This Can't Be That Hard

In the realm of marketing tools, your website reigns supreme, but navigating the sea of advice on its design can be daunting, to say the least.

That's why I'm thrilled to welcome Kelsey Christine, a web designer who focuses on serving photographers. Today, Kelsey will guide us through the dos, don'ts, and latest trends in website design for photographers. She'll offer practical insights for those looking to refresh their sites and introduce the concept of an "Experience Page," a strategic blend of testimonials, pricing, and more, all in one impactful space.

Whether you are looking to re-do your website now, or just want to get ideas for the future, this episode is full of practical advice and tips that you won't want to miss. 

Links:

• Visit Kelsey Christine's website and Kelsey's Instagram
• Kelsey's free Experience Page guide

Resources:

• New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.
• Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.
• Long-time listener? Leave a review!

It's no secret that I've automated and outsourced everything but the absolute necessities in my photography business, but it wasn't always that way. For the first 7 years of my business I did it ALL myself... and it nearly killed me.

When necessity forced me to change my approach, I hoped it wouldn't destroy the personal, high-touch brand I'd worked so hard to cultivate. Imagine my surprise when it not only improved my client's experience, but had a profoundly positive effect on my bottom line (not to mention my mental health and work/life harmony).

Today my guest is Rick Liston, who had a similar journey in his wedding photography business. He is sharing how the success he achieved through automation and delegation ultimately led him to start a parallel company that connects photographers with virtual assistants trained specifically to work in the photo industry.

Rick talks about how you can begin to recognize the tasks you can outsource, and how doing that will free you up to spend more time and energy focusing on higher-level tasks that will ultimately allow your business to grow.

Even if you don't think you're ready for a VA yet, I want to encourage you to tune in and visit Rick's website. You might be surprised at how affordable and effective hiring a VA can be!

Links: 

•  Visit Rick's website where he connects you with vetted and trained VA's specifically for portrait photographers. Use code TCBTH to get your first week free. 

Resources:

• New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.
• Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.
• Long-time listener? Leave a review!

I have long believed that the intersection of your (multiple) talents is where the magic for your business lies. So many of us have skills that we could bring to the table, but often don't because we think they have nothing to do with photography - or that they will somehow water down our photography business. Amanda Dudzik turns that notion on its head. 

In our chat today, Amanda shares how combining her talents in hair/makeup and photography has unlocked new success for her in both areas. Amanda was feeling burnt out doing generic family shoots until she started focusing on what she loves - working one-on-one with women. She now spends an hour prepping each client's look, and has found this bonding time leads to way more bookings.

Tune in to hear Amanda's story of finding her photography niche and get some ideas for how you can connect on a deeper level with your own ideal client. Maybe you'll even be inspired to take your business to the next level through a unique talent combination you haven't considered yet!

Links for this episode: 

• Grab Amanda's free Beauty First-Aid Kit here
• Connect with Amanda via her  website
• Follow Amanda Dudzik's Instagram

Resources:

• New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.
• Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.
• Long-time listener? Leave a review!

Every photographer has had the experience of dealing with an unhappy client (and if you haven't yet, you will at some point!). There's no two ways about it: that situation sucks, and will probably have you second-guessing yourself and your business. 

Today I am talking with Rachel Utain-Evans about how to handle difficult conversations with unhappy clients while protecting your business and maintaining excellent customer service... all at the same time. Rachel shares invaluable insights from over a decade of experience on how to navigate these conversations from a place of transparency and confidence. 

I want you to save this episode so you can come back to it the next time a client comes to you with a complaint; Rachel will give you the resources and confidence to handle whatever comes your way confidently and professionally! 

• https://www.rachelutainevans.com/ - Rachel's website where she mentors photographers

Resources:

• New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.
• Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.
• Long-time listener? Leave a review!

Today I'm sharing a story I find pretty mortifying.

As a professional photographer, I have dedicated countless hours to not only organizing my clients' photos, but also preaching the importance of good backups and organization...

...and yet the shameful truth is that my own family's photos are mostly a jumbled, unedited mess.

Suffice it to say when I sat down to put together a slideshow for my son's 18th birthday, I was scrambling.

