The
Alisandra Photography Blog

I promised something earlier this year. When I blogged to enter a competition to win a seat at a workshop, I promised that I would use the money I’d save to put toward my “client experience.”

Before I continue, I’d like to say something about that phrase. Because when I mention it to people who aren’t in the photography industry, they kind of tilt their head and say, “What do you mean?” When you hire a wedding photographer, you’re hiring a person who is spending 8+ hours with you on the most important day of your life. Not only are we providing you with a product that is tangible and lasting, but we’re also providing a service. And service and experience go hand in hand. If you have ever had bad service, you’re making that distinction based on your experience.

As a wedding photographer, I am always analyzing my systems to see where I can better my client experience – whether it’s answering emails quickly, showing up early, or delivering images before expected… or in this case, a small surprise as thank you for each of my clients.

At the end of that blog post earlier this year, I promised to improve my client experience. And I chose to do so with a small gift. I knew that after spending a nice percentage of my wedding budget on photography, I’d be stoked to received an unexpected [and free] gift. So, I went for a beautiful Pottery Barn frame. I nearly bought them out of small square frames. White, Black, Wood. Enough to send one to each one of my 2012 clients. Included is a worksheet showing how they could make a gallery wall or shelf using similar frames of different sizes. I’m such a fan of Pottery Barn, especially their quality and style [and also the ability to duplicate their style with less expensive options], so I really was excited to sent these out.

I included a wedding photo from the couple’s wedding in the frame. Although I could have just gifted the frame, I wanted them to recieve their images AND not have to wait to put a wedding photo up in their house. So, I’m excited to continue the tradition with more “experience improvements” in 2013!