Valentines for the rest of us

Most Valentine cards get stashed away into a private hideaway – special words whispered between two hearts. But for the business owners among us, you know all too well that a positive review from a client can send us over the moon and our hearts aflutter.

Client reviews can be a great way for others to understand the true heart of a business.

Pinned to my “You can do this!” wall (and shared in its entirety below)* is one of most favorite Valentine (er, review) from this past year. In it, Sue M. records her personal experience being photographed by Parisi Images.

Am I worried you’ll think this is too braggadocios? (Yes, I’m already blushing).

Does it share snippets of my heart in a way only others can see? (Yes, to this, too.)

As for the gushiest of "I love you's" written between my hubby and me? Rest assured those love notes will stay secretly stashed away.

Dear Sarah,

I’m writing to thank you and encourage you in your gift of photography...

[Prior to the shoot I felt] nervous... I don't enjoy being on the other side of the camera. It also felt extravagant.

Sarah, ALL of that changed through your emails before the shoot filled with prep work and suggestions; then, finally, your calm demeanor during the shoot pushed me over the edge.

Your calm attitude and genuine desire to create something for us made me feel relaxed, loved, and safe with you.

What could have been a dreaded, stressful experience became an enjoyable and exciting experience!

Spending time to tell us where to look and what to do with our hands and moving props and rearranging hair/clothes gave me confidence that you understood that we wanted to look our best.

Talking through the shoot and showing authentic excitement over the pics made such a HUGE difference for me. Offering to let us see a pic or two was amazing!

Telling a story and patiently explaining it to us helped me understand and catch your vision.

Sarah, you are truly gifted, not just with your craft but as a person. You have the gift of encouragement and you bring peace, not chaos, to your photoshoots.

[After the shoot] I shared the three sneak peek pics with my husband… and you can take this as HUGE praise: he was impressed! He is a businessman whose job is to get everyone to do their absolute best. He’s very kind and tenderhearted, but he is tough to impress. Your work impressed him!

Thank you for being you!

With great fondness,

Sue M.

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*All words originals; any edits made for clarity only.

Photo in this post captured for Freed to Flourish.