You can make it easy to get the data you need by using HeyOrca reports. 

A simple content shoot workflow for busy clients

If you manage social media for multiple clients, having a repeatable process can make content shoots much easier to manage.

Try this:

1. Review upcoming campaigns, promotions, events, and content gaps.

2. Send your client a detailed shot list so they know exactly what to expect.

3. Give them a couple of specific time options.

4. Start with easy, low-pressure content before moving into more intimidating shots.

5. Give lots of positive feedback and help your client build confidence throughout the shoot.

6. Keep the shoot focused and make the most of their time.

7. Store the footage somewhere your team can easily access it.

8. Turn the footage into multiple posts, Reels, Stories, and other social content.

9. Show the client what you created from their content.

10. Repeat.

What to say when a client keeps putting off a content shoot

If you’ve asked a few times and your client still hasn’t committed, try taking the pressure off.

Instead of another: “Just following up on the content shoot!”

Try something like: “I know things are busy right now, so let’s make this as easy as possible. I only need 20 minutes, and I’ll handle the shot list and filming plan. I have Tuesday at 10 a.m. or Thursday at 2 p.m. available – would either work for you?

How to make content easier to approve

Getting your client to show up for a content shoot is only half the battle. Now that you’ve captured all that great footage, you still need to turn it into social posts, send them to your client, and get their approval.

And if your client is already juggling a packed schedule, you don’t want the approval process to become another bottleneck.

This is where having a simple content workflow can make a big difference. Once you’ve turned your shoot footage into posts, you can organize everything in HeyOrca and send it to your client for approval. Clients can review their content without needing to log in, so they can quickly approve posts or leave feedback without adding another platform to their to-do list.

Summary

Busy clients don’t need to become full-time content creators. Your job is to make the process simple, comfortable, and worth their time.

Plan ahead, start with easy wins, build their confidence, and make the most of every minute you get with them. Then keep the process moving with an easy workflow for creating, approving, and publishing their content.