The end of the year is the perfect time to reflect, recharge, and gear up for the year ahead. Whether you’re a wedding photographer or specialize in family portraits, or balancing it all while managing a chronic illness, taking a moment to think about what worked (and what didn’t) is the secret to setting yourself up for success in 2025.

Here’s how I’m looking back at 2024, setting goals, and creating workflows that actually support me—and how you can do the same.

Listen on Apple | Listen on Spotify

Keep scrolling for show notes, and a full transcript!

2024 in Review: What Worked, What Didn’t

Before diving into new goals, I always like to take an honest look at the past year. Let’s start with the less-than-stellar moments (because, let’s be real, not everything is sunshine and rainbows).

What Didn’t Work in 2024:

1. Newborn Photography: I tried reintroducing newborn sessions after years of not offering them, and guess what? Big nope. My heart wasn’t in it, and it reminded me why I stopped in the first place. Lesson learned: stick to what you love.
2. Email Automation Mishap: I forgot about an automated email series announcing mini sessions. Emails that went out telling people that sessions were open for booking when they actually weren’t. Facepalm moment of the year.
3. Sales Goals: I didn’t hit a single sales goal and eventually just gave myself permission to stop setting them for Q4. Sometimes, it’s okay to take a breather.
4. Overcommitment: Fall was a blur of sensory overload and burnout. That “just push through” mindset didn’t do me any favours and is SUCH a hard cycle to get out of.
5. Digital Planners: I wanted to love my digital planner, but it just wasn’t for me. Turns out, keeping things simple is the way to go. (Shocker!)

What Worked in 2024:

1. HoneyBook Lead Forms: My clients loved how easy it was to book mini sessions, sign contracts, and pay invoices—all seamlessly automated through HoneyBook.
2. Updating Wedding Services: Transitioning to exclusively offering city hall weddings not only brought clarity to my business, but also brought three new bookings within two weeks of updating my website.
3. Editing on My iPad: Lightroom’s cloud-based version made editing on my iPad surprisingly efficient. Who knew? And I’m so thankful because I just do not want to upgrade my otherwise perfectly good computer right now.
4. Carb Loading on Wedding Days: Changing my diet during wedding days drastically improved my energy and recovery time. (Check out Episode 55 of Keeping It Candid for more on this!)
5. Peer Mastermind Group: Starting a mastermind with industry friends filled the gap I felt after stepping away from a formal coaching program and I’ve loved every second of it.

Setting Goals for 2025

Now that I have that insight into 2024, I’m setting realistic and intentional goals for 2025. Here’s how I’m breaking them down:

Sales Goals

For my photography business, my 2025 sales goal is $10,000. It might seem low, but with my systems business taking up more time, this feels doable. To hit this, I’ll need to book:

• 15 portrait sessions, with at least 10 clients purchasing additional files or prints.
• 4 city hall weddings.

Breaking a sales goal into tangible steps makes it feel less overwhelming and gives me a clear roadmap for the year.

Client Experience Goals

This year, I’m saying goodbye to anything that doesn’t bring me joy—starting with newborn sessions. My focus will be on family photos, city hall weddings, and engagement sessions.

I’m also refining my email workflows by:

• Combining my welcome questionnaire and blanket selection questionnaire into one.
• Adding an email dedicated to outlining what happens if the weather doesn’t cooperate, hopefully reducing client confusion along the way.

Personal Growth Goals

2025 is all about leaning into community and celebrating small wins.

• Community Building: I’m continuing my peer mastermind group and ramping up in-person meetups with my local Rising Tide Society chapter.
• Celebrating Wins: I’m bringing back my monthly win tracker—a simple sticky note on my calendar to celebrate progress.
• Cycle Syncing: As someone with endometriosis, I’m focusing on scheduling work around my best energy days to show up for clients at my absolute best.
• Surgery Preparation: With a big surgery coming up, I’m focusing on maintaining a positive mindset and embracing the unknown.

Streamlining Communication and Workflows

A huge focus for 2025 is simplifying my communication and workflows.

Email Updates

I’m combining multiple emails into fewer, more impactful ones. For example, I’m merging questionnaires and streamlining info into clear, concise emails to avoid client confusion.

Leveraging HoneyBook Features

With HoneyBook’s new conditional logic tools rolling out, I’m rebuilding workflows to make them more intuitive and efficient. These updates allow workflows to adapt automatically based on client needs—taking automation to the next level.

Simplifying My Planner Situation

After another failed attempt at using a digital planner, I’m sticking with Asana for all my business organization needs. Asana’s simple, streamlined setup (thanks to a strategy session with my friend Sarahna!) keeps everything on track without the clutter of redundant tools.

Building Flexibility Into 2025

Flexibility is a non-negotiable part of my business. Here’s how I’m making it happen:

• Booking Time Off: I’m blocking out time for vacations and self-care at the start of the year, especially during busy season.
• Buffer Dates: I’m keeping extra days open around mini sessions for weather-related rescheduling, reducing stress for me and my clients.

Ready to Glow Up Your Business?

Reflecting on the past year, setting goals, and updating your systems isn’t just about staying organized—it’s about building a business that supports you. If you’re ready to get your workflows in shape for 2025, I’m here to help!

Check out my services at SimplySandraYvonne.ca for:

• HoneyBook Strategy Sessions: A one-on-one call to troubleshoot your account, refine your workflows, and make sure HoneyBook is working as hard as you are.
• Done-for-You Workflow Builds: I’ll create a complete workflow—including templates—so you can hit the ground running in 2025.

Let’s make this year the one where your business runs smoother than ever—and actually supports the life you want to live.

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Show Notes

Mentioned on today’s episode of Keeping It Candid:

Episode Sponsor: HoneyBook
Get 30% off your first year!

1:1 HoneyBook Strategy Session
Done For You HoneyBook Workflows

Candice Coppola’s YouTube Video about the HoneyBook price increase

Episode of Keeping It Candid where I talk all about carbs – Click Here

The Unfiltered Community – Education & Systems Strategy For Photographers

Chronically Ill, Disabled, & Neurodivergent Photographers

Send me a DM on Instagram!

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Get your wedding business more streamlined 👇🏻

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Other Episodes & Blogs You’ll Love

Wedding Photography Education | Vision Casting For Q1

3 Mistakes To Avoid When Investing In Education & Coaching

Work/Life Balance And Working Abroad with Nova Markina Photography

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TRANSCRIPT

Episode 065

[00:00:00] Sandra: for sales, I have a $10,000 sales goal, and I know that this is going to seem really low, obviously. I am not paying all of my bells with $10,000, but this is just for my photography business. My systems business is taking up a lot more of my time these days.

[00:00:17] So I’m actually going to be running through all of this again, where I’m going to be brainstorming the good and the bad and setting goals and all the things. Totally separately for my assistance business.

[00:00:26] Sandra: Welcome to Keeping It Candid. I’m Sandra Henderson, photographer, system strategist, and here to help you level up your photography business with real strategies that work. If you’re tired of beginner advice and quick fixes that don’t actually solve anything, this is the podcast for you. Each week, we dive into simple, sustainable systems for client workflows, automation, and communication strategies that are designed to keep your business thriving without the burnout.

[00:00:57] Because your business should support you and not the other way around. Whether you’re balancing a chronic illness or just done with the endless hustle, Keeping it Candid is here to help you reclaim your time, work smarter, and focus on what truly matters.

[00:01:11] Sandra: Hello, again, everybody for the very last time in 2024.

[00:01:17] When I come back for a new episode, it’s going to be 20, 25. And that seems so weird to think about.

[00:01:25] I feel like this year. I mean, I feel like we kind of have these feelings at the end of every year, but this year really felt like it went by really quickly. I don’t know. Do you guys feel that way? Let me know what you think.

[00:01:37] ‘ cause that’s the weird thing about time, right? Is that it feels so different for everybody. So if you agree with me and feel like this year went by in the blink of an eye. And want to hear about it, but I also want to hear if this year felt like it really dragged on for you.

[00:01:53] I find things like this to be so interesting. So make sure you come over to my DMS and let’s talk a little bit about how your year has been feeling.

[00:02:02] I’m going to be spending a lot more time in my DMS over the next few weeks, Because I am winding things down over here.

[00:02:08] My last day of work before the holidays is on Monday. They will be popping in once on the 30th to check in on some tasks for one of my VA clients. But other than that, I am off until the new year.

[00:02:21] And for once I am actually really looking forward to the holidays.

[00:02:26] Over the last couple of years, I’ve been on my own personal growth journey, trying to get over my hatred for Christmas. Everybody has always known me as a little bit of a Grinch this time of year or a lot, a bit of a Grinch. Let’s be real. There’s a. Million factors as to why I felt this way about Christmas.

[00:02:47] But thankfully with a little bit of therapy and a whole lot of self work, I have been working on trying to change that.

[00:02:55] So this year, I actually started decorating my house with a little bit of Christmas decorations right after us Thanksgiving. And I have been watching Christmas movies on Netflix and trying to do whatever I can to eliminate the stress that usually comes along with this time of year. And adjusting my plans to be able to see people and visit people but also to put myself on that priority list. So in previous years, my husband and I we’ve been together for about 17 years now. And I’d say about 16 of those years. We have been rotating our Christmases. Aside from the years of the pandemic, when we weren’t really visiting anybody.

[00:03:39] We have rotated our Christmases between spending time with my family one year on Christmas day and spending time with his family one year on Christmas day.

[00:03:47] But in my journey Of trying to learn to love Christmas, or at least just not hate it. One thing I wanted to do was make myself a priority. And so this year, one of my Christmas wishes. Is to do absolutely nothing over the bulk of the Christmas days. My only plans are to be snuggled up on my couch in the comfiest clothes. With some delicious food. Haven’t decided what I’m going to eat yet, but guaranteed, it’s going to be delicious.

[00:04:18] I’ve got some movies that I’m planning on watching, and I’m just planning on having a really low key day.

[00:04:24] We’re going to be spending time with my family, this coming weekend, actually. So doing things before the holidays. And then for my in-laws, my husband and my stepson are actually still going to be going to their festivities on Christmas day. I know, it seems a little crazy that I’m planning on actually staying home and spending some time by myself. But I wasn’t about to make my husband and my stepson stay home because I wanted to have a quiet and relaxing day.

[00:04:55] I personally don’t feel like I’m being left behind. I’m making extra time outside of those days to see family and make sure that I get to spend some time with them over the holidays, but I really just need these days for me this year.

[00:05:11] My husband is struggling with it a little bit. He does feel bad. He does feel like he’s leaving me behind. But I just reminded him and keep reminding him. That this is something that I want, he can think of it as a Christmas gift to me to just let me have this day where I can just relax.

[00:05:30] Next year we will head to my family is on Christmas day again, and the year after we’ll be back with his family.

[00:05:37] And then the year after that, maybe I’ll have another Christmas off. Maybe I’ll change my mind, but for this year, I’ve really just wanted to add a third thing into the mix.

[00:05:46] Plus last year as much fun as I had spending time with everybody. There was more than a few occasions where I got really bad sensory overload. And there are a lot of people over with my in-laws when we’re celebrating Christmas. And I actually started getting dizzy at one point because of all the noise and all the lights and all the things that were happening.

[00:06:07] And so this year I’m going to eliminate that. I’m going to see people on smaller scales and Christmas day. It’s just going to be an afternoon of me, myself and I, and I. I cannot tell you how much I’m looking forward to it.

[00:06:23] I’ve told all my friends and family members that if anybody wants to join me, they are more than welcome to come hang out at my house and do nothing. But I have a few blackout days where I am not going to be doing any plans. I’m not going to be leaving my house and it’s going to be great.

[00:06:39] And then for new year’s, to be honest. I really am feeling like this is going to be one year where I go to bed early. Don’t try to stay up for that ball drop at midnight. And just end this year on a nice, slow, quiet note.

[00:06:53] One thing that I am going to be doing during all of my time off is actually taking some time to do some goal setting for 2025. But before I do that, I really think it’s so important to think back on everything that was the last year. So everything that was 20, 24. And I’m going to bring you along with me while I do that on today’s episode.

[00:07:18] But before I do that first, we are going to get to this week’s all the rage.

[00:07:23] So last week, literally, as I was scheduling my last episode where I talked about whether or not you should announce a price change.

[00:07:30] HoneyBook announced a price change. And it seems like the entire world of creatives on social media decided to jump on that hate train last Tuesday.

[00:07:40] And this is literally the exact reason why I said I don’t believe in making these types of announcements as photographers. Now, obviously with a surface like HoneyBook, they have to, they cannot just change their pricing and not say a word and expect people to just not notice.

[00:07:58] People are paying them on a monthly and ongoing basis.

[00:08:02] So things like that do need to be disclosed to the people who are paying for that service, but as photographers people are typically only paying us once, especially if we’re working in weddings or family sessions, where they might work with us every year, every two years. So, if we were to change our prices tomorrow, most people would have absolutely no idea. So it’s a totally different situation than what I was talking about with this HoneyBook price change.

[00:08:29] But nonetheless, the outcome is still the same and there’s just this blanket of negativity around the word HoneyBook right now.

[00:08:36] Well, first, I want to say that I get it. Price increases stuck. And this is a huge one.

[00:08:43] Just before I recorded this episode, I actually found out that Adobe is doing the exact same thing. But I’m going to save that for another day.

[00:08:50] Or we could be here ranting about all the things for so long.

[00:08:55] Some of the things that HoneyBook really did wrong, in my opinion, with this price increase announcement. It’s that first, it was in such close proximity to black Friday sales, where they were just announcing all of these discounts to bring in more people and then hit them with a price increase. I think we can all agree that that is bullshit.

[00:09:16] And the timing of that really should have been thought through better.

[00:09:20] I think we need to see corporations like this, having a little bit of integrity and announcing price changes before trying to hook people in with discounts.

[00:09:30] Another thing that they really dropped the ball on is that they are now increasing the rate that people are paying, even if they had been committed to lifetime rates previously with legacy plans. That is a big no-no to me. They absolutely should be eating that cost and moving forward with their other customers. Those people paid a certain price and were given a commitment by HoneyBook and for HoneyBook to go back on that commitment. Super not cool.

[00:09:58] I’m definitely not by any means saying that the whole thing was perfect.

[00:10:03] There were so many things that they did wrong. But I also do think that most people who are jumping on the I’m leaving HoneyBook train last week, we’re just doing it because it was trending. They were acting on their emotions and their feelings. Taking the excuse to hate on HoneyBook, especially if they weren’t actually HoneyBook users.

[00:10:22] And a lot of these people, I don’t think are actually going to be leaving the platform.

[00:10:28] Now I know my opinion on this amazing bias to, because I am a HoneyBook expert. They are a sponsor of this podcast. But I’m all about keeping it real with you. No matter what. And believe me when I tell you that I do still think that the platform is worth it. Even with this big price increase.

[00:10:46] That is if you’re actually using your account and you can financially afford it. I know that’s not going to be possible for everyone, but if it is it’s 1000% worth it to stick with HoneyBook. Personally, I don’t plan on making any changes to either my photography business or my systems business In terms of actually using the platform myself or promoting the platform.

[00:11:09] And every single one of my clients has said that they aren’t even considering moving platforms because their return on investment is so much higher than what this price increases for their accounts. If you’re not really utilizing every single aspect of your account, the truth is it might not be worth it for you. But before you jump ship, I really want you to take a look at what you’re using, what you’re not using and what your needs are and what your budget is, because ultimately you might find that moving to a lower price CRM with less features is actually going to hinder your ability to generate more sales and higher profits.

[00:11:46] And you also want to think about the time that it’s going to take to export all of your files And all of your information out of HoneyBook, migrated into a new platform, build all new workflows, set up all new templates, learn how to use it all. It will take so much time.

[00:12:03] So you’ve really got it. Look at the bigger picture and decide if this is the right decision for you.

[00:12:09] The truth is yes, I love HoneyBook. Their platform is the main focus of my systems business. But ultimately what I think you have to do is what is best for you. So, if that means leaving HoneyBook and making those changes and putting that work into a new CRM, then you’ve got to do that. But if you take a look at what you’re using, what you’re not using and configure it a way to get more out of your HoneyBook account.

[00:12:33] So you’re actually getting value in what you pay for. I think you’re going to be really happy with staying and you’re going to see in the bigger picture that it was the right choice. If you want to hear another take on this whole HoneyBook issue, I want you to head over to YouTube to check out Candice Coppola’s video, where she talks all about this.

[00:12:52] She got this posted quick time, like the same day or the following day after the price increase was announced, but she shares some amazing advice on what you can do to make sure that your voice is heard about how this price increase is going to impact your business and some more takes on what you should be considering to decide If HoneyBook is the right choice for your business. So I’m going to include a link to that in the show notes, because you definitely want to go and check that out.

[00:13:18] Sandra: Sorry to interrupt this episode, friend. I promise I will make this quick. You might have heard the news that HoneyBook’s prices are going up. Now, before you start side eyeing your subscription, let me say this. If you are not fully using all of HoneyBook’s features, you are probably leaving money and a lot of time and energy on the table.

[00:13:40] But that’s where I come in. I offer one to one HoneyBook strategy sessions designed to make sure you’re getting the absolute most out of your account. Whether you’re feeling lost in templates, struggling with your workflows, or just aren’t sure if HoneyBook is working as hard for you as it should be, I’ll meet you exactly where you are.

[00:13:59] Together, we will troubleshoot any hurdles that you have so that you can refine your processes and set up simple systems that will leave you feeling confident that HoneyBook is actually saving you time, keeping you organized, and helping you deliver a seamless client experience. If you’re ready to stop leaving features untapped and start maximizing the investment you’ve made, head to simplysandreevon.

[00:14:22] ca forward slash services to book your one to one HoneyBook strategy session today. Trust me when I tell you your future self and your HoneyBook account will thank you. And now let’s get back to the episode.

[00:14:34] Sandra: One thing about me is that I live for that new year. New me vibe on January 1st. People like me, it can be annoying as fuck, but honestly, every January 1st comes with this weight off my shoulders and I’m just excited for the new year ahead.

[00:14:53] Even though logically, I know that this is the same as any other day. I just live for January 1st. I can’t help it. But like I mentioned earlier in the episode, in order to go into the new year strong, I need to take a step back to think about everything that happened over the last year. I’m talking the good, the bad, the amazing, the awful it’s all got to come out so I can make sure that I’m repeating the amazing things. Fixing the awful things.

[00:15:19] And.

[00:15:20] going through everything in between with a fine tooth comb. So today I’m going to walk you through everything I recommended you do for your business in last week’s episode. Go check that out. If you haven’t already, I practice what I preach around here. And I am not about to tell anyone to do anything that I’m not actively doing myself. So let’s get into it.

[00:15:40] First let’s get the bullshit out of the way. Let’s talk about things that were big, old. Nope. In my photography business last year. First was re-introducing newborn photos into my services list.

[00:15:53] Absolutely no shade to any newborn photographers that might be listening, but this is just not my jam. I used to do a lot of newborn work back when I first started my business. But I just wasn’t doing it enough. As the years went on to feel like I could really get into my zone. And like I was giving my best work to my clients. And then eventually it just started taking a huge toll on my body Because of how physical it can be.

[00:16:18] And so I stopped doing it. But then I had a few clients reach out to me Because they were having babies and they wanted to have photos done and I had the availability, so I decided to take it on. And as great as those sessions were, it just reminded me that my heart isn’t in it. So a big note for me this year, was choosing to start doing newborn photos again.

[00:16:41] 2025 I will be referring all of those elsewhere.

[00:16:45] Another big. Nope. Was. I, this was a big mess up. You guys. I completely forgot that I had set up automations inside my flow desk account, which is what I use for email marketing. And these automations were set to send emails on a specific date. Letting people know that my mini sessions were open for booking.

[00:17:05] And I forgot that I had that specific date trigger in there. Typically I would do something like having a certain amount of time. But this one I set for a specific date. So let’s just say, for example, I’ll make something up and say that an email was scheduled to go out on June 14th to say that mini-sessions for fall were open for booking. But I didn’t actually open those sessions for booking on June 14th.

[00:17:33] And I didn’t realize that this automation was happening. Until I believe October. So I had from may until October emails going out, telling people that mini sessions were open for booking on the wrong dates.

[00:17:50] So I was definitely kicking myself when I realized that that was happening. And some real talk. I also didn’t hit any of my sales goals this year. And to be honest, I didn’t even bother setting any for Q4. Cause I was just over it. It wasn’t in the Headspace to set another sales goal that I didn’t think I was going to meet. So I gave myself the grace. We’re just putting that off and we’ll come back to those sales goals for 2025.

[00:18:17] Because it wasn’t hitting those sales goals.

[00:18:19] I did have to cut back on expenses. And one of those things was working with my business coach, which was such a hard transition. Even though it’s been months. And I’m still utilizing so many things that I learned during my time, working with Candice.

[00:18:38] It’s still such a huge shift to be a part of a community for so long. I was working with Candice and a part of her mastermind for about three years, and then I, all of a sudden didn’t have that anymore.

[00:18:51] So that was a shitty part of the year for sure. And then as we got into the fall, I definitely stretched myself way too far. And I got caught in that cycle of, I just need to get through the next couple of weeks and then I can relax. And the worst part about that cycle is that it takes a lot to get out of it.

[00:19:11] And so that was definitely not how I wanted to be heading into the fall.

[00:19:16] And then last but not least something that did not work for me was using a digital planner on my iPad.

[00:19:24] I thought it was going to be the answer to my planner problems, but it definitely wasn’t. And I’m going to talk a little bit more about that later in the episode. Now enough with all the bad things. Let’s start talking about some things that worked really, really well for me this year.

[00:19:38] First is utilizing honey books, lead forms for my mini sessions. With these lead forms, my clients were able to log in. Pick a session time. Input all of their information automatically get a contract to sign with that includes their remaining balance and get added into a fully automated workflow that would carry them through right until their gallery was delivered.

[00:20:01] I had so many compliments from clients about how seamless it was and how easy it was for them to use it. So that was a huge win.

[00:20:10] I also the summer updated my website to change the wedding service offering that I had listed. So I decided that I was no longer going to be taking on full day weddings because they just aren’t conducive to where I’m at in my life with my health and everything like that.

[00:20:27] But I really wasn’t ready to just give it all up. So I decided to transition into exclusively doing city hall weddings.

[00:20:35] And within two weeks of putting that information up on my website, I had it three new bookings.

[00:20:41] It’s so rare to see. That sort of return on your investment and time when you make a change like that, that quickly. So that was really exciting to see.

[00:20:52] I started doing some editing on my iPad.

[00:20:55] Which might seem totally insane to some people, but what happened was Lightroom updated and all of a sudden my computer was no longer meeting the requirements that Adobe and Lightroom needed to be able to run the program. And I really did not want to spend the money on upgrading these features. So I decided to start sending my photos over to, the cloud version of Lightroom and I’ve been editing on my iPad. And to be honest, I actually find it to be so much more efficient than when I was using my computer, which is totally weird. But I loved it.

[00:21:33] So I put that in things that worked really well this year.

[00:21:37] Then outside the office, I changed the way that I was eating on wedding days. And they’ve really started incorporating a lot more carbs into my diet and it actually had a huge impact on my recovery time.

[00:21:50] I should’ve looked this up before I started recording this episode. I want to say it’s episode. 59 or episode 60, but if you go back, you’ll find an episode there where I talk about how I walk through an actual wedding day and the impact that this car bloated diet had. On my energy throughout the day and my recovery time.

[00:22:11] So if you want to hear more about that, go and check out that episode. And then lastly, one more win that I wanted to put down was that I started my own appear mastermind with friends.

[00:22:21] We’ve had some change ups because of people’s schedules and what they’re able to commit to. But I have to give a huge shout out to Kara and staff because I talk to them constantly during the week. And they are such an invaluable support that really filled in that community that I had been missing since I stopped working with my business coach. And the bonus part was that they’ve both worked with Candice as well.

[00:22:46] So we’re all coming into this from the same place and are in Phases where we’re working on the next chapters of our businesses and careers. And it has been amazing 10 out of 10 recommend starting up here, mastermind with your friends.

[00:23:01] Okay. So with all of those. Bad things and good things and wins and everything all in mind. Now it’s time to start thinking about what goal is I want to be setting for 20, 25. What kinds of things I want to be chasing after and pursuing with not only my business, but in my personal life as well.

[00:23:22] So for sales, I have a $10,000 sales goal, and I know that this is going to seem really low, obviously. I am not paying all of my bells with $10,000, but this is just for my photography business. My systems business is taking up a lot more of my time these days.

[00:23:40] So I’m actually going to be running through all of this again, where I’m going to be brainstorming the good and the bad and setting goals and all the things. Totally separately for my assistance business. So for my photography business, my sales goal is $10,000 for 2025. And in order to hit that goal, I need to book roughly 15 portrait sessions with 10 of those portrait sessions, purchasing extra digital files or prints and things like that. And I need to book for city hall weddings.

[00:24:09] Those numbers seem pretty tangible when you set a number like $10,000, it’s important to really think about. What it is that you need to do in order to hit that number?

[00:24:19] So that’s what it’s going to look like for me.

[00:24:22] On the client experience side of things. I have a few goals first starting with reminding myself that it’s okay to not take photos of things that I don’t love doing. So saying goodbye to those newborn photos and sticking to family photos and city hall, weddings and engagements.

[00:24:40] I want to combine some emails that I have. And add additional emails. Uh, are going to deliver some more supportive and educational information, but also make sure that the number of emails that I’m sending isn’t increasing, because I don’t want to get spammy or anything like that.

[00:24:58] But overall, to be honest, I’m really happy with my client experience right now.

[00:25:02] So I’m not planning on making a whole lot of changes for 2025.

[00:25:07] And then lastly, some goals that I have for personal growth are to really lean into community in 2025. So I’m going to keep working with my peer mastermind. And I’m also getting more involved with the rising tide society. Again,

[00:25:21] I restarted my local chapter in the fall of 2023, early 2024. And going into 2025, we’re officially going to be starting in person meetups again. So I’m really excited to just lean on that community, both local and otherwise, because it really just makes such a difference. I’m also going to start celebrating my monthly wins again, which is something that I used to do all the time. I have a big wall calendar up in my office and every month I would put a sticky note up on the calendar. And put a win up there. But these days, I’m not actually spending a lot of time working in my office.

[00:25:58] So I stopped doing that. I’m looking at my calendar right now. And I actually only did it for January and no other months. So I’m going to change that in 2025.

[00:26:08] Now, of course, my cat, a little side note has come to say hello while I’m in the middle of recording this podcast, but I’ve got things to do so if you hear any weird little purring in the background, hopefully it’s not coming through, but if you do. That’s my cat, because she has to be attached to me all the time. Anyway enough about my cat. Let’s get back to it. Little side note. Um, so I’m going to start celebrating my monthly wins again. And I’m going to be leaning more into cycle sinking as well, which is something that is so important to me as someone with endometriosis.

[00:26:44] I’m going to be doing even more planning around that, especially with taking on less photography clients and smaller weddings is that I’m only going to be booking things for days when I’m know I’m going to be able to show up as my best. Obviously when I was taking on full day weddings and booking those a year in advance. Not only was that impossible, but if it turned out to be a day that I wasn’t feeling good, obviously I’ve still have to show up.

