Marie's Soft-Touch Marketing Idea

The last time I interviewed Marie Masse, it was to introduce you to her awesome website Fearless & Framed.

If you are photographing families in your community, documenting their reality may be your thing as well, but how do you go about persuading people to work with you? What would convince them more than anything else that this genre of photography is a good fit for them?

“You teach them,” said Marie.

Jaw dropped, I said, “Say what? Can you tell me more about this?”

Marie suggests conducting timely but profitable photography workshops for moms (and I suspect dads are welcome too).

Teaching Sells

If you are a photographer, I am pretty sure you have had someone in the past roll up to you and asked you about a feature or two on their DSLR that they simply do not get. The fact is, most people who own DSLR's are using it in “P” mode or “A” mode and never in “M” mode.

As a professional photographer, you've been rocking your sessions on manual mode forever and feel very comfortable talking about the exposure triangle, the rule of thirds or anticipating peak moments.

You are a pro, after all.

But for most moms and dads there is a mismatch between what they envisioned their photographs of their children would be like and what their skill set is with their fancy cameras.

A photography workshop that you can offer them, bridges this gap, giving them the rudimentary skills to get going and most importantly to value what you do as a professional.

In some ways you are disabusing them of the notion that to create a photograph, of a quality worthy to be displayed on their walls, all they need to do is to push a button.

By teaching them the basic in's and out's of photography, you are in some ways letting them know that what you do isn't as easy as that; it takes years of training and experience and most of all patience.

When they come to value what you do and see the artwork that you create for other clients, there is an excellent chance they will recruit you to be their family photographer.

Bingo!

Structuring The Workshop

At this point you must be thinking, “do I have to teach them for free?” The answer is a resounding: NO!

Educate your potential clients from the very beginning that your time is valuable. So, conducting these photography workshops for moms and dads in your community could be a boost to your bottom line if you do it right.

You are going to want to publicize it and of course, launch your first photography workshop. I have done three so far at the local library, but you may want to choose a different spot in town. Regardless, there is a structure that you can and perhaps should follow to set it up correctly.

Marie Masse just launched a course called Profitable Photography Workshops For Moms and based on the webinars she has conducted over the last few weeks, it might be just the thing for you.

The Interview

We got together for another chat, specifically about this new resource for professional photographers like you:

Profitable Photography Workshops For Moms

From Marie's website, here is what you can expect to receive when you invest in Profitable Photography Workshops for Moms:

The Complete Guide to Running Photography Workshops for Moms ebook – this 50-page guide will walk you through everything you need to know, step-by-step. From planning the workshop, filling workshop seats, how to create an incentive plan to book workshops from workshops, running this workshop in-person as well as getting started with taking this workshop online, and how to make lasting connections AFTER the workshop that can turn into more business through running a Facebook Group (which will be a gold mine for information direct from your ideal clients). No topic was left behind in this guide!

Connective Email Templates – inside of the guide, you’ll get email templates to help you fill up your first workshop, welcome new students to the workshop and questions to get to know your new students before the workshop, keep your workshop hostess pumped up and on fire to fill her workshops up, a reminder email to students, and after-workshop communication emails to encourage a continued relationship through a photo challenge, a Facebook group, and recommended resources and equipment list. The how and the why behind all of this communication is laid out inside of the guide.

Marie’s Beginner Photography Workshop 4 part Video Series – listen to this real demo again and again until the content flows off your tongue with ease. Feel confident knowing Marie has sold out her workshops using this specific class. You’ll see Marie’s slideshow packaged and put together inside this demonstration video series.

Marie’s Workshop Video Transcript (aka Word-for-Word Demo Swipe Files!) – all four videos come with a transcript for you to read and use as your outline to practice your class demo until you feel confident

Clean & Simple PowerPoint Slideshow Template – Marie’s demo includes all of the words with a license for you to use, so all you have to do is drop in your photos to make this workshop your own. The template has a variety of slides from title and engagement slides to single image slides and collage slides. We kept the professional design of this slideshow minimalist and clean, so your images shine and the slideshow has a timeless look and feel.

