What does the average company do when times are tough? They tighten their belts, take away marketing campaigns, and delete services that cost money. They try and get by spending as little as possible, while still trying to bring in clients that will pay a ton of money.

And because many companies are running their businesses this way now, it’s almost become the norm to accept poor or low quality service. So why not change that around and give your clients something that makes them say “WOW”.

That’s the difference between a solo professional photographer and a franchise or a big box location. When you are on your own, you can do whatever it takes to bring in the best clients, and make them happy for life. The true value of a client can be worth thousands of dollars to you.  So why not invest some of that money back into your client to make sure they are happy?

1. Start with making your product exceptional. Look at how your photographs leave your studio. Are they loose prints, or do you mount every image on matboard or foam core? Do you put them into a plastic bag, or are they wrapped in paper and boxes with your colors and logos? Think about the difference between buying a shirt at Walmart, and buying a shirt at Nordstoms. Walmart employees throw your purchase into a flimsy plastic bag. Nordstoms employees wrap your shirt in tissue, place it into a beautiful custom bag, and presents it to you buy coming around the counter to hand it to you. Think about the impression you are leaving.

2. How do you talk about your work? Do you shoot pictures, or do you capture original imagery? People value things more when there is more value associated with it. And because you can change an opinion just by the way you talk, you should definitely start with your presentations. I once had a photography mentor who put on white gloves to handle all of his work in front of clients. Necessary? Probably not. But it definitely left an impression with his clients – and they valued his work all the more.

3. Always give the surprises. When a client comes in to pick up their finished product, give them more than what they expect. If they buy a box of 8 notecards from you, include 8 stamps in the box so mailing is easier. If they pick up a large portrait in a frame, include a small hanging kit, including nails, hammer and a level. While the little extras don’t cost a lot more, they really leave an impact on your clients. [Read more...]