This Can't Be That Hard

We all get to the point in our business where we need to raise our prices. But if you aren’t taking the time to understand why your prices need to go up (and even more importantly, how you're going to align that price increase with your overall business model), you're setting yourself up to fail. 

Today I'm covering 5 questions you should ask yourself before you increase your prices and walking you through the exact steps you should take to successfully raise your prices.


Links: 

• Sign up for the Simple Sales Masterclass where Annemie teaches the 6 steps to running a profitable, sustainable photography business you love. 
• Join the free This Can’t Be That Hard Facebook Group - the most supportive, business-focused group for photographers out there! 

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!

You know when you have that perfect client experience? From the moment they reach out, they're excited to work with you, there's no pushback on your pricing, the shoot is a breeze, and when you deliver their images they absolutely gush? It’s just an amazing experience from start to finish.

Don’t you wish you could clone those clients?

Today’s guest, Heidi Thompson, is showing us how to do exactly that. Heidi’s method for finding and attracting your bluebird clients is different from anything you’ve heard before, so get ready to get inspired!

Links: 

• Visit Heidi's website to find resources for wedding photographers
• Follow Heidi on Instagram
• Sign up for the Simple Sales Masterclass where Annemie teaches the 6 steps to running a profitable, sustainable photography business you love. 
• Join the free This Can’t Be That Hard Facebook Group - the most supportive, business-focused group for photographers out there! 

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 you're a solopreneur, your to-do list can feel never-ending. Taking a break, stepping away, or even (gasp!) going on vacation can seem like a luxury reserved for the non-self-employed.

After twelve years in business, I wish I could say I no longer have a hard time taking time off from work, but to be honest, it's still something I struggle with. That said, I've finally come to understand that breaks are not an indulgence but a non-negotiable requirement for the health of my creative business - as important as marketing or client communication - and have to be taken, even when I think I shouldn't (or perhaps especially then)!

If you can relate to the fear of stepping away from your to-do list, today's episode is just for you.

Links: 

• Sign up for the Simple Sales Masterclass where Annemie teaches the 6 steps to running a profitable, sustainable photography business you love. 
• Join the free This Can’t Be That Hard Facebook Group - the most supportive, business-focused group for photographers out there! 

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!

As photographers, we spend a lot of time focusing on our visual storytelling, but as entrepreneurs, our written communication is just as important. Like it or not, your words are as likely as your photographs to land you your next job... or to lose it.

Today, creative copywriting specialist Courtney Fanning is sharing the 4 different types of buyers in the world, and how we can use our writing to connect with each of them. Don't forget your pencils, people - this is a jam-packed episode you’ll want to take notes on!

Links: 

• Which buyer type are you? Find out by taking Courtney's short quiz
• Visit Courtney's Website
• Sign up for the Simple Sales Masterclass where Annemie teaches the 6 steps to running a profitable, sustainable photography business you love. 

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 easiest traps entrepreneurs can fall into is filling our time with the busywork of running a business, and in so doing, postponing or missing bigger opportunities or changes that could dramatically improve our businesses and our lives.

A lot like having a baby, there is never a “perfect” time to make changes - especially big ones - in your business. There’s always going to be a good reason to wait - but what does waiting cost you? 

Today, I’m talking about a skill that is essential to master as an entrepreneur: how to prioritize and tackle the bigger, longer-term projects that keep your business moving forward. 


LINKS:

Listen to Episode 15

Sign up for the Simple Sales Masterclass where Annemie teaches the 6 steps to running a profitable, sustainable photography business you love. 

Join the free This Can’t Be That Hard Facebook Group - the most supportive, business-focused group for photographers out there! 

Learn how to create even more stability in your income with Revenue on Repeat.

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!

If you believe a task or a project is going to be easy, the smallest roadblock can seem insurmountable. But if you're mentally prepared for a challenge, those roadblocks become an expected part of the journey.

A lot of photographers go into business believing that their side hustle won't require much effort - what's so hard about doing something you love and getting paid for it, right? Running a business - even a simple one - is a major undertaking, and expecting otherwise is setting yourself up for frustration and failure.

Today, I’m talking with Paige Ray about what it means to be a creative, the journey we take, how universal our insecurities are, and most importantly how finding our community can help us normalize  and prepare for challenges we all face.

Links:

• Learn more about Paige's mastermind group on her website
• Follow Paige on Instagram
• Sign up for the Simple Sales Masterclass where Annemie teaches the 6 steps to running a profitable, sustainable photography business you love. 

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!

The most common complaint I hear from other photographers is that they hate trying to get people to buy. On one hand, I get it - there’s something inherently uncomfortable about tooting your own horn and asking people for money. On the other, I worry that mindset is hurting you! 

Years ago, working in New York City in a totally different industry, I learned the difference between what makes selling feel gross and what makes it feel really good. Today, I’ll be sharing those lessons with you and giving you 4 steps to start approaching your sales from a place of authentic service, instead of a place of greed or manipulation.   

LINKS:

Sign up for the Simple Sales Masterclass where Annemie teaches the 6 steps to running a profitable, sustainable photography business you love. 

Join the free This Can’t Be That Hard Facebook Group - the most supportive, business-focused group for photographers out there! 

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!

Have you ever heard the term “your strength is in your struggle?” The Simple Sales System was born as the result of a life transition that forced me to take a good hard look at my business and my numbers. Once I got over the struggle of doing that (and saw the massive results it created in my business and my life), I wanted to help other photographers do the same thing, ideally before they were forced to do so by events outside of their control. 

Today, Cassidy Parker Smith is sharing about the set of personal circumstances that forced her to make some hard changes in her business, and how that struggle actually turned out to be one of the strongest things she has ever done... for herself, her family, and her business.

Links:
Cassidy’s Website
Cassidy’s Instagram
The Simple Sales System

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!

There's more than one way to run a successful small business... photography or otherwise. But with all the variety out there, successful businesses share one important trait: they are fully aligned under one of three models - The Donkey, The Unicorn, or the Workhorse. 

Back in episode 38, I described each of these business models in detail (so if you haven’t listened to that yet, I’d suggest doing so), but today I want to dive deeper on clarifying how you can determine which business model you are. Hint: it’s more than just your pricing!

Links:
Episode 38: The Donkey, The Workhorse, and The Unicorn
The Simple Sales Masterclass

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'm always surprised when people express an interest in my personal life... you come here for photography business strategies, not the latest on this single mom's love life, right?

Well, today you're going to get a bit of both. Back in February, I announced I'd gotten engaged, and instantly started getting pinged with questions about who this guy was and what our story was all about. So today, I asked Riley to join me on the show for a little introduction. 

But just in case you're worried that this is going to be all fluff, I promise: I wouldn't have had him on if I didn't think he had some value to share with you. As a wedding photographer of 15 years, Riley took Covid as the sign and opportunity he needed to pivot to the next leg of his career journey, and I think you're going to get a lot out of his insights on the art of photography, the business of being a lifelong creative, and how to live life on your own terms. 

It's a peek behind the curtain with a bunch of valuable business lessons all tied in... hope you enjoy!

Links:

Simple Sales Masterclass

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!