Cheat Sheets for Students Galore – Camera Settings Scavenger Hunt (pdf), Light Guide Template (InDesign file so you can add your images to the light categories), Exposure Cheat Sheet (pdf), and My Photo Wishlist (pdf).

Workshop Planner to create your blueprint to launch your workshop in 30 days (pdf). The planner a fillable pdf for you to map out all of the details, your workshop plan and policies and even a slide planner to help you cull your photos. Get organized in no time flat!

Two Organization Tools: a Sign-In sheet & an Open Date sheet to use at your workshops to keep track of who showed up, collect email addresses and to inspire your students to book their workshop, advanced class or session.

Bonus: Real is the New Perfect Photo Challenge – the exact quiz, beautifully designed to challenge your students during the workshop to help inspire their documentary shooting ideas and potentially needs for their own session (pdf)

Bonus: Access to the Private Facebook Group just for Workshop Instructors to unite. The Facebook Group is a place for instructors to support one another and grow together through your ideas + success stories you bring to the table. The online group is a place to connect, problem solve and gets questions answered from other instructors. The Fearless and Framed team will be inside and active in the group answering some questions, but this is not a place to receive 1:1 support from Marie/Fearless and Framed.

Wowza! Marie pretty much sets you right up for success!

A Testimonial

This is what one reviewer said about Profitable Photography Workshops For Moms:

I’m naturally good at teaching and inspiring others, but the concept of creating a workshop was intimidating and therefore I’ve never gotten it off the ground. I didn’t know where to start, how in-depth to go on certain topics and only setting it all up from scratch was just not something I had the time for. So you could imagine my surprise and delight when I discovered that Marie had created the Profitable Photography Workshop for Moms bundle. Finally, I would be able to take the leap and do something that I’ve been afraid of doing for so long – and best yet it's practically all set up for me all I have to do is insert my images and branding, market it and bam, I’m done.

A Challenge & An Offer

So, here's my challenge for all of you – in the next 60 days will you launch your profitable photography workshop? What's stopping you from trying to reach an even greater number of people in your community who could very reliably become your clients for life! Comment below.

Here's my offer to you all. If you use this affiliate link to buy Profitable Photography Workshops for Moms, and you send me your receipt (seshu at tiffinbox dot org), I'll schedule a 30 minute Skype call with you to discuss your workshop plans. This offer is only for those of you who jump in and buy between now and July 31st, 2016, though.

Sound good? I look forward to speaking with you about your profitable photography workshop.

Who Is Paul Jarvis & Why You Should Care?

Paul Jarvis is the epitome of a creative entrepreneur. He is a skilled web designer and more recently a teacher and mentor to many through his online course, Creative Class. His podcast, The Freelancer is both funny and informative.

One of the important factors for Paul's rapid success is his consistent publication of a newsletter. He calls it The Sunday Dispatches, and true to its name it arrives in my inbox every Sunday. It's a newsletter that I read from top to bottom, every single time.

On occasion Paul's advice in The Sunday Dispatches is about how to work with clients, while some other editions of the newsletter addresses the need for better structure or workflow. The recommendations aren't pulled out of thin air and are from his own experiences running a thriving business. What's amazing is how easily I have been able to incorporate these short lessons into my own family photography business.

Making A Mark In Your Industry

So, why do you think Paul leans heavily on his newsletter? What purpose does it serve? What could you learn from his example? My takeaway is this – it helps Paul frequently engage with his audience and clients and build authority in his specialty, over time.

And you can do it too.

Let me assure you that you aren't going to need thousands of people on an email list to begin. Look back at your year, find the clients you served in the last year and send them a quick note individually telling them about your new mode of communication – your newsletter. Then stick to a schedule and send them a note every week, with advice about your genre of photography and how they would benefit from it, any updates to your own business and lastly any special offers you have coming up.

A Sample Lesson

But there's a lot more you can do and should do to make sure your clients are receiving your email newsletters. Paul Jarvis has put this short video together for you to learn how to do that:

This lesson is a part of his new course for independent business owners like you and me called Chimp Essentials. Paul uses MailChimp, an email newsletter distribution platform that lots of people are using for its design options and reliability. While what he teaches you in Chimp Essentials is geared towards using the MailChimp service, there are elements of it that can be applied to just about any other platform that you have already signed up for.

