As we approach St. Patrick’s Day – it has us thinking about luck. Does luck ever play a role in success? I am sure there are times when you have felt lucky with your business – like when you stumble upon an amazing location, maybe an awesome collaboration opportunity falls into your lap with another local business, or you get the opportunity to photograph a local celebrity. But is luck alone enough for you to become successful and maintain that success? Many would agree not to rely on luck alone and that a successful photography business is built more upon hard work, preparation, and having a system in place that sets you up success.
Let’s chat about a few keys to a successful photography business!
Keys to a Successful Photography Business
1. Set yourself apart from others
If you’re new to photography, you’ll find soon enough that this is a saturated field. There are so many photographers out there, it’s important to set yourself apart from others. Stand out to attract your ideal clients. Whether it is your editing style, services you offer, or something else that brings an extra wow factor to your business – find what that is that makes you unique and use it to your advantage!
2. Continue to learn and grow
There are always opportunities to learn and grow in this business. Even if you have been in the industry for 10 years, technology and techniques change – there is always something new to learn! Don’t stay stagnant with your skills. Invest in personal growth as a business owner. Shoot in a new location, take on a project that is out of your comfort zone, mix up your editing style. By trying to push your artistic limits, you will become a better photographer and your business will benefit.
Mentorships and workshops are a great way to learn – from editing, working with clients at sessions, and even business skills. Check out some of our ambassadors workshops/mentorships here!
3. Keep Clients Happy
Clients want beautiful photos that capture irreplaceable moments in life. You have the camera, you have the talent, so the initial step is already complete. The next step is to focus on the business side of photography and think about what makes a client experience a positive one. Happy clients will hire you again AND spread positive word-of-mouth that leads to more clients. So what keeps clients satisfied with your business?
– Easy Payments
– Easy booking process
– Great communication
– Professionalism is everything!
4. Double Your Business Through Referrals
You’ve set up your website, built your portfolio, but leads are not coming as easily as you thought they would. The photography business is built largely upon word-of-mouth so having happy customers is imperative. Happy customers can become brand ambassadors who tell their friends and family how amazing you are to work with. One way to encourage client referrals is through a follow-up/referral email – and request they leave a review or feedback on your website / Google listing.
5. Be Smart about Your Time!
As a small business, every cost counts and you will want to cut down on expenses where you can. While this is important, keep in mind that your time has value, too. Your talent drives your business and nothing sucks away creativity like being bogged down with business tasks. Automated workflows do all the heavy lifting for you and give you more time to improve your business using your unique skill set.
Check out our blog for more ideas on how to cut down on tasks in your business.
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