Turn your focus onto the BUSINESS of your photography business
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Tell me if this sounds familiar . . .
When you started your photography business you knew almost nothing of running an actual business. You didn’t know much about CODBs (cost of doing business), or COGs (cost of goods) business insurance, taxes and all of the other “fun” incorporated with running a business. You weren’t sure how to set your prices. You looked at what your local competitors were charging and maybe set your prices a little lower than theirs . . . because you thought they had more experience than you. You didn’t want to set your prices too high thinking people wouldn’t pay that amount. You had one goal in mind – booking as many sessions as you could. Because in your mind, booking lots of session equaled making lots of money. And maybe the hardest part, you had no one to ask for help. No one you knew had any knowledge about the photography industry. And if you did know another successful photographer, chances are, they were your “competition”, so you didn’t feel comfortable talking to them. So you basically just chose prices that you were comfortable charging without taking any of your needs and financial goals into consideration. Is this ringing a bell for anyone? If so, you are not alone. The reason why I know this, is because this was my exact story. I know exactly how scary it is, and how overwhelming it can feel. But fortunately, because I went through all this (and learned the hard way through trial and error), I am here to help you!
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Business cannot run on passion alone
I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Everyone’s market is different. Everyone’s goals are different. Everyone’s style is different. Not everyone conducts business the same way. And that’s okay! Some of you might be all inclusive photographers while other’s of you might love IPS (in person sales). Either way, we are all business owners. And businesses need profit in order to succeed. As artists, we pour so much of our time and effort on our craft. We are always pushing ourselves creatively so we can continue making beautiful art for our clients. But newsflash: business cannot run on passion alone. And unfortunately, talent doesn’t always equal profit. We must be BOTH an artist and a business person.
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Backward Design
The best made plans are made from the back to the front; meaning you start with your desired goal and work your way backwards all the way up to your starting steps. If you don’t know where you’re headed, how are you supposed to know how to get there? For example, if you want a take home salary of $xxx,xxx, I can take that number, visit with you about how how many shoots you want to take on per week, what type of products you want to sell (whether that’s digital images, printed products or a mixture of both), and tell you the exact price point you will need to gross per session. Once you know the specific target amount you need per session, it’s much easier to set your prices. Instead of setting a price out of the idea of, “I think my clients would be comfortable paying this”, you will be confident in knowing, “this is the amount I need to gross in order to reach my financial business goals”. And believe me, I know we all have different business needs and goals. For some of you, this might be a fun side hustle. For others, you might be the breadwinner in your family and need to set those goals high. Either way, it’s extremely important to know your goal so we can figure out how to get you there.
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How does the mentorship work?
There are a couple of ways to learn – we just need to decide which works best for you!
In-Person Mentorship: In my opinion, this is the absolute best way to learn. You can choose from 1 or 1.5 day packages. This way we can sit down, uninterrupted, and tackle all of your goals head on! A true custom experience. You can opt to come to my studio or I can travel to you. If you have your own studio, I would highly recommend that I travel to you. This way, I can truly feel your space and be totally amerced into your business. Along with setting your goals and business plan to reach those goals, I can also help you set up your studio to promote selling your business/art. PDFs and work-along sheets on the topics we cover will be provided as well.
Virtual Mentorship: This is also a wonderful way to learn! You can choose between 3, 5, or 8 zoom session packages. Each zoom session would be up to an hour in length and cover 1-2 topics per session. Of course, the more sessions you have, the more material we will cover and the more in-depth we will get into your specific goals. PDFs and work-along sheets on the topics we cover will be provided as well.
What will be covered:
Figuring your CODB/COGS, setting your business/profit/salary goals using a precise equation, finding your average target sale per session in order to reach your set financial goal, discussing good business expenses/spending, finding your ideal client, marketing strategies, and building your brand awareness. If you’re interested in an IPS mentorship, then we will also cover choosing the right product lines, COGS, printed product pricing, the “Hybrid” model of selling both digital and printed products, order session workflow and how to market your printed products.
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What if I don’t want to sell printed products?
Yes, I am a big believer in IPS. I started 5 years ago and would never look back. I love being able to take my clients all the way to the finished printed products in their hands/up on their walls. I sell digital images as well, because most of my clients really want to own printing rights to their photos, so I feel as though I am able to offer a total package. However, with that being said, I completely understand if IPS isn’t for you or your business structure. I believe that every photography business can be successful, if you are focused on your financial goals!
If you are currently an all-inclusive photographer and want to make the jump into IPS, I can certainly help with that as well! I have mentored many photographers and helped them do just that. I can guide you to which products best fit your brand, pricing of those products, order session workflow, and so on. I promise, it’s not as scary as it sounds. This can truly make a huge impact on your business goals!
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Trust me when I tell you, the time is NOW. You’re never going to feel “ready for change”. Change is uncomfortable. It’s scary. But staying in your comfort zone isn’t going to get you the gains you need and deserve. Contact me today and we can further discuss how this mentorship will help you set, meet and achieve your financial goals!