[00:27:08] So with smaller bookings with sessions and city hall, weddings, that book on a much shorter timeframe, it is a lot easier to be able to maintain my schedule that way.

[00:27:19] And then lastly, I want to go into the surgery that I’m having next year with a really positive mindset. I have no idea when the surgery is happening and it’s going to be a pretty big one. But I’m just trying to make peace with the unknown and know that this is the right decision for me. And if we’re treating my endometriosis and that all I can do is just sit and wait and see how it goes.

[00:27:46] So that’s it for the goals that I have put together.

[00:27:50] And now I want to talk a little bit about ways that I am going to be streamlining my communication and simplifying my workflow for 2025.

[00:27:59] I mentioned this a little bit before, but I’m planning on combining some of my emails and then adding in a few extras so that the same. Number of emails is being sent. I’m not getting spammy or anything like that, but I’m sending more information. So one thing I’m going to be doing is combining my welcome questionnaire And my blankets selection questionnaire into one. The welcome questionnaire. It gets everybody’s names, ages. Any accessibility requests they need and things like that. And then the blankets selection questionnaire, pretty obvious. I’ve taken pictures of all of the blankets that I have to offer that people can use for their session.

[00:28:36] And I send them those to be able to choose which one they want.

[00:28:40] So I’m going to put all of those into one. And then I’m going to add in an email that specifically at lines of what’s going to happen. If weather doesn’t cooperate.

[00:28:49] Even though I am still sending that information out in a different email. I am finding that I’m having to repeat that information a lot and that people are missing it. So I’ve decided that I’m going to make it its own standalone email to hopefully really drive that information home.

[00:29:06] For city hall weddings.

[00:29:07] I am going to be creating a new pre-wedding questionnaire that doesn’t include sections like wedding party photos, or reception photos, because those are things that are not typically needed when someone’s getting married at city hall. And I’m going to be rebuilding my workflows over the off season to start utilizing honey books, new conditional logic features. If you don’t have this yet know that it’s coming, it’s been a slow roll out to different groups of users. But know that when you get it, it is going to take a lot of work to get it up and running, and it is going to replace your existing workflows. So that’s important to keep in mind.

[00:29:44] There are definitely still some kinks that they need to work out, but it is totally worth it. And you’re absolutely going to love the freedom that it gives you and the different options that are available with this conditional logic.

[00:29:58] Sandra: You know that feeling when you’re overwhelmed with emails, contracts, payments, and client inquiries, wondering how you’re going to keep it all together? Girl, same. I mean, at least until I started using HoneyBook. HoneyBook is an all in one client management system that helps you stay organized and make your workflow feel manageable.

[00:30:19] Even on days when your energy is low. As a photographer balancing chronic illness, it has been an absolute game changer for me. Over the last six years, I’ve leaned on HoneyBook to grow my business without burning myself out in the process. From automating inquiries to sending contracts and tracking payments, HoneyBook makes it easy to deliver a polished professional experience without the chaos.

[00:30:43] Whether you’re balancing health challenges or just need more time to focus on the parts of your business that you love, HoneyBook helps simplify your day to day so that you can feel like you’re actually able to get ahead. If you’ve been looking for a way to get your business more organized and less overwhelming, head to share.

[00:30:59] honeybook. com Forward slash Sandra to get 30 percent off your first year. It’s one of the best investments I have ever made for my business. And I know that it can help you too. A special thank you to HoneyBook for being a sponsor of this episode. And now let’s get back to it.

[00:31:17] Sandra: Now, the workflow that I need to simplify is not actually one that lives inside HoneyBook or is CRM related at all. I don’t know if any of you can relate, but I convince myself every year that I need a new planner. And every single year that planner gets used for a few months. And then sits on my shelf, collecting dust.

[00:31:44] And every single time, a part of me feels so guilty for the wasted paper and the wasted money. So.

[00:31:51] for 2024, I bought myself a $3 digital planner off of Etsy to use on my iPad with free lifetime upgrades. So that at least I’m not killing any trees in the process. But guess what? Still didn’t finish out the year. Still only used it for a few months. So in 2025, I am keeping things simple And I am just going to keep using a sauna, which I always use anyway And realistically it does everything that I need from a digital planner. Using two separate things is just redundant and I don’t need to do it. Plus I had an Assano strategy session with my friend Serana from simply organized by Serana earlier this year. And she helped me get all my things set up in a way that just makes so much sense for my brain. I have a master list.

[00:32:39] And then I have individual lists that all lead into that. So. I have an at-a-glance view of everything that’s going on in my business. And I also can pop into those individual spaces. If there’s something specific that I need to work on.

[00:32:52] if you’re looking for a way to organize some of your projects and your social media and things like that outside of your client facing work, definitely check out a sauna. I just use the free version. I don’t pay for it. And it has everything that I need.

[00:33:06] Then lastly, before the year gets underway, I’m going to be looking at my calendar for the whole year and I’m going to be building in some flexibility. This is something that I always do and will always keep on doing, because I think it’s so important to plan things like time off at the beginning of the year. If a whole 12 months is too much for you to think about right now, try thinking about just 90 days, stick to one quarter at a time. But I want you to make it a priority to book some time off. In advance, especially during busy season. If you had any other type of job where you weren’t self-employed, you would be booking time off and taking advantage of things like vacation time. And so I want you to still have those luxuries as a small business owner and as a photographer, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t be able to do that as well.

[00:33:57] And then aside from time off, I also like to keep additional dates open around my mini session.

[00:34:02] So that way, if weather doesn’t cooperate, I can easily shift everybody over with little to no stress. I know that I have that time available. And I’m not having to just find pockets of space to fit everybody into.

[00:34:16] So those are some ways that I’ve really built in flexibility to my schedule.

[00:34:21] Overall reflecting on the year that just passed, setting those goals, updating your systems, building flexibility into your schedule. All these things can really make the biggest difference for every single photographer, myself included. So I don’t want you to sleep on doing this for yourself.

[00:34:39] Trust me, it is so important. It’s not actually something that I ever did in my own business until I started working with a business coach. And it’s one of the things that if I could go back and tell the past version of myself to start doing, I would so take that for what it’s worth. And start doing this this year.

[00:34:59] After you’ve mapped everything out. If you need some help getting your workflows up and running to support all of your goals, To support all of those goals that you set, then head over to my website, simply Sandra yvonne.ca. Forward slash services and get in touch about booking either a HoneyBook strategy session which is a one-to-one call where we will just talk about any issues you’re having with your HoneyBook account, or just take a look at the workflows that you’ve built.

[00:35:25] Essentially just getting another set of eyes on your HoneyBook account to make sure you’re utilizing every feature and getting the most out of what you’ve paid for. Or you’ll find information on my website as well for a done for you workflow build VIP day where I actually do the work for you.

[00:35:43] I build out a complete workflow, including all of the templates that you’ll need so that you can just log in And know that it’s up and running without having to do any of the legwork to make that happen. My books are open for 2025. Uh, so head over to my website, get in touch before all of those dates start to fill up. And remember that even the smallest changes can have a big impact on how you approach your business in 2025.

[00:36:07] That’s it for me, friends, I am off to wrap up the last few days of work and then I’m going to be putting my feet up to enjoy the holidays. Thank you so much for being here again for.

[00:36:20] the start of the season and for all the episodes last season that happened earlier this year. You guys are literally the reason why I keep putting out new episodes. And it was so thankful for you. If you want to come and hang out over the holidays, make sure you come to find me on threads on Instagram.

[00:36:38] Both of those are at simply Sandra Yvonne, and you can also come and hang out in my Facebook communities, the unfiltered community, or chronically ill disabled in neurodivergent photographers. I have links for all. Those will be in the show notes. Have a great end to your year, have the best time over the holidays.

[00:36:57] And I’ll be back in 2025.

[00:36:59] Sandra: You’ve been listening to Keeping It Candid, and I cannot tell you how thankful I am that you’re here. Running a photography business doesn’t have to mean endless hustle and burnout, and I hope today’s episode brought you one step closer to that work life balance that you deserve. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe and leave a review.

[00:37:19] It helps other photographers like you find the show and keeps me inspired to keep bringing you more tips every single week. If you’re looking for tools, resources, or ways to work together, head to SimplySandraYvonne.ca to get started. Until next time, keep it simple and don’t forget to take care of you along the way.

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small amount of money if you make a purchase from any of our affiliates. This is done at no cost to you!

We’ve officially made it to the end of another year (congratulations on surviving another season!), and now’s the perfect time to give your wedding business the fresh start it deserves in 2025. Whether you’re juggling wedding clients, family sessions, or balancing it all with a chronic illness, the secret to less stress and more success is simple: better workflows.

Let’s dive into how you can audit, simplify, and glow-up your wedding business backend—without losing it in the process.

Listen on Apple | Listen on Spotify

Keep scrolling for show notes, and a full transcript!

Reflect on 2024 (Yes, Even the Messy Parts)

Before we get carried away planning for next year, let’s take a hot second to think about this year. What went well in your wedding business? What didn’t? And be honest – did you hit that point where deadlines started slipping and emails piled up faster than holiday chocolates in December?

Reflection isn’t just about dragging yourself for what went wrong (I’m not here for that kind of vibe). It’s about figuring out what you can tweak, automate, or scratch entirely so you’re not stuck in the same cycle next year.

Set Your Goals and Make Them Exciting

Sure, we all want to make more money next year. But what about personal goals? Like actually taking a day off or cutting down those 2 a.m. editing marathons? And don’t forget client experience goals, because let’s face it – when your clients are happy, they’re way more likely to refer you to everyone they know (hello, dream bookings!).

For 2025, think about goals that hit three areas:

1. Financial: More profit, less stress.
2. Personal: More time for you.
3. Client Experience: Smoother, faster, and downright impressive.

Let’s Talk Communication (Spoiler Alert: It’s Probably Too Complicated)

Raise your hand if you’ve rewritten the same email 18 times this year because people kept asking the same questions over and over? Yeah, I’ve been there too.

The fix? Templates, my friend. Create email responses for your wedding business for all those questions you keep getting asked: “How long until I get my photos?” or “Can I see your pricing guide?” Then, use a CRM like HoneyBook to automate those emails. It’ll make your life 10x easier and your clients will love how “on it” you are.

Automate the Boring Stuff

Look, no one starts a wedding business because they love sending payment reminders, follow-ups, and endless hours at their computer. So why are you still doing it manually?

With a CRM like HoneyBook, you can automate all those repetitive tasks that make you want to scream into your camera bag. Payment reminders? Done. Contracts? Sent. Follow-up emails? Automated.

You’re already running a full-time business. Don’t make it harder than it needs to be!

Build in Some Flexibility (Because Life Happens)

Life is unpredictable. Maybe you’ve got a chronic illness like me, or maybe it’s just one of those weeks where the universe decides to test the very limits of your patience. Either way, giving yourself some buffer time is a game-changer.

Here’s the trick: promise longer turnaround times in your wedding business than you actually need. Say six to eight weeks for photo delivery instead of four to six. If you’re feeling great and deliver early, you look like a star. If life throws you a curveball, you’ve got some wiggle room—and no angry emails asking where the gallery is.

Keep It Simple

When you’re building out workflows, focus on efficiency. Ask yourself: does this step actually need to be here? If the answer’s “meh,” it’s probably safe to cut.

For example, I used to have “upload photos” as a step in my workflow. But let’s be real – I’m a photographer. Uploading photos is like breathing. It’s gonna happen whether or not I check a box for it. Cutting unnecessary steps like that saves time and keeps your workflow clean and easy to follow.

The Secret Sauce: Systems That Work

Every super-successful wedding business owner you admire has one thing in common: they’ve built systems that work for them. Those systems don’t just save time; they create a consistent client experience that keeps people raving about their services.

If you’re not sure where to start, my Done-for-You HoneyBook Workflow Service is here to help. I’ll create custom workflows tailored to your business so you can stop drowning in admin work and focus on what you do best—capturing beautiful moments.

Time to Glow Up Your Wedding Business

So here’s the plan:

1. Reflect on what worked and what didn’t in 2024.
2. Set some spicy goals for 2025 (think profit, personal time, and client experience).
3. Simplify your communication, automate the boring stuff, and give yourself some flexibility.
4. Celebrate those wins—big or small—because you deserve it.

And if you need a little help along the way, check out my template shop or head over to SimplySandraYvonne.ca to book a workflow session.

Here’s to making 2025 your most stress-free, successful year yet!

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Show Notes

Mentioned on today’s episode of Keeping It Candid:

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Episode Sponsor: HoneyBook
Get 30% off your first year!

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TRANSCRIPT

Episode 064

[00:00:00] Sandra: All of my chronic illness, friends listening, know this all too well, but unfortunately there is no one that is exempt from life’s unexpected surprises every now and then. I wish that we could figure out a way, but it’s just a part of living, right. And so one example of a way that you can make your business more flexible is to guarantee longer turnaround times than you actually need for things like responding to emails and delivering your photos. If you don’t need that extra time amazing. You’ve just under promise and over deliver to your clients and you’ve left them feeling great about the experience, giving them a little bit of a wow along the way.

[00:00:38] But if you do need that extra time, you don’t have to worry about disappointing your clients or missing deadlines.

[00:00:45] Sandra: Welcome to Keeping It Candid. I’m Sandra Henderson, photographer, system strategist, and here to help you level up your photography business with real strategies that work. If you’re tired of beginner advice and quick fixes that don’t actually solve anything, this is the podcast for you. Each week, we dive into simple, sustainable systems for client workflows, automation, and communication strategies that are designed to keep your business thriving without the burnout.

[00:01:15] Because your business should support you and not the other way around. Whether you’re balancing a chronic illness or just done with the endless hustle, Keeping it Candid is here to help you reclaim your time, work smarter, and focus on what truly matters.

[00:01:31] Sandra: It’s Wednesday, which means we are back for another episode of keeping it candid. I hope you guys are all having a great week.

[00:01:38] And wherever you are located, I hope that it is a little bit warmer and less snowy. Then it has been around here. I really shouldn’t be complaining because over the last couple of days it has warmed up and all the snow has melted. But there’s more on its way. And if there’s one thing about me, it’s that I am always going to complain about winter because I hate the cold. I swear.

[00:02:02] I was meant to be in a tropical climate and I don’t know how I ended up here in Canada.

[00:02:07] But it is one of my life goals to finally get somewhere that’s more south of where I don’t have to deal with all of this bullshit for months and months out of the year.

[00:02:17] But aside from all the misery that I think winter is, I do have one thing to celebrate and that’s that I had my very last session of 2024 last night. And it could not have ended my year better.

[00:02:31] One of my assistants, Emily, she has been doing weddings with me since 2017. It was her best friend’s birthday and it was a surprise. So I was there to take photos and it was a craft night with all of their friends that also included a drag show. It was too much fun.

[00:02:50] And I genuinely think that every single photographer needs to end their season with a drag show because it was just such a fun, carefree way to end a really awesome year behind the camera.

[00:03:03] And since I was so excited last week’s episode about Southern charm coming back, I feel like I do have to address. That I watched it and it was everything I wanted it to be. If you also watch Southern charm, I need you to pop over into my DMS. So that we can talk about the fact that there are some men out there who will just do literally anything other than go to therapy.

[00:03:25] And I burst out laughing, listening to Shep, talk about his Iowasca retreat, no shame or judgment to anyone who has done Iowasca. I have heard that it’s an absolutely incredible experience, but there are some people who still need therapy and Shep is totally one of those people. So if you know what. The hell I’m talking about, please come over to my DMS is so we can talk and laugh about this. And I also want to hear what your thoughts are on some of the new cast members.

[00:03:57] But enough about that.

[00:03:58] Let’s get to this. Week’s all the rage segment before we get into all the goodness that is your 2025 wedding business glow up.

[00:04:08] For this week’s all the rage. I want to talk about something that I haven’t necessarily been hearing a lot of photographers complaining about or raving about, but it’s something that I see a lot of photographers doing this time of year. And that is announcing that pricing is going to be changing in the new year and urging people to book.

[00:04:29] Personally, I think that this is not something that you should be doing.

[00:04:34] And there are a couple of reasons why I feel this way. First, I want you to think about big name, coffee shops. For those of us that are in Canada, Tim Horton’s of course is the first one that always comes to mind for all of my us listeners. We could be talking about Starbucks, which we also have here, but also Duncan. Any time any of these companies raise their prices, even if it’s only by about 10 cents, it is a ripple effect of negativity and people get so mad about it.

[00:05:08] Even earlier this year, Starbucks announced that they were changing their point structure and people were furious.

[00:05:15] No, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t change your prices because it absolutely has to happen as you grow and as your business needs change. And as the economy changes. But making that announcement just sends this like blanket F negativity around. And even if that’s not what our intentions are, it just has that effect.

[00:05:37] And then the second reason why I don’t think that you shouldn’t announce your pricing changes is because that sense of urgency is actually attracting people who are going to be booking with you for your price first. And things like the quality of work and the relationship that you’re going to build with them and the client experience that they’re going to receive. All of that comes afterwards. And personally, I have had the best experiences with my clients when those priorities have been in reverse. Where there really excited to work with me? They love my work.

[00:06:10] They know that they’re going to get a great client experience from our time together. And it’s just an extra bonus. If they happen to get a little bit of a discount.

[00:06:18] It really can change the entire foundation of the relationship that you’re building with people when it becomes about price.

[00:06:27] So, should you be raising your prices? Absolutely. If that’s what suits your business needs then yes, I absolutely encourage it, but you don’t have to actually announce it. You can just raise your prices without any sort of explanation needed.

[00:06:42] Chances are most people are, aren’t going to notice. And if someone inquired previously, it’s up to you. If you want to honor the pricing that they were originally sent, or if you want to tell them that your pricing has changed.

[00:06:55] But ultimately as the owner of your photography business, you have the ability and the permission to do what you want. When you want, as it suits your business needs, there’s no rule that says you can only up your prices at the beginning of the year. There’s no rule that says you can only up your prices once a year. There are so many different ways that you can approach pricing so that it suits you, your business needs your financial goals. And the financial demographic of the people that you’re trying to reach.

[00:07:25] I’m interrupting this episode to talk about workflows, but just kind of funny because there is a high likelihood that this episode is also in fact about workflows. But I digress. We’re close are supposed to make your life easier. And yet, somehow they always feel like too much work to figure out.

[00:07:44] And that’s where I come in. I offer a done for you. HoneyBook workflow service, where I build custom workflows tailored specifically to your photography business. Whether you’re juggling wedding clients, family sessions, or both. I create workflows that actually work for you. If you need email templates, questionnaires, or a booking process that feels seamless. I have got you covered. The best part is that you don’t have to lift a finger. I handle the setup, create all the templates you need and make sure that your workflow is designed to save you time and reduce stress so you can focus on what you love most creating magic behind your camera. If you’re ready to streamline your client experience and take the guesswork out of your workflow. Had to simply Sandra yvonne.ca forward slash services for more information and let’s get your business running smoother than ever.

[00:08:41] Sandra: Okay. With all that raging out of the way, I always get a resounding groan when I say these next words, but I want to know how is everybody feeling about 20, 25. I know you are probably thinking. Bitch. I have barely oppressed then on my last gallery, which is totally fair. And I’m not saying that you need to start getting to work on it next year, right away. But at the very least you do need to mentally start preparing for 2025 because now is not the time to ease up. Engagement season is here and there are literally thousands of people that are about to get sparkly rings on their fingers over the next couple months.

[00:09:21] You need to be prepared for when those people start landing in your inbox. So let’s start thinking about that fresh start that is coming your way on January 1st, and how maximizing your workflows is going to set the tone for an easier and more successful year ahead.

[00:09:37] No before we get too far ahead of ourselves. The first thing that is so important to do is to take some time to reflect on the last year. Think about things that worked really well and things that didn’t work. Think about whether or not there were any bottlenecks that caused problems for you and your clients or your clients.

[00:09:58] Was there a specific point in the year where you started struggling to keep up with your workload and started missing deadlines?

[00:10:05] What points of the experience did your clients have questions or get confused by the process? Were there any potholes that you experienced in your current workflows where things just weren’t working as smoothly as you needed them to.

[00:10:18] And think if there are any tasks that can be eliminated or completely delegated for next year.

[00:10:25] With all of that in mind, think about what an ideal workflow is going to look like for you in 2025, that is going to help you sustain the good and fix all of the bad that you encountered this year.

[00:10:38] What types of goals do you want to achieve? Think about sales goals and financial goals, but don’t forget to set some personal goals for yourself too, because there is a whole life for you to live outside of this amazing career that you’re building yourself. No matter how much you love it. And then I also want you to think about some goals that you want to achieve in terms of your client experience. This can be things like a faster response times, exceeding deadlines and even better client communication.

[00:11:08] Then I want you to think about what your business is going to look like once you hit those goals. How are you going to celebrate?

[00:11:15] Because celebrating your wins bigger, small is so important to making all of that hard work feel worth it.

[00:11:22] And then of course, you want to think about what you actually need to do to achieve those goals. I think about something that’s called your zone of genius. Your zone of genius is a thing that you are really good at that will help you push the needle forward and grow in your business. So, of course we’re all photographers here being behind our camera is an area that is our zone of genius. That is something that only we can do to the ability that we want it done and that our clients are expecting it to be done, but there are countless other things in our business. *Ahem*, bookkeeping I’m looking at you! That doesn’t necessarily have to be done by us. Areas that are not your zone of genius can become time sucks.

[00:12:08] They take too long, they take too much energy. You constantly put them off because you don’t want to do them. And you’re not great at them. And it’s just not worth the stress of trying to figure it out. So those are the types of things that we want to eliminate or delegate because they have to get done, but they don’t necessarily need to be done by us.

[00:12:28] So think about what kinds of things like that can happen to help you achieve these goals that you’re setting for yourself.

[00:12:35] For the things that are outside of your zone of genius, that maybe you can’t necessarily delegate, whether it be for financial reasons or because it’s just not something that can really be outsourced. You want to find ways to get those things done more efficiently. So they are at least taking less time away from those zone of genius tasks. Things like creating email templates, that’ll answer commonly asked questions as a way to do just that. So think about what are some questions that you are getting asked by clients or leads all the time? Is there a way that you can deliver the answers to those questions before they’re even asked. I have an FAQ section inside my pricing guide as well as sections on my website.

[00:13:22] So people hopefully can find the information that they’re looking for without actually having to email me for it. But if they do have to email me whether the information isn’t there or they just didn’t take the time to look for it. I have email templates set up so that I can easily just send those answers with just a few clicks instead of having to write all of that information out every single time.

[00:13:44] And don’t forget to also create templates that are going to help enforce your boundaries around things like office hours and turnaround times for when photos are going to be delivered. If you get on board with a CRM system, like HoneyBook, it is going to help you get all of this automated. So you are taking even more work off your plate.

[00:14:02] You

[00:14:03] Sandra: know that feeling when you’re overwhelmed with emails, contracts, payments, and client inquiries, wondering how you’re going to keep it all together? Girl -same. I mean, at least until I started using HoneyBook. HoneyBook is an all-in-one client management system that helps you stay organized and make your work flow feel manageable even on days when your energy is low. As a photographer balancing chronic illness, it has been an absolute game changer for me. Over the last six years, I’ve leaned on HoneyBook to grow my business without burning myself out in the process. From automating inquiries to sending contracts and tracking payments.

[00:14:41] HoneyBook makes it easy to deliver a polished professional experience without the chaos. Whether you’re balancing health challenges, or just need more time to focus on the parts of your business that you love, HoneyBook helps simplify your day to day so that you can feel like you’re actually able to get ahead.

[00:14:58] If you’ve been looking for a way to get your business more organized and less overwhelming head to share.honeybook.com/sandra to get 30% off your first year. It’s one of the best investments I’ve ever made for my business. And I know that it can help you too. A special, thank you to HoneyBook for being a sponsor of this episode. And now let’s get back to it.

[00:15:25] If there’s one thing that every single big name, super successful photographer has in common. It’s that before they were able to build up their teams and start delegating all the things that needed to be done, they had systems in place. So they were able to deliver a consistent client experience every single time. The teams came in when those systems started working so well that they were no longer able to maintain them because they were booking so many clients.

[00:15:55] You want to build your team because your business is outgrowing what one person is capable of? Not because it’s falling apart with you trying to wear all the hats and do all the things manually.

[00:16:07] So, if you were hating the side of business where you have to send follow-ups and invoices. Contracts reminders, questionnaires, and all the things hiring a virtual assistant isn’t necessarily going to help you. If you don’t have the systems in place to support them in that role. You’re going to save yourself a ton of time and money.

[00:16:27] Getting your automations set up during off season. So you can figure out if outsourcing and delegating is even something that you need right now.

[00:16:36] So think about what are some areas of your business that you could automate in 2025? Start small and make sure that you have time to actually familiar yourself with it all from both sides, yours and the client side, because it is so important to always know what your clients are experiencing,

[00:16:55] you want to know how the pricing guide you’re sending looks from there and, and how your CRM performs from their end.

[00:17:02] Because that way, you’re always going to have answers to their questions. If they run into any hurdles along the way.

[00:17:07] And even better is you’re going to be able to see where some of those hurdles might be. Before your clients have a chance to experience them themselves.

[00:17:15] And then once you have all of those roadblocks fixed and you found it ways that you can automate and streamline your processes, we’re going to take it one step further and think about some ways that you can now simplify this workflow.

[00:17:28] I want you to break things down into manageable steps and remove things that don’t really need to be there. For example, when I built out my first CRM workflows, one thing that I had in there was upload photos that I had as a step after every session.

[00:17:44] And after every wedding. And let’s be real. There is not a single photographer out there. Or maybe I shouldn’t say there’s not because let’s be real. Things happen, but for the most part coming home and uploading our photos is a habit it’s like breathing. We want to make sure that we’re getting those photos backed up so that we don’t have any sort of issues with things getting lost.

[00:18:06] A lot of times, we’re super excited to look at those wow photos that we took and get some sneak peaks edited.

[00:18:12] So realistically having upload your photos in a CRM workflow really doesn’t need to be there.

[00:18:20] It only takes a split second to check that off as done, but those split seconds add up when you have so many weddings and sessions throughout a year.

[00:18:28] If you’re building out an SOP, which is standard operating procedures, something that anybody could refer to at any point to step into your shoes to do some of these tasks, you absolutely want to have upload your photos written in there, but in your client facing workflows inside a CRM, it’s really redundant.

[00:18:48] And just taking up time.

[00:18:49] So removing things like that is a simple way to make things more simple.

[00:18:54] The main focus of your workflows should always be efficiency, getting things done in just a few clicks rather than a few minutes to do that, you want to make sure that your files are easy to find in places like your CRM system. And you also want to keep things organized. One way that I’d like to do that is to actually combine HoneyBook with Asana, which is the project management system that I use. I keep all of my non-client workflows for projects and marketing and social media over in a sauna and have task lists and automated reminders and things like that over there.

[00:19:31] And then for all of my client workflows, with things like invoices and payment reminders and support emails and things like that, all of that lives inside HoneyBook. And so I’m able to keep them all organized for their different purposes.

