Maintaining consistency in a photography business is so important, but it’s not just about posting on social media every day. So today on the podcast, let’s talk about WHY it matters so much! To put it simply – consistency in client experience, brand materials, response times, tone of voice, and photo delivery is crucial for building trust and ensuring long-term success.
Keep reading for show notes and a full episode transcript!
Show Notes
Template Shop: https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop
Save 50% on your first year of HoneyBook: https://share.honeybook.com/Sandra
My favourite photography business resources: https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/resources
Takeaways
- Consistency in client experience, brand materials, response time, tone of voice, and photo delivery is crucial for long-term business impact.
- The use of CRM systems, such as HoneyBook, can streamline business operations and enhance client experience during busy wedding seasons.
Chapters
00:00 Recognizing Juneteenth and Supporting the Black Community
03:39 The Importance of Consistency in Wedding Photography Business
08:05 Streamlining Business Operations with CRM Systems
Check out my free, on-demand Masterclass! Inquiry To Onboarding – Creating An Effortless Client Journey | CLICK HERE!
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TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] Sandra Henderson: Diving into today’s episode, which is airing on June 19th, I wanted to take a moment to recognize the Black community and say happy Juneteenth to anybody who might be listening that celebrates
[00:00:14] Juneteenth is a date recognized in the United States as a commemoration of the end of slavery.
[00:00:22] Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was announced in September of 1862 to go into effect January 1st, 1863, it wasn’t until June 19th, 1865, that the Emancipation Proclamation was enforced in the southern state of Texas.
[00:00:37] Because of this, June 19th, or Juneteenth, is officially recognized as the end of slavery and celebrated by Black communities across the U. S. and worldwide.
[00:00:49] If you’re interested in learning more about the historical legacy of Juneteenth, I want you to head over to the show notes for today’s episode where you will find a link for the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
[00:01:00] I have also included a second link for the National Museum of African American History and Culture where you can make a donation if that is something that you are able to do. The Smithsonian has agreed at the time of recording this from what I can see on their website to match any donations up to 25, 000 in order of Juneteenth.
[00:01:19] So, if you are able, definitely go and check that out, read a little bit more into this, and then do a little bit more instead of only reading about the hard times and the horrible things that have happened to the Black community in history, look to find ways that you can support Black entrepreneurs and the Black community in your area.
[00:01:38] Okay. I have a little bit of a scenario I want to start today’s episode with. So press pause on all the things that you have going on around you for a second if you can. Close your eyes if you want to, and just walk with me through this:
[00:01:51] You get a wedding inquiry that you could not be more excited about.
[00:01:55] It’s at a dream venue. And this couple has the budget for your highest package. No questions asked. And at the consultation, you got along so well.
[00:02:04] You tell the couple that you’re gonna send over a proposal the next day and your anxiety starts building as soon as the consultation is over because you want to book this wedding so badly. Now, the next day you have a session in the morning and it takes every last bit of energy you have, so you unexpectedly have to take the rest of the day off. While you’re out of the office two more wedding inquiries come in.
[00:02:28] You’re feeling better on day three, and that’s when you remember that you have to get a gallery sent out. So you hop into Lightroom because you don’t want to deliver the photos late and you get those done. That evening, you have an engagement session out of town. So you pack up, you get in the car, you go to your session and by the time you get home, it’s time to call it a day.
[00:02:47] The next day is day four, and you’ve got a wedding. And on day five is wedding hangover day, when nothing is happening except for binge-watching some Netflix.
[00:02:56] On day six, you finally have a few minutes to go and check your inbox. And that’s when you realize that you forgot to send that proposal to the couple that you had a consultation with last week because they emailed you asking where it is and when they can expect it.
[00:03:10]
[00:03:10] And then those two wedding inquiries that came in, well, it’s been four days since then. Both couples have already booked consultations elsewhere and have told you they’ll get in touch if it doesn’t work out in the thick of wedding season. This scenario is all too familiar for photographers and wedding pros as a whole.
[00:03:28] So today I want to talk about what consistency means beyond posting on Instagram every day and what kind of impact it can have on your business long term.
[00:03:37] Welcome to keeping it candid. I’m your host, Sandra Henderson, an international wedding and family photographer and business coach. I help wedding photographers use systems to build out the back end of their businesses to gain control and continue to thrive no matter what life throws their way. And on a more personal note, I’m a strong enneagram three wing two who is obsessed with tacos and my love for travelling combined with navigating chronic illness life are just two of the many things that drive my passion for all things systems, workflows, and beating burnout as a business owner.
[00:04:07] Join me every week for a candid behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like working as a wedding photographer, where I’ll give you actionable steps to take your business to the next level. Absolutely no fluff here, friends, so go grab your favourite notebook and pen and let’s dive into this week’s episode.
[00:04:23] More often than not, when I hear people talking about being consistent in their business, they’re talking about showing up on Instagram and social media. We hear it from quote-unquote social media experts and Instagram experts all the time that we need to be consistent, and consistent means showing up every day and doing all the things.
[00:04:40] But one, Consistency can look a lot of different ways, and two, there is a lot more to consistency than just showing up on Instagram every single day.
[00:04:50] When it comes to client experience, consistency can look like getting emails and other important documents sent out when you say you’re going to send them, delivering on brand materials like pricing guides and proposals that match everything else you’re putting out into the world, responding in the same window of time for every single person that contacts you, Using the same tone of voice and writing style in all of your email templates and delivering photos within the same time frame for all clients when you say you’re going to deliver them.
[00:05:21] I’ll be honest, especially that last one. I struggle with it. I would have a date in mind that I want to have these photos sent out, but if anything gets in the way of that happening, it completely throws off my game and I end up getting those photos out by the due date. And that is not what I want. It gives no consistency for when people can expect their photos and things like that.
[00:05:42] So, If you’re listening to this and you can relate to anything that I just said, don’t get down on yourself. It happens to everybody. And we are going to not focus on the things that we are doing wrong, that are not consistent, but we are going to be focusing on what we can do to make these things more consistent and easier in our businesses.
[00:06:02] So let’s talk a little bit more about why each of these is important and what kinds of tweaks you can make to make them more consistent. When it comes to having everything on brand, it’s like a cherry on top. It keeps everything visually appealing and easily recognizable.
[00:06:16] So when someone receives your pricing guide, everything looks exactly like they remember it from your website. It’s how they remember it from your social media. And there’s no sort of brain confusion on who they are talking about. Really makes it easier for people to remember who you are.
[00:06:31] When you’re consistently responding in the same amount of time, people know what to expect from you and it will stop people from following up incessantly because they, quote-unquote, aren’t sure if you received their email yet. We all know how annoying emails like that can be.
[00:06:48] Having a consistent tone of voice, again, lends to brand recognition the same way that having your visual brand colours and everything like that comes together. It gives your clients the feeling of having a personal experience, even though you’re working with so many other clients just like them. They know that it’s you speaking, but they don’t feel like they’re getting emails from four different people who sound nothing alike.
[00:07:10] And then consistency in delivering your photos within the same time frame, no matter what that looks like. Whether it be two weeks or six weeks, I don’t think that one is better than the other. you have to do what is right for you. So no matter what that looks like, it sets your clients up to know exactly what to expect from you every time they work with you.
[00:07:30] That every time they work with you might not apply if you are exclusively in the wedding industry. Hopefully, for the sake of your client’s marriages, they don’t have to come back to you a second time for wedding photos. But for my family photographers that are listening or newborn photographers, branding photographers, if you guys are working with your clients more than once, a lot of the time.
[00:07:50] And so, Making sure that they know what to expect and that they’re going to get that same experience every time they work with you is what keeps people coming back year after year. Beyond having them come back, we also want them to tell all their friends about us, right?
[00:08:04] Word of mouth is so powerful. And that consistent experience is what’s going to have people singing your praises from the rooftops, and then when someone that they know is looking for a photographer, you are going to be the first person that comes to mind.
[00:08:17] During busy season, it is so easy for things to start falling through the cracks when you have a million other things on the go. I have been there more times than I can count. And the best advice that I can give you is to set yourself up with a CRM system. I use HoneyBook, but whatever CRM that is going to be for you, create some workflows in there, get some on-brand templates set up and start delivering that consistent experience right from the very beginning.
[00:08:43] HoneyBook, in my humble opinion, is by far the best CRM out there for photographers, hands down, because of all the branding capabilities that it has. You can customize everything from colours to logos to fonts to the photos that you include, and they have so many templates that are pre-made for the photography industry.
[00:09:03] So all you really have to do is go in and drop your information and everything else is designed and ready to go.
[00:09:10] Now that you are in the thick of wedding season, I know you are probably thinking, okay, Sandra sounds good, but there’s absolutely no frigging way in hell I have the time to set up a new CRM system right now, let alone get any workflows ready. And I totally understand that. Don’t worry about it. My honey book moving day service is exactly what you need to get everything up and running while you focus on your clients and busy season. Honeybook moving day is when I get your Honeybook account set up and ready for you. Just like hiring professional movers on a moving day, I go in and I do all the heavy lifting and all you have to do is pick up your keys at the end of the day when it is all ready.
[00:09:48] If you are already living inside another CRM platform and you want to move over to Honeybook, I will be moving everything over there for you. If you are a new Honeybook user, then I will make sure that your account is running efficiently and has all of the settings set up that you will need to start building your templates and navigating your clients through the HoneyBook platform.
[00:10:08] And then I also have VIP days available where I will pop into your HoneyBook account and I will create templates for you and build out workflows so you can start enjoying all of the freedom that streamlined systems and automations can bring you again without having to do any of that heavy lifting yourself.
[00:10:25] I can’t believe that next week is already the end of June and we’ve got one more podcast episode coming out this month. Next week I am joined by the one and only Angie McPherson, an absolutely incredible brand photographer and educator.
[00:10:38] She is truly a gem. And I loved every second of our conversation. So make sure you come back next week to give that a listen, have a great rest of your week, and I will connect with y’all soon.
[00:10:50] The waitlist for my brand new template shop is now open. This template shop is going to be filled with everything you need to simplify and streamline your business behind the scenes.
[00:11:00] So head over to simplysandrayvonne.ca/shopto get on the waitlist. You’ll also have a chance to enter to win a free bundle, as well as get a little special something to say, thank you for being here. that’s simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop.
[00:11:17] Thank you so much for listening. You can find full show notes from today’s episode at simplysandrayvonne.ca/keepingitcandid. In the meantime, let’s connect. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok. Just search simply Sandra Yvonne. And if you’re loving this podcast, I’d be so honoured if you go ahead and hit that subscribe button and leave a review until next time.
Let’s talk about the struggle we all know too well: keeping up with social media. Instagram engagement is down, and new followers are few and far between. All in all, it’s exhausting! But here’s a refreshing thought: you don’t need to be everywhere all the time to make a big impact. Imagine focusing on the platforms that truly work for you and using strategic tools to lighten the load. Today on Keeping It Candid, I’m talking to Kara Duncan from The Kara Report, who shares insights on how to create a sustainable marketing strategy, the long-term magic of blogging, and the wonders of AI in content creation.
Ready to transform your marketing game and keep your sanity intact? Keep scrolling for links to the episode, show notes, and a full transcript.
Show Notes
Template Shop: https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop
Wedding Photography Workflow Freebie: https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/wedding-workflow
The Kara Report: https://thekarareport.com/
Kara Duncan’s Marketing Roadmap Freebie: https://thekarareport.com/roadmap
Save 10% on Aftershoot: https://account.aftershoot.com/referral-signup?referrer=YT1AEQW8
Takeaways
- Engagement on Instagram is down and gaining new followers and consistent engagement is harder than ever.
- Being consistent in marketing doesn’t mean you have to be on every platform every day. Choose platforms that work best for your business and focus on them.
- Blogging has long-term benefits and can drive traffic to your website for years.
- Using AI tools can help with copywriting and repurposing content for different platforms.
- Regularly evaluate which marketing tools provide a return on investment and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Chapters
00:00 The Challenge of Instagram Engagement and Gaining New Followers
06:22 Being Consistent in Marketing Without Being on Every Platform Every Day
13:42 The Long-Term Benefits of Blogging
25:07 Evaluating Marketing Tools for Return on Investment
About Kara
Kara Duncan is the writer behind The Kara Report, a content marketing agency serving women-owned service-based businesses. She specializes in website copywriting, along with offering done-for-you marketing services to get your business found in a sustainable search-driven way using Pinterest and Blogging. She’s worked with both six and seven-figure businesses across a variety of industries from wedding pros, course creators, fashion designers, and more.
Click here to get instant access to my brand-new free masterclass!
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TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] Sandra Henderson: This year, we have been seeing a really big shift in Instagram, arguably even bigger than when Reels were first introduced and when video started being prioritized. Regardless of what kind of content you’re creating, engagement is down across the board. Gaining new followers and authentic, consistent engagement has literally never been harder.
[00:00:22] I gotta tell you guys I’ve been on Instagram since it first launched. I had all the terrible filters and all the things that went along with it and I’ve had my photography business on the platform since having your business on Instagram became a thing… and I don’t even enjoy being on the platform anymore.
[00:00:40] I feel like my feed is just filled with suggested posts. And if I want to look at things that people I follow have actually posted, I have to jump through hoops to try and find it.
[00:00:48] So for me, it has really just been taking away from that user experience and then from the business side of things, it’s really hard to want to put your energy into something that you’re not getting any return on investment on. I’ve never really been one to care about getting likes on my posts and new followers and things like that, but at the same time, when you put a lot of work into something and there are crickets after you put it out there, it is so frustrating and so so draining.
[00:01:14] And so that is where my guest on today’s podcast comes in. Kara Duncan is the writer behind The Kara Report, a content marketing agency serving women-owned service-based businesses, specializing in website copywriting, along with offering done free marketing services to get your business found in a sustainable search-driven way using Pinterest and blogging. She’s worked with both six and seven-figure businesses across a variety of industries from wedding pros to course creators, fashion designers, and more.
[00:01:42] I am so excited for you all to hear the amazing things that she has to offer during this interview. But selfishly, I knew that I had to have Kara on the podcast because I know she genuinely knows her shit, and any conversation with her always leaves me with a smile on my face, so I will literally take any chance to connect with her.
[00:01:59] We talked all about how you can be consistent in marketing without showing up on every platform every day, the long-term benefits of blogging, and how you can use AI to help you with Pinterest and copywriting. And we’re going to get right to it after the intro.
[00:02:13] Welcome to Keeping It Candid. I’m your host, Sandra Henderson, an international wedding and family photographer and business coach. I help wedding photographers use systems to build out the back end of their businesses to gain control and continue to thrive no matter what life throws their way.
[00:02:28] And on a more personal note, I’m a strong enneagram three wing two who is obsessed with I’m obsessed with tacos, and my love for travelling combined with navigating chronic illness life are just two of the many things that drive my passion for all things systems, workflows, and beating burnout as a business owner.
[00:02:43] Join me every week for a candid behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like working as a wedding photographer, where I’ll give you actionable steps to take your business to the next level. Absolutely no fluff here, friends, so go grab your favourite notebook and pen and let’s dive into this week’s episode.
[00:03:01] Kara, thank you so much for joining me. I’m so excited to have you on the podcast, but before we dive into all the good things that I know are coming our way this episode, I would love it if you could just take a quick second to introduce yourself and let everybody know a little bit about what you’re all about.
[00:03:16] Kara Duncan: Yeah, I’m so excited. I love your podcast. I’m Kara. So my business is The Kara Report. We do a done for you blogging, Pinterest and website copy. And I’m a former destination wedding planner. And actually the business is still open and subcontractors just do the actual wedding planning work. So it’s kind of cool that I get to kind of treat my first business like a client and like experiment with marketing and all that kind of fun stuff.
[00:03:41] But I don’t do any of the planning. I’m full on marketing now. So it’s been super fun.
[00:03:46] Sandra Henderson: That’s awesome. I absolutely love. I mean, I’ve been in the wedding industry for about 12 years now, and so one of my favorite things at this point is just seeing how people’s careers progress, the things that change the things that were important to people at one point that aren’t important at another point.
[00:04:02] And so it’s super cool to see, like, What being in the wedding industry can lead to without it, like, you know, you going from planning weddings to planning birthdays, like you were able to still stay in the wedding industry and be a part of it all without having to keep planning events over and over again.
[00:04:21] Kara Duncan: Yeah, I totally agree with you. Like it’s, it’s so interesting to watch people’s careers progress in like unexpected ways, like I feel like a natural trajectory is like you said, like you go from wedding planner to maybe more event planner or coaching or like you progress that way. But it’s really cool when people do not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s just really cool when people branch off and like, like you do systems and blogging and that kind of like, it’s fun to see people like explore different interests and then do what they like.
[00:04:49] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, I totally agree.
[00:04:50] Kara Duncan: I know, possibilities are endless.
[00:04:51] Sandra Henderson: Right? Yeah. I mean, as like, more and more we saw over the last few years, people are just Flocking towards opening small businesses and being entrepreneurs. So there has, there’s definitely no shortage of avenues that you can take when, you know, if you ever reach the point where you’re just tired of what it is that you’re doing right now, which I can totally relate to.
[00:05:13] I, I always, whenever I talk about this, I’m like, God, I hope none of my wedding clients are listening because I love them and I don’t want it to sound wrong, but like, it’s definitely time for me to be phasing myself out of the wedding industry over the next couple of years. So yeah, clients, if you’re listening, don’t worry, everything’s still good.
[00:05:29] You’ll, nothing will happen to your booking.
[00:05:32] Kara Duncan: Yeah. Not tomorrow. Just in the future. Yeah. Just in the future.
[00:05:36] Sandra Henderson: And so I am so excited to dive into all things consistency in marketing with you, because when it comes to marketing and copywriting and all the, that side of like the creative side of your branding, you are the first person I think of.
[00:05:51] So I know listeners are going to have so many takeaways from this episode. But why don’t we kind of like start things off right in the beginning at the very basics and talk about what it means to be consistent. consistent in your marketing. Does it mean that you have to show up on every single platform every single day?
[00:06:09] Kara Duncan: Yeah, I love this question because I also think, okay, so much in marketing is like, there’s the people that are like, consistency is the most important thing. You have to do everything every single day. Like that’s how you get results. And then there are people that are like, consistency can mean anything.
[00:06:24] Like just. You know, blog once a year, like, whatever, as long as you’re consistent. And you’re like, there is a balance where you’re like, okay, how consistent? Like, first you have to choose something that is consistent. You know going to be possible for you to actually execute on but you also have to look at like what consistency means to actually get results.
[00:06:44] So like and it’s different per platform which is something you should think about when you choose your platforms. Like for example, one post per week on Instagram is consistent but it’s likely a waste of your time because in my opinion with the algorithms today like it’s not going to go. Grow your followers.
[00:07:00] It’s not really enough to nurture your followers. Like, it’s like, if that’s all that you have the time for, that’s all you have the time for. And there’s no judgment around that, but it’s like, maybe explore other avenues where that time could be better spent. Like one blog post per week, for example, is more than enough to be consistent.
[00:07:16] So by doing like less platforms, well, you know, you can be more consistent while still getting the results that you want.
[00:07:25] Sandra Henderson: I think it’s so important what you were just talking about, about kind of like thinking what you have the capacity for and not necessarily having to show up on the same platforms as everybody else.
[00:07:35] Because like you said, like one post on Instagram a week is probably not going to get you very far, but one blog post a week could be giving you a return for years after this. And so just kind of like, Exactly. And so I think just give it people giving themselves permission to do things differently is something that I am always advocating for because you don’t, you don’t have to be on Pinterest or sorry, I shouldn’t, you should be on Pinterest, but like, you don’t have to be on Instagram.
[00:08:03] You should be in all the places, but you don’t have to be in all the places. Like, I think there are so many successful businesses out there that are not on all the platforms every single day. So I’m so glad that you brought that up.
