You loved all the guidance and resources that your personal branding photographer gave you to help you prepare for your shoot. Then you were amazed at how much fun you had at the shoot — your branding photographer made it easy. Like butter. It was beyond anything you expected. Then mind-blown by the stunning images and all the personal, brand-specific assistance he/she provided to ensure you used them to the max! You never knew a photographer was so chuck-full of service! But then, you get the link asking you for a review or testimonial and have a dear-in-the-headlight moment. The stuck-ness often comes from not knowing how to write a review. What to say.

But building a business takes a village of people who take a deep and personal interest in your business and your growth, like your mentor or your amazing personal branding photographer. So, this Thanksgiving, I am going off the beaten path of a gratitude blog post toward something more practical but unfortunately often overlooked: Testimonials and Reviews.

This Thanksgiving, Thank Your Personal Branding Photographer + Other Vendors With a Review.

Writing a review is difficult to write for most people, and after time has passed, we think it’s too late. Perhaps Thank-you notes are more your thing. But, honestly, the absolute best way to thank your photographer or other business partners is by giving them a positive review.

Reviews are EVERYTHING to a small business.

• They make their business more visible
• They make them appear more trustworthy
• They drive the decisions of potential clients

This Thanksgiving (the day after actually), think of all the people who have given you excellent service this year and thank them with a review. It costs you only a little time. You can write a testimonial or review for them.

What should you say in your review?

First, here is what you shouldn’t say — words like “shoot” or “shot”. Always refer to your photoshoot as your session and your “shots” as your images or photos. Words like “shoot” or “shot” will be hidden by Google. Okay, below are five questions that help prompt what you should say.

1. What was the biggest challenge or fear that you had when you first decided you whated to boot a photoshot for yourself or your business?
2. In what ways did you feel your photographer helped you create your vision? Did their guidance help you feel less stressed about the process? Did you feel prepared on the day of your photoshoot?
3. How would you describe your experience with your photographer and their team from start to finish?
4. What was your favorite part of working with your photographer? Can you provide an example of how your photographer exceeded your expectations, or put you at ease during your photoshoot?
5. Is there anything else you really liked or appreciate about working with your photographer that you think other people will appreciate?

Need a little more help on how to write a review?

I’ve included a few photography websites that have great reviews. You can find a review and use it as a jumping-off point for your review — just change what you need to.

• CreekStreet
• Telling Photography
• Louise Rose Photography