Graduation is just around the corner and every day that passes comes a new graduation party invitation!  I love getting them!  It proves to me that I made an impact on my clients just as they made one on me.  It makes me feel like I did more than just take their photos, I became their friend.

Every May I find photographers asking me or others in photography groups, “Do you go to the Graduation Parties?”  The short answer for me is Yes!  I go to as many as I possibly can.  Why?  Because I want to make sure that my business is one of relationships and showing up to a party to support the client is part of building a relationship.  Add to that my southern roots, which is to say we never say no to a party, and of course I am there! 🙂

I get we are all busy and maybe attending every single party is not possible.  But if you are building a business based on senior clients, showing up for those senior clients will go a long way into not only continuing your relationship with them but possibly building new relationships with other potential clients as well.

Strictly from a business stand point, treating your clients like they are more than just a business transaction is always a great way to do business.  I have long said that my business is less business and more personal.  I want my business to be a reflection of me and that means investing time into my clients.  From the first inquiry all the way to graduation and beyond.  But if you are someone who is thinking about it strictly from a business standpoint and not personal then here are a few reasons attending Graduation parties will be great for your business.

1. Getting your face out there among your target audience.  Juniors, Sophomores and Freshman also attend these parties.  By attending, you are getting your face in front of potential clients.  And don’t forget the parents!  They too will be attending these parties so you are networking, meeting and starting a relationship in person with potential future senior clients.
2. Showing your client what they mean to you.  As consumers, we never want to feel like just another transaction.  Think about things you have purchased in the past.  Those companies that went the extra mile or sent you a little something extra probably stand out in your mind, right?  Well this is the same thing!  Doing something unexpected is a great way to not only continue a relationship with a client, but also show them that they are more than just their order session.
3. PR – public relations goes hand in hand with marketing for your business.  Public Relations is the professional maintenance of a favorable public image by a company or other organization.  In order to succeed in your business you want to always display a favorable public image.  Sometimes that means doing things that are not about money or a business transaction but rather about showing your clients what they mean to you.  And not only your clients, but every single friend and family member invited to that graduation party.
4.  Building a Great Reputation – part of continuing to get booked in this industry and standing out among the million photographers out there is by building a great reputation.  Let people see who you are, talk to people in person, network with potential clients and show up for your current clients.  Oscar Wilde said, “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”   Make sure that people are talking about you in a good way!

So when you get those invitations in the mail, with photos taken by you, make sure you think about the impact you could make not only for that senior client but also the impact attending these parties could have on your business!

Here are a couple of photos of me and some of my senior clients at their graduation parties!

xoxo,

Leslie