So you’re ready to start taking your photography business venture seriously.
Good!
Let’s get you started off on the right foot. Every business begins with a solid foundation. Using these 5 principles, you’ll begin laying the groundwork for your journey!
1. Why Most Of Your Equipment Is Useless (And What Isn’t)
First, let’s get down to the equipment you really need to invest in. There is stuff you don’t want to skimp on. So check these boxes to make sure you’ve got your money in the right place. Don’t just buy the cheap stuff. That strategy will end up costing you more money over time.
Your grandparents probably said, “A penny saved is a penny earned.”
If you’re not paying for quality in the tools you need in your photography business, a penny saved can become a dollar lost.
2. How Photographers Can Make Money Without Shooting Anything
Working for clients means you’re constantly on the hamster wheel. If you stop taking client jobs (or worse, clients stop knocking), your cash flow stops. Not only have you effectively put all your eggs in one basket, but it can also leave little time for honing your craft, spending time with your family, or just taking time off at your leisure.
The answer is diversification. You don’t need more skills; you need ideas on how to capitalize on the ones you already have.
The key is to pair your services business with a product mindset by creating your own products to sell along with your services.
This works especially well in the digital world (which you already know), and helps you add a stream of revenue that you can control and predict—all the while leveraging the photography skills you already have.
3. Shooting Isn’t All You Do – The Business of Doing Business
Many veteran photographers will say things like “I’ve seen recessions come and go, I’m still in business after 20 years.”
“How?” You might ask. Well, the answer isn’t as shocking as you might think.
Written during the last recession, this advice is timeless and applicable to any photography business.
4. Top 5 Excuses I Hear From Photographers And Why They Are Total Bull$#^
So, you’ve built some assets, invested in the right quality gear and have your business running like a well-oiled machine. Nice work! You’re now cruising down the road to great success.
DON’T SABOTAGE YOURSELF!!
5. 5 Dumb Things You’ll Stop Saying To Your Customers
Once you’ve stopped giving excuses to yourself, stop giving them to your clients. They hired you because they believe you’re the best person for the job!
So act like it.
Let’s recap, shall we?
- Don’t squander your hard earned cash on equipment you don’t need
- Diversify your income stream by creating products that leverage your photography knowledge
- If you wanna be – and stay – in business, think like a business owner
- Look for solutions, not excuses
- Your customer’s experience should be your #1 priority
Looking for more resources to help you realize your journey?
Derrick Story has a great piece titled Photographer +1 to help you on your journey to greatness.
And there’s even more great business advice and inspiration on XEQUALS, so get crackin’ and let us know if there’s a way we can help you via the community!
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