Let's face it...
Starting a photography business is a tall task that requires a lot of time, patience, and commitment to achieving your long-term goals.
But that doesn't mean that building something successful has to be overly difficult, either.
In fact, armed with the right information, tools, and support, you can actually build a solid photography business a lot faster than you might think!
Let's review four top tips for starting and building a photography business the right way.
Don't Forget About Education
Just because you're ready to start a photography business doesn't mean there's nothing left for you to learn.
In fact, you might be the most brilliant photographer on the planet, but if you aren't well-attuned to the intricacies of running a business, failure is a serious possibility.
So, you need to stay at the forefront of education when it comes to photography and business.
For example, you might be a master with Photoshop CC, but what happens when the next iteration of the program comes out?
Rather than sitting on your laurels, snag a book, read a tutorial, or watch a YouTube video to learn what's new.
The same goes for other photography skills - composition, lighting, posing people for portraits, and so on.
There is a wealth of knowledge out there, and you need to take advantage of it!
When it comes to business practices, follow the same procedure.
If you're not all that confident in bookkeeping, buy a book, enroll in a seminar, or ask a knowledgeable friend for help.
Again, the success of your business depends not just on your current knowledge and skills, but on the ones you acquire along the way.
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Work on Your Workflow
Time is money, and the more you can clean up the way you attack the day and your daily tasks, the more time you'll have to devote to making money!
A great way to work on your workflow is to document your daily activities and note the amount of time you spend on each.
I'm willing to bet that there will be some surprises in there, too.
For example, when I outlined what I spent my time doing, I found that one of the biggest draws on my time was simply checking and returning emails.
Granted, this is an important task, but I was constantly checking my email and responding immediately, no matter what I was doing at the time.
So, I streamlined that process and now check and respond to email at designated times of the day.
That's made my email procedures far more streamlined, and it also means that I am more efficient with my time completing other tasks because I'm no longer stopping to check email in the midst of another task.
When you work on your workflow, don't just consider the things that cause you interruptions.
Also think about things you can do to streamline necessary activities.
For example, rather than posting your images to each of your social media channels individually, look into something like Hootsuite that can automate the process.
It might sound like an insignificant change, but believe me, every minute you save over the course of the day is incredibly valuable when you're in business for yourself!
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Find Ways to Stand Out From the Crowd
Being a photographer is a popular profession, and that means that wherever you are, you'll have competition for customers.
As a result, you need to find ways to get your name out there and differentiate yourself from all the other photographers in your area.
This needs to be done on multiple levels, too.
On the one hand, you need to develop a photography style that's unique to you and you alone.
That doesn't mean that you have to specialize in a certain type of photography, either.
It just means that when people look at your portfolio, they should see a consistent product from one image to the next.
On the other hand, you need to tackle branding your business in a way that sets you apart from everyone else as well.
That might mean coming up with a unique business name, developing an interesting and eye-catching logo, using your social media channels and blog to promote your unique brand, and so forth.
In other words, you can't just open up shop and expect people to come knocking on your door.
You have to do the work of developing your unique brand and promoting it in order to build up a clientele and continuing to build that clientele over the long term.
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The Easiest Way to Find Success
If you're a little overwhelmed at this point thinking about everything that's involved in building a successful photography business, it's understandable.
It's a lot to think about and a lot to execute...
However, there's an easier way to ensure your business has the best chance of long-term success - building your business with a franchise.
There's a lot to like about photography franchises.
For example, Spoiled Rotten Photography offers their franchise owners ample opportunities to get the education they need to be a successful businessperson.
Not only do they offer an intensive two-week training course on photography topics like composition, studio and outdoor lighting techniques, camera gear, and exposure, but they compliment that education with real-life, hands-on training.
That means that if you aren't confident in an area of photography, you'll get the guidance you need to build that confidence.
What's more, there's training on the business side of things, too, including topics on accounting, customer care and management, and general business operations.
I also noted earlier that you need to work on your workflow such that you squeeze every ounce of time out of the day to get done what needs to get done.
Working as part of a franchise will help you do that, too.
Not only does Spoiled Rotten Photography offer you all kinds of training, but they stick by your side for the duration of the franchise agreement to offer guidance and assistance along the way.
That means you have photography and business experts at your disposal to answer questions and provide insights regarding how you can more efficiently use your time and manage your business.
What's more, you get access to proprietary software that helps you manage your daily workflow from accounting to online sales, blogging and website needs, email marketing and customer management.
And when it comes to standing out from the crowd, Spoiled Rotten Photography has you covered there as well.
You get the benefit of an internationally-known photography brand to help you build your business.
Remember as well that you have a support system to help you along the way, too.
It's really the perfect solution to building a photography business that can be successful in the short and the long-term!