A podcast where you join me (Colie) as I chat about what it takes to grow a sustainable + profitable business.
Business-First Creatives Podcast
CRM Guru, Family Filmmaker, and Host of the Business-First Creatives podcast. I help creative service providers grow and streamline their businesses using Dubsado, Honeybook, and Airtable.
Hey, I'm Colie
You prep your clients beautifully for their session. You nail the what-to-wear guide, the session day rundown, the “here’s what to expect” email. And then… the session ends, and the communication goes radio silent until the gallery lands in their inbox weeks later. Sound familiar? Here’s the thing — the gap between session and delivery is one of the biggest missed opportunities in your entire client experience. And if you’re not nurturing clients through that window, you’re leaving referrals, repeat bookings, and rave reviews on the table. This episode is going to change how you think about every single touchpoint — from inquiry to long after delivery.
I sat down with my friend and past client Natasha Sewell — in-home family and newborn photographer and educator at MPS Photography — for a real, behind-the-scenes conversation about what it actually takes to build a client experience that earns repeat clients and floods your inbox with referrals. Natasha moved her business from rural North Carolina to Washington, D.C. and maintained her NC clients in the process, which tells you everything you need to know about the strength of her client experience. We dig into the questions clients keep asking (and what they reveal about gaps in your workflow), how she uses a client video library inside Dubsado to eliminate confusion and anxiety, what it means to actually nurture clients through the dead zone, and how to keep past clients engaged long after their gallery is delivered.
LISTEN ON YOUR FAVORITE PODCAST PLAYER
Apple Podcast App | Spotify | Amazon | Youtube
When to archive a client in Dubsado, how long to wait for a testimonial before moving on, and how to keep the door open without being annoying
How to identify the holes in your client experience by tracking the questions clients keep asking — and what to do with that information
Why in-home photographers do “double duty” when it comes to client prep, and the specific language that helps clients feel comfortable inviting you into their space
How Natasha built a client video library inside Dubsado and exactly when she sends it to maximize impact (including the one spot most photographers miss entirely)
What the “dead zone” between session and delivery is costing you — and the simple, automatable touchpoints that fill it
Why your client experience doesn’t start at inquiry and doesn’t end at delivery, and the mindset shift that helps you see it that way
How to create a separate client newsletter segment that keeps past clients warm, generates referrals, and fills limited offers in 48 hours
The one question most photographers forget to ask themselves about their contact page — and the small change that makes a big difference
“The more you can prep and prepare your clients for a session, the more relaxed they are — and the images you’re able to capture are just different.” — Natasha Sewell
“People are not annoyed by being told the same thing over and over again. They really, really appreciate it.” — Natasha Sewell
“You need to be front of mind. It’s not that they didn’t love working with you — but we are inundated constantly. You want to build brand loyalty, and you do that by creating an amazing client experience from beginning to end and beyond.” — Natasha Sewell
“You never want them guessing what happens next. You need to let them know: this is what you can expect. Don’t leave them guessing.” — Natasha Sewell
“It is a dead zone. You have the session, you’ve done all this prep, and then there’s no more communication until you send off a gallery. That is just wasted time.” — Natasha Sewell
“Surprising clients is a great way to thank them for being in your life and in your business.” — Natasha Sewell
“Just because it’s on your website doesn’t mean your client saw it. And even if they did — they probably don’t remember it by the time they need it.” — Colie James
“Every photographer has a nurture problem. Between the session and the delivery, your clients are anxious — and silence feels like uncertainty.” — Colie James
“Your client experience doesn’t start when you talk to somebody. It starts with every opportunity they have to interact with your brand.” — Colie James
“Think about how much prep you do for the session — and make sure you’re doing at least that amount of prep for the delivery.” — Colie James
Colie: Hello, hello, and welcome back to the Business First Creatives Podcast. I am here with a client who has become one of my besties. You may recognize her if you are watching YouTube. She has been on this podcast before, and now she has entered the realm of educator. And so I’m kind of having her on this podcast with a different experience in mind this time.
Natasha, welcome back to the podcast.
Natasha: Thank you so much for having me. I’m so excited to be here.
Colie: I know, I feel like it’s been forever since I saw you. It’s been like five whole months.
Natasha: That’s a long time.
Colie: Did you count? I counted.
Natasha: Yeah, it’s a long time
Colie: I
Natasha: for
Colie: I was before we got into the studio. I was literally on my phone looking up, um, flight prices to come to Palm Springs.
Natasha: Anytime, Koli. The house is here. Anytime.
Colie: Uh, and I mean, you’re trying to spend as much time there as well. Right.
Natasha: I am. I’ve been here for. By the time I leave, I will have been here for almost six weeks. So, mm hmm. It’s gonna be hard going back to the cold tundra of D. C. So,
Colie: I mean, so, funny story, we’re, at the time that this records, or that this airs, James and I will have gone to Disneyland together a month ago for our first adult trip, and, you know, it sounds fabulous, it is going to be fabulous, but do you know what’s even more fabulous? I looked up the weather of what it’s going to be like this weekend when we go.
The low on Sunday is negative 11.
Natasha: Oh,
Colie: to be so excited to be in California, I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself.
Natasha: yes. I’m hoping that D. C. doesn’t get that cold, but I have missed some snow, which is great, because I am not a snow fan. But it is definitely gonna be cold, but not that cold.
