The following is a guest post by Courtney Cook, owner of Captures by Courtney, a Colorado-based photography studio.

It was Wednesday morning, my last day in Vegas.   I had sat through eight presentations at this point and was dreading another drawn out lullaby.   Obviously, I had never heard of Kay Eskridge, because it turns out she is anything but a lullaby.   When I found my seat, she was just arriving and walking around bare-foot.   Kay’s assistants, AKA Å“girlfriends,  were passing around pretzels, just in case others in the audience were also recovering from the previous night’s Pictage Party.   She then took the mic and let us all know that for the next two hours were Å“gonna be a ride!    Boy, were they!

Not only is Kay very entertaining, she is a genius!   She takes beautiful portraits and is a ROCKSTAR at marketing her image, keeping new clients rolling in even in the worst of economic times.   If you are not aware of Kay, she is what I would call an Active Veteran of photography.   She has been in the business for over 25 years, starting first as a co-owner of Phoenix Quick Photo and then moving behind the lens as Eskridge Photography in ’89.   Her business has gone through many changes over the years and she is most proud of her recent expansion.   She literally built her studio from the ground up and the result is breathtaking.   She put much thought and care into ensuring that every inch of her studio had a purpose.   The lobby is set-up to welcome the clients and ensure them that they will receive the personalized attention that they deserve.   Her dressing rooms are stocked with emergency essentials such as nail polish remover and static release.   The camera room has everything from a large bay-window allowing natural light to pour in, to hardwood floors and multiple backdrops.   My personal favorite is her theater room.   When it is time for her clients to view their proofs, they are invited to a projection appointment.   They are treated to leather swivel chairs, surrounded with beautifully framed images, and treated to snacks and tissue to enjoy the show.   There are incentives to ordering during the appointment and ideas are given for displaying images in their home.

During Kay’s presentation there were many themes that seemed to repeat themselves, but the strongest message was on how to treat your clients.   Å“Don’t just meet expectations ¦ exceed them!    Å“Earn your black belt in customer care!    Kay doesn’t stop once the picture order has been placed; she follows up by sending hand-written thank-you notes throughout the year.   Not only does this make her clients feel special, it leads to them coming back time after time, and sending friends.   What it really boils down to is, why waste the money on pointless advertising?   Treating your clients special is a sure-fire way to grow your business and strengthen your credibility.

Kay is also very careful with how she presents herself to the community.   One of her proudest achievements has been Paws for a Cause.   She teamed up with local no-kill shelters to create this program offering a free photo session to animal lovers in exchange for a donation.   The results are always astounding as she continues to keep these shelters on their feet.   She is an expert at Boudoir, but you will not see it on her main website, ImagesbyKay.com.   This is due to the fact that she believes in family and protecting her image.   When she decided to really dive into the word of Boudoir, she established a separate trade name and released CelebrateSexy.com.   Once again, the message here is to think about your clients and their needs.   Do not be afraid to market yourself as sexy, but don’t turn away your families in the process.

Ultimately, the two hours I spent with Kay Eskridge were a ride that I will never forget and are sure to help throw my business into overdrive.   I was educated, motivated and inspired.   I was most touched by how Kay sticks to her motto:   œCelebrating life ¦ one image at a time! 

For more on Kay Eskridge:

www.imagesbykay.com

www.celebratesexy.com

www.learngrowsucceed.org