Grab a red pen — we're grading our own Q2 goals on air, and not everybody's getting a gold star. From a marketing launch that tripled expectations to a very suspicious streak of "I didn't see the prices" clients, this quarterly update is equal parts confession and game plan.

On this episode:

• Our Q2 wins, flops, and honest report cards
• Raising the barrier to entry for better-fit clients
• Setting fewer, more realistic goals for fall

Want your blog doing the heavy lifting while you're busy shooting? Melissa's 35 Blog Post Topics will keep your content — and your SEO — working for you.

Alison's next pop-up workshop is all about email marketing — nurturing past clients and turning new leads into booked sessions. Get on the waitlist now so you don't miss it.

Links:

• Braden Drake's Contract Club - Alison's Fave
• Join the Black Friday Summit - Alison is teaching!
• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
• 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Webinar
• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients
• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics
• Find Alison on IG @‌getbookedpodcast
• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

Used #getbookedpodcast on socials!

This summit isn't about photography. It's about business: 26 business experts and mentors talking about launches, strategies, sales, copywriting, integration, and automation - the behind the scenes things that make it all work.

On this episode:

• What the Black Friday Summit actually is (and who it's really for)
• The strategy behind whether a Black Friday sale makes sense for your business
• What's free, what's not, and how to decide if the upgrade is worth it

• Aug 25, 26, 27
• VIRTUAL
• Talks are 20 to 30 minutes long each, buy for just 24 hours unless you get the VIP.
• Register here!

The Black Friday Summit is a free 3-day virtual event — August 25th, 26th, and 27th - with 26 speakers each teaching their single best Black Friday strategy. Registration is free, and I'm honestly not a Black Friday person, so if I'm speaking, you know it's worth a look.

Quick disclosure: I'm a speaker at this summit and an affiliate — if you upgrade through my link, I earn a commission. The summit itself is free either way.

Summer bonus time. While we're on our mid-season break, we wanted to drop something in your ears that you might have missed — because it's too good to sit on.

This episode is a re-air of Melissa's takeover on The Motherhood Anthology podcast, where she broke down exactly how to structure a blog post so Google actually finds it and future clients actually book from it. If you've been posting session shares and wondering why they're not bringing in inquiries, this one will show you why and what to do instead.

Blogging for photographers isn't about sharing pretty photos. It's about answering the questions your future clients are already Googling. Melissa walks through the full framework she uses — from picking a strategic topic to placing your keyword, structuring headers, writing alt text, and adding the buttons most photographers completely forget about.

Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in Melissa's free masterclass: https://pictureperfectrankings.com/mistakes

Thinking about a pivot or transition in your photography business? 1:1 Mentoring is closed for the summer but you can get on the waitist for a free 15 minute discovery call with Alison for the fall.

Ready to streamline your content? Melissa's got you covered with her 35+ Blog Post Topics freebie—grab them now.

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required.

Links:

• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
• 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Webinar
• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients
• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics
• Find Alison on IG @‌getbookedpodcast
• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

Used #getbookedpodcast on socials!

We're flipping the script this week — Alison's in the guest chair for a replay of her conversation with Colie James on the Business-First Creatives Podcast. When every client has flown thousands of miles for a session with zero room for a redo, client experience isn't a nice-to-have — it's the whole game.

On this episode:

• Client experience when your clients are on vacation
• Communicating your non-negotiables (unapologetically)
• Why more client emails is actually better service
• Want more of Colie? Find her over at the Business-First Creatives Podcast.

Need to brain dump some business ideas or decisions? Wanna chat it out? Get your name on the waitlist for Alison's Free 15 and Mentoring when it returns this fall.

Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in Melissa's free masterclass: 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Masterclass

Links:

• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
• 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Webinar
• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients
• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics
• Find Alison on IG @‌getbookedpodcast
• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

Used #getbookedpodcast on socials!

You sat down and wrote the blog post. You hit publish. And then...nothing. No traffic, no inquiries, no traction. The post just sits there. That's the part nobody talks about, and it's exactly where family photographer and systems educator Dolly DeLong steps in.

Dolly runs the Systems and Workflow Magic Podcast and helps family photographers think like marketers by building smart, repeatable systems for their businesses. She's the kind of person who will hand you a framework, a Canva template folder, and a ChatGPT bot trained in your voice and send you on your way in under an hour. We had her on to talk about the PIGFEL system, a content promotion workflow that takes a single blog post and gets it in front of people across multiple platforms, and we ended up covering a lot more ground than that.

Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in Melissa's free masterclass: https://pictureperfectrankings.com/mistakes

Thinking about a pivot or transition in your photography business? 1:1 Mentoring is closed for the summer but you can get on the waitist for a free 15 minute discovery call with Alison for the fall.

