Interview with Paper Lark Designs

Today we are super delighted to chat to Alys McAuley, owner and designer behind Paper Lark Designs.

No doubt you may have shopped at Paper Lark template shop before as Alys recently revealed she has had over 20,000 sales from photographers in over 73 countries over the past 3 years! That’s a whole lot of proof that Paper Lark templates are a winner with Photographers and her designs are not only appealing but effectively good for business.

Tell us how you became one of the top selling template shops for Photographers?

It may sound funny, but Paper Lark could not have been a success if it wasn’t for 4 key things:

•  The similarity of the creative brains of Graphic Designers and Photographers. We just ‘get’ each other’s creativity, but have great respect for the art of the other.

• My degree in Graphic Design and the 12yrs experience that followed. The fact is you need to be qualified. Photographers are savvy women and they deserve a well designed product for their money.

• I absolutely LOVE to be self employed! I completely nerd-out on small business learning and female entrepreneurship! So designing for female photographers was perfect for me!

• My trusty British teapot, that gals had some action over the past 3 yrs. For a non coffee drinker she’s been a solid friend through my late night and early morning design marathons!

What is the mission behind your business? 

My mission continues to be to serve my customers with good designs at a really affordable price. Good design equals effective marketing. It’s simple. If your marketing catches the eye of your photography clients then it increases your turnover. It’s all linked.

Where do you find inspiration from?

Everywhere. All the pretty things in the world. I am such a visual person that I see everything and store it away somewhere in my brain. My husband laughs at me because by about 5pm, I am totally overloaded visually that I just zone out and shut down. It’s like my brain has had too much data for one day!

What are your favorite products to create? 

Marketing Boards. A photographer can be laid awake in bed at night thinking of a new mini session idea and by 9am the next day she’s downloaded a template, edited it and it’s singing sweetly to her customers over her social media, blog or sent out in her newsletter. Quick, easy and effective marketing!

Any big plans for the future or new features/products coming up? 

Ooh I have so many new products launching soon! I am just finishing my Christmas Card designs….which are a little late this year due to buying a house and to getting married. Ok, I have no excuse, I got married in April! ha

What’s your top tip for savvy Photographers?

Hundreds of photographers have already signed up to get my secret DISCOUNT CODES straight to their email in my Early Bird Sale Alerts. It’s a little treat I like to offer my followers.

Don’t miss out! Head over to Paper Lark. I am also giving 25% off to IRIS readers with the discount code: ILOVEIRIS