Colie: Yeah. So the funny thing, guys, is I think I have identified myself as a client experience and systems strategist. And today Natasha is here to tell us all about client experience, but I feel like she’s going to tell you from like a way different perspective. So Natasha, why don’t you introduce yourself to the podcast audience in case they don’t know who you are.
And then kind of tell me why client experience is like the thing that you are going with going forward.
Natasha: So I am Natasha Sewell. I am the owner and photographer at MPS Photography. I live in Washington, D. C. I moved my business from rural North Carolina three years ago to DC, and I have maintained and kept some of my North Carolina clients, which I think speaks volumes to my customer experience. Um, I shoot in home family and newborns.
I’m a mom to three grown humans, and we recently bought this fabulous house in Palm Springs, which I’m obsessed with. So I’m sort of spending some time here and most of my time in DC. So client experience. This is so important to me because I feel like the more you can prep and prepare your clients for a session, the more relaxed they are.
And as a photographer, you know, going into a session, if you have a super uptight, tense, nervous client. It is a very different experience than when you walk in and everybody’s relaxed and comfortable and the images that you are able to capture are just different. So tweaking my client experience to the level that I have has.
And it’s time and time again, shown me that I prepare my clients well, and that everybody has a great time.
Colie: So I hope that you guys picked up on that. She says that she does in home family and newborns. So are you guys starting to understand why we’re besties? She would also rather eat glass than go photograph people outside. That is what we have in common. But Natasha, I do feel like, in a way, not to say that outdoor portrait photographers don’t have to relax their clients and, you know, prepare them for the session.
But I feel like as in home photographers, we do double duty. Not only do we have to get our clients relaxed, comfortable with us, comfortable with our camera, we often have to convince them that it’s okay that I’m coming into your house with a camera and I am going to photograph, you know, all of the things and you, I need you to not be nervous about the fact that your house is going to be highlighted in these photos.
Almost as much as you are. Do you agree?
Natasha: I completely agree with you. I think that’s the number one question behind what should we wear is we don’t have a house that’s out of architectural digest, you know, don’t expect anything crazy. Um, and so I really try to prep people for the fact that your home is your home. It is your safe space. And it doesn’t matter what it looks like.
It really doesn’t. A light cleanup is all you have to do. And I do think that that really helps. at Certain sessions, when there is a lot of clutter and a lot of things, and I find this area, or clear off an area, that we can take great images. I often want to take my phone and like turn around and show photographers what it really looks like.
But I would never do that to my clients because we live in our homes. Our homes should look lived in. I expect trash. I expect laundry, kids, toys everywhere. That is life. But I so wish, you know, I might get the nerve this year to do that is just to ask someone who I have a, you know, ongoing relationship with.
Do you mind if I just take a quick video? Of what we’re working with here because I think that that would put clients really at ease to to see that everyone’s house is the same.
Colie: I do feel like at the beginning of my career as an in home photographer, one of the things that really helped me was when we would do sessions for ourselves. So in other words, I brought a photographer into my home, which in case the listening audience is unfamiliar. Yes, I live in a newer house to me. now we have a 4 bedroom, 2 bath and I have my very own office, which seems very spacious.
You guys see photos of it, but for the majority of when my child was little and we were still doing like. Annual sessions inside of our house, we lived in a tiny townhouse and I’m talking about 2 bedrooms, 2 and a half baths. And the thing that I would always, I had to prep the photographers that came into my house.
So you can imagine that I would tell them, listen, do you have a 24? If you don’t have a 24, tell me what kind of camera you have and I will rent one for you. And the first time that I did that, someone was like, that is not necessary. And I’m like, Oh, but it is. So she was Sony and I was at that point Nikon.
And I said, no, no, no, let me, I’m going to rent you a 24. I rented it. I picked it up the next day when she walked into my house, she looked and she goes, Oh, Oh my God. I said, yes. She said, Oh, I’m, I’m going to need the 24. I’m like, yes, you do. I mean, so I feel like I have told a lot of people about that experience.
I have also done videos of myself cleaning my house before someone comes to photograph me showing people what my husband’s honeydew list is. Because when we first moved into our townhouse, The first thing that I did was paint every single wall a color that was not neutral because up until that point I had always lived in rented apartments where every single wall was white or beige.
So I painted my house turquoise and hunter green and like all of these colors, but the funny thing is I didn’t go all the way to the ceiling. I, I painted as high as I could and I said. Oh, we’ll get to it to where, you know, we’ll put down painter’s tape and we’ll get to the top. So the first time that we invited somebody to come and photograph us in our house, I got pictures and video of James finally painting the trim around the top of my bedroom.
Cause I think my ceilings in my bedroom are like 14 feet. Like they’re incredibly tall. So we had just never gone up that high. So I’m telling the listening audience this story because. If anything that we’re saying to you is true and you are someone that invites someone into your house, you don’t necessarily have to ask your client permission to share their, you know, chaos and clutter.
If you have it yourself, you can probably prep your clients with that just as well.
Natasha: Absolutely. And we all have clutter. And we all
Colie: than others.
Natasha: we all have spaces that aren’t finished too. I mean, no one’s house is perfection. So, and you know, that’s an important thing to put clients at ease about.
Colie: So let’s start from like a photographer perspective. Where do you think someone should begin? If they think that their client experience is less than awesome, where is it that they should begin in order to think and build and plan a client experience that is better for themselves as well as their clients?