Ready to streamline your content? Melissa's got you covered with her 35+ Blog Post Topics freebie—grab them now.

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required.

Links:

• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
• 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Webinar
• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients
• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics
• Find Alison on IG @‌alisonbellphotog
• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

Used #getbookedpodcast on socials!

If your schedule is running you instead of the other way around, this one's for you. We're bringing back one of our favorite episodes because the advice is just as relevant now as it was the first time around, and honestly, summer is the perfect time to look at your calendar and ask: is this actually working for me?

In this episode, Melissa and Alison dig into how they structure their weeks to protect their time, their mental health, and their sanity as photographers and business owners. From blocking days off for meetings to batching content so you only have to do your hair once a week (yes, that's a real strategy and we are here for it), this conversation is full of the kind of small tweaks that make a big difference over time.

Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in Melissa's free masterclass: https://pictureperfectrankings.com/mistakes

Thinking about a pivot or transition in your photography business? 1:1 Mentoring is closed for the summer but you can get on the waitist for a free 15 minute discovery call with Alison for the fall.

Ready to streamline your content? Melissa's got you covered with her 35+ Blog Post Topics freebie—grab them now.

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required.

Links:

• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify

• 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Webinar

• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients

• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics

• Find Alison on IG @‌alisonbellphotog

• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

Used #getbookedpodcast on socials!

You know that feeling when you've thrown together a mini session announcement two weeks before the date and then spent the whole time stressed, underbooked, and hating life? Yeah, us too. This episode is the fix.

We're walking you through exactly how to build a marketing plan that actually works, one that has you starting your runway early, staying proactive instead of reactive, and never scrambling last minute again. Grab a notebook, open up your calendar, and get ready to do a little homework.

What You'll Learn:

• How to audit your year and decide what you're keeping, dropping, and adding to your offer lineup
• Why blocking off time for editing and rest is just as important as blocking shoot dates
• The concept of a "marketing runway" and exactly how far out you need to start promoting different types of sessions (it's longer than you think)
• How to work backward from your event date to build a marketing calendar that fills spots before the panic sets in
• Why your clients need lead time too, and how giving it to them actually gets you booked faster
• The case for a VIP waitlist and how embedding a Flodesk signup in your blog posts can get you leads year-round
• How to use evergreen blog content to drive traffic to seasonal sessions, even years after you've shot them
• Tools and systems for tracking your plan, from color-coded paper calendars to Google Calendar marketing tasks

• How to batch your content using a dedicated Monday workflow so nothing falls through the cracks

Resources Mentioned:

• Flodesk (for embedded waitlist forms): https://flodesk.com
• The Blogging Club (Melissa's membership for photographers): https://bloggingclub.com
• The Motherhood Anthology: https://membership.themotherhoodanthology.com
• Plum Paper planners: https://plumpaper.com
• Kat Schmoyer Calendar (mentioned by Melissa)
• Listen to the Marketing Monday batching episode for more on content batching

Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in Melissa's free masterclass: https://pictureperfectrankings.com/mistakes

Thinking about a pivot or transition in your photography business? 1:1 Mentoring is closed for the summer but you can get on the waitist for a free 15 minute discovery call with Alison for the fall.

Ready to streamline your content? Melissa's got you covered with her 35+ Blog Post Topics freebie—grab them now.

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required.

Links:

• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
• 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Webinar
• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients
• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics
• Find Alison on IG @‌alisonbellphotog
• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

Used #getbookedpodcast on socials!

Ever look at your to-do list and think, "I will never get to this unless something changes"? Same. That's exactly why we're re-airing this episode — because a workcation might be the thing that finally gets your biggest projects off the back burner and actually done.

We're talking about the kind of focused work session where you pack a bag, check into somewhere you actually want to be, and knock out the project that's been sitting in a Google Doc for six months. No school pickups, no dinner to cook, no one asking where their socks are. Just you, your laptop, and a hotel lobby with good wifi.

What You'll Learn:

• What a workcation actually is (and why it's not just "working from a different couch")
• Why big projects like website overhauls, email sequences, and content planning need uninterrupted time to get done right
• How to decide when to go, how long to stay, and what to actually work on
• What to look for in a hotel so you're set up to be productive, not stressed
• The logistics that will make or break your workcation (parking, food, lobby access, and a few lessons learned the hard way)
• How to make it work even if you can't get away overnight — and why sending your family off counts too
• Project ideas that are perfect for a workcation: website relaunches, blog backlogs, Santa mini editing, email flows, new offers, and even finishing that course you bought six months ago

3 Things To Do After This Episode:

1. Make your "parking lot" list. Write down every big project you keep pushing off because it needs focused time. That list is your workcation agenda.
2. Pick your dates. Look at your calendar and find a 24-48 hour window that works for your family — a Sunday/Monday combo, a family birthday weekend you can skip, or a school week where logistics line up.
3. Research one hotel. Look for somewhere with a comfortable lobby, parking, food nearby, and decent wifi. Bonus points if it's somewhere you'd actually enjoy being. Melissa has her eye on a Virginia Beach spot. Go find yours.

