8 Gratitude Ideas for Every Business Owner

As we move into the holiday season and start looking forward to Thanksgiving in just a few days, now is the perfect opportunity for us to pause and reflect on the businesses we run and the relationships we are building.  Today on the blog we’re talking all about showing GRATITUDE in your business.

You have the best job in the world.  Seriously now, think about it for a second…  

You have been so lucky to work with all of these amazing families this year.  They have invited you into their lives, handed you their babies — their most precious gifts, and asked you to capture their story in a way that only you know how.  You have fostered relationships with these people who are not just clients, but now your friends.  You have so much to be thankful for!  Have you slowed down to acknowledge that this year?

Today I want to share a few ways that you can show gratitude in your business every single day.  These are small steps that you can implement, but that will have a big impact on how you perceive your business, how you perceive the work you are doing, and how your clients perceive the experience they are receiving from you. 

In the end, the most important thing is that they feel valued and appreciated.  Here are a few tips to make that happen!

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Never underestimate the power of a thank you.

I was raised on handwritten thank you notes, and I am so glad that it’s something I have continued doing all these years.  Everyone loves receiving mail, and it’s so much nicer to open a beautiful notecard with someone’s heartfelt note scrawled inside than it is to open a stiff, typed form letter.  

Build it into your work flow to send every client a handwritten thank you note.  This can be after they sign their contract and book their session with you, letting them know how excited you are to work with them in a few weeks.  Or it can be included with their print order, thanking them for such a wonderful experience and telling them how much you hope they enjoy their new artwork. 

Buy thank you cards that match your branding, or get them printed in bulk through your lab.  Use a nice pen, and your very best penmanship.  But most importantly, put your heart into it and send them a meaningful note.

Surprise your clients with a gift.

Whether you’re giving a new mom flowers at her newborn session, bringing a swaddle to the hospital for their Fresh 48 session, gifting them a mounted print at their gallery reveal appointment, or getting little onesies made for all of the babies your work with, do something to make your clients go, “WOW!” 

These are small gestures that don't cost much, and you can build the cost into your session fee.  Show them that you’re thinking of them.  Show them that they matter to you and that you appreciate them inviting you into their lives for this photo shoot.  

Show your clients that you’re listening, and that you value them & their story.

If they mention what they do for work, where their favorite vacation spot is, or that this is the first granddaughter in their family in 26 years — remember that!  Bring these connection points up in conversation when you’re with your clients and show them that you care about their family and their story.  Mention small details in their blog post or social media posts, and they’ll be surprised that you remembered something that they only mentioned in passing.  When you show them that you're listening, you're showing them that you appreciate them choosing you as their family photographer.

Comment on their social media posts.

If your client reposts your images, leave a nice comment about what a great experience you had working with them!  Become friends on Facebook or Instagram, and interact with their day to day posts.  You’ll stay at the front of their mind, and they’ll feel like you’ve become a small part of their lives and that they matter to you — they weren’t just another customer or another paycheck to you.

Thank your referred clients, and the ones that referred them!

When you give your clients an amazing experience, they will want to tell their friends.  Implement some type of referral program with rewards.  Surprise them with a little thank you gift when they send someone your way -- a print from a recent session, product credit, or a mini session at the studio are all just a few ideas of ways that you can thank them when their friend books with you!  Never take word of mouth marketing for granted, and always show appreciation that they are helping your small business grow.
 

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There are many facets to being a business owner.  One of them is, of course, how you present yourself to your clients and your potential clients.  Another is how you present yourself to your peers. 

Just as you take care to put your best foot forward with the clients that are paying your bills, make sure that you’re also putting just as much effort into the relationships you’re building with your peers in the photography industry.  Remember that they are just that — PEERS.  Not competition, not enemies.  We’re a community and we’re here to help each other and build each other up.  Here are a few ways to show gratitude in this other side of your business.

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Respond to messages & questions from other photographers.

Everyone has to start somewhere, and we all have questions.  If someone reaches out to you in an email or with a comment on social media, don’t leave them hanging!  Take a moment to send them a quick reply and answer whatever it is they’re asking. 

I have made wonderful connections all across the country (and even around the world!), and I am so grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to “meet” these amazing business owners all because one of us asked the other one a question.  This truly fosters a sense of community, and soon you’ll see that you’re all helping each other out and sharing each other’s names and business pages in groups where people are asking questions, looking for a photographer, or needing inspiration for a session.  We all have something to offer — what will YOU offer to others this season?
 

