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When you think about shopping at Target where does your mind go? Probably to a happy place. Think about that adorable little $1 rack full of cute things you don’t need but fill your cart with anyway. The fact that some stores have a Starbucks inside and also sell wine! How they somehow figure out exactly what you like and with their sales, RedCard, and Cartwheel, you feel like you are part of an exclusive club!

So why shop at Target when you could shop elsewhere for cheaper?

It’s their client experience! 

Now more than ever, consumers are more concerned with their shopping experience rather than “getting the most bang for their buck,” so to speak. They want to feel good! The same thing is true when searching for photographers. With so many talented photographers, it’s not just about creating beautiful images. Clients want to know your story and they are looking for an amazing experience with you!

Everyone is capable of creating an awesome customer experience and with these quick tips, you’ll be able to nail the client experience and fill your calendar faster than you can keep up with!

Picture Your Ideal Client!
Who are they? What do they do? Where do they shop? Before you can start creating an incredible experience, you must first figure out who your “person” is. Because what might be a great experience for someone, might not be the best for someone else. Some people actually don’t care for Target (I don't know who they are but I know they are out there!)

Tailor Everything to Them
Your branding, your wording, your everything - make it for your ideal client. Yes, we will all have some clients that are less than ideal but to continue filling your calendar with quality clients, make sure you are creating things to fill THEIR needs. Take control of what you put out there!

Identify Their Pain Points… & Fix Them!
Nothing makes a person feel better than having someone take a problem off their hands. This is the perfect and easiest way to make someone feel good! Brides stressed about timelines? Create it for them! Grooms don’t know how to tie their bow ties? Teach them! Couples unsure on how to go about planning their big day? Educate them. This is an incredible way to not only elevate their experience but it establishes you as an expert in your field!

Go Above and Beyond
Under promise and over deliver. In everything! This is the motto I live by! If you live by this motto and treat every single client interaction like it’s super important, your clients will feel valued, heard, and understood. That’s what anyone wants, right?! Look for ways to be there for your clients instead of just focusing on the job at hand. Figure out ways you can help them!

Everyone Likes a Good Surprise
Just like I love the surprise treasures I’ll find at the clearance aisles at Target, your clients like being surprised too! Whether it’s during your first meeting and you surprise them with a gift or you stay an hour extra during their wedding day to ensure they get every single photo they need, don’t be afraid to surprise them once and a while. An unexpected treat can go a long way. 

Tips to Help you Elevate that Client Experience even more!

• Create an awesome meeting environment 
• Offer discounts if they order products
• Surprise them with thoughtful gifts
• Offer to help with additional planning
• Educate them on ways to make sessions go smoother

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  Written by: @shaunaeteske

Hey friends! I'm thrilled you are here! I'm Shaunae - a wedding photographer, blogger, educator, wine lover, and cat mom who shares inspirational and educational posts for Strawberry Revolution to creatives and lady bosses just like you! 

It’s June! Which for most photographers means it’s almost wedding season (except for our friends in the South and in the hot climates.) If your wedding season is like mine, you know things can get super cray and busy in just a matter of weeks! To keep you sane, I’ve complied the perfect checklist to make sure you are totally relaxed, prepared, and ready for this crazy ride that we call Wedding Season. 

• Clean Your Gear

Whether you are sending it off to the Canon or Nikon Factory for professional cleaning or if you are doing it yourself, make sure your gear is in tip-top shape. Nothing ruins a wedding day faster than realizing your gear doesn’t work or your lenses are too dirty!

• Check Your Calendars

Verify all your dates and times. Create wedding day timelines for each couple. I have each wedding specifically marked in my calendar with notes on each day. Every month I review what’s coming up so I can be ready for anything!

• Prep Your Attire

What are your favorite outfits to wear on wedding day? Check out your closet and make sure you have the right clothing for all your weddings. For me, that means comfortable yet stylish dresses (must have pockets), comfortable footwear so I can stay on my feet, and cardigans for all those chilly reception spaces. I also love prepping my editing attire for when I get home. I lay out my comfiest pajamas, my favorite fuzzy blankets, and an adorable Straw Rev Studio Tie-Back to keep the hair out of my face and keep my eyes focused on editing! 

• Prep Your Back-up Gear!

Not just your camera gear, but your emergency back-up gear too! Band-aids, umbrellas, sewing kits - everything you need in case the day gets crazy! These items can be things that not only help you but could help the bride and groom and their guests too. Check out everything that’s in my emergency wedding day kit!

• Take Time for You

You know life is about to get crazy so give yourself some time once in a while to relax. Pour yourself a glass of wine, snuggle up in your favorite Straw Rev shirt, and binge on your newest Netflix obsession. Your body and your mind will thank you!