[00:08:14] Kara Duncan: Yeah. And I think like we see as like. Confirmation bias, right? Like, we’re seeing that everyone’s telling us we have to be on Instagram, but it’s like, where are people telling us that on Instagram?
[00:08:26] Right? So you’re like, you’re listening to people that believe Instagram is the best way, but there are a lot of people that are just not active on Instagram that are still running profitable businesses, but you’re not there. Seeing them because you’re only looking at on Instagram.
[00:08:38] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, absolutely. And I always think too, when I see people saying like, you have to post two reels a day and you know, a static post and show up in your stories 10 times, like they come up with all these numbers on how many times you should be on Instagram in a day or how many times you should be posting on TikTok in a day.
[00:08:56] But the goal and like the information they’re giving is not wrong, but the goal is to get more followers. And so when I hear photographers like focusing so heavily on like, well, I’m not showing up on this platform enough. I always ask them like, well, what is your goal? Is your goal to have 10, 000 followers or is your goal to book clients?
[00:09:15] Because these tips that they’re giving you are, if you want to. Yeah. 000 followers. It’s how to succeed on Instagram. It’s not how to succeed in your photography business.
[00:09:25] Kara Duncan: Yeah, I totally agree with you. There’s such a pressure to hit like a certain metrics and especially in the wedding industry. I know you have listeners across, you know, industries, but sometimes it’s like, how many clients do you need?
[00:09:38] Like we don’t need a thousand followers to get the amount of clients you want.
[00:09:43] Sandra Henderson: Oh, such a good point. And I think that like. The amount of clients that would come along with having like a million followers on Instagram, I don’t have the time for that. I don’t know anybody else who has the time for that.
[00:09:55] So if that, if that applies to you, then all for it. But I definitely do not want the client influx that may come along with having that many followers. I’m current, well, words are going to be a struggle today. But I am like totally okay with not like being an influencer and not going viral, my client load that I have.
[00:10:13] Coming from my blogs and word of mouth and things like that is totally manageable. So I think just like your overall capacity is super important to think about too, when you’re vying for goals, like having all these followers and things like that.
[00:10:26] Kara Duncan: Yeah, 100%.
[00:10:28] Sandra Henderson: We talked a little bit about if it’s important to show up in all the places every single day.
[00:10:34] And one thing that was a huge game changer for me going back to Instagram again, cause I think that’s like the platform that we all think about the most when it comes to our marketing. With somebody saying like, if you’re in your stories and you’re replying to messages and you’re posting, those are all forms of showing up on Instagram and being consistent.
[00:10:54] It doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to have a static post seven days of the week. You could have a static post. Three days of the week and be showing up in your story six days of the week responding to DMs. And that is still you active on Instagram.
[00:11:08] Kara Duncan: Yeah, I totally agree. Yeah. I think there’s like so much pressure.
[00:11:12] Yeah. To, like you said, mean that showing up means posting and it doesn’t necessarily, there are so many other ways. Like, I like to think of like, I think a lot of this. Stuff that goes like viral on Instagram or advice on Instagram is about using Instagram as like a top-of-funnel strategy, right? Like, it’s like, how can I get the absolute most people to find me?
[00:11:36] Which is like, okay, reels. I feel like that’s a general thing that people are agreeing on. If you want more people to find you, reels are kind of where it’s at. But it’s like where I find Instagram to be so effective is like as a nurture. Right. So that’s in your stories and in your DMs and like commenting on other people.
[00:11:53] Like I don’t really use Instagram that much for my business. And I just like literally only pop on like every couple of days to like check what my clients are doing. And. That’s a good one for me to connect to them. And like, even though they’re already clients, I’m not getting extra clients from it, it’s like a great way for me to like nurture that relationship and stay in touch with their business and show them that I care about them and your clients might feel the same way.
[00:12:20] And even in the wedding industry, like I kind of said, I use my other wedding business to test things. And like our Instagram strategy is literally like, we’ll do a post whenever we book a new client. Yay, the countdown begins. Do you know what I mean? And so it’s like, that is sometimes very, very infrequent.
[00:12:38] And also We just like to update old blogs because we wrote a ton of blogs in like the first few years and now we just update them. Like we haven’t really published a new blog in three years, like since COVID. Oh, that’s amazing. And it’s like, Google’s our number one referer. It’s amazing.
[00:12:57] Sandra Henderson: I hope that gives everybody listening a little bit of motivation to hit their blog because some of my most successful blogs like I have one for fall mini sessions that written back in 2017. And now it’s 2023. And these are still. sending hundreds of people to my website. We have Magnolia trees in London and I have actually keyworded all of my blog posts for Magnolia trees to cherry blossoms because that’s what people are looking for in the spring.
[00:13:27] And we don’t have any cherry blossom trees here, but most people don’t know that they’re not cherry blossoms. And so I, this. April and May had 1500 people come to my website from two blog posts that I wrote back in 2016. So I hope that, like, it gives people a little bit of motivation to see what the power of taking that time that you have instead of, you know, Trying to force yourself on Instagram seven days a week, maybe take some of that energy and pop out a blog post and just reap the benefits of that for a long time going forward.
[00:14:00] If you’ve done it strategically, I should say.
[00:14:02] Kara Duncan: Yeah. Well, you know what? Yeah, to add to that, I totally agree with everything you just said. I would also say that like blogs don’t necessarily always have to be perfect to rank. Like I look at my wedding business and I started it as a blog and You know, like my first blog post I look and it’s like, how are these ranking?
[00:14:21] And many of them aren’t right. But if you’re like, some of them are, and you’re like, sometimes it doesn’t need to be perfect if people find it helpful and stuff like that. And then also I kind of relate it lately to like, I don’t know if everyone else’s TikTok is blowing up about this, but I get a lot of like print on demand, like get rich with print on demand or like, whatever.
[00:14:42] It’s like the latest trend. And one of the big things that they say is like, you’re going to create a hundred designs and like two designs will make you rich. Right. Or whatever. And it’s like, I find the same with blog posts. Like you can’t just write, you know, it’d be nice if every single blog post you wrote brought in like hundreds of hundreds of people every month or whatever.
[00:15:02] But oftentimes it’s like, no, but you wrote once a week and like, let’s say that’s 52 blogs. And then like five or six brought you enough to fill your calendar for the year. Right. So.
[00:15:14] Sandra Henderson: Yeah. And that would be an amazing return on investment. Is it true that publishing these blogs, like we’ll keep going with this once-a-week reference that if you did publish these 52 blogs in a year and only five or six of them were actually like generating revenue for you, doesn’t Google and other search engines take it as like a green check in your favor that you are constantly posting onto your website?
[00:15:36] Kara Duncan: Yeah, totally. Google like any other platform values consistency.
[00:15:41] Sandra Henderson: I know that a lot of people are feeling the weight of Instagram and especially in the wedding industry, feeling the weight of like, things being really quiet this year for bookings in comparison to how it has been the last few years. So I’m hoping that people will take advantage of this lull in bookings and really focus on blogging because that is, I know for me anyway, and for a lot of other businesses out there, it’s been such a game changer.
[00:16:06] Kara Duncan: Yeah, I think like, one of the reasons I like love blogging or like Pinterest, like you said, I kind of consider the two hand in hand, because like if you’re blogging, you take the time to also put it on Pinterest, but you’re like thinking of like the frame of mind people are in, like when people are on Instagram, they’re just like scrolling, and when people are on Google or Pinterest like they’re looking.
[00:16:26] Right. I’m like catching people at a much better time. And one of the things like, let’s say your website ranks without a blog. It’s like a blog can keep them on your website and like warm them up. So like if I found your website, I read a few blog posts and I hit your contact form. I’m like much warmer than if I just found your website, and hit your contact form.
[00:16:48] And then maybe I’m like, Oh, you know, I’m having fun planning my wedding. Like, I’m going to go back to Google and just like, look at other options. Right. It’s like really good way of keeping people in your orbit. And again, in like a sustainable way where like, it’s not like Sunday morning and you’re like, okay, what am I going to post on Instagram today?
[00:17:04] Like interrupt family time or like, whatever.
[00:17:07] Sandra Henderson: Right. And for me, like, if I’m posting on the fly, that means I’m not posting because I just, I will sit there. I’m like, I don’t know what to say. I don’t have the energy to think of something to say, or I’ll start writing and then I’ll be like, okay, I’ll post that later because, you know, trying to think of the good time to post, which.
[00:17:24] I go so in and out of like, there’s no such thing as the good time. And then maybe there is a good time. And I’m back into like, there’s no such thing as a good time. But I would save these posts and like, I’m going to post it in the evening when Instagram says it’s better. And then I would just forget about it.
[00:17:37] And so like, I’m totally like I have to plan out my content. And I usually plan it for a whole month. If I can get it. Halfway through that month on schedule, then I’m pretty happy with myself but it just feels good to at least have it all laid out so that I can come in and out as my energy flows and schedule allows so that I always know what’s going, even if I haven’t posted for a couple of days,
[00:18:01] Kara Duncan: totally.
[00:18:02] Sandra Henderson: You actually mentioned I want to dive into this a little bit further, but you talked about if you are blogging to please also be putting that up on Pinterest. And then I was going to raise my hand and be like guilty because I’ve done it a couple of times. I’m definitely not doing it every time, and it’s one of those things that, like, when my schedule gets busy, I’m like, Pinterest is gone.
[00:18:20] Like, that’s gonna free up at least some mental space. But I would love to talk about how you are able to utilize content on multiple platforms, and how that can help photographers be more sustainable when it comes to their marketing efforts.
[00:18:36] Kara Duncan: Yeah, definitely. So, like, like you said, using a scheduling tool definitely helps.
[00:18:40] I love Tailwind for Pinterest. I wish other platforms Did what tailwind could do But basically, it’s like yeah when you write a blog depending on how consistent you are with blogging if you’re blogging sporadically, please still keep doing it. Google doesn’t penalize not being consistent as much as other platforms But then maybe you’re gonna create like five or ten pins and like just schedule them You know, manually on Pinterest or using Tailwind. Tailwind is nice cause you can kind of do multiple boards, which gives you more pins for your bang for your buck or whatever.
[00:19:16] Sandra Henderson: And I think you get like 20 free pins a month on there for you or something like that.
[00:19:20] Kara Duncan: Totally do. And, it doesn’t need to be up the second that you post, like if you are blogging once a week, like, you know, schedule your pins once a month or something like that.
[00:19:29] And don’t forget to do all the blog posts too is what I always tell people. So like when I’m doing Pinterest for a client, I’m not just like looking at their new stuff. I’m looking at like, what are their top performing blogs like last year during this season, or like, what’s going to be, what are people going to be searching for in the winter and like prioritize those.
[00:19:49] But Pinterest is a super easy platform to batch and they don’t require you to show up every day. Another thing that I do for Pinterest clients is I will download their Instagram Reels, especially the ones that don’t look Instagram-specific. So like if you’re putting like, read the caption on your Reels, it’s a little harder to reuse.
[00:20:07] On Pinterest, you can put it in the description, but it’s not a super great user experience. But for like, Ones where photographers specifically it’s like, you know, there’s like two seconds of a video or something and then it’s like 85 different photos Like you could definitely download that and put it on Pinterest.
[00:20:23] I like to use it as a video pin Instead of an idea pin it’s kind of up in the air what they’re doing with idea pins They kind of said they’re getting rid of it. And now they’re saying they’re merging it So honestly, I’ve seen better results with video pins lately So
[00:20:36] Sandra Henderson: yeah, yeah, I have to quickly interrupt you because I admit I’m not a huge Pinterest user.
[00:20:43] I go on like every now and then to update inspiration for what my clients should wear to their family sessions and to look for the odd recipe. But I, so because of that, I actually, I’ve heard the term idea pin so many times and I keep meaning to find out what the hell an idea pin is. And now you’re saying that they might actually potentially get rid of it.
[00:21:02] So please quickly explain to me, even if they are getting rid of it, what is the difference between a regular pin and an idea?
[00:21:09] Kara Duncan: So idea pins, you couldn’t add a link So they weren’t okay for business owners. They were You know, maybe good for content creators, but at the same time, Pinterest followers are not as like highly valued as like Instagram followers.
[00:21:24] So like if your content, you’re trying to leverage your metrics. I don’t know. It wasn’t really a win-win for everyone. Anyone except maybe the consumer because the consumer can have access to like zero click content like where they don’t actually have to go to your website and you’re sharing the recipe in like An idea pin could be like a mix of video and pins.
[00:21:43] So like think about like an Instagram stall or something like that like you so you could like in theory Pinterest wanted you to share like a how-to or like You know a whole wedding so people can swipe through and stuff like that And then they never have to go to your website But business owners didn’t necessarily love using it because people business owners want it Up to their website, right?
[00:22:05] So right it was something I feel like they tried and they tweaked, you know to make work But ultimately I don’t think I don’t know I don’t think it was super successful because then they tried adding idea pins, but it was only in beta And now I think they’re gonna just get rid of it, but I could be wrong
[00:22:20] Sandra Henderson: Today’s episode of Keeping It Candid is sponsored by Aftershoot.
[00:22:25] Full disclosure, I took a break from using Aftershoot, and I’ve talked a lot about how incredible some other AI editing platforms are. And don’t get me wrong, that hasn’t changed. But I cannot deny how amazing Aftershoot’s new features are, and there was no question that I had to make the switch back.
[00:22:43] Aftershoot is an AI culling and editing platform that learns your style of editing based off the photos that you’ve already done in the past and then applies that to new photos going forward. It’s not like finding presets where you just apply it to your photos and it doesn’t make any changes and you really have to heavily edit each one yourself.
[00:23:02] This actually learns your editing style and applies Lightroom settings to your photos the same way you would if you were the one who was actually physically moving the sliders yourself.
[00:23:13] With the AI culling feature, it’s able to sort through photos where people are blinking, photos that are blurry, and anything else that you might want to weed out as far as duplicates and things like that, leaving only the best of the best for you to have to go through in a few minutes as opposed to a few hours.
[00:23:28] And the feature that brought me back to the platform is that all of this can now be done all in one. There is no more need to have to upload photos in Lightroom and then call them in Aftershoot and then load them back into Lightroom and then edit them into Aftershoot. But now everything can be done in
[00:23:45] inside the platform. The only time you have to bring them over to Lightroom is if you want to make any tweaks to the individual photos themselves. It’s an absolute game-changer and will save so much time.
[00:23:58] If you’re interested in trying it out, I want you to head over to simplysandrayvonne.ca/resources to get a 10 percent discount using my affiliate link.
[00:24:08] That makes a lot of sense. Like from the consumer standpoint, it’s nice to not have ad generated content. But. I feel like all, if not like 99 percent of the people creating the posts going on Instagram are business owners that want to redirect off the platform.
[00:24:25] So from our standpoint, I can definitely see how like that doesn’t make sense and would cause a lot of problems for people.
[00:24:30] Kara Duncan: Yeah, like it’s kind of like if you go to get a recipe and you have to like scroll through the food bloggers like stuff. Story first. Life story. But yeah, it’s like, okay, nobody actually wants that.
[00:24:40] So if IdeaPens just like skip to that, but then at the same time, yeah, food bloggers have to make money. Otherwise, what’s the point of them doing it? Right? Right. There has to be somewhat of a win-win, because it’s like, you as a business owner, like, we don’t want everyone to stop creating content. And like, that’s kind of how I feel about like, Google is making some changes. So people are like, a little nervous about it, right, especially if they rely on SEO.
[00:25:04] And it’s like, ultimately, like, Google is Just testing things, right? They’re not like permanently changing anything. Algorithms are always going to be changing. And if you like, because I think one thing that they’re testing is like just an AI generated answer at the top, right? And you’re like, that’s fine.
[00:25:21] But if everyone that is creating the content that is ultimately like giving Google that answer if they stop because it’s not worth it to them. That’s not going to be good for Google, right? So it’s like, it really has to be this like win win we have to do. We have to serve our customers. And then we also have to make sure that we’re doing things that give us an ROI.
[00:25:40] So just balancing that and then one quick tip that I’ve been doing more that I want to share with repurposing your content. If I’m writing a blog post, I’ve started using AI to be like, create a caption from this one paragraph. Cause I think I know you have AI people coming on the show or maybe have already been on the show.
[00:26:01] But I feel like there’s like a lot of like, AI is unethical or stealing other people’s content or whatever. And like all valid, but it’s like, you can also use it for your own content and be like, can you just make this paragraph of this blog post? You know, if your blog post has like three or four, you know, the meat of the paragraph or whatever, it’s like, that can be three or four Instagram captions and you can like, and it’s your own content, own ideas and that kind of stuff.
[00:26:26] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, I am totally with you. Like, all the hesitations and concerns around AI are totally valid, but I absolutely love what, like, something like ChatGPT is able to do with your own content. Like, I’ll take something, a paragraph that I’ve written that says, It’s two, three, four sentences long. I guess two sentences are not a paragraph.
[00:26:47] The English nerd in me was just raging as I said that, like two sentences is not a paragraph, but like if I have a paragraph and I want it to be longer and I’m just like struggling to elaborate on what I want to say, it’s nice to be able to put it into chat, chat, GPT and just see what it says. Like I’m never using anything word for word, but it’s saving me so much time getting me out of ruts that I get stuck in.
[00:27:08] And I just, I love it. I could go on forever, but the photography side of AI,
[00:27:13] Kara Duncan: I know I’m like pro AI as well. And yeah, like you said, sometimes I’ll literally be writing like three sentences. Cause I’m like looking through, you know, like if I’m blogging for a photographer, I wasn’t at the wedding.
[00:27:25] Sometimes I just have to think like, okay, how am I going to put this all together? So it’ll be like, you know, bridesmaids wore green dresses, the couple had a first look, this was the venue. It’s like, can you turn this into a paragraph?
[00:27:40] Sandra Henderson: Right. Turn it into a story that people actually want to read, not point form with like random thoughts about the day.
[00:27:46] Kara Duncan: Right. Yeah. It’s super helpful. And like you said, it’s like, literally, can I just copy and paste that? But it’s like, sometimes it will give me ideas on how to like flow these like things together.
[00:27:57] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, absolutely. Or like there’s times that I’m like, no, that’s 100 percent not what I want to do. And so it’ll like, there’s been times where it’s just reframed the way that I’ve approached things.
[00:28:07] And so, yeah, I think there’s so many benefits to it. And I’m excited to see it because this is just the beginning. At the start of it we are not even at the tip of the iceberg. So yeah,
[00:28:15] Kara Duncan: I totally agree like I had what was I writing? I wanted something about like being a wedding copywriter, like to rank on that keyword.
[00:28:22] So I’m like, Oh, write a blog about this or whatever. It wasn’t chat GPT was a different one. And it literally like wrote me an entire 3000-word blog post on like But it was geared toward couples hiring a wedding copywriter for their wedding website, which you’re like, to my knowledge, that’s not a thing.
[00:28:40] Thank you for the 3000 words, but like, none of this is usable. Not one word.
[00:28:46] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, when I first started playing around with it, it was definitely like writing everything to like the couple that was looking to hire a photography coach. And I’m like, no, like, that’s not quite what we’re going for here
[00:28:58] Kara Duncan: and we’re using it. I feel like, I’m excited. And like you said, I feel like a lot of the Instagram stuff that we see is all about, like how you can use AI to write stuff. And it’s like, I’m so excited about the non-writing stuff we can use AI for, like you said, for photography and like, you know, like a fathom note taker is one that I see in almost every zoom room now.
[00:29:20] And it never used to be a thing, right? And you’re like, there’s like tango for SOPs. You’re like. All of those things I’m like, so excited about.
[00:29:29] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, I’m totally with you and just like, There’s so many different ways we can use it. And I’m excited about all of it. So just kind of like, going back to like, we’re saying, use this as inspiration and a tool to get you started.