Natasha: So I think the first thing you should do is keep a note on your phone and every question that comes up from clients, jot it down. And if you see a trend, of the same question being asked over and over and over again. You know that there is a hole in your client experience because you should not be having the same question asked over and over again.
You can also have a friend or a family member go through sort of a mock session and you can take them all the way through your workflow and have them give you feedback on where there are missing parts. But, looking At the questions you get is so key. As I said, I get asked what to wear and, you know, they tell me their house isn’t perfect.
Like our house isn’t great. I don’t think the pictures are gonna be good in our house. Those are the 2 things. I address those multiple times and communication. My website, all of the things, blog posts, you name it, newsletters. , and I really don’t get those questions very often anymore because my clients are prepped, but for a long time, those are the questions I got.
Colie: Well, and I think that it’s important to note what you said, right? You’re doing it on your website. You’re doing it in your communication. I happen to know she’s also doing it inside of her. I mean, so you’re doing it in all of the places and a lot of the times we feel like we’re repeating ourselves, but the truth is.
Only those like top go getters and maybe not even them are going to see every single piece of your client experience and pay attention. I have had people tell me, Oh no, you know, they asked me, you know, what to do about this, but it’s on my website. And I’m like, okay, but how do you know they saw it on your website?
And then they’re like, well, but clearly they didn’t. I know. But so if there’s anything important that’s on your website, you also have to put it inside of your client experience when they’re in the process of hiring you. And also after they’ve hired you, because everybody needs multiple reminders. We don’t need to be told something one time and it’s just going to stick.
I mean, maybe it’s me, maybe it’s my age, maybe it’s my adult brain. I don’t know, but I need to be told things multiple times in order for it to stick.
Natasha: and I think that’s true with everybody, because think about parents with small kids, they are being pulled in 900 different directions. They are juggling everything. So they don’t want to have to search to find information and they most likely aren’t going to. And even if you put it in everything, Still might miss it.
I mean, that is a big possibility. So the more ways that you can share and communicate that information with them, the higher the chances are that they are going to see it somewhere. and people are not annoyed by being told the same thing over and over again. They really, really appreciate it. So, I also have incorporated video into.
My website and sharing information. I have what I call a client video library and I have video in there, either loom videos or, there’s actually a video of me holding up different products and showing them to them. I feel like being a white, but, that’s what it is. And it’s because people do have two and three minutes to watch a video.
Think of how many people, how many videos you watch on social media a day. So sometimes just showing it in a different form is helpful as well.
Colie: Yeah, I mean, those of us that like to read can read, but if you process something auditory or visual that video, I mean, I did not know that you had a video library. So now I’m just curious. And I’m sure the listening audience will get something out of this. At what point are you sharing? The video library, are you sharing it as a whole or are you kind of sharing individual links throughout your client experience when they are most important for the client to see them?
Natasha: So my video library really touches on post session information. So product information, how pick time works, that sort of thing. It is not necessarily my prep process for clients, although I have considered adding that, but I have not done so yet. So I send them the video library in My day after email. It is linked so that they can’t, you know, because they’re still excited about the session.
It just happened. And so I’m and I tell them at the end of the session. I’m going to send you an email tomorrow. It’s going to have a link to some videos and then I send it again right before I send them the gallery. The slideshow. I think I just send it the two times now that I think about it.
And that seems to be enough. I rarely have someone who is not at least at a minimum watched how pick time works because it’s quick. It’s not a long video, but it walks them totally through it. And they know exactly what to expect when they get their slideshow.
Colie: And I have a podcast episode and guys, I, I am not going to go find it now because it would just take me too long, but I do have a couple of episodes, one in particular that I’m thinking of, and I tell you the four client experience videos that you should create for your process. And I find it really interesting that Natasha is basically putting all of them into a library and sending them in what you all know, I lovingly call the dead zone.
I say, every photographer has a nurture problem. Between the session and the delivery, whether or not your editing window is two weeks, or it’s four weeks, or it’s six to eight weeks. If you’re a wedding photographer or longer, your clients are very anxious to see what the outcome was from the session, because we do two things.
We provide a service to them when we’re inside of their home. That is their experience with us, how we treat them, how they feel about being in front of our camera. And then there’s the actual photos and. That’s local products if you deliver those as well that we give them after the session. And so I always feel like we do double duty.
And a lot of photographers put in a lot of prep work for the actual session portion, like, you know, how the process is going to go and what you should wear and those things, but they don’t do an equal amount to prep them for the delivery part, because even if you are an all inclusive photographer, which Natasha is not.
But if you are an all inclusive photographer, you should still tell them how your online gallery works. You should still tell them how to download photos. And if you have an online gallery store attached, you should tell them how they can purchase the products and maybe which product is your favorite.
So I would encourage everybody to listen, this listening. If you don’t do anything else from this episode, I want you to think about how much prep you do for the session and make sure that you’re doing at least that amount of prep for the delivery.
Natasha: Absolutely. And as you said, it is a dead zone. A lot of photographers do not communicate with your clients during that, you know, that you have the session, you’ve done all this prep, and then there’s no more communication until you send off a gallery. And that is just wasted time. Um, so, and you can have them all automated.
I have them all in Dubsado. So it’s not like I am. every single time writing out an email and linking the thing, you know, it’s automated and every client gets it. Occasionally someone will ask me a question, which means they actually watch the videos, which is awesome. Um, so it is beneficial and it doesn’t have to be anything fancy.
