We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Heather Armijo. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Heather below.

Hi Heather, thanks for joining us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?
I believe that when you start a business, you should put your definition as success as your goal. Success can mean many different things to everyone and it can change constantly. When I first began my business I thought being busy and having my calendar full of sessions meant I was successful. Obviously doing this did not allow for much balance in my life and I soon realized I was not happy with this version of success. After 10 years in business, I view success as having a business that first, provides for a great experience for my clients, exceeding their expectations and second, provides for my family while allowing us to live a balanced life. To get to my version of success your business must set expectations for your clients. I work hard to give my clients every detail of information they might need, prior to the session so they can have a vision and idea of what they can expect. I then set clear boundaries for my time and business turn around so that they know how long the process takes. This helps me also “leave work” and log off during family hours knowing everything is taken care of. These two things combined are apart of my business policies and when followed, everyone is happy and taken care of!

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?
I’m a maternity and newborn photographer with a studio in the Katy area. My desire to capture my kids through photographs is what led me to becoming a professional photographer. I know first hand how quickly we move through the stages of our lives. As soon as I started my business I knew I wanted to focus on newborns and all the excitement that surrounds this stage- from your pregnancy to baby’s first birthday. I love getting to know my clients and being apart of their lives. There’s nothing more rewarding than having clients come back for photographs year after year. I also pride myself on my professionalism. I want your portrait experience to be just that- an experience! From quick correspondence to giving clients all the information needed to prepare for a successful session- I am here every step of the way through this process. I started out as a self-taught photographer, learning from books, online resources, forums, other wonderful photographers who have shared their knowledge, and lots of practicing. Since choosing newborn photography as my specialty, I’ve invested in online workshops and hands-on mentoring with the top newborn photographer in the country. My photographs are bright, clear, honest and focus on my subject(s). I strive to capture the personality, emotions, interactions and details of my clients.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
The most effective way to build my clientele and my brand has been to take care of my current clients. I focus on making sure they have an amazing experience, start to finish. I often have giveaways on my Instagram page for current clients as a way to let my clients know how much I appreciate them. In the fall months I mail thank you cards and gifts to my long-time clients. In my industry photographers need clients to come back each time they have a milestone they need documented. My business would not be what it is without them coming back to me each year for portraits and I want them to know how much their loyalty means to me!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Having a website to showcase my work and pricing details is where most of my new clients come from. New clients search on Google and find my website. I work on updating the images and giving the most information I can so clients feel they know what to expect from my services just by looking at the website. I also work on keeping my Instagram updated with behind the scenes vides and recent session photos. I love interacting with clients and getting to help them share the images from their session with others!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.heatherarmijophotography.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/heatherarmijophoto