If taking your business from hobby or a “side hustle” to pro is something that you’re looking to do in 2021, this video is for you! I’m going to be talking about 4 things that every photographer needs to know in order to successfully go from hobby to pro. Running a smart business and making sure that you have the right systems and softwares in place will help ensure that you reach the success that you want to this year in your photography business. Your time is your most precious resource. You can never get more time! So, it’s super important to build a smart business that values your time. With that in mind, let’s dive in and find out 4 things you need to take your photography hobby to a professional business.
4 Things to Know About Going From Hobby to Pro
Item #1: Client Relationship Management
In order to have a photography business, you need to have photography clients, right? With those clients comes the contracts, email correspondence, paying retainers, scheduling out sessions, etc! The best thing you can do to set yourself for success is to have a Client Relationship Management System – a CRM. Now, one of my favorite CRM’s is Honeybook! If you’d like to hear more about Honeybook, I’ve made several videos about it. Having a CRM is crucial because at a glance, you are able to look and see the status of each client and not have to keep all of their information in your head (which you shouldn’t be doing as a business owner anyways!)
Item #2: Project Management Tool
In the past, I struggled to see the difference between a Client Management Tool and a Project Management Tool. However, a Project Management Tool like Notion (which is my favorite! I’ve made videos about Notion as well!) helps you keep track of every project you have going on! Maybe you are doing a styled shoot or you have blog content that you need to get organized! Getting everything outside of your brain makes so much sense and frees your brain to be more creative! Take advantage of these free tools!
Item #3: Photo Editing & Image Delivery System
Having a system for editing and delivering your images is going to help you create efficient and consistent work! Many photographers complain that editing images takes up most of their time. To fix this, try creating a workflow and system that you can repeat simply during your process editing process. Once you create a simple workflow, your work is going to be more consistent as well! Win win! So, next time you go to import files to your computer – document your whole process. Create import and export templates. Create presets like indoor and outdoor presets. You will be amazed at how much quicker your editing and export process becomes.
Item #4: Marketing System
The final thing you need to implement into your photography business is a marketing system. You need an effective system for marketing yourself consistently across all the platforms – ie:social media, your website, etc. If you have a consistent marketing strategy, you won’t have to worry about having a “Feast or Famine” mentality in your business! Having a clear marketing system creates consistent leads and attracting your ideal clients. If you’re interested in more info about marketing, I’ve created a few videos on that as well!
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