The Pet Photographers Club The Pet Photographers Club

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 plan
IN 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 process
Links 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 sales
Blogging 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 bookings
IN 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 LINKS
www.angierose.com
www.facebook.com/AngieRosePetPhotography
www.instagram.com/angieprose
www.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 Friend
We 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 Covid
IN 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 tried
Check 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 referrals
IN 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