If you ever encounter a client with misguided expectations, or a client wondering why you offer what you do, here are four magic words. These four words make all the difference in helping create and manage expectations for your clients. “Most of my clients…” and then whatever it is that you want them to do. Here
Archives for 2012
Meeting Client Expectations You Didn’t Know Existed: Part 1
Most small businesses realize the importance of meeting and exceeding client expectations. But when we strive to do this, it’s based on the expectation that we, as a business, have established. How do you react to clients who have expectations that you weren’t aware of, or expectations that seem unreasonable? Where do clients get these
Components of a Successful Instagram Strategy
Eighty million users can’t be wrong. And smart marketers can’t ignore a platform that brings millions of eyes to brands, products and services. Instagram is a mobile marketplace that uses images to build relationships and catalyze conversations that can impact consumer loyalty. Since launching in October 2010, over 4 billion photos have been shared, making Instagram the
Big Lights: One Solution to a Midday Wedding
It’s the middle of the summer, you get your questionnaire back from your couple and it reads, “Ceremony 11:30-12, cocktail hour and group photos of our 16-person bridal party from 12-1.” Panic. Or at least that’s how I felt when I first saw this message a few years ago. Then, I started praying for clouds
Wedding Day Problems: How to Troubleshoot Them!
When I started second shooting at weddings, one thing became incredibly apparent. The well thought-out, fine-tuned, photography timeline often went south. The shooting environments, which could have been ideal, were often impossible to utilize for a variety of reasons. And I discovered that detailed consultations with the bride prior to the wedding were often not
The Best Thing I Ever Learned
Sometimes the best lessons are simple, one-sentence thoughts that often seem trivial at the time but turn out to be monumental. I came across one some eight years ago; it forever changed not only my photography but also my business. I was a student at the Foundation Workshop (FW2), an annual workshop held in Texas that
Splurging : Convincing Clients That You’re Worth It
Why do we go to Starbucks when we could get the same coffee for $3 cheaper at 7Eleven? Some would say it’s because it’s BETTER coffee while others would argue that the coffee is the same, you’re just paying for the brand and the experience. It’s true, I feel sophisticated, modern and important in Starbucks
The Power of Photography: It’s Not About The Pictures!
Gasp! Did I really just say that? Yes, yes I did. Why, you ask? Because a couple of weeks ago I was personally reminded where the power of photography truly lies. The power of photography is not in the pictures; it’s in the time you give your clients to spend together. It’s about giving them
The Most Valuable Skill a Mentor Can Teach You
A few months back, Drake (@drake) tweeted: The first million is the hardest. Moments later, T.Boone Pickens (@boonepickens) replied with: The first billion is a helluva lot harder. To which draked responded: @boonepickens just stunted on me heavy. This recent event reminds me of a classic quote: “A mentor is someone whose hindsight can become
Backup Strategies: Cover Your Ass!
A few weeks back, Amazon’s web services had a major outage in their Virginia data center that took down some of the web’s heavyweights like Netflix and Instagram. People took to social media with pitchforks in hand immediately denouncing The Cloud and its ability to keep your data safe. One such pitchfork welding photographer stated