But my story has a happy ending, and it's all thanks to Pic-Time's new AI search feature... a feature I'd previously thought was only really applicable to wedding photographers.

Today I'm sharing not only how I used their tech to save my butt for this project, but more importantly how it opened my eyes to the ways that other family photographers could use this tool to both organize photos and create a better experience for their clients. We will touch on educating clients about the AI tool, how I plan to personalize client proposals and how I think offering searchable online galleries will provide huge value for clients long-term.

Resources:

• New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.
• Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.
• Long-time listener? Leave a review!

When I find a way to work smarter, up-level my client experience, and stand out from the crowd - especially when the strategy is so easy to implement - the first place I want to share it is right here on the show!

Dayna's joining me to nerd out about not one but two new pieces of affordable tech that we've been using and loving, and that we think have the ability to uplevel your photography business in a big way: Convert Box and Manychat. 

Not only will we share specific ideas for how to use these to capture more leads, convert more clients, streamline your workflows, and better your client experience, but we will also talk about the finer details of balancing the world of evolving technology with personalized touchpoints along the way. 

Resources:

• New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.
• Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.
• Long-time listener? Leave a review!

It's often hard for clients to have a clear vision about how they can or should display their photographs in their homes, so getting them to purchase products and larger print collections can be challenging.

Family photographer Sharisse Rohan is using customized digital wall mockups to overcome that hurdle with her clients and it's working brilliantly! 

In this episode, Sharisse shares her exact process for building this into the Simple Sales framework, including how it has increased her product sales by a whopping 25% over the last few months!

Resources:

• New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.
• Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.
• Long-time listener? Leave a review!

Right about now, a lot of portrait photographers are crawling out of their slow-season dens and gearing up for the inquiries, sessions, editing, etc. that come with the change in weather. 

Most of us spent the slower months optimizing our businesses behind the scenes - which is great! - but the transition from learning and planning to actually implementing can be a rough one. If you're not equipped with a plan, it's all too easy to slip right back to old habits you were trying to get past (I'm speaking from personal experience here).

Cue today's conversation with Sabrina Gebhardt. Sabrina is a master at helping photographers thoughtfully managing their time and gracefully grow their businesses alongside their daily lives. 

We talk about how to successfully transition back into your busier seasons without losing all the work you've put in during the slower season. This episode will leave you feeling equipped and inspired to make it happen!

• mastermind waitlist: sabrinagebhardt.com/mastermind-waitlist

Resources:

• New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.
• Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.
• Long-time listener? Leave a review!

One of the main things that can set you apart from your competition is the customer experience you provide. This isn't limited to how you handle issues when they arise, but includes the way your clients feel when they work with you - from the moment they reach out to inquire with you until the moment they write a review and each step in between. 

Customer service will always be a cornerstone of your business, but the way you go about providing it will - and should! - evolve over the years as new technology becomes available and new expectations become the norm. Join me today to do some pondering on how we can continue to provide excellent customer service in our businesses in 2024 and beyond. 

Resources:

• New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.
• Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.
• Long-time listener? Leave a review!

An estimated 1 in 5 people fall on the neurodivergent spectrum, which means that you have probably worked with a client who is on that spectrum… even if you didn't know it at the time. As we all strive to give our clients an elevated experience, taking stock of how we can better accommodate all of our clients’ needs should be at the forefront of that conversation. 

So this week, I'm talking with photographer Stacey Feasel who has years of experience working to improve the photography experience and provide accessible options for all people. 

Stacy and I dive deep into how to better accommodate and work with neurodivergent clients, practical tips for gathering important information from clients beforehand, choosing photo locations and settings, and handling sessions with sensitivity. Whether you’ve already taken steps to make your business more accessible or want to improve your skills, this episode is full of valuable lessons to apply immediately. 

• Episode 236 - with Rose McAvoy discussing a similar topic of neurodiversity within client families - https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/236-neurodivergence-and-inclusivity-in-photography/id1498142155?i=1000633183568
• Stacey Feasel's website with education resources for photographers - https://www.ndphotographyed.com/

Resources:

• New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.
• Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.
• Long-time listener? Leave a review!