Got back from WPPI conference and wanted to touch base with everyone.

One thing I noticed while there is that image is everything. That is what I talk about in this months article. How you look to your potential clients says everything about your business. I exchanged cards with a lot of people at the event and one thing I get a lot when people get my business card is that they say "wow great card". What a great first impression that is and it is so easy to do. That is really just the tip of the iceberg and I want to hear how you get attention.

How do you make a great first impression on your clients? How do you try to "wow" them?

Hi! Our business cards make a good first impression too! i love the expression on the people when they first get them. I am currently wanting to switch to even better looking ones. Also, our clients like how we hand them their photos. We put them in some nice black boxes and depending on what holiday we are in, we try to get ribbon that goes with that holiday or month to make a nice bow wrapped on the box. One more thing...when we first opened our studio we had a really crappy website....then we decided to upgrade....not really knowing it was going to make a difference....well a few months later, one of our customers told us that one of the reasons he chose to go with us is becuase we had a nice professional looking website. I guess it's little things like that which will give everyone a better image. I do have one question though.....we use to wear really nice uniforms to wear during business hours. It was black on black with our logos on the shirts....we have been reading in a lot of photog books to not do that because you don't want to be dressed better than your clients, but at the same time we want to make a good first impression....so we have switched to regular clothing...still nice but not too overdressed. My question is....is it a good idea? i'm not really sure how that is looked upon when a client walks in...I wonder if they think we are just too casual or too overdressed with uniforms. thanks for your help! blessings!
dalila

I don't know personally I feel like uniforms are a little too... well... uniformy. I think that feels too much like a franchise or something. I think you should be able to be yourself. I always preach that because it is so important. I do not tell my clients exactly what to wear in there photographs so I don't think a photographer should have to look a certain way.

that's true.

Re: "Overdressed"... Dress for the clients you WANT to have...not necessarily the clients you have now. You always want to present yourself looking your best as this shows your clients that you have respect for them. And that's a good start!

I also agree that uniforms give a chain store impression...not very personal.

Aloha!