EPISODE #87: DOES ANYTHING ELSE REALLY MATTER IF YOU AREN'T GETTING THE INQUIRIES?

Summary:

As wedding photographers we’re wearing a lot of different hats - we’re business owners, marketers, branders, accountants, and social media managers (sometimes all at the same time). But it’s critical to maintain perspective on what is most important and if what you’re doing in one area is having a positive impact elsewhere. Getting inquiries in your wedding photography business is fundamental to its success. So even if you’re working tirelessly in other areas, if prospective clients aren’t calling or emailing, then your business is going to have a short-term future. This episode is a wake up call for wedding photographers to ensure that the time and energy you are putting into the marketing and branding of your wedding photography business (as well as networking with other vendors) is paying off at the end of the day. Are you getting enough inquiries to make your business sustainable or do you need to reassess your strategy to meet the bottom line?  

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EPISODE #86: BEING UNCOMFORTABLE IN YOUR BUSINESS IS ONE OF THE BEST THINGS EVER

It may sound counter-intuitive, but being uncomfortable in your wedding photography business can be one of the best things for its success. Being uncomfortable means you are putting yourself in challenging situations - either artistically or personally - and this is what we’re talking about in today’s wedding photography podcast episode.

It may mean capturing a wedding in a style you have never photographed before or in a cultural setting you have never encountered. Or it may be challenging your social skills, forcing you to get out of your comfort zone and communicate better with clients. It may also mean facing up to criticism you’ve received and looking at it constructively to improve your work.

Being uncomfortable in your wedding photography business is about pushing the boundaries and venturing into new and unknown areas. It will test your limits, enabling you to discover skills or capabilities you never knew you had. If you are always shooting the same style of weddings or unwilling to take on constructive criticism (whether it be personal or artistic), you’ll never know your full potential as a wedding photographer and find that career satisfaction we all crave.

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EPISODE #85: WHAT DOES A CAREER IN WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY MEAN TO YOU?

Summary:

May of this year marks ten years since I started my career in wedding photography and it got me thinking about exactly what it all means to me. I thought I’d share some of the reasons I was drawn to the profession in the first place...and not just as a hobby or part-time endeavor, but as a full-time career as my own boss.

First and foremost, we’ll chat about the passion I have for wedding photography (and I hope you do too), with the drive and motivation to wake up each day and excel at what we do. I love the opportunity to make a positive impact in the lives of my clients, as well as their family and friends, creating beautiful memories of their special day to last a lifetime.

But we’ll also talk about the financial incentives of a career in wedding photography and the desire to not only be able to make ends meet in the industry, but have disposable income to travel and save for a rainy day. This wedding photography podcast is an opportunity to take a step back and appreciate what this career has meant to me (and hopefully what it means to you), with a little surprise announcement at the end!

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EPISODE #84: MOST COMMON CHALLENGES FOR NEW WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Summary:

Starting out in any industry can be challenging and wedding photography is no different. Establishing a reputation and generating leads is far easier said than done and some will make it in the game, while others won’t. In this podcast, we’re going to chat about some of the most common challenges for new wedding photographers and how we can overcome them.

It might be that you don’t have a professional-looking website or your portfolio is lacking, or perhaps you’re not getting nough experience as a second-shooter to improve your skills. A lot of the time it comes down to money - maybe you don’t have the funds available to invest in high-quality equipment or spend money advertising your business. Or maybe it’s that you’re trying to juggle a full-time career in another field while getting your foot in the door with wedding photography.

In some cases, the challenge may be where you live, with not enough demand for wedding photographers in some regions, while in others the industry is absolutely saturated, making it next to impossible for newcomers. By addressing exactly what the challenges for new wedding photographers are, we can take steps in the right direction to find solutions or help minimize them.

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EPISODE #83: IMPORTANCE OF BEING TRANSPARENT TO YOUR CLIENTS AND ACTUALLY MEETING DEADLINES

Summary:

One of the great things about running a wedding photography business is being your own boss. But that also means that when it comes to meeting deadlines and client expectations, you need to have the dedication, organization, honesty, and drive to make it happen…as nobody else is going to! We all want to market our wedding photography businesses in a manner which attracts clients, but it’s also really important that you are honest about what you can deliver and when, as well as the quality of service you are offering.

In this episode, we’ll talk about the importance of being transparent with your wedding photography clients. It might be the timeframe you lay down for getting images back to them after the wedding or the experience level of your second shooter. Or perhaps it’s being honest about exactly what time you are going to turn up to capture their getting ready session.

