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

Sarah, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We love asking folks what they would do differently if they were starting today – how they would speed up the process, etc. We’d love to hear how you would set everything up if you were to start from step 1 today

I am proud of the way I started in this industry, but if there were something that I learned along the way that I would do differently it would be getting a business credit card sooner. I immediately set up my business bank account but didn’t consider how beneficial building my business credit score is. As my small business continues to grow this will help if I ever need to secure a loan, receiving lower interest rates & having a good reputation with vendors & lenders.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a lifestyle photographer who has a passion for photographing families at every stage of their lives. I think it’s so beautiful to be able to capture a couple as they prepare for their next chapter as parents. Being invited in to document those early days of becoming parents with their newborn. To document their child’s milestones to their first birthday & be asked to photograph their family each year as they continue to grow & change. As a mother & wife myself, I felt drawn to this industry as I was becoming a mother myself & picked up my first camera to be able to document my pregnancy & journey into motherhood. I am also a military spouse & I wanted to be able to share quality images of my growing family with loved ones also played a role in my desire to become a photographer. Military life can be so unpredictable & being a part of this community has allowed me the opportunity to document so many families & their journeys. I take pride in my work & your experience with me. I want families to feel comfortable during our session. I believe communication is so important when booking a session, this is when you can get to know your client’s family better so your time together can be fun & seamless. I want to hit the mark when it comes to your whole experience with me from beginning to end. I want to deliver quality images that a family will cherish. I know when I look back on photographs of my family, it sparks a feeling of happiness; that is what I want to give to my clients.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think customer experience is key to building your reputation in this industry. I believe it is so important to get to know your clients to truly be able to give them an experience that they will be happy with. It’s important to communicate with them to understand their goals for a session. I believe consistently delivering quality images as well as an excellent customer experience builds trust. Having this trust leads to them coming back to you again & referring you to their friends & family.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Social media can be a full-time job when it comes to your small business & doing it yourself versus hiring a team can be demanding at times. However, I believe in being able to grow my audience on social media by providing a customer experience that contributes to word of mouth & potential clients’ following/engaging with my accounts. Also, I think frequently posting whether that is sharing behind-the-scenes snippets, images from a recent session, or a client testimonial helps grow your audience. Engaging with comments, answering questions, & connecting with local community groups. I believe networking also plays a key role in growing your social media. Engage and get to know other creatives like you in your industry. Collaborating with a local business or another photographer helps connect you. The advice I would give is to find your voice, stay consistent & provide an excellent customer experience.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sarahgautierephotography.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: @sarahgautierephotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sarahgautierephotography

Image Credits

Headshot – Taylor Jack Photography
8 images of work – Sarah Gautiere Photography