Freedom Focus Photography

014 - International award-winning photographer Craig Turner-Bullock is a bit dubious about calling himself an award-winning photographer. Find out why, and pocket some sage advice on developing your own creative style from the masterful New Zealand artist, teacher and mentor behind Furtography.  What To Listen For: What it is that truly defines your style (in other words, what's your "glitter"?)The worst place you can look for inspiration as a pet photographerWhy Craig doesn't publish images with people in themHow personal projects can actually help generate revenueThe importance of entering print competitions—even if you're intimidated! Hear how to curate your portfolio, embrace your passion, sell clients on H-U-G-E prints (Craig specializes in stupid-beautiful panoramics) and more in this fun episode! Resources From This Episode: FurtographyFurtography AcademyFind Your Style online course (enrollment closes May 31st!)  Craig's Instagram and FacebookHair of the Dog Academy FREE intro editing courseHair of the Dog Academy panoramic image tutorial (free to members)Hair of the Dog AcademyHair of the Dog Facebook groupJOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.Ready to grow your business?  Elevate helps you do just that.Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.  

013 - Across the country and throughout the world, things are slowly starting to re-open. What happens now with your business? This episode is a short and sweet check-in, to get you thinking about how to handle your business in these next few months once Peak COVID-19 has passed. Yes, there's uncertainty, but the reality is that as entrepreneurs, we have more control over our careers than most people do. And that's a wonderful thing! What To Listen For: The empowering questions you should be asking yourselfWhy potential clients are in the perfect state of mind to say 'yes' to your servicesWhat fear is, and why it isn't worth getting sucked intoPrecautions and practical changes I'll make as I start to reschedule sessionsIt's always a good time to pause and examine your mindset, but perhaps right now it's more important than ever. Join me in this mini dachshund-size episode as we contemplate what lies ahead.  Resources From This Episode: Hair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook groupDownload a PDF transcript for this episode:JOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.Ready to grow your business?  Elevate helps you do just that.Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.  

012 - Open up Shelley Paulson's website and it's immediately clear what her specialty is—and how incredibly talented she is within the realm of equine photography. In this episode, I chat with Shelley about her decision to niche down and focus exclusively on horses, and the explosive growth her business experienced once her energy was channeled into that seemingly narrow arena. But regardless of your specific subject matter, the wisdom Shelley shares from her 16 years as a professional photographer is worth a listen. What To Listen For: The importance of having multiple income streamsHow competition in your market creates a surprising advantageWhy it's worth spending more time on the front end with your clientsOne non-obvious skill that every animal photographer should masterIf learning to photograph horses has been on your to-do list, be sure to grab Shelley's info-packed e-book, The Quick Start Guide to Equine Photography, filled with enough helpful  hints to conduct your own successful equine session. And—bonus!—through May 15th you can save $20 (no code needed).Resources From This Episode: Shelley Paulson Photography websiteShelley's YouTube channelShelley Paulson Photography InstagramHair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook group Download a PDF transcript for this episode: JOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.Ready to grow your business?  Elevate helps you do just that.Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.  

011 - This week's episode is a conversation with portrait photographer and business coach Luci Dumas, whose photography business has survived six—count 'em, SIX!—recessions over the last 38 years, and emerged stronger after every single one. Luci, whose superpowers include consistently notching high-dollar sales, shares with us what she's learned about thriving in challenging times and offers some fantastic lockdown-friendly marketing strategies.What To Listen For: The advantage of creating a time chart for yourselfAn exercise called the "cake and cringe" (sounds delicious!)How to mine the gold you already have in your businessStretching your clients' financial comfort zone, in a non-yucky wayAs an awesome bonus, the first 10 photographers to email Luci will receive a complimentary Create the Business of Your Dreams strategy session, a $400 value for each of those lucky (and fast-fingered) listeners! Resources From This Episode: Luci Dumas CoachingThe Profitable Photographer podcast episode featuring NicoleHair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook groupDownload a PDF transcript for this episode:JOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.Ready to grow your business?  Elevate helps you do just that.Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.  