[00:29:40] When I was first playing around with chat GPT, I was saying how, like, it was really just making everything geared towards the couple that was looking for a photography coach, which did not apply. I did ask it to just write out a workflow for wedding photographers because I was just curious as to what it would see what it would say to do versus the workflow for wedding photographers that I already have shameless, plug.
[00:30:02] I will include the link for that in the show notes because I do have a freebie for that. But the workflow that it wrote for me had the couple reaching out to the photographer to confirm their contract details one month before the wedding day. And so when I saw that, I was like, okay, guys, we don’t need to worry about AI taking our jobs.
[00:30:22] Like, totally fine. We are still years away from a point where we have to worry about that because if couples are taking this advice and they are trying to finalize a contract with a wedding photographer one month before their wedding, they are going to be sorely disappointed. So, yeah, I definitely do not have any concern whatsoever at this point that AI is going to be taking my job in any capacity.
[00:30:44] Kara Duncan: I totally agree.
[00:30:46] Sandra Henderson: So that wraps up all the questions that I have for you, but if you could leave listeners with one final takeaway that will help them stay consistent with their marketing, what would that takeaway be?
[00:30:56] Kara Duncan: I think it would just be like regular check-ins on what marketing tools are providing you an ROI. And considering the best practices of a whole platform and not feeling like you have to be on one platform. Right. So like if. Like, for example, TikTok. I love TikTok. I think it’s a great marketing channel. I do not have the bandwidth for, like, what it demands.
[00:31:19] Maybe I will in the future, right? And, like, the busier you are, the, you know, the more dialled in I think you have to be. Like, if you’re in the start of your business, I like to say, like, Do try everything. Like, don’t do everything perfectly, but try everything. Because a lot of times I think people start their photography business, obviously they start on Instagram, and they are, you know, then surrounded by people who tell them Instagram is the only way.
[00:31:42] And it’s like, consider the source, right? And like, be open to other ideas. Because like, if anyone’s going to tell you, you can’t run a business without Instagram, like you absolutely can. Many people are, and you’re just not seeing them because they’re only looking on Instagram.
[00:31:59] Sandra Henderson: Such a good point. And you were saying like, you don’t have the capacity to do all the things that TikTok they claim to require.
[00:32:07] I literally just like, take, I saved my Instagram reels and I posted over on TikTok and I don’t change anything. And it’s been so interesting to me to see how completely differently they perform. And like, there’s yet to be a reel slash TikTok that has seen It’s performed equally on both platforms. It either does really well on Instagram and does horribly on TikTok, or it does really well on TikTok and it’s just like mediocre on Instagram.
[00:32:34] So that has been…
[00:32:35] Kara Duncan: which I feel like is like, where it’s hard, right? It’s like when you’re comparing things, you’re actually comparing them with data instead of like, well, I like sharing photos of my coffee more than I like blogging, which same.
[00:32:48] Sandra Henderson: Yeah. And I think it just like, hopefully, it will give people permission to show up a little bit messier. And just kind of evaluate what is working best for you to make educated decisions in your business. And if you don’t have the capacity to show up in all the places, that’s okay. I think like we’ve driven that point home a few times in this episode.
[00:33:07] And I know that that’s something that I think is super important as a business owner. So I’m glad that we got to touch on it so much.
[00:33:13] Kara Duncan: Ya absolutely.
[00:33:15] Sandra Henderson: I just have one last fun little, like, would you rather question for you? Now I know you are retired from the wedding planning industry, but would you rather plan a celebrity wedding, which like we can all imagine would probably be one of the most stressful, difficult weddings to plan, or would you rather copywrite for someone who hasn’t taken the time to figure out who they are, what they do and who they want to work with?
[00:33:42] Kara Duncan: Oh, I think I would rather copywrite and the reason is because sometimes I will have people come to me like that. And even though I try and get it out of them, sometimes it’s like, well, I’m just not good with words or whatever. And it’s like, that’s great because part of my job as a copywriter is like, I’ll invent an angle that I think will work for you.
[00:34:04] Sometimes people are like, they think that they’re bringing me all this not to go on another tangent, but they think they’re bringing me a lot. But it’s like that their ideal client is between 25 and 35 and makes 200, 000 a year. And you know what I mean? You’re like, This is like, and it’s so much and like, how helpful is it really?
[00:34:20] So sometimes I’m like, Oh, Hey, like after I like stalked your Instagram for the last four years, I decided that this angle is actually like what makes you different. Even though, you know, cause it’s an outsider. I’m like, I’ve never seen that before. But as you as a business owner, sometimes you’re like, I don’t do anything special.
[00:34:37] Whatever.
[00:34:38] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, for sure. It’s nice to have a different perspective on it because like I was saying earlier, like, I feel like I, my consistency is all over the place. But then I have someone like you following me, we follow each other and you’re able to see that. And you can give that like, different insight into how things look because.
[00:34:55] We are definitely our own worst enemies when it comes to running a small business. I think we are all going to be guilty of that. So that’s nice to know that working with someone like Kara for copywriting, they’re going to come in. And if you aren’t quite sure what’s going to happen or what you should be doing, you’ve got a professional to help you steer you in the right direction.
[00:35:12] I know, like for me, my ideal client was totally like the 25 to 35 for up until about a few years ago, for everybody that’s listening, Kara and I work with the same business coach, Candice Coppola, I give her a little bit of a shout out. But yeah, it was like every single person who teaches ideal clients in the photography industry is like, how much did they make?
[00:35:32] What gender are they? What’s their name? Like, let’s come up with just a basic dating profile for them. And it wasn’t until I started working with Candice and took a workshop with someone else that taught Just kind of like diving in really deep to think about what their concerns are and like what their values are in life and things like that, that I was like, oh, okay, now I understand why this is such a game changer.
[00:35:54] Kara Duncan: Yes, yeah, totally. Because you’re like, well, I don’t get it. I’m filling it out. Right? How come it’s not working? Yeah, right. Yeah, I would vote that unless it’s like Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce, then I’ll come out of retirement, but anyone else is not worth the stress.
[00:36:08] Sandra Henderson: This, I, I am all for little tangents, so now it’s my turn to do a little tangent.
[00:36:12] But it has been like, I live for making fun of sports. I am not a sports person by any stretch of the imagination. And so like my good friends who are really, really sporty and like my best friend is like so into sports. And so like I get my entertainment from just like kind of poking the bear and making fun of it a little bit.
[00:36:31] So this whole Taylor Swift Travis Kels thing is like. Raining down from the heavens for me and like, I saw a t-shirt that was like something about here to see Taylor Swift’s boyfriend play I saw another thing about how, like, Taylor Swift is visiting all these stadiums before they get turned into Mojo Dojo Casa houses, and I’m like, oh, this is everything I need in my life.
[00:36:51] So thank you, Taylor Swift, because I’m going to be, I’m going to be looking at this for months. It’s just so much fun.
[00:36:58] But thank you so much, Kara. This was such a fun interview and I know listeners are going to have so many takeaways that they can apply to their businesses.
[00:37:04] Sandra Henderson: It was so great chatting with you. Thank you so much again. And I look forward to connecting with you again in the future.
[00:37:11] I recorded this episode with Kara back in October when the media entirely revolved around all things Barbie, Taylor Swift, and Travis Kelce. And honestly, as I was listening back and doing the editing, I was seriously patting myself on the back for being able to drop the words Mojo Dojo Casa House during an interview about marketing.
[00:37:30] Now, if you want to find Kara online, you can find her on Instagram at TheKaraReport, and you can also listen to her podcast, also called TheKaraReport. It is one of my favourites to listen to, and I know that you guys are going to love it as much as I do. Now, my own takeaway from this episode confirms what I’ve already been feeling.
[00:37:48] I need to start putting more energy into marketing platforms that have a long-term return, like Pinterest and my blog, because it’s how I will be able to stay consistent no matter what I’m dealing with health-wise. That’s what drives everything I do in my systems business, that drives so much of what I talk about here on the podcast, and so it’s time to start practicing what I preach and really embracing those long-term marketing strategies this year.
[00:38:12] If blogging is something that you are struggling with, I do offer a blog writing creation service. That’s not something that I really talk about a whole lot because it’s just something that I do when I have the free time in my calendar available, but I absolutely love writing. And off and on over the last 12 years, I have actually been ghostwriting blogs for other photographers.
[00:38:31] So what this looks like, it can be just content creation. Whether you are doing educational blog posts or if you are a photographer or a wedding pro writing about a specific wedding or photos or anything like that, we can do content that is more client-facing.
[00:38:46] And then I also have add-ons for things like doing keyword research and having your post built out inside your blog platform.
[00:38:53] All you really need to do is decide on what topics you want talked about, and give me any photos that you want included, and then I handle the rest. If you’re interested in more info on that blogging service, just send me an email at hello@simplysandrayvonne.Ca and I would love to talk more.
[00:39:10] All right friends, that is another podcast episode in the books. Thank you so much for being here. Have an amazing rest of your week and I will be back next Wednesday.
[00:39:20] Thank you so much for listening. You can find full show notes from today’s episode at simplysandrayvonne.ca/shownotes.
[00:39:29] In the meantime, let’s connect! You can find me on Instagram and TikTok, just search Simply Sandra Yvonne. And if you love this podcast, I’d be so honoured if you go ahead and hit that subscribe button and leave a review until next time!
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Show Notes
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Get one free month of Pic-Time: https://lifeisbeautifullondon.pic-time.com/referral (affiliate link)
Save 50% on your first year of HoneyBook: https://share.honeybook.com/Sandra
One free month of Showit: https://showit.com/referral/?referralCode=sandralibp
My favourite photography business resources: https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/resources
Takeaways
- Pic-Time is a platform that allows photographers to automate sales after a session, leading to increased revenue.
- Switching to Pic-Time can result in a significant increase in sales revenue, as experienced by host Sandra Henderson.
- Pic-Time offers pre-made automations, email templates, and seasonal campaigns to make the sales process easier and more efficient.
- The integration of Pic-Time with HoneyBook provides a seamless experience for managing client galleries and bookings.
- Affiliate links are available for a free month of Pic-Time and a discount on HoneyBook.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:21 Frustration with Previous Gallery Platform
03:15 Passive Income and Automation with Pic-Time
04:05 Positive Sales Experience with Pic-Time
05:01 Automation Features of Pic-Time
07:13 Integration of Pic-Time with HoneyBook
09:02 Affiliate Links and Conclusion
Take my quiz to find out what your taco preferences reveal about your wedding photography business!
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049 What’s A Photography Locations Gallery? I’m Glad You Asked…
019 The Local Vendor Series with Life is Beautiful Photography
TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] Sandra Henderson: Over the last month on the podcast, I have been talking a lot about pick time because now that I am back behind my camera more regularly, it’s a platform that I am spending a fair amount of time in, and I am regularly reminded about why I love it so much. The biggest reason by far is how easy it is to automate sales after a session.
[00:00:18] Since switching to pick time. I have been able to achieve a 90 percent increase in sales revenue from digital photos and printed products in just 13 months. And today on the podcast, I’m going to tell you how I was able to make that happen.
Welcome to keeping it candid. I’m your host, Sandra Henderson, an international wedding and family photographer and business coach.
[00:00:40] I help wedding photographers use systems to build out the back end of their businesses to gain control and continue to thrive no matter what life throws their way. And on a more personal note, I’m a strong enneagram 3 wing 2 who is obsessed with tacos and my love for travelling combined with navigating chronic illness life are just two of the many things that drive my passion for all things systems, workflows, and beating burnout as a business owner.
[00:01:02] Join me every week for a candid behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like working as a wedding photographer where I’ll give you actionable steps to take your business to the next level. Absolutely no fluff here, friends. So go grab your favorite notebook and pen and let’s dive into this week’s episode.
[00:01:21] Back in 2022, I was beyond frustrated with my old gallery platform because there were so many features that they were releasing that weren’t available to users living outside the U. S. If you wanted to use these features, you had to go with U. S. printers and charge U. S. currency, which for anybody living in Canada or outside the U.
[00:01:41] S., that can really start to add up when you’re factoring in the exchange rate and shipping and things like that. I talked to the company multiple times. They kept reassuring me that Canadian options were coming soon. And they said that for a couple of years before I finally just got fed up and knew I needed to start looking elsewhere.
[00:02:01] So, after doing a little bit of research into the different options and talking to friends, I tried out PipTime and I have truly never regretted that decision. I made the switch in November of 2022, which is arguably my busiest time of year because I knew that it would be worth it, even with all that extra work on my plate.
[00:02:20] My total sales from digital photos and prints in 2022 was a whopping 250. It’s great. I’m not, I shouldn’t say I’m not complaining. It was great. I like it. Everybody can use an extra 250, but I knew that there was a lot more room to grow there. I actually had a few clients tell me that they weren’t placing orders because they didn’t want to pay the exchange rate and I don’t blame them for that.
[00:02:45] I would have done the exact same thing if I were in their position, so I needed to find a new way to do things. After making the switch to PickTime, my sales increased by 90 percent to 2, 500 within 13 months of switching to the platform. Upselling is so important, especially if you have a chronic illness because more often than not, we have fewer working hours than someone who doesn’t have health issues, but we still have the same bills to pay, sometimes even more, and we still have a life that we want to live.
[00:03:15] When you use a platform like Pic-Time, it becomes passive income to sell digital photos in print. Of course, there is a bit of work that you have to do on your part, in the beginning, to get your storefront set up, but after that, you can literally sit back and let your clients self-guide themselves through the ordering process, having their order sent directly to the printer, and even shipped directly to the client, all without you ever having to get involved.
[00:03:40] I hate it so, so much when you’re online and you see people talking about making money in their sleep because nine times out of ten, it’s absolutely bullshit. But I literally woke up last Thursday to a 110 sale. And since that client is having it shipped to their home, all I had to do was click approve the order and then it was done.
[00:03:59] And clicking the approve order button is even an option that you can turn off if you want to be completely hands-off, but I have a little bit of a trust issue with technology. And so I just want to make sure that everything looks okay before I send it to the printer. No matter which option you want to go with, Picktime makes it so, so easy.
[00:04:19] Y’all know how much I love systems, automations, workflows, and getting things just working in a streamlined and simple manner. And Picktime has so much that’s already built into it to help make that happen. There are automations that are already existing and made ready for you to just apply to any gallery that you’re sending out for things like celebrating someone’s wedding anniversary, giving them a discount as a thank you after they’ve made a purchase, for something like giving an abandoned cart discount, which you may have seen on other e-commerce sites where if they put something into their shopping cart and then they don’t purchase, you can automatically send out a discount for them.
[00:04:55] All of these are already made and live inside everybody’s Pic-time account as soon as you sign up. Hey friends, I’m interrupting this episode because I wanted to remind you that the waitlist for my brand new template shop is now open. This template shop is going to be filled with everything you need to simplify and streamline your business behind the scenes.
[00:05:14] Including things like HoneyBook smart file templates, email swipe files, Workflow processes and tutorials to help you get them built inside your CRM. So many good things are coming. So head over to simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop to get on the waitlist. You’ll also have a chance to enter to win a free bundle, as well as get a little special something to say thank you for being here.
[00:05:39] That’s simplySandraYvonne.ca/shop.
So it literally is as simple as just applying it to a gallery. The email templates are ready to go. You can change the colour and make them on brand if you’d like to, but otherwise, you don’t need to do any work at all. They also release seasonal campaigns for things like Mother’s Day, Christmas, and things like that throughout the year.
[00:06:02] So you can constantly be sending out Automated sales campaigns with just the click of a few buttons. Another thing that I do in my business is that I gift every client a 30 percent discount that’s good for 30 days when I deliver their gallery. And that discount can also be shared with their friends and family.
[00:06:19] So that gives them the opportunity once they receive their gallery and they’re getting their digital downloads to take advantage of that excitement, all the emotions that they’re feeling when they look at their photos and go and order some prints for their walls or gifts for family members and things like that.
[00:06:33] It has been really, really beneficial for my business. And outside of ordering prints and products, one of my favourite features is one that I actually use for my mini-session clients. So they are able to log into their gallery and they can choose the photos that they want included. They can have instant access to downloading those photos, and they can purchase more if they would like to upgrade their gallery.
[00:06:57] So if they want to order one extra photo, three extra photos, get the whole gallery, They’re able to do that and do the selection process, the purchasing, and the downloading, all automatically without me having to be involved. Before I switched to Picktime with the old gallery service I was using, I sent my clients their gallery.
[00:07:15] They went through and picked their favourite photos. Then they had to send me an email to let me know they were done making their selections. After that, I would have to go back into their gallery. I would have to activate downloads specifically for the photos that they selected. Then I would have to send them another email to let them know the downloads were available.
[00:07:32] There was a lot of back and forth and I really hate anything that involves a lot of back and forth emailing the clients. So switching to pick time made it so that I don’t have to do that. I have automatic emails set up to remind people that their gallery is expiring. There’s truly no shortage of options when it comes to being able to customize this for your business to serve your clients and help you make some more money.
[00:07:56] And if I haven’t sold you on using PickTime yet, one other thing that I am absolutely obsessed with is the fact that PickTime integrates with HoneyBook. I was already using both of these platforms separately before this announcement was made, so I was truly jumping for joy because they are able to be integrated.
[00:08:13] When a client books with me through HoneyBook, a new gallery is automatically created. created for them inside pick time. And once I upload all of their photos into their gallery, I’m able to see those inside their HoneyBook account as well. So it’s super cool how everything is able to be integrated and you’re able to get a more comprehensive picture and idea of everything that is going on within one specific client.
[00:08:36] I don’t know about you, but I hate having things in all the places, trying to keep track of what lives where. So having one spot where I can just go into their honey book account and I can see all the things there are quick links and access to the gallery from there. It just makes things so much easier.
[00:08:52] If you want to give pick time or honey book a try, head over to simplysandrayvonne.ca/resources, or as always check the show notes for this episode there. There you are going to find affiliate links to get a free month of pick time in addition to the free month trial that you already receive when you sign up. And you can find an affiliate link for 50 percent off your first year of HoneyBook.
[00:09:14] Next week, I am going to be back with another interview, this time joined by Kara Duncan from the Kara Report talking all about consistency in marketing. Until next time, friends, have a great rest of your Wednesday. I am off to go spend the weekend feeling really, really old because my stepson is turning 17.
[00:09:34] And I really just don’t understand how we got here so fast. So I hope that your weekend comes with nice weather, amazing weddings, great clients, and not feeling as old as I do. Are you looking for a simple, easy-to-use website platform that will help you incorporate your brand voice after you’re done listening to this episode?
[00:09:54] ShowIt is exactly what you need. It is truly the best website platform for photographers, hands down. Trust me, because I have tried a lot of them, and I’m pretty sure at least half of the gray hair on my head came from trying to navigate the horrible platforms I was using before. With ShowIt there are so many templates available that you can choose from that are geared towards the photography industry.
[00:10:17] All you need to do is implement your photos, your own brand colours, and your own copywriting. Everything else is designed for you, so instead of having to put together an entire website from start to finish, from the ground up, laying every single piece along the way, you can just pop in the information and you are good to go.
[00:10:35] The SEO strategy that you can build into every page is incomparable and the customer support is amazing. So if you’ve been feeling like your website could really use a new facelift, or if you just want to get started with your very first website, I want you to head over to my website, simplysandrayvonne.ca/resources
[00:10:52] or check out the show notes for today’s episode to get my affiliate link, which will give you one free month of show it. I promise you will not regret it. Again, that is simplySandraYvonne.ca/resources, or you can find the link in today’s show notes as well.
[00:11:11] Thank you so much for listening. You can find full show notes from today’s episode at simplysandrayvonne.ca/keepingitcandid. In the meantime, let’s connect. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok. Just search simply Sandra Yvonne. And if you’re loving this podcast, I’d be so honoured if you go ahead and hit that subscribe button and leave a review until next time.
