Priority Pursuit

We’re no strangers to the topic and conversation of diversity and inclusion. But, oftentimes the conversation just hovers around the surface discussing marketing strategies that lack an intentional connection with vendors and clients of color. Are you interested in going beyond the surface with your small business and establishing deeply rooted, genuine connections with vendors and clients of color? If so, then stay tuned for today’s episode of Priority Pursuit. 

Randi Smith is the founder and lead designer at Sugar Euphoria - a boutique wedding cake and confectionary studio in North Carolina. As she navigates through the busyness of being an entrepreneur, cake designer, and mother, she faces many challenges; but her story is that of a woman fighting through burnout and working in the negative to have a profitable business. 

As a small business owner, Randi has noticed the lack of diversity and inclusion in her space and she wants to be a voice in the industry and continue to have the conversations around diversity that are ever needed today. 

And, today, on this episode of Priority Pursuit, Randi is going to help us all better understand how we can support diversity as small business owners regardless of what industry we work in. 

 

In this episode, Randi discusses:

1. What diversity and inclusion mean
2. What vendors can do to bridge the gap & cultivate genuine connections with vendors of color & different backgrounds

1. Use social media to build connections 
2. Offer compensation when seeking collaboration
3. Have a clear plan of how you’re going to market your work

1. How to cultivate genuine relationships with clients of color & authentically market to clients of different backgrounds
   1. Do your research on your client’s cultural background
   2. Portray your diverse clients accurately 
2. What vendors and business owners should do today to be more inclusive

You can find a more detailed version

Are you a photographer wanting to improve your SEO? Have you heard that you need to identify strategic keywords, but you either have (1) no idea what that means or (2) aren’t sure how to identify keywords for your website or what to do with them?

If so, this episode of Priority Pursuit is for you, my friend! Because, today, we’re discussing how to identify keywords for SEO that will help you book more clients as a photographer. 

In this episode, we discuss/answer: 

1. What are keywords, and how do they help searchers find your content?
2. The differences between head and long-tail keywords, and why you want to use long-tail keywords.
3. The “rules” you need to follow when choosing long-tail keywords, including:
   1. You need a long-tail keyword for every webpage and blog post you want search engine users to be able to find.
   2. Every webpage and blog post needs a different long-tail keyword. You cannot use the same keyword on more than one page. 
   3. Your long-tail keyword needs to be relevant to the page you’re using it on. If your keyword isn’t relevant, search engines will see this, and your search ranking may be
   4. Long-tail keywords have four or more words. You can occasionally use three words. 
   5. Your long-tail keyword should have between 1-100 searches per month. This helps ensure that your website appears when people are specifically looking for your products or services. If your market is saturated, you can occasionally get away with 100-1000 searches. 
4. The steps needed to identify long-tail keywords for your web pages and blog posts, which include:
   1. Create a spreadsheet so you can keep track of which long-tail keyword goes with which web page or blog post.
   2. Think about your ideal client’s search intent & use common sense & online tools to brainstorm a list of possible long-tail keywords.Tools mentioned include:
      1. The Google AdWords Keyword Tool
      2. The Keyword T

054. Do you have too much on your plate? Can you simply not get everything done? Or, would you like to just work less? 

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, my friend, chances are, it’s time to outsource something in your business. 

Now, I know what you’re going to say. “Outsourcing isn’t an option for me. Nobody can do __ like I can.” 

However, friend, the reality is (1) you cannot grind and do everything in your business forever and expect to grow, and (2) there are things on your to-do list that can be done by others. And, I know you hate to hear this, but chances are, there are things on your plate that can be done better and more efficiently by others. 

With this in mind, in this episode of Priority Pursuit, we’re discussing how to successfully outsource tasks in your small business. And, because I’m a photographer and I know that there are several photographers listening, I’m going to explain how I outsource editing with Photographer’s Edit to give us an example to work with. 

The steps we discuss in this episode include:

1. Determine what you truly can & can’t outsource. 
2. Create SOPs for the project or task you want to outsource (AKA establish your editing style). 
3. Decide who you’re going to outsource this task to.
4. Provide examples.
5. Give feedback & allow the contractor who did the work to make corrections.
6. Anticipate that a few changes will need to be made.
7. Enjoy having more time on your hands! 

 

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

https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how-successfully-outsource-tasks-small-business.

Mentioned Links & Resources

• Receive 50% Off Your First Order with Photographer’s Edit - http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/pe/ 
• Save 50% on Your First Six Months of Quickbooks Self-Employed - http://victoriarayburnphotography.com/quickbooks/ 
• High Performance Habits by Brendon Bruchard -

053. At one point, you probably hoped and dreamed for the creative career—whether it be part time or full time—you have now. You probably had thoughts like, “Once I can do what I love every day, I’ll be happy, fulfilled, and motivated to work and create every day.” 

