I took my cat to the vet this morning. Not my normal vet, not even a local vet. This new vet, Martin, had been recommended by everyone in a local(ish) Facebook group for cat lovers. They raved about him. So when I wanted a second opinion for my cat Kirby’s cough, I knew where I had to take him.

We got up bright and early, put him in the carrier and took him on the 7-hour drive (well, Kirby would tell you it was 7 hours, and it certainly felt like it – in fact it was 30 mins – cat people, can you relate?!) to see Martin.

Those recommendations were bang on. He was easy-going, funny, took the time with us, was very patient, told anecdotes about Kirby in the treatment room (we weren’t allowed to go in thanks to covid) and made us feel so at ease. He joked about not being able to upsell dentistry to us because Kirby’s teeth were good. He took the time to listen to the video I’d made of Kirby’s cough. We spent a good five minutes coming up with funny ways to say “elderly” (my best was “experienced” and Martin’s was “executive position”). He told me anecdotes about his cats, sometimes to compare them to my cat’s issues, but sometimes just for fun to make us laugh.

I came home, and wrote a glowing review on Google before I’d even taken my coat off. Later that day I realised it would be great to tell people in the Facebookgroup (of 5k people) how great the experience was and to thank people for recommending him. There was a stream of comments all worshipping Martin, and several people saying they were now going to take their cat to him as a result of my post.

At no point did the vets ask for a review. I wanted to write it. I wanted to post in the Facebook group. I wanted people to know how great he was.

The experience I had was worth shouting about. My opinion wasn’t based on how much he cost, what he knew, how much I got for my money. It wasn’t about how professional he was. In fact, he didn’t tell me anything my other vet hadn’t already. It was about the personal touch and the personality he brought to the job. I wasn’t rushed, I had a great time, and he clearly genuinely cared about my cat.

What’s even more interesting is that their branding is pretty terrible. The location was nothing special – it was on a parade of shops in a housing estate. 

But Martin is so popular and loved and raved about because of him. And I will continue to drive half an hour with a yowling cat, not because he’s the most experienced, most professional or most knowledgeable. It’s because of him.

How can you do this with your wedding photography business?

Be authentic, and give your couples a genuine one to one personal experience. Put a nice, real, photo of you on your website, tell jokes and stories about you that don’t relate to photography or try to sell you, say things from the heart not from a script.

Don’t try to be someone you’re not, act a goof if you’re a goof! ‘Professional’ means lots of different things.

Listen to people when they talk, ask them things out of genuine curiosity.

Don’t write the same reply to every enquiry, make it personal.

If you see something that makes you think of your couple, send a picture of it to them, and give them ideas you’ve had that they’d love.

Don’t use tactics to get them to book. Chat to them like a friend and show a genuine interest in their day.

Don’t bitch about them in Facebook groups, after saying how you’re “more like a good friend than a supplier” and how you “want to celebrate and capture their love” on your website.

Stay in contact with them, especially during the hard times (hello, covid!). Be empathetic and compassionate.

Build a relationship with them outside of being a client – add them on social media, play online games with them, zoom them for fun, ask if they want to go for a cuppa if you’re in their area.

Don’t say no to more group photos, or a pic of the dress hanging, or for table shots if they ask for them, just cos it’s not what you normally do.

Spend time chatting to their mum on the wedding day, compliment their family and friends about things you genuinely like about them, be more ‘friend’ than ‘supplier’ on the day, and let your hair down at the end by joining the party instead of clocking off.

If they post a horribly filtered pic on Instagram, instead of sending them a cease and desist letter, let it go and just comment something nice.

Remember little details about them (write things down if you forget like me!) and ask them about these things at a later date – so if they have a cat who’s been unwell, ask how he’s doing now.

Love your couples.

Give them an amazing experience. Your couples will love you and want to rave about you to their friends, and all over social media. And they’ll rave so passionately that people will have to take notice – like I did!

We go into all kinds of detail about how to do this in your business in the Kick Ass Collective membership, and every Friday we review members’ work too. If you’d like help with becoming more Martin, join up and we’ll get you there!

Me and Kirby, taken by Tim Dunk!