Sustainable Freedom with Boudoir Photography Podcast

048. 3 Strategies To Know When To Take Your Boudoir Business Full-Time

A private coaching client recently asked my thoughts on when to quit her day job to go full-time in her boudoir business. In this episode, I'm breaking down three ways to prepare to quit your day job.
Another podcast sparked this conversation.
This client told me she'd listened to a recent podcast from a well-known coach who'd said to give up your 9-5, you need to pick a date and then make it happen.
I told her that I disagreed with this statement–my thoughts are entirely different, to be honest.
Picking a date without a strategy to support this date and decision can be dangerous for your financial situation, business, and life. 
It's a good way to set yourself up for failure, in my opinion.
Three different strategies to take your boudoir business full time
Please understand, when working a full-time job, booking a full-time boudoir photography schedule, or making a massive amount of money each month will be next to impossible.
You have different working hours than a full-time photographer. How could you possibly photograph that many sessions or bring in that much money?
Set realistic goals that you can actually achieve. Once you give up your day job, you will have all the time in the world to work on your business. 
Your schedule will book out quickly, and you will make way more money because you have more time to focus on it, you know?
1. Decide a specific monthly revenue goal you must hit for a certain number of months. 
2. Have a specific number of sessions on your schedule for a set amount of months.
3. Have a specific amount of money in the bank.
In this episode, I also tell you the exact steps I took in my boudoir business to go full-time ASAP.
For formulas, please check out the show notes. :) 
Relevant Links:Show Notes
Downloadable PDFMy Instagram

047. Krysten Williams of Bed Head Boudoir | Six-Figure Boudoir Photographer

Krysten of Bedhead Boudoir is a TLC coaching client, a six-figure boudoir photographer, and is consistently booked out nine months in advance.
Throughout this interview, we talk about how it feels to be a successful boudoir photographer after struggling in the industry for so long.
Six-Figure Boudoir Photographer
She's a super-talented photographer from Barrie, Ontario. And she's been a superstar since we started working together in 2021.
Here are just a few accomplishments and milestones she's had in the last two years.
In 2022, she hit 100K–meaning she is officially a six-figure boudoir photographer!
She's consistently booked out nine months in advance–without Facebook ads, Facebook groups, or model calls.
She sold out her bridal fair sessions with just two emails.
Her Black Friday sale sold out with just one email!
In 2023, she had a $20K month–her highest cash month.
Episode Highlights:
5:51–We talk about niching down to just boudoir photography. This is one of the strategies that helped her grow very quickly. Boudoir clients want the expert because they put their self-confidence in your hands.
7:59–Krysten has big dreams for Bedhead Boudoir. This is the first time she's shared them publicly.
9:18–In 2021, she leased her very own studio space. She shares how this changed her business for the better and exactly why she took this terrifying leap.
16:28–Krysten talks about what it takes to run a six-figure boudoir photography studio. Here's a hint: understanding, empathy, and efficiency.
17:30–Comparison syndrome is real in the photography industry. Learn how Krysten navigates this in her own way.
20:33–Krysten hired me as her photography business coach in 2021–here's why she finally bit the bullet and invested in her business education.
22:07–We talk about why she takes investing in business sooo seriously!
23:31–Krysten's biggest hurdle was overcoming money mindset issues and setting boundaries in her personal and business lives.
26:36–We discuss the turning point in her business–when she finally felt successful.
27:12–Her first $10K month was two months into coaching!
27:46–Of course, we talk about when she finally resigned from her job and officially became a full-time boudoir photographer.
28:07–Work/life balance is a struggle for photographers. Sometimes we can't turn work mode off. Krysten has become the master, and she talks about it here.
31:06–In January 2023, she booked 15 sessions from one bridal fair, so of course, we discussed how she made it happen.
34:01–We finish by discussing exactly why she loves business coaching and is in her second year with me.
Relevant Links:Bedhead Boudoir WebsiteKrysten's InstagramMy InstagramTLC Coaching

046. 5 Tips To A Scroll-Stopping Boudoir Photo

Boudoir photographers want to take a beautiful boudoir photo that stops the scroll of potential clients.  I think we’re all trying to outdo our last most-impressive photo–every time we pick up our camera. 
We’ve all seen the photos that other photographers have posted. You know, the ones that make you stop scrolling and just study the image in awe.
And as photographers, we’re all striving to create those photos. We want to be the photographer who makes other photographers and potential clients just stop in their tracks because of how beautiful an image is.
 