• Pop the Champagne and Do A Happy Dance

No matter how insanely busy wedding season gets, never forget out how lucky you truly are. To be a wedding photographer is a gift, we get to document the lives and love of some amazing couples. With each couple, I celebrate the fact that they trusted me with their special day. That gives me all the motivation I need to do this all again next week. 

How do you prep for your Wedding Season? What are some of your favorite tips and tricks to get ready?

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  Written by: @shaunaeteske

Hey friends! I'm thrilled you are here! I'm Shaunae - a wedding photographer, blogger, educator, wine lover, and cat mom who shares inspirational and educational posts for Strawberry Revolution to creatives and lady bosses just like you! 

We all have them. That dream that’s been in the back of our mind for longer than we can remember. Whether it’s running that marathon, accomplishing that goal, or going full-time with your creative business - chasing your dreams isn’t for the faint of heart. But it’s SO worth it! So stop putting it off and start chasing your dreams. Here’s five reasons why this year is your best year yet to make your dreams a reality! 

1. There is no time like the present

This is the only life we have! Let’s not waste it on filling our days with things we don’t love. Yes, there will always be chores to do, errands to run, deadlines to meet but let’s do it for things we love! Things we are passionate about! If not now then when? Let’s not wake up one day and realize our entire life has passed us by. Let’s turn “one day” into “day one!”

2. Why not?

But seriously, why not? Are you afraid you’ll fail? Are you afraid it won’t work out? I mean this as kindly as possibly…so what? What if you fail, what if it doesn’t work out, that’s not enough to stop you from chasing your dreams! If we let the “what ifs” rule our world, we would live these safe and boring lives never doing what we love! So what if you fail…but what if you thrive?! What if it’s the best decision you ever made?!

3. You’ll be happier

One of my favorite quotes that I live my life by is, “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” This could not be more true! As a full-time wedding photographer, I have worked harder and longer in the six years I have been doing this than any job I’ve ever had before. I stay up late, I can never turn off my work brain, and I am constantly looking for new ways to improve. But I’ve enjoyed it WAY more than anything else I’ve ever done. It fills me with so much joy knowing that I’m going out there everyday to do something I love! No matter what your dream is, if you follow it and work hard to make it a reality, you’ll be happier than if you just let it fade away!

4. Destiny is calling

There is a reason that nagging feeling hasn’t left your brain. A reason that dream hasn’t left your thoughts. It’s a part of you, your destiny, your life mission. It wouldn’t be in your mind if it didn’t belong there, if it wasn’t something you were MEANT to do. Why quiet it any longer when you could let it out and share it? Your dream is part of your destiny waiting to happen.

5. You are ready

Your dream will never be fully developed, there is always more to learn. Your dream will never be perfect, there are always ways to improve it. But my dear, you ARE ready. Done is better than perfect! Living out your dreams and following your heart is better than never sharing it with the world. You are strong, fearless, and brave. You are ready to make your dreams a reality and inspire others to do the same. Make this year, YOUR year!

  Written by: @shaunaeteske

Hey friends! I'm thrilled you are here! I'm Shaunae - a wedding photographer, blogger, educator, wine lover, and cat mom who shares inspirational and educational posts for Strawberry Revolution to creatives and lady bosses just like you! 

Ask and you shall receive!

Well, maybe you've been asking for quite some time and we've been a tad stubborn! But, without further ado... Our long awaited StrawRev Kid's line is now available in the shop!

Boy oh boy did we work hard to provide our customers with high quality, scaled to size, mini versions of our most popular headbands! This new line has been a 'work of heart' and we are so glad it's finally here for you see and enjoy!

Our new kid's headbands have been carefully designed and precisely measured for smaller noggins! They have gone through months of testing and tweaking to ensure that they truly mimic our stay-put features that our customers know and love!

All of our fabrics are printed with chemical-free ink and are hand selected for ultra softness and comfort!

We have two different styles available...

The TRUEfit Band™ - which can be enjoyed for all things fitness and all things FUN! From softball practice, swimming at the lake, to a busy day at school; these are amazing little pieces of heaven that stay GLUED to your head ALL.DAY.LONG. 

Then we have our BOHO Twist Tie-backs™- These guys you can wear pretty much anywhere to look fabulous and stylin'! These have our signature stretch ties in the back and can be worn FOUR different ways. Twisted, Wide, Knotted, and Double twisted. 

We hope you enjoy this new "ERA" of the Revolution as much as we do!

Please enjoy this fun video of our big photoshoot and then go shopping!

StrawRev Kids Summer Launch from Strawberry Revolution on Vimeo.