Building a successful photography business isn’t just about technical skills and stunning photos; it’s about creating a brand that truly resonates with your clients on a personal level. This week on Keeping It Candid, I’m diving into the transformative power of storytelling and authenticity in your brand with Yasamin Salavatian. We talk about how showcasing your personality, sharing your unique process, and connecting on a deeper level can not only set you apart in a competitive market but also attract clients who genuinely appreciate your work. Get ready to rethink branding, embrace your individuality, and learn how to make every client interaction memorable and engaging! Keep scrolling to listen and read the transcript.
Show Notes
Template Shop: https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop
Freebie from Yasamin Salavatian: 5 Ways to Build Your Personal Brand From Scratch
Takeaways
- Photographers should showcase their personality and build relationships with clients to set themselves apart.
- Luxury brands can still have a personality and connect with clients on a personal level.
- Photographers should incorporate their process and expertise into their brand messaging.
- Believe in the value of your stories and use affirmations to shift your mindset.
- Utilize the contact page and footer of your website to provide valuable information and connect with potential clients. Infuse personality and authenticity into social media captions and websites to create a memorable and engaging experience for potential clients.
- Share personal stories and experiences to establish a deeper connection with clients.
- Be specific and unique in your messaging to attract the right clients rather than trying to appeal to everyone.
- Embrace community over competition and refer clients to other professionals who may be a better fit.
Chapters
02:01 Introducing Yasamin and the Importance of Storytelling in Photography
03:04 The Changing Definition of Luxury in the Wedding Industry
05:32 Incorporating Personality and Connection in Brand Messaging
07:49 The Importance of Process and Expertise in Branding
09:31 Believing in the Value of Your Stories and Shifting Your Mindset
11:45 The Power of the Contact Page and Footer in Building Connections
25:10 Infusing Personal Stories for Client Connections
26:07 Specific and Unique Messaging for Attracting the Right Clients
27:41 Embracing Community Over Competition and Referrals
About Yasamin
Yasamin Salavatian is a Storytelling Strategist and Positioning Coach who partners with transformational coaches, educators, and creative entrepreneurs to bring words to their vision. She willfully challenges traditional marketing rhetoric, personalizing brand communications to fit like a glove. Her raison d’être? Differentiating brands from the sea of well, let’s face it – DRAB!
Click here to get instant access to my brand-new free masterclass!
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TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] Sandra Henderson: Before I get started with today’s episode, I am going to just quickly take a minute to give some space to something that I think is really important.
[00:00:08] Today I am holding space for the humanitarian crisis happening in Gaza. I’m not here to speak on anything that I don’t know, thousands of innocent people are being caught up in this mix, losing their lives exponentially, and it should not be happening. If you are able and interested in doing more, please visit www. pcrf. net to make a donation to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund and write a letter to your representatives to insist on their support and action in calling for a ceasefire.
[00:00:43] Welcome back to another episode of Keeping It Candid, and for all of my friends who are in the northern U. S. and in Canada, happy official start to spring! I know the first day of spring is back in March, but like, it’s still snowing here usually then, and Especially where I live, spring really doesn’t start until May.
[00:01:01] So happy official spring.
[00:01:03] It’s finally here and it’s warmer than usual, but I am not complaining one bit. Listen, I know that global warming is horrible. I get it. I do. I do what I can to lessen my carbon footprint and make environmentally friendly decisions however I can. But hear me out. I hate the cold. I hate it so, so much, so much.
[00:01:24] So I have a hard time being mad about the shift in weather patterns. I honestly, I just can’t help it. I was meant to be in a warmer climate, so I am just going to take what I can get. I’m not going to contribute to the problem by any means, but I am going to enjoy it.
[00:01:38] It has been a busy month for me because it is officially my spring busy season in my photography business. So I had a full day of mini sessions, plus a few other family sessions over the last few weeks, which by some miracle have actually all already been edited and delivered. Thank you so much Aftershoot for making that possible.
[00:01:57] and now I’m prepping for my weddings over the summer. I’m meeting with my clients, finalizing timelines and doing all the things that go along with that.
[00:02:04] And then outside my photography business, I’ve also been fully booked with my VIP clients, getting their honey book account set up and streamlined with workflows that will take some of the work off their plate while they’re juggling all the things that go on during wedding season.
[00:02:18] If you’ve never heard about my VIP days before, these are days where I dedicate my time to getting things done in your business. Whether that be getting a HoneyBook workflow set up for you, getting an email funnel set up for you, or creating smart files and email templates to go along with your workflows.
[00:02:36] Think of it almost like a one-day virtual assistant service where you don’t have to sign a contract for long-term work.
[00:02:43] As much as I love systems, workflows and automations, and I think that they are so great and can be so easy once they’re set up, getting them set up requires time. And I totally understand that not everybody has that, but I love organizing. I love piecing the puzzle together. And so it’s absolutely amazing to get a chance to work with photographers and wedding pros and dive into their businesses and help them figure out how to make things simpler so they can get back to spending their time and energy doing what they love the most.
[00:03:14] With a VIP day service, I’m the one that’s actually implementing all these things for you. If you have preexisting email templates, I go in and I make sure that they are all consistent and on brand and utilizing automation features. If you have any templates that are missing, I create those for you.
[00:03:32] And at the end of the day, we check in over a video call so I can teach you how to use everything that I built, and you don’t have to worry about trying to Figure out what the hell is going on all on your own from there.
[00:03:43] If you want more information, just head over to my website, simplysandrayvonne.ca/vip-days.
[00:03:52] Sandra Henderson: I mentioned a few weeks ago that I have a huge backlog of incredible guests that I recorded interviews with back in 2023 that I couldn’t let just go by the wayside.
[00:04:00] So if you’re listening to today’s interview and the dates seem a little bit off, that’s why! Today I am joined by Yasamin Salavatian. Yasi is a storytelling strategist and positioning coach who partners with transformational coaches, educators, and creative entrepreneurs to bring their words to vision.
[00:04:17] She willfully challenges traditional branding rhetoric, personalizing brand communications to fit like a glove. She and I first met back in 2023 at the creative educator conference when we were in the same breakaway group, and she did the most incredible job talking about embracing your authentic self.
[00:04:34] After her five-minute lightning presentation, I knew that we were like kindred spirits. During this super fun interview, we talk about showcasing your personality to help build stronger relationships and to set you apart from the competition, how to incorporate what you do into your brand messaging through storytelling and all the places where you should really leap into your brand voice and messaging.
[00:04:55] Whether you’re a photographer or a wedding pro, this episode is going to be so helpful for you. So make sure you have a notebook and pen ready, or can come back to listen to this episode later because you are not going to want to miss a thing.
[00:05:07] Welcome to keeping it candid. I’m your host, Sandra Henderson, an international wedding and family photographer and business coach.
[00:05:15] I help wedding photographers use systems to build out the back end of their businesses to gain control and continue to thrive no matter what life throws their way. And on a more personal note, I’m a strong enneagram three wing two who is obsessed with tacos, and my love for travelling combined with navigating chronic illness life are just two of the many things that drive my passion for all things systems, workflows, and beating burnout as a business owner.
[00:05:37] Join me every week for a candid behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like working as a wedding photographer, where I’ll give you actionable steps to take your business to the next level. Absolutely no fluff here, friends. So go grab your favorite notebook and pen and let’s dive into this week’s episode.
[00:05:55] Thank you so much for joining me. I’m so excited for this interview. when I saw you speak at the creative educator conference back in January. I honestly felt like I had a kindred spirit up on that stage. So I am so excited for everybody to get to know you a little better.
[00:06:11] So before we dive in, if you could just introduce yourself and tell everybody a little bit about you, that would be awesome.
[00:06:16] Yasamin Salavatian: Yeah, totally. So my name is Yasamin Salavatian, but I go by Yasi and I am a messaging and positioning strategist and I partner with you to bring words to your vision. So what that means is.
[00:06:30] I’m there to help you make sense of what you do and what you’re saying so your client will understand because it’s a two-way conversation and it is the joy of my existence. It is My happiness. It is, it is what I was sent to this earth to do. So…
[00:06:48] Sandra Henderson: I love that so much. And I, I’ve been talking about this a lot in the interviews that I’ve been doing for the podcast this season, in talking about the fact that as a wedding photographer, it’s not enough To just take beautiful photos, so many people can take beautiful photos.
[00:07:04] And so there has to be some other things that you’re putting forward out there and out into the world that are going to set you apart from all those other people that are also taking beautiful photos. And so I think that a way that. I mean, maybe I’m speaking from personal experience just because I love to write, but it’s just such a great way to be able to express yourself creatively and make those connections with people.
[00:07:28] Yasamin Salavatian: So I did a nasty, I did a nasty a few years ago and it was just because I had to prove a point. Cause I had a lot of photographer clients at one point and I, and they were all telling me, you know, like, well, this person’s style, like, Celebrity photographer A, like theirs is the best.
[00:07:44] Celebrity photographer B, like their, their work is so different than mine. Like I couldn’t, you could never tell whose work it is. And I was like, okay, bet let’s play this game. Let’s, let’s play this game. So I took all of these photos from like really well known photographers, like photos that we’ve seen in, in publications.
[00:08:03] And I took photos of people who we haven’t seen. And I was like, tell me which one’s whose. There were like 30 on there and they could, I mean, it was like both of us just staring at each other and me being like, it takes more than photos. Right.
[00:08:16] Sandra Henderson: Yeah.
[00:08:17] Yasamin Salavatian: Like, I think at the end of the day, we forget that this is a service and like providing beautiful photos is a bare minimum. Like you are being
[00:08:25] Sandra Henderson: so true!
[00:08:26] Yasamin Salavatian: Right? Like you were being hired for your talent. Like we know you’re good, but it’s like. We want to see who you are.
[00:08:33] And I think a lot of that depends on the couple that you’re serving. And we can talk about that too. But I think a lot of people when they’re in the industry, they get really caught up about, you know, this is this person’s name, this is their aesthetic. And it’s like, that’s all great. But at the end of the day, when you look at all of these photos, can, if you can’t tell.
[00:08:52] If you can’t, your client will not be able to tell bro, like if you can’t tell and I can’t tell and I’ve been like gathering these photos for five hours, then your client cannot tell. So then what is the next differentiating point?
[00:09:07] Sandra Henderson: For sure. And I think that is where people that I see they jump to that next stage of the brand, but they’re kind of just dipping their toe in the water.
[00:09:18] Like a couple of headshots, a quick little bio, the same catchphrases they use in their captions, which is all good. That all goes along with it. But what are some other things that photographers should be focusing on when it comes to passing that messaging along in their brand?
[00:09:32] Yasamin Salavatian: Yeah, so I think, so I have a, I have a bone to pick with the, the wedding slash photography industry, because I think that, sorry,
[00:09:40] Sandra Henderson: no, that’s okay. I love it. I’m here for it.
[00:09:42] Yasamin Salavatian: Okay. I think that there’s this whole concept that if like, if you want to be high-end and luxury and sell this experience, then you need to remove yourself from the equation. You need to be talking in the third person and pretend that you have, you know, accolades and elevate yourself to a place that nobody can read your copy because it’s meant for You know, right?
[00:10:05] Like you have to have a PhD to be able to read this. And the truth is that other than, other than luxury, you can think of luxury, how, how you want, but luxury is being redefined. On a daily level, like your new generation is coming in. We think about money differently. We think about luxury differently and no offense, but like most of the people that I know that are luxury, like, yes, there’s a subset of people that are luxury that like, just want you to show up and do your job.
[00:10:32] Right. Like they just want you to show up, and take beautiful photos. Don’t say hi to them. Maybe say hi maybe once and then leave. But there’s like a whole bunch of other people who want to like know you and like have a relationship with you and like want you to be a part of their wedding day and want you know you to be a part of the experience and like I feel like we just ignore that.
[00:10:54] Huge subset for the sake of being luxury. And so I think my biggest thing is, is like, you can have a personality and be luxury. They are not two separate things. Like, and I think that just really bothers me because it takes away from the identity of the photographer. It takes away from like, it just makes us fully, solely focus on skillset, but owning a business is so much more than that.
[00:11:20] And I like. I like it when people put their personalities out there because, at the end of the day, this is the person that’s going to be staring at you on your wedding day. Like, right. Like, it’s like for a lot of us, that person is important. We want that person to have a vibe with us. We want them to have a vibe with us during our engagement photos.
[00:11:42] And when they’re talking to our families, like it’s so much more than, you know, I came out of the womb with a camera and I’m really good at shooting now. And I think In the wedding industry, a lot of times we try to condense that narrative for the sake of being luxury, and that just, like, pains me.
[00:12:01] Respectfully.
[00:12:03] Sandra Henderson: I am here for all the hot takes, but I love that. You said that the definition of luxury is changing. That’s something that I’ve kind of thought a lot about just on my own. This year is just changing what it means to be professional and what it means to be like a luxury brand and all these things.
[00:12:19] things. There was a point in time where to be professional, you had to write like essay quality letters and dear sir and madam and yada, yada, yada. But we don’t have to do those things anymore. It can be totally different. And that’s one thing that was a huge hesitation for me for wanting to get into the luxury market was wanting, not wanting to be treated like I wasn’t a person.
[00:12:42] And so I love that you brought up the fact that you can, it’s, they are not two separate things. You can still have a personality and be yourself and work in the luxury market. There’s not like a dividing line that says at this point, if you use your name instead of the third person or use me instead of the third person, that you’re no longer professional.
[00:12:59] Yasamin Salavatian: Right. And I think, you know, I was on Clubhouse once and I was listening to one of the top wedding planners and one of the top photographers and they were talking about how they were doing this wedding and everybody, all the service providers had to show up wearing the same outfits and the same shade of outfit and how they didn’t want to see the service providers before the time of the wedding and how they were just, you know, they were just there.
[00:13:24] They were there to be seen and not heard. And that to me, I like really took that to heart. Cause I was like, is that actually your ideal client? Like, is that actually who you want to work with? Like, if it is great, like you do you queen, but like, if it’s not, I don’t want you to feel forced into that because that is such a subset, you know?
[00:13:43] And it’s like to brace your base, your whole brand on that for the sake of luxury aesthetic is just like, You’re not going to like your job anymore.
[00:13:52] Sandra Henderson: I could not agree more. I will never ever forget. I always wanted to do Disney weddings. Like it sounded like a dream ideal, like I will have made it if I shoot Disney weddings.
[00:14:04] And then I did a Disney wedding with a friend of mine and we ate our dinner on our laps on chairs in a back room away from all of the guests because we were not allowed to be seen eating food and we were sitting Where the catering staff was pulling plates and getting all that set up to be served.
[00:14:24] And I know there are so many venues that operate that way, but in my area, they don’t, we, like, I am always sitting with the guests and having a conversation and building relationships that way. And so it was such an eye-opener for me. What, like the different levels of like. The way vendors and other staff are treated can like how that can vary too.
[00:14:45] So I love that you brought that up because it definitely does not have to be that way.
[00:14:49] Yasamin Salavatian: I just think it’s important to be honest. Like there are so many people who take such beautiful photographs and I feel, and I meet with them and they tell me, like, they tell me about a club they’re in or a community they’re in that teaches them how to be luxury.
[00:15:03] And it’s like, there’s so much more to luxury than this. This to me is not luxury. This to me is rude. Like, you know, like this, this is, this is rude. Like there’s a different, and it’s a lot of these people have those bubbly personalities, or maybe they’re a little bit more introverted and they want to develop that connection.
[00:15:21] And it’s like, you need to trust yourself when it comes to that. Like, you know, who your ideal client is better than. Any expert because it’s your business and you have to find a way to fall in love with your business again and again and again, right? Cause owning a business is not easy, right?
[00:15:38] So it’s like, how do you fall in love with it again by working with people you love? How do you work with people you love by putting material out there that will attract them? Right? It feels like A to B to C, but I do, there’s a lot of, there’s like a lot of wording out there and narrative out there about how you really need to distance yourself from your brand.
[00:15:57] If you’re trying to be, Luxury and it just it makes my blood boil.
[00:16:02] Sandra Henderson: understandably. I totally agree with you. So do you have any pointers for listeners and wedding photographers out there who are wanting to start incorporating more of who they are personally into their brand and the messaging that they’re putting out there?
[00:16:17] Yasamin Salavatian: Totally. So I think the most important part is like, so let’s say we’ve covered skill set, right? Like you obviously need a good skill set and that’s, that’s not what I’m here for, right? Like you need to, you need to go on that personal journey, develop your photography skills and like, like that is, that is your journey, right?
[00:16:35] But when you’re done with that, what, the first thing I ask people is what’s your process like? What do you want to do throughout your contract? What’s the type of relationship that you want to build, right? I want to see that on your website. Because guess what? You may be the person who just wants to show up, not talk to anyone, take photos and leave.
[00:16:54] But then I want to see, I want to know that. Right. If you’re not that person, I want to know that and that’s something that you can put on your website and you can make it an infographic. You can make it cute. You can make it a joke. You can, I don’t care how you do it, but there needs to be somewhere there because I need to understand how you work and how you prefer to work.
[00:17:13] And when you show that, that. Command of your process and that command of your expertise. It lets it not only lets me know how you do what you do, but it makes me feel a lot more comfortable. I’m like, this person knows what they’re doing and I am, I’m going to be safe and I’m going to be good.
[00:17:30] Sandra Henderson: Things like that are so important in so many industries, but especially in the wedding industry, where it is, there is a lot of emotion that goes into a wedding day.
[00:17:38] And so we feel that emotion. when we are dealing with our clients. And you were talking about how, like, if you’re going to be the photographer that just shows up and takes your photos and leaves for the day, that’s awesome. There are definitely couples who are looking for photographers like that. But make sure you are making that known.
[00:17:53] And the first thing I thought of was, this was actually something that I saw on threads the other day, where someone had requested a quiet Uber ride and their Uber driver at 5 a.m. On the way to the airport would not stop talking. And I think that’s something that’s such like paints, such a great picture of like what our clients are going to be experiencing on the receiving end if our messaging doesn’t align with what we are doing and what we’re putting out there, because if they’re expecting someone who’s really bubbly and take charge and going to handle all the posing and everything, but you’re someone who does documentary style and you’re just going to be a fly on the wall, then there’s going to be a major disconnect.
[00:18:31] And you mentioned this already, like, not only are you going to end up hating your job, but people are not going to be happy with their experience and they’re not going to be referring you. So in the end, nobody ends up being happy because you simply just didn’t let people know what you were all about.
[00:18:45] Yasamin Salavatian: Totally. And I think that. You know exactly what you said, there is a person. It’s not like there’s no person for that. There are so many different types of people. There are people who want to take that quiet Uber ride. If I was sitting in personally, if I was sitting in a car with someone for an hour and they didn’t talk, it might make me really uncomfortable.
[00:19:03] Like at least a hello or something. I’d be like, I am not, you know, Like a Bridgerton here. Like this is really uncomfortable, you know, but that’s just me, but I think putting it out, it’s, it’s better to put it out there and I’m not saying drown them with information. You need to, you know, find a way to put it out there.
[00:19:20] That’s informative but concise and easy to digest, right? And I think that’s how you find the people that you’re going to, and exactly what you said. Referrals, referrals are so important in this, in this business, not just from your client, but from your vendors, you know, there’s so much cross-collateral marketing opportunity.
[00:19:40] And it’s like, you want to work with people that have the same vision of a successful wedding of a successful experience that you do, because then you’re working with your best friends all the time too. Like what’s better than that? So, and I think another, another thing that I thought of when you were talking about the documentary style is like, you know, not to, not to be weird, but like grandmas, right?
[00:20:03] Like when we take those family photos, is your photographer, the person who’s going to help grandma walk up the stairs and, you know, fix her hair? Or is she just going to be standing behind and being like, yo, that’s a you problem. Again, there are two different types of families. There are two different types of people.
