The Pet Photographers Club

I initially had just one question prepared for today’s guest, Belinda Richards, and it wasn’t anything to do with PR. Yet we just spent over half of this interview diving into why Belinda is putting most of her marketing energy into getting newspaper articles, blog posts and even a radio show segment! And let me tell you- the information she shared will make you go back to your client avatar, look at where they go for information and find a way to feature there.In the member’s half Belinda shared her top tips for getting free publicity and then we moved on to her approach for successful expos- which really had little to do with being there on the day. I took us well over time but I know you’ll be glad because the episode is full of so many great take aways, oh and eventually I did get to my one question- how and why Frog Dog studios is charging for pre-shoot consults?WE COVEREDWhy Belinda began entering awards and the impact on her businessClient trust- how do you make sure that your audience knows about the awardsWhy Belinda doesn’t work with a PR Agent SEO impact from the backlinks of the online publications Client demographic that comes from printed media Who is the client Belinda wants to work with nowHow far Frog Dog Studio’s clients travel for to work with Belinda IN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODEBelinda’s top tips for getting PR - who to contact, how and what to sayThe marketing strategy that Belinda has pivoted away from, and whyHow Belinda approached expo’sA decision doesn’t have to be forever The story behind the studio shop frontCharging for pre-shoot consultationsBelinda’s conversion rate from consultation to booking Links in the show notes: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1703

Today’s guest has been in business for a long time- and you can tell. She is thinking outside the box with her marketing while also ensuring she has a layered approach to fill her calendar. I’m talking about Lisa Asp who beyond that, is heavily involved with PPA and ISAP so after chatting marketing she answered your questions about joining a photography association and the different awards and competitions that are out there.WE COVEREDLisa’s journey from the dream of being a painting major to shifting gears into photography How a rescue encouraged Lisa’s business to transition into pets from general portraitsHow Lisa uses social mediaMarketing a specialised studio versus a general portrait studio Thinking outside the box with passive marketing by partnering with a cafeHow putting yourself out there can lead to new clients and marketing partnershipsWhat is a professional photography association and why would you joinIN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODEHow to find an association to join for professional photographersWhat's the deal with competitions and awards, and which should you enterHeadshots for houndsKnowing when to say no to fundraisersShow notes can be found here: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1702

Do you groan every time you hear another coach or podcast guest talk about the importance of phone calls or pre-shoot consultations? Then this interview will be a breath of fresh air for you! Today’s guest, Jessica Wasik, is on track to hit a quarter of a million dollars in annual revenue- without phone calls for most of her 80+ bookings a year!She shared what she does instead and the importance of systems along with a whole lot of other insights. And if you’re a member, you’ll even hear my of my recent rookie mistake!WE COVEREDWhere Jessica’s clients come from each yearHow much are Jessica’s gift certificatesClient communication to ensure gift voucher clients spend Jessica’s booking fee, how much her clients spend and what they’re purchasingIN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODEBooked out for the next two months - what does that meanNumber of sessions per monthGoal for next year How knowing your numbers helps mindset for assuming the saleThe real reason people don’t book Boundaries and policies that have made the biggest difference Kirstie’s recent rookie mistakeMarketing and selling vouchers What Jessica’s Black Friday sale includes and how she promotes itRainbow sessions Pre-purchase credit Mentioned links can be found here: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1701

I initially reached out to today's guest to chat all about her Facebook group for pet parents, and we did get into the details of that but we also covered much more because today’s guest was a complete open book! I’m talking about Allira Fontana and if you’re considering offering event photography for horse shows, the first part will certainly be of interest to you. Then we switched gears and chatted about that Facebook group- why she started it, how it grew and why Allira isn’t worried about losing clients with it. If you’re a member- you’re really in for a treat, and maybe even a bit of a wake-up call. Allira shared the importance of understanding animal behaviour as a pet and equine photographer- and how she went about learning that, and then we got into her marketing strategies. If you’re looking at an empty calendar, hearing Allira list off her upcoming marketing calendar will be quite the eye-opener! I don’t think I’ve ever had an interview with such variety so no matter what stage of business you’re in- be sure to tune in.We Covered:From Horse Events to Private Sessions Burnout from Horse EventsFulfillment from private sessionsHow Horse Events work financiallyRecognising what makes you happy and following thatRecognising burnout, taking a break and re-assessing Pricing for horse showsThe ultimate training ground for learning dog behaviourRelaunching the change in business model Why start a Facebook group with photo tips for pet-parentsDiversifying income For members-only:The goal of the Facebook groupAre you losing your clients by teaching them?Certificate in animal behaviourWorking with a coachHow clients find Allira Fontana Photography todayWhat are people buying Mentioned links can be found in the show notes: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1612********DIRECTORY UPDATEThe new and improved Pet Photographers Directory is now live! You can claim your free listing, or upgrade to a premium listing for extra backlinks to tell Google that you’re a trusted site so they improve your ranking.Find out more at https://www.petphotographersdirectory.com/ 