I switched from another company to MailChimp because I had less than 2000 subscribers at that time and that meant, I didn't have to pay them a monthly fee. Now, if you have more than that number and you want to access more tools within the platform, I would urge you to upgrade as I will be in March.

One of the things that is preparing me to make this leap is Paul's course, Chimp Essentials. About a month ago, when Paul put out a call (yes, in his newsletter of course) for beta-testers for this new program, I jumped and raised my hand so high that I am sure he could see me all the way from Canada where he lives.

Chimp Essentials uses videos and code snippets to walk you through advanced (and seemingly complicated) MailChimp features that can help you engage and grow your audience.

Speaking With Paul Jarvis

My quick response included a request to speak with him about Chimp Essentials, so that you can hear directly from him about it. So here is that short interview:

What's in Chimp Essentials?

There are six modules and they run the gamut!

1. Setting Up MailChimp (the right way)
2. Onboarding New Subscribers
3. Groups & Segments
4. Automation Sequences
5. Campaigns & Conditionals
6. Running Tests & Reports

A Free Webinar & Discount Code

Since you've read this far, I have to tell you that if you are still “kicking the tires”, Paul is offering a free webinar today at 2 pm EST. Sign up for it here and do it now.

You could jump in today and enroll in Chimp Essentials and get $60 off the regular price. Simply used the code LAUNCH2016 when you check out!

Or, use the code TIFFINBOX and receive $40 off until the end of March (when Paul takes the course off the shelf!) Yes, Paul will bring the course back in the future (with updates and other goodies) BUT, why wait when your business growth depends on what you need to do NOW?

In the comments below, let me know if you signed up for Chimp Essentials. It's a wonderful opportunity to learn from the best in the business. I am a paying member of the course as well, so you know I wouldn't ask you to do anything that hasn't been fully seshufied (yes, I totally came up with that and may just need to use it again in the future).

Oh, ain't he cute? It's a Leap Year and I say you should leap like a chimpanzee and sign up for this course!

Why Are You In Business?

If you are in business, you should be making money at some point, right?

Jamie Swanson of The Moderntog has it dialed in when it comes to teaching photographers how to market their business – to move from mere passion into the sphere of profit.

If you are dedicated to your craft, you would have noticed how you have progressed due to your discipline and focus. The business side of the equation is no different. It too needs your constant attention. Ignore it at your peril and in a short time you will have nothing more than a hobby to call your own.

That might just be the ticket for a lot of people currently in the industry. Nothing wrong with being a hobbyist or a weekend photographer, while you still have your day job. For some photographers, the grass is always greener on the other side anyway and you living that life might mean a more comfortable and stress-free existence.

That said, if you are going all in, and you are going to spend the next 20+ years as a professional photographer, you are going to need to market your photography business and do so really well.

The Marketog Course

Back in 2014, I spoke with Jamie about Marketog and since then she has made a few additions to her tried-and-tested course.

Here are the six steps she covers in Marketog:

How to get more of the right kinds of clients
How to turn inquiries into clients: 6 game-changing strategies
How to turn your website into an inquiry-generating machine
How to get repeat clients and more word-of-mouth advertising
How to get other business owners to send you their best clients
Your marketing toolkit for effective marketing

Open Enrollment … Now!

Jamie is about to open enrollment for the course again, for a limited time (today through January 24th). Despite her busy schedule (look, she has five kids and home-schools them all), I managed to convince her to spend a little time with me being interviewed about the six-week commitment you are about to make for yourself.

The Free Sample

Grab this FREE sample lesson to get a sense of what you will learn from the Marketog course.

Follow Along At Your Pace

One other thing, while the course runs for six weeks, you have access to all the course materials for life. So, if you don't get to it as the course starts on January 25th, relax! Just log in when your schedule permits it, and walk through the modules step-by-step at your own pace. Jamie makes it super easy to follow along, but there is a good deal amount of work to be done. If you are spinning your wheels, pop into the Facebook group Jamie has set up for you to ask questions or share your successes.

