10 Steps To Delivering The Best Customer Service To Your Clients

What does the term “customer service” mean to you?

According to Wikipedia, the definition is:

The provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.

That definition is key to understanding why some photography studios are busy, and others aren’t. The difference is in their understanding of what customer service truly is, and how often and when they connect with their loyal customers throughout their business life.

Customer service isn’t just how you handle the customer in a face-to-face conversation. Customer service extends to every point of contact you have with a person, from when they first notice you, until the moment you shut your doors and close down your business.

If you want to move ahead of your competition, make sure you have these 10 steps in place.

1. Have multiple ways to connect with potential customers.

And more importantly, check each source on a regular basis. In today’s world, people can connect with us via phone, email, text, Facebook and Twitter. And that just scratches the surface. While it is important to have multiple ways for a potential customer to connect with you, its even more important that you check each communication source regularly so you can answer questions immediately.

2. Use technology wisely.

If someone leaves you a voice message, let them know what to expect in return. If they send an email, send out an autoresponder message with the details. No matter what tools you use, you have a way of further connecting with your prospects and customers. Use it wisely.

For example, it’s easy to set up different forms and email addresses for different parts of your business. If you have a wedding page, when people fill out the form inquiring about your wedding services, use an autoresponder back to explain your services in more detail, and let them know you’ll be in contact in the next 24 hours to discuss their plans. Easy to do – and puts you one step up on the ladder of professionalism.

3. Show up on time for appointments.

It doesn’t matter how you connect with your prospects and clients, being on time sets the stage for future business. If you set up a phone call, make sure you dial their number on time. If you’re meeting in a coffee shop, be there a few minutes early so you can pick the perfect table, and have your laptop and other materials set up and ready to go. And if you are there for the shoot, be ready to go, camera and ideas in hand at the exact timeframe you selected. [Read more…]

Are You Taking Care Of Your Number One Client?

Who is your number one client?

Is it the person that has purchased your biggest package this year?

Is it the person that has spent the most with you overall throughout your business life?

Or is it the person that has referred the most clients to you over the years?

While you can argue that they all have the potential of being your number one client, one thing is for sure. You probably treat each of them extra special, spend a little more time with them, spend a little more time on their production work, and maybe even send a gift or two along the way.

Dig Deeper: How To Be Unique

Now let me ask you another question.

What if you spent the same amount of time, care and dedication on your own business, and treated it like it was by far your number one client? What would happen?

Something interesting happens when you start looking at your own business through different eyes. Yes, it’s important to spend time on clients, especially the great ones, and dedicate your energy towards them. But if your energy is gone at the end of the day, and you consistently think, “I’ll create my plan, my goals, or review my direction tomorrow” because you’re too tired, when will it truly happen? [Read more…]

7 Ways To Handle The Negative From Prospects and Clients

If you own a business, you have to deal with the positives and the negatives.

While most of your clients will love what you do, there will be the occasional client that hates everything, and you just can’t please, no matter what. Likewise you’ll get a ton of positive energy and great feedback online and on your social sites. Yet occasionally the negative will pop in there. What do you do? How do you handle the negatives?

1. Change your mindset. The minute you listen to or read a negative comment, you start to feel rattled, and quickly grow from upset to angry. How could this person feel this way? Ultimately it’s a reflection on you, and in many cases it just doesn’t sit well. Take a step back and breathe. Calm yourself down before you act or speak, and look at it through different eyes. Could what they are saying in any way be true? Then approach it in a positive way, and look for a way to re-explain yourself or provide new information.

2. Think first, act second. The easiest way to get into trouble online is to react immediately. We’ve all seen the responses to a negative comment on Facebook or Twitter escalate to where its being retweeted tens of thousands of times. The bantering goes back and forth until it literally goes viral, hurting the business owner much more than if he would have left the original comment alone. The problem stems from quick reaction. Take a step back and count to 10. Go out to lunch. Take a walk around the park. Calm down and think about the negativity. Only after you’ve had time away should you consider responding. And even then, think twice. – See Social Media – Your Best Friend or Your Worst Enemy?

