The Pet Photographers Club Podcast Archives

I don’t know about you, but a career as a professional, travelling artistic dog photographer sounds pretty close to a dream job! Our latest interview guest has carved out a name for herself in the photographic industry with her instantly recognisable style and dreamy travel dog photography - it’s none other than Alicja Zmysłowska! Tune in to hear the story behind her inspirational career journey, insights into developing your own signature style and tips for building your name and following when sharing images online.

TOP THREE:

Exhibiting photography and getting published

Going viral with dog photos

 Shooting personal images vs paid work

Extended episode (members only)

Alicja’s strategy with social media

Artistic Dog Photography Workshops

LINKS:

Website: https://alicjazmyslowska.pl
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/alicjazmyslowska
https://www.facebook.com/zmyslowska.photo

Starting Fresh

The Conference was last weekend and it was even better than we expected but exactly as we’d hoped!
The feedback has been amazing…

If you’re having serious FOMO.. fear not.. you can still access the content.
The option for Lifetime Access is now available.

Get Lifetime Conference Access

One of the most popular aspects of the Conference was our Expert Panel Discussions. We had three different calls with a bunch of the Conference speakers, each covering a specific topic; Goal Setting, Sales Room Roleplay and Starting Fresh.

Today we are sharing with you a portion of the Starter Fresh discussion. We asked the Panelists what they would do to kick start their business if moving location or changing genres.. Listen in as Mark Rossetto shares his the big marketing campaign he’d do to launch.. and then as he has to defend it to the rest of the expert panel question his strategy.

If you’re a Club Member, be sure to listen in the Memberzone as this is just a tiny snippet.

Enjoy!

Caitlin and Kirstie

The realisation that your business isn’t quite working out the way you’d planned isn’t a fun one. You might look back at your last few sessions and see that the clients weren’t the type you want to be working with. Or you might not have any past clients to look back on and feel like you’ll never create a consistent income.

I’ve been there. We’ve all been there.

It’s a scary feeling, but know that there’s always a way to improve and start turning your business into what you want it to be.

Over and over again we see the same mistakes with pet photographers related to their services and the way they’re getting the word out. These mistakes are attracting the wrong people and keeping you from making the money you deserve. So today we’re going to go over 3 mistakes that are keeping you from dream pet photography clients and consistent income.

CONFUSING PRICELISTS

A big mistake keeping you from consistent income is not having your artwork products and packages priced properly. The biggest offenders here come in when you:

Don’t have packages (especially if you’re not confident selling a la carte)

Have too many packages/products

Have packages that aren’t focused on the results you can get a specific type of client

With two many price list options, it’s easy to overwhelm your clients and end up with decision fatigue at your sales sessions. This isn’t an experience that your clients will enjoy - and it won’t help you get the sales you need for your business to thrive. I’m personally a big believer in selling packages (although tune into our Sales RolePlay Expert Panel at the Virtual Pet Photographers Conference to hear about the many different approaches to sales session that successful photographers are using).

For me, packages simplify the sales process, allowing me to help guide the client and design an artwork order that will become a cherished keepsake of their furry family for years to come.

To learn more about business, pricing and sales success, tune into Alex Cearns and Caitlin J McColl's presentation at the Virtual Pet Photographers Conference.

2. MARKETING OVERWHELM

Marketing yourself and getting clients in the door is tough. I used to get my name out there any and every way I possibly could. I was on every social media platform, at every pet event and expo, constantly publishing content, and so much more.

The problem with that is when you're sharing your attention with so many marketing platforms, you can't put enough effort toward what actually works.

When I realised that charitable marketing strategies was where my clients came from - and where my personal strengths and passions lie - I totally dropped everything else. Game changing!

To learn more about bringing in clients the right way, check out the Virtual Pet Photographers Conference presentations from Mark Rossetto, Andrew Hellmich, Marika Moffitt and Nicole Begley

3. CLIENT EXPERIENCE

As a photographer, you should get a large portion of your clients from past clients. When someone has a great experience, they're going to talk about it.

So what does it mean if that's not happening for you? It doesn't mean that your pet photography isn't amazing. It means that you need to create a better experience for the clients that work with you. Give them something to talk about!

Your client experience includes everything from how you onboard new clients, to the actual photoshoot experience, to what happens in the sales room and the delivery of their finished orders. Looking closely at your client experience, from enquiry to delivery, can help you make your business memorable.

To create an experience that past clients can't stop talking about, tune into the conference presentations from Kim Hartz, Kimberly Buccheri and Erin Bonilla

CHOOSE ONE AND TAKE ACTION

Look back at the 3 mistakes we went over, choose the one that is currently affecting you the most, and take action on it!

And for a whole lot more help making your pet photography business more simple and profitable, check out the 2021 Pet Photographers Virtual Conference. We've got over 15 expert speakers lined up and ready to teach you everything from developing your signature style, to creating an amazing client experience.

Some more speakers you might recognize include:

Alicja Zmysłowska

Caitlin Hodges

Craig Turner-Bullock

Cat Race

Charlotte Reeves

...and a whole lot more!