Then, before you knew it, you had what you thought you wanted, but a busy schedule, too much work, life, and other factors left you feeling unmotivated, less passionate, and simply struggling to enjoy the work. 

Does any of this sound familiar? If so, there’s a chance you’ve experienced burnout in the past or currently are experiencing burnout. But, there’s good news. 

Krista Marie Lynch is a photographer, business coach, and the creator and host of the She Calls Her Shots Podcast and Membership. Krista is no stranger to experiencing burnout, which is why Krista Marie helps photographers and creatives recognize burnout in their own lives and offers practical guidance for how to overcome it. 

In this episode of Priority Pursuit, Krista is going to break down how to get back on track with your goals when you feel burnt out. 

 

In this episode, Krista discusses:

 

1. What burnout is & how you know when you’re burnt out
2. Whether or not burnout is inevitable for all creative entrepreneurs
3. Five practical ways that you can overcome burnout 

1. Get comfortable with burnout & give yourself grace
2. Find out what triggers your feelings of burnout
3. Find someone you can talk to who is going to encourage you
4. Release the pressure off of yourself
5. Find material to watch or listen to, & build yourself back up

1. Why burnout is not impossible to overcome

 

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

https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how-back-track-goals-feel-burnt-out.

M

Do you need new branding photos? Whether it’s simply time for updated photos or you’ve never had photos taken for your business, don’t stress. Because, today, you’re going to find out how to prepare for your branding photoshoot! 

 

Erica and Jon Hayes are a husband and wife branding photography team. From working with clients like the Chicago White Sox, Soft Scrub, and Amy & Jordan Demos, Erica and Jon have the expertise to deliver any creative entrepreneur brand imagery that increases brand awareness and builds trust with their ideal clients, which can translate into an increase in revenue. 

 

Erica and Jon are passionate about creating brand imagery that is compelling and intentionally crafted to reflect the vision, goals, and unique messages that their clients have for their businesses. 

 

If you want to strengthen your brand through imagery, tune into this episode, where Erica and Jon explain exactly how to prepare for your branding photoshoot. 

 

In this episode, Erica and Jon explain:

 

1. Why branding photos matter
2. What a branding shoot is
3. The steps to prepare for your personal branding photoshoot
   1. Define who you are as a brand
   2. Determine where you need to be able to use your photos
   3. Decide what kind of style you want for your photos 
   4. Send your photographer examples of branding photos that you like

 

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

https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how-prepare-your-branding-photoshoot. 

 

Mentioned Links & Resources

 

• Erica & Jon’s website - https://ericaandjon.com/
• Find Erica & Jon on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ericaandjonphotography/

051. YES, friend. You did read the title of this episode correctly; a “20-hour work week” is not a typo. If you’re trying to find a semblance of work-life balance (which we don’t believe exists perfectly as a reminder), get your time back, and stop burning the candle at both ends, then you don’t want to miss this episode of Priority Pursuit. 

Laura Murphy of Laura Lee Creative is a photographer, systems strategist, business coach, and retreat host for creative entrepreneurs, as well as the creator of TAKE BACK YOUR TIME—an online course all about streamlining your business. More specifically, Laura educates the creative community on all things workflow, systems, productivity, and time management to help them live their lives while running THRIVING businesses! 

Laura knows firsthand what it's like to be burned out from overworking and even when she shifted to doing photography full-time, Laura still struggled not to work around the clock. Knowing she couldn’t maintain this kind of work life, Laura created workflows and systems for her business that began to protect her time and let her live life and this made a HUGE difference. 

In this episode of Priority Pursuit, Laura explains that creating workflows and systems can help you avoid burnout and offers practical steps so that you too know how to have a 20-hour work week as a creative entrepreneur. 

 

In this episode, Laura shares:

1. That a 20-hour work week is indeed possible
2. The steps you need to take to make a 20-hour-work week possible, which include:
   1. Establishing structure
   2. Streamlining
   3. Systematizing
   4. Scaling

 

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

1. I can hardly believe it, but this is the 50th episode of Priority Pursuit! Kelsey (my podcast editor), Maile (who writes many of the blog posts and show notes), and I have been creating episodes for a full year, and I’ve loved getting to hang out with each and every one of you on a weekly basis.  That said, while we’re now a year into Priority Pursuit, I dreamed of starting a podcast for a few years before it came to fruition. With my workload as a wedding photographer and as an SEO coach, I had no idea how I was going to be able to maintain a podcast well. 

But, between the help of contractors, setting up workflows, and choosing the right tools, having a podcast is now something I’m able to pretty easily fit into my schedule. 