[00:20:20] Sandra Henderson: Hey friends, I’m interrupting this episode because I wanted to remind you that the waitlist for my brand new template shop is now open. This template shop is going to be filled with everything you need to simplify and streamline your business behind the scenes. Including things like honey book, smart file templates, email, swipe files, and workflow processes with tutorials to help you get them built inside your CRM So many good things are coming so head over to simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop to get on the waitlist and you’ll also have a chance to enter to win a Free bundle as well as getting a little special something to say thank you for being here. That’s simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop.
[00:21:03] Yasamin Salavatian: I come from a very. Big, loud Persian family. Right. And it’s a lot like my big fat Greek wedding. Right. Like that’s, that’s us. Right. And it’s like, that’s what we want. Like, we want someone who’s going to be nice to grandma. You know, we want someone that’s going to make grandma feel beautiful. Like that’s important to me.
[00:21:24] So I just think you never know. And by guesstimating or by kind of not discussing what luxury it means to you and your brand. You’re really doing yourself and your clients a disservice.
[00:21:38] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, absolutely. for everybody who is listening, that is a gold takeaway. So I hope that you are writing these takeaways down because that was so, so good.
[00:21:47] So we’ve talked a lot about, how Utilizing different aspects of our story can help set us apart and help even just set the tone of what our brand is going to be. What are some bits of encouragement you might have for photographers who are still hesitant, even though they know how important it is?
[00:22:06] Because something that I see in photography groups a lot is people are like my life’s not that interesting. I don’t have anything to talk about. I don’t have any stories to tell. I’m sure you hear that all the time. So I would love to hear your takeaway on something like that.
[00:22:19] And any encouragement you have to help get people out of that mindset.
[00:22:23] Yasamin Salavatian: Okay, I will give you a really great example. I was in corporate, I had no clue what being a photographer was about, what the creative industry was about. Like, it was foreign to me. The whole concept was foreign to me.
[00:22:35] And this idea that your life isn’t interesting blows my mind. Because when I joined the creative industry, I was like, I cannot believe people like this exist. Like, I, I was. And I’m from the Bay Area, you know, there’s like definitely a stigma of the type of person that lives here. Like, right? And I was just like, shocked.
[00:22:55] And not just like for a month, for like three years, I was like, I cannot believe this. There’s this other type of person out there living their life so intentionally, so beautifully, so aesthetically, like it was, it was bonkers. And, I think what comes off to you as not being interesting or as being every day is so not what your client is experiencing.
[00:23:20] For them, it’s a window into a new world. And you’re never going to get, you know, you have to believe that you are worth it and that you are special. You know, there’s this whole thing going around on TikTok about being Delulu, but there’s like a kind of a component of a significant component of self-confidence and self-belief that goes into it.
[00:23:41] So I, if you’re having that problem where you’re thinking, you know, I’m not interesting or my stories aren’t cool or my life is boring. Let’s reframe that. Like what a part of today was cool. What part of today are you texting your best friend who lives 10 hours away from you, right? There’s always gold in there and sometimes you have to search for it and that’s absolutely okay.
[00:24:02] Like, yes, I get it. None of us are Kardashians, but That’s fine. You don’t need to be, you know, on the front page of Vogue to have an interesting life. There are levels to it. And it’s just about finding that point that you intersect with your client. And the first part of that is believing that you have something to say and that you have something to share.
[00:24:23] And I always recommend my clients, cause it is a mindset shift. It is a, it is definitely, especially if you were in, you know, in an environment before you started your business where they value. Um, like, what is it, like a homogeneous, like, presentation, you, they don’t really want you to be an individual or have an identity.
[00:24:45] It is a total mindset shift. And what I recommend, it’s going to sound bonkers, but I really like those affirmations, waking up every morning and telling. And like five, limit it to five. It doesn’t need to be a novel, but like telling yourself that what you have to say matters that what you’re writing on your website, someone’s going to connect with, like, I’ve had so many photographer clients come to me after we’ve worked together and say, my bride or my client or my groom has specifically picked this line of copy from my about page and said, this is what resonated with me.
[00:25:20] And it’s like, how, how beautiful is that? Right? That it’s like, you’re literally talking to, you are literally talking to them. Like this is not, this is so much more than like a marketing thing. This is about you having the opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation on a public page.
[00:25:37] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, absolutely.
[00:25:38] And it really just helps people feel seen like we all share memes all the time and there’s the best part about sharing memes is how relatable they are. And like, they’re all, I’ll be scrolling on Instagram meme and I’m like, Oh my God, I thought I was the only one who felt that way. And there are 350,000 likes on this post.
[00:25:56] And so those little things, it might seem mundane and it might seem silly, but those are the things that we love to connect with.
[00:26:04] Yasamin Salavatian: Totally. And I just, you know, I am a sucker for, I always call this out. I am a sucker for a footer and I’m a sucker for a contact page that doesn’t suck. They’re like the parts that nobody cares about.
[00:26:15] And it’s like, dude, you can put so much gold in there. Like your contact page can be bopping. That is the last chance you have to say something to your client before they end up in your email box. Please make it a non-excruciating experience.
[00:26:30] Sandra Henderson: Oh, I love that. It’s like you said, it’s the last point of contact before they reach out to you. So I love the idea of filling that with personality and different takeaways that aren’t just, you know, your information.
[00:26:43] Yasamin Salavatian: Right. And it’s like, If I was a client and I just literally had to post my entire life, right?
[00:26:48] Because they ask that, I mean, understandably, right? The questionnaire is usually quite extensive, but it’s like, give me a gift after that. Give me, give me a smiley face. Give me something. Like I just like, give me just something, just something for a reward for going through this experience. Right. Cause it’s like, I’ve probably done this.
[00:27:10] Like how many people do you reach out to you when you’re interested in a service? Like at least three. Mm hmm. At the most, I mean, I guess, like, three to fifteen, I would say, if you’re really thorough. Three to five, if you’ve narrowed it down. Right? Yeah. Like, that’s a lot of contact forms. You know, and it’s like, what would it take for yours to stand out just a little bit?
[00:27:29] Not a lot.
[00:27:30] Sandra Henderson: Um, that was amazing. You’ve already got my wheels turning. It’s really my favourite part about being a podcast host is kind of like getting all the juice myself first and getting the wheels going. so do you have any like, fun stories? Final tips or takeaways that you want to leave listeners with to encourage them to go out and hit their social media captions and their websites with that authentic personality that they all have, that uniqueness that they all have inside them.
[00:27:59] Yasamin Salavatian: Yeah, totally. I think get specific, right? Like even a meme, super specific, right? Or, you know, like if you’re like, if I’m a, okay, I’m just going to use my name, but I know that I’m not a wedding photographer. I wish, I wish. Um, but it’s like, You’re Yasi bride if you might have like 10 varieties of sprinkles in your cabinet, right?
[00:28:22] You’re a Yasi bride if every salt shaker and pepper shaker in your house is filled with salt. These are things that are unique to me that are weird, but I know the people that I connect with Also have this weirdness and it might not be the same weirdness, but they’ll see a piece of themselves and be like, Oh my gosh, that’s my person.
[00:28:42] Right. And that’s all you want on your wedding day. You want people who can reflect back to you the experience that you’re trying to create for your guests. So don’t be afraid to say your favourite flower is a Dahlia, but Oh, you know, I also know it’s poisonous to dogs. Because your client’s probably thinking the same thing.
[00:29:00] Sandra Henderson: Right. Exactly.
[00:29:02] Yasamin Salavatian: So I don’t, I don’t think there’s any harm in talking about what you like and what your experience is like. I think I encourage you to, what you think is oversharing is not oversharing. Someone needs to hear something. A hundred times, at least seven times, I think, according to like the marketing statistics for it to even go across the membrane, right?
[00:29:22] And it’s like, you’re not boring. Like, you are your own I mean, I literally just talked about a salt and pepper shaker. Like you want to talk about boring? That’s right. Like, it’s like, you know, you, you can make anything fun. You can make, and it’s, you know, I think another misconception is like, Oh, well, if I’m going to have a personal brand that I need to be extrovert and I need to be this bubbly person.
[00:29:44] I want to tell you that like 99 percent of my clients are introverted. And I think I just, you know, there’s that, speaking of memes, there’s that, that thing they send you that, that they’re like, um, raise your hand if you’re an introvert. An extrovert found you and became friends with you. And like, yeah, that’s me.
[00:30:00] Sandra Henderson: Took you in.
[00:30:01] Yasamin Salavatian: Yeah. Took you, that’s me. Right. So it’s like. It’s not even that your client will be the same person as you, but they will have the same values as you. They will have the same thought process as you and being able to show that in your social media captions and your graphics and your podcast and your, on your website, the depth is another level.
[00:30:22] It’s another level of depth that you just don’t see out there. And I think, especially if you’ve been in the game for a while, like. This is the time to differentiate. This is the time to really hone in on what makes your brand yours. Like, is it the experience? Is it that weird thing you hide for them under the table when they’re getting married?
[00:30:43] I don’t know. Like, I, I don’t know. That’s the thing. It’s like, and I won’t know unless you tell me. So, you know, there’s an argument to be made that if you’re newer in the industry and you don’t really know what your process is and stuff, yeah, it’s going to take some figuring out. It’s going to take some exploration to find out what you want.
[00:31:02] Little Goldilocks. Activity as you would say, right? Like a little like, Oh, this is, this is not fun. This is as with any industry, but if you’ve done that work, you owe it to yourself to narrow in. And I’m not just saying like wedding photography. People think that wedding photography is a niche. It’s like, is it?
[00:31:20] We just talked about like 30 different types of wedding photographers, right?
[00:31:23] Sandra Henderson: Yeah.
[00:31:24] Yasamin Salavatian: Yeah. It’s like, that is not enough. That’s like telling me that like, Oh, I want to buy a cracker. It’s like, okay, great. Like what type of cracker? What kind of cracker? Yeah.
[00:31:31] Like there’s a million different types of crackers. And if I pick up like a garlic onion cracker, I’m going to, that’s going to hurt my stomach, you know? So I just feel like there’s such an opportunity to dive in. And the first thing you have to tell yourself is that it’s going to be scary until it’s not.
[00:31:46] And then when you start, like, and there’s that trajectory, you know, like, I don’t want to, I don’t want to like freak people out, but it’s like, usually when people work with me, there’s this, there’s this curve. It’s like, they’re getting all these inquiries, they’re getting inquiries with people they don’t really want to work with or aesthetics that they don’t really like.
[00:32:03] And then we work together and we come up with a super specific message, right? And the first thing that happens is that their inquiries tank.
[00:32:10] And they freak out. And I tell them, I like, I have a graphic at this point. I’m like, I’m like, yeah, this is what’s going to happen. So just brace yourself. Okay. Just everything is going to be okay.
[00:32:21] Yeah. But what’s happening is you’re telling people who are not a good fit for you to stop inquiring. So you really, you’re saving yourself some sanity and some time and some paperwork and some email work. So after that happens, after that they get super specific and they start leaning into it and leaning into it and sharing more and sharing more, then we get the inquiries coming back up.
[00:32:44] The difference now is that it’s the right inquiries. It’s the people that you’ve been wanting to work with. It’s the people that you, as soon as they tell you their wedding story on their inquiry page, you’re like, like so excited to meet with them on Zoom. Like, And that whole watching someone’s, someone’s entire demeanour and their, their kind of relationship with their business shift over that, I just got goosebumps.
[00:33:10] But it’s like, it’s such a beautiful, it’s such a beautiful transformation because it’s like, you can really, you can see in them that it’s like, there is a place for me. And now, because there’s a place for me, there’s a place for my client.
[00:33:23] Sandra Henderson: And I think it’s important to remember not to assume that people are just going to know things about you and that they’re just going to know about your business.
[00:33:30] Like you were saying before, like, your potential clients are not going to know this is something that you do differently from anybody else if you don’t tell them that. So that’s super, super important.
[00:33:40] Yasamin Salavatian: And also, like, how do we even, I mean, specifically with wedding photography, I mean, maybe with other types of photography, we can argue, like, oh, well, I’ve done 35 boudoir shoots, right?
[00:33:51] How many people have had 35 weddings? Like, I don’t even know what industry standard is at this point, or what industry behavior standard is. Like, I can’t tell if yours is different if I don’t even know what the baseline is. So, and I’m not telling you to educate your client, that’s not your responsibility, but it’s certainly helpful.
[00:34:08] Sandra Henderson: I actually have a salt and pepper story that I’m going to throw out here so that you don’t feel so alone. I don’t have a weird, like, salt and pepper thing in my house, but I don’t know if you remember, we’re roughly the same age, but like, way back when we were little, there was the Ikea commercial that had the little salt and pepper shakers and the pepper started crying and I literally used to cry at this one.
[00:34:31] And also the Ikea commercial with the lamp that got left on the side of the road out in the rain. That one really did it for me too. So Ikea commercials used to make me cry as well. Inanimate objects, but like, especially the salt and pepper.
[00:34:43] Yasamin Salavatian: But like that, that story, like immediately what I’m hearing for that is like, you’re an empath.
[00:34:48] You’re someone who really really cares. You’re someone who’s gonna go above and beyond. And I know that this is, but this is just what I’m like, this is, this is the vibes that I’m getting. Like you’re someone who’s going to go above and beyond and you’re going to cop a vibe, right?
[00:35:01] And these are just things that I know from you talking about an ikea commercial from like what the 90s like, right. It’s just like, there’s so many different, you know, people are like, this story isn’t relevant. The story is. And it’s like, it’s not about the story. It’s not just about the story. It’s about the emotion.
[00:35:18] It’s about what we’re learning about you. And it’s like, Even the most randomest, weirdest things that you think are like, weird, right? And like, same. Fair. Same. Like, we’re all, we all have that, that initial like, Huh! Like, do I want this to be out there? But it’s like, It just opens a window into a new depth.
[00:35:39] So yeah, that’s so true. I have goosebumps now too. That was amazing. I love that so much. well that, wraps up all the questions and everything I had for you except for one final one. so I have a little, would you rather question for you? So let me find where I wrote yours down. Okay. So if you had to pick someone from Vanderpump rules to be your next client, to help them out, fix their brand and get their messaging right. Are you going to go with Ariana or Tom?
[00:36:12] Oh my God. I can’t work with Tom. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.
[00:36:16] Sandra Henderson: Right. I feel like his brand is a lost cause.
[00:36:19] Yasamin Salavatian: I just feel like for me that this is, and this, and I say this, like, I say this on the call, like when people inquire, it’s like, I can’t build you something fake. Like, that’s against my code.
[00:36:30] Right? And that’s my right. As someone who works with personal branding, like, you will meet people, and it’s wild, dude. You will meet people on Instagram and then meet them in real life, and you’re like, Who created this person? Fictional character that is on Instagram, because this is not what I’m seeing IRL.
[00:36:46] And like, you, you’ve seen me now, you know, me, I’m the same person across everywhere. And it’s like, that’s the vibe that I want for my clients. I don’t want some of my clients to show up somewhere and be like, Oh my God, is that really her? Cause I really her like, Oh, right. Like, no. And I’m sorry, Tom. I just like from a personal person, like, just like our vibes are different.
[00:37:07] I can’t. Totally off. I just, honestly, like, yeah, like there’s no way there’s, I, I would fire him before I hired him. There’s no way. I’m sorry.
[00:37:18] Sandra Henderson: I love that. 19-year-old Sandra would have fallen for his bullshit, but thankfully 36-year-old Sandra has learned a thing or two. And so I am right there with you. I could not deal with it.
[00:37:27] I would absolutely be firing him as a client.
[00:37:30] Yasamin Salavatian: And listen, I want to say, like, there’s someone out there for Tom, right?
[00:37:33] Sandra Henderson: Oh, for sure.
[00:37:34] Yasamin Salavatian: Someone is dying to get on this personal branding journey, right? Like someone is dying for this project. It’s just not me. This is a project that would make me gain 15 pounds, question my sanity, and really reevaluate my feminine energy.
[00:37:48] Like it’s just like, I don’t need that. And you know what? He doesn’t need that either.
[00:37:52] Sandra Henderson: No. And if I’m going to put on 15 pounds, I would like it to be because I’ve been eating sandwiches from Ariana and Katie’s shop.
[00:37:59] Yasamin Salavatian: Like not even comparable, like not even like a different universe, right? Like happy weight.
[00:38:05] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, exactly.
[00:38:07] Yasamin Salavatian: Not like I’m questioning my values weight. Yeah. So, and, and you know what? And at the end of the day, we can even take it a step further and say that he doesn’t deserve to have someone on his team that doesn’t wholeheartedly believe in him. You know.
[00:38:20] Sandra Henderson: yeah, that’s so fair. I love that. I think that’s something that a lot of small business owners, we get into a mindset of, like, we just want to bring in more money.
[00:38:29] And so we’re willing to make all these allowances and accommodations for people. And we end up being miserable about it. And so, when we don’t put that money factor forward, and we work with people whose values align and make sure that they are going to get the same experience that somebody who you really click with will get, then that’s when you’re really going to start seeing and even finding comfort in saying, no, you’re not the right client for me, but also like, I’m not the right photographer for you or whatever the case may be.
[00:38:56] Yasamin Salavatian: Totally. And I, you know, I think there’s a, there’s almost like a,, a liberation in that.
[00:39:01] Like, I’ve come to the point in my business where it’s like, I’m really, really open about whether we’re not a fit. And I’ll, I mean, it’s not that it’s right or wrong. Like, I think assigning it a right or wrong brings a lot of judgment into it. It’s just like, does it fit or doesn’t it fit? And if it doesn’t fit, like, I actually have like a roster of other people that I’m obsessed with that I’m like, you should look at this, this, and this person, because they might be a fit for you.
[00:39:24] Yeah. And guess what? You just made another industry friend by sending over someone that you actually think is a good fit, right? Right.
[00:39:33] Sandra Henderson: Yeah. It brings back that whole community over competition thing to like, some of my best friends are where I send all of my referrals to. Some of them are because I’m not available.
[00:39:42] Some of them are because I just don’t want to do it and it’s not the right fit, but there’s nothing wrong with them as a person. We are just not. the right vibe to work together. And so here are some amazing people that you’re going to have a great experience with that are going to offer you the service that you’re looking for.
[00:39:56] So we have to kind of take a step back from wanting to work with every person to fill our bank account and take a look at the bigger picture.
[00:40:04] Yasamin Salavatian: Yeah. And it’s like, not only am I not the right person, but like, I can tell you a hundred percent that you’re going to laugh with this person. You’re going to, you’re going to vibe with this person.
[00:40:12] Y’all are going to be friends. Like. I know this person and I know that you guys are going to have a vibe and I don’t want to rob you of that vibe and I don’t want to rob me of a perfect fit client who is that vibe for me either. So like, why are we doing this? Like we shouldn’t be doing this and it’s okay.
[00:40:27] It’s okay. It’s just about, again, the self-belief and the confidence that there is someone. It’s like finding your romantic partner, right? It’s like there is someone for you. You don’t have to settle. Right? Like, keep going. I promise you, you’ll find the clients that are right for you.
[00:40:45] Sandra Henderson: This was the best conversation. I know listeners are going to have so many takeaways. Before we jump off this call, I would love it if you could just let everybody know where to find you on social media and online so they can give you a follow.
[00:40:57] Yasamin Salavatian: Totally. And thanks for having me.
[00:40:58] So, my name, my business name, and my full name is Yasamin Salavatian. And I have an Instagram @yasaminsalavatian, and I also have a website. YasaminSalavatian. com. And, I also have a LinkedIn. I’m not really sure where I’m going to be in the future, but those are my, those, those are my most probable places.
[00:41:16] Sandra Henderson: I love that. Well, everybody that’s listening, definitely go and give her a follow. You will not be disappointed with all the amazing things that she has to offer when it comes to figuring out your brand and your messaging and everything like that. Thank you so much again, Yasi. Enjoy the rest of your day and I can’t wait to chat more soon.