We kick off on the 4th February and this is one event that you can't afford to miss. Click here to learn more or click here to purchase your ticket.

Can't wait to see you there!

Caitlin and Kirstie

What have you implemented from the podcast last year?

In todays episode, Kirstie shares we learned from 2020.. and what 2021 will bring..

KIRSTIE’S TOP THREE TAKEAWAYS:

1. Using Airtable (as a CRM)

2. Introducing Video (for building clients trust)

3. Personal Projects (for personal/professional development and giving back)

Listen to the episode for all the details and to find out what's coming up in 2021.

Don't forget to share your takeaways in the Mastermind Group!

Last season we introduced Expert Reviews to The Pet Photographers Club. The reviews are for members only and with video. If you're listening in iTunes you'll get to hear the first couple of tips that todays guest shares, but audio only! Jump over to the Club website to hear the rest and catch the video.

Today's guest is Andrew Hellmich. Andrew owns the long running photography studio, Impact Images in Australia. He also hosts the fabulous PhotobizX Podcast and is also the man behind The Daily Vlog Challenge. The three-week challenge takes you from sweaty palms and multiple retakes to feeling 100% comfortable to hit record and go.

Many of us photographers are scared to start utilising video in your business marketing because we want the quality to match out photography, or because we just don't know where to start! Not fellow Club member, Jessica Wasik of Bark and Gold Photography. She has jumped right in and put her fabulous video out there and in today's Expert Review, Andrew Hellmich is back on the show to shares his review!

Have you ever asked your clients outright why they love you? Kinda awkward - but SO important. Our guest today, the fabulous Kim Hartz of Kim Hartz Photography and Through the Business Lens podcast, battled her nerves and called up some of her best clients to ask them that very question - “What is it that you love about working with me?” The answers surprised her!

Tune into this episode to hear how Kim used those calls in her rebranding journey, plus so much more (including insights into setting boundaries when you work from home, getting personal on your about page, setting yourself up for success with Planning Client Sessions and how to attract your ideal client). Yes, this is a jampacked episode, one you DEFINITELY don’t want to miss!

TOP THREE:

1. Ask your clients why they love you
2. Setting boundaries when you work from home
3. Getting personal on your About Page

LINKS:

Website
Through the Business Lens Podcast
Brand Brilliantly Course

We are obsessed with Airtable. Part spreadsheet, part database, Airtable is the way that both Kirstie and Caitlin organise all the information from each of their businesses. In today’s video deepdive, Caitlin shares her top five ways that you can start using Airtable to organise your photography business.

1. Track Your Gear
2. Organise Your Educational Resources/Downloads
3. Analyze Your Sales
4. Schedule Your Marketing
5. To-Do List and Workflows

TRY OUT AIRTABLE YOURSELF

Create a free account: https://airtable.com/invite/r/HoNlTcOR
Download our Education + Gear Library Template from the Podcast shownotes

Hands up if you’ve ever photographed for a fundraising calendar?
Many pet photographers will, at some point in their career, find themselves getting on board for their local pet rescue. Usually this involves scheduling a couple of days to photograph 12 different pets from the rescue, who can then sell the calendars to hopefully raise some funds. Most of us aren’t paid for this time, but it’s something we’re happy to do to help our pets in need. But in an era where wall calendar sales are slowly declining, we have to wonder - could there be a better way???

Introducing Jessica Wasik - mastermind behind the annual pet calendar contest strategy. The better way to create fundraising calendars.

Jessica Wasik of Bark and Gold Photography specialises in celebrating the joy and love between Pittsburgh pets and their people. She’s a big believer in using systems to automate her workflow, so she can spend more time with her clients and building an amazing experience for them. She also routinely thinks outside the box with her marketing strategies - including photographing an Annual “Anniversary party” to profitably build her email list AND using her calendar content strategy to raise tens of thousands of dollars for Pittsburgh's local rescues.

In this episode, Jessica shared so much not only about her journey as a pet photographer, but also about the specifics of her marketing strategies and how you can make them work in your business!

p.s. Did you know that Jessica’s Guide to Successful Calendar Contests, including email templates, swipe files and a 40+ page PDF is all included in the Hair of the Dog Academy?! Doors will open again soon - click here to jump on the waitlist.

TOP THREE:

1. Jessica’s Automation Flow and Client Experience
2. Anniversary parties and what to offer to the attendees
3. The better way to create fundraising calendars

LINKS:

Website: Bark & Gold Photography
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/barkandgoldphotography
https://www.instagram.com/barkngoldphotography

When Carol Moorhead of Dog-Tog mentioned doing more “Zoom Casts” during one of our members Goal Trackers meetings, we were instantly intrigued. What on earth is a Zoomcast and how is she using it to build her local network? Tune into our latest Member Spotlight video to learn all about how Carol is interviewing local pet businesses.

LINKS:

Website: www.dog-tog.com
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/dog.tog.fl
https://www.facebook.com/dog.tog.fl