090 - What Real Men Think of Family Portraits: Dad Series Part 1 with Dr. Ben Larrabee

2023-05-04

“How do we get the dads on board?” “How do you handle the grumpy husbands?” “What if Dad decides to tank the sale?” Historically, dads aren’t as excited about family portraits as moms are. Perhaps it’s because they weren’t the ones to plan the session and are likely the ones that will be most concerned about the bill. Maybe it’s because their wife has been ordering $3M worth of clothing over the last month and stressing about every detail involved with the photo shoot. Luckily, we have some great dad clients that not only love their portraits, but are even the driving forc...

“How do we get the dads on board?”
“How do you handle the grumpy husbands?”
“What if Dad decides to tank the sale?”

Historically, dads aren’t as excited about family portraits as moms are. Perhaps it’s because they weren’t the ones to plan the session and are likely the ones that will be most concerned about the bill.

Maybe it’s because their wife has been ordering $3M worth of clothing over the last month and stressing about every detail involved with the photo shoot.

Luckily, we have some great dad clients that not only love their portraits, but are even the driving force for their family scheduling them and seeking the service. Unicorn Dads! Let’s find out directly from the horse’s mouth how we can better serve the entire family and get dads on board with the process.

Today is the first of a series of episodes to learn what real men think about family portraits. Kicking off the series is Dr. Ben Larrabee, an orthodontist, fellow business owner in our community, and ATJ client. He has so many pearls of wisdom that will surprise you, because what could orthodontics and photography ever have in common? Turns out, quite a bit!

In this episode, you’ll learn:

How to appeal to dads during family portraits
What to consider when talking to the whole family
The lasting impact your work has on families

Here’s a glance at this episode:

[03:37] - Dr. Larrabee shares his background and what he does in his community.
[05:01] - For Dr. Larrabee, he wants to love everything he does, even down to the photographer he uses.
[06:07] - Historically, men don’t seem to care about family portraits. Moms are usually the ones seeking the service.
[08:10] - The best clients (and patients for Dr. Larrabee) are the ones that ask questions and trust the process.
[09:36] - Dr. Larrabee not only loves the photography, he shares why he appreciated the service of placing the art on the wall in the perfect size.
[10:50] - His family portraits remind him that time is moving quickly and gives him the opportunity to appreciate memories.
[12:57] - Try to flip it. If you are the client coming in, what do you expect as a consumer?
[14:06] - Dr. Larrabee shares how he handles clients who are not willing or unable to pay for the service he provides.
[16:22] - Everyday is a good day when you are doing something you love.
[19:32] - Relationship building is not only important but it's amazing when you see these families grow.
[21:26] - Oftentimes, dads get involved when it comes to the bills. Dr. Larrabee shares his advice for getting both mom and dad involved.
[22:58] - Try to never judge and stereotype.
[25:03] - Dr. Larrabee describes what his family portraits mean to him and his kids.