[00:19:45] The most important thing to remember as you’re thinking about 20, 25 and your processes and workflows that are going to support you through it is to leave room for the unexpected.

[00:19:55] All of my chronic illness, friends listening, know this all too well, but unfortunately there is no one that is exempt from life’s unexpected surprises every now and then. I wish that we could figure out a way, but it’s just a part of living, right. And so one example of a way that you can make your business more flexible is to guarantee longer turnaround times than you actually need for things like responding to emails and delivering your photos. If you don’t need that extra time amazing. You’ve just under promise and over deliver to your clients and you’ve left them feeling great about the experience, giving them a little bit of a wow along the way.

[00:20:34] But if you do need that extra time, you don’t have to worry about disappointing your clients or missing deadlines.

[00:20:41] For years in my wedding business, I had promised my wedding photos to be delivered within four to six weeks. And around that six week mark people would really be hounding me asking me when they could expect their photos. And it just added more stress to my plate in the process. So eventually I decided to switch that deadline to six to eight weeks.

[00:21:01] That way I had that little bit of wiggle room and I actually very rarely took that full eight weeks to deliver those photos.

[00:21:09] But it gave me just that little bit of breathing room that I needed so that I didn’t have to worry if my health decided to unexpectedly forced me to take a couple of days off or anything like that. And I didn’t have to worry about those constant emails of people checking in on where their photos were.

[00:21:24] Doing things like this helps you still deliver that consistent, amazing experience without all of that stress of maintaining it all. When you have more important things on your plate.

[00:21:34] That is why I always encourage photographers to do the same with their turnaround times. Even if it’s something as simple as how long it’s going to take you to reply to an email.

[00:21:44] Because that extra buffer time is what’s going to help you still deliver that consistent, amazing experience, taking some of the stress out of it. When you have more important things on your plate.

[00:21:54] Okay. I know this has been a lot, so let’s quickly recap how you are going to get a fresh start in the backend of your business for 2025.

[00:22:02] First you are going to audit your current workflow and think back on 2024, to see what worked and what didn’t work in your business. You’re going to set clear goals for improvement, streamline your communication and automate those repetitive tasks and keep things simple and build in flexibility so that no matter what life has in store for you, you can always stay on top of things.

[00:22:25] Taking time to do this now, or at least in the very near future is going to help you reduce your stress levels all year long next year, and create a stronger foundation for your business.

[00:22:37] As always, if you need support to get you started, you can head over to my shop, at simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop to get templates and workflows and all the things that are going to help you get everything up and running.

[00:22:51] And don’t forget that even a small changes can have a huge impact on how you approach your business in the future. So take some time this off season to make that happen.

[00:23:01] All right friends. Normally I record these episodes during the day, but the sun is completely down and I can hear the strain in my voice. We’re getting a little raspy around here. So I am going to wrap up this episode at thank you so much for being here as always. We’ve got one more before the holiday is coming up at next Wednesday.

[00:23:23] So I will see you then.

[00:23:25] Sandra: You’ve been listening to Keeping It Candid, and I cannot tell you how thankful I am that you’re here. Running a photography business doesn’t have to mean endless hustle and burnout, and I hope today’s episode brought you one step closer to that work life balance that you deserve. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe and leave a review.

[00:23:44] It helps other photographers like you find the show and keeps me inspired to keep bringing you more tips every single week. If you’re looking for tools, resources, or ways to work together, head to SimplySandraYvonne. ca to get started. Until next time, keep it simple and don’t forget to take care of you along the way..

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small amount of money if you make a purchase from any of our affiliates. This is done at no cost to you!

Your photography client experience is the foundation of your business. It’s not just about delivering stunning images; it’s about how you make your clients feel every step of the way. From that first inquiry to signing the contract, every interaction matters. A simple and intentional photography client experience not only ensures happy clients but also saves you time and energy, especially when you use tools like HoneyBook to streamline it all.

Here’s how to create a smooth, professional photography client experience that wows your clients – and helps you book more weddings with confidence.

Listen on Apple | Listen on Spotify

Keep scrolling for show notes, and a full transcript!

First Impressions Matter

The inquiry stage sets the tone for the entire photography client experience, and quick responses are so important. Studies show that more than 80% of clients book the first business that responds to their inquiry. But as a busy photographer, staying on top of emails isn’t always realistic – especially if you’re in the middle of wedding season or dealing with low-energy days.

This is where a client relationship management (CRM) system like HoneyBook becomes invaluable. By setting up an automated email response, you can make sure potential clients receive a personalized message as soon as they hit “submit” on your contact form. And when you use features like HoneyBook’s smart fields, you can include details like their name, wedding date, and venue, making it feel like a one-on-one interaction while saving yourself hours of work in the process.

This is a simple but seriously impactful step that not only makes you look professional but also builds trust, which is so important for turning inquiries into bookings.

Speak Their Language (Not Photography Jargon)

Your couples aren’t photographers – they don’t know or care about the difference between “bokeh” and “depth of field.” It might feel natural to highlight the technical details of your work, but these kinds of terms can leave clients feeling confused and disconnected. Instead, focus on what matters to them: your ability to capture meaningful moments on their wedding day and deliver images they’ll be obsessed with for a lifetime.

Clear, concise communication is key. Avoid overly long emails that overwhelm your clients or responses so short they feel impersonal. Your goal is to find a happy medium that gives them all the necessary information in a way that’s easy to understand. Using customizable templates in HoneyBook can help you send emails that are on-brand and client-focused without having to start from scratch every time.

Guide Clients Through Every Step

When it comes to the booking process, never assume your clients know what to do next. Even the most detail-oriented couples can feel overwhelmed by the logistics of wedding planning. It’s your job to guide them with clear instructions and next steps at every stage of the process.

For example, when you send over your pricing guide, include a section at the end about what they should do next – whether it’s scheduling a consultation or filling out a questionnaire. Then, once they’ve decided to book, outline the steps for signing the contract and submitting their retainer.

This level of hand-holding not only helps clients feel supported but also builds their confidence in your ability to manage their big day with ease.

Simplify the Booking Experience For Your Photography Clients

The easier you make it for clients to book, the more likely they are to move forward without hesitation. Offering simple, straightforward payment options is a big part of this. Nobody wants to feel like they’re jumping through hoops just to give you their money!

Using HoneyBook, you can set up automated payment reminders to ensure clients never miss a due date. For an even more seamless experience, you can use their auto-pay feature, so payments are processed automatically on their scheduled dates.

After the booking process is complete, sending a personalized thank-you email is the best way to celebrate the milestone. Congratulate your new clients on taking a such a huge step in their wedding planning journey and reassure them that they’ve made the right choice by hiring you!

Why a Great Photography Client Experience Benefits You, Too

A streamlined photography client experience isn’t just about making your clients happy – it’s about protecting your own energy and boundaries. When your process is clear and professional, you avoid unnecessary stress and awkward situations (like chasing down payments or clarifying confusing emails).

Happy clients are also more likely to refer you to their friends and leave 5-star reviews, which means less time marketing yourself and more time doing what you love: capturing those unforgettable moments.

Take Time to Reflect and Improve

As the year winds down, take some time to audit your current process. Are there any steps in your workflow that feel like roadblocks?? Do you have the right tools in place to automate repetitive tasks? Even small tweaks can make a huge difference. Remember, a polished photography client experience isn’t something that just happens. It’s the result of intentional planning and thoughtful adjustments over time.

Ready to Simplify Your Workflow?

If you’re ready to elevate your photography client experience and streamline your workflow, HoneyBook is a game-changer. From automating inquiries to sending contracts and tracking payments, it’s designed to make your life easier while delivering a polished, professional experience for your clients.

Need help getting started? Check out my template shop for ready-to-use tools, including email swipe files and smart file templates. These resources are fully customizable and designed to save you time while keeping your business running like a dream.

With the right systems in place, you can create a stress-free client experience that supports your clients—and your own well-being. Let’s make 2025 your smoothest year yet!

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Show Notes

Mentioned on today’s episode of Keeping It Candid:

Check out the Shop!

Episode Sponsor: HoneyBook
Get 30% off your first year!

Destination wedding payment chaos – Making it Easy for Your Wedding Photography Clients: 5 Essential Steps for a Seamless Experience

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What do your taco choices reveal about your wedding photography business? Take my quiz to find out!

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Other Episodes & Blogs You’ll Love

Utilizing Systems To Deliver An Amazing Client Experience with The Finer Points

Stop Making Your Photography Clients Jump Through Hoops

Up-Level Your Client Experience With This One Simple Question

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TRANSCRIPT

Episode 063

[00:00:00] Sandra: I see this a lot, especially on social media, where photographers feel the need to talk about the equipment that they’re using, the lens they used, using terms like depth of field and Bokeh and things like that. All great words, but they don’t mean anything to your clients.

[00:00:19] They don’t understand what the hell Bokeh is. They don’t know what depth of field means. And if they’re asking you about your camera equipment, chances are they printed their list of questions off of The Knot.

[00:00:29] Welcome to Keeping It Candid. I’m Sandra Henderson, photographer, system strategist, and here to help you level up your photography business with real strategies that work. If you’re tired of beginner advice and quick fixes that don’t actually solve anything, this is the podcast for you. Each week, we dive into simple, sustainable systems for client workflows, automation, and communication strategies that are designed to keep your business thriving without the burnout.

[00:00:59] Because your business should support you and not the other way around. Whether you’re balancing a chronic illness or just done with the endless hustle, Keeping it Candid is here to help you reclaim your time, work smarter, and focus on what truly matters.

[00:01:15] Happy Wednesday, everybody. Welcome back to Keeping It Candid, and my condolences to all of my fellow Bravo fans, because it has been a sad week. It was announced that the cast of Vanderpump Rules is being entirely replaced for the next season, which honestly, I personally am not entirely surprised about because if you watch the show, you know, that everybody like legitimately hated each other at the end of last season.

[00:01:42] And I genuinely don’t think I had it in me to watch another 13 or however many episodes of these people fighting about the exact same thing over and over and over again. So I’m a little skeptical about a new cast, but I am at least relieved that we are going to get a little bit of a change up.

[00:02:01] And I’m a huge fan of Real Housewives of New York as well, and they got a whole new cast and it’s an unpopular opinion, but I actually love the new cast. So we’ll see how this all plays out.

[00:02:14] But thankfully we have Southern Charm coming back to give us all the dramatic fix that we need in the meantime, which is probably my favourite show or one of my favorite shows on Bravo. And you can definitely catch me putting that on as background noise on Friday while I’m getting some more work done before the weekend.

[00:02:32] I have to have some sort of background noise on, and it really varies if I’m going to be watching TV or listening to a podcast, listening to music depends on what kind of mood I’m in and what kinds of things that I’m working on. If you are a background noise person, too, I would love to hear what it is that you’ve got playing. Come over to Instagram. Send me a DM @simplysandrayvonne and let’s chat about what it is that you’ve got filling up the space while you are trying to get through that editing. And speaking of that editing that most of you I know are probably still in need deep in the midst of ,trying to get it all done before the holidays. And trying to get rest and all the things that I talked about on last week’s episode.

[00:03:16] But that doesn’t change the fact that engagement season is almost here and we’ve really got to start thinking about 2025 now, if we haven’t already.

[00:03:27] So today we are going to be talking all about creating a successful client experience from inquiry to booking. But first, before I get to that, We have this week’s All The Rage segment. I feel like I need to have some sort of like sound or little bit of music or something right here like you would hear on the radio, but this week I want to talk about whether or not you should post your editing cue to your Instagram stories.

[00:03:54] If you ask other photographers, they’re going to tell you no, don’t do it. But chances are, if you poll your audience, which is the people that are actually interested in seeing your content and people who are actually potentially going to hire you, the people that you are wanting to speak directly to. If you ask them, chances are you’re going to get an entirely different answer.

[00:04:19] Speaking from my own results and a few other of my colleagues who I know have done the same thing. Our results overwhelmingly, voted in favor of that editing queue being posted.

[00:04:31] I see a lot of other photographers that are talking about not posting this editing queue. They have this idea that it’s meant to be a “look at me; look how busy I am” type- vibe, and I genuinely hate that that’s the assumption that people are making.

[00:04:48] Personally. I just think it’s another level of transparency between us and our clients. It lets them know where they are in the process and gives them just another reminder of how long it’s going to be until they get their photos.

[00:05:02] Especially as photographers where we are giving such a personalized experience. I do still think it’s important for our clients to realize that our entire world doesn’t revolve around them. We have other clients. We have other photos that we have to get to, and that helps paint that picture as well. So, if you don’t want to post your editing cue in your stories, then don’t. Nobody is forcing you to. But if somebody else is, it’s legit not impacting you in any way, shape or form. So let’s just zip it and carry on with our day.

[00:05:33] Sandra: You know that feeling when you’re overwhelmed with emails, contracts, payments, and client inquiries, wondering how you’re going to keep it all together? Girl, same. I mean, at least until I started using HoneyBook. HoneyBook is an all in one client management system that helps you stay organized and make your workflow feel manageable.

[00:05:55] Even on days when your energy is low. As a photographer balancing chronic illness, it has been an absolute game changer for me. Over the last six years, I’ve leaned on HoneyBook to grow my business without burning myself out in the process. From automating inquiries to sending contracts and tracking payments, HoneyBook makes it easy to deliver a polished professional experience without the chaos.

[00:06:19] Whether you’re balancing health challenges or just need more time to focus on the parts of your business that you love, HoneyBook helps simplify your day to day so that you can feel like you’re actually able to get ahead. If you’ve been looking for a way to get your business more organized and less overwhelming, head to share.

[00:06:35] honeybook. com Forward slash Sandra to get 30 percent off your first year. It’s one of the best investments I have ever made for my business. And I know that it can help you too. A special thank you to HoneyBook for being a sponsor of this episode. And now let’s get back to it.

[00:06:57] In the first years of my business, I had a client who wanted to book their wedding with me. And after I sent their proposal, they completely ghosted. I sent a few follow up emails and I never got a response. So eventually I sent one last email with a final deadline saying if I didn’t hear back and didn’t receive payment by X date, then I would be canceling their booking altogether.

[00:07:20] I did eventually hear back. I can’t remember at this point, if it was before or after that deadline that I set, but they said that they were actually on vacation for the last couple of weeks and that one of their family members was supposed to pay their invoice while they were away, so they had no idea that any of this had been transpiring.

[00:07:38] In hindsight, I should have picked up on several red flags, but I wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt. And honestly, I even started feeling a little bit bad for pestering them about getting paid. And I say that I should’ve picked up on those red flags because to date, this actually ended up being one of the most difficult weddings of my career.

[00:08:00] It was a really, really hard lesson to learn, but it completely changed how I approached the inquiry to booking process. These days, I really focus on making sure that clients know exactly what to expect, how to move forward and when things need to happen. So we are going to talk all about how you can build an experience that feels smooth stress-free and sets the tone to leave your clients saying, wow.

[00:08:26] A great client experience doesn’t just impact the client. It impacts you too, because when your process is smooth and professional clients trust you more, which means they’re more likely to book without hesitation or confusion, or most importantly, any red flags. And that confidence starts to trickle down to their referrals too, because happy clients love to recommend someone who made their experience easy and enjoyable.

[00:08:53] And let’s not forget the peace of mind that comes with knowing that you’re not in for any surprises from your clients down the road, which always takes all of the fun out of this business.

[00:09:03] So let’s start at the beginning with the inquiry process. It’s important to respond quickly and professionally, but that doesn’t mean that you physically have to be the one responding personally.

[00:09:14] How do you do both? Well, if you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, it is going to be no surprise to you when I say: auto responders. At minimum, you need to set up an autoresponder that says something along the lines of, I received your email and here’s when you’ll hear back from me. You never want to leave people wondering what to expect, because confusion and unanswered questions is what takes away from that trust that you are working so hard to build.

[00:09:42] At this point heading into 2025, you can’t afford to not be using auto responders. We live in a time when instant access is everything and more than 80% of clients are hiring the business that responds to their inquiry first. So it’s so important to be that first one landing in their inbox. And when you use features like HoneyBook smart fields and smart files, you can sent a personalized, automated email response to them that includes their name, their wedding date, and any other personal information that you want to include, while also sending along things like a pricing guide so you can start giving them that information that they’re looking for.

[00:10:21] And then as the inquiry process continues, we want to talk more about streamlining communication. When you’re emailing, you want to make sure that it’s clear and concise. Skip any and all professional jargon. And I know

[00:10:36] I see this a lot, especially on social media, where photographers feel the need to talk about the equipment that they’re using, the lens they used, using terms like depth of field and Bokeh and things like that. All great words, but they don’t mean anything to your clients.

[00:10:55] They don’t understand what the hell Bokeh is. They don’t know what depth of field means. And if they’re asking you about your camera equipment, chances are they printed their list of questions off of The Knot.

[00:11:06] Because I know that that question is on there. I’ve been asked it a million times myself. And when you give the answer about what kind of camera equipment you’re going to use, your potential clients are going to look at you with blank stares.

[00:11:19] Because again, they have no fucking idea what you’re talking about. One camera to the next, it doesn’t mean anything to them, but somewhere an expert told them that they need to be asking this question.

[00:11:30] So here’s your permission to skip the jargon, stop using technical terms and start relating to the person who is actually hiring you.

[00:11:39] You also want to make sure that your email lengths are a happy medium. You don’t want anything that’s unnecessarily long winded, but you also don’t want anything that’s too short either.

[00:11:50] I had someone email me twice this summer, where all they responded with was a thumbs up emoji. And while I appreciate the heads up that they got the email, it was such a waste of my time. And I was so frustrated. Like I genuinely would have just preferred not hearing anything at all than to have to waste my time opening up my inbox, just to see an email that included a thumbs up. That’s just me. Maybe you guys feel differently, but I just felt like it was a waste of my time. So find a happy medium between a really long unnecessary email and something that’s as short as an emoji.

[00:12:29] And when you use a CRM system to do this, it gives you a place to create templates for all of these emails that you can modify it any time to make sure that they are always on point. And if you aren’t sure what to say, head over to Chat GPT and use that as a starting point. It’s so important to make sure that you modify it so that it actually sounds like you and matches your brand voice, but it is such an incredible starting place. I use chat GPT for literally everything.

[00:12:58] You can also pop over into my shop, where I have all the email templates and smart file templates that you could need already done for you. There’s an email bundle specifically that I think is going to be a super helpful and fits perfectly in with what we’re talking about. This inquiry email bundle includes auto responders, three follow-up emails, and an email about why someone decided to book elsewhere.

[00:13:23] These templates are fully customizable, but they’re also ready to use if you love the way they sound and they fit for your business. Just copy and paste, set up a few automations and you are good to go.

[00:13:36] Streamlining your communication isn’t just important for wowing our clients and standing out against the competition. It’s also the first step in setting boundaries around your office hours, and it’s one of the simplest automated systems that you can set up for your business.

[00:13:51] Photographers, let’s be honest. No one has time to be creating templates from scratch all the time, especially when you’re juggling inquiries, bookings, and everything in between. That’s why I created my template shop, your one stop spot for everything you need to streamline your business. Inside the shop, you will find HoneyBook smart files, email swipe file templates, and workflow outlines designed to make your life so much easier. And the best part is that they are all fully customizable. So you can tweak them to fit your business perfectly, whether you’re trying to automate your inquiry process, polish up your client communication, or finally get your CRM running like a dream. I have got you covered. Stop wasting your time, DIYing everything and start using templates that are ready to work as hard as you do.

[00:14:40] These tools are built to simplify your life, boost your efficiency, and make your business look so polished, all while being totally customizable to fit your style. If you’re ready to spend less time on admin and more time behind the camera, head over to simplysandreevon. ca forward slash shop and check them out.

[00:15:01] Trust me, your future self will thank you.

[00:15:04] Now onto the third thing that you want to do to create a successful client experience from inquiry to booking, is guiding your clients through the process. You never, ever, ever want to assume that people will know what to do and never assume that it’s going to be easy for them. You really want to spell it out for people like they’re five.

[00:15:27] And I mean that with the most love and in the politest way. You really want to hold their hand and guide them through the process because it builds trust. It helps these potential clients know that they’re going to be able to rely on you and you are going to keep all of your bases covered throughout the time that you’re working together.

[00:15:46] So some ways that you can do this is to include things like next steps at the end of all, major emails, for things like your pricing guide, your booking, confirmation planning, a timeline, anything like that, any of those major touch points at the end, just let them know what those next steps are going to be and it will go such a long way.

[00:16:06] And then lastly, I want to talk about the actual booking experience. A seamless booking experience is so important because when you make it difficult, you are literally taking money out of your own pocket. I talked about this on an episode last season, I’ll have to go back and figure out which episode it was and I’ll drop it in the show notes. But I was doing a destination wedding at a resort last year, and this resort could not have made it more difficult for me to spend my money.

[00:16:36] I took $20 us to the pharmacy and was told that it was too large of a bill and they couldn’t accept it. Then I tried to use my credit card to book a private lounge for my way home, because I was just exhausted and wanted to relax. And they told me that it was just my specific type of credit card that was wrong, that they could take any other type of credit card, except for mine. Then I went to go and buy a bottle of water at one point and was told that now they could only accept Canadian funds because it was only Canadians on the resort. And it was just like, it was one thing after another. And I was so frustrated and honestly just did not feel valued as a customer.

[00:17:20] So I share that story because it really makes you see how offering multiple and a simple payment options can go such a long way.

[00:17:30] They literally lost over $150 for me because they kept denying my methods of payment.

[00:17:38] You can also automate things like payment reminders to take all of the awkwardness out of chasing people down for missed payments, which I absolutely love. And HoneyBook even has a feature that you can set it up so people have to auto pay. Meaning that on any payment due date that you set their credit card will automatically be charged so you don’t have to worry about them remembering. They don’t have to worry about remembering and everything is going to get taken care of automatically.

[00:18:06] I also love to send out custom thank you emails after payments are made, especially after that initial retainer, because it’s a great time to congratulate them on taking this huge step in wedding planning. If you’ve ever planned a wedding before, you know, that hiring a photographer is one of the big decisions that you have to make right in the very beginning. So you want to congratulate them on that, hype them up and make sure that they never have even a second of buyer’s remorse wondering if they made the right choice in hiring you.

[00:18:36] So before we wrap things up, let’s do a quick little recap.

[00:18:39] First. You want to make sure that you are giving an amazing first impression with a quick personalized response. You’re going to streamline and clarify the emails that you’re sending.

[00:18:49] You’re going to use tools that keep templates and communication simple for you and your clients and you are going to get to know those tools so well, they are going to be like your new best friend. And then you’re going to give your booking experience a little extra sparkle with things like automated payment reminders and thank you emails.

[00:19:09] A great client experience isn’t something that just happens when you really get along with someone. It happens when you intentionally plan out every step to support your clients within your own boundaries. Supported clients are happy clients, and happy clients mean reviews, referrals, return clients, and even more bookings.

[00:19:29] So I want you to take some time over the holidays, maybe during that window between Christmas and New Years where no one really knows how to exist- and I want you to do a self audit of your process that takes a lead from inquiry to booking. See if there are any hurdles or roadblocks that you need to fix and brainstorm some ways that you can make this process even better.

[00:19:51] Even the smallest tweeks can make a huge difference, so I don’t want you to overthink this and if you need any help, getting started, make sure that you head over to my website. Visit my template shop simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop.

[00:20:05] Or come over to the unfiltered community on Facebook. You’ll find a link to that in the show notes. You can come and ask for advice and ideas on how to make this inquiry process even more amazing for your potential clients and myself and some other amazing photographers are there to support you and help you out along the way.

[00:20:24] Now, if anybody needs me, you will find me on my couch working through the last of my editing for the year today, catching up on the last couple of episodes of last season of Southern charm. I am a re watcher. I can’t help it. I have no room in my brain to retain what happens in between seasons. So I have to go and rewatch to get caught up or it’s like, I have absolutely no idea what’s happening.

[00:20:48] So that’s where you’ll find me this Wednesday. As always, if you love this episode, I would love it if you would share it with some friends who would love it too. And it just said the word love a lot there, but share this episode with somebody who you think is going to get some takeaways from it too. Screenshot the episode and share it on social media, on your Instagram stories, and come and talk about your favorite takeaway on Threads.

[00:21:11] I would love to hear what you got from this episode and how you’re going to use it in your business. So until next time friends have a great rest of your week.

[00:21:21] You’ve been listening to Keeping It Candid, and I cannot tell you how thankful I am that you’re here. Running a photography business doesn’t have to mean endless hustle and burnout, and I hope today’s episode brought you one step closer to that work life balance that you deserve. If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe and leave a review.

[00:21:40] It helps other photographers like you find the show and keeps me inspired to keep bringing you more tips every single week. If you’re looking for tools, resources, or ways to work together, head to SimplySandraYvonne.ca to get started. Until next time, keep it simple and don’t forget to take care of you along the way.

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small amount of money if you make a purchase from any of our affiliates. This is done at no cost to you!

Let’s talk about what so many of us are dealing with this time of year: photography burnout. If you’re a wedding photographer, chances are you’ve hit that point where your editing queue feels never-ending, and every client is sending a “when will my photos be ready” email. These fall and winter seasons, with back-to-back editing and holiday deadlines, feel like a marathon you didn’t sign up for.

Photography burnout happens, but it doesn’t have to define you or your business. Let’s talk about five practical strategies to help you push through—and maybe even add a little joy back into your business in the process.

Listen on Apple | Listen on Spotify

Keep scrolling for show notes, and a full transcript!

Break Down Your Editing Goals

Looking at an entire season’s worth of sessions and weddings can feel like staring into an endless black hole. The secret? Take it one small step at a time.

Start by focusing on what you can realistically finish today. Instead of thinking, “I have 800 photos to edit from this wedding,” break it down into sections. For example, aim to finish the getting-ready and ceremony sections by lunch, family formals, wedding party, and newlywed portraits by dinner, and candid reception shots in the evening if you’re pulling an all-day-er.

This approach makes everything feel way more manageable, and crossing smaller tasks off your list throughout the day is so much more motivating.

Reward Yourself Like the Boss You Are

Let’s be real: the promise of a reward makes everything better. It doesn’t matter who you are! So, when you’re stuck at your computer for hours on end, plan little pick-me-ups to look forward to.

Maybe you edit the first half of the day’s photos and then treat yourself to your favourite latte. Or schedule a walk, watch your favourite show, or have a guilt-free scrolling session on Threads after wrapping up the next big chunk.

The key? Your reward should take you away from your computer. Even a quick five-minute break can help reset your focus and keep you from totally losing it when Lightroom decides to crash mid-export (because of course it will).

Rethink Your Workflow

Have you ever tried editing the day backward? Some photographers swear by this trick. Starting with the less exciting reception candids and saving those dreamy portrait shots for last. The theory is that it keeps you motivated because you’re working your way toward the more “fun” edits.

Does it work for everyone? Nope. (Hi, neurodivergent brain over here!) Personally, I’ve tried it, and all it did was stress me out when I didn’t see the portraits I knew I’d taken. For whatever reason, after several attempts I just couldn’t actively remember that the day was in reverse and that I just hadn’t gotten to those photos yet. But, if your brain loves a good shake-up, it might be worth a try.

