We're looking for photographers to be featured on future Mini Mentoring episodes! Click this link to throw your name in the hat!

Mini Mentoring is a series where Alison & Melissa get the low down on a real life business owner in need of more business.

Whether that's because they've relocated, or pivoted niches we're walking through their business can giving them our recommendations to keep it moving.

Mollie Salazar is a wedding and family photographer moving from Texas to Florida and she's got tons of lead time! The stressor is that Mollie is the primary breadwinner for her family of 4 - including some expensive teenagers.

At the time of this recording, she'd already done a scouting trip (episode 10!), started blogging for the new location and already booked her first FL wedding!

So what did she need us for? Not much! She's gotten a massive start as we always preach, but there's a few more things to keep the dominoes tipping her favor:

• Start collaborations with local vendors
• Double her prices
• Get wedding planners on her side

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 @‌keep.it.moving.podcast

• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

• Keepitmovingpod.com

Used #keepitmovingpod on socials!

We're getting real about why knowledge isn't enough and how accountability changes everything. Alison shares her personal experience hiring a nutritional coach—and the powerful parallels it revealed about what we actually need to move our businesses forward.

On this episode:

• Why you already know enough (but still aren't getting results)
• The real value of coaching: accountability and application
• Calculating the cost of not investing in yourself

Ready to stop spinning your wheels and start implementing? Melissa has resources to help you create content that attracts your ideal clients—check out her blog post topic guides.

If you're ready for someone to get up in your business and help you apply what you already know, book a free 15 minute discovery call with Alison to see if coaching is your next move.

Links:

• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients
• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics
• Find Alison on IG @‌keep.it.moving.podcast
• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings
• Keepitmovingpod.com

Used #keepitmovingpod on socials!

We're diving into the art of blogging your photography sessions the right way—because throwing up a photo dump with three sentences and your main keyword isn't cutting it anymore. Today we're showing you how to turn every session blog post into a client-attracting, SEO-boosting, authority-building powerhouse.

On this episode:

• Creating helpful, FAQ-style blog content that Google (and your ideal clients) actually love
• Strategic ways to use blog posts throughout your client workflow and marketing
• Selling yourself with clear calls-to-action in every post

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 here: https://35topics.com

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required: https://mentor.alisonbellphotographer.com/freebie

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 @‌keep.it.moving.podcast

• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

• Keepitmovingpod.com

Used #keepitmovingpod on socials!

We know you've done all the heavy lifting with your SEO after your move, but waiting 6-12 months for Google to catch up feels like watching paint dry. In this episode, we're sharing 10 creative ways to get in front of your ideal clients right now—no waiting required.

On this episode:

• Strategic networking and community involvement

• Creating content and collaborating with complementary businesses

• Getting creative while you wait for SEO to kick in

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 here: https://35topics.com

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required: https://mentor.alisonbellphotographer.com/freebie

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 @‌keep.it.moving.podcast

• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

• Keepitmovingpod.com

Used #keepitmovingpod on socials!

We're talking about every photographer's nightmare scenario—when sweet little angels turn into tiny tornadoes right in the middle of your session. In this episode, we're diving into proactive strategies to protect your business from disaster sessions that could lead to refund requests and unhappy clients.

Key Takeaways:

• Contract language that protects you

• When and how to end a shoot early

• Client communication that saves the day

Ready to level up your client management skills? Melissa has put together essential blog post topics that every photography business owner needs to master for smoother sessions and happier clients.

Struggling with challenging shoots in your own business? Book Alison's free 15 minute discovery call to strategize solutions that work for your unique situation.

Links:

• Braden Drake's Contract Club
• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients
• Get Melissa's Free Blog Post Topics
• Find Alison on IG @‌keep.it.moving.podcast
• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings
• Keepitmovingpod.com

Used #keepitmovingpod on socials!

Mini Mentoring is a series where we get the low down on a real life business owner in need of more something. Whether that's because they've relocated, or pivoted niches we're walking through their business can giving them our recommendations to keep it moving.

We're talking to Melanie of Melanie Foster Photography who as switched this year to IPS model. We're discussing her:

• Follow-up SOP gaps
• Email list nurturing
• Tulsa mom groups

We're looking for another photographer willing to jump on the podcast for another episode Mini Mentoring! Complete this form to apply.

Links:

• Braden Drake's Contract Club
• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
• Download Move Your Business Checklist
• Download Blog Post Topics
• @‌keep.it.moving.podcast
• @‌pictureperfectrankings
• Keepitmovingpod.com

Used #keepitmovingpod on socials!

We're spilling the tea on our secret weapon for actually getting sh*t done! You know those massive projects collecting dust while you're playing taxi driver and snack distributor? Time to ditch the chaos and get strategic about your productivity game.

• Escape artist mode activated

• Hotel lobby > home office

• Baby steps, big wins

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 here: https://35topics.com

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required: https://mentor.alisonbellphotographer.com/freebie

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 @‌keep.it.moving.podcast

• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

• Keepitmovingpod.com

Used #keepitmovingpod on socials!

We're back after our summer break! Today I'm sharing our quarterly review process and the wins, challenges, and lessons learned from Q2 while juggling business and kids.