We’ve heard it before, business is not for the faint-hearted and today’s guest agrees.I’m talking about Alex Cearns who’s been in business for 15 years and has worked with pet photographers from all corners of the globe. We covered many topics including the usual business structures, marketing and products, but the common theme throughout was not to let fear hold you back in business. If you’ve caught yourself getting down after comparing your average sales to other photographers, or beating yourself up over the peaks and troughs of business, Alex’s message is sure to hit home.In the members second-half, Alex shared how she’s booking 250 clients a year, what they’re buying, why they don’t ask for digitals and her thoughts on social media for marketing.There’s great takeaways from this episode no matter what stage you’re at in business, so tune in!We covered:The business structure of Houndstooth StudioCharacteristics to be successfulBusiness is not lineaFake it ‘til you make itGet in front of people and talk passionately about what you doHow to appreciate where you’re currently at with your sales when you see your friends making 5 figuresIN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:Organic bookings are all but dead, so how is Alex booking 250 shoots a year?What clients are buyingSocial media expectationsWhat one thing has the biggest impact on a successful businessMentioned links can be found in the show notes here: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1611

Over the last few years I’ve seen how trends have changed and pet photographers around the world have introduced new business models and pricing structures.But today’s guest is the exception. She found what works for her early on, and she’s sticking to it. By pricing herself this way she is consistently hitting her averages, and attracting the type of client she wants- all by word of mouth! I’m talking about Jane Thomson whose work is pure art and just gorgeous, and I am stoked to have her on the show today.We covered:Jane’s journey from $350 shoots to the structure she uses todayWhat gives Jane the confidence to ask for the money upfrontHow clients respond when they’re told about the minimum collection IN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:What Jane’s clients are buying The client experienceHow Jane sells products, without In Person Sales!How Jane’s clients find herAll about the charity project and why Jane took it onMentioned links are in the show notes found here: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1610***CLUB CHANGESFor the first time since the launch of The Pet Photographers Club six years ago, a price rise is coming.That price rise is because the new membership structure will include over $150 worth of bonus content for monthly members and even more for annual members. Of course, there is also 16 seasons of interviews in the archives of the podcast! That's a lot of valuable content collected over the years!Don't worry existing members- your payments won't change. The new price is only for new sign-ups from 1st October 2024.Not yet a member? You can lock in the current low price. Sign up now.

We often hear educators saying that you can find clients anywhere. I know I say it, and I believe it because we really need so few clients per year that we can find enough no matter where we live- well almost.Today’s guest agrees, but she also pointed out that some markets are easier than others which is why she happily travels two hours to her client shoots back in Boston, instead of trying to find clients in her new hometown.By making this decision, she also realised she had to make more money per client. So two years ago, Blue Amrich re-designed her business model to meet that new required average sale. In today's episode, she shared what Beyond the Fence looked like then and the biggest change she made to ensure that drive is worth it.We covered:Moving into pets because "dogs are better than brides"What happened when Blue stopped selling digitals Conversion rate from enquiry to selling Why Blue didn't move her business when she moved her homeIt's a numbers game Knowing your client IN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:Most people haven't thought about the final result Blue's initial client callPricing and products and profitsWhy Blue is happy to be working seasonallyHow clients are finding Beyond the Fence Why do personal projectsShow notes can be found here: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1609

