Are You Creating an Experience for Your Clients?

Intro by Skip Cohen

At Marathon's MAP Getaway a summer or two ago, I got to hear Beverly and Tim Walden talk about their portrait business. One of the things I loved was the way they work to create an experience for every client. They're NOT selling photographs, but family heirlooms,  clients aren't coming in for a sitting, but an experience.

In my "Tuesday Tidbits" email yesterday from Walden Coaching, I received the post below. Beverly does an outstanding job of planting a seed that should take root with each one of you.

Regardless of whether or not you have a formal studio, her point is all about enhancing the experience. Remember too - 98% of the purchase decisions to hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social specialties are made by women!  So for any of you who might think her suggestions below are a little over the top - it's time to pay attention to the demographics of your target audience.

From enhancing the in-studio experience to professional packaging, I love the way Beverly has given you some very specific ideas. You're the only one who can elevate the value of your presentations, both in your packaging and in the experience each client has when working with you!

A big thanks to Beverly for allowing me to share her post this morning. There's so much you can do to raise the bar on your relationships with your clients, and holiday time might well be the easiest to enhance!

​To find out more about Walden Coaching, just click on any image below.

With only a few days left before December rolls around, I thought I would share some seasonal, fun ideas to get you in the spirit of Christmas.

We love to pamper our clients and one of the best (and most fun) things we do is to elevate our everyday coffee center by adding some extra goodies. We purchase holiday flavored coffee, hot chocolate and Christmas themed tea (such as Chai) Keurig pods and stock our area with those. To add to that, we put cinnamon and nutmeg in sprinkle jars along with little marshmallows to add to hot chocolate.
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Other ideas to add to your coffee/tea/hot cocoa bar:

*Peppermint sticks
*Rock candy stir sticks
*White chocolate chips
*Chocolate chips both milk and dark
*Caramels
*Flavored syrups that don't need refrigeration 

*Pretty disposable spoons that look like silver
*Christmas napkins (Home Goods has lowest prices I have found)

*Individually packaged cookies (we use Biscoff)

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I love, love, love RIBBON, especially double sided satin ribbon that is wide and "sumptuous." I use ribbon on orders we are delivering, whether a wall portrait or on a box. If you can't tie a nice bow, with wide ribbon, you can tie a knot and leave a little hanging down and it's really pretty as well.
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I always order several colors that I can mix and match with our boxes and bags. The typical ribbon color combo is black (our box color), gold and brown. We have tissue paper that is black, brown and gold stripe. Our boxes are all black and our bags are clear so that the tissue adds the color. A sticker adds the finishing touch.

At Christmas, I tie red ribbon on the black boxes and use our special Christmas tags I design each year on the boxes and as hang tags on the bags.

As an extra sweet treat, I put Hershey's Kisses into a sheer black organza bag and hang it from the handle of the delivery bag. Who doesn't like a treat now and then? Above, you see silver kisses on the bag, but at Christmas, I like to use the red and green foilded kisses to add a festive touch.

I hope I have inspired you and given you some new ideas to use this year! I included links to the vendors we use in case you need them.

Have a wonderful week:-)  Bev

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