The takeaway here is to try to experiment with your editing process. Whether you work chronologically, backward, or in random bursts, find what keeps you moving without adding extra stress.

Over-Communicate with Clients

If your inbox is full of clients asking, “When will we get our photos?” it’s time to take a hard look at your client communication. Spoiler: this is usually a “you” problem, not a “them” problem.

Your clients aren’t trying to be annoying—they just don’t know what’s going on. So, let’s make sure they do! Drop turnaround times everywhere: in contracts, confirmation emails, session follow-ups, and even sneak peek galleries (if you send them). The goal is to over-communicate so they don’t feel the need to ask.

Bonus? The less time you spend replying to emails, the more time you can actually spend editing.

Photography Burnout Happens. Give Yourself Some Grace

This might be tough season, but it’s just that—a season. Photography burnout doesn’t mean you’re a bad photographer or a bad business owner. It means you’re human.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, remind yourself that this busy stretch doesn’t define your whole year. You’re allowed to take breaks, even when deadlines are lurking. You’re allowed to say no to last-minute requests. And most importantly, you’re allowed to ask for help if you need it.

Preparing for Next Year

Once the chaos dies down, take some time to revisit your systems. What worked? What didn’t? Where can you make things smoother for next year? Tools like workflow templates or a solid CRM system (hello, HoneyBook!) can make a world of difference.

If you’re ready to streamline your processes and start next season strong, check out my shop for tools like email swipe files, workflow outlines, and smart file templates. These are designed specifically for photographers who want to simplify their systems and save time without sacrificing client experience.

Let’s Chat About Photography Burnout

Burnout is tough, but you don’t have to go through it alone. I’d love to hear how you’re navigating the busy season and what’s helping you push through. Come find me on Threads or Instagram (@simplysandrayvonne), and let’s swap stories (and maybe vent a little, too!).

You’ve got this, friend! And remember: this is just one season in your amazing photography journey.

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Show Notes

Mentioned on today’s episode:

Check out the Shop!
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Episode Sponsor: HoneyBook
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What do your taco choices reveal about your wedding photography business? Take my quiz to find out!

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TRANSCRIPT

Episode 062

[00:00:00] Sandra: Welcome back to Keeping it Candid friends! It is the first episode of season three, and I am so excited to be back. If you are new around here. My name is Sandra Henderson. I am a photographer, system strategist and your host here on Keeping it Candid.

[00:00:15] I decided to take the fall off before bringing the podcast back for another season, because let’s be real. The fall is chaos. If you’re a photographer anywhere in the Northern hemisphere, especially my friends here in Canada, you know how crazy things can get once the leaves start changing colors. And you’ve got all of that editing from the summer still waiting to get finished, and it just is madness.

[00:00:37] So I decided I was going to push pause on the podcast so I could dedicate my time and energy to that. And also because I really have just been feeling like I needed a fresh new energy this season.

[00:00:51] One thing I really thought a lot about is how for a podcast that’s supposed to be unfiltered, which this podcast is- even though I just call it, keeping it candid. It is Keeping it Candid- Wedding, Photography Unfiltered, and truly, I feel like I have been filtering myself the last couple of seasons.

I really try to not ruffle feathers because I never want to make anyone feel bad and let’s be real. There is plenty of negativity in this industry without having anyone else add to that. But at the same time, I think that things can still be talked about in a more constructive way. And so I hope to be doing just that this season. My favorite episodes of real Housewives are always the uncensored reunion episodes. Hearing everybody actually swear. And not having it all beeped out gives me life and I am a pretty unfiltered person outside of business.

[00:01:46] So for this season, I’m really going to be trying to make these episodes more raw, real, and unfiltered.

[00:01:55] You’re still going to get all the tips and tricks that you have come to know and love from podcast. But I’ve got a few other things in store that I hope are just going to breathe a little bit of new life into things around here. Now since the last episode I am so, so excited to say that my shop has finally launched. This was a labor of love that I started back at the beginning of 2024, and I had to keep pushing the launch date back for so many reasons. But I finally got it finished and I am so, so happy with it.

I’ve gotten some amazing feedback from people who have already purchased some of the templates and I can’t wait to share some more with you. So if you haven’t checked it out the shop yet, you can find that at simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop and inside you’re going to find everything you need to help you get your inquiry, workflow and processes up and running in a more simple and streamlined way in time for engagement season, which is already just around the corner.

[00:02:58] You’ll find HoneyBook smart files, email swipe file templates, workflow outlines -so much to help you get your CRM, especially if you’re a HoneyBook user up and running.

[00:03:09] After the shop launch, I did a quick little rebrand, which I didn’t launch officially in any capacity, but kind of mentioned it and teased it a little bit here and there on my social media accounts, but that’s all wrapped up on my website. Everything is finished and it’s so much fun.

[00:03:26] I switched from. A more soft pink branding to a really fun, bright yellow, and teal and blue branding, which I think of really suits my personality more, suits the brand that I wanted to have more. So yeah, it feels really good and I’m really happy with it.

[00:03:45] So that’s what I’ve been up to for the last couple of months.

[00:03:49] And I want to hear all about what you have been up to, whether it’s small wins or huge wins. Come over and hang out on threads or on Instagram, you can find me on both @simplysandrayvonne. And I want to hear all about what you have been up to you. This podcast is not just all about me after all.

[00:04:07] Okay. Now I promise that you are still going to get all the same tips and tricks that you have come to know and love on the podcast. But before I get to that, I want to introduce a brand new segment that I’m going to be doing on every episode called All The Rage. I chose this name for this segment because I feel like it has a couple of different meanings and I’m trying to embrace the fact that I’m 37 years old.

[00:04:33] I am an elder millennial. This for whatever reason 37 was the year that I really started to feel my age. Um, I had a lot of moments where -my stepson is almost 18. And so it’s just really making me see that, like, I’m coming into the later years of my life. I’m not as young as I used to be. And so again, I’m just trying to embrace that.

[00:04:56] So with all the rage, the word rage, we can use that in two different ways, right?

[00:05:00] There’s the obvious one where things that people are raging about, they’re angry. They’re upset about. We see a lot of that on social media and especially in the photography industry.

[00:05:12] But for all of my millennial friends and any gen X friends that may be listening. You guys might remember that all the rage back in our day, which I hate being able to say that, but back in our day something that was all the rage was actually a good thing. It was things that people love, they were really excited about and had a total opposite meaning to what we read about these days.

[00:05:36] So on this segment, I’m going to be talking about things that are sort of hot topics in the industry right now. I don’t want to call them hot topics or hot takes because I personally am just over everybody sharing their hot takes. But what I’m doing is actually paying attention to real conversations that are happening on social media outside of those hot takes, on places like Threads and Reddit. There are so many conversations happening amongst photographers about the industry. About things that they’re dealing with about things they’re super excited about and worried about. So I’ve been paying a lot of close attention to those conversations. I spend a lot of time in these spaces because text is my jam.

[00:06:16] I get a lot of sensory overload with watching videos all the time. So you can always find me in these places that are a little less overwhelming. And that’s where I’m getting the ideas for the topics to talk about.

[00:06:29] So this week on all the rage, I want to talk about clients who are constantly pestering you for photos.

[00:06:35] And I know this time of year, this is something that almost every single one of you listening can relate to where you are knee deep in editing. You’ve been at your computer for hours. You take a quick little break to check your email and grab some water. And there is an email from someone whose photos were just taken a week and a half ago. Wondering when their photos are going to be ready. It is beyond frustrating, right? But here’s the thing.

[00:07:02] With the odd exception, because let’s be real. Some people be crazy. With the odd exception this is actually a you problem and not a them problem.

[00:07:12] And what I mean by that is that you are not communicating your turnaround times clearly enough for your clients to remember them and stop asking you this question.

[00:07:23] You know, that really popular saying, or people are like, “explain it to me like I’m five”? We kind of need to approach running a business like our clients are five years old. And I say that in the most respectful way possible.

[00:07:36] But we have to approach it that way because people are not thoroughly reading their contracts. They’re not remembering an email that was sent six months ago with information in it. You need to be actively repeating this information and making sure that it’s easily accessible for your clients to find so that they can get the answers to their questions without having to come to your inbox.

[00:07:58] In my own photography business I mention the turnaround times in my contract, the confirmation email that I send out after they’ve booked. I send the turnaround times in a thank you email after their sessions over. I used to send sneak peaks; I don’t anymore, but when I did send sneak peaks, there was a reminder of the turnaround times then as well.

[00:08:19] So that’s five different points that I’ve reminded my clients when their photos are going to be ready for them.

[00:08:27] Is it repetitive? Yes. But I want to drive that message home as many times as I need to, to make sure that they are not going to be emailing me because every single time I have to reply to one of those emails is time that I’m not actually editing the photos that they’re asking about, right?

[00:08:45] So, if you are getting pestered by all kinds of emails like this, I want you to take a look at your processes and figure out where you might be dropping the ball and getting this information to them and how you can fix that going forward so that you can take a little bit of that stress off your plate leading up to the holidays.

[00:09:03] So that wraps up the All The Rage segment for this week friends. These are going to be short and sweet and I think super fun.

[00:09:12] And it actually leads in perfectly to what I know you are all here for -the actual content of the day, where we’re talking all about how to push through year-end burnout when you’re overwhelmed with editing. For most of us have right now, we are at a culmination point where we’ve had a calendar full of fall sessions. And now we are working through editing from a long wedding season on top of all of those photos from the fall. And everybody of course is wanting their photos before the holidays.

[00:09:44] If you’ve been listening to the podcast for awhile, you know that normally I am all about avoiding burnout and making sure that you are always taking time to rest. That you’re always taking time to rest and always prioritizing your boundaries, but let’s be real. Shit happens and sometimes you just have to push through.

[00:10:02] Now don’t get me wrong when you’re overwhelmed and missing deadlines, rest is still important. But so is getting shit done, right? So let’s talk about some tips that you can use to make that happen and get you back to a place where you feel like you can breathe again around all of this work you have on your plate.

[00:10:18] First, I want you to set some realistic daily editing goals. It doesn’t matter if you have 30 sessions and weddings in your queue right now. We’re not going to be able to focus on them all at one time, we need to break it down into what is most important and what you’re realistically able to get done today.

[00:10:36] It’s safe to say that nobody is getting three full day weddings edited in one day. If you can do that props to you, that is a skill that I do not have, but I don’t think many people can say the same. So even if you have three weddings that are past due and three clients that are really looking for their photos, you can’t get them all done at once.

[00:10:57] So think about what you can get done today, focus on that one wedding or that part of one wedding that you know you’re going to be able to get done by the time you close your laptop or shut down your computer tonight.

[00:11:08] And then when it comes to editing those photos that you’ve set aside just for today, I want you to think about breaking down the wedding day into smaller sections. So instead of thinking that you have 800 photos that you have to get done, think about setting yourself some goals throughout the day. In the next hour, I want to be done the first section of getting ready photos. Before lunch, I want to have wrapped up all of the newlywed portraits. And that way you can pace yourself throughout the day with again, not having that daunting number of 800 photos that you have to edit, but instead, only looking at it as a hundred photos that you have to edit over the next hour or whatever the case may be.

[00:11:47] Another thing that you can try is editing the day backwards. The theory behind this is that all of the candids that you take during reception are often the most boring photos of the day. Depending on how you feel about candids, of course. But we pour so much of ourselves and our creativity into the portraits and the details and things like that, that most people are not super excited when it comes to editing those reception photos. Personally, I love them. I could go on a whole side tangent about why I love candids and how much I love speeches because people are wildcards and you never know what’s going to come out of their mouth, but I’ll save that for another day.

[00:12:25] And so when you’re doing that, the idea behind it is that you are keeping yourself more interested and more excited because all the photos that you’re really looking forward to edit are going to be saved to the end, instead of having them all done at the beginning and then feeling like it’s painstaking to get through the rest.

[00:12:43] But I will say I’ve tried this method before and it does not work for me.

[00:12:49] The reason is that I’m neurodivergent and my brain, for whatever reason, just cannot keep the information that we’re looking at this backwards in a place where it’s useful.

[00:13:04] I’ll be going through the photos and I’ll be editing a certain point of the day. And I will have a full-blown anxiety attack thinking about I’ve lost photos because I’m now editing, let’s say speeches, but I haven’t seen any of the portraits yet.

[00:13:19] And then I panic and I have to stop what I’m doing. And I have to go back into Lightroom and go back into my files, see that the photos are actually there. Remind myself that I just haven’t gotten to them yet because I’m editing the day backwards and then get back to what I’m doing.

[00:13:34] So you can see how this really does not help with my productivity even a little bit.

[00:13:40] After having this happen a few times, I just decided to scrap it and realize that this method of editing was not for me. But if your brain works differently than mine, you can give it a try and see if that helps you get through your editing a little bit faster.

[00:13:55] Lastly, I mentioned breaking things down and giving yourself small rewards already, but let’s talk a little bit more about what that looks like. For me, I am very food motivated, so I like to schedule my breaks around my meals. I will set a goal for myself that I need to get through all the getting ready photos, the first look, and the ceremony in time for me to go eat lunch. And then I’ll set aside some more time in the afternoon where I set a goal that I’m going to get through the family portraits, newlywed portraits, and the wedding party photos. And then realistically by dinnertime, all that I have left is the reception.

[00:14:32] Your rewards for getting these different sections done can look a million different ways. But like I said, I’m very food motivated. So I like to use meals, but it could also be exercise.

[00:14:44] It could be going out and grabbing a coffee. It could be putting your favorite show on TV. It could be anything that you want to do that’s going to take you away from your computer. That’s the most important thing. You want it to take you away from your computer.

[00:14:58] Because everybody needs breaks.

[00:15:00] And especially if you are toe-ing the line of burnout or already there, you really want to make sure that you are still finding some sort of balance while you are pushing through and trying to get this editing done.

[00:15:14] So here’s your permission to go take a walk, give yourself a treat, watch an episode of a show. whatever that is going to look like for you. Because you still deserve to have a life outside of pulling these long hours to get these photos done.

[00:15:32] And I want you to remember that this period of burnout does not define your entire year. And it does not define who you are as a business owner. That’s something that I really struggled to grasp in the times that I was burnt out and working long, long, long hours to try and get all of the editing done. I’m pretty sure I’ve talked about it on the podcast before. I actually, one year on New Year’s Eve, had one of my brides sitting in my living room while her husband and kids were in the car, waiting for her photos to transfer onto a USB.

[00:16:06] So trust me when I tell you I’ve been there. I totally get the sacrifices that you need to make in order to get through this.

[00:16:14] And I remember all too well, the thoughts that were running through my mind and the feelings that I was having while all of this was happening. I felt like such a fraud. Like I was running my business into the ground, I was letting everybody down, and like I wasn’t cut out for this. I could go on. It was not a great time for me mentally.

[00:16:34] But I did eventually remind myself that bad times, don’t define us as people. They don’t define us as business owners. It’s how we recover from those bad times that is really going to make the biggest difference. Because the reality is that shit happens. And even the best possible systems and best big plans sometimes are going to get thrown off course by life. Life be lifeing and it doesn’t really care what else you have going on as a business owner or as a person.

[00:17:06] So I want you to give yourself some grace. Get through the work that you have on your plate. And then later we are going to talk a little bit more about what you can do so that this doesn’t happen again next year.

[00:17:18] And that wraps up the first episode of season three. Thank you so much again for being here, friends.

[00:17:24] I’m so excited for this season to kick off. And if you are just as excited as I am, I would love to hear from you come and send me a DM over at @simplysandrayvonne or @keepingitcandidpodcast on Instagram. And if you’re a Threads user, I would love if you would go and post on Threads, tell me what your favorite takeaway from this episode was, and make sure you tag me so I can come and cheer you on give you a follow and we can start to be online friends. Anyways, I have a great rest of your Wednesday and I will be back next week.

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small amount of money if you make a purchase from any of our affiliates. This is done at no cost to you!

Systems aren’t just about making things easier for you behind the scenes. When you utilize them to their fullest, they’ll help you deliver an amazing client experience in your photography business, too! Diana Wei Fang from The Finer Points joins me for an interview on Keeping It Candid today and shares some real life examples of businesses that are doing just that, and how you can implement the same strategies, too.

Keep scrolling for links to the episode, show notes, and a full transcript.

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Show Notes

Diana Wei Fang – The Finer Points: https://thefinerpoints.co/

Free Systems Assessment Resource: https://thefinerpoints.hbportal.co/public/65284177ee5344002416eb2f/1-Welcome

Template Shop: https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop

Episode Sponsor: PicTime
Get a free month (in addition to your free month trial at sign up!): https://lifeisbeautifullondon.pic-time.com/referral

Takeaways

• Systems are essential for scaling and moving a business forward.
• Choose a platform that aligns with your business needs and prioritize the client experience.
• Don’t let the search for the perfect platform paralyze you—pick one and get started.
• Center your systems around the client’s needs and create a seamless experience.
• Embrace change and expect to evolve and grow your systems over time.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflections
02:34 Overview of the Podcast and Guest Introduction
04:00 The Importance of Systems in Business
09:30 Choosing the Right Platform for Streamlining Workflows
19:19 Centering Systems Around the Client Experience
26:55 Don’t Let Perfection Paralyze You: Just Get Started
29:14 Embracing Change and Evolving Your Systems
30:55 Closing Remarks and Call for Listener Input

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About Diana

Diana is the Owner and Founder of The Finer Points. She is a Systems Architect who believes that there is room for all of us in the world and that none of us are meant to pursue our dreams alone. Whatever you think of when you hear the word “systems”, Diana will change the minds and hearts with her story and expertise. Through a structured system, she helps creatives and small business owners like you, tell your story and reach your people—in less time. You are Meant To Thrive. It’s not just a platitude, it’s the truth.

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What do your taco choices reveal about your wedding photography business? Take my quiz to find out!

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TRANSCRIPT

00:00 Introduction and Personal Reflections

[00:00:00] Sandra: This episode is airing on August 21st, and for me, this is already the start of winter. I know that technically winter doesn’t actually start for many more months, and where I am in Canada, it’s still sunny, still positive temperatures.

[00:00:19] The leaves haven’t even started changing it for fall, but I am a summer girl through and through. I love the heat and Every year prior to this my husband’s birthday, which is August 10th After that the nights start getting colder you start having to have a sweater on at night You start having to wear pants at night.

[00:00:39] You can only wear shorts and t shirt during the day and That just is not cool for me. I need to be in shorts and a tank top 365 days a year. I know I’m in the wrong country for that to happen, but a girl can dream. And so, with it already being August 21st, that means it’s officially winter for me.

[00:01:00] I’m sorry if you disagree, but it just is what it is. And so I’m just over here trying to mentally prepare myself for the cold and the end of my favorite time of year.

[00:01:10] But to cheer me up, I am talking with Diana Wei Fang today, all about systems.

[00:01:16] Diana is the owner and founder of The Finer Points. She’s a systems architect who believes that there is room for all of us in the world and that none of us are meant to pursue our dreams alone. Whatever you think of when you hear the word systems, Diana will change your mind and your heart with her story and her expertise. Through a structured system, she helps creatives and small business owners just like you tell your story and reach your people in less time.

[00:01:42] She and I share the same passion when it comes to simplifying and streamlining the way that you run your business. And she’s actually one of the first people that I ever had the chance to connect with from the HoneyBookPro team that offered me some invaluable advice about the way that I was approaching my workflows.

[00:01:58] Before my call with Diana, my wedding workflow was, I think somewhere around 30 to 40 steps, which had come down from the 72 that I had with my very, very first wedding workflow. So we’d simplified a bit from there, but there was definitely still some room for improvement. And once Diana had a look at everything that I was doing and gave me some tips on how to simplify it.

[00:02:24] It was like a light bulb went off and I have been living with my 12 step wedding workflow ever since that I just love so, so much.

02:34 Overview of the Podcast and Guest Introduction

[00:02:34] So having a firsthand experience of working with Diana, I knew that I had to have her on the podcast and we talked all about different CRM systems, the pros and cons of having everything all in one versus on different platforms. And of course, some tips for creating successful systems in your business.

[00:02:53] 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, eneagrine three wing two who’s obsessed.

[00:03:12] I’m obsessed with tacos and my love for traveling 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.

[00:03:33] Absolutely no fluff here, friends. So go grab your favorite notebook and pen and let’s dive into this week’s episode.

[00:03:38] Diana, thank you so much for being here. I’m so excited to get to connect with you and talk about all CRM platforms and everything like that, which I know that you are an expert in.

[00:03:49] But before we get to all that, I would love to just give you a chance to introduce yourself and let everybody know a little bit about what you’re all about.

[00:03:56] Diana: Well, thanks. Thanks so much for having me. I’m super excited to be here. I am a systems architect, which is just a really fancy way of saying I really love systems.

04:00 The Importance of Systems in Business

[00:04:07] I believe that systems are all around us. And I think that in order to have a successful business, you need a system. It’s the way to scale, the way to move your business forward. It’s the way to prevent. yourself from becoming another statistic of those scary numbers that we get whenever we start a business.

[00:04:26] Did you know that 50 percent of small businesses fail in their first year? Thank you. Negative Nancy. that I think systems are helpful in all of those things. And so I’m really, really passionate. I’m determined in my lifetime just to see that number. actual, Total 50 percent is actually only for Your first year, the total fail annual number is 90%.

[00:04:51] Sandra: Wow. That’s huge.

[00:04:53] Diana: I am determined to see that number go down in my lifetime. It’s been like that holding steady for a long time. That’s why I do what I do.

[00:05:04] Sandra: I love that. Well, that is such a good motivator and I am totally with you and wanting to see that number go down. So hopefully this podcast will just be one of many ways that we can do that.

[00:05:15] So speaking of systems and all the things, what are some of your favorite platforms to use?

[00:05:21] Diana: In terms of like a physical system for a small business owner, I love HoneyBook personally.

[00:05:27] That’s what I recommend for a lot of my clients. For someone who is like a small team or, probably corporate, I would say Salesforce is really good, but it’s a beast. So I would say HoneyBook. Not everyone needs Salesforce. Okay. And then, actually for event planners, this is not it’s traditional use, but I actually really like this app called planning center online.

[00:05:56] They make. incredible run sheets for ceremonies and things like that. It’s actually made for churches, because who runs events more than churches? But it’s a great hack. It’s a responsive time app. So like if the, if you change the like ceremony and flip it with something else, like it will do the time for you.

[00:06:16] It’ll like, you can have Like notes for the planner notes for the photographer notes for and it’s all in there. You could have DJ notes. It’s really cool

[00:06:25] Sandra: That sounds awesome. I absolutely like obsess over anything that can like Automatically update and trigger things. I just I for years. I’ve been thinking about getting Like playing around with Zapier, but I felt like it was going to be this overwhelming beast that I just didn’t have the time or capacity to deal with.

[00:06:44] And I finally did it a little, like a few weeks ago and I’m obsessed. Like I want to find the way to zap every single thing that I do into each other.

[00:06:54] Diana: The Zapier like the Zapier bug, as I call it, it’s definitely a thing and I understand the passion because it’s like a dark hole. Like you suddenly just are like, well, I can do this and I can do that.

[00:07:09] And then, you know, suddenly you’re Zapping like a hundred things and then you made it more complicated, but you know, you feel better about yourself at the end of the day. So who cares?

[00:07:18] Sandra: Right. It’s so true. I’m totally with you on that. And I also am a huge lover of honey book. Listeners of the podcast will know.

[00:07:27] I talk about it quite a bit. But it is like my right hand in business. I’ve tried a lot of other CRM platforms and none of them really work for me. For the way that my brain works and the way that I like to interact with my clients, none of them really compare even a little bit to HoneyBook. So I’m so excited to have another HoneyBook stand on here.

[00:07:47] Diana: Oh, I love HoneyBook. I love the team. I love like the way they listen and to just like who’s using it. And they’re so relational. I feel like as someone who. Doesn’t work for them. I’m just blown away by their response and their care for each one of us as business owners. And, they’re just incredible humans.

[00:08:10] Yeah. I think that above and beyond, just like edges out any other app, you know, like, cause we’re so tech oriented and I love tech obsessed with tech, but you need good people behind the people, the things that run the tech, you know? And so I think that. Yeah. Makes a huge difference for me.

[00:08:29] Sandra: Yeah, absolutely.

[00:08:30] I’m sure everybody listening can think of an experience they’ve had with a platform or some sort of tech company where they haven’t like gotten any sort of feeling like they’re recognized as a person who is actually using this app and as their client, and it doesn’t feel like there’s a person behind on the other side of the business.

[00:08:51] And so I totally agree with you that that’s so important. And really is going to be what helps. Having systems like that that we’re using is what’s going to help us set us apart as well, I think.

[00:09:02] Diana: Yes, agreed. I mean, it’s bar none because they truly make it a one stop shop for so many of us. And I think it gets overwhelming to a degree, but also it’s overwhelming because we don’t need all those bells and whistles there.

[00:09:17] It’s made for, you know, People like you, people like me, it’s made for wedding planners and florists, and we’re all using the same app, which is kind of incredible, actually, if you think about it. So, right. Yeah. Love it.

09:30 Choosing the Right Platform for Streamlining Workflows

[00:09:30] Sandra: now, while we’re still on the topic of platforms, I would love to hear what your thoughts are on all in one platforms, because we’re both all about streamlining and making things super simple and automated.

[00:09:43] And so, the idea behind every, having everything in one place. seems great, But I would love to hear what your take on it is.

[00:09:51] Diana: I love it. I think you have to be smart about it. I think that, it’s kind of like, you know, when you just, it’s the easiest way, like, Going back to the beginning, when I was introducing myself, I was talking about the fail rate.

[00:10:06] The number one thing we do know about small businesses who fail is that they can’t track their cash flow and that our cash flow is, that we don’t, they quantify a failure as under Not enough cash flow. And I think one of the trickiest things to to track our subscriptions. I think that if you take a good look, you’re not sure what apps you’ve got on a monthly subscription.

[00:10:32] You’re not sure what , TV networks you have on a monthly subscription. And I think that goes the same for our business, you know, like, Canva monthly subscriptions, HoneyBook monthly subscriptions, all these tech tools have monthly subscriptions. And I think just keeping it all in one place actually reduces the amount of tech that you need to run your business.

[00:10:53] I run my business on four pieces of tech, just four apps. I am obsessed with Lots of them, lots of other apps, but I really try to keep it down to 4 because I can keep my expenses low to run it and I can actually invest more into humans. My team gets paid well, and it contributes to their education.

[00:11:17] I’ve got 2 in college right now. The 1 is studying masters and 1 is, you know, doing other things and so I think that is important. That’s important to me to know where my money goes. And so for me, an all in one tool is, I mean, that’s the gold, right? Like that’s the golden ticket is to know and not, and it’s also in our brains, just easier to say, This is where I go to run my business.

[00:11:43] This is where I go to see if someone has paid me to see if anyone needs to be followed up on. This is where I go when you’re having a low season and saying, I don’t know, there’s no leads coming in. What do I do? And you can go to the one tool, look at your pipeline and say, I’ve got 23 people I could follow up on right now.

