I can't believe that we are approaching the end of 2011- is it me of did this year fly by? In anticipation of the New Year, I wanted to share some exciting changes and new offerings that I have coming in 2012.
In the last several months, I've found myself having an "identity crisis" with my business. Okay, "identity crisis" might be a tad dramatic! Let me explain a bit on this. As many of you have probably experienced, there are a lot of photographers to choose from for your photography needs. I happen to think that this is a good thing and I'll tell you why- in my opinion, no single photographer can be everything to everyone. First of all, there just isn't enough time in the day! But more importantly, every customer has unique style/taste/desires/needs and different budgets to work with. What I bring to the table as a photographer doesn't always match up with the wants and needs of every customer, and that's ok. Having options when it comes to selecting a photographer means that hopefully there is someone out there for every customer. With all of the options out there though, selecting a photographer can be an overwhelming experience. I myself have been looking for a photographer to do a session with my family- my head has been spinning looking at all of the different options there are. It has caused me to step back and reevaluate the service and products I am offering to my potential clients. I used to think that I could try and meet any and all needs of every potential customer, and the truth is that mentality doesn't benefit anyone. Instead, I want to provide the best service and products I can to the customers who's need and wants match up with what I have to offer. One size does NOT fit all in when it comes to photography.
All of that said, I realize that in order for you to be able to know if we are a good "match" or not, I need to change some things up. My current structure and offerings were created mainly on the desire to make everything as simple as possible for customers. And I still want to continue to make this process as simple as possible for you, but I realize that a potential customer may have no idea if we are a "match" based on my current structure.
Packages
The biggest change coming in 2012 is to my "package" offerings. All of my portrait packages (excluding Seniors) are and have been strictly digital. For me as a customer, digital offerings are a must-have and that is why I offered them. I like knowing that you can hold onto to your images forever and print them wherever/whenever you want. I still want to continue to have a digital component to each of my packages, however that's not all I want you to walk away with from our session together. There's no way around it, custom photography is an investment on your part, both of your time and your money. The drawback to me with having digital based packages is that you don't have everyday access to a professional lab to print enlargements or high-quality products, and after everything you’ve invested, the last thing I want is for you to end up with prints or products that you aren’t happy with. I want you to walk away with something tangible that you can proudly display and really speaks to the investment you've made.
As far as what that tangible item is, I'm leaving that up to you to decide! Some may want a canvas wrap, some may want a custom album, the choice is yours! This leads me to some other new things coming in 2012- new products!!!!
New Products
New Products
I’ve got some really cool products coming in 2012 for you to choose from, including colorful and decorative framing options, canvas prints, metal prints, custom albums and accordion books. These are in addition to traditional products, like prints. There really is something to appeal to everyone’s style with how they want to display their images.
The Experience
The Experience
The last change I want to talk a little bit about is the actual experience you will have when you select Melissa Dobereiner Photography. This is an area that I’ve really thought a lot about because as I mentioned before, I want to make this as simple for you as possible. I put myself in the shoes of a customer and what I identified as being important is excellent customer service, a simple process led by the professional, and of course stunning images that I will have forever. This is what I want for my customers. When you contact me about a session, I have a short questionnaire that gives me a little information about you and also helps you think about what is important to you so we can make sure we are indeed a “match.” Following the questionnaire, we will set up some time to have a pre-session consultation (that sounds really cheesy, I know, but I can’t think of a better way to describe it.) If possible we will do this in person so that we have a chance to meet before your session actually occurs- I find that being familiar with each other helps the session go smoothly and helps everyone feel comfortable. If meeting in person isn’t possible, we can certainly do this over the phone. During this time we are going to talk about what you envision for your session, what you are planning on doing with the photos (this helps me make sure that I capture shots that meet your expectations and will work with whatever type of product you end up selecting), suggestions and tips on selecting what to wear, and we will also go through pricing and fees. I will have a contract and release forms for you at this consultation. Next up is the fun part- your session! You should know ahead of time that I am a little goofy and I make really lame jokes, but somehow the goofiness and lame jokes put people at ease and allows me to capture natural smiles and sentimental moments. After the session I’m going to process your images and contact you when they are ready so that we can schedule an ordering session. Again, ideally we will do this in person when possible, but we can also do this over the phone if need be. The reason that having the ordering session in person is so helpful is because it allows us to go through the images together, you can ask questions and you can see and handle real life products to help you decide what to order. We can talk through what images would look best with different types of products so that you don’t have to make these decisions blindly. Once you finalize your order, it will take approximately 7 business days to be delivered.
I hope that you are as excited about the changes coming in 2012 as I am. I’m going to be posting more detailed information about all of these changes (with pictures of new products!) soon. I’ve also got some cool “special” sessions planned throughout the year that I will be sharing soon. These will be set up similar to a mini-session, however they will be themed and styled very specifically. Lastly, I’ll soon be starting my search for 2013 Senior Reps so if you know of anyone graduating in 2013 and would be interested in earning free prints, let me know!
As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Melissa
PS- feels wrong not posting a picture so here's one of Miss Stella during our leaf raking party last Saturday- she LOVES leaves!
Melissa
PS- feels wrong not posting a picture so here's one of Miss Stella during our leaf raking party last Saturday- she LOVES leaves!
