Today’s post came from a pool-side sun lounger at the gorgeous Outrigger Resort in Koh Samui, Thailand. I’m here to recharge my own batteries as the Australian wedding season winds down for winter, which means I shouldn’t really be blogging but I was inspired by this wonderful place and so just had to put fingers to iPad!
If I was to list the criteria for identifying paradise, this place would tick a lot of those boxes. It’s a beautiful island with fantastic weather, but the clincher is the food! I LOVE Thai food and arrived with tastebuds deliriously salivating in anticipation of sampling the real deal!
This being my first time on the island I wanted to make sure I used my time visiting the best places to eat and so I turned to my second most favourite travel companion: TripAdvisor (my number one favourite obviously being The Lady!).
I’ve been in love with TripAdvisor for some time now. Its ability to identify the best hotels and restaurants in any area is incredible and it certainly puts your mind at rest, which is exactly what you want when you’re spending a lot of money on a relaxing holiday.
If you’re familiar with TripAdvisor you’ll know what makes it so reliable: the user generated reviews. In this time of social networking the consumer is king and wields the power to make or break companies in the time it takes to type out their customer experience in 140 characters. And due to the increased take up of user generated location based networks like Foursquare, Instagram and Foodspotting, customers are also getting into the habit of acting as brand advocates – leaving helpful tips and advice for others, such as their favourite dish or that free room upgrades are possible if you ask. It’s what I call social love.
And social love is exactly what you need your clients to show you after you have completed their work. In other words: testimonials.
I wrote in a previous post about how crucial word of mouth is in the wedding industry as there is very little repeat business. However, while the power of word of mouth is evident when referrals come through, it’s nigh on impossible to know at any particular time which of your clients are talking about you and what they’re saying. So the next best thing you can do is to ask your clients for testimonials that you can display on your website.
Getting testimonials will be one of the best marketing moves you make for several reasons:
- They are evidence that you can shoot a wedding!
- They are evidence of your ability, your professionalism and your customer handling skills
- They are evidence of your clients’ positive experiences
- They are always visible to any potential customers who check out your site
These points might seem obvious but if you’re a new wedding photographer you need to provide potential clients with as much reassurance as possible that you’re competent and should be considered for the job.
And you don’t need to go overboard with testimonials as too many will look like wallpaper. You just need a few honest, well written comments from your clients so your potentials get the message. Here are my testimonials.
Back to the food and we decided to check out a restaurant called Green Bird. It had nothing but glowing reviews on TripAdvisor and ranked #2 of 190 restaurants on the island despite having ultra cheap food. It took two days of searching before finally stumbling upon it down a small alley. Sure enough it was very basic and very cheap, but the food was awesome and the staff were the most polite and sweetest people ever! No wonder their walls were covered with hand written compliments.
I felt so happy for them; maybe because I could relate to their situation as an emerging wedding photographer. They are the small player, but their product and customer service are second to none and so their satisfied customers have became their most important marketing tool and given them worldwide exposure and credibility. For free!
So the next time you shoot a wedding, make sure you follow up and ask your client to write you a testimonial. It might just make you famous!
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I’m a born and bred Londoner who decided to give up the rat race, move halfway round the world to Australia and live by beautiful Bondi Beach.
But that’s not all. I also bought loads of cool camera gear to play with then realised I could use it to make a living, and now I run a successful wedding and baby photography business.
My background in media and marketing has been invaluable in quickly establishing myself, particularly through social networking, and I’m keen to help others do the same. I also strongly believe in giving back to the community, so look out for my blog posts where I’ll be sharing thoughts, insights, and tips about life as an emerging wedding photographer.