Looking back on the years, there has been a lot that I have learned. About what to do and what not to do. Today I want to let you in on some of the top ten decisions I feel I have made for my photography business that have helped it grow and be sustained over the years. And if you are an aspiring photographer, I hope these tips can help!
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- Hiring an editor. Top of my list. Boom, bang. Done and over are the endless hours of editing and frustration as I stare at my computer screen for 30 more hours after a wedding. This move has saved me time and energy. I admit there is a bit of a learning curve as you work toward meshing styles and getting the technical side of things down. At first it was hard to give up the control I thought I needed in the creative process. But once I let it go, I was thrilled. It is hard for me to even imagine not having an editor anymore, and I wonder why I didn’t do it while my kids were younger. I have gained hours back to my schedule, alleviated stress (especially in the busy season) and hiring an editor has opened up more opportunity for me to do other things I love doing. There is a cost involved, but so is the time spent at the computer and away from my family. I was ready to be done with that and gain more hours back into my life with my friends and family!
- Hiring a baby-sitter. While my kids were young and I was at home with them, I hired out a baby-sitter twice a week. She came to our home and watched the kids, while I spent the day locked away doing the work that needed to be done. Again, it is a cash investment, but it was worth having some days free to do the work that needed to get done and give great customer service to my clients
- PhotoMechanic. My friend and photographer suggested this program to me and it literally has taken hours off my workflow. If you are not familiar with the program, there is a free trial period of 30 days, and I guarantee you, you will buy it. It is a culling system where you can easily go through images in minutes. Pulling up weddings in Lightroom or Photoshop can take f-o-r-e-v-e-r. This system, not at all. It is beautiful. I am now able to go through an entire wedding in about 45 minutes or less. You can thank me later.
- Hiring a good second shooter. Early in my career, I had my husband helping me (which was fine) but he didn’t understand the technicalities of the day, or care to be at weddings wall day long. From him, my sister helped as my second shooter which was incredible, as she loved it and was great at it. It was a great way for us to spend time together, but when her career took off, and she could no longer help me, I was on the hunt for a second. I had some people helping me along the way that were kind people, but either they didn’t have the energy for weddings, or they were enamored with weddings. I say this in the nicest way, but neither worked for me. I continued my search and found three amazing women that already owned their own businesses. Once I hired these photographers, I was floored to see the differing results. At times it can be a big investment, but I have worked it into my packages and feel confidant that the people that work for me, treat my clients as if they were their own and I am given great results to give my own clients.
- Giving back. I choose to do this through a couple of different means. One is by through an organization called Red Thread. This organization specializes in adoption, something I love with my whole heart. I also choose to give back through silent auctions. Typically these are non-profit organizations and fundraisers that I love and feel inclined to work with. Finding an organization or cause you love will help you also find the clients that you truly love!
- Investing in prime lenses. I love my prime lenses I will never go back to a kit lens. I think kit lenses are a great way to learn, but the aperature does not go as low as I would like. They also provide quality images that can set you apart from the competition.
- Being consistent with social media. Over the years social media has changed. When I started my business, blogging was a big deal and really the only way of “free marketing”. I made a commitment to blog every weekday for the entire year. It was a hard challenge, but I saw the results the following year when I began seeing many clients inquiring through my blog. Now there’s Facebook and Instagram and Snapchat and Twitter which are other great “free” services of showcasing your services all over the world. One way to do this is by being consistent on social media. This doesn’t mean you have to be online every minute of the day, it just means you need to be consistent with the number of times you are on social media. It maybe one time a week, it maybe five times a week or maybe five times a day. Whatever it is, commit to some sort of schedule so that the followers you have will continue following you and seeing new content. I know there are times in life where I’ve struggled with being consistent in social media and know that it’s not always doable. But I have seen the results, and continue to move forward in this.
- Investing in my clients. One of the ways to gain more clients to is to invest in the ones you already have. One of the ways to do this is by providing excellent customer service as well as proving to them that they are not just a client, but a friend and a person that you actually care about. Many of my clients over the years have become friends and I’m so blessed to be able to see many of them on a regular basis. This is so rewarding to me as I see relationships being an important aspect in my business.
- Creating e-mail templates. I actually gleaned this idea from Jasmine Star. Templates can be used in any business practice. I typically receive the same kinds of e-mails when clients are inquiring about wedding packages, how to prepare for their family or newborn sessions and confirming dates for them.
- Taking a day off. Mondays are the day I take off. Not only is this because it is my husband’s day off, but it’s also because after a long weekend of shooting I need a day of rest. Regrouping and getting my home back in order are top priorities!
Hope that helps as you continue forward in business! Happy Friday friends!