- For Photographers
- Personal
I’m sitting in the lobby of the dentist office browsing my facebook page and I look up and see a “Turn off all cell phones” sign by the door. I click the button to turn off the ringer and go on with my scrolling business. I loved coming to the dentist. Why does everyone else dread it so much? I mean, it hasn’t been a walk in the park for me. I busted my two front teeth out when I was 9 and my smile has always been something I’m self conscious about. My teeth were always too big for my face and never matched the rest of my smile. Finally after years and years I decided to get veneers across the top portion of my mouth so that my smile would be AWESOME for once. I love to smile and it was about time I felt good about it. I started with a doctor in my hometown and well, I ended up in the ER. They were sweet people and always greeted you as if you were their own, but they were missing something. After 3 sets of veneers gone wrong with this doctor I was forced to leave and find a new dentist that I could trust to fix this horrible mess.
Now here I am with an amazing smile and LOVE going to the dentist. After a year of heartbreak and temporary teeth I had overcome my fears and actually enjoyed the dentist! Imagine that! WHY? What changed?
THE EXPERIENCE: Dentist vs Photography
FEELING SAFE
- The minute I walk in the door to my new dentist they call me by my name like we’re best friends. They ask me how I have been and that they have missed seeing me since all that major veneer work that had kept me in their office for weeks in a row. It was apparent as soon as I arrived that I was SAFE. They cared about something more than my teeth-they cared about ME!
- When I start a relationship with a new client I want to make sure they know they’re free to be themselves in every way. I am thinking about them, want to know their story and make this something to remember. I’m here to tell their story and I want to THEM!
- They call me back to the dentist chair where I sit my purse down and they immediately start asking me about my business, my children and how I am doing. Isn’t this supposed to be miserable? Aren’t you supposed to start up the drill and open my mouth and get me out of here quick? Not these guys. They are truly invested in me as a person. They had me at “open your mouth” hahah
- The minute I see my client on a session I want to start a conversation. I want to know them more. Not because I have to; because I want to. Each client is a new friend and a new relationship. It means the world to me that I am able to document these special times in peoples lives. And this is where it begins.
- When you’re nervous you tend to ask hundreds of questions. Dentist have been made to be scary and uncomfortable. WHY was I not uncomfortable? Because I was dealing with very educated people. They are surrounded by super high tech equipment and took the time to sit and explain what everything is. It makes me feel more comfortable when I know that the person about to go into my mouth knows EXACTLY what they are doing!
- I use my blog to educate. I want my clients to feel empowered and confident in choosing me as their photographer. I’m constantly studying and practicing so that I can educate myself and the client for the best experience.
GREAT PRODUCT & VALUE
- My teeth look fabulous. I gained my confidence back in my smile. They veneers cost me more at this dentist office, but because of the experience I have had with them–it was PRICELESS to me. I saw value in this dentist office and it was worth the investment. $800/ tooth verses $1000/tooth seemed expensive at the time. Looking back I realize I should have invested in what I saw as valuable and not “the cheaper option”. You get what you pay for sometimes. The service, the experience and the result were worth every penny.
- When clients come to me they want to know what the ending product is. How much time do I get, how many outfits, how many locations or what products do you offer? What they don’t know is they are about to have an experience. The products are a direct result of the experience. Yes, we offer amazing quality driven products for you to take home, but more importantly we want to create an experience they will forever cherish and create a friendship through photography. Sometimes what you take from the experience is so much more than what you hang on your wall. Both equally important and rememberable. 😀
PROFESSIONALISM
- Through and through this dentist office have been true professionals. Never once have I been mistreated. They respond quickly to my questions and requests and make the entire experience safe and easy. Every member of their staff is equally amazing. It’s a seamless experience from person to person. All smiles-super informative-and genuine! It’s like I’m the only one they are treating that day! Amazing.
- It is important to me as a photographer to remember that even though I have multiple clients at the same time- I am their ONLY photographer. Personalizing the experience by intimate meetings, checking in on them, sending gifts and maintaining our relationship is super important to me. I love to keep a quick turn around time and always put my clients first. This is not about me being a great photographer- its about my clients walking away with an amazing experience and some photos to prove it.
- It looks like you’re entering a spacecraft ready to launch as you sit in the dentist seat. You are surrounded by equipment and tools that give you the “heeby geebies”. There is a computer right next to my chair where the nurse pulls up 3D images of my mouth and displays to explain what they want to achieve. Their high tech equipment leads me to believe they are on the cutting edge and well edcuated. They are keeping up with the times and that gives me comfort. Everyone wears a headset and communicates quietly through their super spy ear pieces. 🙂 The entire office is a team working to make sure the customers are handled with care and respect. I receive email and text reminders and friendly phone calls to see how my experience was on my last visit.
- My company thrives on technology. We are 100% digital. Technology is now..not the future. Creating custom websites, using iphone apps to share their photos and sharing their videos on youtube allow our clients to be on their devices. CD’s and DVD’s are so 2001. We do everything over the computer and in the clouds. Thinking of the future is our job and we want to make sure that our business is moving forward in this technological world just like everything else!
THE EXPERIENCE can mean something different to anyone. From the minute I receive an inquiry, “the experience” begins. It is like a courtship has begun between the client and myself. We provide amazing photographs and videos to document this experience. If the relationship and experience are positive, then most likely that client will return and want to work with you again. Take the time and invest in the people who are put into your life. It’s not just a business- its a relationship- its an experience.
THE EXPERIENCE is not happenstance. It is a well thought out plan mixed with a lot of love.
If the dentist office can make me feel as if I’m on a tropical island with no cares—it makes me wonder what experience I am giving to my clients.
What can you do to create an experience worth talking about?
xx
leaha
SHOUT OUT! Huckabee Dental in Southlake for taking such good care of me and for inspiring this blog topic 🙂