Selling Photography  By  cover art

Selling Photography

By: Tavis Guild
  • Summary

  • Listen and learn the blueprint and action steps to setting up a money-making studio! You will hear strategies and tips on how to market yourself to your dream clients. Each episode features one of the masters in the photography industry. Tavis interviews other successful artists who give away their best-kept secrets of building value, serving clients well, and accomplishing financial goals by selling photography. While listening to this you will quickly recognize that you too have what it takes to sell your photography too! Tavis is a business designer and photographer in Yakima, WA. He is the owner of Guild Canvas Company, an industry educator, and a photography business coach. Connect with Tavis: https://guildcanvas.com/
    Copyright 2023 Tavis Guild
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Episodes
  • How to Design Your Photography Business Around The Lifestyle You Want With David And Whitney Scott
    Mar 16 2022

    Asking the right questions will lead you to shape your business the way you want to serve yourself and your goals.

    If you want to have a lifestyle you wish to have where you don't work endless hours and break your back, you've got to work smart.

    Talk about pricing premium, clearly communicating your product's value to the right people, and protecting yourself from discount buyers.

    That's part of designing your photography business to reach a high level of success.

    David and Whitney Scott have been married for 20+ years, have worked together for over 13, and have renovated EIGHT homes and short-term rentals… and are still together and smiling! 

    Whitney started the photography business part-time back in 2005 after leaving a career in counseling. Her first "official" photo shoot was when she used a wrinkled sheet as a backdrop to photograph her daughter, Emma, for her first birthday. Friends were kind and allowed her to practice on them, and the business grew into a full-time job. In 2007, she had their second child, Ben, who became another adorable practice subject.  

    David left his long-time job in youth ministry to join her in the business full time in 2009.  

    They learned (understatement of the century) that entrepreneurship is challenging. And that working together is flat out hard. And they also decided to start homeschooling their kids during this time. But they were ridiculously optimistic. They were incredibly poor, but they were together and were doing what they loved.

    Now their kids are teenagers, and their photography skills have much improved. Entrepreneurship is always challenging but rewarding as well. Not only have they built a business they are proud of, but they also had the opportunity to educate other professional photographers at the international level. They are building the barn studio of their dreams right out their back door and dividing their time between serving their wonderful photography clients and serving their fellow professional photographers through their second business venture "Tribe of 5".

    In this episode, David and Scott share how they started in their photography business, conquered charging low to pricing premium, making the most of their 20-hour workweek time catering to only two clients a week. They also talk about taking advantage of Whitney's Psychology background when it comes to setting prices, zeroing in on buyers' psychology, and curating a pricing list to show the best that clients find the most value in to avoid confusion and making them happy and confident buyers.

    What you will learn from this episode:

    • Learn how to structure your business around the lifestyle you want, so you get there faster
    • Find out how to connect with the right people and charge premium
    • Discover how to work with fewer clients and earn more

    "We have to be very strategic in deciding what we want for our life, and for us, it was family life. It was our number one objective. And then we structure our business to facilitate that goal."

    - David Scott

    Topics Covered:

    02:40 - Working less and building a dream life: Strategically structuring your business to fulfill your business goals and a successful family life 

    06:15 - Taking the process slowly but steadily: Whitney taking us to their journey from pricing low to charging a premium

    08:38 - The 20-hour workweek: Whitney sharing how they use their time and resources effectively and efficiently to reach the goal they set out at the start

    11:02 - Leveraging Business Psychology: Talking about connecting with people and connecting to their imagery and...

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    26 mins
  • Why We Do It: Photographers on the Passion and Enthusiasm That Drives Them with Craig Mcneil
    Mar 16 2022

    How can you be the best you in what you do so that you can be the best you for clients who trust you?

    We’ve long had this negative connotation around the idea of being different – that choosing to be what others aren’t is something that will do us no good towards becoming the best.

    Well, let me tell you – that’s not the case in doing business, for what actually sets you apart from the general market is the same thing that will lead you towards success.

    Do you want your products and services to be a one-of-a-kind thing, something that people won’t be able to find anywhere else? Do you want to upgrade your whole photography business but have no idea where to start yet?

    If you are ready to take the leap, reach great heights, and live a life of success, join us today as we discuss how you can start working on producing something others can’t!

    Craig McNeil is a photographer/entrepreneur from Denver, Colorado who has been in the industry of photography for 30 years now through his business, McNeil Designer Portraits. He is exceptional in translating his love of the outdoors and his passion for photography into beautiful family portraits that are cherished for a lifetime. Craig finds his greatest joy in unveiling the final art for the first time and seeing the look of enthusiasm and awe that his photography brings to his clients.