As a wedding photographer, you need to honor the commitment you make to your clients, even after the contract has been signed. Not only does it affect their perception of your professionalism, but it can also have a significant impact on your reputation and chances of booking other clients in the future.

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EPISODE #82: WHAT I LEARNED AT WEDDINGWIRE WORLD LA 2017

Summary:

Having just returned from the WeddingWire World conference in Orange County, I wanted to share a little of my experience over these two inspiring days. For those that don’t know, WeddingWire is one of the world’s leading online resources for all things wedding planning for engaged couples.

I’ve been a member of WeddingWire since I started out in wedding photography almost a decade ago and was privileged to be a guest speaker on one of their panels this year. It was a means for me to get more involved in the organization and give something back after they’ve contributed so much to making my business what it is today.

In this episode, I’ll give you a recap of some of the events which took place over the two days I spent at the WeddingWire World conference, including discussions on current trends and technological innovations taking place in the industry. I’ll also let you know some of the take home messages from my personal experience and practical tips that I learned to apply to my wedding photography business.

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EPISODE #81: TOP 10 TIPS ON AN EFFICIENT WORKFLOW - PART 2

Summary:

This is the second episode in a two-part series about creating an efficient workflow for a successful wedding photography business. While Part 1 looked at more general tips and how I’ve personally applied them to my business, Part 2 focuses on the lead up to a wedding day and how you can reduce the amount of work you have to do.

We’ll look at things like having informative content on your website, such as FAQs, wedding day tips, and reviews which will answer many of the queries prospective clients may have (without you having to write long email responses). This can also be addressed by having email templates which you can send again and again, as well as signature templates for contracts so this can all be done on the laptop (without printing and scanning).

We’ll also chat about creating workflow spreadsheets to track enquiries, bookings, sales and expenses and the wedding photography questionnaire which I send to each and every couple to help me plan wedding day shoots. The great news is that most of these are free and/or cheap methods of streamlining your workflow and will go a long way to helping you create a successful wedding photography business.

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EPISODE #80: TOP 10 TIPS ON AN EFFICIENT WORKFLOW - PART 1

Summary:

As wedding photographers we wear multiple hats and there’s far more to running a successful wedding photography business than just taking photos. It includes meeting with clients, managing our finances, updating social media sites, and ongoing education to keep up to date with the latest technology and trends. With so much going on, it’s important that we work in an efficient and effective manner and have a workflow that reflects that.

In part one of this two-part episode I talk about some of my top tips for creating an efficient workflow and how I’ve applied them to my wedding photography business. From having a quiet workspace free of distractions to being able to multitask when required and prioritize the jobs that need to get done, we’ll discuss some of the ways you can make your business more efficient and productive. This in turn will leave you more personal time to enjoy with family and friends.

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EPISODE #79: WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR THE SUCCESS OF YOUR BUSINESS?

Summary:

There’s not many wedding photographers out there who don’t want their business to be a success. But there is a difference between those who are ready to sacrifice other aspects of their life to make it happen and those who aren’t willing to invest the time, energy and money that is sometimes necessary. So this episode is all about being honest with yourself and addressing whether you’re ready and willing to make the necessary sacrifices to create a successful wedding photography business.

It’s an opportunity to sit down and ask yourself a number of questions to evaluate just how much you really want this and what you will do to make it happen. Firstly, what is your definition of success and what are your reasons for becoming a wedding photographer? What are the goals you have set for yourself, how realistic are they, and what is your deadline for achieving them? And how much are you really willing to sacrifice in terms of time, money and energy to make this a successful wedding photography business?

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EPISODE #78: TREAT OTHER VENDORS LIKE YOUR BEST FRIEND. WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR THEM?

Summary:

Photographing a wedding is never a solitary job. Not only are you surrounded by the couple and their family and friends, but there are a whole host of vendors working behind the scenes to make the day special. Wedding coordinators, florists, DJs/MCs and venue staff - these are your trusted colleagues and without them you wouldn’t be able to capture the photos you do.

This episode is all about the importance of building relationships with wedding vendors and treating them like close friends and acquaintances. Why? Because not only is part of being a good person, but it also assists you in capturing beautiful photographs and increases your chances of being referred by them for future weddings. It’s a great way to build your reputation amongst people whose opinions are valued by prospective clients and it doesn’t cost you a cent in marketing or advertising.

Before, during, and after the wedding you should be thinking “What can I do for other vendors?” As photographers, perhaps the most influential way we can help out other vendors and their businesses is by tagging them in photos on social media or sending them the link to online galleries featuring them or their products. But we’ll chat about other ways of building relationships with fellow wedding vendors for the benefit of all.

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