I was once told a present is something someone else wants to have, and a gift is something you want them to have. If you give someone a present, there probably isn’t much you need to do. Stick it in a bag, take out the receipt, hand it over. You’re all set. But a gift is something both more beautiful and delicate. A gift is all about care. Wrap it perfectly, tie it neatly, and tell a story about what it means, and it’s everything. Pull it out of your pocket along with a fluff of pocket lint, and just say “here,” and it’s doomed to fail.

Gifts represent our desire to share who we are and show what the … Read more...

Dear Wedding Industry,

I am sorry to see that you’ve not heeded my words. You know no bounds. You tease me so. How is it that your well never dries? Things were so wonderful at first, but it would seem we’ve grown apart, and I am uncertain that we shall ever find true harmony. But if you would be so kind, I submit for consideration my most recent list of irksome occurrences. Perhaps last time I wrote of such, I was too unkind to vintage, as there is surely a broader base to select from. As always, I humbly concede that I have been guilty of some of these myself. I am apologetic for this.

P.S. No, I’m not retiring. … Read more...

A lot of people think loyalty programs are a way of building loyalty. But keeping clients and generating traffic aren’t the same thing. It’s not getting them in the door. It’s how they got there in the first place. In fact, most loyalty programs are really about retention. They are ways of keeping people on the hook and squirming, so you can peddle your wares. Loyalty means your clients will go to bat for you without any incentive. They simply believe in you and care for you. You needn’t do more than ask to receive. You generate that when you help fulfill people. People will fight to the death for people who let them live their lives the way they … Read more...

With another year ending, the season slowing, and just a hint of a glimmer of free time on the horizon, now seems as good a time as any for some reflection. Where have I been, where am I going? How did the year go, and what can I do better next year?

It’s certainly been a year of ups and downs, with the economy, the industry, with vintage coming to a boil, with Mason Jar Manifestos, and a growing divide between the haves and the have-nots. But there’s another divide, too. It’s the ever-evolving transition from the old economy to the new. The old guard to the new. The old marketing to the new. And the fact that we have … Read more...

Here’s something I find useful quite frequently. When you present information, the first thing you show or discuss is going to be the anchor. For example, if I show you the most striking album first, all of the rest look crappy by comparison, even if they’re well done. On the other hand, if I show you the worst one first, people will still enjoy it. By nature, we tend evaluate relative to the first thing we see.

The same applies for pricing. Imagine I were to say an engagement session is $1,200, but if you do it on a weekday, I’ll make it $800. That $400 difference is now an incentive. It’s a benefit associated with weekday sessions. It’s not … Read more...