Priority Pursuit

We've been away for a bit, but we're back with a bang and some exciting news: we're now a Treefrog Marketing podcast!  It's an exciting new chapter for us, and we're ready to take things to the next level.

To kick off our new partnership, we have an absolute powerhouse joining us as co-host—the one and only Kelly Rice, owner of Treefrog Marketing. We're thrilled to have her on board and can't wait for you to soak up all her marketing knowledge.

In this episode, we're starting with the crucial first step of strategic marketing—crafting marketing guiding statements. Kelly will be sharing her expert insights on why messaging is so important and how to create a brand story that'll have your audience hooked. This is just the first part of our series on marketing guiding statements, so get ready to learn a ton.

Trust us, folks, this is the foundation for any marketing plan, and we’ll make it easy to understand and implement. So, join us for an informative and engaging conversation. We can't wait to dive in!

Specifically, this episode highlights the following themes:

• What marketing guiding statements are and why they matter
• How to write your own marketing guiding statements
• How to understand your customers better

Other Mentioned Links & Resources

Learn how to write your Marketing Guiding Statements:
https://www.treefrogmarketing.com/marketingguidingstatements

Learn more about Treefrog services:
https://www.treefrogmarketing.com

Save $20 on your first order from InstaCart
https://www.treefrogmarketing.com/instacart-coupon-code

Join the Priority Pursuit Podcast Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/179106264013426

Follow Treefrog on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/treefroggers

Follow or DM Victoria on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/victorialrayburn

Did you know that entrepreneurs and small business owners are among the most likely people to get divorced? I know, that’s a terrifying fact. I tell you this not to scare you, but rather to emphasize how important it is for creative entrepreneurs to be intentional in their relationships. We have to actively connect with our spouses, bring our true selves to the table, and learn more about what it takes to have a thriving marriage with the same passion we put into growing our businesses. 

So, how can we build beautiful, long-lasting intimacy and connection with our spouses? Well, friend, Dr. Alexandra Stockwell specializes in showing couples how to do just that. She’s an Intimate Marriage Expert, the bestselling author of Uncompromising Intimacy, and the host of The Intimate Marriage Podcast who has helped hundreds of couples work on their marriages and enjoy more connection. As a wife of 26 years and a mother to four children, Alexandra believes the key to a fulfilling marriage is being unwilling to compromise who you are. When you and your spouse feel free to be yourselves and know how to love each other well, your relationship will become more nourishing, intimate, and satisfying.

In this episode of Priority Pursuit, Alexandra explains why business owners shouldn’t bring the entrepreneur mindset to their marriages; how to strengthen your relationship with your partner so they feel loved; and what you can do if you’re in a difficult season in your marriage.

In this episode, Alexandra discusses: 

1. Why divorce rates are higher among entrepreneurs than almost any other group
   1. Entrepreneurs often have a “lone wolf” mentality, & they quickly move on from one situation to the next.
   2. When it comes to their businesses, creatives may share more negatives than positives with their spouses.
2. How creative entrepreneurs can prioritize their relationships so their marriages thrive & their partners feel loved
   1. Clarify your priorities & share them with your spouse.
   2. Don’t wait for free time (or a crisis) to connect with your partner.
   3. Be uncompromis

When you’re passionate about what you do and who you serve, it can be hard to say “no” and far too easy to fill every minute of every day with something work related. 

However, as a small business owner myself who has suffered from burnout, put my marriage in jeopardy for the sake of my business, and battled workaholic tendencies, I can tell you firsthand that if you don’t have boundaries within your business, you, your loved ones, and your clients will eventually suffer. 

We’ve talked about the importance of setting boundaries and how to set boundaries on Priority Pursuit before, but today, I want to break down the three kinds of boundaries all small business owners need to set so that you can protect yourself, your relationships, and your client experience.

These boundaries include: 

1. Boundaries that protect your mental, physical, and spiritual health 
2. Boundaries that allow you to prioritize relationships
3. Boundaries that enable you to serve your clients well

You can find a more detailed version of this episode’s show notes at: 

https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/three-kinds-bounaries-small-business-owners-need-set. 

Mentioned Links & Resources

• “Episode 002: How My Business Almost Cost Me My Marriage” - ​​https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how-my-business-almost-cost-me-my-marriage/ 
• “Episode 003: How to Set Boundaries in Your Business & Get Your Clients to Respect Them” - https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how-set-boundaries-your-business-get-your-clients-respect-them/ 
• Save 50% on Your First Six Months of Quickbooks Self-Employed - http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/quickbooks/ 
• Receive 50% Off Your First Order with Photographer’s Edit - http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/pe/

The holidays are here, friends! And, as wonderful as this time of year is, it can be a lot for small business owners and often hard to enjoy because there’s just so much on our plates. 

With this in mind, in this week’s episode of “Priority Pursuit,” we’re discussing five ways you can better prepare your business, mind, and heart for a little time off this year without letting things fall through the cracks in your business. 