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The Value Of Your Photography

Who’s value system are you selling by?

One of the biggest reasons photographers fail at business is because they never learn the golden rule of a photography business.

Price it at its true value.

I’ve heard all kinds of excuses.

“Money isn’t important; I just love to shoot.”

“I pay $xx for an 8×10, how can I charge my client THAT much?”

“I hate sales.”
You probably have said something similar along the way.

Last night I was watching a travel show on Tokyo. One of the highlights was on the new malls being built throughout the city. They showcased a variety of products being sold to consumers, including fruit picked at the peak of perfection – and being sold for hundreds of U.S. dollars. A cantaloupe with perfect skin with zero flaws or marks, and just the right amount of sugar density was on display – and of course could be yours for several hundred dollars. Really?
[Read more…]

60 Seconds On The Future Of Marketing

I signed up today for a virtual conference on the Future of Marketing. This conference will take place on November 16th, and if you sign up, you’ll receive the MP3 and transcript, and learn what 60 great marketing giants have to say on where marketing is heading.

So it got me to thinking about how I would answer that same question, and since its blogging versus talking, what would I say in 60 words or less? Here we go:

Marketing is no longer about selling to your clients. It’s about engaging your clients. Instead of force-feeding messages, we’ll control the streams of media, and ask our customers for opinions. It’s all about great communication. Listen to what they have to say. Spark a common interest. Let them talk. Respond by providing them with the items they want the most.

How would you respond to the same question? What is your take on the future of marketing? Comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

8 Ways To Cover Up Your Mistakes

Have you ever been working with a clients files, and had a sinking feeling in your wedding photographystomach? Maybe you were having a bad day, and the quality just isn’t there. Or maybe you had the wrong settings, and there’s no way you can recover the image and make it acceptable.

Whatever happened, what do you do? How can you make it up to the client? Consider these 8 strategies.

1. Admit your mistake. Sometimes hiding it is the worst thing you can do. Instead admit it up front, and continue on from there.

2. Ask what the client wants in return. I’ll admit it, once we made a pretty major mistake on a wedding early on. We messed up the entire cake/toast section, and didn’t have one image to place in the album. I was ready to give the client a ton. But instead we asked what she wanted. She simply chose a few pictures her guests had taken and we placed them in the album. She was happy. I was happy. And I learned to ask what they want before I impose my thoughts.

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The Pendulum Swing Of Photography

Think of how a pendulum works. It slowly swings back and forth. From one side to the next. It never stops, just swings from one point to the next, and always returns.

Business works in much the same manner. At some point you’ll have the best of times, with money flowing freely. And at some point you’ll have the worst of times, with financial crisis looming in the horizon. pendulum

Now let’s talk photography. At some point the photography industry is at the top of the heap, allowing photographers to charge whatever they want, making huge sums of money. And at some point photographers flood the marketplace, only being able to barely hang on.

I’ve seen them both. We were at the top of the heap during the 90’s, easily bringing in 5 figures per wedding client. It came easily. Friends referred friends, and every wedding we could make what some photographers are currently making in one year.

So will the pendulum ever swing back to the good times? You bet. And the clear winners will be:

1. The photographer who takes photography seriously, and becomes the best photographer she can.

2. The photographer that concerns herself with the business as well as the photography. If you can survive hard times, the good times will be easy.

3. The photographer that dotes on customer service. No matter what the economy, she gives her clients 110%.

4. The photographer that continues to mentor under the best in the business. If you’re not busy, take the time to study and become better.

5. The photographer that creates a marketing plan and sticks with it. The company that keeps marketing through thick and thin truly understands the power of marketing.

6. The photographer that comes up with something new – a new twist – and finds the clients willing to buy it.

7. The photographer that isn’t out for the quick buck, and caves into “what everyone else is doing”. The biggest statement I hear from photographers on why they charge one low fee and hand over the digital files – “everyone else is doing it”. That’s not how to get to the top. The way to the top is to give what no one else is giving.

8. The photographer that stays active in the community.

I know there are a ton more ideas – what are some of yours?

image source dougieladd