Celebrating your clients wins.

I looked at my agency’s production schedule the other day. It was an average Friday, we had about 12 shoots on, and I noticed something really cool.

Each one of our clients that day had been with us since the first 2 years of our company starting, which was a decade ago.

So for nearly 10 years, these clients have stuck with us. How amazing is that. I just felt so much gratitude and love for these people — what a blessing.

And like anybody, I’m like, damn, why us? Why are we deserving of such loyalty?

And the more I thought about it, I remembered this big mental shift I had early on.

I started celebrating the wins of our clients.

Sounds simple, huh?

I did it. I got my whole team to do it.

Because our work is producing mainly photo and video content at the start of our client’s sales cycle, we’re kind of out of the picture before they get any reward from working with us. We’re kind of moved on to the next project.

But that little bit of extra time it takes to keep an eye on them after we’ve finished, and see if they have success with the campaign, really pays off.

For example, 2 months after working with us, they might’ve launched or sold the thing we shot for — so I’ll send them a message: “Congrats on the sale/launch!! So awesome.” Sharing their excitement. Sharing their success. And you know what? Subconsciously, I’ve just attached myself to that feeling they have from winning. And the next time they want that feeling again — who’s attached to it? Me.

Not to mention, my whole team started getting more invested in the work because there was a greater outcome — so strangely enough, quality started going up. When our clients won awards, we cheered the loudest. When they hit personal milestones, we sent them gifts.

We actually genuinely cared.

Now, how can you apply this to your creative business? Follow up. Find reasons to connect.

If you’re a wedding photographer, every anniversary you should be sending that couple a gift or at least a message. On that anniversary date, do you know who’s celebrating? The 3 of you. You’re connected. Do you think that if anyone ever said, “Hey, does anyone know any good wedding photographers?” within earshot of that couple, they wouldn’t jump over people to talk about you? Come on. Done deal.

Think about it. We’re artists. We’re creatives. What we do matters — because it affects someone’s life in some way. Big or small, it matters.

Think of a reason to remind people that you are rooting for them — that you want them to win. That you believe in them.

Do you get that?

How many people can you say believe in you? Would you like more?

Most people — that’s all they want. Be that person. Genuinely. And good things will start to happen.

I believe in you. Keep creating.