[00:12:05] Right. Or to even just like emotions take us sometimes, you know, and you’re just like, Oh, look at the pipeline. I actually have 34 people who I’m currently actively working with. I’m not, you know, like an imposter. I’m not doing whatever. Like, we tend to make up these stories running your business, man. It is no small feat, but to have it all in 1 place, I think keeps it so organized for us.

[00:12:30] And I would say, why not? It can get overwhelming. There’s a lot of tools. Do you need it all? I think this is too big for me. You want something to help you grow into it as you grow your business. Your business should change. Your business should grow. And so we want that. We want to see it. We want to see more of it personally.

[00:12:51] I don’t want to download my clients and my contracts and invoices every time. My business outgrows itself and then move into a larger platform, you know, like it’s almost why, why would I do that? I want something I can grow into, make it easy for myself. I want to be overwhelmed for a season, so that my business can take off where it needs to take off.

[00:13:11] And I don’t need to control it in that way. But you do need to know. What you want in your business and tell the tech what to do. It’s not going to read your mind. So I think that pros and cons pros and cons.

[00:13:24] Sandra: Yeah, absolutely. Now there’s some other platforms out there that also incorporate things like websites and galleries and things like that.

[00:13:32] Do you think that there’s any sort of risk that photographers or business owners are taking when they’re going that far? Like they’re all in one. Is that all encompassing?

[00:13:43] Diana: I don’t think so. But again, I would prioritize the client experience, right? So ask yourself, I think it’s different to say, this is where my gallery lives.

[00:13:54] And if you sell albums, or if you have an upsell afterwards, that is where that is going to live, right? There’s another way to send say, actually, all the financials for my client, they’re already used to this platform. And maybe we’re just going to use HoneyBook as an example in this scenario. Your client has been interacting with you on HoneyBook, whether or not they realize it, right?

[00:14:17] HoneyBook’s really good at keeping the client experience within email, but whether or not your clients know that they’re used to that, right? So throughout your journey, they’ve gotten used to what your emails look like, what the formatting looks like, what your tone is, and you’ve developed this relational aspect.

[00:14:34] If it’s important to you for continuity’s sake, then. Bring it back to HoneyBook to sell albums, but HoneyBook album delivery is not a thing, right? And we don’t want it to be a thing. They’ve integrated really well with pick time. And if that’s important to you, that’s fine. Maybe at some point, it’s easier for your brain to say at this point, we switch over and go to pick time.

[00:14:58] And from there, they can select the photos they want to like print. And then we can just take it to print right away. Right. Maybe that is easier for your client experience. I think you need to ultimately decide what’s most important to you in terms of client experience. Do you want them all in one platform familiarity?

[00:15:16] Or do you want them to be able to click on the photo? Order it, create the album right then and there, push go. Both have great uses. There’s no right or wrong answer.

[00:15:25] Sandra: Hey friends. I’m interrupting this episode because I wanted to remind you that the wait list for my brand new template shop is now open.

[00:15:33] This template shop is going to be filled with everything you need to simplify and streamline your business behind the scenes, 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.

[00:15:49] So head over to simplysandreevon. ca forward slash shop to get on the wait list. 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 simplysandreevon. ca forward slash shop.

[00:16:07] Diana: I think that’s what we typically look for.

[00:16:09] We look for one right answer and it doesn’t exist. I’m sorry to burst that bubble for anyone who thought there would be.

[00:16:17] Sandra: That’s so true. That’s one thing that I think a lesson I’ve learned both the hard way and the easy way a few times in the last year. Decade as a business owner is like, you have to try different things and some things that are going to work for you don’t work for others.

[00:16:31] And it’s just all about finding that thing that is going to work for you and resonate with your clients. So those are all amazing points. Thank you so much for that.

[00:16:41] Diana: Yeah. Thank you for asking the question.

[00:16:44] Sandra: Yeah, of course. So what are some secrets that you think that are hidden out there for creating?

[00:16:50] I don’t want to say a perfect system. Maybe let’s say a successful system, a systems that’s going to really like help you thrive behind the scenes.

[00:16:58] Diana: One of the biggest things that I see is that we tend to center our systems around our needs and our business needs. I really want to encourage every small business owners to center your business around your client’s needs because they’re the ones experiencing your system.

[00:17:20] So my favorite example to use with this is actually Amazon because they’re so automated. Right, and Amazon may or may not trigger certain things for certain people, but I will say that we have a lot to learn from Amazon. And if we were truly being honest with ourselves, we kind of are a little jealous of Amazon.

[00:17:38] Right? And so that’s like, when it comes down to the wire, this is what we want. So. If I think about it, what Amazon has created is that I, Diana, as a user and a consumer of Amazon can get on the website. I know exactly what I’m buying. I know the dimensions, and I know if it’s in my room, right? It wasn’t always like that.

[00:18:01] They listened to their clients and they said, okay, you want something you want to know what it’s going to look like to fit in your rooms. And that reduces returns. Was it better for them to reduce returns? Yes, but actually they, they developed it to serve us because we were always asking, does anyone know if this is going to fit in my apartment?

[00:18:19] Does anyone know? Like they’re listening to the comment section. So they developed it for us. We know exactly down to how many stops I live in Washington, D. C. We are city. So there are stops. We know down to how many stops there are after I’ve purchased something before that truck arrives at my apartment.

[00:18:39] And that is what I don’t need to ever, if you think about it, reach out to Amazon, wait for a person and ask them when my package is going to arrive. I don’t ever need to ask them if I had to pay them. If there’s a payment plan, I don’t ever need to ask them when my warranty, like runs out for this specific product.

[00:19:00] I don’t need to even like communicate with Amazon pretty much ever. And yet I feel as a consumer, so taking care of, I know exactly what I got when it arrives in the mail. It is exactly what it said it would be. It does fit in my apartment. I have read all the reviews of it. They are wonderful. Right. They have created something centered around my experience. And I think that when we create that for our small businesses, we need to do the same. It’s not about the fact that I need to welcome you because, you know, every single website on the Internet says that I should welcome you. To, you know, my thanks for reaching out.

19:19 Centering Systems Around the Client Experience

[00:19:42] I am welcoming you because I genuinely am excited to get to know you. There’s a reason you created your business. There’s a reason you want to work with clients, and there’s a reason why you do what you do. There is a reason you’re not in corporate America. Right. And so like there, I mean, we’re all, we’re all created and there was a reason why we’re not in corporate America.

[00:20:03] Some of us just don’t quite fit in that little nine to five box. And so I think. Helping our clients feel the way that Amazon makes us feel. Without doing anything is our goal, but they centered that around us. So how do we center our system around your potential client? How do we make it so that they feel really cared for, really like knowing exactly what’s next, right?

[00:20:31] And because that’s when it frustrates us. Oh, my gosh, this client is so needy. They have so many questions, da, da, da, da, da. Well, actually, if we answered them for ahead of time, they wouldn’t. Come to our inbox. They wouldn’t need. To email us 35 times in an hour, right? If we actually gave them clear next steps, we wouldn’t forget that we had an inquiry and we would actually secure more leads.

[00:21:00] We would have a clear cut system. And it doesn’t have to lose its relational. ability of it. Like, I don’t feel like I have lost any relational equity with Amazon. I don’t feel that way with Disney. Disney emailed me the other day and was like, hey, thanks so much for visiting Magic Kingdom.

[00:21:17] Guys, I haven’t been to Magic Kingdom in a solid year.

[00:21:20] Sandra: And I haven’t been since 2019, but I’m like, keep emailing me because it makes me happy.

[00:21:25] Diana: Yes. And then an hour later they sent an email that said, so sorry, you did not visit us yesterday. And I was like, but what am I going to do?

[00:21:32] Cancel Disney? Like I’m still in. It didn’t make me feel any less. And then they immediately followed up with like, we hope you do come back. We missed it. This is your experience from last time. It was fully automated. No one wrote me. Right. But they centered that experience around me. And that is also why we love Disney so much.

[00:21:51] They center the whole experience around us. That is what I want for every small business owner because we do have the power to do that.

[00:21:58] Sandra: Those are such great comparisons. I’m also a huge Disney fan. I actually am following you along on Instagram. I think it was last year that you took like a 24 hour trip to Disney to use up some points.

[00:22:09] And I was like, this is my dream, right?

[00:22:12] Diana: It was, I found a 30 flight to Orlando for those listening, and that’s unheard of.

[00:22:20] And I had to, I had to do two more flights to qualify for status. And so for 30 bucks, I flew down to Orlando, went to Disney for a day and came back with stories and got my status.

[00:22:33] Sandra: I love that so much. I am in Canada. And so like 30 flights are completely unheard of, but thankfully I am not a far drive from Detroit. So I will literally just like drive. And it’s cheaper for me to drive over the border and park at the airport and fly from Detroit than it is to fly in Canada. It’s crazy.

[00:22:51] Diana: Exactly. Exactly. 30 flights are not very a thing in the U S as well, which is why you had to hop on the flight.

[00:22:58] Sandra: Yeah, absolutely. Well, I was looking cause I’m actually going to Florida and there was some like 75, 80 flights from Detroit, but it was like, you know, you’re going to get there at one in the morning.

[00:23:10] And I was, I’m like, I’ll pay more to sleep. It’s fine.

[00:23:14] Diana: Yeah, those are a little miserable. Always the morning flights too. And I have to remember I’m an hour from the international airport. And so then I’m always like, an hour before the flight means I have to leave my house at 4 a. m. You know, so I’m always like, is it worth that?

[00:23:29] Yeah,

[00:23:29] Sandra: I always think that. Get stuck on the morning flights too. And for me, because I am usually flying international out of Canada, I’m supposed to be there three hours early and it’s an hour and a half drive, sometimes two hours in traffic to the airport. And so like a five or a 6 AM flight, I have to leave around 1 30 in the morning and it’s awful.

[00:23:45] I’m like, I’ll just, I’ll pay extra to fly during the day so I can sleep because it just, it makes such a nightmare of a travel day.

[00:23:52] Diana: My gosh, that’s a sound crazy, but yes, I would be on your boat. Mm hmm. Same, same. For sure. Yeah, exactly. It better be like a first class ticket, I think, for me to consider otherwise.

[00:24:04] Sandra: So true. I dream of the day that I’m going to fly first class, but I also am worried, like I need to know the first time I fly first class that I’m going to be able to continue to fly first class forever because I’m never going to want to go back to economy after that.

[00:24:18] Diana: I did, I did see chasing status sometimes does pay off because I was upgraded 1 time cross country from San Francisco to D. C. in 1st class and I will I can confirm it does ruin you for life. Especially long flights. You’re just like, oh, what is this leg room?

[00:24:38] Sandra: Right? Oh, my gosh.

[00:24:39] Diana: What is this meal? A meal? Remember those on planes? What a dream. What a dream. That’s so true. But yes, I do. I am a status junkie, like, I don’t know if you do that, but I can talk miles all day.

[00:24:52] Sandra: I have another dream that I have, but all the airlines that I want status with, I would love to. Delta status. And Delta does come to Canada, but a lot of the other airlines that have like really great status options, they’re all US based. So it’s not nearly as fun up here, but one day I dream of it.

[00:25:11] It’s going to get me on there. I’m going to have Delta status one day, for sure.

[00:25:15] Diana: Okay. This is a complete and total tangent, but have you heard of the built card? B I L T. No. They do, they help you, their primary goal, like if you pay rent or mortgage, is for you to get points for rent or mortgage with a credit card, because you can’t get points with that.

[00:25:33] You have to pay, you know, like it charges you transaction fees. So this guy came up with a card for you to pay your rent without fees and get points for it. And so, but then in addition to that. You get one to one transfer for most airlines.

[00:25:54] Sandra: Oh my gosh, that’s amazing.

[00:25:56] Diana: That is how you obtain your Delta status.

[00:25:58] Sandra: Yeah, I should do that. I should look into it and see if we can get it in Canada. Cause that sounds so awesome.

[00:26:04] Diana: Yeah. I know a ton of people who do it and then you can use your points to like literally fly all over the world.

[00:26:09] Sandra: Oh, amazing. I’m going to be looking it up as soon as we are done this interview for sure.

[00:26:13] Diana: Just, I’m not a junkie in the sense of like, I’m going to convert dollars to see if it’s worth it. Like to me. If I get to do it with community, it’s worth it, but I do like to chase a good deal.

[00:26:26] Sandra: Oh, for sure. You got to take advantage of those perks where you can find them, right? Well, on that note, as much as I like, I can go on talking about travel and travel hacks and things like that forever, but do you have any final takeaways about how to tackle systems or finding the perfect platform or anything like that you want to leave listeners with?

[00:26:44] Diana: Yes, I would say 1, most platforms are almost the same. So try not to agonize too much about it. And don’t let that be the reason why you don’t have a system. Pick the system that you naturally feel like it.

26:55 Don’t Let Perfection Paralyze You: Just Get Started

[00:26:59] You can understand the most. I think pick one and go with it. I mean, obviously, Sandra and I, we prefer HoneyBook. So talk to either one of us if you want to talk about that, and we can weigh pros and cons versus other apps with you. But don’t let that Paralyze you like, don’t let that be the reason for analysis paralysis to when you get an app and when you decide on which system you need to be the business owner.

[00:27:27] Okay. So I think this, I know it sounds like a simple statement, but a lot of times we look at tech tools and we’re like, okay. Cool. Tell me how to run my business and I will do what you say. I’m going to like send an invoice here. Okay. I’m going to send an invoice, right? But you have to, you are the business owner.

[00:27:42] So you approach that app tech tool and say, I want to send an invoice this way with this amount of information. And this is the payment schedule I want to give my clients. This is the late fee. This is if I want to give them to leave me a tip or not, right? You decide that don’t look at the This is where the overwhelm hits in because every app serves more than just you.

[00:28:05] And a lot of them are customizable, but you have to know what you want to customize it to, right? This is the same scenario. We’re going to use Disney and Amazon again. It’s literally like looking at Disney and go, which park for me, Disney, you know, and it’s going to be based on you. What do you want?

[00:28:22] How do you want your clients to feel when they interact with you? So I think a lot of times we’re like, give me give me an email. I don’t know what to write. Tell me what to do it. I can’t run the system until I have it, and I have to find the perfect email template. I will say it’s okay. Not to have the perfect email template. Just go back and listen about the whole Disney thing that they sent Sandra and I right. It’s okay not to have the perfect email. You are going to change it because over time, that’s just who we are as individuals and small business owners. We will change and e will grow and we will scale. And that is expected.

[00:28:56] Expect it. Expect change. Embrace change. Do all of that. But also don’t let it stop you from moving forward and serving your clients the best that you can. So I would say like you define it. You take the reins and control of your business and then apply that onto whatever tech you end up choosing.

29:14 Embracing Change and Evolving Your Systems

[00:29:14] Sandra: That was all so perfect.

[00:29:16] I am not going to add anything because I love everything that you said so, so much. So for everybody that’s listening, if you need to just rewind a little bit, grab a pen and paper, write some notes down. Cause that was serious gold for helping you get started. And on that note, thank you so much for being here, Diana.

[00:29:32] This was such a great conversation and I always love getting a chance to sneak Disney in there. And even Amazon, like you said, like some people have feelings about Amazon, but I think whether It’s good or bad. There are lessons to learn from these big companies, right? So, yeah, I really, really enjoyed this.

[00:29:47] I hope you have a great rest of your day and I hope our paths cross again one day soon.

[00:29:52] Diana: Yes. Thank you again for listening and for inviting me. I’m so excited.

[00:29:57] Sandra: With that amazing interview with Diana under her wraps, that means we are officially at the last few episodes of this season of Keeping It Candid and I cannot believe that I am saying those words. It was so surreal saying them the first time around after season one and the fact that season two is now wrapping up.

[00:30:16] It doesn’t feel any more real and I’m so thankful for each of you who tune in every week that there’s a new episode and for everybody who has reached out to me over social media and in my Facebook communities and all the places. You are the best. exact reason why we are in season two, getting ready to head into season three.

[00:30:38] So I am so, so thankful for you. And speaking of season three, I have a million and a half ideas in store of what I want to do, but I think as business owners, you can all relate to me when I say what we want and what other people want are often two totally different things. I don’t know if you’ve ever been in the situation where you’ve taken a photo at a wedding or at a session, and it’s your absolute favorite one. You want to plaster it around everywhere, and then your client starts sharing photos on social media, and that one photo is nowhere to be found, and all the ones that they are sharing are some of your least favorite photos that you took.

30:55 Closing Remarks and Call for Listener Input

[00:31:19] It’s always so mind blowing, but it really goes to show how our brains work totally different from everybody else’s. We’re all unique. We have different interests. And we see things differently. So I want to take that approach into season three of the podcast. And I would absolutely love to hear from each and every one of you about what you would like to hear, what you would like to see coming your way, what kind of topics you want to hear about, or who I should have on as a guest.

[00:31:49] Your input is seriously invaluable to me. So whether you send me a DM, send me an email, pop into the Facebook communities at The Unfiltered Community, or chronically ill, disabled, and neurodivergent photographers, come and send me a message in any way, shape, or form, and let me know what you want to see for season three, because I will absolutely be taking every single suggestion to heart as I go into planning mode for the next season and for new episodes that will be coming your way later this fall.

[00:32:21] So on that note, friends have a great rest of Wednesday and I will be back with another episode next week.

[00:32:30] Today’s episode of the podcast was sponsored by PicTime. This is the gallery service that I use in my photography business that literally doesn’t compare to anything else I’ve tried. First and foremost, it’s fully accessible to Canadians. All the other platforms I’ve tried have been open to Canadians, but they limit the features that we can access because of having to work with American printers or tax limitations and things like that.

[00:32:54] But with PicTime, it is you. Fully accessible. All features can be used up here in Canada. You can set it to Canadian pricing. You can set it to Canadian printers. If you are a U. S. listener, of course, you have lots of options. But as a Canadian photographer, those Canadian features made me very, very happy.

[00:33:13] Picktime also has pre made and custom automations to help you boost your sales year round.

[00:33:19] There’s also optional AI facial recognition, AI watermark protection, custom storefronts with international pricing options, it even integrates with HoneyBook so you can keep all of your client files organized and linked together and even view the photos from the gallery inside your HoneyBook account.

[00:33:37] I could truly go on for hours about how much I love this platform.

[00:33:42] If you’re looking for something new for your photography business this busy season, I want you to head over to my website or the show notes for today’s episode to get my affiliate link that will get you one free month in addition to the free months that pick time already gives you for a trial.

[00:33:55] So that means two free months for you to get a feel for the platform and get everything set up and running to make your clients happier and hopefully boost your sales in the process.

[00:34:05] Thank you so much for listening. You can find full show notes from today’s episode at simplysandrayvonne.ca/shownotes. 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!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small amount of money if you make a purchase from any of our affiliates. This is done at no cost to you!

Launch strategies aren’t just for educators, and it’s something that I wish I had learned sooner in my photography business. This week on the podcast, I’m diving into the must-know launch strategies that can take your photography business to the next level. We’ll talk about creating intentional content and automating your processes to make everything run smoother. I’m super excited to have Dolly DeLong, a family photographer and systems educator for creatives, with me to share her top tips.

Keep scrolling for links to the episode, show notes, and a full transcript.

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Show Notes

Dolly DeLong: http://www.dollydelongphotography.com/podcast

Free Launch Resource from Dolly DeLong: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-launch-bundle-kajabi

The Systems + Workflow Magic Bundle: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-systems-and-workflow-magic-bundle-seo-waitlist

Template Shop: https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop

Save 50% on Flodesk: https://flodesk.com/c/LIBPSANDRA

Takeaways

• Launch strategies can be applied to various types of businesses, including photography
• Promoting yourself and staying top of mind with clients is essential for success
• Email marketing is a powerful tool for nurturing relationships and generating leads
• Planning and strategizing for launches can streamline the process and increase success
• Understanding your ideal client and catering your marketing to their needs is crucial

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Misconceptions about Launch Strategies
06:18 How Launch Strategies Differ for Photographers
10:49 Streamlining Launch Processes for Photographers
18:10 Planning and Strategizing for Launches
25:38 Automating Launch Processes and Lead Generation
35:28 Promoting Yourself and Staying Top of Mind
39:04 Conclusion and Next Week’s Episode

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About Dolly

Dolly DeLong is a wife, mom, believer and a photographer turned systems educator for creatives. She loves teaching other creative business owners about the power of systems, workflows and sops to better impact the backend of their business so that the front end of their business feels streamlined (and magical).

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What do your taco choices reveal about your wedding photography business? Take my quiz to find out!

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Other Episodes You’ll Love

054 How Brand Photos Help You Stand Out In An Oversaturated Market with Angie McPherson

Experience the Difference of Long-Term Marketing with Kara Duncan

042 Next Level Email Marketing Strategies with Candice Coppola

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TRANSCRIPT

00:00 Introduction and Misconceptions about Launch Strategies

[00:00:00] Sandra Henderson: Before I started my business working as a system strategist, I truly thought that launch strategies just didn’t apply to me.

[00:00:07] Every example I saw when it came to launching had something to do with educators and coaches. And so as a photographer, I just felt like it had no application for my business. But once I started learning more about how to actually launch things like this podcast and my group coaching program, I realized how incredibly wrong I was.

[00:00:26] Not only do I do several launches a year with my mini sessions, but these strategies can really be applied to things like the start of booking season for weddings or doing print sales or anything like that in your business. Launch strategies have actually helped me increase my mini session bookings by 30%.

[00:00:44] So when I was brainstorming about this episode, there was just one person who came to mind and that was Dolly DeLong.

[00:00:50] Dolly DeLong is a photographer turned systems educator for creatives. Love to see it. She loves teaching other creative business owners about the power of systems, workflows, and SOPs to better impact the backend of their businesses so that the front end of their business feels streamlined and magical.

[00:01:08] During our interview, Dolly and I talked about the importance of email marketing, how photographers can promote themselves in a way that keeps them top of mind with their clients and how being intentional with your content will be a game changer for your next launch.

[00:01:23] 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. On a more personal note, I’m a strong enneagram three wing two who’s 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.

[00:01:53] 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

[00:02:13] Dolly, I am so, so excited to talk more with you today, but before we dive into all of the goodness that I know we have waiting for us, I want to give you the floor for a quick second. If you want to just introduce yourself and let everybody know a little bit about what you’re all about.

[00:02:26] Dolly DeLong: Definitely. First of all, Sandra, thank you so much for having me on your podcast. I’m very honoured you reached out. My name is Dolly DeLong. I am a Nashville-based family photographer and I also am a systems and workflow educator for other business owners. So what that means is I love teaching other small business owners, the importance of setting up systems.

[00:02:51] Workflows and SOPs to better run the back end of their business so that they feel more streamlined and confident running the front end of the business. So that is a little bit about me on the business side. And other than that personal life, I am a wife and I am a boy mom to two wild boys. And, yeah, I’m based in Nashville, Tennessee.

[00:03:15] Sandra: I love that. I am all about systems and workflows and SOPs. So you’re totally singing my language with all of that. My stepson is actually at his mom’s house right now but he’s 16. So he’s very self-sufficient. I did actually have a coaching call with my business coach yesterday. It was like two hours long.

[00:03:31] And I said to my stepson, like, this is a meeting that you can interrupt. So anything that you need, just come and get me. Yeah. But of course, he comes in like the only time during the whole call that I’m talking. There was a good hour and a half. Where I wasn’t speaking and I was just hanging out, listening to everybody else.

[00:03:46] But then they’ll like, when it’s finally my turn, it’s like all of a sudden he needs something.

[00:03:49] Dolly: I can’t imagine my son being a teenager. I cannot fathom it. I have nephews who are teenagers and they are like, well, to me, they’re very sweet. I’m sure my, my sister-in-law, as they have like, you know, a different mother-son relationship, but.

[00:04:06] I cannot imagine having a 16-year-old that just blows my mind.

[00:04:10] Sandra: It’s, it’s definitely hard to wrap my mind around some days, especially because I actually started dating his dad when he was only four months old. So I’ve been there watching him grow up the whole time. But I will say now, mind you, maybe I just remembered my teenage years, which were not the greatest of years, but like my stepson is such an easy teenager.

[00:04:29] And I worry that I’m going to jinx it but I don’t know. I’m just sitting here waiting for the other shoe to drop because of course he has attitude and things like that. But yeah, that’s human. I feel like there’s, there’s just a different approach to it now with how we recognize mental health and support our kids and things like that, that I don’t see a lot of the behaviours in him that I recognize from like myself and my friends when we were teenagers.

[00:04:53] So that has been really nice. We actually really enjoy having him around. So I hope that that rings true for you too.

[00:04:59] Dolly: Yeah. No, I’ve heard it like so many people with teenagers or who have Kids who are older now, like adult children, they, they always are reminding me like just, and let them know that you enjoy being around them, even when they’re little turds, that’s like the best way, the cleanest way of saying that they need to know, they are loved even when they are just being little, little rats, like they need to know they’re still lovable. So I am always thinking about that, like, okay, he just needs to know, both my sons need to know they’re so lovable even when, Oh, they are grading my innermost being right now, but I still need to let them know that they’re loved.

[00:05:41] Sandra: Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, unfortunately, the, like, grating on the last nerve doesn’t go away, but I wonder, I should call up my parents and be like, so am I still doing that to you at 37? Like, is this ever going to go away?

[00:05:54] Dolly: It never goes away, but I just like, love them so much.

[00:05:57] Sandra: It’s so true. Well, I am so excited to dive into all the things about systems and specifically launching.

[00:06:05] I wanted to talk about how launching you think differs for photographers versus educators. Because I know before I got into the education space, I would see people talking about launching and I didn’t think that it applied to me.

06:18 How Launch Strategies Differ for Photographers

[00:06:18] But then as I got into the education space and started working with launch strategies more, I realized that I’ve been launching my mini sessions several times a year, but I just had no strategy behind it. So I would love to hear your take on how launch strategies differ for photographers who are not in the education space.

[00:06:37] Dolly: Yeah, so I have a really hot take about launching and I’m sure it’s not really controversial, but I’m just setting it up to be a hot take. It’s this, I believe that launching is, is essentially promoting yourself. Like. All the time in some way, selling yourself and promoting yourself. And regardless, if you are a service-based business owner, or if you are like have online courses, or if you have a group program, it doesn’t matter.

[00:07:05] You have to promote yourself. You have to sell your services in order to run your business. And so that’s how I look at launching, just promoting myself. It has helped that I am both a service-based business center with photography and then I also am an online educator with systems and workflows.

[00:07:27] So that’s kind of like helped me. Kind of like bridge that definition for me. I am essentially promoting myself in different ways. Yes. It looks so different as a service provider versus an online, online educator, but essentially the foundations are the same. It’s knowing how to sell yourself and knowing how to promote yourself at different phases, if that makes sense.

[00:07:53] Sandra: Oh, yeah, absolutely. I know my like when I say I had no strategy for my mini sessions, I was the like post it once and then we’re done kind of person. And for some, some years it worked. Some years it was an absolute disaster. I’m glad that I’m not doing that anymore. But yeah, that definitely makes so much sense and just how important it is to keep talking about ourselves and keep promoting ourselves.