I think that’s the other thing is that people think it needs to be this huge production. My product video is literally me sitting in front of the camera, holding up the products and showing the parts of the products that I really love and why I love it and why it’s a popular product. That is it. As simple as simple can be, but a lot of my clients watch it.
Colie: Well, and I feel like I’m gonna give you a suggestion and if you don’t take it, that’s okay. I feel like the listening audience needs it. You are talking about your video library really addresses like the prep for delivery, but one place that a lot of people don’t tend to think about putting a video. And every time I mention it, it’s like light bulbs, light up.
is giving people a video after they inquire with you. So I know you’ve heard me say this, but I’m going to say again, cause it’s worth it. After someone fills out your contact form on your Debsado, your website, whatever it is that you’re using, you can usually redirect them to a custom thank you page. And I have always said, you should have a video on that page that tells them what comes next.
Now, one of my videos is four minutes long and the first time that I shared it, someone was like, not the client, but like a photographer that I shared it with was like, oh, my God, what did you talk about for four minutes? And I was like, okay. Maybe I should make a shorter version just so that my point doesn’t get lost in how long my video is because y’all, in case you haven’t figured it out.
I love to talk. So I made a 90 second version and basically all it was telling them was, I’m so happy that you inquired about my services. You know, I love coming into your house and capturing your everyday moments. I’m basically recapping. What’s on my website, but I’m saying it quickly, you know, face to camera so that they can see me and hear me as I’m saying it.
And then I tell them what the next step is, because for me, it’s a consultation call. And a lot of people get nervous about consultation calls. They don’t want to be put on the spot. They feel like it’s going to be like a hard sales call. And I’m telling them, no, we just need to make sure that we jive. I mean, when I show up at your house, I want you to love me.
I want your husband to love me, your partner to love me. I want your kids to love me. I want us to have a good time. And so if we get on a call and we don’t enjoy this company, I am probably not the photographer to you to show up at your house and take your photos. And I think a lot of people really appreciate like that honesty and I tell them what the purpose of the call is.
And by saying it, I am making it a little easier to digest than if I wrote it down on paper. So that is the one place that like, Natasha, I feel like you should add a client
Natasha: I have a I have a thank you page, a specific thank you page that talks about the next steps for sure. I do not have a video there. So maybe you have inspired me to stick a video there too, so that people know exactly what is is. You know, and they see you and I also do a consultation call. So I know I have something on the thank you page that says, you know, it’s a great opportunity for you to ask questions and me to walk you through a session and all of those things, but there’s no reason I can’t have a video there with my face.
Talking to them and telling them all of those things as well. And people like video. I will say the one thing with video that I have not done because I did this, these videos a while ago is I did not do captions. And so that is on my list to do is make sure I have captions because a lot of people watch videos not, you know, with, not with the volume.
Colie: So now you’ve got me interested, where are the videos hosted?
Natasha: So the videos, oh yeah, I wonder if I could just do it.
Colie: if it’s Vimeo or Loom, you just need to turn them on. If you have them in Vimeo, a lot of people don’t know you can actually upload videos to
Natasha: minor in loom. So I can I just turn it on?
Colie: You just need to turn the
Natasha: Okay, I will do that then. Thank you for that tip. Although it, they probably need to be re recorded because I did them a while ago, at least the pick time one. But, yes, because It’s, you know, when you’re, if you’re nursing a baby at 3 a. m., most likely you’re not going to be listening to, I mean, maybe you will, but listening to the person talking, so, okay.
Thank you for that. Colie.
Colie: Yeah. okay. We’ve talked about videos, which are super awesome. I’m wondering, what do you think is the hardest concept, the hardest thing to implement inside your client experience from what you’ve seen either your mentoring students do or yourself like? Because we’ve already given them a couple of examples of things where they can just jump in.
But like, if you wanted to identify, this is the hardest thing, and so if it takes you a couple times, if you can’t get it right the first time, it’s A OK. What would that thing be for you?
Natasha: I personally think it’s continuing, continuing that relationship past delivery of everything. So past the session, Because a lot of times what happens again is you’re like, okay, we did the session, they paid me, they have all their things, I’m done. And really nurturing and continuing that relationship is super important.
Because that is how you get those repeat clients and that is how they’re, you know, it’s just a reminder. Oh yeah, we had this great session with them and a friend’s asking at a, on the playground. I’m looking for a photographer and they immediately think of you. So it’s just, you know, putting them on your newsletter list.
I actually have a separate client newsletter list. So they will get my regular newsletters sometimes. And sometimes I write a specific one for the clients that I’ve already worked with. And I also offer special things to clients I’ve worked with. So, I do petite fall family sessions. It is an And not something I offer to everybody.
It’s not open to the public. It is just for repeat clients because they are shorter sessions and. Blasphemy. I do do some of them outdoors. And, um, so I, those are only offered to them. And it is a perk of being a past client of mine. So I just think that that’s something that people don’t always think through is separating out those clients into their own newsletter list and, doing sort of more personal emails to them is super beneficial.
Yes, I’m sure they would enjoy your general email list. But, this just, I don’t, it’s, it’s like carrying on a friendship. So, I think that that’s a tricky thing and a thing that a lot of people don’t think about.