[00:41:32] Yasamin Salavatian: You too.
[00:41:33] Sandra Henderson: I really do believe what I said during this interview. It’s not enough to take beautiful photos anymore. There are too many photographers who take beautiful photos for that to be the differentiating factor on why someone should hire you. Show people who you truly are and give them the opportunity to connect with you on a deeper level.
[00:41:51] Not only is it going to set you apart in business, but you’re also going to like working so much more because you’re going to love the people that you’re working with. When I started sharing more about my personal story with endometriosis and chronic illness, I was really worried that people were going to hear it and they weren’t going to want to work with me. That they were going to be worried that I was going to be flaky and all the negative things that swirled around in my head, right?
[00:42:15] But I’ve actually been able to make so many incredible connections and talk to so many amazing people since I started sharing my story that it really just gave me some validation and made it easier to keep going with it. I also make sure that everything that I am putting out online in captions or in the copywriting on my website, I make sure that it all sounds how I speak in real life.
[00:42:38] Now the way that I do that, and I highly recommend everybody do this, especially if you feel like you’re really struggling to write in a way that sounds natural to you, is once you’ve written something, speak it out loud. And if it feels weird as you’re saying it, that’s because that’s not how you’re normally used to talking.
[00:42:55] If you’ve written in a way that you normally speak, it is going to flow off your tongue, and there won’t be any sort of issue feeling like it’s not really you, and that’s going to help you lean into your brand voice as well.
[00:43:06] Since most of you listening to this episode are getting into the thick of your busiest season, start with places that you can control on the go, like the way you approach your reels or the things you’re writing in your captions on social media. But the big projects like changing your website copywriting and things like that, save that for the off-season when you’ve gotten a little bit more comfortable and a little more practice under your belt using social media for this. And when you just have more time to be leaning into something like redoing your website.
[00:43:32] All right another episode done friends. Thank you so much as always for being here Enjoy the last of your may and I will be back with our first June episode next week.
[00:43:43] Thank you so much for listening. You can find full show notes from today’s episode at simplysandrayvonne.ca/keepingitcandid. In the meantime, let’s connect. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok, just search SimplySandraYvonne. And if you’re loving this podcast, I’d be so honoured if you’d go ahead and hit that subscribe button and leave a review. Until next time.
Ever get bogged down with clients asking for photography location ideas? I did, until I created a “locations gallery” in my PicTime account. It’s a lifesaver for keeping my sessions fresh. And I get to avoid the overused default spots that get so boring after a while. Listen to this week’s episode of the podcast to hear all about it! And keep scrolling to read the transcript.
Show Notes
Template Shop: https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop
Get A Free Month Of Pic-Time: https://lifeisbeautifullondon.pic-time.com/referral
Takeaways
- Creating a photography locations gallery can save time and streamline the process of suggesting photo shoot locations to clients.
- Including important details about each location in the gallery helps clients make informed decisions.
- Curating a portfolio through the photography locations gallery allows clients to visualize the look and feel of their own photos.
- Using a gallery service like PicTime is essential for preserving and delivering client photos.
- Technology advancements, such as cloud storage, are crucial for safeguarding clients’ memories.
- Utilizing templates and automation tools like HoneyBook can enhance efficiency in business workflows.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Announcement
02:33 Streamlining Photo Shoot Location Suggestions
05:22 Curating Your Portfolio Through a Photography Locations Gallery
06:40 The Importance of Using a Gallery Service
07:08 Preserving Memories with Technology
07:36 Conclusion and Promotions
About Sandra
Sandra Henderson is a photographer, systems strategist, and podcast host based in Ontario, Canada. She specializes in helping photographers create strategic systems for their businesses to help them get their time back so they can spend it doing the things they love most. As an entrepreneur who also navigates chronic illness life, Sandra takes a unique approach to using systems that will help businesses thrive no matter what life throws your way.
On a personal note, she loves tacos, all things Bravo, 90’s music, travelling, and spending time at home with her husband, stepson, and two cats!
Click here to get instant access to my brand-new free masterclass!
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TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] Sandra Henderson: Welcome back to the podcast, friends. Now, before I get started with everything that I have in store today, I just wanted to share some really exciting news. I am going to be launching a template shop. I’ve been working so hard on this behind the scenes.
[00:00:15] Over the course of this year, I am going to be launching things like HoneyBook smart file templates, email swipe files, and workflow processes that you can copy over into your CRM with a tutorial video on how to get it all set up.
[00:00:28] Anything and everything that you can use to get your business more simplified and streamlined behind the scenes. If you head over to simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop, you can get on the waitlist. And while I’m putting the finishing touches on everything, you are going to have the chance to win a free inquiry workflow template bundle when the shop launches.
[00:00:46] And you’ll also get a special little something as a thank you for being on the waitlist and for sharing this excitement with me.
[00:00:54] So I want you to head over to simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop, get on the waitlist, and I will be sharing all the details soon, as soon as everything is ready to launch.
[00:01:05] Now we’re going to get to the intro in just a second, and then I’m going to be diving into one of my absolute favourite systems in my business that you can easily build on the go throughout the year, no matter how busy you are.
[00:01:21] Welcome to keeping it candid. I’m your host, Sandra Henderson, an international wedding and family photographer and business coach. I help wedding photographers use systems to build out the back end of their businesses to gain control and continue to thrive no matter what life throws their way. And on a more personal note, I’m a strong enneagram three wing too who is obsessed with tacos and my love for travelling combined with navigating chronic illness life are just two of the many things that drive my passion for all things systems, workflows, and beating burnout as a business owner.
[00:01:47] Join me every week for a candid behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like working as a wedding photographer, where I’ll give you actionable steps to take your business to the next level. Absolutely no fluff here, friends. So go grab your favourite notebook and pen and let’s dive into this week’s episode.
[00:02:07] Okay, honest question. How often do you get emails from your clients asking if you have any ideas of where to go for photos? If you’re anything like me, you probably get asked this question by about 90 percent of the clients that you work with.
[00:02:21] The back and forth of that conversation was taking up so much of my time, which I was happy to do because I want people to have that perfect spot for their photos. But I knew that I needed to find a more efficient way to keep serving my clients without having to spend all of that time emailing back and forth.
[00:02:39] That’s when I decided to create what I call my locations gallery. Inside my PicTime account, I have a gallery that includes folders within it for all of my favourite photo locations in and around my area. And then inside each of those folders, you’re going to find a variety of photos from each location at different times of the year and different times of day, as well as a graphic that outlines important details of what to expect.
[00:03:02] So for example, when this location is best to use, whether that’s a specific time of day or specific time of year, if the location is accessible or not, if there are any travel or entrance fees that are associated with using it, and any other important details that I want someone to know before they make this location their selection.
[00:03:20] I love doing this so much because it gives my clients the chance to explore some locations that they may have never even heard of before. I’m sure every person listening to this episode can think of one specific location that’s a default go-to in your area. Whether that’s like a park or a certain monument, this is the spot that every photographer in your area goes to.
[00:03:40] It’s the default one that people who don’t know where to go for photos, they’re going to choose this spot. In my area, it’s a place called Springbank Park. It is a beautiful spot. Don’t get me wrong, but after going there 20 times in one year, it can get really old and I’m sure that you all feel that way.
[00:03:56] It just gets really boring, really creatively unfulfilling, and you just don’t want to go there anymore. So with this locations gallery, I’m able to keep things fresh by suggesting my favourite locations and honestly, I don’t even include those default locations because everybody already knows that they exist and they do not need me to remind them that it’s an option.
[00:04:17] For any listeners who are my chronic illness and disabled friends, this is also a chance for you to not include any locations that you’re not comfortable working in. So that way, you never have to deal with the extra anxiety of knowing what to expect in terms of accessibility. Another great thing about creating a locations gallery like this that you can share with your clients is that it’s a great way to help you curate your portfolio in a certain way, with a certain look or feel, while still giving your clients the option to choose their own spot.
[00:04:47] It really helps them visualize what their own photos are going to look like if they make the choice to go there. And it’s something that you can create on the go throughout busy season. Whenever you go into your gallery to upload photos to deliver to a client, select a few favourites and drop them into your location’s gallery at the same time.
[00:05:05] There are no extra expenses because you are already paying for this gallery service for your clients anyway. If you’re not using a gallery service in your photography business yet, I highly recommend that you do. I got married in 2016, so not that long ago. We are just coming up on eight years, and two years ago, I went to go and pull some wedding photos off of our USB for our anniversary, and I realized that the USB was dying.
[00:05:28] Thankfully, I was able to pull all of those photos off. It took over a day for me to transfer those photos onto my computer, and I kid you not, Once it was done, I was never able to get my computer to read that USB again. So I am so, so thankful that I was able to get those photos uploaded onto a cloud server.
[00:05:47] And it just reminded me of why it’s so important to progress with technology sometimes when it comes to preserving people’s memories. A lot of times, new computers and new laptops don’t even have USB ports anymore. Some people just use iPads, which don’t have USB ports. So it’s more important than ever to just make sure that your business is set up with a gallery service just to save your ass if anything goes wrong and make sure that nothing ever happens with your client’s photos.
[00:06:14] I highly recommend Picktime. I made the switch to using Picktime back in the fall of 2022, and I have had no regrets ever since. I have a whole episode coming up as to why it’s so amazing and how I have been able to increase my print and product sales by 90 percent since I started using it. That episode is coming out in a couple of weeks, so make sure you check back for that.
[00:06:38] If you head over to my website or the show notes for today’s episode, you can get my affiliate link. And that is going to get you one free month of pick time in addition to the one-month trial that pick time already gives you when you sign up. So you will get two free months to go and check it out and get it all set up and running.
[00:06:55] Anyways, friends have a great rest of your week and I will be back again soon.
(Outro music) Thank you so much for listening. You can find full show notes from today’s episode at simplysandryvonne.ca/keepingitcandid. In the meantime, let’s connect. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok, just search @SimplySandraYvonne. And if you love this podcast, I’d be so honoured if you’d go ahead and hit that subscribe button and leave a review. Until next time. (Music fades out)
Thinking about outsourcing your editing because you’re drowning in galleries or your body’s begging for a break? I get it. But before you hit send on that first Lightroom catalogue, let’s talk about what actually needs to happen behind the scenes.
In this episode of Keeping It Candid, I sat down with Janelle from Janelle Joy Private Editing to talk about how to outsource your photo editing without losing your style. We cover what the hand-off process really looks like, how to build trust with your editor, and what systems you should have in place first—especially if you’re managing chronic illness, burnout, or just a full wedding season.
Keep scrolling for the full transcript, or hit play if you’re ready to listen in.
Episode Highlights
Here’s what we cover in this episode of Keeping It Candid
(Don’t feel like listening? You’ll find the full transcript below!)
- 03:36 – Welcome, intro to our topic & the behind-the-scenes of outsourcing
- 04:17 – What it took to say “yes” to outsourcing my editing
- 07:02 – The top hesitations photographers have about outsourcing
- 09:25 – How to find a private editor who truly matches your editing style
- 12:27 – Maintaining creative control when handing your edits over
- 19:47 – How outsourcing impacts your workflow, consistency, and client experience
- 22:33 – Why outsourcing can elevate—not detract from—personal client service
- 27:56 – Final words: balancing burnout, systems, and sustainable scaling
? Thinking about outsourcing your editing—but your backend’s a mess?
Before you hand over your Lightroom catalogs, make sure your client flow can actually support it. That’s where Fix Your Foundations comes in—a low-lift, strategic challenge designed for photographers to clean up HoneyBook processes and set the stage for smooth outsourcing, automations, and sustainable growth.
This isn’t one more thing to add to your plate—it’s a bite-sized system refresh that respects your time, energy, and business rhythm.
? Join Fix Your Foundations and build workflows that hold—so you can let go of the editing without losing control.
How to Outsource Photo Editing Without Losing Your Style (Transcript of my interview with Janelle Henningson)
[00:03:36] Sandra Henderson:
? (Intro Music)
Welcome to Keeping It Candid. I’m your host, Sandra Henderson, an international wedding and family photographer and business coach. I help wedding photographers use systems to build out the backend of their businesses to gain control and continue to thrive—no matter what life throws their way.
And on a more personal note, I’m a strong Enneagram three-wing two who’s obsessed with tacos. My love for travelling, combined with navigating chronic illness life, are just two of the many things that drive my passion for all things systems, workflows, and beating burnout as a business owner.
Join me every week for a candid behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like working as a wedding photographer, where I’ll give you actionable steps to take your business to the next level. Absolutely no fluff here, friends—so go grab your favourite notebook and pen and let’s dive into this week’s episode.
? (Music fades out)
Interview
[00:04:17] Sandra Henderson:
Hi Janelle, and thank you so much for joining me today from all the way across the seas! Before we dive into all the goodness I know you have for this episode, I’d love it if you could introduce yourself and let listeners know a little bit about what you’re all about.
[00:04:32] Janelle Henningson:
Sure, I’d love to! I’m Janelle of Janelle Joy Private Editing. My team and I are private photo editors—mainly for wedding photographers from all over the world. We edit one-on-one for them so they can free up such a huge chunk of their time and not feel bogged down. That’s the business side.
On the personal side—I’m a mom to three amazing girls. We’re currently living in France for a year, which is quite the adventure. I’m glad we could get together and do this.
[00:05:10] Sandra Henderson:
Yeah, me too! A little off-topic—but how are your kids adjusting to the move? I feel like as adults, we’re used to big changes, but how are they handling it?
[00:05:23] Janelle Henningson:
That’s such a great question. Honestly, they’re doing really well. My oldest is almost 19 and still back in the States doing her adult thing (which is so weird to say!). The younger two—12 and 8—are adapting incredibly well. We’re homeschooling, which helps a lot since they’re not enrolled in the French school system.
[00:05:54] Sandra Henderson:
I remember listening to a podcast back in 2020 about a family that moved to Italy for a year so their eldest could have that life experience before graduating. My stepson is 16 now, and I keep nudging my husband like, “You know what would be really cool…”
[00:06:21] Janelle Henningson:
I’m a huge advocate for it. We hit the perfect window and just went for it. We’d been dreaming about this for 15 years. We hadn’t even been to France before—we just decided to jump in.
[00:06:39] Sandra Henderson:
I love that! I need more people like you to back me up so I can take this idea to my husband, haha.
[00:07:02] Hesitations About Outsourcing
Sandra Henderson:
Let’s get into it. Today we’re talking about outsourcing your editing—the hesitations photographers might have and what they need to know. I know you have photography experience yourself, so I’m sure you’re familiar with all the feelings that come up around this.
Janelle Henningson:
Absolutely. I hear the same hesitations all the time from photographers—and not just my own clients, but the community in general. The top three are:
- Fear of losing control – “Can someone else really match my editing style?”
- Cost – A lot of people assume private editing is way more expensive than it actually is.
- Past bad experiences – Maybe they tried outsourcing and it didn’t work, or they went with a big box editor and didn’t get the results they wanted.
Sandra Henderson:
Yes! I’ve been through all of those myself. If I had let my first editing experience define everything, I’d still be manually editing all my galleries today.
[00:09:17] Tips for Finding the Right Editor
Sandra Henderson:
You really do have to work through it to find the right fit. Everyone has different skills—just like any other creative field.
Janelle Henningson:
Exactly. Some editors just don’t have the eye for it, and that’s okay. It’s a specific skill—matching contrast, tone, style—and not everyone can do it, even if they technically know how to edit.
Sandra Henderson:
One thing I always say is: the right editor can sometimes edit your photos better than you can. Most photographers I know want to be behind the camera—not stuck editing in their office all day.
Janelle Henningson:
Yes! And you’re not giving up creative control. Editors like my team use “anchor images”—your own edited photos—as the guide. We don’t bring in our style; we match yours, consistently.
[00:12:27] Maintaining Creative Control
Sandra Henderson:
That’s such a key difference. I used to love opening my catalogue and watching all the edits load. I’d still go in and do my final tweaks—maybe a little mask here or there—but I saved so much time.
Janelle Henningson:
Exactly. You still touch your images, especially for albums or blog posts—but you’re not manually editing 800 photos anymore. And that time adds up fast.
[00:13:29] Finding the Right Fit After a Bad Experience
Sandra Henderson:
For photographers who’ve had a bad outsourcing experience—do you have tips for how to find the right editor?
Janelle Henningson:
Yes, but first—ask yourself: do you actually understand your own editing style? It’s not just “light and airy” or “clean and classic.” You need to know your version of that style. How do you achieve it? What do your images need to look like?
If you’re not sure, it’ll be hard to communicate your expectations—and that’s where most editor-client relationships fall apart.
Sandra Henderson:
That’s such a good point.
Janelle Henningson:
And once you know your style? Start asking in your photography communities. Referrals are gold. Learn who your friends trust and how the experience worked for them.
[00:14:57] Sponsor Break: PicTime
Sandra Henderson:
Today’s episode of the podcast is sponsored by PicTime.
This is the gallery service I use in my photography business that honestly doesn’t compare to anything else I’ve tried. First and foremost, it’s fully accessible to Canadians. Other platforms might be available here, but they limit features due to printer options, tax issues, or general US-only headaches.
But with PicTime? Everything works. Canadian pricing. Canadian printers. Full feature access. And yes—if you’re in the US, you’ve got plenty of options too. But as a Canadian? That accessibility made me very happy.
PicTime also offers pre-made and custom automations to help boost your print sales year-round. There’s optional AI facial recognition, watermark protection, custom storefronts with international pricing, and even HoneyBook integration. You can literally view gallery images right inside your HoneyBook client profile.
If you’re looking for a new gallery platform this busy season, head over to my website or the show notes to grab my affiliate link. You’ll get one free month on top of the free trial PicTime already gives you—so that’s two full months to try it out, get everything set up, and boost your client experience.
[00:16:30] Janelle Henningson:
Instagram is a great way to find an editor—we get so many inquiries there. But it’s important to do your research. Look at their website, check testimonials, set up a consult call if needed.
That’s step one: do your homework.
And then—just interview them! Make sure you feel comfortable. Because giving feedback is a huge part of this process. If you feel awkward giving notes, you’ll never get what you want from the edits.
We want your feedback. If your white balance feels off, or the exposure isn’t quite right, we need to hear that. If you don’t say anything, nothing will change—and you’ll assume we’re just not good. When in reality, we’re flying blind.
[00:17:42] Sandra Henderson:
Yes! I remember when I started working with Jade, she said, “Don’t worry—any feedback you give me, I won’t take it personally. That’s how I do my job better.” It was such a relief.
[00:17:56] Janelle Henningson:
Exactly. And please, if you’ve tried outsourcing before and it didn’t work—don’t give up. Your editor is out there. I promise. And when you find them? You’ll be like, “Where were you three years ago?!”
But here’s the thing—if you’re stuck making tiny, hyper-specific adjustments like +1 tint or -2 exposure tweaks… you might not be ready to outsource. That level of control will make the experience frustrating. You have to be okay with someone else doing 95% of the work—even if you still add the finishing touches.
What matters is: does the catalogue look cohesive? Can the images sit side-by-side in an album and feel consistent? That’s what success looks like.
[00:19:32] Sandra Henderson:
YES. Maybe it’s the wedding photographer in me, but that level of consistency is just so calming. Doesn’t matter if it’s 2PM sun or a 10PM reception—when everything flows, it’s magic.
[00:19:47] The Impact of Outsourcing on Style and Workflow
Sandra Henderson:
So speaking of style—how do you think outsourcing affects the actual work photographers put out?
Janelle Henningson:
Great question. Honestly? We’re removed enough to avoid second-guessing. You know how photographers re-edit a gallery three times? Editors don’t do that.
We match your anchor image and deliver consistent work all the way through. No triple-checking. No magenta adjustment rabbit holes.