Over the years–and after investing a lot of money in education with some of the best photographers in the world–I feel like I’ve been able to create a few of these scroll-stopping boudoir images.
The thing is, there’s a lot that goes into creating an incredible image. This episode covers five tips to create a scroll-stopping boudoir photo.. 
Lighting is the most important element of your boudoir image. Without great light, your boudoir photo will be average at best–when it could be spectacular.
Posing your client from head to toe is very important to create a phenomenal boudoir photo. Remember, your paying clients aren’t experienced models. They are normal women and then need posing instruction so that they feel like models..
Instead of asking clients to spend hundreds of dollars on outfits, let them spend that money with you! If they buy the $25 bodysuit from Amazon instead of the $200 option from Victoria’s Secret, they can spend that extra $175 with you.
Make sure she feels beautiful, confident, and you give off that bestie vibe throughout the entire photoshoot.
Subtle retouching, at minimum, is a must for scroll-stopping photos. Don’t skip this part.
In this episode, I break down these five tips to help you create your next scroll-stopping image with more intention.
Relevant Links: Show notesDownloadable PDFMy Amazon StoreInstagram

045. 3 Reasons Your Boudoir Photography Website Isn’t Booking Clients

Over the years, I’ve done several website audits for my clients. While I really enjoy it, I’ve noticed that most photographers make the same mistakes on their boudoir photography website. 
Unlike what happened for Kevin Costner in Field of Dreams, just because you build it–well, that doesn’t mean they’re gonna come.  There’s a lot more strategy to it than just building the website. 
This episode covers the three reasons your boudoir photography website isn’t booking clients the way you thought it would–and a few simple changes you can make that will help with conversions. 
The three main reasons your website isn't booking photography clients. 
The path to take action isn’t crystal clear. You have to have clear steps for them to actually take action. 
Your website isn’t skim-friendly.  Think about it–would you spend hours on a website reading a novel all about the life of this business owner you considered hiring very briefly? No–you wouldn't. Your leads won't either.
Enough traffic isn’t being driven to your website to result in the number of bookings you need. This is probably the MAIN problem I see-and the one that's easiest to fix, with the right strategy. 
How do you know how many website visitors you need to have to your website each month? 
Well, there’s a formula, of course.
Number of clients / 1% = Number of website visitors you need
If you only get one thing out of this episode, I want you to remember that you have to be super visible with your website. 
You can’t just put it out there and wait for people to start clicking your link and booking. It won’t happen that way.  
Building your website is just one step.  After that, your job is to drive traffic consistently to your website.
Relevant Links:
Show notes
Instagram
PDF

044. 3 Steps To Fall In Love With Your Sales Session In Your Photography Business

IPS or In-Person Sales sessions are my favorite part of the entire boudoir photography experience.  With these three steps, let’s make it YOUR favorite part of the experience. 
A lot of boudoir photographers avoid IPS because they don’t know how it works, they’re just scared of feeling sales-y, or they’re just totally overwhelmed. 
By avoiding the In-Person Sales session, they are leaving so much money on the table. 
In this episode, I’m giving you the three steps to help you fall in love with IPS in your boudoir photography business.
Relevant Links:Show Notes"Five Targets To Spot-Check In Your Boudoir Business This Year" PDF

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043. Five steps you need to take to increase your boudoir photography pricing

In today’s episode, I focus on the five steps you need to take to increase your boudoir photography pricing: 
Full-time formula
Creating your boudoir photography price list
Confidence in pricing
Setting boundaries
Website wording
But the thing is, it’s more than just coming up with a price and saying, hey, let’s try this.
You have to have a strategy, and today, well, we’re gonna break it down. 
Today, I'm talking about the two main ways to price, the reason pricing is relevant to boudoir photographers, the impact pricing has on your business, and the specifics of pricing.
Relevant Links:Show NotesMy InstagramFreebie: Five Targets To Spot-Check In Your Boudoir Business This Year

042. The Secret To A Booked Out Boudoir Schedule

A booked-out boudoir schedule is how we make a living, so when our schedule looks a little empty and our bills grow by the day, how do we tackle this?
You may think, "I need to put in a lot more work and invest in ads, model calls, and other “typical” marketing strategies."
Right?
Wrong. 
Listen to today’s episode to better understand two specific concerns I cover that will help you attain and maintain a booked-out boudoir schedule. 
How do I book more clients
I need to increase my prices, but what steps do I take to make this change.
Relevant Links:Show NotesFacebook Ads FreebieMy Instagram

041. How Important Is Your Photography Website?

A high-converting photography website is the most critical piece of marketing a photographer can have.
A high-converting photography website takes the lead to a client as quickly as possible. Without one, a photographer's marketing strategy requires a lot more hustle.
In today's episode, we dig deep into the following topics:
Why your website may not work
How you can build your website to be a high-converting tool
What drives traffic to your website
What blog topics can drive traffic to your website
Your photography website's goals.
Relevant Links: Show notesInstagramBooking Clients without FB Ads Freebie

040. McKayla Spencer: SEO for Photographers

A long-term marketing strategy is more than just a website. A website is essential to the strategy, but you also need SEO or search engine optimization. 
My favorite and most beneficial way to rank for SEO for photographers is through blogging. 
Today’s guest, Mckayla Spencer, specializes in blogging for SEO to help us better understand how SEO works and why it’s so important.
Relevant Links:Show notesMy InstagramThe Comma Mama Co9 blog ideas for boudoir photographersMcKayla's Instagram