Ready To Sign Up?

Are you ready to jump-start your photography business with a solid plan for marketing it? Will you enroll for Marketog now that you a little bit more about the course? Do you still have questions? What would get you off the fence? Tell me below in the comments section and I will do my best to help you out. You see, like you, I am enrolled in this course as well and honestly, I am lingering on module 3 right now. Come join and inspire me to complete all six modules of Marketog with you!

Back in the 1960's if you wanted to make it big in the entertainment industry, you needed to get a nod from Ed Sullivan. Most of this generation missed watching The Ed Sullivan Show but it was what launched The Beatles in America.

Yesterday, I was listening to This American Life and Act One was about a comedy duo, Charlie Brill and Mitzi McCall who were going to be on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. As David Segal narrates it, the duo had rehearsed rigorously for their big break on the show. It was an exciting time for them, no doubt. They were going to be superstars. Or, so they thought. Then Mr. Sullivan, after watching their rehearsal, asked them to change their show up. Yes, right there and then. Weeks of planning had started to circle the drain for the couple. They really had no choice. They had to get in there and make the most of it.

If you listen to the show, you'll understand why Ed Sullivan requested a change in their skit. There must have been hundreds of 14 to 16-year old girls in the audience that evening. Ed Sullivan instinctively knew which comedy skits would work and which wouldn't. But Brill and McCall had no concept of their audience.

Why were the teenage girls in the audience? Yes, it was The Beatles they came to see that night. There were five or six other acts in addition to The Beatles but nobody really remembers any of them.

So, what does any of this have to do with photography and perhaps your photography business? Not knowing your audience is going to hurt you. Worse, you are going to be quickly forgotten. If you want to be a hit in your community, figure out who is going to scream their heads off for you and the work you love to produce.

Thankfully, Jamie Swanson of The Modern Tog, shows us how to do just that through her six-week marketing course called Marketog. She will help you define your ideal clients who not only love what you do for them but will gladly pay you for it without making a fuss. When there is a balanced value exchange between you and your clients, everyone wins. Right?

Enrollment for Marketog closes today, for the last time this year. The next time you will be able to take the course will be sometime next year. Jamie consistently adds content to the course and therefore more value. The fact that this course is being offered for only $79 a month (for 12 months) baffles me. You can also pay the one time payment of $799 and save yourself some money in the long run. Jamie is also offering a 45-day risk free guarantee. You can go through the entire course, do the work and see the results for yourself.

This is what Jamie says – “It doesn’t even matter if you’ve never booked a client in your life, or if you already have some experience under your belt. Because Marketog takes you from step 1 all the way to success.”

Now, can you afford NOT to be in front of the right audience? Is your big break just around the corner, but you are just not prepared for it? With Marketog, you learn the most powerful business skill – attracting the right clients for your photography business. I outline everything Marketog covers here.

Look, I am going to be real with you. If you are making $5000 to $6000 a month in your photography business, you could still learn to do better from enrolling in Marketog. But if you are retooling your business or starting from scratch, Marketog is the best thing you can do for yourself.

Yes, being careful about your spending is a wise move until you simply don't act when a great opportunity like this presents itself. That's what worries me about most photographers. I see their excitement to create photographs, but the thrill simply isn't there with the business side of things. Until you start attracting the right clients for your business, you are in essence a hobbyist. I suspect most of us started at that point, but when it comes time to upgrade equipment or software or pay our mortgage, a hobbyist wage isn't going to cut it. Your photography business is going to need a boost.

Couple of years ago, Marketog gave me that kick in the pants I needed to invigorate my photography businesses. It might help you too.

Remember, enrollment closes today. At least seven of your peers have used the links in this post already to begin their new journey. Will you join them or do you prefer to remain anonymous?

Looking for a sample lesson? Here you go! Also Jamie just released a short PDF on “How To Educate Your Clients On The Value Of Professional Photography.” Click the graphic below to download it for free. Not only do you get a bonus lesson out of it, you get a glimpse of Marketog's quality. Jamie's writing is engaging, lucid and always useful.