Colie: I agree. And I just want to put out there because I know that a lot of photographers don’t do email marketing. They’re a little scared of email marketing. I just want to say guys, when Natasha says that she’s putting them on a separate newsletter, That’s just a tag. That’s just a segment. They’re all still in the same account, whether it’s flow desk or kit or some other email marketing program like MailChimp.
All she’s talking about is adding a separate identifying tag to identify these people as those that you’ve already worked with. And I also want to say, in case you have not been a listener of this podcast for a really long time, back on episode, and see, I did look this one up back on episode 28, I chatted with one of my clients, Katie from the Bay area.
And one of the things that we did when we set up her new Dubsado pick time, like client experience from beginning to end. Was she had what she recalls, repeat client days. She does them like you do, like, you know, one time out of the year, it was one of the things that we decided to set up and she sold out of all of those in 48 hours.
So if you are listening to this and you have a lot of clients that you’ve worked with in the past and you’ve never offered them like this is a returning client only offer, this is something that I only do for you, uh, give it a whirl because every single person that I have either helped set it up or that have just told me about it in conversation that has always gone really, really well, but you can’t do that if you don’t have your clients, Tagged in a special way to where you can just send that offer
Natasha: Absolutely. And I think that goes to surprising clients with something and I am a big proponent of surprising clients, you know, not in so maybe they don’t know that you offer this special client sessions or, that you send a gift or that I personally give my clients their slideshow as a thank you after they’ve placed purchase their collection and they don’t know that that’s happening.
It’s, it’s, it’s a surprise. So I think surprising clients. Also a great way to just thank them for being, being in your life and in your business,
Colie: So a lot of people are like, yeah, but like when they need another session, they’ll come to me. How do you respond to that?
Natasha: I, you need to be front of mind. And it’s not that they didn’t love working with you, but we are inundated constantly with different providers or, you know, different things. And you really want to build brand loyalty and you do that. By creating an amazing client experience from beginning to end and beyond.
So yes, hopefully they will have such a great experience and love their images so much that yes, they will book you again, but if you have all these other touch points. They are more likely to book you again and send their amazing friends to you.
Colie: So you’ve mentioned that the way that you continue your conversation with clients is you move them to your newsletter and you have them specifically identified as clients. I’m curious. When do you cut off? The particular experience that they’ve paid you for inside of Dubsado. So in other words, when is it that you finally archive a project and like consider it to be done?
Natasha: So I send a request for a testimonial, and I also ask them to please refer me to their friends. And there are a couple emails in that little section because people forget, emails get buried, you know, all those things. So once that’s completed. I archive them.
Colie: Okay, are you still doing what I set up for you,
Natasha: Yes, I am. So with newborn, with newborns, they go into another workflow to have the possibility to book additional sessions with me throughout that first year.
Colie: Okay, so that’s special for the newborns, but for the families now, how long do you wait to see if they’re going to give you that testimonial before you archive the
Natasha: I usually give them two months. Just because people are busy and also just think of times of year. I did a bunch of sessions in the fall, full family sessions. People are busy. We have all the holidays. Kids are home from school. Then everybody got snow or whatever. So I give them at least two months and then I archive it.
Colie: Okay, I, I only point that out because that is a question that I get a lot and hey, maybe it’s a frequently asked question that I need to write down and do a blog post about, but a lot of people are like, well, but I don’t know how long to leave that process open. And so, you know, and it’s okay, if they don’t give you feedback, I would say that at some point, if you’ve added them to your newsletter, and you specifically tag them as clients, I think you could maybe send, like, an annual request, if you will, to be like, and hey.
You know, if you haven’t had the opportunity to leave me a Google review, cause that would be different than asking them to fill out the feedback form that’s Dubsado. But you could ask them, Hey, if you haven’t had the opportunity to fill out a Google review, I would really appreciate it because it helps me get found on Google by other amazing clients just like you.
I mean, you know, there’s always an opportunity for some flattery in
Natasha: And I do model calls for when I’m one on one mentoring with people, or I have done some personal projects that I’ve done model calls for. And those model calls always go out to past clients first, because, Even if they aren’t a good fit for it and it doesn’t work for them, they forward that to friends.
So, you know, utilize those clients for that sort of thing, because I get amazing applicants for my model calls doing it that way.
Colie: Okay. So I feel like we hit on. Frequently asked questions are something that go throughout your entire client experience. They go on your website so that perhaps strangers can find you if they are looking for answers to that same question. They have the potential to become your client. You sprinkle those same answers throughout your client experience.
And after the session has taken place, you have this video library to keep on nurturing them, tell them what comes next. And then even after delivery, you are reminding them that you are still here to work with them. You are asking them if they have any other friends, because guess what? If you loved me, your friends probably love me too.
Natasha: Yes.
Colie: And then you are asking them for that testimonial or that feedback so that you can update your website with amazing words from your clients. Is there anything else inside of your client experience that you think is worth mentioning? Because I do feel like we completely skipped over the booking part of like the workflow, if
Natasha: We did. We skipped over the booking part. So I really think having an optimized contact page is super important. You don’t want to just have a form slapped on there. and you also don’t, I mean, they’re varying thoughts on this. I don’t like having a super long form that people have to fill out
Colie: I agree.
Natasha: are they are not going to fill it out.
If you look at. 10 questions, you’re going to be like, forget it. I’m not doing this. This is not your questionnaire. This is a contact form. So I start with how can I help you because I am serving my clients. And then the dropdown is newborn session, maternity, you know, all the choices. Their name, their phone number, all of that stuff.