Key Takeaways:

1. Do quarterly reviews

2. Finding the right associate takes time

3. Plan ahead for time off

Melissa's SEO services and Blogging Club help photographers build sustainable online traffic for long-term growth.

Book your free 15 minute discovery call with Alison for personalized business mentoring.

Links:

• Braden Drake's Contract Club
• Leave a review in Apple or on Spotify
• Download 39 FREE Ways to Get More Clients
• Download Blog Post Topics
• @‌keep.it.moving.podcast
• @‌pictureperfectrankings
• Keepitmovingpod.com

Used #keepitmovingpod on socials!

Ever scramble to throw together a mini session at the last minute and then hate your life while trying to market it? Yeah, we've all been there. And honestly? It's exhausting, stressful, and completely avoidable.

Marketing your photography business doesn't have to feel like a constant fire drill. In this episode, Melissa and Alison are pulling back the curtain on the ONE thing that will transform your entire approach to marketing your photography business: an actual annual marketing calendar.

We know, we know - you've heard you need to be "marketing all the time." But that's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about sitting down with a calendar (yes, like pen and paper), reverse-engineering your year, and creating a marketing runway that has you booking clients WEEKS before your sessions instead of panicking days before.

Here's what you'll learn in this episode:

• Why planning your marketing calendar 8-12 weeks in advance will save your sanity (and get you fully booked faster)
• The exact timeline you need for marketing Santa sessions, fall minis, and other seasonal events
• How to reverse-engineer your marketing runway so you're never scrambling again
• Why blocking off editing time is just as important as blocking off shooting dates
• The VIP waitlist strategy that lets you test offers before you fully commit
• How to batch your marketing content so you're not reinventing the wheel every week
• Why your clients NEED that long lead time (hint: they hate figuring out what to wear too)
• How to plan around PCS dates, deployments, school schedules, and family life

Plus, Melissa and Alison share their own "oops" moments of last-minute planning and what they learned from being reactive instead of proactive.

Resources Mentioned:

• Kat Schmoyer giant quarterly calendar
• Target $5 annual wall calendars (July to July)
• Plum Paper planners
• Flodesk for VIP list forms
• Google Calendar for marketing planning
• The Motherhood Anthology
• The Blogging Club

Ready to stop the marketing madness? Block off 2 hours this week to audit what worked last year, dump out all your event ideas, and start putting actual dates on the calendar. Then tag us on Instagram @keepitmovingpod with #keepitmovingpod - we want to see your planning process!

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 here: https://35topics.com

Looking for your next clients? Grab Alison's list of 39 FREE ways to get more bookings—no ads required: https://mentor.alisonbellphotographer.com/freebie

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 @‌keep.it.moving.podcast

• Find Melissa on IG @‌pictureperfectrankings

• Keepitmovingpod.com

Used #keepitmovingpod on socials!

Have you been wondering how AI and ChatGPT fit into your blogging strategy? Or maybe you're still stuck on the "should I even be blogging" question altogether?

I had the pleasure of chatting with Kim Box on the Motherhood Anthology podcast about all things blogging – from overcoming writer's block to using AI as your brainstorming partner (not your ghostwriter). We covered everything from the evolution of blogging for photographers to practical strategies for turning one blog post into a week's worth of marketing content.

Here's the thing about blogging that's changed dramatically since the early days: we're no longer blogging for our past clients who've already booked us. We're blogging for our future clients – the ones who are Googling "what to wear for family photos" at 11 PM or searching for "lifestyle newborn photographer near me" while bouncing a crying baby. Every FAQ you answer, every helpful tip you share, every local resource you recommend becomes a way for potential clients to find you organically.

And yes, we talked about the elephant in the room – AI. Here's my take: ChatGPT can be an incredible brainstorming partner, but it should never be your ghostwriter. The moment you copy and paste generic AI content onto your website, you've lost what makes you uniquely valuable to your ideal clients.

What You'll Learn:

• Why modern blogging is about attracting future clients, not entertaining past ones
• How to turn one blog post into a full week of marketing content across all platforms
• The right way (and wrong way) to use AI tools like ChatGPT for content creation
• My simple FAQ strategy that generates endless blog post ideas
• How to overcome writer's block without sacrificing your authentic voice
• The biggest mistake photographers make with homepage keywords on blog posts

Resources Mentioned:

• The Blogging Club Membership: https://thebloggingclub.com
• Google Search Console Setup Guide: https://pictureperfectrankings.com
• Picture Perfect Rankings: https://pictureperfectrankings.com

Your Next Steps:

-Work with Melissa: https://pictureperfectrankings.com -SEO Self Audit Checklist: https://pictureperfectrankings.myflodesk.com/self-seo-audit -35+ Blog Post Topics for Photographers: https://pictureperfectrankings.com/35-blog-post-ideas -Connect on Social: https://www.instagram.com/pictureperfectrankings

-Work with Alison: https://alisonbellphotographer.com/how-to-move-your-business -Free Moving Checklist: https://alisonbell.myflodesk.com/checklist -Marketing Funnel Basics: https://alisonbell.myflodesk.com/funnel -Connect on Social: https://www.instagram.com/alisonbellphotog