Sandra Henderson:
Oof. That’s so me. I even have a sticky note on my monitor that says “done is better than perfect” to stop myself from going down that path.
Janelle Henningson:
Exactly. Most people—including your clients—can’t even tell the difference between a +2 tint and a neutral version. That’s usually just us being in our heads. Your photographer friends might notice. Your clients? Probably not.
Sandra Henderson:
Totally. Once I started working with an editor, it made my style more consistent—and helped speed up my entire workflow because I had someone waiting on me to deliver the catalogue. That accountability helped so much.
Janelle Henningson:
YES. That’s the goal. We want to be a part of your workflow—not an add-on, but a partner. So you deliver faster, with less stress, and your clients get their galleries sooner than expected.
[00:22:33] Enhancing the Client Experience
Sandra Henderson:
Here’s a question I hear a lot—do you think outsourcing takes away from the personal, hands-on client experience photographers are known for?
Janelle Henningson:
Honestly? No. I think it makes it better.
Serving your clients doesn’t mean being glued to your laptop editing. It means showing up for them. Being responsive. Being present. And during busy season, that’s hard to do when you’re four weddings behind on edits.
Think about it—are you showing up for your October clients the same way you showed up for your May clients? Probably not… unless you’ve built systems and support around you. That’s what outsourcing allows.
Sandra Henderson:
That was such a strong point to end on. We think outsourcing is just about saving time—but when you zoom out, it actually creates space to serve your clients better.
Whether you’re saving five hours or twenty-five, that time can be re-invested into delivering a better experience.
Janelle Henningson:
Exactly. I’m a big advocate for being intentional with your time—that’s probably why I became an editor after being a photographer.
Sandra Henderson:
Same here. Chronic illness life means my time is unpredictable, so anything that takes something off my plate while maintaining quality? I’m in.
[00:25:26] Choosing the Next Adventure
Sandra Henderson:
Okay—last question! Inspired by your current adventure in France: once your year abroad wraps up, would you rather live in England or Italy next?
Janelle Henningson:
Haha—funny you ask because we’re doing both! I’ve been to England before, but I love Italian food, so I’m especially excited for that part of our next stop.
Sandra Henderson:
Same. I’m a huge foodie. I need a good place to sleep, great food, and then everything else is just bonus.
Janelle Henningson:
Right? Give me pasta and gelato and I’m in.
[00:26:27] Wrapping Up
Sandra Henderson:
Thank you so much, Janelle. This was such a valuable conversation. I hope everyone listening feels inspired to go find their perfect editor match.
Before we jump off, can you share where people can find you online?
Janelle Henningson:
Absolutely!
- Instagram: @janellejoy_photo_editor
- Website: janellejoy.com
I answer DMs and emails, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
Sandra Henderson:
Perfect. Thanks again, Janelle!
[00:27:56] Final Thoughts
Sandra Henderson:
If you ended last year feeling burnt out and overwhelmed, take this episode as your sign to outsource your editing.
There’s a learning curve. It takes a few weeks to hit your stride. But if you go in with realistic expectations, you’ll set yourself up for success.
Build the cost into future bookings. Eat the cost for the weddings you’ve already booked. You’ll get photos out faster, your clients will be happier, and you’ll actually have time to rest.
You can’t rest if you’re constantly editing—or worrying about all the editing you haven’t done. Outsourcing, paired with systems that support you, is how you scale without burning out.
It’s not about working harder. It’s about working smarter.
That’s it for this week, friends. I’ll see you back here next Wednesday with a new episode.
? Want someone to clean up your HoneyBook so you’re actually ready to outsource?
Book a Done-For-You Setup and let me get your workflows working behind the scenes while you focus on what you actually want to be doing.
About Janelle
Janelle is the founder and owner of Janelle Joy Private Editing. After being a photographer for 14 years she saw a huge need for personal photo editing and decided to launch Janelle Joy Private Editing back in 2016. She now runs a thriving and successful editing business helping wedding photographers from all over the world take back their time, enabling them to upscale their business, create better client experiences, and have a personal life in the process.
In-fact, the high-demand for Janelle’s personal and unique approach to private editing ended up growing from a one woman show to a team of 6 editors in a period of just 1 year! Janelle is in all the details and definitely delivers a premium experience and service to all of her clients. Janelle and her team work with extraordinary high-end luxury photographers all the way down to the every day wedding photographer. She thrives by the motto, “Time is a luxury we can’t afford to waste. So use it wisely and purposefully.”
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Your New Favourite Freebie: A Wedding Timeline Template Built for Photographers, by a Photographer
How to Book More Weddings with Less Stress During Engagement Season
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and you may have already been able to tell this by the title of this post, but we are going to be talking all about things like depression and anxiety and struggling with mental health as an entrepreneur. If this topic is going to be triggering for you, please take what you need and feel free to skip this and the corresponding episode (#47) of Keeping It Candid. I completely understand that this might not be a topic that everybody is in the space to hear right now and I want you to make sure that you’re putting yourself first!
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please consider calling star 988. This is a mental health crisis line that’s available 24 -7 and it’s open to both US and Canadian residents.
Let’s be real, being an entrepreneur is hard. Depression is hard. Anxiety is hard. And when all three of these coincide at the same time, it is really, really hard. Today, I’m sharing a little bit of a vulnerable podcast that I’ve honestly hesitated to share.
Even though I am so passionate about advocating for mental health and chronic illnesses, I still have a lot of internalized ableism like a lot of us do and opening up about topics like this can also be really hard. But I know that I can do hard things. That’s what I keep telling myself. So I hope you’ll join me as I share a little bit of an update on what life has been like for me over the last month.
[00:00:36] (Intro music) Welcome to Keeping it Candid. I’m your host, Sandra Henderson, an international wedding and family photographer and business coach. I help wedding photographers use systems to build out the back end of their businesses to gain control and continue to thrive no matter what life throws their way.
And on a more personal note, I’m a strong Enneagram three wing too who’s obsessed with I’m obsessed with tacos. My love for travelling combined with navigating chronic illness life are just two of the many things that drive my passion for all things systems, workflows, and beating burnout as a business owner.
Join me every week for a candid behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like working as a wedding photographer, where I’ll give you actionable steps to take your business to the next level. Absolutely no fluff here, friends, so go grab your favourite notebook and pen and let’s dive into this week’s episode. (music fades out)
02:05 Personal Experience with Depression and Anxiety
Sandra Henderson (02:05.966)
Back in the beginning of April, I really just wasn’t feeling like myself. I had just come back from vacation, so those post-vacation blues were hitting hard, especially because I was coming from Florida, where there was nothing but sun, and I came back to dreary Canada, where we had snow and rain and lots of clouds and all the things. So that lack of vitamin D definitely hit me. And it was also just perfect timing with my cycle for things to be a little bit rough.
And so I really just, I wasn’t feeling like myself. And after about 10 days or so, I started to feel it pass. I started to feel better. I was taking advantage of feeling more energetic at work and mentally clear. And then about a week later, it all started going downhill again. There were just these feelings that I couldn’t shake. Like I was anxious. There was this deep, really heavy weight on my chest.
If you’ve ever experienced depression before, you might know what I’m talking about. It felt like there were these dark hands kind of gripping me and trying to pull me down. Almost like when you’re about to get a cold or get the flu, you feel it starting and you know what’s happening and you try to do things to stop it. But a lot of times that sickness that you’re fighting off is going to take over, whether that’s a cold or a flu or depression. They really kind of work the same way.
Now I am very, very thankful that I was able to connect with a doctor last year and get prescribed medication for my anxiety and depression. So I had that in my court already helping me get through this. And it gave me this perspective that I’d never had before where I could feel what was happening. I could recognize what was happening, but it wasn’t fully taking over to a point where I felt like I was completely out of control or didn’t know what was going on.
And so I am very thankful to have taken that time to boost my confidence to actually go and ask my doctor for this help. If that’s something that you’ve been struggling with, I highly recommend it. Getting back onto an SSRI medication was hands down one of the best decisions that I have made for myself over the last year. And of course, I don’t want to give out any medical advice by any means.
04:26 Seeking Medication and Managing Symptoms
Sandra Henderson (04:26.222)
This might not be the perfect solution for you, but it’s definitely worth talking to your doctor about if you’ve been struggling with anxiety and depression as well and have been wondering if there’s something that can help you get through it. So I had that in my court like I said, and then because it was able to just give me that little bit of separation and that little bit of clarity, I was able to focus on doing things that were going to make me feel better, whether it was things that I just enjoy doing or things that, you know, quote-unquote, people have said are the things that you should be doing to make yourself feel better.
05:19 Self-Care and Grace as an Entrepreneur
So here is a little bit of a look at what I did during that time when I was really feeling off. First and foremost, I gave myself the grace that I needed to just feel it out, to let it ride and not fight against the negative feelings because when we do that and we bottle them up, they have a special way of eventually exploding out in a way worse way. So I wanted to give myself the grace to ride that out. I was also able to give myself some time off, which I know is not possible for everybody, especially if you are in the thick of busy season, but I highly, highly encourage you to just find some time to take to yourself because when you’re feeling that way and you’re running on high and you are just filling all of your time with all the things.
You’re really not making yourself a priority. It’s like bottling up those emotions to not feel them. Eventually filling up your time and go, go, go, go, go all the time is going to catch up with you as well. I took some time to reprioritize my projects. So I put things that were really time-consuming and mentally draining. Those got pushed off and I worked on things that I could do kind of on the go instead. I’m used to making these kinds of adjustments when I have flare days for endometriosis.
So I did a lot of designing in Canva and just refreshing my marketing plan, getting a better idea of what I wanted to be working on for the rest of the year and things like that. So I still felt productive in my business without having to take on the mental load of some really big projects. I also got outside. Thankfully we started to have a little bit of nicer weather around here. So on days that we had some warm weather and sunshine, I went for a walk or I would just sit out in my backyard in the sun for a few minutes.
Sandra Henderson (06:46.766)
I ate a lot of protein. So I was eating peanut butter and crackers. I was eating nuts. I was eating Greek yogurt. I was eating chicken and spinach. Basically, anything that I could get protein from. I was really trying to pack that into my diet because my stomach was also off. So eating wasn’t super easy for me. I was making sure to pack in lots of vitamins, especially vitamin C because there’s colds going around in my area, and vitamin D as well because I was trying to adjust back to being in cloudy Canada. I did some face masks and took a shower, put on some comfy clothes and did all those things so that I could just feel physically more comfortable.
One night when I was really having a hard time falling asleep, I put my noise-cancelling headphones on and put on my favourite playlist and just enjoyed some music therapy, which I love that it still works for me at 37 years old the same way that it did when I was 17. The perfect Playlist can just be so healing sometimes. And I gave myself a lot of patience because anybody who has gone through this before knows that healing is not linear. So I had to be patient with the days that I was feeling better and then waking up the next day and feeling worse. It wasn’t a progression of slowly going uphill every day.
So, I had to have a lot of patience for myself with that. And then just leaning on my support system. I am very, very lucky to have a husband who knows exactly the right things to do when I’m having times like this. It took us a long time to get there. It takes a lot of learning to know what your partner needs and doesn’t need without them saying it and respecting their boundaries and autonomy when they’re not feeling well.
I was very lucky to be able to lean on him and message friends who are a part of my chronic illness support system and things like that. So that was everything that I did over a couple of weeks. And when I finally started to feel better again, thankfully it happened, then I was left with this other piece of the puzzle. And again, if you’ve been through anything like this, you’re going to know exactly what I’m talking about.
08:59 Facing Overwhelm and Anxiety as an Entrepeneur
Sandra Henderson (08:59.886)
But I started feeling better again and then I was left to face everything that had been piling up and that kickstarted my anxiety all over again. My body and mind’s natural instinct when it gets overwhelmed is to go into freeze mode and that’s exactly what I did. I had systems in place that help with a lot of things but of course, it can’t help with everything. No matter how much I wish they could, they can’t help with everything. I replied to three emails just this past Monday that had been there for a week.
My podcast, as I’m sure you have already noticed, has been completely all over the place this season with no consistency in when these episodes are being posted. My email newsletter and blog went radio silent in the process. And so now that I’m feeling better and back to feeling a little bit more like myself, what’s really important is that I need to give myself a fresh perspective to start getting things done in a way that’s not overwhelming.
This week I’m so thankful I was able to take the whole week off. I didn’t have any meetings or sessions or anything on the calendar, so I blocked the time off to specifically focus on batch-working my podcast. As of the time of recording, which actually is May 3rd, so just a little bit before this episode actually aired, my goal by the end of today is to have two months’ worth of podcast episodes ready to go because not only do I want to be more consistent, but I also want to be more prepared if and honestly likely when this happens again.
Anxiety and depression are something that I’ve been dealing with my whole life. So I know that it can come and go, but it’s also very, very much directly related to my hormones for me. I’m in the process of finding out if I have something called PMDD, which would explain a lot. I’m not going to go into a whole other gynecological side note on this because ya’ll know I could talk about all those kinds of things forever. But if that is the case, this is something that I can expect to be feeling more and more each month directly related to my cycles. So I want to be prepared if that happens again.
11:38 Upcoming Guests on the Podcast
I’m so thankful that I have a huge backlog of absolutely amazing guests that I’ve had the opportunity to interview so far this season. And I seriously can’t wait to share everything that’s been recorded. Just to do a little bit of name-dropping, we have Janelle Henningsen talking about hiring an editor, Angie MacPherson is talking about branding, Yasi Salavatian is talking about using your brand voice, Laura Murphy joined me to talk about systems and so did Diana Wei Fong, Kara Duncan joined me to talk about consistent marketing, and Dolly DeLong joined me to talk about systems again.
These women are seriously entrepreneur powerhouses. So make sure you check back for their interviews over the next few months because I know you are going to love them. Now on that note, thank you so much for being here today, for always listening to the podcast, even when it takes a few unexpected weeks off, and for allowing me the space to be vulnerable and share a bit more of my story with you. I hope you all have a great rest of your week and I will be back next Wednesday. Thank you so much for listening.
(Outro music) Thank you so much for listening. You can find full show notes from today’s episode at simplysandryvonne.ca/keepingitcandid. In the meantime, let’s connect. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok, just search @SimplySandraYvonne. And if you love this podcast, I’d be so honoured if you’d go ahead and hit that subscribe button and leave a review. Until next time. (Music fades out)
About Sandra
Sandra Henderson is a photographer, systems strategist, and podcast host based in Ontario, Canada. She specializes in helping photographers create strategic systems for their businesses to help them get their time back so they can spend it doing the things they love most. As an entrepreneur who also navigates chronic illness life, Sandra takes a unique approach to using systems that will help businesses thrive no matter what life throws your way.
On a personal note, she loves tacos, all things Bravo, 90’s music, travelling, and spending time at home with her husband, stepson, and two cats!
[00:00:00] Sandra Henderson: Welcome back to the very last episode of my special March series, all about endometriosis awareness month. If you missed the last couple of episodes, I shared what my story has been first leading up to getting my diagnosis and then an update of what my life has been like over the last couple of years.
[00:00:17] So if that is at all of interest to you, make sure you go back and give those a listen. And today is just going to be a short and sweet episode where I am talking all about my endometriosis toolkit. These are things that I have with me on the go and at home at all times to just make my life a little bit easier.
[00:00:36] (Intro music) Welcome to Keeping it Candid. I’m your host, Sandra Henderson, an international wedding and family photographer and business coach. I help wedding photographers use systems to build out the back end of their businesses to gain control and continue to thrive no matter what life throws their way.
And on a more personal note, I’m a strong Enneagram three wing too who’s obsessed with I’m obsessed with tacos. My love for travelling combined with navigating chronic illness life are just two of the many things that drive my passion for all things systems, workflows, and beating burnout as a business owner.
Join me every week for a candid behind-the-scenes look at what it’s really like working as a wedding photographer, where I’ll give you actionable steps to take your business to the next level. Absolutely no fluff here, friends, so go grab your favourite notebook and pen and let’s dive into this week’s episode. (music fades out)
02:13 Endometriosis Surgery Details
[00:01:25] Quickly, before I get into that, I had quite a few people pop into my DMs after last week’s episode to ask me about what my surgery is that’s coming up next year. And I realized that I completely forgot to talk about that in my last episode. I’m going to blame it on the fact that it was day one of my cycle.
[00:01:43] And Honestly, I thought it was a great idea to record on that day given that it’s Endometriosis Awareness Month, but in hindsight, it was a terrible idea. I felt horrible. I feel like you could hear it in my voice and the brain fog was so, so bad. So. I will probably never do that again, but just to give a quick little update on what my surgery is going to be, I don’t have a date for it.
[00:02:08] It’s going to be sometime in 2025, but I am going in for a hysterectomy. Now, it’s really important to note that a hysterectomy is not a cure for endometriosis. There is a similar disease, it’s kind of like endometriosis-sister disease called adenomyosis, and that is when the tissues start to embed themselves into your uterus.
[00:02:29] Whereas for me, those tissues are going elsewhere in my body. So when you have adenomyosis, removing your uterus is absolutely a cure for that because there’s no more uterus for the tissues to embed in. But with endometriosis, removing my uterus is essentially just going to stop my periods. It is not going to do anything for any tissues that are elsewhere in my body, but I’m not mad at the idea of not having periods anymore.
[00:02:54] I gave up my fertility a long time ago, and so if this surgery means that I have a couple of days less pain a month, then I am totally okay with that. I am having the hysterectomy performed by a surgeon who is an endometriosis specialist. And so while he’s performing that surgery, he’s also going to be looking elsewhere for any tissues that may have grown on my diaphragm is a big area that we’re going to be looking at.
[00:03:17] Also looking at my ovaries, the ligaments over top of my uterus, um, Where else? We’re going to be looking inside my bladder and looking at my bowels. They’re also going to be taking a look at my appendix and removing it if there are any issues with it. So it is going to be a very invasive surgery. they’re going to be doing a lot of looking around.
03:26 Invasive Endometriosis Surgery and Remission Period
[00:03:39] If they do find any tissues while they’re in there, they are going to remove them. So that’s kind of what that looks like. Hopefully having this surgery performed by a specialist is going to mean that I get a little bit of relief afterwards, almost like a remission period. After my last surgery in 2019, I was told to expect about five years minimum of remission and I had not.
[00:04:04] So I’m a little hesitant to get my hopes up. up about what life is going to look like after this surgery, but I do know it’s a necessary next step and it’s one that I’ve been pushing for. When the day comes, I am looking forward to it and I’m just going to have to take those unknowns as they come along.
[00:04:21] So I hope that clears everything up for you. If you were wondering what that was all about, and if you have any other questions at all, by all means, please feel free to pop into my DMs. You can find me on Instagram at SimplySandraYvonne, and I am totally an open book when it comes to talking about endometriosis.
04:40 Heating Pads and Robax Heat Wraps
[00:04:40] Okay, so now that we have that out of the way, let’s get to my endometriosis toolkit. First, heating pads of any capacity, but specifically some Robax heat wraps. I wish I was a Robax affiliate. I swear the number of people that I’ve had go buy these, they should be paying me a cut at this point for all the referrals.
[00:04:58] But these wraps are pretty much like those hand warmers that you can put in your pocket. So they come in a package and as soon as you open it up the air will activate the crystals inside and it has up to 16 hours of heat I believe. I’ve never worn it for the full 16 hours but let me tell you on a wedding day these are absolutely amazing.
[00:05:18] They are really thin and sleek so they hide under your clothes. The material is almost like a stretchy diaper tab but Giant size. They’re one size fits most. I don’t want to say one size fits all, even though that’s what the box says. Because we all know that there is no such thing as one size fits all.
[00:05:36] So one size fits most. It does have adjustable self adhering velcro type material to hold it on you. And I just put it under my clothing. They do have ones that are specifically marketed towards being put on your uterus. But anybody who’s familiar with the pink tacks knows that those are actually more expensive than the ones that I use, which are just for your back.
