If you run your own business, I have a question for you:
When was the last time you bought that thing YOU offer, from someone else?
No matter if you are a service or product based business, being on the other side of the thing that you sell can teach you much more about your client’s journey than any coach or training or even client feedback could.
Be the client for your own service or product
As a photographer, I don’t always follow my own advice:
Be present in the moment and let others take photos of your experiences.
Don’t wait for the perfect moment.
Let someone take the photo, no matter what your hair is doing, whether you’ve got makeup on your face or you haven’t lost the weight you’ve been trying to shift for a while.
Photos are not just for milestones but that’s when we usually remember to take them.
All my life, I never felt ready to be in front of the camera. I wasn’t enough…. (fill in the blank). However, I know it’s important to put myself into my client’s shoes every now and then.
Since starting my business in 2010, I booked 4 photo sessions with different photographers. With every experience, I learned something new about being a client. But also about how to improve my own offerings and processes.
None of those 4 experiences were perfect, based on what I know now about running a smooth, successful photography business. Yet, every experience was really enjoyable and worth every penny I paid.
And most importantly, all 4 photographers created images of me that I loved – something that surprised me every time.
Below are photos from 2012 by Benj Haisch, 2016 by Adrienne Pitts, 2020 by Ami Roberston aka The Woman and the Wolf. All of these photos represent a different phase in my life.
This year, I booked another photographer – Nadia Meli. Nadia has been a part of my professional journey for almost 10 years, as an inspiration and a colleague. We only met a handful of times when we both lived in Brighton but for years I wanted her to photograph me – not really for my business but for myself. But it always felt like an indulgence, something too expensive to treat myself with.
Then I turned 40 last year and it just hit me that time goes by too quickly. We grow older, we change and suddenly priorities are starting to shift.
Without having reached my lifelong goal of having a certain body and looking a certain way, I decided it was time to document who I was for a future me. I regret not having many photos of myself when I was younger. I was hiding from the camera so I wouldn’t have to look at my imperfections. Now I’m learning to accept those “flaws”.
We’re not getting younger but youth isn’t the only thing worth photographing.
So I decided to hire Nadia to take portraits of me, the way she sees me. I had no concept, no expectations, no plan. I trusted Nadia completely – I know her style, I’m aware of what she can do with her camera and I was ready to let myself guide by her vision.
And boy did she deliver!
We spent less than 2 hours together and while I was nervous at first, Nadia had a way of making me feel safe and comfortable from the moment she arrived.
I left the studio with a smile, hoping that every single one of my clients walks away with this feeling of gratitude, calm and euphoria that Nadia had evoked in me.
While I had worked with other photographers in the past, no other session had this effect on me (and that has nothing to do with the other artists, only with myself). That gratitude for living this life and having this experience felt immense.
I’d never been so aware of being the client of my own service and what I can learn from this experience until that day. This session, being on the other side of the camera, put in perspective for me how I want to serve my clients. How I want my process to be so, when you work with me, you feel safe, looked after and well served.
It also felt really empowering to spend money on a luxury service like photography just for myself. Photos don’t need a practical reason.
Growing up and growing older keeps blowing my mind. I love the shift in priorities and how values evolve or even change over time. The learning never stops! The thing that really sticks with me though is that I want people to feel good about themselves. And if I could play a little part in that the way Nadia did for me, that would be amazing.
In an attempt to keep growing and learning… If you’ve ever worked with me, please let me know how you felt during and after your session with me. I’d honestly love to know how I can improve my processes and my approach to make this the best experience for anybody wanting photos.
If you’re happy to share any feedback, I’ve got a form here that you can fill out. You can do this anonymously or share your details with me – whatever you prefer. Either way, I appreciate your words!
Here’s an exercise for you
When you decide to hire someone to provide the service or produce the product that you create for your customers, pay attention to these things:
- How was the communication? Was it fast, friendly and helpful? Was it easy to get in touch with them?
- How was the process? Did you feel well looked after?
- How much time passed between the different stages of your contract? Did that feel like a good amount or too much/too little?
- Were there any things that you missed? Did you communicate that?
- How did the deliverables compare to what was advertised?
- Do you feel like the money was well spent? If not, what would have made a difference?
- Did they ask for feedback? If yes, did you give it honestly and in a kind way? (Imagine if you were on the other side of receiving this feedback!)
- How did this experience make you feel?
- Would you recommend this person to other people?
While this is not an exhaustive list, hopefully it helps you reflect on the experience and compare this with your own processes. Did you experience something you want to adapt in your business? Or did you find something that you felt could be improved on their end? If it’s the latter, ask them if they’d like the feedback and only if they do, share your views (nobody likes unsolicited advice!).