[00:08:18] I don’t remember if it was with my business coach, or if I read it online or wherever it was, but there was this conversation that I was having last year about how we are the only ones who get tired of talking about our businesses because we are the ones who are talking about it all the time. But.

[00:08:32] Everybody’s not hearing it all the time. And so that was definitely like a mental hurdle that I had to get over.

[00:08:38] Dolly: I like to piggyback on that, of what you just said, Sandra, I was at a conference a couple of weeks ago. It was the creative educator conference led by Laila Ahmadi and she had invited a guest speaker, Ashlyn Carter, who is a copywriter for creatives.

[00:08:55] And Ashlyn was specifically talking about the power of launching. And so she. Said this quote that I’m never gonna forget as long as I’m an online Educator, it was like when you feel like you’re screaming about your offer over and over and over again You, in reality, are barely whispering to your audience. They are barely hearing a slice of what you are trying to promote and so that’s kind of like your permission slip to just like to keep on pushing yourself and to keep on promoting yourself because what you perceive as like, well, I’m just being annoying.

[00:09:34] I am like being redundant. I am just talking about this too much. Like. No, keep on promoting yourself. Like you can do it in different ways to where it’s not, it does. It’s not icky, but you still need to talk about yourself because of what you perceive as yelling. It’s really coming across as barely a whisper online.

[00:09:57] Sandra: Oh, that’s such a good analogy. I loved how you were just talking about how it can feel redundant and like we’re saying the same thing over and over again. That was one thing that brought a lot of clarity to me and kind of figuring out my footing in creating a launch strategy was just finding different ways to say the same thing.

[00:10:16] And so I felt like, you know, I, in my lack of strategy, when I would post it once and forget it, and I was trying to build off of that, it was like, well, how many different ways, or how many times can I say spring minis are now booking or don’t forget to book your session. And it just felt really dry. It felt really like not engaging in any way.

[00:10:35] And so finding different ways to send that message out but keep it fresh brought like a new excitement to it for me so that I didn’t feel like I was like you were saying like screaming a whisper of just the same thing over and over again.

10:49 Streamlining Launch Processes for Photographers

[00:10:49] So, what are some ways that photographers can streamline things during their next launch, whether that be for mini sessions or, you know, a wedding sale or anything that they’re going to be launching this year?

[00:11:00] Dolly: So I am going to try to encourage both the photographer who’s listening in, who might be in year one of their business. And then also a lot of what I’m saying is speaking directly to the photographer who might be in the messy middle. So like years three to five, they are figuring things out very slowly.

[00:11:22] And they have a little bit more figured out than what they had in year one. So if you’re in year one, just like keep on putting your foot forward, and try to see what’s working best for you. Because really like by the time year two, year three rolls around, you should have a cadence with understanding when your high season is and when your low season is, like you should have a really good understanding of when, like those fall minis are going to traditionally book out or spring minis are traditionally going to book out.

[00:11:53] And the reason why I bring this up is that once you get that basic understanding of like, okay, I know for a fact that based off of my last two years or three years of being a photographer, I traditionally tend to sell out of my minis around April and then in, I’m just throwing out examples and then in October and November.

[00:12:15] Okay. So I would say take that information. That is like literal data for you. And then I want you as a photographer to put on your strategist hat. You might just be like, no, I’m a creative. I don’t want to be a marketing strategist. And, but you are like, you are most likely running the show on your own.

[00:12:36] So I’m encouraging you to put on a strategist hat and marketing hat and work backwards. So let’s say you are planning some spring minis and you know that there is this Gorgeous floral field in your district. And like, you always sell out, like, but you’re already stressing out about, Oh, what if I don’t sell out?

[00:12:58] Or what if like this happens? Like those insecurities are coming up and you don’t have to be insecure about it. If you know, like, based on the data from the last two or three years, you can have a system and streamline this.

[00:13:13] So you look at when you ideally want those mini sessions to happen, then work backwards. I would say eight, like if, if that’s too much for you, maybe six weeks backwards.

[00:13:28] So let’s say. April 27th, and so starting March the 2nd is 8 weeks from April 27th, then I want you to be very intentional about the type of content that you are going to create to start bringing awareness to your mini sessions. Does this mean that you, in every piece of content, you’re going to hard sell your mini sessions?

[00:13:51] No. But, you can take, like, your two years’ worth of photography content that you’ve created traditionally around that setting. And you can create different pieces of content leading up to the mini session date. That’s like eight weeks of content. And for me, like, this is exciting. And for a listener who is like, this is stressful.

[00:14:14] I don’t want to do that. Like, hear me out, hear me out. You have to start planting seeds in people’s brains and minds early on. Because just because you post about it. Once that doesn’t guarantee everybody’s going to see it. And most likely the algorithm, like we all talk about the algorithm, but most likely your viewers won’t see it.

[00:14:37] So you really have to be intentional about sprinkling and reminders leading up to that April 27th date. How do you do that? Like you were saying, Sandra, you talk about different facets and different factors of the mini sessions. So you don’t have to say the same thing all the time. But you can, like, get people interested, and excited about working with you.

[00:15:00] Okay, so one way to streamline it is to work backwards, to plan ahead and work backwards and be intentional. A second way to streamline it is if for sure you know you want to set up Mini session dates on April 27th. I would say plan ahead then and just do everything on the backend in your CRM tool, like HoneyBook or Dubsado or 17 hats, whatever CRM tool you use, like make sure you have all of those puzzle pieces put together in order for a streamlined mini session booking to happen. So if a person does, let’s say you start announcing it on March 2nd, they’re like, Oh, I want to book it right now.

[00:15:41] You can send them the link. So that is one way to streamline, just like, so you don’t have to go back and forth with potential clients. So make sure you have that set up right off the bat. A third thing that you can really be intentional about to streamline your success, is by maybe carving out once or twice a week.

[00:16:02] Like being. Very forward-facing with your marketing and messaging and help cast a vision, like, let’s say on Tuesdays at 9 a.m. and on Thursdays at 10 a.m., that’s when you’re either going to go live on Instagram or you’re going to do something that That, you know, where your audience is and you can then start like creating content pieces about, okay, like I’m going to talk about why I would book a mini session over a full session if you have children and then another day you can talk about like how to prepare for a mini session.

[00:16:41] You can create different forward-facing content to get people excited about booking those mini sessions with you.

[00:16:48] Sandra: Those are such great examples. And as you were talking, I was thinking about how often we see things like that in the wedding photography industry, where people are creating reels with like, you know, this is what you do want to do with your wedding.

[00:17:00] This is what you don’t want to do with your wedding. We can really do it the same way across the board with any kind of portrait. And I definitely, Don’t see it as much in the family photography industry. So I’m so glad you brought that up.

[00:17:11] Dolly: Yeah, it’s really good too, I’m a family photographer, but what wedding photographers really good wedding photographers do really well, I’ve noticed is like, they are really good about talking to their potential couples.

[00:17:25] 6, 9, 12 months down the line, like, because if you think about it, like, it’s not like somebody’s going to book your services and then next week you’re going to do their wedding, like, no, like you are most likely if you’re Like, again, really good at casting that vision as a wedding photographer, you are going to be booking clients like nine months, 12 months, sometimes even like a year and a half ahead of time, because you are presenting like this vision to them early on, as soon as they get like either they’re planning on getting engaged, they’re already engaged, and then you’re helping them cast that vision.

[00:18:04] So as a family photographer, you can do the same thing. Maybe at a little smaller scale, like obviously somebody’s not going to book you for a year and a half down the line for family portraits. That’s very rare unless you’re a travelling family photographer going international, but we’re talking smaller scale here.

18:10 Planning and Strategizing for Launches

[00:18:25] So I want you to like, if this is an April mini session and you are sitting in February, start thinking through like. What is happening in April that a lot of families are like really heavily involved in like I can tell you like normally This is like a month of Easter sometimes even like depending upon where you live in the country spring break Mother’s Day is coming up.

[00:18:53] So you need to start like Looking ahead in your marketing and see, okay, like what can I start talking about right now so that my families can start planning for the next two, three months, because I’ll tell you this as a mom, it’s not helpful for me to only like plan on a day by day basis.

[00:19:13] I have to really like look ahead. And my husband’s way better at this than I am. And like, I’m sure some families are like, what? Like what? Your husband’s better at this than you are. Like, yes I have to give credit where credit is due. My husband has helped me out a lot in this, as far as being more intentional with our family goes, but we are already thinking ahead of like what we need to do as a family in June, July, and August.

[00:19:37] Like, and we have like the things that we’re doing now, it was decided like. November and December. Oh, like, these are things we have to keep in mind for February, March, and April. So, put that, if you are working with families, you have to like, put on the thinking cap, the strategic cap of like, what are they thinking about right now?

[00:19:58] It’s not most likely what’s happening now. Yes, they’re bogged down with like, what’s happening, like, technically, but they’re really thinking about, oh, I need to like, start Start planning out like what we’re going to do for Easter. And I need to do like, what are we going to do for summer break? So get in there, get in their shoes in a way, and like be at the top of mind for yourself and that will benefit your business in so many ways.

[00:20:24] Sandra: Yeah, that is such a good point. Putting ourselves into our client’s shoes or potential client’s shoes is so important. I don’t think there’s really a way to successfully market your business if you don’t do that and you don’t know who it is that you’re speaking to.

[00:20:39] Dolly: Yeah. And like, it’s, And especially, that’s why I wanted to mention that in the very beginning of this episode, like, if you are in year one of your business, like, don’t beat yourself down because you’re still figuring out who you want to ideally serve, and who you want to photograph like if I’m speaking directly to photographers or and if I’m not speaking to photographers Then who in general who do you want to serve because it might feel like you’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall and figuring out But once that’s spaghetti starts sticking and like if things start clicking then, you know, like, okay These are the people I want to talk Talk to and serve and then you’ll know like what they’re You’ll see like what their buying behaviour is like, what their patterns are like.

[00:21:25] It really, when you are intentional about looking at that, you will see like, Oh, like this is true, it started clicking for me like a year or so ago with, a certain type of clients buying behaviours. I was like, Oh, when I market this during this time of year, they are most likely to buy versus if I market this month, like They won’t buy it. It’s just so crazy how that works out.

[00:21:50] Sandra: It’s so true, but it just kind of goes to show how important it is to pay attention to things like that and not just have inquiries coming in and out. And like all of that is great, but understanding where they’re coming from, why they’re hiring you at certain points definitely gives you an advantage when it comes to marketing your business in the future and not wasting your time on maybes and just focusing your energy when you know you’re going to be getting those yeses.

[00:22:16] Dolly: Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Exactly.

[00:22:19] Sandra: So there are any ways that you’ve been able to automate launch processes that photographers and business owners might not necessarily have thought of?

[00:22:26] Dolly: Yeah, definitely. Well, this is not so much an automation, but just a system I have put in place for myself at the beginning of the year.

[00:22:35] And then I assess every quarter. So for those of you who are like, you love casting a vision and planning ahead for the full year, you’re going to love this point. And for those of you who are like, I don’t like planning the full year then you’ll like point two. So point one is I love at the very top of the year, I love Casting a vision for the full year of like how my, I know what my services are already.

[00:23:03] I know what makes me money already then. And so I like to plan ahead for, and you see Sandra, Sandra can see like my calendar right behind me. I know when I’m going to be busiest with family photography.

[00:23:16] Sandra: 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.

[00:23:24] This template shop is going to be filled with everything you need to simplify and streamline your business behind the scenes, 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.

[00:23:40] 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 get a little special something to say thank you for being here. That’s SimplySandraYvonne.ca/shop.

[00:23:58] Dolly: Then, that, like, flip, I know, like, we’re using photography as an example, but, my other service is Systems and Workflow Education.

[00:24:07] So, then, once I know my busier seasons for family photography, I can look at my slower seasons when I’m not getting as many inquiries, because, like, in January and February, it’s like dreary and gross here in Nashville. And so I’m not getting as many inquiries for outdoor photography. So that’s when a lot of my systems and workflow education picks up.

[00:24:31] And so I know, okay, this is when I’m going to be heavily marketing certain things, for the education side of my business. And so that’s how I’m able to like market and plan out. My entire year and see, okay, this is what I’m going to be talking with to my families. Okay. This is when I’m going to be amping up my promotional for my students for systems and workflow education.

[00:24:56] Again, it’s taken me like five, almost five years to get, like, to understand like the ebbs and flows of like my business. But okay. So let’s talk about for the students, for the. Client, the listener who’s listening in and you’re like, I do not, that makes me want to vomit, like just thinking ahead for a full year.

[00:25:16] Okay. I hear you. I would encourage you to look ahead for the next 90 days. Like what is happening in the next 90 days. How you can be better prepared as a photographer and what is happening? Like, I know right now we’re recording this in February and 90 days out is March, April, and May. And again, that season is like spring minis, motherhood sessions.

25:38 Automating Launch Processes and Lead Generation

[00:25:45] So, If I was like, Only wanting to do, If I did not like the idea of like casting a vision for the full year, Then I would just do every, like, 90-day assessments. Like what’s happening in the next 90 days?

[00:26:00] Okay, how can I create content that serves the next 90 days that helps people help me keep, helps people keep me top of mind or helps me stay top of mind to my ideal client? How can I create content that helps me stay top of mind? And not just content, short-form content, but what type of long-form content.

[00:26:25] Okay. This might be getting a little more like… A little bit more strategic and I don’t want people to like tune me out. How can you create long-form content that not only answers the question, like immediate questions for the next 90 days, but is more evergreen for, I don’t know, like summer.

[00:26:44] Like, so how can you balance both? Like, can you take, let’s go back to the Tuesday, Thursday example on Tuesdays. You are intentional about creating the next 90 days worth of content that speaks directly to what’s going on in the next 90 days. And then on Thursdays, you’re like, okay, summer is happening in the next quarter after this quarter or fall, okay, what type of content should I be creating that will attract the right type of client to me? And so maybe making Tuesdays the more next 90 days content and then Thursdays the more evergreen content, like seasonal content. I really hope I’m making sense.

[00:27:27] Sandra: Oh yeah, absolutely. That makes total sense. It’s just so important to always be thinking forward. I’m going to go back to using my mini sessions as an example again, but there was a large portion of time that I was Booking my weddings and not taking any time to plan when I wanted my mini sessions to happen, but I love doing mini sessions.

[00:27:48] And so it was like every season I was like, Oh no, I have to launch this or I’m not going to have enough time. They’re happening in a month or whatever the case may be. And I would just have to. Find a date that I could squeeze them in around my weddings. And I eventually had to kind of make a decision for myself.

[00:28:04] Like, what is my priority going to be? If I want my priority to be weddings, then maybe I ditch the mini sessions. If I want to keep doing mini sessions, then I have to make those dates a priority. And so I think even just for like our own sanity, it’s so important to have an idea of what’s coming up next, but just finding those, like.

[00:28:22] tangible chunks of time that it’s easy to look forward on. So like you were saying, like the 90 days and just kind of breaking it down into quarters or whatever it is, that’s going to work for you.

[00:28:31] Dolly: I will also say another strategy that I really wish was taught to me a year one and year two was this. And I know like, again, this is not like a sexy TikTok viral video strategy I’m about to share.

[00:28:44] This is about lead generation. So email marketing. So again, before you, before the listener tunes me out, hear me out on this one. You should always have email marketing, and email growth at the, like, at the very front of your mind every single day, because what, like, as you’re growing your email list. They should be funnelled into like, some sort of nurture strategy.

[00:29:09] You’re nurturing them either weekly, bi-weekly, once a month. And then, your email subscribers are most likely, they will. I, I, it’s not a most likely scenario. They will be the ones that book with you before your social media books with you, unless it’s very weird where you are just, I don’t know, like, I haven’t, I have only experienced the cause I have a very small family segment.

[00:29:43] Of subscribers, and those are the ones that book me out year after year after year, versus my bigger Instagram audience on my photography page, like, it’s very, it’s very clear to me. Every year, as I go into like, I really need to always focus on email marketing, nurturing my newsletter every week, reminding them what I do, reminding them about blog posts, reminding them about family photography, reminding like, just like every single week.

[00:30:13] And so when I do open up those doors to many sessions, they’re the ones booking me first. And then I’ll have a few stragglers from either SEO or Instagram stories.

[00:30:25] Sandra: Yeah. I’ve noticed the exact same thing in my business too. I really started leaning into email marketing for my mini sessions last year.

[00:30:32] And of the 12 sessions that I did for my family mini or my family minis, my fall minis, 10 of them had come from my email list and they were repeat clients. And the other two had come through social media. So that was really eye-opening for me as someone who even had been doing email marketing for a long time was just like, wow, like I kind of have just been half-assing it because it was like, cool, I’ll get a few from here.

[00:30:57] But like I was really focusing my energy on social media and when I flipped that and put my energy into email marketing and just casual content on social media. It was like a night and day difference with the level of sales I was making.

[00:31:10] Dolly: Yeah, that’s so true. And to listeners who are like, okay, Dolly, can you give me tangible examples of like, how to do this in the next 90 days?

[00:31:20] Like, how do I grow my email list out? Well, if you’re brand new to email marketing, I do want to share this. You have to like, have an incentive for a person to actually be added to your email newsletter. An incentive you- or you’ve heard it called a freebie, a lead magnet. Just whatever. But why would a person like me hand over their email to you? Like, make it really easy for them. Don’t just like put it on your website, like join my newsletter. That has a conversion rate of less than 3%.

[00:31:56] Like it’s very bad. But have a real incentive. They, if, if somebody really does want to work with you, like maybe a really simple way, what would be join my newsletter and get 20 percent off for your next session, like that’s an incentive right there, or a big incentive that works for me is a style guide.

[00:32:21] Because moms, like, I know, as a mom, and then I serve moms, like, we are, like, stressed out about how could, like, how do we dress our kids? Like, how, how do we, like, show up and, like, make sure that these, like, I’m investing a lot in photos. I want to make sure my kids, and my family looks good.

[00:32:41] Like I’m not a stylist. Like, how do I do this in the most stress-free way possible? So I’ve created freebies and guides on like a free style guide so that they can use that regardless if they’re working with me or if they’re working with someone else, they show up and they show up well. Another idea I have that I’m kind of like thinking about doing is a private podcast for families. Not for family photographers, not like education, but for families who are especially moms, because moms don’t have time to sit around and read a novel about like, Oh. Now, like, this is how you get dressed, and you go through your class, like, I, as a mom, I’m like, I need, if I’m gonna learn something, I need to learn, I’m gonna pop it in my earbuds while I’m driving my children to school.

[00:33:31] So, photographers, maybe consider, Putting your, if you have a style guide, or if you have blog posts, or if you have a series, put that series in the form of a private audio podcast and do that as a lead magnet. And then it’s like a fun and cool and new way, to deliver free value to your potential clients.

[00:33:53] And then they’re thinking about you cause they’re listening to your voice. They’re making that little emotional connection with you. Through your voice, and then hopefully that also adds. Like they’re segmented into your weekly newsletter and then you are again building that relationship with them.

[00:34:10] Sandra: That’s such a great idea. I love that. I mean, video is not my favourite, but I do it because I know how important it is. So I love the idea of doing something that’s audio-based for clients so that they can listen to it on the go. I’m sure photographers across the board can find that as a takeaway, but definitely family photographers.

[00:34:27] You brought up such a good point about how a lot of parents. Don’t have time to just sit down and read through a PDF of tips. But if it’s something that they can listen to while they’re on the go, then that is going to go so much further. And I really loved what you said about how you give the style guide, even if someone is not going to be working with you.

[00:34:46] This is just available on your website. And I think that When it comes to a lot of tips and tricks, photographers are worried about sharing that information because what if they take that and they go work with somebody else, but it’s going to happen. It’s totally going to happen.

[00:35:00] And so I just love that you have that information available to potential clients and if it helps them somewhere else, that’s amazing. But if it helps them and they want to book with you, then it’s really contributing to that like, know, and trust factor.

[00:35:15] Dolly: Yeah. And so like how this ties in, cause your question, Sandra was like, how does this tie into like your promotional period, your launching period as a photographer, so consider this as yours. Like promotional phase of growing at being very intentional about lead generation.

35:28 Promoting Yourself and Staying Top of Mind

[00:35:30] Let’s just say growing out your email list. If that’s like simple layman’s terms right there. So I want you, the listener to be very intentional and have a plan of action of how you are going to push people. I’m going to say, I’m going to be aggressive when I say this.

[00:35:51] Every single day, like, have like some sort of call to action on your stories, or if you don’t use Instagram on TikTok, if you don’t use TikTok, like, wherever you are presenting yourself, you need to also be very intentional about growing out your email list every single time you post. Like, it might seem overwhelming to you, but the whole thing is, like, you really need to, like, bring people in and grow your email list.

[00:36:17] The right people. The right people. Not just everybody. The right people. Because then, that way, they are being nurtured by you year-round, hopefully. I, I’m not saying they’re going to guarantee book with you like next week, but you will stay top of mind to them. You are delivering value to them, hopefully.

[00:36:37] And if not every week, maybe every other week, if not every other week, once a month. And then, when that time comes, they will either book with you or they will send somebody your way because they’re like, wow, Sandra, like has all these great tips about like either how to get ready or, I don’t know, like those tulip sessions she did, like they were so beautiful.

[00:37:00] And I have a friend who really loves tulips. So I’m going to send her your way. I don’t know. Just like, just as an example, it’s just really important to stay top of mind. And again, let me reiterate. It’s important to sell yourself all the time. You can like, you just need to get over the, the sorry, like you need to get over the mindset of like, it’s really icky and gross to sell.

[00:37:25] I mean, you can make it icky. You can make it sleazy, but it’s really like you have to really learn how to get comfortable with promoting yourself because they’re like other people’s opinions aren’t paying your bills. Like you, you have a business to run. You have overhead to do like, to contribute to, you have your family to contribute to.

[00:37:47] And so, and I, I think I got better at selling once I started having kids. Cause I’m like, Oh, like I need to start buying diapers. I need to start buying formula. Like, Oh, other people’s opinions don’t matter as much because I have a business to run. And so I’m just going to keep on, keep on going, keep on pushing towards my goals because it impacts my sons and impacts my, family.

[00:38:11] Sandra: Yeah, absolutely. That’s so important. I love that. Well, before we wrap things up, Dolly, I would love if you could just quickly share where everybody can find you on social media so they can come and give you a follow.

[00:38:23] Dolly: Yeah, definitely. If you are more interested in just The photography side, you can find me @dollydelongphoto, but if you want more systems and workflow education to apply to the back end of your business, you can find me @dollydelongeducation.

[00:38:39] I also have a podcast, the Systems and Workflow Magic Podcast. Those episodes come out every Monday and then I have YouTube episodes that come out every Friday. I love diving into different systems, workflows and SOPs and just making it really tangible for you, the listener, so that you can take more baby steps to be more streamlined.

[00:39:03] Sandra: Love it. Well, thank you so much again for joining me. This was such a fun interview, and I know that listeners are going to have so many takeaways that they’re going to be able to apply regardless of what they are launching this year. So thank you for everything that you are sharing, and I hope that our paths cross again one day soon.

[00:39:17] Dolly: Thank you so much for having me, Sandra.

[00:39:19] Sandra: Of course.

39:20 Conclusion and Next Week’s Episode

[00:39:20] Oh, that was such a fun interview. And if there’s one takeaway that I really want you all to leave this episode with is that launching is essentially just promoting yourself regardless of whether you are a service-based business owner, or if you’re an online educator, everybody needs to be promoting themselves.

[00:39:38] One thing I’ve talked about a lot with my own business coach is how we are the only ones who get tired of talking about our businesses because we have to talk about it so many times for people to actually hear about it, and there are two major factors. There’s probably more, but two major factors that go into play with that are one only about 1 to 2 percent of people are actually seeing the content that we’re putting on social media.

[00:40:02] And I know for photographers, a lot of what we’re doing for marketing, we’re relying on social media for that. Hopefully, after listening to this episode, you’re going to be feeling more confident about leaning into things like email marketing, but I know a lot of people are really focusing on social media.

[00:40:17] So I get that. And then the second thing is that studies have shown that the average person needs to see something at least seven times for it to resonate before they actually realize that they’ve seen it. So if you have to show somebody something seven times, but they’re only going to actually see one to 2 percent of the things that you are actually posting, realistically, like you could be looking at hundreds of times that you have to talk about something before someone is actually going to buy.

[00:40:46] So, the next time you’re putting together an email, or you’re creating a blog post, or you’re writing a social media caption, and you’re feeling cringy about promoting yourself, just remember that. You are the only one who knows you’ve been promoting yourself as often as you have. And if you’re not going to be promoting your business, then you can’t expect anybody else to be promoting your business.

[00:41:08] So it’s time to get comfortable with promoting yourself. Start telling everybody how amazing you are, because we know that you are, and it is time for you to sing that from the rooftops because everybody else deserves to have some of that amazingness in their lives to.

[00:41:21] Now, next week, I am going to be back with a short and sweet little episode. With family photography being such a huge passion of mine and something that I’ve been doing as long as I’ve been doing weddings, I feel like there’s definitely a place for it here on the podcast.

[00:41:35] So if you’re a family photographer or interested in getting into family photography, definitely come back next Wednesday, where I’m going to be talking all about my three favourite family session prompts to get natural emotions in your photos.

[00:41:49] Until then friends, have a great rest of your week and stay cool, however you can, if you’re in the midst of summer like I am.

[00:41:56] Thank you so much for listening. You can find full show notes from today’s episode at simplysandrayvonne.ca/shownotes. 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!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small amount of money if you make a purchase from any of our affiliates. This is done at no cost to you!

Have you ever wondered how I tackle the ups, downs, and all the in-between that happen on a wedding day? This week on the podcast I’m sharing a step-by-step look at how I manage two very different weddings, each with its own set of logistics and demands. I also dive into what I’ve learned about healthy diets and proper carb intake when you’re working a high-energy job like this. My mind was seriously blown!

Keep scrolling for links to the episode, show notes, and a full transcript.

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Show Notes

Timeline Freebie – https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/timelines

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Takeaways

• Wedding photography involves physical and mental exertion, and it is more than just pressing a button.
• A well-planned photography timeline is crucial for capturing all the important moments of a wedding day.
• Taking care of one’s physical and mental well-being before, during, and after a wedding is essential.
• Carb-loading before a wedding can help maintain energy levels throughout the day.
• Proper hydration and nutrition can contribute to a better overall experience on a wedding day.
• Using tools like massage guns and TENS machines can aid in muscle recovery after a long day of shooting.
• It’s important for photographers to have a hands-on approach to the photography timeline and work closely with other vendors to ensure a smooth wedding day.
• Each wedding is unique, and photographers should be adaptable and flexible to meet the needs and preferences of their clients.
• Taking time to relax and enjoy the wedding day can lead to better photos and a more positive experience for everyone involved.

Chapters

00:00 Preparing for Two Different Weddings
15:28 The Importance of a Well-Planned Photography Timeline
20:49 Fueling Your Body for a Wedding Day: The Role of Nutrition
25:12 Taking Care of Yourself: Preparing Physically and Mentally
28:20 The Physical Demands of Wedding Photography
29:10 Collaborating with Vendors for a Successful Wedding Day
31:52 Enjoying the Wedding Day: Balancing Work and Fun

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What do your taco choices reveal about your wedding photography business? Take my quiz to find out!