[00:05:59] And all you need to do is just spin it around so that it’s sitting on your front. save yourself some unnecessary money. So those are something that I have in my camera bag for every wedding day, every session. I bring them with me when I’m travelling. And then of course I have my heating pads that I can plug in for when I’m going to be inside.
06:18 Ergonomic Seat Cushions
[00:06:18] Next is my ergonomic seat cushion. I have ergonomic seat cushions in my office, in my car, and one to travel with. Sitting on hard surfaces is really, really painful for me because of the tension I have in my pelvis and the damage that’s been done to my pelvic floor because of having endometriosis. So I was finding that I couldn’t even sit in my office to edit without being in pain.
[00:06:44] If I was driving for a long time, I was having a hard time walking when I was getting out of the car. And so getting these ergonomic seat cushions has been absolutely amazing. They just make sure that my hips are positioned properly. If you have any sort of back pain, regardless of what the cause is, this is going to be really helpful.
[00:07:03] This is going to be really helpful for you as well. and yeah, I just bring them on the go. So I have one with me on a wedding day so that I have that to sit on during a reception. I also have a pop up stool that I bring with me so that I can always sit if I need to and I can just put my cushion down on that.
[00:07:18] I bring it on airplanes because airplane seats are so comfortable. So uncomfortable. So yeah, I absolutely love these cushions. Highly recommend. I’m also going to be putting together an Amazon list for almost everything that I talk about in this episode. So make sure you pop over into the show notes to check that out if you’re interested in grabbing any of these.
07:37 Proper Shoes for Support
[00:07:37] Third is shoes. I’m officially in my sensible shoe era. I’m not gonna lie, I hate it, but I finally got some cute runners that have really great arch support, and that’s been making my life a little bit easier, making me feel a little bit less like my mom. , but, Wearing proper shoes has been so necessary for the pressure it puts on my joints, for the pressure it puts on my pelvis and my back.
[00:08:03] As much as I love wearing cute shoes, something had to give and I am already in enough pain without adding to it. So sensible shoe era it is. I just ordered some cute arch-support sandals from Amazon. So I’m hoping that those can replace my runners in the summer, but make sure that you have shoes that support you regardless of what kind of shoe that is.
08:23 E-Reader for Reading Comfort
[00:08:26] That is going to be super important for your toolkit as well. Next on the list is my e-reader. Now, this could be a Kindle, a Kobo, an iPad, whatever that may look like for you, but I made the switch to using an e-reader rather than reading books because of the pressure it was putting on my hands, especially on days that I was recovering from a wedding or was dealing with a flare.
[00:08:51] I love reading. I love the feeling of turning pages and the smell of books, but it was really discouraging for me that on days when I was in pain, I wasn’t able to read when reading is something that I do to be able to take my mind off of how I’m feeling. So I officially made the switch to using an e-reader and it has been so nice to be able to just pop my screen up and have it there and not have to worry about holding the book.
[00:09:15] And I’ve gotten so much more reading done since then. My goal for 2024 is to read 20 books. I am on book number five right now. So fingers crossed that I can keep up with it, but that would definitely not be able to happen if I was still reading paperback books, sorry. Even worse, hardcover books.
09:43 Water Cooler and Water Bottle
[00:09:43] The second last thing on my toolkit is, strangely enough, my water cooler and my water bottle. These are, I know, two things, but we’re going to combine them into one. Getting a water cooler was one of the best purchases I ever made for my house. I know that we have water coming out of the tap, I get it, but I just don’t like it.
[00:10:00] If you drink water all the time, you know that water has a taste. and I will die on this hill. Water has a taste and every kind of bottled water tastes different. Every tap water tastes different. And I just really don’t like the tap water at home. So we got this water cooler and now that’s all I drink. I drink water all day long.
[00:10:19] Like, I have probably increased my water intake by about a thousand percent since we got this. I also always have an insulated water bottle with me so I can bring cold water on the go, but I actually call it my emotional support water bottle because I literally have it with me everywhere. At this point, it doesn’t even stand up straight anymore because I’ve dropped it so many times and the bottom is so dented, but I love this water bottle.
[00:10:43] And having it with me at all times means that I’m always able to stay hydrated, which is really important for keeping down my inflammation levels.
11:43 Cannabis Products for Nausea and Endometriosis Pain
Now, the last thing in my toolkit, this is one that I will say being able to include it is going to depend on where you live, what laws are like in your area, and what your comfort level is.
[00:11:04] But for me, I am a 420-friendly person. This is a 420-friendly household and living in Canada, cannabis products are legal here. So using cannabis products, I use a vape currently, and this is something that I use every day to help with my chronic nausea and pain levels. I know a lot of people may hear this and just be like, no, that is not for me.
[00:11:29] But if it’s something that you partake in, no, I fully support that decision. If it’s something that you’re curious about and want to ask questions in a safe space, by all means, slide into my DM. I am here to help support you through this. but yeah, it’s something that has been prescribed medicinally for a long time.
[00:11:48] I think that there are a lot of benefits for it and how it can impact my body. And of course, yes, there is the argument about the damage that it’s doing to my lungs and I understand that, but it’s just another one of those conversations about the juice being worth the squeeze. The amount of damage that I would be doing to my body if I was allowing my chronic nausea to run rampant all day long if I was not able to eat properly, if I was in extreme levels of pain.
[00:12:16] And having to use narcotic pain medication, all of those things would be doing so much more damage to my body than consuming cannabis. And I think it really goes to show how important it is to get rid of the stigma around using cannabis products because not only can they really help people with chronic illnesses, but it doesn’t mean that you’re not capable of doing other things.
[00:12:37] I’m running two businesses and being there for my stepson and a part of my household and part of my relationship and my marriage, all while still consuming cannabis, the idea that it’s going to turn you into this stoner who is not capable of doing anything and just wants to sit around and eat all day.
[00:12:58] You know, maybe that happens every now and then, but it’s definitely not true a hundred percent of the time. So if there is one thing that we take away from this part of the episode, I hope that it’s just to let’s end the stigma around a lot of things, but especially around using cannabis products.
13:25 Recap and Conclusion
So as a quick little recap of what is inside my toolkit, we have heating pads, but especially Robax heat wraps for your back that you can either use on your back if you have back pain or spin them around to the front to help with cramps.
[00:13:28] An ergonomic seat cushion that I bring everywhere and have in my office, in my car, comfy shoes with lots of arch support. A water cooler and a water bottle so that I’m always staying hydrated. An e-reader so that I don’t have to worry about the pressure that books are putting on my hands on bad pain days.
[00:13:46] And my cannabis vape. I hope that these are helpful to you. If you have anything that you include in your toolkit that you want to recommend, by all means let me know. I love having endometriosis friends in my community. I always say that it sucks that we have to bond over something so shitty, but at least we have each other and there is so much comfort in just knowing that someone else gets it.
[00:14:10] So pop into my DMs if you have any recommendations, and next week we are going to be back to our regularly scheduled programming. My friend Alex from Alex Collier Design is joining me for an interview to talk all about your website homepage, things that are important to have on it, things that you want to avoid, and hopefully give you some ideas on how to spruce up your homepage without feeling like you have to completely redo your entire website.
[00:14:35] And for me, I’m actually heading to Florida on Monday for a couple of weeks. It is going to be a working vacation, but I am going with my husband, my best friends, and their family, and I cannot wait. I am daydreaming nonstop about the endless hours of sun that I’m going to be getting. Hopefully, by the time I am back in my office, I will be a bronze goddess with a tan that is going to last me through the end of this Canadian winter.
[00:15:00] Anyways, friends, have a great rest of your Wednesday and I will be back next week.
(Outro music) Thank you so much for listening. You can find full show notes from today’s episode at simplysandryvonne.ca/keepingitcandid. In the meantime, let’s connect. You can find me on Instagram and TikTok, just search @SimplySandraYvonne. And if you love this podcast, I’d be so honoured if you’d go ahead and hit that subscribe button and leave a review. Until next time. (Music fades out)
About Sandra
Sandra Henderson is a photographer, systems strategist, and podcast host based in Ontario, Canada. She specializes in helping photographers create strategic systems for their businesses to help them get their time back so they can spend it doing the things they love most. As an entrepreneur who also navigates chronic illness life, Sandra takes a unique approach to using systems that will help businesses thrive no matter what life throws your way.
On a personal note, she loves tacos, all things Bravo, 90’s music, travelling, and spending time at home with her husband, stepson, and two cats!
Social media has its place, but let’s not pretend it’s a sustainable plan for growth. For wedding photographers, it often feels like being chained to your phone—juggling client work, editing marathons, and a busy season that never ends. Posting just to stay visible isn’t a strategy; it’s a fast track to burnout. That’s why email marketing for wedding photographers matters—it gives you a way to connect with couples and book work without being at the mercy of the algorithm.
That’s why I wanted to bring in my past business coach, Candice Coppola. She built and sold a multi–six-figure wedding planning business and now spends her days helping wedding pros build businesses that don’t just look good from the outside, but actually feel good to run.
In this episode, Candice shares why email marketing is one of the most overlooked tools in the wedding industry, and how you can use it to attract right-fit clients, build trust, and bring in steady revenue—without being at the mercy of the algorithm.
Listen to the Episode
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What You’ll Learn in This Episode
- Why email marketing for wedding photographers gets ignored in the industry (and why that’s costing photographers real bookings)
- How to create location-specific opt-ins that attract couples who are actually ready to hire you
- The “serve, serve, sell” approach to nurture sequences that builds trust instead of burning bridges
- Simple ways to increase revenue from existing clients through albums, prints, and add-ons
- Why email is a key piece of running a sustainable wedding photography business—especially when social media feels like a hamster wheel
Keep scrolling for the full transcript
My Results Using Email Marketing as a Photographer
I’ve relied on email marketing for years, but the moment I committed to it strategically, the results were undeniable.
- Over 80% of fall mini bookings and 90% of holiday minis came directly from my email list
- I only sent four emails: the launch, a value-packed encouragement, a halfway reminder, and a final call
- Total result: $5,000 in sales
That kind of return doesn’t happen on social media. For photographers managing chronic illness or burnout, this is where email becomes a game-changer: you can batch, schedule, and let your systems keep running—whether you’re in a busy season or on your worst day.
Free Resource for Wedding Photographers
Want to see how these strategies can work for you? Grab my Busy Season Email Survival Kit for Wedding Photographers — a free resource designed to simplify your inbox during peak months.
Full Transcript
Accessibility note: The interview below has been reformatted into Q&A headings for readability. This full transcript is provided for accessibility and for anyone who prefers to read. Only spelling and grammar have been edited; content remains unchanged.
For any listeners who are maybe new around here, why don’t you take a quick second to introduce yourself and let everybody know what you’re all about?
Candice Coppola: Well, Sandra, thank you for having me on your show. It’s a great honour to be here. I’m so flattered that you wanted to have this conversation, and the feeling is mutual in terms of love and respect and admiration.
What you’re doing here is amazing, and I just think the world of you. So thank you so much for having me on this show. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Candice Coppola. I’m a business coach for wedding pros, and I help you build a profitable business with purpose.
In a former life, though, I was a wedding planner. I understand all the weird things about the industry firsthand because I lived it myself, growing a business over 12 years. I helped clients all over the world celebrate moments that matter in their lives.
In 2019, I decided to sell my business and go all in on helping wedding pros build their business. That was a long time coming—I had slowly started to not love my job as much as I used to in those growth years. My lifestyle had changed pretty dramatically, which definitely played a role.
And I just love doing stuff like this: talking to Sandra, talking to you guys, exchanging ideas, and helping people build a business that really supports their life.
Why do you think that email marketing is so overlooked in the wedding industry as a whole, especially for wedding photographers?
Candice Coppola: You know, I think wedding pros are just getting by with the marketing that they can muster. We’re really focused on Instagram. That’s kind of our place where we focus and network. I like to call marketing for wedding pros this holy trinity of Instagram, networking, and blogging/SEO.
I think those are the three things that work best for wedding pros, but I feel like email marketing is one of those things that wedding photographers might find to be scary. Maybe you tried it before and it didn’t work, and I can understand why. It is something that you have to be very strategic about. You can’t just throw something on your website, ask people to sign up for your newsletter, and then expect to be making thousands of dollars from your email list.
It requires that you understand how email marketing works. But once you get the gist of it, then you can see the opportunities and the possibilities. It just needs to be better described for wedding pros because my email marketing is a lot different than what a wedding photographer would do.
Why do you think that email marketing is important for building a sustainable wedding photography business?
Candice Coppola: Yeah, it’s true. Instagram has become more difficult to stand out on because everything kind of looks the same over there. And Instagram has moved in the direction of serving creators.
Let’s be honest—you didn’t open your business to become a creator. It’s sort of a byproduct of having a business these days. You need to create content, but what you really want to do is photograph weddings. You want that connection with your client. That’s where you want to spend your time.
Instagram has evolved into this almost unsustainable channel for marketing. We have to be there—it’s sort of a necessary evil. And I think that if you can diversify your marketing channels and really make that top of funnel broader where you’re bringing people in…
So think of your marketing as a funnel. For most photographers, the top of their funnel is going to be word of mouth. You’ve got networking, you’ve got Instagram, and then hopefully you’re blogging. If you’re not blogging and doing SEO, that’s a separate conversation. Those are the top of your funnel.
We’re looking for interesting ways to add to that, that don’t take too much of your time or don’t require you to be front and center like Instagram does daily, multiple times a day. So email marketing is great in the sense that it’s something you can kind of set and forget.
You can’t truly set and forget anything—you have to pay attention to all areas of your business—but you don’t have to monitor email marketing the same way. You could essentially set up a funnel, an email funnel that you create, and that automatically helps to bring in leads, helps to nurture those leads, helps them go through know/like/trust, and that leads to bookings.
But you can also use it for the very same purpose on your existing clients. Here’s something wedding photographers really mess up: product sales.
What are some ways that wedding photographers can actually grow that list and gain inspiration for those top-of-funnel steps?
Candice Coppola: Right. This is a great question. And this is where I think email marketing gets—it’s a make-or-break situation—because how you bring people on your list really matters.
Think about it like this. You have this funnel. You want people entering the top of your funnel at or around the point where they’re ready to buy. And if they’re entering your funnel with “10 things to have on your wedding day” or “how to prep for your engagement session,” they may be entering with a photographer already.
It’s guaranteed. Somebody Googling engagement session ideas is looking for ideas to use with their photographer—who is not you.
So you want to think strategically about getting somebody on your list at or around the point where they’re ready to buy from you. For weddings, that might be “best wedding venues in [your area]” or a checklist tied directly to booking.
We also want the opt-in to be location-based. If you’re a destination photographer, speak to the destinations you’re known for. If you’re in Connecticut, an engagement prep guide could attract anyone from anywhere. But “10 best wedding venues in Connecticut” attracts local leads that you can actually serve.
Do you think that it matters if photographers create something that other photographers in their area have already done?
Candice Coppola: It is absolutely not a problem to create something that somebody else has already created. If you see a lot of people using a certain type of opt-in, the likelihood is they’re using it because it works.
So that’s validation. Don’t feel restricted, like, “Oh, I can’t do that because she’s doing it.” See it as validation.
What you’re going to do is put your brand on it, your approach, your thought process. Maybe you see another photographer doing “10 best wedding locations in [area]” and you do the same. You may not even list the same locations.
I wouldn’t download their opt-in—I’d just note, “Okay, I’m seeing that a few people are doing this. That must mean it works. Let me take that concept and do it with a fresh set of eyes.”
When wedding photographers are creating these opt-ins and thinking about how they’re going to lead people through their funnels, what are some ways that they can make sure that exchange is profitable for both sides?
Candice Coppola: I think one of the biggest hang-ups around email marketing is that we don’t want to bother people. This is what detracts people from getting into it.
Even I sometimes hit send and think, “Ugh, I hope I’m not bothering anybody.” But that’s ridiculous. You have to shift your mindset to: maybe I’m helping someone.
When people opt in, they’re telling you they want to hear from you. They’re interested in this subject. You have permission to speak to them.
And there’s an unsubscribe button. They can filter themselves out.
When you think about email marketing, remember this: write emails people want to read. The best ones tell stories, have personality, maybe some humour. They’re not formulaic or corporate. They speak to one person.
What are some things that wedding photographers should be keeping in mind in those other steps of the funnel?
Candice Coppola: Do not put up a form on your website that says “subscribe to my newsletter.” Nobody wants to subscribe to you—unless it’s gossip or something juicy.
And also, you’ll never send the newsletter. People opt in and then never hear from you, and a year later you suddenly email them. They’re like, “Who is this?”
When somebody opts in, think: how can this connect to a product or service I offer?
Example: “10 best wedding venues in Connecticut.” Someone downloading that is venue shopping—they definitely haven’t hired a photographer yet. Perfect timing.
Deliver the guide, then use automated emails:
- A check-in after a few days, offering help.
- A follow-up linking to related blog posts and portfolio work.
- Then: invite them to schedule a consultation.
That’s the serve, serve, sell model. Serve with information, serve again with resources, then sell by offering the next step.
You can have different nurture sequences for different opt-ins. A venue guide attracts someone earlier than a “how to hire your photographer” checklist.
Do you have any final takeaways that you would love to share—or that you hope listeners walk away with?
Candice Coppola: A few things:
- Don’t be scared to sell. The easiest way to make more money is to sell to the people who already bought from you.
- Consider email marketing seriously, and do it strategically.
- Create opt-ins around problems or questions your couples have.
- Then build nurture sequences that support them and invite them to work with you.
One last fun question: if you were to go out for dinner with one TV star, would you go out with Jax from Vanderpump Rules or The Situation from Jersey Shore?
Candice Coppola: Why are you making this so hard?
At first, I’d lean toward The Situation because he loves food. You know he’d order the whole menu. But Jax… he’s an absolute prick, but I kind of like him in some weird ways. I’d want all the Vanderpump Rules tea.
So I’d probably pick Jax.
Sandra Henderson: Honestly, me too. The Situation brings food and quotes, but Jax brings all the gossip. And you know he’ll spill it. I’d go with the tea too.
Looking for more?
Candice and I actually swapped roles, and I joined her on The Power in Purpose Podcast for episode 130: Creating Business Systems & Workflows That Honor Your Health.
In that chat, I pulled back the curtain on what it’s really like to run two businesses while living with a chronic illness—and why your systems can’t just function on your best days. We dug into how simple workflows can keep burnout from running the show, plus the practical stuff: inquiry workflows, autoresponders, client communication, and building a business that supports your life instead of draining it.
Listen to my episode with Candice here
About Candice Coppola
Candice Coppola is an author, podcast host, business coach, and entrepreneur who believes you shouldn’t have to do business (or happy hour) alone.
She built a multi-six-figure wedding planning company, Jubilee Events, during the recession in 2008 and ran it for 12 years. She later sold the company to focus on coaching creatives.
Candice hosts The Power in Purpose Podcast, rated in Apple’s top 100 entrepreneur shows, and has co-authored two books: The White Dress in Color and The White Dress Destinations. She now lives in Barbados with her husband and two pups.
Follow her on Instagram, visit her website, or listen to The Power in Purpose Podcast.
Tools & Resources Mentioned
- Flodesk – My favourite email platform. It’s simple, gorgeous, and doesn’t punish you for wanting your emails to actually look on brand. You can even save 50% on your first year through my resources page.
- The Client Cocktail by Candice Coppola – This is the opt-in strategy framework that completely shifted how I think about list-building. If you’ve ever wondered what to offer beyond “join my newsletter,” start here.
- Busy Season Email Survival Kit for Wedding Photographers – My freebie built to help photographers manage inbox overwhelm during peak season. It’s practical, straightforward, and saves you hours of back-and-forth when you need it most. Get it here.
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