How to start a photography business.
Want to follow a group of photographers on this amazing 12-month journey?
Twice a year we run the very successful Business Mentoring Programme. This is a 12-month business development programme, which we’ve been running since January 2010, is for photographers wanting to either start their own photography business or relaunch their existing business.
Today was Month 1 with our new delegates starting on their exciting journey to becoming successful and profitable photography business owners.
After all the introductions were done it was down to business. Before coning along everyone has competed a pre mentoring questionnaire which identifies where they currently are but also where they want to take their photography business. From here the ‘plan of action’ is formulated.
Many people wishing to be photographers underestimate the number of different jobs required. This will include tasks such at Advertising & Marketing, Research, Business Plans, Goal Setting, Time Management, Pricing, Accounts, Album Designs, Branding. Oh, and if you get any time left over you you need to take photographs!
One area people starting out in any business can struggle with is commitment and enthusiasm. One day you may feel on a total high but on another day commitment and enthusiasm levels can be very low. On the business mentoring programme everyone is on a constant high as myself and everyone else in the group are there providing support and encouragement.
In the final morning session we look at List Building and the importance of doing this. List building is all about quickly building a client base and during this session I teach how to quickly build a list but equally as important I show how to optimise the list to gain more clients and repeat customers.
After the famous “Excel Buffet Lunch” we returned to the classroom ready for our guest speaker. For this month we had Adam Price from Photo-Excellence.com. Adam, a previous attendee of the Excelerator Programme himself, presented on his first year journey into full-time photography and how the Excelerator Programme thrust his business forward to the success that it is now. This includes photographing 16 weddings this year (and charging a lot more for them), portraits, commercial work and event photography. He also spoke spoke about how much confidence the programme had given him.
Adam Price from www.Photo-Excellence.com
For the final sessions of the day I presented on Identifying You Ideal Client and also introduced the group to Personal and Business Branding. Identifying your ideal client is so important in order to be a success and using my eight-point process everybody was able to quickly identify who their ideal client was but also just what it takes to start targeting those clients.
For the introduction to Personal & Business Branding I cover the importance of creating a brand but also how to achieve this by following my secret and powerful methods.
The day was finished by setting the two business assignments. These assignments are so important to ensure that everyone moves their business forward to the next levels. The assignments will be reviewed at the next development day.
This has been a great first month together and I’m really looking forward to working with the photographers over the next year. It is going to be an exciting journey.
Would you like to start your own photography business. Would you like to fast track your way to success and avoid all the pitfalls that the majority of photographers fall into? Then why not contact me to discuss the various ways of achieving this. From 1-2-1 training to business coaching to business mentoring I have just the right developing stratergies to ensure you also become a success.
Call or text me on 07961 100 580 or e-mail Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com