Be active in the photography groups online!

Don’t be a lurker!  You have something to share with others, so get out there and help them!  Start commenting on posts and asking questions.  Share your tips, images, positive CC, and inspiration online.  We all learn from each other, and we all have so much to give to help others. 

Just remember one rule that applies to all groups — if you want CC, ask for it and humbly accept whatever advice you get.  And if someone didn’t ask for CC, don’t be the one that gives unsolicited and unwelcome advice!
 

Choose positivity.

Embrace a positive mindset in all areas of your business. This is one of the best ways for you to be thankful for what you have, and for what you have achieved.  

So you don’t have the fanciest equipment or the biggest studio?  That’s okay — make it work with what you’ve got!  You can still create beautiful images that reflect your unique style.  

Maybe you aren’t booking as many sessions as you’d like just yet?  Take this extra time to love on the clients that you do have, giving them an unparalleled experience and paying extra attention to them.  It will pay off in the end when they can’t stop talking about you to all of their friends!

Swamped in work with the busy season?  Just slow down and appreciate how far you’ve come, and how amazing it is that so many families are trusting you to capture these moments for them right now.  This busy season will pass soon enough.

Is the slow season looming ahead this winter and completely freaking you out?  Running a business is cyclical — there are seasons when you’re so busy you can’t even catch your breath, and then in between there are moments of rest.  Take this time to work ON your business rather than work IN your business.  Revamp your website, update your workflow, create email templates, design a welcome guide, create new props or backdrops, start a newsletter, or catch up on your blog posts.  Be grateful for the extra time to focus on the things in your business that always get pushed to the back burner when you’re busy.  Embrace the slow season!

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In this season of gratitude & reflection, be thankful. 

Show others that you value them and appreciate them. 

Be grateful for what you have achieved, and for the lofty goals you're setting for yourself to achieve next year. 

Be positive in all areas, and make an effort to focus on connection & interaction rather than just automation and workflow.  
 

In the comments, share a little bit of your heart!
What are YOU thankful for in your business????

A Pastel Cake Smash at our Massachusetts Studio - Boston Cake Smash Photographer

Mia's pastel cake smash at our Attleboro studio was the perfect way to celebrate this sweet girl's first birthday!  

We brought in all of the whimsical elements with twinkle lights, a sparkly dress, a handpainted backdrop, and a "unicorn swirl" cake -- what a fun name for those colorful swirls, right?

Mia brought the adorable expressions and so much excitement!  Seriously, how cute is she?!?!

Some babies don't love getting their fingers all messy, and a spoon makes all the difference!  Mia wanted two spoons, and before we knew it she was digging in and making a great big mess with her chocolate cake.

Her big brother Tai wanted to join in, and he did such a great job showing her how to eat her cake instead of just swirling it around.  Tai was a HUGE fan of the cake, and kept coming back for more!

Two miles from the studio is a beautiful park with so many options for family portraits.  I love going here at the beginning of our cake smash sessions to start with family portraits, giving the kids space to run and explore while warming up to the idea of having a photographer take their portraits.

We found a cozy little spot underneath a low-hanging tree, and the dappled sunlight against the leaves was the perfect backdrop for this sweet family.

Before our session Tai's mom told me multiple times that he really doesn't like having his picture taken, and that we'd be lucky if we got one good image of him.  So many parents worry about this, and it is a completely normal concern to have before your session.  BUT, my goal is to make everyone feel comfortable and capture your true selves together.

With room to play, lots of tickles, and some silly games, this sweet boy warmed right up and showed us his playful personality!  We captured so many beautiful laughs and giggles, and I just love how animated he was during the family portraits!

SUPERMAN!

Did you love this playful session?  Check out some more fun family sessions here!
 

Salt Air Sessions: Cape Cod Family Photographer

Memorial Day Weekend always signals the start of summer -- longer days, warmer weather, ice cream trucks, sprinklers, and counting down the days until summer vacation!

Looking ahead at the calendar, I am already planning a few weeks spent enjoying the lazy days of summer on Cape Cod.  This year I am excited to offer exclusive dates for our Salt Air Sessions filled with lots of seaside memories.

