Every success story is a tale of constant adaption, revision and change
"Every success story is a tale of constant adaption, revision and change.” —Richard Branson
This is the quote that keeps me going. My photography business has evolved over the past few years. I keep learning, changing, growing and evolving. My business continues to grow and I am so grateful for that. I never thought I'd be where I am today regarding the success of my business. To be honest, I'm rather proud of my accomplishments thus far. Every day I learn something new about photography and art. And I don't believe anyone can ever know everything there is to know, so I continue to learn about my craft but also my business and how to run one. I do want to just acknowledge here, that business is hard! But I will say I have learned quite a bit in these last few years. And what I have learned I now need to put into practice. So this post is about adaptation, revision and more specifically changes to Tricia Charles Photography.
Of course, when I change my business model that has direct impact on my clients. And my hope is that the changes are perceived as positive ones. So let me guide you through some of the coming changes. Going forward, I will no longer be offering online digital galleries, but instead be offering in-person viewings sessions for a more personable experience. This is for a couple of reasons, you will see your images on a large screen instead of your mobile devices and will have me with you during the ordering process to answer any questions you may have while making your selections. But ultimately, I want to connect with my clients and trying to do that through a computer screen can be challenging at best. Next, if you wish to purchase digital images they will be provided via a customized USB instead of through an email or online gallery. I feel that having a keepsake or something physical is much nicer than receiving a zip file via email. I know it sounds like I'm downing on technology, I'm really not. I just want to get back to a more human experience.
I have changed my overall workflow and will no longer have clients pay for a session fee, but instead clients will select one of 3 collections and pay a deposit toward the collection when booking their session. The session fee is rolled up into the collection. The reason for this is to give my clients more for their money than just a fee.
I have also revamped my photo collections and crafted them to be more intentional and still provide a savings. I have swapped out and upgraded products I offer, to higher quality products to ensure my clients get the most for their money. So I will no longer be selling just prints. And instead, ready to display products will be offered. So that you the client, will receive your artwork that is ready to display in your home the moment you receive it. In addition, I have reduced the number of size offerings to offer the most popular sizes. This is to help keep my price list in check so its not so overwhelming for you. With all of these changes my prices have also changed and thus my prices are more sustainable so that I may have the opportunity to continue to create high quality work for years to come.
Finally, transparency is key in all of this. I want my clients to understand my process and what they can expect during our time together. All clients will have a complimentary pre-session call with me to go over my process, pricing and products. This also provides me the opportunity to know if my clients have specific needs or visions. This is vital so we can both be sure this experience will be a good fit for everyone.
What's the end goal? To be successful. How do I do that? By ensuring my clients have an enjoyable and memorable experience when working with me. So that you will want to come back or you will tell your friends about me. Because there is no better advertising than word of mouth in my opinion. This will allow me to continue my business, because I love photography, and I want to continue to do this for as long as I possibly can. I truly believe the changes I have made will allow me to achieve all my goals.
For my clients who currently have access to an online gallery, although your online gallery will no longer be accessible once the updates to my website take effect. All the photos will be stored in my archive and available if you wish to make future purchases. Please reach out to me and I will be happy assist you.
These changes will go into effect in early 2023 and my website will reflect my new business model. I realize this is a substantial growth spurt and I know change can be hard and not always welcome. So I truly appreciate all of you for supporting me and my work. If you have any questions about any of these changes please reach out to me at hello@triciacharlesphotos.com
I wish you all a beautiful new year in 2023!