And, in case you’re dreaming of starting a podcast, in this episode of Priority Pursuit, we’re celebrating 50 episodes by discussing how and why to start a podcast as a creative entrepreneur. 

How to Start a Podcast as a Creative Entrepreneur

1. Decide why you want to start a podcast & your podcast’s unique brand position. 
2. Decide on a format for your podcast. 
3. Determine how you want to monetize your podcast. 
4. Hire a podcast editor & a writer to transcribe episodes for you.
5. Choose your software & tools. (The tools mentioned in this episode are listed below.)
   1. Libsyn
   2. GarageBand
   3. SquadCast

049. Perhaps you’ve seen my posts on social media, but we’re moving to Indianapolis! After six wonderful years in Lafayette, Indiana and of being a Lafayette, Indiana wedding photographer, we’ve decided to move an hour south to Indiana’s capital, where we’ll live just outside of downtown Indy. 

 

While we’re excited for this move, as a business owner, this move does come with a lot of work on my end, especially in regards to SEO. 

 

In this episode of Priority Pursuit, I’m sharing what my team and I are doing behind the scenes to adjust my SEO strategy for our new city so that if you find yourself and your business moving any time soon, you’ll know exactly how to update your local SEO when your business moves.

 

Now, if you aren’t planning on moving, don’t dismiss this episode, because the strategies we’re going to discuss can also be used to improve your local ranking on Google, especially if you aren’t already showing up on page one of search results. 

 

To improve your local Google rankings, you need to:

 

1. Update the keywords on the main pages of your website based on your new location.
2. Get a phone number with your new location’s area code. 
3. Update your online directory listings. 
4. Ask past clients for online reviews if they haven’t already left them. 
5. Create niche, location-specific blog posts or content that can be consumed on your website.

 

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

https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how-update-local-seo-business-moves.

 

Mentioned Links & Resources

 

• “Episode 009: How to Identify & Use Strategic Keywords to Improve Your SEO” - https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how-identify-use-strategic-keywords-improve-seo/ 
• A Guide for Photographers: How to Identify Keywords for SEO that Will Help You Book More Clients - https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how

048. Are you utilizing Pinterest for your small business? Heck. Did you even know Pinterest could help potential customers find your products, services, and content?  Well, in this episode of Priority Pursuit, Chelsea de Araujo of Chelsea Joy Creative is breaking down exactly how to use Pinterest to attract and serve prospective customers and how to use Pinterest to help your small business make more money in 2022! 

Chelsea is an elementary school teacher turned Pinterest manager. Seeing the potential Pinterest had for small businesses, Chelsea became an expert in all things Pinterest and channeled her teacher organizational skills to start Chelsea Joy Creative, where she helps creative entrepreneurs grow their businesses through the same platform you likely save recipes and inspiration.

Because Pinterest is an ever-changing platform, creative entrepreneurs tend to shy away from using Pinterest to its full capacity. But, in this episode of Priority Pursuit, Chelsea makes Pinterest approachable and offers strategies for both service- and product-based creative entrepreneurs. If you want to know how to use Pinterest to attract and serve your ideal clients and ultimately make more sales, be sure to listen to Chelsea’s full interview! 

In this episode, Chelsea discusses:

1. Why service and product based creative entrepreneurs should use Pinterest
2. Best practices for both service and product based small businesses 
3. Specific strategies for service and product based small businesses

 

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

https://victoriarayburnphotography.com/how-pinterest-help-small-business-make-more-money-2022

 

Mentioned Links & Resources

• Chelsea’s website - ht

47. Whether you're a wedding photographer or another kind of creative entrepreneur, there are likely countless ways you can better serve your customers AND increase profits through upselling. And, in this episode of Priority Pursuit, KISS Books Founder and CEO Shaun Austin Gordon breaks down the sales strategy he teaches photographers to help them sell a wedding album to every single client (AKA a strategy for better serving customers and increasing profits through upselling).

 

If you’ve listened to previous episodes of Priority Pursuit, you’ve heard about KISS Books—an heirloom album company for photographers based in Indianapolis, Indiana and the album company that I exclusively use for Victoria Rayburn Photography clients. But, what I haven’t shared about KISS Books is the fact that Shaun’s album sales system allowed me to serve all of my 2021 couples with wedding albums—which did immense things for my client experience—and allowed me to make an additional $20,000 in 2021!

 

Because KISS Books and Shaun’s album sales system have been such blessings to me, I’m thrilled to have Shaun on the show to explain how to improve your client experience and how to increase profits through upselling. 

 

Side Note: This blog post shares an abbreviated version of Shaun’s album selling process—which can absolutely be adjusted for other industries, products, and services. You can hear more of Shaun’s system in the audio featured at the top of the page, and you can find step-by-step instructions for implementing this system in Shaun’s book,