Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brandon Marks. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Brandon, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the most important things we can do as business owners is ensure that our customers feel appreciated. What’s something you’ve done or seen a business owner do to help a customer feel valued?

After each wedding I shoot, I like to deliver in person any merch a client purchases, such as an album, prints, or USB box.

Occasionally, I have discounts on merch, and one time, I had surprised a client with a free 16×20 metallic print of their favorite shot from their wedding day.

They were so beyond stoked to receive this gift and their reaction made it so worth it!!!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Brandon. I’m the sole photographer/videographer at Oakenheart Photography.

I conceptualized my business in 2016 and fully formed it by 2020.

I love infusing beautiful nature and landscapes in my work whenever I can and capture rich/warm/authentic content always.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

Getting reviews, hands down.

Most of my leads come from Yelp, Google, and Instagram, in that order.

People really want to vet the person they’re going to hire, so I always encourage my clients to let other people know how it went for them.

Even though I know most people don’t start their search on Yelp, many of them make it there to check out reviews.

Google Business listings are great too, because they combine reviews with your locale on the map, website, and socials, all within a single search.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I think as I was forming my business I started out staying true to myself and my aesthetic nearly 100%.

Over time though, in order to gain more business, I shifted, and started creating work I thought people wanted to see. While that didn’t necessarily hurt, I think it made me lose a bit of inspiration.

Now, I’ve reverted back to my original vision more, and am happier for it. There’s a common wisdom in the 80-20 rule that I’ve applied to my business— 80% of what inspires me and 20% of what I think clients want. Ultimately, I don’t know all the best moves to make, but I do know that my work turns out better when I’m in love with the process, and that any client, who enjoys my style will benefit tremendously from that.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.oakenheartphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oakenheartphoto/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@oakenheartphotography/videos
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/oakenheart-photography-san-diego
• Other: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Oakenheart+Photography/@32.6957814,-117.08084,11z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m6!3m5!1s0x80d956bd8f23ef23:0xfb0abdedb31a6c83!8m2!3d32.6957814!4d-117.08084!16s%2Fg%2F11gdkp6wd9?entry=ttu