Death by a Thousand Paper Cuts

I’m annoyed at everything today. The sink in the bathroom is stopped up again, and I don’t understand why, when the only thing that goes down the drain is water. The kids still swallow their toothpaste or spray it around the bathroom, instead of spitting it out. I’m in hostage negotiations with family about when we’ll get together for Christmas (yes, it’s mid-January; the hostages are the presents) and we’re in a stalemate because that’s how life goes when you’re an adult with small children. My accounting software has tripled in price since July and I just noticed it today, which means I’m not paying enough attention to my accounting software and thus even further flushing money down the pipes (maybe that’s why the bathroom sink is clogged). I’m in potty-training negotiations with a three year old who is suddenly afraid of the potty, and it’s not going well (Send me all your tips). I need to take my car to be inspected and get the oil changed and who has time for that. I’m working on multiple work projects at once and they all seem to be languishing - I can’t seem to feel like I’m making any headway on any of them. The Christmas decorations are still up and no one is making any attempts to change that. I didn’t sleep well last night, or the night before (which is likely the root of all of the above annoyances).

It’s like death by a thousand paper cuts. Even if I were to find the energy and time to deal with every one of the tiny annoyances that indicate that something needs to be done, something else will pop up in its place, and the cycle continues. Such is life of a (relatively responsible) adult.

This is why I try to run my family photography business the way I do; without presenting clients with a thousand little annoyances. I try to anticipate what you need so each step is not another paper cut:

I lay out the steps of working with me on my website, so you know what to expect.

I have an auto-responder set up when you inquire about a session, so you immediately know I’ve received your form and you don’t have to wonder if or when I’ll respond (and then I respond in person within 24 hours). I include a calendar scheduler in the auto-responder so you can pick out a date and time to chat when you’re ready, and I only offer a few dates so you don’t set a date way off in the future and then forget about it.

I call you, so you don’t have to worry about calling me.

After our call, I send one email with the details from our call, so you don’t have to write things down while we chat.

The same email includes a contract and invoice that you can read and sign and pay when you’re ready. You don’t have to re-contact me to say you’re ready to sign a contract or pay an invoice. I follow up if you’re ready to move forward but get distracted before you can finish the process.

I ask lots of questions that you might not otherwise consider, in preparation for our session, and I send a prep guide and reminders so you are ready and don’t forget. I give you my phone number so you can text me your questions during the process (and feel free to send gushing remarks after the fact).

I come prepared, I arrive at least 5 minutes early, act like a dork to help you relax, and I put myself in charge so that you can focus on your family and not how much time is left or what needs to happen next.

I don’t expect you to be an expert at having your picture taken, to know how to pose or where to stand. I don’t expect you or your family to be perfect (I truly hope you’re not perfect, given my rant above).

I don’t ask you to pay for photos until after you’ve had a chance to see them, and I have three collections to allow you to choose the amount of photos you need for your family. I include a print credit so you can immediately get your photos printed without needing to find a quality photo printer on your own.

I deliver everything to you myself, so I have a chance to check the quality, run interference with vendors, send it back if it’s wrong, and make sure it’s not thrown onto the front porch in the rain without protection.

Those are just some of the ways I’ve been working to make the professional photo-taking process easier for you. I can’t do anything about your personal paper cuts - I refuse to take down anyone else’s Christmas decorations, after all. But working with me should feel more like a bandaid on that open wound, rather than yet another cut. Pass the Neosporin.