56 PPMAG.COM
right for you. If they are, then dedicate your-
self to helping them get what they want.”CONTINUE THE EXCITEMENT.
From photo shoot to sales session to follow-
up, Hourscht and her team express excitement
about the process and gratitude that the clients
have chosen Belly Beautiful. When clients call
back about their next pregnancy, Hourscht
makes sure they know how honored she is
that they’ve chosen to share this important
part of their lives with her again.
Hourscht invests so much into the client
experience because she knows that exper-
ience colors everything related to her work.
She tells the story of a client who came to her
after having a negative experience with an-
other photographer. The process had been
poorly organized. She didn’t understand what
was going on. She didn’t feel that the photog-
rapher took time to find out what she wanted.
And she didn’t like the pictures. Hourscht
asked to see the photos, which she thought
were pretty well done.
“That exchange taught me a lesson,” says
Hourscht. “No matter how good the images
are, if the client has a bad experience, she will
forever associate those negative feelings with
the images. So it’s very important to me that
my clients have positive feelings about work-
ing with my studio. I want them to remember
feeling beautiful, feeling taken care of. What
they feel behind the picture is so important.”
The value of those impressions goes well
beyond positive feelings; they impact the
bottom line as well. When you compare high-
end, high-revenue photography businesses
with those that are struggling to make ends
meet, the client experience is often the pri-
mary differentiator. Being able to provide
a premium experience usually translates to
being able to charge premium rates.
“I price myself higher because I am giv-
ing a better experience,” says Hourscht. “I
encourage other photographers to do the
same. If you are spending your time and
money to do something right, then you are
worth it, so charge it! But you have to put in
the work behind it. If you are going to call
yourself a professional, be a professional in
all aspects—from customer service to tech-
nical skills to the products you deliver. Then
you can demand the rates you deserve.” •bellybeautifulportraits.comwhich instantly puts the moms at ease.”
Hourscht guides her clients through every
step of the process. She writes out a step-
by-step outline so they don’t have to won-
der what’s next. They can give input on the
style if they want, and then Hourscht and her
team handle everything else.MAKE THEM FEEL IMPORTANT.
Clients want to know that they matter. Hour-
scht and her staff express their gratitude to
each client. They provide extra touches to
add to their comfort.LISTEN ACTIVELY.
“A lot of photographers have their style, and
they’re going to shoot their way no matter
what,” says Hourscht. “That’s going to lead
to disappointment if that approach doesn’t
match what the client expects. You don’t have
to change everything about the way you
shoot just to please a client, but you should
listen to each client and determine if they’re