Photography is a lucrative career for many people. And it’s something you can do without an education or much collateral in most cases. But to run your own business in this field successfully, you’ll need to know a few tricks of the trade. You probably already know you’ll need a good camera and lighting.
But there are several other keys to running a thriving photography business that probably no one has told you.
Choose a niche
One of the fastest ways to get new clients and make more money is by narrowing down your specialty. Picking a niche in photography may seem unnecessary. After all, you might enjoy all of it, including birthdays, weddings, and children. And it’s OK to start out as a jack-of-all-trades in the beginning if you’re not sure what you prefer. But it’s much better for business to specialize for several reasons.
For one thing, almost every photographer ends up being better in one field than all the others. And a lot of this has to do with personal preference and passions. Secondly, specializing gives you greater marketing power. Think about the last time you looked for a photographer for your wedding. Didn’t you feel the “wedding photographers” online probably had more expertise than the ones simply listed as “photographers?”
And lastly, a niche can save you a lot of time. If you’re only photographing one type of event or client, you’ll have your arsenal of poses you can use every time. And you’ll also be able to edit much faster after you’re done because you’re using the same style.
Network with others in your field
Networking with people in your field is the best way to gain word-of-mouth advertising. But we’re not just referring to other photographers. Of course that’s an important aspect of it, especially if you stay in contact with photographers with specialties that differ from yours. But the best people to network with are professionals who cover other aspects of your niche. For example, if you specialize in weddings, get to know caterers, dress designers, and florists. These people can recommend you for jobs they’re working on, and you can return the favor.
Streamline your workflow
One of the hardest things for a lot of photographers is creating a system for storing and sharing photos with clients. So, from the very beginning, you’ll need to choose an online photo storage system that meets all your needs. It should be a system that has enough storage for you to keep multiple photos. It should be easily organizable by client name. And it should make it easy for you to share these photos whenever you need to.
Don’t neglect your taxes
Tax regulations vary a little from year to year, but generally speaking, you’ll have to file a return if you make more than $12,000. But a great deal of tax stipulations go along with being self-employed. And this is why you need to hire an accountant to look over your finances. And it doesn’t necessarily have to be a CPA, but if you’re not an accountant, you will need to outsource the task. The best outsourced accounting service will make sure you are complying with current tax laws and will help you get your maximum deductions.
Always upsell
Most professional photographers will tell you that most of their profit comes from the upsell. People will generally choose the cheapest photo packages they can during the initial consultation. But they feel emotionally attached to the beautiful photos you print out to show them afterwards. The key is to make large prints of your best work and frame them beautifully. When you present these to your clients and their families, chances are they won’t be able to resist.
