It's hard to believe it's already that time of year, the holidays are upon us and before you know it, the New Year.  Maybe it's because I am getting older, or if the last couple of years have just been... hard.  But setting a focus for not only my business, but my home life, my family life, and just well, my life seems more important than ever.  I have spent the last few months being overwhelmed and anxious, and it just really comes down to a need to refocus on the things that matter most.

A New Year is the perfect time to do this.  The end of the year seems like the closing of a chapter, where we can begin a new story if we want to, on January 1st.  Whether its a focus on family, home, health, lifestyle, picking up a new hobby, or reconnecting with the past.  We judge a lot of things by the way they turn out, even our years.  We judge them on the outcome, and don't look at the moments that really matter, the shining moments throughout the year.

Our days are busier than ever, with convenience also comes the pressure to do more, have more, BE more.  Is this really what life is about? Focusing on the outcome of doing all the things?  It's time we make a case for all the things being just some of the things.  Refocusing on what's important, what really matters.

With that in mind, here are my plans for the New Year

• More time in the garden

• More fishing and camping

• More time for myself

• More photos! (here and for myself)

And that's it.  The case for just some of the things.

- becky

The time is upon us, its Fall Mini Photo Session season!  Many photographers (including myself) are opening up fall family sessions to ensure clients have all the imagery they need for Christmas cards, posts, and just generally updating their home spaces!

1. Plan your wardrobe

Deciding what to wear for your photography session can be one of the most overwhelming decisions about a session.  I mean, you are investing your time and money into capturing family memories, of course you want to look fantastic.  Check out my post What to Wear for Your Family Session for tips on what to wear.

2. Get your beauty sleep

Ensuring you get a full night of sleep and drink plenty of water on the days leading up to your session.  This will not only help you look good, but help with patience.  Which is especially helpful to families with children.

3.  Bring treats to help along sessions with small children

If you have small children, bring snacks, water, and treats!  This is immensely helpful when children will not cooperate.  Also, try to plan sessions around meal and nap times. Don't wait to eat until after your session, empty stomachs means grouchy people! 

4. No "smile" or "cheese"

I want your session to look as natural and beautiful as possible.  The less "posed" the better!

5.  Trust your Photographer

We are professionals, so trust we can do an amazing job for you!  You chose us to capture your family, so relax and enjoy!

And there you have my tips for making the most of your session.  Want to book a fall mini session with me?  Click here to sign up!

Why?

Why would you want to show off your 5 star reviews for your business? Because it can help convert possible customers into new customers!  Reviews don't just belong on your Google or Facebook page, they should make an appearance on your website too!  Below are a few quick tips to get the most out of your 5 star reviews!

Where should I put reviews on my website?

Most people are not going to click through your entire website, so having a dedicated page of reviews is probably not the most effective option.  Placing reviews on each page is a great way to show potential customers that your business is highly rated.  Do you have a great review that mentions your incredible customer service? Place it on your "About Us" page!  A good review about money well spent? Place that on your "Investment" or "Prices" page to show that your business is worth the pricing you have spent so much time perfecting.  Placing reviews strategically makes them more effective at attracting the right customers than if they are all placed on a "Testimonials" page.

Clean them up!

No one wants to read a rambling review paragraph, so if you need to, pare down the words to only the most important parts.  Then the review will make more of a statement on your website.

Bonus tip

Video marketing is an effective tool.  If you have a customer that doesn't mind saying a few great things about your business on camera, make a short video!  

Looking for more reviews for your business? Check out my blog post Increasing your Reviews 

This month's post is all about how to increase your Google and Facebook reviews.

First, let's start with "Why do I need Google & Facebook reviews?"  Reviews are incredibly important in this day and age with the many, many choices potential customers are faced with online.  A good review can influence one, or many people to try your business over another.  But, a negative review can be a way for your business to showcase it's customer service, always respond to negative reviews in a clear, concise way, and do what you can to make it right.

Businesses with more reviews perform better on searches.  The more consistent reviews you have, the higher up in search results you will land.

How to increase the number of reviews

• Ensure customers can leave a review.  Do you have a Google my Business page? Do you have a Facebook business page? You should claim these pages if you haven't and brand them to match your business.  This is also a great opportunity to update your business pages if you have them, but haven't done anything with them in awhile. Upload new photos, new graphics, and other information to invite more reviews.

• Have lots of Google reviews? Expand your reviewability!  Ask customers to review you on other sites such as Facebook, Yelp, Rate A Biz, or any other review site.  This also will help with SEO.

• Use QR codes to get to review pages quickly.  Place marketing throughout your business and even give out cards with QR codes to encourage customers to write a review.  The easier it is for them to access, the more likely they are to leave a review.

• Offer a review worthy service.  All the marketing in the world cannot replace offering great service that your customers want to talk about.  So take care of your customer, and they will take care of you!

What steps are you going to take to increase your business reviews?  Let me know what's worked for you in the comments below!