In Defense of the Missing Before-and-After Pics

Since I've been organizing formally for my clients, I have worked all kinds of jobs - from pantries to closets to full homes. My clients have varied a lot too - from long-time friends, colleagues to perfect strangers, all with the same goal: to live a more organized life. I feel honored to be trusted with their spaces, their goals and their concerns. It is a vulnerable thing, to let someone new into your home and share what isn't working.

That said, I am a business owner trying to grow my brand and my schedule, and nothing says WOW THIS WOMAN CAN ORGANIZE more than a great set of before-and-after photos. I know this, but I still don't always take them. Why would I intentionally avoid taking photos, knowing it may hold me back from growth?

Because my relationship with my client and their trust in me and our process together matters more to me than marketing. I know a happy client will tell their friends and that will go WAY further than any social media marketing I could do. Because many of my clients do not have happy feelings about their space before I arrive and by taking a picture it can make it seem like I am saying there is something wrong, shameful, or bad about the way they live. Because I would rather focus on building a relationship with my client than worry about how I am going to package the project in an appealing way.

I do have a lot of clients who are excited about the process and ask me about taking photos before and after we do their project, and for them I say "Great!" But if photos make you uncomfortable, never fear! I won't push it. Calling in a professional organizer can be scary, but it can also be so rewarding. You don't realize the impact clutter has on your life until it's been cleared, and helping you realize that is 100% reward enough.

Until then, I will just trust that my happy clients will market for me, with or without fancy Transformation photos!

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