But then underneath there, I also have links that they can go to, to my fax page, to more about me. Um, I think I have a couple of blog posts also with frequently asked questions. One is what to wear and one is why you need an in home session. So you can provide additional information on that contact page.
It does not need to be just a form. And then when they submit it, as we discussed. Which I might be adding a video to this. They go to a thank you page and again, I have important things. They know exactly what happens next to that, and that is key, I think, in any client experience is you never want them guessing what happens next.
You need to let them know this is what you can expect next. This is what’s going to happen after your session. This is what’s going to happen after you order your products. Don’t leave them guessing.
Colie: And I feel like that’s where you should start with your client experience is writing down a list so that when you sit down to write these emails that you’re going to be sending people throughout your client experience, you can always end it with what comes next, because you can just look at your handy dandy list that you’ve made and be like, Oh, yeah, they’re going to get this questionnaire three weeks before the session.
Let me tell them that this is what they’re going to get.
Natasha: Yes, absolutely. And I think that goes to your workflow. So having, really writing down your workflow is, is super helpful. And what touch points in that workflow you have with the client. So you can give them that information of what comes next.
Colie: Now, guys, Natasha’s client experience is absolutely beautiful and she has a freebie that is linked in these show notes. And so if you would like to download this PDF, it even has a bonus video. Um, please be sure to check that out because I feel like it’s going to be very helpful for all of you who are in a place where you really want to make an amazing client experience for 2025 and beyond.
Natasha: Absolutely. Yeah, and it talks all about what pages you need on your website for your client experience. So you’re bringing in your website and your client experience.
Colie: I mean, and I feel like that gets missed a lot because, you know, for me, when I talk about your client experience from the angle of a CRM, I’m always starting with your inquiry. Then we go into your booking, then we go into your onboarding, then we go into your offboarding. But the truth is your client experience actually goes before that and after that.
And the before that is how people find you in order to come into your CRM, whether it’s your website. Or your social media or other places where you exist in like person or, you know, whatever it is that you’re doing, but the client experience doesn’t start when you talk to somebody, it starts with every opportunity that they have to interact with your brand initially, whether you are the person that’s having that conversation or whether or not your website or the posts on your social media are doing it for you.
Natasha: Absolutely. And even when people find you on social media, they most likely are going to go to your website. That is the next step. So optimizing your website to help them with their client experience and have it be an easy process and straightforward and they can find everything is key.
Colie: I’m so glad that you mentioned that was part of the freebie because I didn’t know.
Natasha: Yeah.
Colie: All right, Natasha, any other tips that you would like to give our listening audience related to client experience? And just to let you guys know. Natasha is coming to us live from her brand new Palm Springs house.
I shouldn’t say it’s brand new. It’s brand new to her, but it’s also completely redone. And she is doing this new thing for 2025 where she has in person small retreats for photographers. And the first one happens to be on client experience at the beginning of April. And so if you would like to check that out, I also have that linked inside of the show notes.
Natasha: Yes, I’m really excited about that. Um, and with joining that retreat, you also get access to my course, the Client Experience Blueprint, so you could even get a jumpstart. And I walk you through all of these things, step by step. There are PDFs and checklists and videos and all of the things to help you really, uplevel your client experience so that you can attract and keep clients who give you rave reviews and tons of referrals.
Colie: it was lovely to have you on the podcast again, which guys I should, I should tell you this. This is a little funny story. I’m just poking at her. So she sends me a formal request, like a pitch to be on the podcast, like an honest to God pitch. And I looked at the email and I was like, what? So then I pick up my phone and I texted.
And I’m like, by the way, you can come back on the podcast whenever you’d like. Please don’t send me another pitch. Here’s, here’s the link to go pick a time.
Natasha: Well, I wanted you to choose the topic and I want, but yes, you’re right. I could have just texted
Colie: was so funny though. I mean, I got, I got a good giggle out of it. So there was that.
Natasha: Well, thank you so much for having me on again.
Colie: Yes. All right, everybody. I certainly hope that you have learned something about your client experience and how you can make it even better for 2025 and beyond. And you know that this is a topic that we talk about on this podcast quite often.
So be sure to check out the show notes for the multiple episodes that I have linked you in case you want to take a deep dive into some of the things that we have chatted about today. All right. That’s it for this episode. See you next time.
So here’s the thing — most photographers don’t sit down one day and decide to audit their client experience. They notice it when they’re answering the same email for the third time that week.
Natasha’s approach is simple and honestly genius: keep a running note on your phone of every question a client asks. When you start seeing a pattern — the same question showing up again and again — you’ve just found a gap in your workflow. Your clients aren’t asking because they’re difficult. They’re asking because something in your process didn’t give them the answer before they needed it.
For Natasha, those two repeat questions were “what should we wear?” and “our house isn’t perfect — will the photos still look good?” Once she identified them, she didn’t just answer them once. She addressed them on her website, inside her Dubsado workflow, in her newsletters, and in blog posts. Because here’s the truth: your most important information has to live in multiple places.
Just because it’s on your website doesn’t mean your client saw it. And even if they did, they probably don’t remember it by the time they need it.
Think about who your ideal client is. They’re likely a parent of young kids, juggling school pickup, work deadlines, and approximately nine open tabs. They are not reading every word of your welcome guide with a highlighter. They need to be told important things multiple times, in multiple formats, at the moment they actually need the information.
