The portrait below is of Tanya Memme and her beautiful daughter Ava.
I first met Tanya when she came to my studio for model portfolio photos when she was only 15 years old. She came back for several sessions and she started to compete in pageants. She won the Miss Niagara crown and went on to become Miss Canada and represented her country in the Miss Universe pageant. She continued modelling and eventually moved to Los Angeles to seek a career in show business.
She became the co host of Sell This House and Sell This House Extreme on the A&E network. She has made appearances on the television programs JAG, Melrose Place, The Practice, Robotica and CSI: Miami. Tanya has most recently been seen on Home & Family on the Hallmark Channel.
Tanya has been photographed endlessly by some fantastic talent in and around LA and yet when she comes back to visit family in Niagara I am often called to schedule a photo session with family.
I attribute this to creating a valuable relationship and providing a quality client experience each and every time we meet.
The session above was part of a session she scheduled to capture images of her and her daughter as well as a four generation portrait. That portrait of Tanya with Ava and her mom and grandmother has become a valuable part of her family legacy.
I am a strong advocate for the photography itself. I believe in creating beautiful imagery for my clients. I also think that creating a high quality image without matching that with a high quality client experience would reduce my value. It is so important to make the entire portrait session; from initial planning through the sales session, easy and enjoyable. By anticipating questions and possible pain points and solving them in advance, I can guide my clients through a seamless journey that satisfies on every level.
For me it is extremely rewarding to know that a media celebrity like Tanya, values my photography and client experience enough to make a point of calling me often for updated portraits when she visits her family back home. That is especially nice when I know she has been photographed so often for her career.
I try to bring that experience to every single client who contacts me. Let me be clear, it is hard to keep that up consistently! It helps immensely to have a system in place for client experience. Having a workflow with reminders of when to send out emails for clothing suggestions, or supplying a timeline of expectations can simplify the process of keeping your clients educated and informed. Providing delight and surprise along the journey just solidifies the reason you were hired in the first place.
It’s not enough to meet expectations if you want clients for life. Satisfactory service does not create loyalty. Going the extra mile each and every time, will enable you to enjoy loyal clients and referrals that allow for a sustainable business career.