We dive deeper in the show, but the five tips are:

1. Turn your out-of-the-office response on. 
2. Create an email template for new inquiries so you can respond quickly. 
3. Schedule the activities you want to do, & arrange your work schedule around them. 
4. Plan your social media content in advance. 
5. Be present. 

For a more detailed written version of this episode, visit http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/tips-preparing-your-business-heart-holidays-small-business-owner. 

Other Mentioned Links & Resources

• Show Notes - http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/tips-preparing-your-business-heart-holidays-small-business-owner 
• Join the Priority Pursuit Podcast Facebook Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/179106264013426 
• Receive 50% Off Your First Order with Photographer’s Edit -  http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/pe/ 
• Receive $20 Off Your First Pair of Rothy’s - http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/rothys
• Join the Priority Pursuit Facebook Community - https://www.facebook.com/groups/179106264013426
• Follow or DM Victoria on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/victorialrayburn/

If you're trying to scale your business and stand out in your field, powerful copywriting may be the key to converting more website visitors into customers. But, how can you clarify your sales-focused language while letting your personality shine through on your site? In other words, how can you write content that presents your value in a way that's on brand with who you are?

Well, friend, you're in luck! Lucy Bedewi of My Write Hand Woman has created an entire business around writing no-fluff copy that converts—and teaching other creative entrepreneurs how to do the same. She especially loves working with women (who make up 95% of her clients!) and helping them embrace their confident sides as they "lean into their voice" and showcase their personalities through their content. Lucy has also connected with many of her clients through fun, engaging Instagram reels where she expresses her outgoing self while providing helpful copywriting education.

In this episode of Priority Pursuit, Lucy explains how to get rid of fluffy language, talk to the right people, and write effective copy that converts interested leads into excited, loyal customers.

In this episode, Lucy shares: 

1. What “copywriting” is & what a “copywriter” does
2. How creative entrepreneurs can write effective copy that converts
   1. Audit your entire website.
   2. Clarify your brand messaging.
   3. Get strategic with your home & about pages.
3. When creatives should invest in a copywriter & when they should write their own copy

You can find a more detailed version of this episode’s show notes at: http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/write-effective-copy-converts. 

Mentioned Links & Resources

• You Are a Badass Every Day by Jen Sincero -

Photographer friends, if you’ve been in our industry for nearly any time at all, you’ve probably seen social media ads regarding various means for outsourcing your photo editing. You’ve probably heard your photographer friends rave about particular editors, editing companies, or AI softwares.

Considering editing photos is often the most time consuming part of our jobs and—for many of us—an aspect of our careers that we don’t always love, it isn’t a surprise that there are so many editing options now available. But, which option is right for you? 

We couldn't possibly compare all photo editing options in a single episode of Priority Pursuit, but today, I do want to compare two of the most popular editing options. So, in this episode, we’ll be discussing ImagenAI vs Photographer’s Edit. 

In this episode, we specifically discuss:

• Should you outsource your editing as a photographer? 
• What is ImagenAI?
• What is Photographer’s Edit?
• How do ImagenAI & Photographer’s Edit compare based on price, turnaround time, and quality of work? 

You can find a more detailed version of this episode’s show notes at: 

https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/imagenai-vs-photographers-edit.

Mentioned Links & Resources

• Receive 1500 Free AI Edits from ImagenAI - http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/ai/ 
• Receive 50% Off Your First Order with Photographer’s Edit - http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/pe/ 
• “Episode 054: How to Successfully Outsource Tasks in Your Small Business (AKA How to Outsource Your Editing as a Photographer) - https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how-successfully-outsource-tasks-small-business/ 
• Save 50% on Your First Six Months of Quickbooks Self-Employed - http://

As a creative entrepreneur, other than money, what’s one thing you wish you had more of? For most of us, the answer is time. 

There just never seem to be enough hours in the day to accomplish all the things, get to passion projects, spend time with the people who matter most, or rest. And, unfortunately, time isn’t a commodity that can be purchased. 

However, there are tools, services, and resources you can invest in (or put on your Christmas list) that will save you time and, thus, give you more time to do what you love and focus on the needle-moving tasks within your business. 

In case you’d love to be gifted with more time, in this episode of “Priority Pursuit,” we’re discussing 11 time-saving gifts to ask for this Christmas as a creative entrepreneur! (Side note: Many of these are also tax-deductible business expenses. So, don’t hesitate to treat yourself!)