Today’s guest is absolutely no stranger in this industry. She has been setting standards for pet photographers for a decade or so, but today she’s here not to talk about education, but her own journey as a pet photographer and the changes she’s made throughout the years in order to meet her business goals. I’m talking about none other than Nicole Begley and I’m wrapped to have her joining us today.WE COVERED:The push for Nicole to start a business back in 2010 and her first goalThe wake-up call to switch from $175 all-inclusive sessionsThe impact of attending a conference Nicole's first sale from making that switch, and her average from then onHow Nicole's marketing approach changed to align with her new pricing came in Why Nicole stopped photographing families and went "all in" with photographing petsIN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:The confidence boost from a great saleThe mark up Nicole puts on her products to be profitable Money blocks The three different pricing structures Nicole has trialled: Collections, Create your own collection, (including digitals), Al A carte Why Nicole uses digitals as an incentive, and howNicole’s golden first question for enquiriesNicole’s booking process and how she utilises the pre-booking phone callWhy offer a bonus even for clients that have an unlimited budgetFind the show notes here: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1608

I’ve spent a lot of time increasing my SEO knowledge over the last 12 months and I can tell you first-hand that eventually it all pays off..! Even still, there’s always something more to learn, particularly in the ever-changing space of SEO. Today’s guest, Claire Lauer helps photographers rank higher on Google to increase organic bookings and in this episode she shared tonnes of actionable tips to help you do the same as well has her favorite SEO tools. Even after this last 12 months of increasing my knowledge around this topic, I also grabbed some great tops and will be implementing a few changes on my own sites thanks to this episode! If you’d love to have more enquiries coming to you from people who are already searching for the exact thing you offer- amazing pet portraits, then be sure to tune in. We covered:What is SEO and why should we spend time on improving itKeywords and tools for researching themHow to use these keywords in blogging and why The importance of image optimisationHow can someone like Claire help us photographers? In the members-only extended episode:What is a Google Business Profile Claiming, optimising and posting on your google business profile Backlinks: where to get them and whyUnderstanding Domain Authority How long do our blog posts need to be and how can we make the most of them for SEOFind all the mentioned links in the show notes: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1607

Today’s guest, Gabi Leon of Gavriella Pet Photography, moved to the U.S. 4 years ago. In the lead up to her move she laid as many foundations as possible to be ready to hit the ground running. Since then, she’s stayed focused on her goal which is to offer a high-end luxury photography business and build a million dollar business. She isn’t quite getting consistent bookings yet, but the ones she does get, spend enough that it doesn’t matter- which by the way, is on average between $5-6k. She’s gotten creative with her marketing too and in this interview, she shared one strategy that I haven’t heard of before and if you’re aiming for high sales, you could certainly replicate. We covered:What separates Gabi from her local competitionHow Gabi prepared for her move to the U.S. to set up her business for successWhere Gabi went to become known and how she went about it The connection that led to a great opportunity to make a little money, and get great brand awarenessThe reality of setting up a luxury business, without shortcutsGabi's ultimate financial goal and the income avenues she's planning to use to reach itMembers-only interviewGetting clients through a luxury magazine at a retirement villageGabi’s plan to be more consistent The numbers: How often Gabi is photographing, and what the spending clients buy Why offer mini sessions to the agility worldGabi’s plan for building a passive incomeLinks to all things mentioned can be found in the show notes at: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1606

Today’s guest launched her dog sports photography business in late 2019.. Within months the 25 upcoming events she’d booked had all been canceled due to covid. Having quit her career job, she was forced to pivot and spend most of 2020 learning as much as she could to relaunch as a pet portrait photographer. Implementing everything she learned, her focus became building relationships which now means most of her clients come from referrals. I’m talking about Michelle Crandall of Pets in Focus and you’ll want to tune in to hear all about that and her business today.We coveredHow covid forced Michelle to change from dog sports to portraits Why Covid was a blessing in disguise Knowing your values right now Why Michelle hasn’t gone back to dog sportsAnxiety around education How Michelle transitioned her name from dog sports to portraits with marketing IN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:How managing a Pet Parade helped Michelles business The marketing plan Michelle is focusing onCharitable marketing Partners don’t need to be dog related Michelle’s process to choosing a product menuMichelle’s meat selling product Michelle’s processThe biggest time saverThe labs Michelle works with and why the variety

When today’s guest moved cities, continuing her landscape photography as her primary income felt impossible without local connections. She considered the contacts she did have and realized they were in the dog world. Combining her love for dogs with her love for nature, Kim Hoshall utilised these contacts to launch a pet photography business. She’s tried many different pricing structures and marketing strategies in the last ten years, and in today's episode- we spoke all about them!We coveredFrom a career in dance to professional photographyNo connectionsHow Kim's income is split between landscape photography and pet photographyThe importance of connections How to get started in a new cityKim's best lead source Why offer multiple session types, and is that working?IN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODEThe attraction to destination adventure sessionsKim's most popular productHow Kim reaches her typical average sale and what she wants to changeStarting a local dog community podcast as a marketing strategy