010-On this episode I'm joined by Caitlin McColl, one of our beloved pet photographers Down Under. In addition to running Ragamuffin Pet Photography and co-hosting the Pet Photographer's Club podcast, Caitlin leads a brilliant program called From Concept to Coffee Table, designed to teach pet photographers how to build their client base through self-published books. If you have a book project in mind, or are looking to increase your reach, reputation and revenue, grab your pen and notepad—you'll definitely want to jot down some notes. What To Listen For: Why it's critical that people pay to participateHow to find enthusiastic promotional partnersA common trap to avoid while shooting book clientsThe one thing you must have in place before launching a book projectIntrigued and ready to learn more? Use the code HOTD to save $200 on Caitlin's 12-month resource-rich program, designed to increase your revenue many times over and get your gorgeous coffee-table book out into the world!  Resources From This Episode: From Concept to Coffee Table: Self-Publishing for Pet Photographers ProgramFREEBIE - 5 Common Self-Publishing Mistakes Photographers MakeThe Pet Photographer's Club podcast Ragamuffin Pet Photography Hair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook group Download a PDF transcript for this episode:JOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.Ready to grow your business?  Elevate helps you do just that.Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.  

009 - So here we are, adjusting (perhaps?) to the new normal of staying home. If you're feeling like this is a golden opportunity to work on your pet photography business but don't know where to start, this episode's for you. In it, I take you through fifty awesome ideas for improving your business that you can do from the comfort of home.  As always, give yourself some grace. Don't beat yourself up about what you are or aren't accomplishing right now! However, if you're motivated but in need of a nudge, I hope this massive brainstorming session will do the job.   What To Listen For: Three different ways you can get organized (and make money doing it)Idea #20: Do not pass Go, do not collect $200 until you've done thisHints for running a successful sale for previous clientsAn exciting addition coming soon to the Hair of the Dog Academy!When we're overwhelmed, we often keep working on the easy, low-hanging fruit, or spend days playing around with fun new techniques. Do you have the capacity to choose one or two of the hard things off this list, and dedicate these next few weeks to accomplishing those? What would your business look like if you did?? Resources From This Episode:  50 Ways to Build Your Business PDF, Quarantine Edition Free ($97 value) Hair of the Dog Academy class about legal stuffFlodesk email service 50% discount Blog post on "mini sessions"Cloudspot custom app designerHair of the Dog YouTube channelHair of the Dog AcademyHair of the Dog Facebook groupJOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.Ready to grow your business?  Elevate helps you do just that.Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.  

008 - The sense that "we're all in this together" is something that a lot of people are feeling right now, thanks to current global events. The vital role of community, cooperation and collaboration is on full display in the daily news reports, and possibly even in your own neighborhood.In that spirit, my guest this week is Marika Moffitt of Dirtie Dog Photography, who shares how forging relationships with other pet-lovers in her Seattle community led to a total transformation of her business. As Marika says, "We can be so focused on building ourselves...that we forget how much we'll actually get out of supporting somebody else."What To Listen For: How looking at your business with a beginner's mindset can pay dividendsThe realization that prompted a complete shift in her messaging How to build momentum for events and out-of-the-box ideasThe incredible power of tapping into the "child heart" If the idea of making your pet photography business bigger than yourself resonates with you, this is a can't-miss episode!  Resources From This Episode: Dirtie Dog Photography: https://www.dirtiedogphotography.com Seattle Pet Collective podcast: https://www.seattlepetcollective.comThe Limelight Pet Project: https://www.thelimelightpetproject.com Hair of the Dog Academy: https://hairofthedogacademy.com Hair of the Dog Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hodcommunity/ Download a PDF transcript for this episode:JOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.Ready to grow your business?  Elevate helps you do just that.Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.  