There are so many gorgeous beaches on the Cape -- let's make some memories together at your favorite beach!  These are perfect for milestone portraits, first birthdays, immediate family, grandparents, or extended family.  

If you don't have a beach in mind, leave it up to me!  I've been enjoying summers on the Cape for more than 20 years and have so many favorite locations that would be perfect for a fun & playful session with your family.

Your salt air session will include a pre-consultation, a one-hour session at the beach, a sneak peek on social media, and a gallery reveal appointment where we will go through all of the images from your session to create artwork for your home!  Your session will also include two 8x10 fine art prints!

Dates are filling up quickly!  At the time this post was published, these are the remaining dates for our salt air sessions this summer:
June 20, 21
July 26, 27, 28
August 8, 9, 10, 11

Ready to plan your family portrait session?  Let's chat!  These will fill up on a first come, first serve basis, and I'd love to save a date for your family.

**All beach sessions begin at 7pm to catch that perfect golden sunset, and it is best that you reserve two evenings in a row so that we have a rain date available in case the weather does not cooperate.**
 

What to Wear for Your Family Portrait Session this Spring

Do you have a portrait session coming up this spring or summer, and you're wondering what to wear?  OR, have you been putting off a portrait session because you're worried you'll never find matching outfits for everybody?  

Stop worrying, and let me help you!

Long gone are the days of matchy-matchy outfits -- come on, you know what I'm talking about!  White button down shirts and blue jeans on every member of the family, or black tops and khaki pants on every single person.  That style is incredibly dated, and it's no fun at all!  That's not how you normally dress in real life, so why should that be how you dress in your portraits?

When we plan a custom portrait session together, I want to create images for you that reflect who you truly are.  I want to show your personality, your unique style, and to give you artwork that will complement your home decor so that you can proudly hang your favorite memories over the sofa or in your hallway.  I want your portraits will blend in seamlessly and complement your space & your decor.  

This post is filled with ideas on what to wear, and you can find many more looks including easy ways to shop what you see in the images over on our Pinterest board.     Looking for even more ideas, along with some photo inspiration?  Check out this blog post from 2015 to see perfectly styled sessions with some of my favorite clients!

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Choose 2-3 colors, including a neutral color, and use a little bit of it in everybody's outfit!  Here we're selecting from shades of blue and gray to coordinate everyone's clothing.

Keep your fabrics similar!  If mom is wearing a linen sundress, then you don't want dad to be in a sweater and heavy jeans!  Actually, have you noticed that none of these inspiration boards include jeans?  Fitted dress pants look great on dads, and they definitely give your portraits a much dressier, classier look!  Try shaking things up with a look that's a little bit different from your everyday jeans, and you might just love it!  Layers also look amazing in portraits -- a vest on your son will be so adorable over a button down or a T-shirt!

While I don't recommend everyone wearing solid white, it's a nice addition to any wardrobe compilation!  Here the texture on the dress keeps it interesting, as does the pattern on the little sister's leggings.  Play with patterns and texture to give your wardrobe more personality -- the more you have, the more you will love your images!

Think of the location we're going to be shooting in, and also think of your complexion & hair color.  Choose a color palette that flatters you and that you feel comfortable and confident in.  Blush and cream doesn't suit everyone, and some women look stunning in vibrant jewel tone colors!  Go with what works for you, and let me know how I can help you pull all of the outfits together!

Be daring!  Have a little fun with patterns.  Spring is the perfect time to incorporate floral patterns into your outfits for a family portrait session, and there's nothing I love more than seeing a mom completely rocking it in her floral print dress.  If you love it, wear it!  Then choose a few colors from that design and base the other family members' outfits on those colors to coordinate.  Below, we chose the coral, gray, and white from the dress to use in everyone else's outfits.

Last but not least, if we're going to be shooting outside anywhere other than the beach, don't forget the shoes!  Your perfectly styled outfit will look just a little bit "off" when your son's everyday-wear fluorescent green light-up sneakers are paired with his gray & blue vested outfit.  Simple, neutral shoes are best to protect your feet during the session, but be sure everyone tries their shoes on and wears them around for at least 1-2 hours before the day of your session to ensure that they fit comfortably.

After all of that beautiful inspiration, are you ready to book your family portrait session?  We're now booking for the spring and summer, and I would love to capture some gorgeous memories for your family -- perfectly styled, of course!