Timestamps:

• [00:00] — Welcome back + what exactly is a workcation?
• [01:30] — Why you can't do big projects in stolen 20-minute windows at home
• [03:00] — The kinds of projects that belong on a workcation list
• [04:00] — Sending the family away counts too
• [05:30] — When to go and how long to stay
• [06:00] — What to look for in a hotel (and what Alison learned the hard way in Hawaii)
• [09:30] — Using travel time you already have
• [12:00] — Project ideas: websites, email sequences, courses, content planning, and more
• [13:00] — Tag us in your workcation photos!

Resources & Links:

• Find us on Instagram: @keep.it.moving.pod

• Planning a Honolulu workcation? Alison may or may not be available to join you. Open invitation.

Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in Melissa's free masterclass: https://pictureperfectrankings.com/mistakes

Thinking about a pivot or transition in your photography business? 1:1 Mentoring is closed for the summer but you can get on the waitist for a free 15 minute discovery call with Alison for the fall.

Ready to streamline your content? Melissa's got you covered with her 35+ Blog Post Topics freebie—grab them now.

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required.

Links:

• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify

• 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Webinar

• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients

• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics

• Find Alison on IG @‌alisonbellphotog

• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

Used #getbookedpodcast on socials!

You don't have a marketing system. You have a presence. And Melissa is about to prove it.

This week it's just Melissa in your ears, and she's tackling the thing most photographers were never actually taught: what a marketing system is versus the random pile of tactics we've all been collecting. Post more. Blog consistently. Optimize your bio. Those aren't wrong, they're just ingredients with no recipe. So you end up throwing flour, sugar, and eggs in the bowl at the same time and wondering why the cake won't rise.

Melissa breaks the whole thing down into five parts that build on each other, from the keyword someone types into Google all the way to the email where you finally ask for the booking. By the end, you'll know exactly what order to do things in so a stranger can find you and book a session without you reinventing the wheel every week.

What You'll Learn:

• The difference between a marketing system and a marketing presence (and why the second one keeps you stuck)

• How to research keywords your ideal client is actually typing, including the "zero volume" and AI-search phrases most photographers ignore

• What belongs on a service/landing page so it answers every question before she even asks

• Why your blog is your trust-builder, not a place for session shares

• Where social media, Pinterest, and your Google Business Profile fit (hint: it's part three, not part one)

• How to grow an email list with a freebie instead of a sad "join my list" popup

• The five-word framework: get found, build trust, amplify, stay connected, close the loop

Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in Melissa's free masterclass: https://pictureperfectrankings.com/mistakes

Thinking about a pivot or transition in your photography business? Book a free 15 minute discovery call with Alison to talk through your next move.

Ready to streamline your content? Melissa's got you covered with her 35+ Blog Post Topics freebie—grab them now.

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required.

Links:

• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify

• 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Webinar

• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients

• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics

• Find Alison on IG @‌getbookedpodcast

• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

Used #getbookedpodcast on socials!

We're calling out the sneaky, quiet thoughts that are quietly talking you out of building the business you actually want. In this episode, Alison goes solo to name the limiting beliefs she hears most from photographers (and has had to overcome herself), and gives you a direct, no-fluff reframe for each one.

On this episode:

• Why treating your photography income as "just fun money" is quietly keeping you stuck

• The truth about starting over after a PCS — and what actually comes with you

• Why waiting for word of mouth is not a strategy — and what to do instead

Want blog content that works as hard as you do? Melissa has put together 35 Blog Post Topics to help you create content that actually brings in the right clients.

Ready to get found on Google? The Blog to Book Workshop recording walks you through keyword research, a 12-month blog plan, and local lead magnets in 90 minutes. Grab it here: Blog to Book Workshop.

Tired of being invisible on Google? Learn the 5 SEO mistakes keeping photographers from getting found (and how to fix them) in Melissa's free masterclass: https://pictureperfectrankings.com/mistakes

Thinking about a pivot or transition in your photography business? Book a free 15 minute discovery call with Alison to talk through your next move.

Ready to streamline your content? Melissa's got you covered with her 35+ Blog Post Topics freebie—grab them now.

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required.

Links:

• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify

• 5 SEO Mistakes Killing Your Photography Business Webinar

• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients

• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics

• Find Alison on IG @‌getbookedpodcast

• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

Used #getbookedpodcast on socials!