This is why repetition inside your client experience isn’t annoying — it’s kind. The goal is to make sure your client never has to go looking for an answer.
Natasha and I both shoot in-home sessions, and we’re the first to tell you: the prep work is different when you’re photographing inside someone’s house.
It’s not just about getting clients relaxed in front of the camera. It’s also about getting them comfortable with the fact that their home is going to be in the photos. And most people’s first instinct is to apologize for the state of their house before you’ve even walked through the door.
Natasha meets that anxiety head-on. She tells clients clearly: your home is your safe space. A light cleanup is all that’s needed. She’s captured gorgeous images in homes that looked like real life — because they were real life. Kids’ toys on the floor, laundry happening, life being lived. That’s the point.
I’ll be honest — one of the things that helped me early in my career as an in-home photographer was letting people see inside my own space. I’ve created content showing my husband finally painting the trim in our bedroom before a photographer came over, because when you live somewhere, there are always unfinished corners. Literally.
If you’ve ever invited a photographer into your own home, you have real content to share with clients who are nervous about theirs. You don’t need their permission to share your own chaos — and it’ll do more to put them at ease than any bullet point in a welcome guide.
One of the things I loved learning about in this conversation is Natasha’s client video library — a curated collection of short videos she sends clients inside Dubsado to prepare them for what comes after the session.
Her videos cover things like how her products look in real life (she literally holds them up to camera), how the ordering process works, and what to expect when the slideshow arrives. Nothing fancy. No professional production. Just Natasha, on camera, showing and telling.
The result? Clients show up to their ordering appointments already knowing what the products look like and how the process works. They ask questions — which she takes as a signal that they’re actually engaged. And they’re far less anxious about the delivery experience than clients who got no prep at all.
Natasha sends the video library link in her day-after email (right when clients are still buzzing from the session), and then again right before she delivers the slideshow. Two sends. Both well-timed. Both feel relevant in the moment.
But the spot most photographers miss? The thank-you page after the contact form.
I’ve been recommending this for years: put a short video — even just 90 seconds — on the page clients land on after they submit an inquiry. Not a fancy production. Just you, talking to them, telling them what to expect next and what the consultation call is really for. Because a lot of potential clients get nervous about that call, and a quick video that says “hey, this isn’t a hard sales call — I just want to make sure we’re a good fit” does more to move them toward booking than almost anything else in your process.
My own version of this video is four minutes long. I know, I know — y’all, I love to talk. I made a 90-second version and it works beautifully. The point is just to get your face and your voice in front of them before the consultation, so they feel like they already know you a little before you even get on the phone.
If your client videos are in Loom, captions are just a toggle. Turn them on. A significant portion of people watch videos without sound — especially if they’re nursing a baby at 3am or scrolling quietly next to a sleeping toddler. Captions make sure your message lands no matter when or where they’re watching.
I say it all the time: every photographer has a nurture problem. And nowhere is that more visible than in what I call the dead zone — the stretch of time between your session and gallery delivery.
You do all this prep work before the session. You’ve answered questions, set expectations, built connection. And then… nothing. Silence. The client is left wondering what comes next and when, with no communication until the gallery link appears in their inbox weeks later.
Here’s why that’s a problem: your clients are anxious. They’re excited. They want to know their photos are coming. And that silence — even if it’s completely normal for your turnaround time — can start to feel like uncertainty.
The fix doesn’t have to be complicated. Automated check-in emails. A “still editing, can’t wait for you to see these” message. A link to the video library. A reminder of what to expect when the gallery is ready. These touchpoints keep clients warm, reduce anxiety, and set up the delivery experience for success.
And the best part? Once you build them into your workflow, they send themselves.
I also want to point out something that I feel like we don’t talk about enough: we do double duty as photographers. We provide a service during the session — the experience of being in front of our camera — and then we provide the actual photos and products after. A lot of photographers put a ton of prep into the session half and almost nothing into the delivery half. Even if you’re an all-inclusive photographer, you should still be prepping your clients for how the gallery works, how to download, and what products are available. Don’t skip the second half.
Before a client ever gets into your Dubsado workflow, they have to get through your contact form. And a lot of photographers treat that page like an afterthought.
Natasha is intentional about hers. She starts with “how can I help you?” — because she’s there to serve. She keeps the form short (nobody is filling out 10 questions just to inquire — that is a contact form, not a questionnaire). And she includes links to her FAQ page, her blog posts about what to wear and why in-home sessions are worth it, and more about her process.
Your contact page doesn’t have to be just a form. It can be a pre-qualifying, anxiety-reducing, excitement-building moment in the client experience — if you treat it that way.
This is the thread that runs through everything Natasha and I talked about: at every stage of the client experience, your clients should always know what comes next. After the inquiry, after the session, after the delivery — they should never be left wondering.
My suggestion? Write out your workflow step by step. Then end every single email with a preview of what’s coming. It’s one of the simplest things you can do to reduce client anxiety and build trust — and it costs nothing except a little upfront planning.
This is where most client experience conversations end. The gallery is delivered, the project is archived, you move on. But Natasha makes a really compelling case that what happens after delivery is where the referrals and repeat bookings actually live.
Clients who had a great experience want to talk about it. They want to send their friends to you. But if months go by and they haven’t heard from you, they might just… forget. Not because they didn’t love you. Because life is busy and there are a million things competing for their attention.