007 - As you envision the future of your pet photography business, it's really helpful to hear from other pet photographers about the evolution of their businesses. In this episode, I chat with Shaleena Jones of Give a Dog a Bone Photography about her journey from an all-digital, bargain-basement-price model to a boutique business, and about the lessons she's learned along the way. What To Listen For: The nerve-wracking experience that finally shifted her away from digital-onlyWhy not offering prints is a disservice to your clientsThe change she made to entice more clients into buying albumsA mindset shift in how to think about "failures" Don’t forget that when you leave a review (wherever you listen to podcasts), you can include questions about what you're struggling with in your business. I'd love to tackle those topics in future podcast episodes, so let me know what's on your mind.  Resources From This Episode: Give a Dog a Bone Photography: https://www.giveadogabonephotography.com Hair of the Dog Academy: https://hairofthedogacademy.com Hair of the Dog Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hodcommunity/ Download a PDF transcript for this episode:JOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.Ready to grow your business?  Elevate helps you do just that.Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.  

006 - We interrupt your regularly scheduled podcast for this special message: Shit got crazy.  With COVID-19 bringing life as we know it to a standstill, I'm guessing that many of you, like me, contracted into a state of fear and overwhelm. It's understandable; this is a really big deal. At a certain point though, it's counterproductive to continue binge-watching the news and stress-eating your way through your stockpile of snacks.   In this episode, I talk about how to overcome your fears, refocus your thoughts, and use this time productively to further your goals. The actions you take now are going to directly affect what your business looks like once these storm clouds pass and we emerge from this unprecedented mess (and sooner or later, we will emerge).   What To Listen For: The critically important thing that you can control in these uncertain timesAn exercise to help shift your mindset into more positive territoryThe importance of continuing to show up for your clients/audienceHow to reframe this situation as something beneficial for you and your business Ideas for making the most of this time of staying home and social distancingWith the world essentially hitting the "pause" button, there's a huge opportunity to take a deep breath, refocus, and move forward with grace and gratitude. Will you join me in taking advantage of that? Stay safe and healthy, friends— —NicoleResources From This Episode: The Jim Fortin Podcast: https://www.jimfortin.com/podcast/ Hair of the Dog Academy: https://hairofthedogacademy.com Hair of the Dog Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hodcommunity/ Looking for where to get your marketing focus during this time?  Grab my free masterclass detailing the 3 marketing strategies that built my business:  https://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/marketing Download a PDF transcript for this episode:JOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.Ready to grow your business?  Elevate helps you do just that.Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.  

#005 - Repeat after me: I can get paid well while doing work that I love! Determining prices for your pet photography business often feels like throwing a dart at the wall. Are you charging too much? Too little? Will you ever land one of those four-figure sales you see other photographers talking about on Facebook?? This episode covers how to approach your pricing strategy, and how to think about the value you're offering potential customers. Whether you're looking to shoot high-volume, low-cost or take on only the occasional high-end client, it's important to be deliberate in creating your pricing model and the business structure that supports it. What To Listen For: How to avoid the common pricing mistake most photographers makeWhat “brand alignment” means, and why it’s critical for your businessWhy creating amazing images isn’t enough to justify high pricesOne super-simple way to increase your perceived valueDon’t forget that when you leave a review (wherever you listen to podcasts), you can include questions about whatever’s been a challenge for you in your business. This is the stuff of future podcast episodes, so take advantage of the opportunity to ask!  Resources From This Episode: Hair of the Dog Academy: https://hairofthedogacademy.com FREE Pet Photography Pricing Guide: https://learn.hairofthedogacademy.com/pricing Hair of the Dog Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/hodcommunity/ Download a PDF transcript for this episode:JOIN THE PARTY:Connect with us on InstagramExplore valuable pet photography resources hereDiscover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers.Ready to grow your business?  Elevate helps you do just that.Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.