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Other Episodes You’ll Love

040 Creating A More Accessible Photography Business with Erin Perkins of Mabely Q

022 3 Mistakes Every Wedding Photographer Makes

034 Self Care For Wedding Photographers with Chronic Illnesses

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TRANSCRIPT

00:00 Preparing for Two Different Wedding Days

[00:00:00] Sandra: If you’ve ever wished you could peel back the curtain in somebody else’s photography business and see exactly how they approach a wedding day, then today is your lucky day.

[00:00:09] My last two weddings were so different from one another. So today I am so excited to be diving into how I prepped for both weddings, how the days went, the differences between the two hurdles that we came across and things that went well, and then how everything went after the wedding was all said and done.

[00:00:27] My last wedding was just a few days ago and I have so much to say and so many thoughts to share.

[00:00:33] Sandra: So here comes the intro and then we will get right into it.

[00:00:37] 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 3 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.

[00:01:07] 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.

[00:01:23] For anybody who’s been a long-time listener of the podcast, you know that I have really been pulling back on the number of weddings that I take on every year because I have so many other things going on with my health and things like that, that the physical toll that it takes on my body.

[00:01:37] Just is too much for me to be doing this every single weekend. So this year I have a wedding in June, July, and August. And with my June and July weddings out of the way, I thought there was no better time than to kind of give a behind-the-scenes day in the life look at what it looks like for me on a wedding day.

[00:01:56] I’m going to start with my June couple. They got married on June 22nd, and in my area, we were in the midst of a major heat wave. Earlier in the week, I believe the humidex hit, close to 41 degrees Celsius, which is, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe a hundred and five-ish for anybody who’s listening in the U. S. and is using Fahrenheit for temperatures.

[00:02:21] But thankfully, by the wedding day, it did cool off, and I’m using some air quotes here, cooled off a little bit, and it went down to 36 degrees Celsius, or roughly about 96, 97 degrees Fahrenheit. So, still hot as hell, but we were ready to make the best of it. As wedding photographers know, wedding vendors know, there’s nothing you can do to control the weather.

[00:02:43] But the day we figure it out, I know we are all going to be rejoicing because it will make our jobs so much easier. Anyway, so I woke up at 8 a.m. that day and I had done a few things the day before to kind of help myself get ready. I had a high-protein dinner, some chicken breast, and some steamed vegetables, and then when I woke up the next day, I had Greek yogurt for breakfast. I had some chicken salad and some cold vegetables for lunch, and I packed a couple of protein bars to bring with me for the wedding day.

[00:03:18] I also packed a ton of water. I did the math on all the water I drank that day and it equalled out to about Four and a half litres of water, which is more than a gallon for all of my American listeners. It was a lot. And I was still dehydrated. Like that’s how hot it was. So I get all of my protein bars and my water and everything loaded up into the car.

[00:03:43] And then I had about a half an hour drive to go and meet my assistant Emily. And we started with the groom’s getting ready photos at a hotel. This was a lot of fun because it’s hit and miss on whether or not the groom and his groomsman or his side of the wedding party are going to be really into photos.

[00:04:03] This time we had a bunch of guys that were just really excited, ready to participate in photos, and that always just makes the photos turn out so much better. So we got that all done, thankfully, keeping everybody inside and the air conditioning at the hotel.

[00:04:18] It didn’t make much of a difference for me. I started sweating from the second the day started and I did not stop sweating until I got into the shower after the wedding was over.

4:30 How Your Cycle Impacts Your Body Temperature

[00:04:30] Part of the reason for that was it was hot as hell outside, but I was also in a phase of my menstrual cycle where my body temperature just naturally increases. For a lot of people who menstruate, this is going to happen the week before your period starts.

[00:04:45] For me, it lasts a little bit longer just because of how my hormones are interacting with my body, having endometriosis and things like that. So it was a very, very sweaty day for me. Once we finished up with the guys, we headed over to the venue because the bride was getting ready at the same building as the ceremony and the reception, which was nice.

[00:05:06] I love being able to cut down on any sort of travel time so we can really maximize the time we have for photos.

[00:05:12] So once we got there, we unpacked all of our stuff and we headed inside and this venue is a, it’s gorgeous. It’s a really old train station, but you all know, with really old buildings, this typically means that there are air conditioning issues and airflow issues.

[00:05:28] So, even though there was air conditioning in this building. You really wouldn’t know it unless you were standing like directly over a vent. We headed upstairs where it was even hotter and we went to go and start the bride’s getting ready photos.

[00:05:42] But as we were doing details, I noticed that the bride wasn’t feeling well. She asked if we could just take a few minutes so she could have something to eat and something to drink. And of course, when it comes to a wedding day, my priority is to make sure that the couple and Everybody having their photo taken can relax and enjoy themselves.

[00:06:01] The priority is not the photos when it comes to whether or not the bride is feeling well. So we shifted things around. I shortened the time that we were going to need for photos. I told her that we could do photos with her bridal party later on during our wedding party photos. So that eliminated some time and we could just let her sit, try to cool off, hydrate herself, and we would keep going from there.

[00:06:25] And so what we ended up doing was my assistant and I took the bride into the bathroom and we plugged in a whole bunch of fans. A couple of her bridesmaids were in there as well, and I was the one who did up her dress. The bridesmaids that were in there had no experience with a corset dress.

[00:06:42] And so, of course, I was more than happy to step in and do that for her while my assistant and her bridesmaids tried to keep her cool. And then once her dress was all ready to go, we took her out and we did some mock photos with her mom. That way she still had those memories captured while we were able to take that extra time to cool her off and make her more comfortable.

[00:07:02] Thankfully that ended up being exactly what she needed. And we were able to head downstairs to start our pre-ceremony photos.

[00:07:10] When I do pre-ceremony photos, I like to section off about 20 to 30 minutes prior to the ceremony, and that gives us a chance to get photos of all of their ceremony details of the guests coming in and saying hi to one another and getting seated. And then, of course, most importantly, making sure that our camera gear is all ready to go for when the ceremony starts.

[00:07:30] Now, because of the heat, cocktails were moved into the reception area. So I had to make a quick little last-minute change. Once the ceremony started, I sent my assistant over into the reception space to start getting all of those details before all of the guests filled the room.

[00:07:47] Thankfully, the ceremony space that we were in was pretty compacted, so it was really easy for me to get all of the necessary angles and moments without being intrusive and being able to send my assistant off to get those photos.

[00:07:58] And that’s a perfect example of how as wedding photographers and wedding professionals we really need to think on our toes and sometimes make some last-minute changes and go with the flow of the day to make sure that we get the photos, even if we had planned it all perfectly and things aren’t exactly going according to that.

[00:08:15] One of my favourite parts of the whole day was actually during this ceremony one of the bridesmaids came up to do a reading, and she actually did a reading from the movie Crazy Stupid Love, which is one of my absolute favourite movies. If anybody listening has seen it, It was the part where Steve Carell is talking about the first time he ever lied to his dad about being in love with the girl that he had just met. And it was such a perfect reading and it was the first time I’ve ever heard somebody quote crazy stupid love. So I will definitely not forget that.

[00:08:46] It made me so happy. And then after the ceremony was over, we headed outside the train station to take advantage of a nice breeze that was finally rolling through and we used the old brick and natural light to do their family formals and the wedding party photos.

[00:09:02] For the newlywed photos, they had originally planned on going to a secondary location to have photos done, but because of how hot it was, they decided to just scratch that and take advantage of the great,

[00:09:15] and take advantage of everything that the train station had to offer instead.

[00:09:19] We did photos with them walking around out back of the building, And then we went back upstairs into that room where we had started with the getting ready photos, which had thankfully cooled down because it has the most gorgeous wall with exposed brick and some old drywall still hanging on.

[00:09:34] It’s one of the biggest selling features that this venue has and why so many people love getting married there. so I was really glad that we were able to go back in and take advantage without making the couple pass out to have their photos taken.

[00:09:48] Once we got all of the formal photos done, it was time for our reception prep. This is the same as the ceremony prep that I’ve already mentioned, where we set aside about 20 to 30 minutes before the reception to get photos of the decor, to get candids of everybody as they’re taking their seat and socializing with one another, and making sure that our camera gear is all ready to go for when the grand entrance starts.

[00:10:14] When the grand entrance did kick off, it went right into the cake cutting, and then speeches were split between rounds at the buffet. I have to give the biggest thank you to this couple because where they sat me at the table, the pasta portion of the buffet was literally right behind me. And I’m not going to lie.

[00:10:35] It was some of the best pasta that I’ve ever had and I don’t know if that’s because of how hot it was or how hungry I was or if it really was the most delicious pasta ever.

[00:10:44] Either way, I had a lot of it with no regrets because there was tons left over and I hate seeing food go to waste. After dinner and dessert were all said and done. It was time for the first dance. And then the dance floor opened with all of the guests invited to come out and join them. And at that point, the incredible wedding planners helped me bring my vision to life for the night photo that I wanted to do with the couple. There was beautiful drapery all on the wall behind the sweetheart table with twinkling fairy lights in behind it and I had a vision of using that as the backdrop for their night photo.

[00:11:19] So the planners helped me move the sweetheart table out of the way and get it all cleared out so that the couple didn’t even have to leave the dance floor. The guests just moved their dancing a little bit off to the side and the couple came out onto the center of the dance floor

[00:11:33] and we ended the night with a bang. I’m going to be sharing this photo over on my photography Instagram account, which you can find at @lifeisbeautifullondon. I am going to be posting that later today when this episode airs, so definitely go and take a look if you are interested in seeing what the outcome of that was.

[00:11:49] And it was super fun because they had all of their guests just cheering them on and getting some more natural reactions out of them for the photos.

[00:11:56] Then after about an eight-and-a-half-hour photography day, we were all finished and we packed up our gear and we said goodbye to the couple and we went and headed outside. I had brought my laptop with me because my assistant and I live on totally different ends of the city. So we just hung out in the parking lot.

[00:12:14] Cool off a little bit While we uploaded our photos onto my hard drive.

[00:12:17] And then we said our goodbyes and headed home. Now, for me, this drive, I gotta say, was not fun. It was about 40 minutes from the venue to my house. And with it being a combination of my first wedding of the year, not the most convenient time in my cycle, having an already increased body temperature, and then also dealing with a heat wave, as soon as the adrenaline of the day started wearing off when I got in my car, all of it all kind of culminated, and I was so sick on my way home. I spent almost the entire 40 minutes dry heaving. I just did not want to pull over and get sick, so I tried to just, like, breathe through it as much as I could.

[00:13:07] And my husband, I just love him so much, he was standing outside waiting for me to get there, and he had a ginger chew candy, which they are,

[00:13:16] I mean, they’re exactly what they sound like. They’re candies that, these ones I get are mango flavoured, and they’re just a chewy candy, and they are also made with lots of ginger to help settle your stomach. They’re the best. So yeah, as soon as I started eating that ginger candy, I started feeling a lot better. I went inside, I immediately showered With one of the coldest showers I think I’ve ever had.

[00:13:38] Afterwards, I started importing all of my photos, and Then I went to bed, but the fun wasn’t over there because I was so overstimulated from the day, that it took me until about 5 a.m. to fall asleep.

[00:13:52] Sandra: Even though I was so physically exhausted, my nervous system just would not slow down. So I had to just ride it out. I finally fell asleep at around five o’clock in the morning and the wedding hangover lasted about three days. Which is pretty quick. I expect it to last about four days normally. So when I actually started feeling a lot better around day 2. 5 and then by day three was back to my regularly scheduled programming. It was mind-blowing. And the one thing that I had to thank for that was that my husband actually bought me a massage gun for Christmas. And I used that to roll out the muscles on my thighs, my calves, my biceps.

[00:14:40] I used a different attachment to get into my hips and my glutes.

[00:14:45] And it seriously made all the difference.

[00:14:49] I am all about trying different things to help with pain management and getting your body to recover faster. and of course, exercise is always the best thing, but for me and my chronic pain and my chronic health issues, that’s not always a possibility. So having this massage gun work so well was great.

[00:15:06] I also have a TENS machine that I’ll use, which sends small electric currents into your muscles. And I’ll use that for anything that’s like real deep down that my massage gun can’t get to. And the combo of the two of them had me back up and running at least a good day or more quicker than normal.

[00:15:24] So that was amazing.

15:28 Wedding Timeline Freebie!

[00:15:27] Even if your couples are hiring a wedding planner, I think it’s so important for a photographer to have a hands-on approach when it comes to tackling the photography timeline for the wedding day. It’s so important for vendors to all work together with the couple to make sure all those important moments are going to be captured perfectly. But when it comes time to actually write that timeline, it can be so tedious. So I put together a timeline template inside Google Sheets that you can download for free if you go to my website at simplysandrayvonne.ca/timelines. This Google Sheets template has four different tabs.

[00:16:03] One for notes, where you can put contact information, And anything else you’ll need to refer to a tab for the timeline with simple drop-down menus in 5-minute increments to make sure that you are able to note every single part of the day.

[00:16:16] A family shot list tab where you can write in every single family photo you’re going to do and also put notes for the relation of who the people are so you know exactly who’s standing in front of your camera. and then lastly, you’ll also find a vendor tab where you can put all of the vendor’s contact information, get their social media handles and more to make sure that it’s super easy to tag them and share photos going forward.

[00:16:39] If this is something you need in your wedding photography business, I want you to head over to simplysandrayvonne.ca/timelines to get your copy.

16:49 A Different Approach To A Wedding Day

[00:16:49] Once I was out of the wedding hangover, I did have the following weekend off. So that was nice. And then it took me to my next wedding, Which just happened this past weekend

[00:17:01] This couple had a six-hour package and they really wanted a low-key, candid approach to their wedding day. Not that the other couple in June didn’t want a low-key approach either – that’s kind of my vibe that I bring to the wedding day but they had more hours and wanted a lot more with like the getting ready and post photos and things like that.

[00:17:24] Now for this wedding, when it came to how I was eating and how I was going to be nourishing my body before and during the wedding day, I decided to take a totally different approach. And I want to explain where my thought process came with this. So normally I associate protein with energy. and I think that most of us do, We know that having lots of protein in our diet is important and plays a huge role in how we can hold our energy throughout the day. And then if you’re like me, I’m 37, and if you are anywhere in my age bracket, you know that we grew up during a time when the world was very anti-carb.

[00:18:05] And I know there’s a lot of reasons that go into that, and for some people, obviously grains and things like that with gluten, it is an issue for them. But for me, I don’t have a gluten allergy, and I think that my understanding of how carbs play a role in your diet and your energy levels and things like that came from that negative approach to carbs.

[00:18:28] And so I was thinking about how that June wedding went, where it was really, really hot, and I’d eaten a lot of protein, but I was struggling to keep up throughout the day, and I assumed it just had to do with the heat And the fact that I was where I was in my cycle and things like that, but when it came time for dinner, I had some chicken and then I had that pasta that I was saying earlier was like the best pasta I ever had.

[00:18:52] Even though I wasn’t feeling that hungry because of how hot it was and how busy I was, I could not get enough of this pasta. I didn’t think much of it at the time, but as I was preparing for this next wedding in July, My wheels started turning and a light bulb went off about how the fact that athletes will typically carb load before a game.

[00:19:12] And so I decided to do a little bit of research. I did some reading myself and I reached out to some friends of mine who have more experience when it comes to nutrition and how it impacts your body. So I first talked to my friend Sid over at In Ink Weddings. Shout out to Sid. She is amazing at all things wedding.

[00:19:31] But she also just completed a marathon running through the Inca mountains in Peru and I’m not going to lie. I was fully online stalking her because I just found this to be so inspiring. And so I knew that she had been training for that for a while and that diet was going to play a huge role in that.

[00:19:50] So I reached out to her. And then I also reached out to a friend of mine who is a personal trainer and nutritionist and a couple of friends who are massage therapists. And these people all were able to give me so much insight into how carbs can actually help you on a wedding day. They do play a role along with protein and how you’re able to keep up your energy levels throughout the day. there’s also science behind it about how your muscles are able to heal after high-intensity workouts, which isn’t just at the gym. Anybody who’s worked at a wedding knows wedding days definitely count for high intensity. So I’m so glad that I reached out to them and I decided to take this different approach to my diet for this wedding.

[00:20:31] And I want to give a disclaimer that this is not advice by any means. I want to make sure that you are consulting who you need to consult before you make any changes to your diet. This is just something that I knew I would be able to try safely on my own and I wanted to share what the outcome of that was.

20:49 Fueling Your Body for a Wedding Day: The Role of Nutrition

[00:20:49] So, the day before the wedding for dinner, I had pesto pasta with chicken and some veggies, and then I had a Danish for dessert. The next morning, I had the rest of my Danish for breakfast. Definitely could have made healthier choices, but I was just going with the food that I had. So I ate the rest of that Danish for breakfast.

[00:21:09] And then for lunch, I packed myself a chicken salad sandwich. And of course, all the water again. This time we had a late start for the wedding day. We didn’t actually start until 4:30 pm, but the couple was getting married at a venue with a private beach, so my assistant Shannon and I decided to go up early and we spent a few hours laying out in the sun and swimming in the lake before we went inside and got cleaned up for when we had to start photos.

We were starting right with the ceremony this time, no getting-ready photos, but regardless of that, we always make sure that we have that time ahead of the ceremony to make sure we’re able to get photos of the details, guests as they’re arriving, and making sure that our gear is all ready to go for when everybody starts walking down the aisle.

The ceremony was running a little bit late, and it was very sunny outside, so the guests lingered around the edge where they were able to hang out in the shade and enjoy some water and things like that until the ceremony got started. It was a short and sweet ceremony with the most beautiful exit as the couple walked down the aisle and they had their guests do a petal toss, and then we really got into embracing the low-key, candid aspect of the day.

[00:22:17] We had a few family photos to do, but as guests were trying to make arrangements for their kids, use the washroom, get a drink, and things like that, we floated around doing candids until everybody was available, and we just fit those family formals in where we could.

[00:22:31] We didn’t do any wedding party or newlywed formals before the reception started, allowing the couple to mingle with their guests and take time to just enjoy their day.

[00:22:41] It also gave us lots of time for reception details and to get to know some of the vendors that we were working with because most of them were actually new faces.

[00:22:49] As the couple did their entrance into the reception, They did a Polish tradition where they take, I believe it’s a shot of water and a shot of vodka, but this couple opted to just do shots of water and then eat some, bread with salt on it. And then receive a Polish blessing and be on your way to the head table.

[00:23:07] And then immediately after the grand entrance, we went into speeches, which was really nice to get those done and out of the way so that everybody could just sit and enjoy their dinner.

[00:23:17] Towards the end of dinner service, the couple headed onto the dance floor for their first dance. And then we headed right outside into a golf cart. The staff from the venue drove us down to the beach for the most beautiful sunset I have had on a wedding day in so long.

[00:23:33] It was seriously like the picture-perfect sunset over the water, which made my photographer heart happy, but also made me even happier for my clients because I know specifically the bride booked this venue for that reason. And so it was so nice knowing that all of her wedding day sunset dreams came true.

[00:23:52] Once we went back inside the venue, we did some more candids on the dance floor, and then we headed home. This drive home was thankfully a lot less painful than the last one. I did not get sick. And once I did get home, I showered and went to bed and fell asleep at a normal time. So a huge difference compared to a couple of weeks ago.

[00:24:15] before. Overall, I felt so much more mentally clear and energized throughout the entire day. I forgot to mention during dinner, I went really carb-heavy again. I did have some chicken to make sure I was getting that protein in me, but I had two dinner rolls. And then I had some potatoes and vegetables, and really just made sure that I kept running with those carbs.

[00:24:36] My total water intake on this wedding day was about two and a half litres of water, which is about 0. 6 gallons for all of my American listeners.

[00:24:46] Now, even though I was at a much better, much more energetic part of my cycle, I really do think that the way I approached my diet and my carb intake for this wedding day was the catalyst for me feeling so much better.

25:00 Taking Care of Yourself: Preparing Physically and Mentally

[00:25:00] Not only did I stay so much more mentally clear and energetic throughout the entire day, But I also cannot tell you the last time I felt that good waking up the day after a wedding. Normally my thighs, my calves, and my biceps are all burning and sore and inflamed. None of that happened this time. My joints were still really sore.

[00:25:24] But that’s something that I know my joints are really needing to be strengthened and stabilized. So that’s something that I’ve been working on. Just starting to go swimming and things like that to try and get some low-impact exercise in when I can. But it was just shocking to me how different my muscles felt overall.

[00:25:42] And I didn’t wake up with a migraine the next day! No matter how much water I drink or how long I have my sunglasses on, or if I put a hat on when it’s really sunny and we’re doing photos outside, I’ve tried all the things and nothing has ever helped me escape that Sunday morning migraine that happens after a wedding, but this time I did not have a migraine and so I don’t know.

[00:26:07] I’m not a nutritionist. This is my first time doing this. Again, I don’t want to say that this is the absolute way to feel good on a wedding day, but it was enough for me to be really intrigued and for me to want to step back and look at how I’m approaching my diet, especially around work.

[00:26:26] And yeah, it’s also kind of been a little bit humbling to realize that something that I thought I really had a handle on was… Not necessarily totally wrong, but a little bit off base in terms of how to approach a high-impact wedding day versus how you would approach your diet for everyday life.

[00:26:46] So take that for what it’s worth. If it’s something that you can safely try and you’re interested in trying, increase your carb intake and see how it feels for you.

[00:26:55] There are lots of different ways that you can approach eating more carbs. For me, I’m thankful that I don’t have any sort of gluten allergy, and I love bread, so I will take any excuse to eat more grains. You don’t have to ask me twice. And so the next time that I have a really long, high-impact day, Day will be in a few weeks when I have my summer mini-sessions on the beach.

[00:27:17] And as of right now, I have eight families booked in and I still have a few more spots open that I’m hoping to fill before then. So I will be taking this same approach for that, where I’m going to try a really high carb, high protein diet around the time of the session and see how it goes from there.

[00:27:36] Now I know my story and my approach to a wedding day is going to be different than a lot of people listening. It’s not everyone’s story, but it is for a lot of us. And when it comes to listening to people talk about the photography industry from those who are not actually in the photography industry, they say things like it’s just pressing a button and they don’t understand why yada, yada.

[00:28:00] I get really frigging frustrated because it is so much more than that. Like, let’s ignore all of the editing and all the things that we have to do to prep and do behind the scenes in our office and things like that. On the actual wedding day, we are running, we are climbing, we are standing in weird positions.

28:18 The Physical Demands of a Wedding Day

[00:28:18] We are going nonstop for hours, and the physical toll of that is huge. There’s also a mental toll that goes along with it when you have to be on for that many hours. You’re not only having to think about what you’re actually doing, but you’re having to think about everything that is still to come.

[00:28:35] You’re probably thinking about everything that you’ve already done. You have to navigate not only your clients but all the guests that have attended the wedding. It can be a lot. I know I’m preaching to the choir here while I’m standing on this little soapbox, but we all know it is so much more than pushing a button

[00:28:50] and those physical requirements and the toll that it takes on a person’s body are a big reason as to why I’ve pulled back so aggressively on the number of weddings that I do.

[00:29:00] if you want to dive in a little bit more into how to tackle before, during, and after a wedding day to alleviate some of what you have to go through during the wedding hangover, after the wedding day is all said and done, I want you to go back and listen to episode 31 of this podcast, where I was joined by Kassandra Fuller, who is an ex wedding planner, turned personal trainer and nutritionist, she shared so much valuable information that I know is going to help you immensely throughout this wedding season. The link for that is going to be in the show notes. And I’m also going to throw some links in there for some of the things that I’ve talked about today, like my massage gun that I use, the tens machine, my big water jug and things like that.

[00:29:39] So make sure you go and get all of those details if you are interested. And that wraps up everything for me for this week’s episode. I hope that this gave you some interesting insight into how somebody else approaches a wedding day. Whether you learned something that you thought “I’m absolutely never going to run my wedding day like that, or you’re like, that’s a really great idea. Both are super valuable. So I hope that you had some sort of takeaway from it and enjoy the rest of your week.

[00:30:08] Have a great wedding this weekend if you’ve got one and I will be back next Wednesday.

30:14 Episode Sponsor – Aftershoot

[00:30:14] Today’s episode of Keeping It Candid was sponsored by Aftershoot. Aftershoot is an AI editing and culling software that is going to be an absolute game changer for your photography business.

[00:30:25] You can upload your photos, cull them and do base editing all in one platform before pulling your photos over into Lightroom to make your final tweaks.

[00:30:34] The culling software will go through and filter out photos that are blurry or where people are blinking, it will pick out the best of the best, and it will continuously learn from you every time you modify the selections. From there, you can pull it in for some AI editing that again is trained off of your personal editing style and will apply those settings to your photos It’s able to do cropping white balance levels, adjustments, curves adjustments, split toning – anything you could need to, and they’re even now beta testing an AI subject masking feature, which for a beta, you guys, it is so good, and I am loving it.

[00:31:15] From there, I pull my photos in the Lightroom, and I apply my final tweaks, and then they are ready to go to my client. For my spring mini sessions this year, I had 10 clients come in and I had all of their photos fully edited and delivered within eight days.

[00:31:31] Yeah, you heard that right. Eight days. Aftershoot is going to save you so much time and take so much work off your plate this year. It’s not meant to replace you, but it is going to be your new favourite tool in your toolkit to work more efficiently and get those photos out sooner so that you have happier clients and can spend more time behind your camera or even taking some time off.

[00:31:54] To try out Aftershoot, head over to my website, simplysandrayvonne.ca/resources, or check out the show notes for today’s episode, and you will find a link to save 10% off your first year.

[00:32:06] Thank you so much for listening. You can find full show notes from today’s episode at simplysandrayvonne.ca/shownotes.

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!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small amount of money if you make a purchase from any of our affiliates. This is done at no cost to you!

Do you ever feel like your photography business is lost in the masses of so many others in your area? I get it. The market’s saturated, and standing out can feel impossible sometimes. But listen, brand photos are your secret weapon to change that!

As photographers, brand photos are the key to building trust with the best kind of clients, and booking those weddings and sessions you’ve been dreaming of. Wondering how brand photos can elevate your biz and skyrocket your success? On this episode of the Keeping It Candid podcast, I chatted with brand photography guru Angie McPherson. She spills the tea on why brand photos are essential for photographers and wedding pros, how to attract your ideal clients with killer photos, and bring in more revenue in the process. Plus, Angie’s sharing some pro tips on hiring a brand photographer to ensure you get the most out of your next session.

Keep scrolling for links to the episode, show notes, and a full transcript.

