Last Monday I had the opportunity to present to some college students taking a Business of Photo class at my Alma Mater, and it was such a fun experience! It only confirmed my desire to educate other creatives in business and photography. One of my business goals for this year is to offer more educational opportunities, and that includes more blog posts about photography + business. This one is the first and I'm so excited to share it with you! In the past year, I have learned so much about running your own business and being a professional photographer. When I sat down to think of the things that have really helped grow my business in the past year, it came down to 10 key points. I'm sharing them with you in hopes that they'll help you in your own journey! Faith + Hard Work
that it's also important to continue putting in hard work. Running a business doesn't come easy, but it is worth it. Make sure you're shooting often, editing well, and sharing your work consistently. Set GoalsI'm a goal digger and a list maker. I thrive when I can work off of a checklist. And one of the easiest ways to start accomplishing more in your business is to write down some goals, then decide when you want to achieve them by. Here are some of my goals for 2017:
Use Your ResourcesI still photograph the majority of my shoots with a Canon 7D. While I love the 5DMIII, I know it's in my better interest to wait a little longer before upgrading, because one of the biggest things I've learned is: you need to save more than you spend - and be grateful for what you have. I'm also a member of Canon Professional Services, which keeps my equipment in good condition so I can continue using it longer. If you're a Canon user, then I highly recommend you register your equipment with them if you haven't already!
you'll get paid! Rising Tide Society: RTS was founded on the concept, "Community over Competition." They provide a place for creatives to virtually meet and lift each other up with encouraging words or ideas. It's awesome. Never Stop LearningYou may still be in school, or you may be done with school. Either way, don't stop learning. I started my photography business while I was in school, and it taught me a lot about balance and responsibility. Last summer, I invested in a one-on-one mentoring session with Nicole Balsamo Photography, and later in September I flew to Utah for a photography retreat with Nhiya Kaye Photography. Those learning experiences brought me so much joy and really helped shape my business. FYI: I'll be offering one-on-one mentoring sessions this Spring, so stay tuned for details coming to you in April! : BlogThis one is SO important. I didn't realize just how much of a difference blogging makes until EVERYONE started telling me last year that I should. I decided to find topics that would relate to my clientele (i.e. Brides), and write about it. It has been a hit! Some posts that have been helpful include: getting in shape for the big day, tips for wedding dress shopping, and user-friendly photo booths. Fake It 'Till You Make ItIt's okay to make it look like you're really busy, even if you're not, because that's how you begin attracting clients - who will pay you for your time. Sometimes that's just what you've got to do. If you're just getting started, you may end up doing a decent amount of work that you won't get paid for, but you'll get gorgeous shots for your portfolio. And those will get your real clients. But, make sure you're sharing your work consistently and often. I wouldn't necessarily say that I've made it yet, per se, but I do know that I've come a long way. The photos that you see above are from an engagement session in Chicago that was scheduled the night before we met for their session. And it's one of my favorite sessions to date. That night I shared the photo on the left as a sneak peek, and I just had this feeling that it was going to get attention. The next morning I woke up to see it had 1.2k likes (!!) and How He Asked had messaged me about featuring their proposal story + engagement photos (!!!!). That was a HUGE turning point in my business, and it also pushed me over 1,000 followers on Instagram - a goal I had been trying to accomplish for a couple of months (but ended up happening in one night). I guess what I'm trying to say is, whatever you do, make sure you do it well. And please don't do anything just for the money. But, that's another story for another day. Don't Undersell Yourself
Client Experience is EVERYTHING!
Stay True To Yourself
I hope this blog post made a positive difference for you! If you found it helpful, I'd love to know! Feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected].
Stay tuned for more posts like these coming soon!
6 Comments
I love ALL of these tips! I blog but need to do more blog posts FOR clients as opposed to ABOUT clients (posting images from client sessions). The client gift is such a great idea... when I raise prices next year, something I should make sure I can afford to do!
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2/8/2017 08:02:27 am
Love these tips. As a small business owner I appreciate all of them. Also, your pics + site are gorgeous!
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2/8/2017 02:19:55 pm
Alll great tips! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom about what worked for you to grow your business!
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About MeLifestyle photographer. Hopeless romantic. I love how God loves weddings as much as I do. :) Archives
December 2016
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