This week’s guest found herself with a quiet start to the year after her biggest lead generator, a local event was cancelled right before she was taking time off for an overseas trip. I’m talking about a returning guest to the show, Ina Jalil who instead of allowing herself to mellow in stress, invested in more coaching and took action. Fast forward four months, she’s had a 5 figure sale, her highest to date, and is almost fully booked until Australian winter. Tune in to today’s episode to learn how she turned business around and before that, the perhaps surprising impact of her rebrand- which has helped her business mindset!We covered:Ina’s journey from side hustle to professional The reason Ina specialises in pets Digging into your why and the impactWhy Ina uses her name as her business name What happens when you rely on one lead sourceHow Ina smashed marketing in a rush IN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:The questions Ina asks to help with big sales 10k sale - what they bought and why they booked now Repeating a 5 figure sale SEO, blogging and backlinks Sony advocate Personal projects for creativity and more bookings Mentioned links in the show notes

I initially asked today’s guest on the show when I learned about his super successful truck studio and we did talk about it, but he also shared so much else including what gave him the confidence to take out a loan to build this business. I’m talking about Ryan Erickson who last year, in his first year of full time business turned over more than $200,000 from 150 clients spending an average of $1500 each. There’s tonnes of really great insights and learnings in the first part of this episode, but if you want to know how he found those clients, and here the benefits of his business plan and what that included, be sure to listen to the members-only half. If you’re not yet a member to hear that second half, use the link in the show notes to sign up today with a 14 day free trial.We covered:Ryan’s journey from weddings to pet photographyWhy open a truck studio Fundraisers and charitable work Growing a portfolio What gave Ryan the confidence to go all inRyan’s backup planIN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:Market Research and data, business plans and how that’s helped Ryan reach success Photo Truck total set up costRyan’s TurnoverHow in person events act as passive marketing for RyanWhy farmers markets In Person Sales and the client processLinks in the shownotes: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1602

How does an $8500 average sale sound to you with a cost of goods of just 5%. That is reality for today’s guest who deliberately moved their studio location to be in a town that aligns with their studio brand. I’m talking about Kim of Kimberly Sarah Photography. She joined us back in season five to share all things client experience and I’ve got her back today to share her insights into achieving consistently high sales. They’ve also just launched a new business, Hey Winston and if you’ve ever dreamed of outsourcing your sales- then it is for you!We covered:What is a luxury studio these days Low volume, high price point  What is a Dog Art Gallery How to choose a town for your studio spaceKimberly Sarah Photography average sale, and how they reach itWhy they have a studio if they could make the same money without itKim’s biggest tips for getting high sales What is Hey Winston! And how can you help photographers and what will it cost IN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:Kim’s studio sales process Pricing and product options at Kimberley Sarah PhotographyThe key questions Kim asks that lead to higher salesBlogging challenge: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/blogging-challenge Other links in the show notes: https://www.thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1601

For most of us pet photographers, we have to have a strong, layered marketing plan in order to get consistent bookings. But what if your website did all the heavy lifting for you? For today’s guest, Angie Rose, that’s exactly the case. Her marketing budget is almost exclusively spent on a her content creator who does all her blogging, which she admits wouldn’t get done otherwise. That blogging, combined with the main website is her biggest lead source and then it’s through her booking process that those leads are converted into dream clients.If ditching expo’s, affiliate programs and Facebook marketing sounds like a dream to you- tune into this episode to hear how Angie runs her business without all that!We covered:What clients book Angie for Angie’s booking rate and the process to booking Working with professionals to establish a high converting website How the website helps attract enquiries and convert them to bookingsIN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:The benefits of using your name as a business name How people find Angie’s website The positive impact of bloggingOutsourcing content creation for newsletters and bloggingHow Angie customises her sessions Why pets with their people?MENTIONED LINKSwww.angierose.comwww.facebook.com/AngieRosePetPhotographywww.instagram.com/angieprosewww.thepetphotographersclub.com/blogging-challenge