    In this episode, Craig talks about the power of being different in the industry of photography as he shares how passion and enthusiasm add to that fuel of authenticity that later on leads to one’s journey towards success.

    What you will learn from this episode:

    • Understand how powerful being authentic is when doing photography as a business;
    • Discover the reason behind passion and enthusiasm being your journey’s ultimate game-changers; and
    • Gather tips from an expert about the things you can live by in order to excel at whatever it is that you choose to do and become

    “Be better at what it is that you do. There’s this thing I have, that is my philosophy. I have to be the best of me for me before I can be the best of me for you.”

    – Craig McNeil 



    Valuable Free Resource:

     Today’s Photography Tips from Craig McNeil

    • Don’t copy anybody else. Write down 10 specific things that make you different.
    • Don’t try to be everything for everybody. Know where you excel at. Know your style. Focus on that.
    • Be confident. Have faith in yourself. Persevere.
    • Do not resort to being the cheapest guy on the market. Reflect on these: What products or services do you offer that can help celebrate your style? What is it that you do and how do you present it that allows you to charge more and be justified for it?
    • Passion and enthusiasm for what you do is contagious. Love what you do and have a good mindset in relation to it.
    • Get a good camera and learn how to use it. That will give you the results that you want.
    • Do your research to find what’s going to make you different in a continuously evolving world of technology.

     

     

    Topics Covered:

    01:24 – This is Me: Craig reminds people to be as unique as one can be as he shares the power behind doing the opposite of what everyone else is doing

    02:33 – Celebrating One’s Uniqueness: Those who are genuinely authentic are those whom the people want nowadays

    06:01 – On Becoming an Expert: Talking about one’s focus alongside the importance of excelling on that specific thing you do best when doing photography

    09:04 –...

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    27 mins
  • Navigating Through Life and Sales with the Power of Pictures with Sterling Hoffman
    Mar 16 2022

    Have you always been feeling overwhelmed whenever you’re handling those big and mind-wobbling sales? Do you feel like you could do more to increase your sales and get more clients? Are you ready to find out how to make your clients feel like they’re in for a luxurious treat with the best value at the right price?

    When starting a photography business, it’s not all about the portraits and pictures you’ve taken, but also how well you keep your clients hooked on your artistry. Showing your clients you’re worth an investment is as important as giving only the best to your clients. So, how can you wow get more clients and finally get your big, mind-wobbling sale?

    If you are ready to take the risk, earn more, and touch lives through photographs, then sit back and get ready to be blown out. Widen your field, shift your perspective and become the best of the best once you’ve captured the essence of this sale-changing and money-making treat!

    Sterling Hoffman views each portrait commission as the opportunity to tell the profound story of a couple or a family. Much like creating a painting, he weighs the roles of background and lightning, of color, tone, and composition. It is his unique eye that elevates his portraits to a higher level and why his work is treasured by thousands of families coast to coast.

    In this episode, Sterling talks about how you can turn your informational appointment into a money appointment and get your clients hooked into your artistry. He also shares his experience and insights on how to get your clients to invest big and how you can handle those big sales.

    What you will learn from this episode:

    • Discover how you should be treating your clients as soon as the first call and their first step into your gallery
    • Understand that the advance purchase option is possible and what value it brings to the table once you’ve put it out
    • Find out how to prepare yourself and your business to handle big and mind-wobbling sales

    “Far and above anything else, is that in the success pie, 80% of it is sales skills and not photography.”

    - Sterling Hoffman

    Topics Covered:

    02:48 - Overcoming Those Big Numbers: Sterling shares his experience when handling big sales and mind-boggling numbers

    06:26 - Handling the Crucial Call: Sterling talks about how the first call is the most important factor when meeting a client and trying to close a deal

    11:18 - Immersing into the State of Relaxation: What should you do once a client steps into your gallery and how can you show that you care about them

    15:11 - Fancy Schmanshy: Sterling explains how giving value and looking expensive will help you raise the bar

    16:43 - Talking Money: Sterling shares his experience with prices and explains the importance of body language and confidence when it comes to pricing

    18:58 - The Hidden Gem of a Nugget: How to turn an informational appointment into a money appointment

    23:44 - Money Making Option: Sterling gives more tips on establishing an advance purchase option and how you can make it beneficial for you

    26:17 - From Lenses to the Screen: Sterling shares how to connect with clients through the life-changing effect of a projector

    34:21- To Me, From Me: Sterling shares what tips or lessons would he say to his past self

    35:45 - More Than Meets the Eye: Sterling talks about his coaching business and what he has to offer

    Key Takeaways:

    “One of the biggest pitfalls of portrait artists is not being prepared for the big sale.” -Sterling Hoffman

    “They limit themselves by their price list....

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    37 mins

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