This Can't Be That Hard

Want to increase your booking rate? Consider making it easier for your clients to say YES. I know that seems like a simple answer to a big problem, but the truth is that far too often, we overcomplicate the sales process, and when customers experience too many speed bumps in that process, we lose clients.  Today I want to dive into what those speed bumps look like, because they can be sneaky! We&a...

Raise your hand if you'd like more publicity.  I don’t know a single photographer who wouldn’t like a feature in a magazine or local news outlet to give them credibility and visibility. The million-dollar question is, how do you get yourself there? PR coach Gloria Chou is back on the show today to give you some simple but effective ideas for pitching yourself to publications in your area that...

They say that time is money, but too many photographers take that far too literally, justifying their prices by pointing to how much time it requires (not to mention how much time it's taken them to learn their craft).  I'm not saying time has no relationship with price, but the truth is that pricing art is much more complicated than - say - charging an hourly rate to clean someone'...

Marketing your photography business can feel a lot like dating - you put yourself out there, write some cute content, and hope that the people you want to attract swipe right. On top of that, between algorithms, 3-second attention spans, and AI technology, it can feel darn near impossible to connect authentically with potential clients online.  Brooke Jefferson is an expert at cutting through the...

I'm sure you’ve heard the saying "perfection is the enemy of progress," and today I'm sharing a story about how that can play out in real life.  Sometimes we get so stuck in our ways - or so attached to doing things a certain way - that we end up with blinders on, stifling our creativity and limiting ourselves in business. Today's story illustrates how freeing ourselves up...

I spend a lot of time on this show highlighting other photographers' greatest successes, brilliant ideas, and ah-ha moments, but we all know that with the ups come the downs.  But the downs don’t usually get a lot of audio time, right? Mostly because we’d all like to forget our worst moments... but when we're IN our worst moments, sometimes it's nice to know we're not alone! Th...

When I stumbled across Alison Amick Brett's Little Llamas Portrait concept earlier this year, I immediately wanted to share it on the podcast.  Alison is a Florida-based family photographer who wanted to reinvent mini-sessions in a way that combined them with playdates …. and Little Llamas Portraits was born! Little Llamas has been so successful that Alison is now fielding requests from other...

Last week we covered the three systems that every photographer needs in their business. (If you haven’t listened to last week's episode, I recommend you go back and start there first!) Today I’m diving into the 3 biggest mistakes that photographers make when they set up those systems, how you can avoid them, and - most importantly - how you can optimize your system setups to help your busines...

If someone asked you to quickly and clearly sketch out how your business works on the back of a napkin, could you do it?  As soloprenuers, we wear so many hats that it’s easy to lose sight of the big picture. But stepping back periodically is critical to make sure all that effort is serving you.  Today, I’m kicking off this two-part episode by sharing the three systems every photographer needs for...

If you're a family photographer struggling to fill your calendar with ideal clients, you're going to want a notebook for this one.  (No, seriously. I’ll wait. Go get one.)  Daisy Zimmer is my guest today, and she's sharing a genius idea she came up with to reach new clients at a higher price point when she redesigned her business and switched to Simple Sales. Wanting to avoid the co...

Even though I meet so many different types of people working in photography, one thing I think we all have in common is our artistic souls. That little part of us that gets excited and inspired by many different things all the time. Right? On one hand, following every little idea you have can be problematic. You can spread yourself too thin, or become a jack of all trades (and a master of none). B...

Tell me if this sounds familiar: you write a to-do list for the day with the best intentions to make big strides on the project you are working on, only to blink and find that it's dinner time and you've only really accomplished a few menial tasks. Sigh.  As the queen of procrasta-working (trademark pending), I've developed a strategy for myself that helps me focus my energy, accomp...

Building a photography business is in itself a work of art and creativity - no two businesses look exactly the same. What I love about that is that it means we can all build our businesses to fit our lives. On the flip side, not having a clearcut path can make it difficult to strategize and grow.  Elin Azganun is a new-ish photographer. She's been in business for just over a year now, but her...

If time is money (as the saying goes), then automation and outsourcing should be your two best friends. On the other hand, what often sets us apart in our small businesses are our personal touches and customer service, so many photographers (understandably) struggle to find a balance between personalization and profitability. Longtime listeners know that I'm a big fan of automating my workflo...

When most of us think of school portraits we think about those awkwardly-posed artifacts of our youth, complete with plastered-on smiles and fake-laser backgrounds. And as a photographer, those are probably not the kind of photos that inspired you to get into business, right? Fine art school photography is gaining traction as an alternative to those cheesy school portraits, and Lindsey Turner is o...

When I think about what really helped me gain traction and success in my photography business, it wasn't any one program, tool, or even system. At the end of the day, what really helped me go from hobbyist to business owner was the willingness to bet on myself, over and over... even when it felt scary.  Confidence (not to be confused with arrogance or irresponsible decision-making) is the uns...

If you've ever heard of the 100 Days of Light Challenge, then you know today's guest, Caro Cuinet Wellings. Caro started this challenge 7 years ago, and in that time, it has become a worldwide phenomenon.  Caro's a source of constant inspiration to me as both an artist and a businesswoman, and I think the artist in you is going to sincerely enjoy this conversation about photography,...

200 episodes of the podcast is a big milestone, so I wanted to do something a bit different! Today I'm answering all kinds of listener-submitted questions on everything from dealing with unhappy photography clients to the ins and outs of the education side of my business, to the scoop on my upcoming nuptials.  Thank you to everyone who submitted questions - I was truly overwhelmed by the resp...

Most of the time on this podcast, I give you practical, actionable strategies to improve your photography business. Why? Because I know that when your business is succeeding, you are not only reaping the rewards of that success, but you are also (hopefully) feeling the joy that comes with doing something you truly love for a living. But once in a while, it's important to take a quick break fr...

Finding new clients can feel like an uphill battle. You put yourself out there on social media, ask your clients for referrals... and sometimes it's crickets. If only there were a way that people in your area could find you with a simple search.... OH WAIT!  Today's interview is with Chris Dawkins (aka Meredith's Husband), a decades-long veteran of the SEO business (so he really kno...

I'll be the first to say this episode is a departure from the usual for This Can't Be That Hard. While I tend to stick to practical, actionable steps for your photography business, I also always like to keep an eye out for areas where I can push myself (and you!) to try new things that may help us grow.  Natalie Jennings has an unconventional way to help her students get unstuck, make de...

If it hasn't happened already, at some point in your photography business, something is bound to go wrong. From corrupted cards to unhappy clients to issues with your gallery software, s%*t happens, and how you deal with it is going to ultimately determine how catastrophic - or not - it ends up being to your business.  Today I am sharing an anonymous but real-life story that happened to one o...

Photography businesses are like snowflakes... no two are exactly the same. That's often appealing to the creative in us - there are a ton of things you can customize and personalize about your business to make it the perfect fit for you. On the other hand, it's a problem when we're tempted to compare our success with someone else's because that comparison is never apples-to-app...

Most photographers struggle with marketing. Whether it’s because we don’t have the time, have trouble coming up with fresh ideas, or just feel uncomfortable promoting ourselves, marketing often gets pushed to the back burner until we're desperate. But marketing really only works well when you're consistent about it.  Joining me on the show is Dayna, the woman at the helm of TCBTH’s marke...

A really great customer experience is something that will keep clients coming back to you again and again. But contrary to what we might think, our client's experience is a lot more than just what happens on the day of the session and how much they like the photos we deliver…. There are so many opportunities to give them that "WOW" experience (or not)! Today, I'm sharing a tool...