Let me start this post with some 100% real talk:
If you do not offer an exceptional client experience, your business will fail. It’s that simple.
This may sound harsh, but it’s the truth!
Your clients are the SOLE reason why your business works, and if you aren’t taking care of them from start to finish, your business will slowly decrease and one day you’ll wake up and wonder… what in the world happened?! But I’m not going to let that happen to you! I’m here to give you simple, tangible advice on how to kiss ASS at client experience.
It’s all about the client
The first thing you need to understand is how incredibly important your clients are. Without them, you wouldn’t be here! And in order to truly rock your client experience, you need to get real with yourself and understand that first and foremost, your business is for them. Your sessions, your time with your clients families, your weddings, your senior sessions, your coffee dates, your initial meetings – it’s ALL for them. The sooner you can grasp this, the better. I always like to ask myself, would I be happy with my service? That question usually sets the bar for where my standards are, what needs improvement, and what I’m acing!
Get to know your clients before their shoot
It’s so important for you to get to know your clients before they come in. Having your photos taken is scary for a lot of people, especially if this is your clients’ first time in front of the camera in years! Getting to know them not only relieves the stress and anxiety they may be feeling, but it will also elevate your ability to capture them and get rid of any pre-shoot jitters you might be feeling. If you don’t have the opportunity to meet them in person beforehand, send out a questionnaire for them to fill out to better understand them! Include questions like, what does a weekend look like for you? If you have a family night, what are you guys doing? What makes your children giggle? Are there any songs that your children love to dance to? Simple questions like these can make ALL the difference when establishing a deeper connection with your clients that will put them at ease before their shoot.
Answer all of their questions before they even ask
A great way to do this is to send out guides or brochures within your first few points of contact with a new client. Give them all the goods so they know exactly what to expect, what to wear, pricing/packages info, tips and tricks, what happens after their session etc. Not only will this set you apart from others in the industry, but it will eliminate any confusion about your sessions and process.
Take care of your clients
It’s that simple: take care of your clients! Answer their emails promptly, meet them if they want to meet, check in on them if you book them well in advance, reach out after their session to see how they are doing, send them thank-you cards, make them feel like royalty.
Even if someone doesn’t book with you, wish them all the love in the world and end your correspondence with encouragement and love. 60% of my business comes from referrals. 60%! That’s a huge percentage! If you understand just how important your sweet clients are to you, all of these tips are no-brainers. Just love them, friends. And treat them well.