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Show Notes

Angie McPherson: https://angiemcpherson.com/

Get Angie’s Free Branding Photoshoot Inspiration Cheat Sheet – https://angiemcpherson.com/cheat-sheet

Template Shop: https://simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop

Save 10% on Aftershoot: https://account.aftershoot.com/referral-signup?referrer=YT1AEQW8

Takeaways

• Brand photos help businesses stand out in an oversaturated market and attract the right clients.
• When hiring a brand photographer, look for someone who provides a planning guide, questionnaire, and shoot plan.
• Brand photos should have variety and consistency to be effective.
• Personal connection is important in building trust and attracting clients.
• Brand photos can lead to increased revenue and opportunities.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Overview
02:14 Introducing Angie McPherson
03:34 The Importance of Brand Photos in an Oversaturated Market
08:08 Tips for Hiring a Brand Photographer
13:42 What Makes a Good Branding Session
23:40 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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About Angie

Angie McPherson is a branding photographer, marketing strategist, and hype-woman for creatives. She photographs entrepreneurs, brands and influencers throughout the country, providing custom imagery to elevate their brand. Angie helps branding photographers build an impactful and profitable business through courses, digital products, and coaching.

Photo by Shannon LeBlanc

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What do your taco choices reveal about your wedding photography business? Take my quiz to find out!

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Other Episodes You’ll Love

040 Creating A More Accessible Photography Business with Erin Perkins of Mabely Q

037 Up-Level Your Client Experience With This One Simple Question

030 Breaking Into A New Market with John Mansfield

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TRANSCRIPT

00:00 Introduction and Overview

[00:00:00] Sandra Henderson: Welcome back to the podcast, everybody. I hope you are having an amazing week so far. I hope that you’re hanging in there this far into wedding season. I know everybody in my area is about a month, month and a half into their season. So I hope that things have been going well. Your couples have been amazing.

[00:00:17] The days have been stress-free. Most importantly, you are absolutely loving the work that you’re producing. Last month on the podcast, I interviewed my friend Yasi Salavatian about incorporating brand voice into your business and your marketing. You can listen to that on episode 50 in case you missed it.

[00:00:35] And today I am talking to Angie McPherson about the visual side of your brand, more specifically your brand photos. Angie is a branding photographer, marketing strategist, and hype woman for creatives. She photographs entrepreneurs, brands, and influencers throughout the country, providing custom imagery to elevate their brand.

[00:00:56] She helps branding photographers build an impactful and profitable business through courses, digital products and coaching. She and I chatted all about how brand photos will help you stand out in an oversaturated market, which I think is something that we can all relate to regardless of where we live.

[00:01:12] We also talked about what to look for when you’re hiring a brand photographer and even how to get the most out of your next branding session. Angie is such a sweetheart And I know that you are going to love every second of this interview. So let’s get to it.

[00:01:26] 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 3 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.

[00:01:56] 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.

02:14 Introducing Angie McPherson

[00:02:15] Thank you so much again, Angie, for joining me. I am so, so excited to get a chance to connect and talk a little bit more. but before we dive into all things, brand photography, I would love for you to just take a quick second to introduce yourself and let everybody know a little bit more about you.

[00:02:30] Angie McPherson: Yes.

[00:02:30] Hi. Well, thank you so much for having me. I am so excited to chat today. I’m Angie McPherson. I am a branding photographer, marketing strategist, and hype woman for creative entrepreneurs. I’m located in Virginia and I photograph entrepreneurs. worldwide. And I’m just excited to chat with you today. I’ve had a 10-year photography journey from pivoting from wedding photography to branding photography.

[00:02:54] So I know both sides of the coin there and I’m excited to chat.

[00:02:58] Sandra Henderson: I actually did my very first official branding session last year. And I loved it. I can totally see how so many photographers kind of like, it’s like you, you get that spark and it’s like, Oh, I really like doing this before I felt so intimidated to just pose a single person, but getting the chance to do some brand photography.

[00:03:18] I was like, okay, I see why this is so great.

[00:03:21] Angie McPherson: So much fun. It’s so much fun. And just. Less stressful than other, you know, niches of photography. I’ve just settled into it and I’m just like, I love it. I love it. And I just want to. Go deeper and deeper and reach more people and, and have more, you know, more experiences with branding photography.

[00:03:39] So it’s definitely a fun niche.

03:42 The Importance of Brand Photos in an Oversaturated Market

[00:03:42] Sandra Henderson: Oh, I love that so much. So why do you think that brand photos are so important for small business owners, whether that be wedding photographers or really no matter what industry you’re in?

[00:03:52] Angie McPherson: Yeah, I, I think it is so essential because we are, you know, especially photographers, When I was a wedding photographer, this is literally how I pivoted into branding photography.

[00:04:04] I was shooting weddings and, you know, in my local industry, everyone was showing photos of bouquets and rings and their clients. And not a lot of people were showing photos of themselves, the person behind the camera. And so my friend and I actually were like, Hey, and back in this day, it wasn’t called branding photography.

[00:04:24] It was like lifestyle headshots. My friend and I decided to meet up for lifestyle headshots and just swap another photographer. And I swapped and we brought like five different outfits. We’ve got our hair and makeup done. We were very intentional about the photos we were taking because we wanted them to align with our brands. We wanted them to go on our website, social media, and email marketing. So we were very intentional and we were doing this for the sole reason of setting ourselves apart from everyone else who was just posting photos of their work, of their clients. And as soon as I started posting photos of myself, my business just blew up.

[00:05:00] I mean, people were wanting to work. with me, not only because my work was beautiful, but because they wanted to work with me. And those are the type of inquiries you want to get in your inbox when someone’s already made the decision that they want to work with you. They’re not price shopping. They don’t like, you know, just a specific style of your photography.

[00:05:18] They are zoned in on you and they just want to know, how can I book you? And so that was the business that I had gotten into after I started sharing my branding photos. So they’re so important for. Small business owners, because every market is oversaturated. And that’s totally fine because we have our own unique personal brands or our unique personal, you know, personalities are unique approaches in our business.

[00:05:41] And if we share that, if we put that out into the world we’re going to be attracting the right people who can really have a transformation by working with us who can really sing our praises, you know, they’re going to have great testimonials for you. So you really want to connect with people on that personal level so that you don’t get the price shoppers so that you don’t get the people who are, you know, zoned in on something specific people who just truly see your potential.

[00:06:05] Your experience, your personality and your vibe. And you guys can just create magic together.

[00:06:12] Sandra Henderson: That was the best explanation as to why everybody should immediately be getting in front of the camera instead of just sticking behind. But one thing that you said that I really loved was talking about how it sets you apart.

[00:06:24] So when I’m looking to hire someone, I’ll go onto social media and see what kind of profile they have. It really stands out to me when I’m scrolling and scrolling and scrolling on Instagram, and I have no idea who you are or what you look like. For me, that sort of visual connection is really important.

[00:06:44] I want to know who you are as a person. And so that’s one thing, especially in markets. I love that you said that every market is oversaturated because it is so true. But we all know, being wedding photographers, like we feel that in the wedding photography industry, it seems like for every one photographer that leaves the industry, we’ve got 20 more that are joining.

[00:07:02] And so taking really beautiful photos isn’t enough anymore. And little things like putting yourself out there and letting people get to know you are so important in bridging that gap and getting people to see you and remember you as opposed to everybody else.

[00:07:18] Angie McPherson: Yeah. I, I hear so many people say, you know, in their respective industries, Oh, the market’s oversaturated.

[00:07:23] There’s too many, you know, X, Y, Z is exactly what I, you know, what I am. And I’m like, okay, you can’t control that, but what you can control is your narrative and how you connect with your audience and get people to be attracted to what you’re putting out there.

[00:07:38] Sandra Henderson: Focus that stress where it needs to be focused to be stressed

[00:07:43] Angie McPherson: on things that you cannot control. You cannot control the oversaturation of the market, but you can’t control yourself.

[00:07:50] Sandra Henderson: So what do you think makes a good or even not-so-good brand session?

07:55 Tips for Hiring a Brand Photographer

[00:07:55] Angie McPherson: Oh, I love this question. So what makes a good, a good branding session? I mean, both, I’m going to give you the same answer on different sides of the coin. What makes a good branding session is variety. Because there’s, there’s, there’s ways you can take headshots. You can take product photos, but in a branding session where you’re going in for a couple of hours, you have different ideas and different concepts, and you’re going to execute different props and accessories.

[00:08:22] A successful branding shoot is going to give you variety that you can use. across various platforms. So vertical images that you can use for Pinterest and Instagram, you know, real covers and then horizontal photos that you can use across your website, you know, as you’re scrolling down the page or YouTube thumbnails of a good, a good session is going to give you a lot of variety, but it’s also going to be consistent.

[00:08:47] The photos, the lighting, the colours. All of that is going to be consistent, even though you have variety in the types of photos you’re putting out there, lifestyle photos, headshots, product photos, behind the scenes, you know, things like that, that’s, that’s where the variety lies, but you’ve got to be consistent in how the photos actually come out because you want to have that brand recognition.

[00:09:08] If someone goes to your Instagram profile. And you have a gorgeous, you know, headshot as your profile photo. And then they go over to your website and the colours are completely like, it’s like, you almost have like a totally different photographer, your Instagram profiles, all bright and airy from one photographer you connected with.

[00:09:26] And then your website’s dark and moody. It screams inconsistent. And when things look inconsistent, you’re losing that trust factor. You’re losing that no like and trust factor. So a good branding photoshoot is going to give you consistent images with lots of variety. A bad branding photoshoot is going to get you a lot of inconsistency and really, No variety.

[00:09:48] So the same photos, you know, the same exact photos. Imagine you’ve done a branding shoot in your gallery. Everything looks the same. That’s not really a great branding shoot because you didn’t really leverage and maximize the time that you had. So, yeah, both sides of the coin. They can really, you know, make or break a branding photo shoot.

[00:10:05] Sandra Henderson: As you were saying that, my wheels were just turning about how that applies to my own business, but I’ve always done my branding photos, like, on the beach or, in like a white studio and my, My style editing and everything is all light and airy, but I live in Canada and we have four seasons here.

[00:10:23] I don’t just have beach weather all the time. And so I was just thinking, as you were saying that, like, it would make so much sense for me to get some photos in the fall so that I have photos that are consistent with the work that I’m showing to use all year round, and that would really maximize the amount of space I could stretch these photos out for.

[00:10:44] Angie McPherson: Yes, absolutely. And I love that you said that because I recommend people get branding photos done at least twice a year, like four times a year if you want to really do something special, but at least twice a year, because like you said, seasons change in your environment. Seasons change in your business.

[00:11:01] There are different seasons that you want to have different photos, different concepts, and different looks. I remember for myself, I did a branding shoot in the summertime and we went to a pool, I had vacation outfits on, I had magazines, I had, you know, fruity drinks and things like that. And I had, I use these from like May to like early September.

[00:11:21] And come in the fall, I was like, uh, I need fall photos. I need sweater weather and coffee and leaves in the background. And so I recommend at least. twice a year so that you’re able to show up year-round with fresh photos and be very relevant to what’s going on.

[00:11:38] Sandra Henderson: That is such gold. And that actually leads me perfectly to my next question for you.

[00:11:43] Do you have any tips for wedding photographers who are looking to hire a brand photographer for the first time?

[00:11:50] Angie McPherson: Oh, well, the first tip is to hire an actual brand photographer. Yes. So I come from the wedding photography world. I know what it’s like. Like I said, my first branding shoot was me and another wedding photographer.

[00:12:02] We met up, we swapped and that was before I, you know, pivoted. And it was great, you know, but when you’re at this level and you’re already a photographer. You’re going to have, if you’re already a wedding photographer, you’re going to have these preconceived notions in your mind about what you need. And if you connect with another wedding photographer, and of course, if you don’t have the budget for a branding photographer, absolutely fine.

[00:12:22] Go with a friend, go with a photographer, go with a wedding photographer. If you’re looking for an actual brand photographer, make sure that person is actually a brand photographer, and you’re going to know that by not them just saying, Hey, I’m a branding photographer, but their experience, ask them what the process is like, if they’re just going to show up and photograph you on the day of.

[00:12:45] It’s not really a legit branding photographer. It’s more of a lifestyle photographer capturing what’s in the moment. A branding photographer is going to send you a planning guide. They’re going to send you tips for planning and prepping for your shoot. As far as, you know, outfit inspiration, location ideas.

[00:13:01] What props to bring accessories, things like that. They’re going to set you up for success to help you prepare. They’re also going to send you a questionnaire because they want to get to know your brand. They can’t photograph your brand if they don’t know your brand. So they’re going to give you a questionnaire to really help the client.

[00:13:17] Of course, the photographer, you figure out. What their brand actually is. A lot of people are ready for a branding shoot, but they really don’t know what their brand is. And that’s how a branding photographer can help with branding. I call myself a marketing strategist because that’s what I am. I’m not just going to show up and take branding photos.

[00:13:31] I’m going to help you figure out what is the intention for the shoot? What’s your vision for the shoot? How can you use these photos to really connect with your audience and actually sell your services and products? And so when you’re looking for this branding photographer, like I said, make sure they’re sending you some type of guide or prep tips to get ready.

13:48 What Angie McPherson Thinks Makes a Good Branding Session

[00:13:48] Make sure they’re sending you a questionnaire so that you too can really nail down your vision for the shoot. Make sure that you are creating, like a vision board for them, a Pinterest board, a vision board, because there’s one thing about answering questions and there’s another thing about putting the vision into practice you know, a visualization that you can share.

[00:14:08] 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 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 and 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.

[00:14:45] simplysandrayvonne.ca/shop.

[00:14:49] Angie McPherson: I’ve had clients send something in a questionnaire. I’m like, Oh yeah, I’ve got it. This is great. And then they send the pinch, the pinch board. And I’m like, Oh, I see. They were going in this direction. And then I didn’t have that. It would not be in alignment with what they’re doing.

[00:15:06] So make sure that the planning guide questionnaire ends up a Pinterest inspiration board, and the number one thing I can say is make sure that you guys have a shoot plan. Most branding photographers will do this themselves but have an actual shoot plan that takes all of what you’ve talked about, the vision board, the questionnaire, the prep, what you’re bringing, and they’re putting into some sort of document that you guys can work from on a photo shoot day.

[00:15:31] So my shoot plan includes literally the addresses for all the locations that we’re going to, down to the street name, the zip code, and where the nearest parking lot is, because you’re working with a limited time. My branding shoots are three hours. We don’t have time to be circling the parking lot for 20 minutes looking for parking.

[00:15:48] And it also includes. This is a brief overview of their brand story. So I can really remember who they are as a brand. This also includes the concepts that we’re shooting. So I usually do 2 to 3 concepts for branding shoots. And by concepts, I mean, for example, if I’m working with a yoga instructor, one of our concepts might be, You know, meditation and, and I’ve worked with the yoga instructor and one of her concepts was meditation.

[00:16:11] So we took photos of her with, you know, headphones and their coffee with a notebook and, and captured a concept of her meditating and getting ready for the day. Another one of her concepts was one-on-one instruction because she does in-home yoga instruction with high-end clients. So she brought in a friend and we had her pose the client.

[00:16:31] And so those are just different concepts that you can have. So when you’re thinking about your own branding shoot. What concepts do you want to have in your business? What type of topics and content are you planning to share? What type of services are you planning to share? And so my branding shoot plan includes those concepts and the shot list for concept number one, the shot list for concept number two, the shot list for concept, number three, the prop list for concepts, number one, two, and three, the locations, and so just having it be thorough, but also giving space for the photographer to be creative. You don’t want them to go and feel like they’re like in the military checking off a checklist, you know, one, two, three, you want to make sure that it’s a guide and it’s a starting point so that you aren’t completely thrown off.

[00:17:16] Sandra Henderson: So two things, one, I need to go and find a real brand photographer immediately, like no offense to all my wedding photographer friends that I have done headshot swaps with, but that sounds like an absolute dream. I am so like, I’m such an organized person. And so type a that like that just, it would be so nice to have everybody just handle all of that for me.

[00:17:38] And then also I was thinking like for all the wedding photographers that are listening to this, I think your big takeaway is that your branding photographer should be treating you the way you treat your wedding clients when it comes to planning.

[00:17:50] Angie McPherson: Yes, exactly. Yeah, we know, we know wedding photographers.

[00:17:54] We know we don’t just show up to a wedding day. There’s a whole, there’s a whole, you know, front end of it where we’re prepping our clients and where we are getting the timeline of the day. And even my shoot plan includes the timeline, you know, if we’re shooting from 12 to 3, my timeline says 12 to 12, 15, we are setting up.

[00:18:14] Concept number one, 1215 to 1245, we are photographing these shots, these props, et cetera, et cetera. It’s not just a, Hey, we’re shooting 12 to three and we’ll figure it out when we get there. We need to know a timeline so that we can stay on track.

[00:18:27] Sandra Henderson: Yeah. That is so important. So for any photographers who are listening and have never done brand photos before, really feeling that hesitation of getting in front of the camera, do you have any words of encouragement to help them get past that intimidation?

[00:18:44] Angie McPherson: Oh boy – to not be intimidated my words of motivation are: It’s only going to help your business having branding photos is only going to help you connect more with your clients. It’s going to help you to stop just showing your work and actually showing a variety of the client experience. It’s going to help people connect with you on a personal level.

[00:19:11] It’s going to bring in more clients. More inquiries, more, more revenue and really more opportunities. Not only has branding photography brought me more clients, but just putting myself out there as a personal brand has. Got me speaking on stages, speaking on podcasts, you know, speaking in different groups, and just building my business that way.

[00:19:33] So having branding photos in your business, intentional branding photos that are just consistent and really showing who you are is only going to benefit you. And so, you know, some people say, Oh, I, you know, You know, I don’t have the time or, you know, I, I don’t think that people are going to care about me.

[00:19:54] Trust me, they will care about you. Think about the brands and the people that you interact with. Are you interacting with them because of what they’re selling, because of what they are, you know, what they’re putting out there for you to buy, or are you interacting with how they, how they give you great education on a specific topic?

[00:20:16] How the, for example, let me think of an actual, of an actual brand. Let’s just say maybe like a nutritionist, you know, she offers. meal plans. She offers things like, you know, like a 10-a-month meal plan or something like that. If I’m looking for a nutritionist, I’m not just looking at Instagram pages with a bunch of pretty pictures of food.

[00:20:36] You know, I want a variety of content. I want to know who this person is. Why should I trust her? Why is she the go-to nutritionist? You know, what’s her background? I want to know what she’s doing on the weekends. Is she going and she picking up local, you know, produce at the farmer’s market, that’s going to put her as an authority in my mind, because I’m seeing how she’s living personally in addition to what she’s actually selling. Now, she was just saying, here’s my meal. Here’s my meal. Here’s how you can sign up. You know, here’s a delicious… I’m just like, okay, great. That’s all great. I can get that from. You know, HGTV, not HGTV. What’s it called? The Food Network or a magazine. But if you want me to invest in you, then I need to be able to connect with you.

[00:21:25] And not only that, I’m going to tell. my friends about you. I’m going to, you know, send your link around to everyone else, especially, you know, with branding photography, it’s a great way to share your education as a business owner. You should be really educating your ideal clients to really show that authority that you have in whatever niche that you’re in.

[00:21:46] And so would you rather educate with just a bunch of like bullet points and text and stock photos and things like that? Or would you rather educate Show your face and say, Hey, here’s what I have to say about X, Y, Z. Like that is going to connect your clients more than just a regular stock photo that you took off of Google.

[00:22:07] Sandra Henderson: And there is nothing better than working with clients. That you just clicked with and connected with. They’re totally your people. You can be best friends with them outside of the wedding. And that happens when you’re able to make that personal connection. And we can even look at like big corporations.

[00:22:23] That’s why they have celebrity ambassadors and things like that because it gives a face for us to relate to.

[00:22:30] Angie McPherson: You’re still right. You’re still right. When you think of, like you said, when you think of brands and companies and you think of like Flo from Progressive. You know, like nobody was talking about progressive before Flo came along, and now Flo has like a team.

[00:22:47] She has like the, like two or three people that, you know, show up in these commercials and you know that look at Jake from State Farm, like I have State Farm, you know, and I’m just like, oh, like I, yeah, Jake from State, like you just connect with people. And if we’re just hiding behind what we’re selling.

[00:23:05] We were losing out on that connection. Branding photography is only going to bring you more revenue, clients, and opportunities.

[00:23:14] Sandra Henderson: Yes, absolutely. I think that is the perfect place for us to end. That was a mic drop moment, anything else that we say cannot top that. But that leaves me with my new favourite part of the podcast.

[00:23:27] I have a little, would you rather question to end things with. And so for any of our listeners who aren’t familiar, Angie was, on the TV show, press your luck.

[00:23:37] So I wanted to know, for your next TV game show appearance, would you rather go on The Price is Right or Family Feud?

[00:23:46] Angie McPherson: Oh my goodness.

[00:23:47] Okay. At this point, I have been on a couple of game shows. It is literally my hobby to apply for game shows. I really wouldn’t go on the strip one. I love that so much. And so, when I lost Press Your Luck, it was a devastating moment in my life. And it really was about luck. And so I think my next, my next game show, I want to pick a show that would have, I would have the best luck.

[00:24:16] So Price is Right. It’s like, hopefully, you get picked from the crowd. Hopefully, you get called up. Hopefully, you win. With Family Feud, it’s literally your family against someone else’s family. And I will take my odds on family feud any best family members that I can bring.

[00:24:36] Sandra Henderson: Yeah, for sure. I also am a huge Steve Harvey fan.

[00:24:40] So I got family here too.

[00:24:43] Angie McPherson: Yeah. And one of my, one of like my, my bucket list items is like having like a video go viral and but not like a video like I put on Instagram but like something funny like on Family Feud so my goal would be to like say something so funny and silly and it’s just like goes viral but hopefully nothing bad you know like something funny not like oh my gosh that was such a dumb answer.

[00:25:07] Sandra Henderson: Love watching the clips of Steve Harvey reacting to men who have said horrible things about their wives and then realized what they did after they said it. And Steve Harvey just looks at them like, no, what are you doing? I could watch this for hours. They’re so funny.

[00:25:25] Angie McPherson: I love it. I love it.

[00:25:27] Sandra Henderson: Awesome. Well, thank you so much again, Angie.

[00:25:29] This was such a fun conversation. I know that listeners are going to have so many takeaways to apply for their next branding session and hopefully they’ll find some inspiration to get in front of the camera the first time. So actually before we wrap up, if you could just let listeners know where to find you on social media and all the places where they can follow you.

[00:25:47] Angie McPherson: Yeah, you can check on my Instagram. It’s Angie Janine. So Angie and then J A N I N E, my middle name. Someone else had Angie McPherson, unfortunately, and then my website angiemcpherson.com.

[00:26:01] Sandra Henderson: Thank you so much again, Angie. This was amazing. You enjoy the rest of your day, and I can’t wait to connect again soon.

[00:26:07] Angie McPherson: Thank you so much. I appreciate it.

23:40 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

[00:26:11] Sandra Henderson: Whether you’re doing a photo swap with friends or hiring a brand photographer, I think one of the most important takeaways from this interview with Angie is that you should be getting a variety of images beyond just new headshots. You also want to have photos that you can use for projects and launches down the road to get longevity out of the photos that you’re having done.

[00:26:29] When it comes to social media and your email list, it is never a bad idea to frequently reintroduce yourself to your audience as it grows, because you have to keep in mind that not every single person is seeing every piece of content that you’re producing. So letting them know who you are, and showing your face in various places on your website to help people get to know you and recognize you.

[00:26:49] These are all places where you are going to find your brand photos really come in handy. Another great benefit is that when it comes to sessions or consultations, I very rarely run into an instance where someone can’t find me because they know exactly who they’re looking for.

[00:27:04] I have my photo in my email signature.

[00:27:06] I have it included in my pricing guide. Everywhere that they could possibly be interacting with me, they’re gonna find a photo of me, so they’re always able to place a face with the name. And I mean, who doesn’t want to avoid awkward situations where people don’t know who you are or you think that someone is someone that they’re not?

[00:27:25] I, After 11 years in the industry have no shortage of embarrassing moments and situations that I’ve run into. And I will never forget waiting in a coffee shop for a consultation. And I saw this woman walking towards me and it was right at the time my meeting was supposed to start. She smiled in my direction.

[00:27:42] So I stood up, I introduced myself, and said, so nice to meet you. Then she replied by letting me know that she was actually there to see the person who was sitting in the booth behind me. She was not my potential client. And. So yeah, who doesn’t want to avoid a situation like that? Right. And having my photo all over my website and social media has definitely helped with that.

[00:28:03] And then being able to include photos when it comes to mini sessions and other launches that I’m doing in my photography business has really just been so helpful. So make sure that you’re getting a variety, especially if you don’t love being in front of the camera, because then you can get the most out of one session.

[00:28:21] And you don’t have to constantly be doing new sessions every few months or every year when you have new things that are coming out.

[00:28:26] And that wraps up another episode of the podcast friends. If anybody needs me, you can send me a DM, but I am laid up on my couch with my phone. So, um, I’m going to be talking a little bit about how I got my feet up, nursing myself through this wedding hangover.

[00:28:40] I had a wedding on Saturday and for anybody who is familiar with my story and my chronic illness journey, my wedding hangover is not just one day. It is usually about three or four days, if not more. And so I am in the thick of it right now and giving myself the time I need. To be able to rest. I plan this into my calendar ahead of time when I book weddings.

[00:29:03] So thankfully I don’t have a to-do list that’s piling up on me. Everything was scheduled around this. Highly recommend doing that. If you are listening and aren’t making time off a priority, it needs to go into your schedule first, but that’s a little side tangent soapbox for another day. You guys enjoy the rest of your week.

[00:29:20] Get some rest if you need it. And I will be back with our first July episode next week.

[00:29:26] Today’s episode of Keeping it Candid is sponsored by Aftershoot. Full disclosure, I took a break from using Aftershoot and have talked a lot about how incredible some other AI editing platforms are. And don’t get me wrong, that hasn’t changed.

[00:29:39] But I cannot deny how amazing Aftershoot’s new features are, and there was no question that I had to make the switch back. Aftershoot is an AI culling and editing platform that learns your style of editing based on the photos that you’ve already done in the past. And then applies that to new photos going forward.

[00:29:57] 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. 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.

[00:30:16] 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.

[00:30:31] 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 upload photos in Lightroom and then cull them an Aftershoot, and then load them back into Lightroom, and then edit them into Aftershoot.

[00:30:47] But now everything can be done 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. If you’re interested in trying it out, I want you to head over to simplysandreevon.ca forward slash resources to get a 10 percent discount using my affiliate link.

[00:31:07] 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!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means I may receive a small amount of money if you make a purchase from any of our affiliates. This is done at no cost to you!

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!

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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

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Check out my free, on-demand Masterclass! Inquiry To Onboarding – Creating An Effortless Client Journey | CLICK HERE!

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Other Photography Podcast Episodes You’ll Love

Up-Level Your Client Experience With This One Simple Question

HoneyBook & Pic-Time Are Doing What?!

Creating A More Accessible Photography Business with Erin Perkins of Mabely Q

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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.

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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

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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.

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Click here to get instant access to my brand-new free masterclass!

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Other Episodes You’ll Love

042 Next Level Email Marketing Strategies with Candice Coppola

033 Ghosting: Why It’s Happening & What To Do About It with Michelle Harris

041 How AI Can Change Your Photography Business – And Your Life with Cameron and Tia

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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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