Imagine getting an email from your client saying they’re not happy about how something turned out. I’ve had that happen and my stomach dropped.

As much as we’d like to be perfect, mistakes happen. We’re human after all. However, mistakes in business can sometimes end up costing more than just money. Sometimes a mistake can lead to an unhappy client and as business owners, none of us want that, am I right? It’s how and what you learn from these mistakes that matters most.

In this episode of Shine + Thrive podcast, I’m being vulnerable and sharing five screw-ups I’ve had in my business over the past nine years and how I’ve dealt with them. This episode is all about showing how you too can go from screwing up to making sure that your clients are really happy in the end.

[02:30] A statement I learned six years ago that has defined my approach to business ever since.

[03:03] Story number one - The Big Sweater. As photographers, we all want our clients to be over the moon when they see their pictures and feel like the best versions of themselves. What to do when that’s not the case?

[06:26] Story number two - One Side of the Room. How a wrong assumption and chasing the best natural light for the photos lead to a disappointment and how I made sure the client was happy in the end.

[10:23] Story number three - Promo Cards. How making assumptions can lead to mistakes being made when you’ve actually just tried to help and why it’s important to remember that every couple is different.

[15:51] Story number four - Missing Family Photo. What I did when I realized I had missed a requested photo.

[18:09] Story number five - Cropping. Why it’s important to literally think about the bigger picture when taking photos so that the client doesn’t have to face issues when receiving the final product.

[21:35] Summing-up and covering the lessons learned along the way. How to make sure that your clients are happy even though you’ve made a mistake.

[24:53] Final thoughts. Short-term thinking vs. long-term thinking and how spending a little extra to fix a mistake can actually be a good thing for your business.

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With love + gratitude,

Sara

PS

Did you miss the last episode? Tune in here: How to Make More Money as a Wedding Photographer