Natasha keeps past clients in a separate, tagged segment of her email list. She sends them regular newsletters — sometimes the same ones that go to her broader list, and sometimes emails written specifically for past clients, with a more personal, “hey, it’s been a minute” tone.
This is not a complicated tech setup. I want to be really clear about that. If you’re using Flodesk, Kit, Mailchimp, or pretty much any email marketing platform, a segment is just a tag. You add a past client tag to identify them, and now you can send them something that feels like it’s just for them — because it is.
Natasha also offers repeat clients access to special petite fall sessions that aren’t open to the public. Shorter sessions. Slightly different format. Exclusive to people who’ve worked with her before. And when she sends that invite, it fills fast.
Back on episode 28, I chatted with a client of mine named Katie who offered repeat client days — and she sold out in 48 hours. Every single person I’ve helped set this up has had a similar experience. If you have a list of past clients and you’ve never sent them an exclusive offer, this is probably the most actionable thing you can do after listening to this episode.
Natasha also uses her past client list for model calls when she’s doing mentoring work or personal projects. Even if a past client isn’t the right fit themselves, they forward those emails. They tag their friends. Your past clients are your best marketing team — if you stay in their orbit.
This is a question I get asked constantly, and Natasha has a real, practical answer: she gives clients about two months after delivery to leave feedback or a testimonial, then archives the project. Life gets busy, especially during fall and the holidays. Two months is a reasonable window that respects both her clients’ time and her own need to keep her CRM clean.
For newborn clients, she runs a separate workflow that offers additional sessions throughout the baby’s first year — so those projects stay open longer by design. (Sound familiar? That’s something we set up together, and I love seeing it in action.)
After archiving, if a client hasn’t left a Google review, there’s always the newsletter. A warm, “hey, if you haven’t had a chance to share your experience, I’d really appreciate it — it helps families like yours find me” is completely appropriate to send to your past client segment. A little flattery goes a long way. And it gives people who genuinely loved their experience an easy way to show it.
Guest Bio:
Natasha is a DC family and newborn photographer, who captures unscripted, full-of-personality moments from the comfort of your home. As a mom of three and a former elementary school teacher turned in-home newborn and family photographer, Natasha knows how to get your littles to cooperate and have FUN!
Find it Quickly:
02:10 – The Importance of Client Experience
04:18 – In-Home Photography Challenges and Tips
09:11 – Enhancing Client Communication
12:30 – Utilizing Video in Client Experience
15:04 – Post-Session Client Engagement
31:28 – Optimizing Your Contact Page
Mentioned in this Episode
Episode 123: 3 Videos to Create for Your Client Experience Right Now (Video Visibility Series)
Episode 28: Outsourcing for the WIN with Kati Douglas
Pic-Time (Use code COLIE for 15% off)
Connect with Natasha
Website: npsphotography.com
Instagram: instagram.com/npsphotography
The easiest way is to start paying attention to the questions you’re answering on repeat. If a client asks you something more than twice, that’s not a one-off — that’s a gap. Keep a running note on your phone and log every question that comes in. Patterns will emerge fast, and each one is telling you exactly where your process needs to speak up sooner.
It won’t — I promise. Think about who your clients are. They’re busy parents being pulled in a hundred directions. They’re not reading every word of your welcome guide. Repeating important information across your website, your workflow emails, and your client resources isn’t redundant — it’s strategic. The goal is to make sure the right information reaches them at the moment they actually need it, not just the moment you sent it.
Automate it. You don’t need to be manually writing check-in emails every week — build a few simple touchpoints into your workflow that send themselves. A day-after email while they’re still buzzing from the session, a midpoint “still editing” note, and a heads-up right before delivery is enough to keep clients warm and eliminate that anxious silence. Natasha uses Dubsado to automate all of it, so every client gets the same consistent experience without her having to think about it.
Tag them as past clients in your email marketing platform and treat them like the VIPs they are. Send them something that feels personal — not a generic blast. Give them first access to limited sessions, invite them to model calls before the public, write emails that feel like catching up with a friend. When past clients feel like insiders, they don’t see your emails as marketing. They see them as a perk.
Yes — and it doesn’t have to be a production. Natasha’s product video is literally her holding up prints and albums to the camera and talking about what she loves about them. That’s it. No studio, no script, no editor. The value isn’t in the polish — it’s in showing up on camera so clients can see and hear you. It builds trust faster than any amount of written copy, and a short Loom video takes maybe 10 minutes to record.
Give yourself a reasonable window to collect a testimonial or feedback — Natasha uses about two months — and then archive and move on. If they haven’t responded by then, they’re not going to fill out your form, and that’s okay. Archive the project, keep them tagged as a past client on your email list, and let the relationship continue there. The CRM project closes; the connection doesn’t have to.


Your business works, but your backend is costing you.
A 4-Part Audio Series for service-based business owners who are ready to upgrade their “just fine” client experience, unlock higher pricing, increase referrals, and grow more sustainable revenue—without overworking behind the scenes.
Get the FREE 4-part audio training series
Systems That Sell
© 2022-2025 Colie James
Close
Start dates available for Q3 2026
Join the waitlist and get first dibs, unlock your FREE 10-minute audit + a surprise bonus if you grab a spot for Q3. Doors Open June 18th.