1. A Roomba - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QNM7YDM/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07QNM7YDM&linkCode=as2&tag=victoriaray01-20&linkId=9d96f71956975215b8148b01efe79167 
2. Any Service That’s Going to Allow You to Do Less Thinking, Planning, or Work
   1. Blue Apron - https://www.blueapron.com/ 
   2. Hello Fresh - https://www.hellofresh.com/ 
3. Courses or Education
   1. Amy & Jordan Demos Courses - https://www.amyandjordan.com/ 
   2. Katelyn James Courses - https://katelynjames.com/ 
4. TSA PreCheck or CLEAR
   1. TSA PreCheck - https://www.tsa.gov/precheck 
   2. CLEAR - https://www.clearme.com/ 
5. Pre-planned Date or Friend Nights
   1. Wine & Watercolors with Roseberry & Co - https://roseberryandco.com/ <

Did you know it’s at least five times more expensive to acquire new customers than to sell to current ones? While marketing to and booking new clients is often necessary, our primary goal as creative entrepreneurs should arguably be delivering value to our existing customers. In other words, we need to focus less on chasing after the next big sale and more on serving clients from the heart so we can give them an incredible experience⁠—and encourage them to keep working with us. So, how can you build loyalty with your existing customers and stay top of mind with prospects in your community? 

Well, Jen Szpigiel has plenty of great advice for maintaining relationships with your clients while being helpful to and authentic with your followers. Jen has built a career out of forming intentional connections with her customers as they grow and scale their businesses. She is a wife, a mother of four, the founder of Becoming Iconic, a business mentor, and the host of the Becoming Iconic podcast⁠⁠. Her mission is to help entrepreneurs, especially women, build profitable and aligned businesses.

In this episode of Priority Pursuit, Jen explains how selling with purpose and building relationships will result in lifelong clients and prosperity in every area of your life.

In this episode, Jen discusses: 

1. What it means to build a profitable & “aligned” business
   1. Seek fulfillment in your business & life.
   2. Look inward for unique ideas & inspiration.
2. How creative entrepreneurs can create waitlists & result in lifelong clients
   1. Sell with purpose & build relationships.
   2. Give every client an exceptional experience.
   3. Be grateful to your clients & community.
3. How creatives can serve their current clients & “heartbeats” (followers) well

As creative entrepreneurs, we all have a lot on our plates. But, at the end of the day, we should be able to enjoy our families, friends, hobbies, and, well, life outside of work! Whether you’re in a season requiring additional hours on the job or more intentional time with a loved one at home, balancing everything on your schedule can be challenging.

Our new friends, Mark and Nicole Pasternack, know this struggle well. These married business owners, wedding photographers, and parents of four children weren’t always in alignment when it came to work-life balance. Nicole tells us, “I was focusing on growing a family while Mark was focusing on growing a business. And, we weren’t seeing how these things worked together. It felt like it was a constant competition for our time.” So, the Pasternacks asked themselves how they could support each other, get on the same page with work and family, and chase their goals together.

Since then, Mark and Nicole have viewed their life as one cohesive unit⁠—and, as Mark puts it, “Everything in our family is equally important.” Whether it’s doing the dishes, filming a corporate video, enrolling the kids in fun activities, or shooting a wedding, the Pasternacks have systems in place to help their businesses and lives run smoothly (and not in competition with each other). The Pasternacks love mentoring other creatives and sharing tips on how you can make more money doing what you love, be present for your family and friends, and get your time back.

In this episode of Priority Pursuit, Mark and Nicole explain how you can find work-life balance as a creative entrepreneur, serve your clients and family well, and escape the overwhelm of being in survival mode.

In this episode, Mark and Nicole discuss:

1. What “work-life balance” is, & if it actually exists
2. How creatives can serve their clients, love their families, & get their personal time back

Have you heard about Google’s latest algorithm update, the “helpful content update”? 

Now, before you panic, hear me out. As creative entrepreneurs, we are constantly having to adapt to various social media algorithm changes, and I know this never-ending requirement to pivot can be exhausting. 

However, as someone who has worked with SEO in one capacity or another since 2012, I can attest that while Google makes algorithm updates regularly, Google only makes updates to better serve its users, meaning Google doesn’t make updates “just because” like many other platforms seemingly do. Google’s goal is simply to help its users find the information they’re looking for as quickly and accurately as possible. 

As a result, every Google algorithm update is only going to help your business if you’re serving your prospective customers well by creating helpful content.

I’m actually very excited about Google’s helpful content update, and in this episode, we are breaking down what Google’s helpful content update is, what it means for creative entrepreneurs, and how you can ensure you’re creating high-quality content that both serves your audience well and complies with the helpful content update. 

You can find a more detailed version of this episode’s show notes at: 

https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/what-googles-helpful-content-update-means-creative-entrepreneurs.

Mentioned Links & Resources

• Google’s Helpful Content Update - https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2022/08/helpful-content-update 
• “Episode 068: How to Optimize Blog Posts for SEO to Improve Reach” - https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/optimize-blog-posts-seo/ 
• A Guide for Photographers: How to Identify Keywords for SEO that Will Help You Book More Clients - https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how-to-use-long-tail-keywords/ 
• Save 50% on Your First Six Months of Quickbooks Self-Employed -