Today’s guest has over 25 years of experience as a pet photographer. Back when she started, pet photography basically didn’t exist. A lot has changed in the photography world since then, but as you’ll hear, a lot of things haven’t really either. I’m talking about Margaret Bryant of Bryant Dog Photography who started out shooting dog sports on film but quickly realised that wasn’t sustainable (for the time) and moved into studio portraits. Since then she’s photographed thousands of dogs in her home studio in Texas and even published a couple of books.One of which is helpful for us as fellow pet photographers as it’s full of posing tips and other advice. It’s called Dog Photography: How to Capture the Love, Fun and Whimsy of Man’s Best FriendWe covered a lot in this episode, from Margaret’s experiences in the early days of her business, to who our biggest competitor is and how we can book clients anyway. And if you’ve been thinking about offering puppy packages, definitely tune into the second half to hear exactly what Margaret is offering.We covered:What did pet photography look like in the 90’sPhotographing dog sports, on film! Why Margaret changed business modelsThe reason Margaret opened a home studio What’s changed in terms of sales over the last 20 yearsWhere do Margaret’s clients come fromMargaret’s golden rule to survive unexpected difficult times after making it through the GFC and CovidIN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:How to make it easy to book through your websiteHow audience can get to know you and like you for a better client experience The reason a client should choose you (and not their iPhone or AI)What are “in but not in” photosHow being observant can help your client and your bottom lineManaging expectations for a good client experience Puppy first year - what it looks like, pricing, structure and why the client can own the responsibilityDog birthday parties as a pet photographerBiggest tips for someone wanting to do puppy first year The impact of AI for us as pet photographers in business 

It’s been just over a year since today’s guest launched her pet photography business. She spent 2022 learning all about business and hit the ground running in 2023. She’s proof that actioning what you learn is the only way to meet your goals. Tune in to today’s episode to hear all about the marketing strategies that worked and didn’t, to get this pet photography business off the ground for England-based photographer, Diane Gollowitzer of Dogs in Focus Photography.If you are looking to see who has recently walked the path you’ve just stepped onto- today’s episode is for you.We covered:Starting a photography business without knowledge of photography Why Diane quickly realised she needed to re-brand her pet photography businessHow starting a new business is just like dating!Following your passion and aligning your business with your values and desires IN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:How Diane filled her first few months in business with paying clientsChristmas Markets and the difference the audience can makeGiveaways as a training groundSelling gift vouchers What Diane would do differently next timeOther marketing avenues Diane has triedCheck the show notes for links!

What if I told you that it’s possible to be completely fully booked thanks to past clients either returning or referring? That is the reality for today’s guest, who clearly doesn’t do things in halves! A quick look at either his Instagram or Website is proof of that with stunning images, useful information and beautiful design so it isn’t a surprise to learn that his client experience is also seamless. In today’s episode, we broke down exactly what that experience looks to make his clients tell all of their friends!We covered:The reason Carlos is running his business part-timeClient availability for a part-time business offering this style of pet photographyThe marketing campaign that actively seeks out the friends of his clients and turns them into clients tooAn overview of Carlos' client experience and the elements that lead to referralsIN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODE:The role of an assistantWhat a thinking dog first looks likeHow custom sales videos work Selling products with a hands-off approachCarlos’ pricing structure Full show notes found here: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1511

Despite this interview being with one of the world’s best equine photographers, it’s not about horse photography at all! Instead, Shelley and I dived deep into the editorial world. If you have your own stock library of images, this might just be a great way to add some passive income to your business. Shelley shared exactly how she finds these clients, what it is they’re buying and how her system works to sell images to magazines. In the members half we got into the numbers and then had a little chat about licensing too. Shelley is truly a wealth of knowledge and what she shared in this interview is sure to get your mind ticking with ideas. We Covered:Who is ShelleyWhen and why Shelley stopped working for private clients What Shelley thinks is the best training for photographersThe difference between commercial and editorial photographyWhy would a magazine order commissioned photography over stock imagesCan you make money from editorials What advice Shelley has for someone wanting to do editorials but without a stock library How Shelley got into Commercial photography What is the difference between commercial, branding, and editorial?Offering video as an edition service Where does stock imagery fit into your business modelIN THE MEMBERS-ONLY EXTENDED EPISODEBecoming a member of publications to attend conferencesConnecting with editors at events - what to askWhat these conferences look like (American horse publications)What will a magazine pay for a stock image and is it worth itSubmitting photo essays and pitching Portfolios Vs Photo EssaysShelley’s incomeLicensing Pricing Documentary equine films - passion or commercial projects?Links and show notes can be found at https://thepetphotographersclub.com/podcast/1510