While building her photography business, Luci sold skin care and makeup through at home parties to supplement her income. The lessons she learned contributed greatly to the 37 years as a successful photography with $3000 to $10,000 orders and much more. In this episode, she covers the dozen things she learned from selling a luxury item to women.

In this episode, Luci will discuss:

• The correlations between selling make-up to women in their home and growing a luxury photography business.
• The importance of passion, enthusiasm and descriptive language while selling products to clients.
• Learn how to grow your photography business by using these twelve practical tips.

Key Takeaways:

• It is important to believe in what you are selling and doing your best to communicate that.
• Dress professionally; you want your client’s first impression of you that you are running a business, not a hobby.
• To grow your business, you need to engage with clients by following up on leads, placing a reminder call, and expressing gratitude.

“My job is to find the clients want what I am offering and can afford it, but I will never know if I prejudge them.” – Luci Dumas

Connect with Luci Dumas:

Twitter: @lucidumas
Facebook: facebook.com/LuciDumasInsightTrainingForPhotographers
Website: http://www.lucidumascoaching.com
Email: luci@lucidumas.com
Show: The Profitable Photographer
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/luci-dumas

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Skip Cohen is President/Founder of Marketing Essentials International, a marketing consulting firm specializing in projects dedicated to education, primarily in photography. He’s been actively involved in the photographic industry his entire career and previously served as President of Rangefinder/WPPI and earlier, President of Hasselblad USA. Prior to Hasselblad, he was with Polaroid for 17 ½ years.

He founded SkipCohenUniversity.com in January 2013. The site is a resource center for aspiring and working professional photographers.

He’s a writer, educator, and consultant. He wrote for many years for Shutter Magazine, Resource Magazine, and Digital Industry Reporter, and co-hosts “Mind Your Own Business” with Chamira Young. He’s a regular speaker and workshop instructor at several key conventions every year and has business and marketing modules with both Creative Live and Lynda.com.

He has co-authored six books on photography, The Art of Wedding Photography, The Art of the Digital Wedding, The Art of People Photography, Don Blair’s Guide to Posing and Lighting Body Parts, Wedding Photography from the Heart and GoingPro, released in 2011.

In this episode, Luci and Skip discuss: 

• How business is going to be what you make it; it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.
• To be profitable, you need to learn the business, learn to sell, market, and network.
• The two perspectives of getting noticed are within the industry and building your network, and the other is your community.
• There’s incredible depth within the industry, so go to every possible conference, convention, or workshop as possible.
• A great blog is about great content, and great content develops a community.
• Relationship building is about getting your name, images, and branding known.
• Build a strong reputation with clients, deliver on time, and keep your promises

“The photography industry has helped the world capture one memory after another and take an intangible moment and turn them into tangible photographs that they can hold and look at for a lifetime.” – Skip Cohen 

Connect with Skip Cohen: 
Twitter:   twitter.com/SkipCohen
Facebook:   facebook.com/SkipCohenUniversity
Website:   http://www.SkipCohenUniversity.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/skip-cohen-25b261

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In this episode, Luci and Stacey discuss:

• The importance of giving back to your community and building a strong reputation.
• Why sourcing the right talent and encouraging creativity and independent work, sustained a high-quality work product and employee loyalty.
• How offering video as part of your services will increase the level of your business and enter the growing market demand with entrepreneurs and online influencers.

Key Takeaways:

• Entrepreneurs need to be the face of their brand, and they’re hiring photographers for professional headshots and photographs in a natural state for use in social media, websites, online marketing, and blogs.
• “Proof” gives entrepreneurs and thought leaders the opportunity to perform on a live and virtual stage to talk about what they are passionate about and why they do what they do.
• It’s essential to build your photography business by finding a way to align your core values with some kind give back component to the community.  It’s the best way to give back to your community in a way that’s also beneficial to you and your business.

“The more we can lift each other as we climb, the better we are, give in the spirit of generosity and your heart will be free to reach and build the life you want to live.” — Stacey Lievens

Connect with Stacey Lievens:
Facebook: facebook.com/witnesstheproof
Website: http://www.witnesstheproof.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/witness-the-proof

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In this episode, Luci discusses:

• The top to-do-list items necessary for growing a professional photography business.
• The importance of hiring a coach experienced in photography and business, who will provide inspiration and guidance to avoid costly mistakes.
• The advantages of building a reputation through volunteering, assisting other photographers, and generosity.

Key Takeaways:

• A photography business requires money to invest in education, equipment, marketing, coaching, and travel.
• Finding your niche will make it easier to grow your business in that specific area, build your reputation, and know the market you’re serving.
• Attend a week-long class with professional photographers who have had a successful journey to network, learn new skills, and be inspired.

“Never stop learning and don’t give up; success is inevitable if you’re willing to do what it takes and trust yourself.” — Luci Dumas

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Your host for The Profitable Photographer is Luci Dumas, an award-winning photographer at local and national competitions including the People’s Choice Award at the Del Mar Fair’s International Competition.  She served as President of PPSDC and WICP and has been a professional photographer for over 36 years. Early in her career, she was a high-end wedding photographer and has transitioned to a high dollar child and family portrait specialty. Luci’s business coaching program empowers her students to grow their business, increase income, gain confidence, and knowledge as they share their experiences with the world.  Join her weekly as shares her wisdom for building a successful photography career through her journey and interviews with industry experts.

“It takes nurturing and planning. It takes heart and commitment, education and imagination.  It takes everything you have, your talents and your experience.  It takes support and people to guide and believe in you.  It takes grit and you can do it.” — Luci Dumas

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Does just the title of this create anxiety? Or do you already have a proven system that results in just exactly what you want your clients to purchase? Does the idea of having a roadmap for selling your portraits as gorgeous pieces of art give you a sense of peace, or are you a bit lost in how to structure a successful sale?

Never fear…I have a plan.

It isn’t rocket science learning to help decorate each of your clients homes with gorgeous wall portraits you create for them…and having them write you checks in the thousands, rather than hundreds. It takes a system, a plan to build a deep relationship with potential clients which leads to great sales that clients will be thrilled to purchase. This system, which I have learned and perfected for over 30 years, has led to thousands of large portraits becoming treasured art for my clients and helped me earn a great living. It is not a secret and I love to share with others.

Where does it start? How does this happen?

It starts with how your find potential clients, the initial introduction to people that, if they know who you are, the experience they will have, and what you will create for them, will be delighted to invest in your art. And it helps you become a highly profitable photographer.

The next step in the process is a consultation, preferably in person. At the consultation you continue developing the relationship, inspire them with your work printed beautifully and large, and the ideas you have for their session. Also, I have a set of details about the session, studio policies and pricing that I review with them in detail.Next is how they have the first direct contact with you. The key is the telephone. I know, many people don’t want to to use the phone and might even be a little afraid of it. If this is you, I want you to see the phone as your new best friend. Why? Because the key to success selling wall portraits is …

1- Developing a relationship…getting them to like you and feel that you like them.

2- Becoming a TRUSTED ADVISER. The most important concept I teach my coaching clients is their role as a trusted advisor. I didn’t invent the idea but if no other idea gets deep into your mind about how to sell wall portraits (or albums or shoelaces for that matter) it is this concept…becoming the trusted advisor. And it starts with the telephone.

3- Planting seeds every step of the way about the value of wall portraits and printed products.

4- Having a system to use in the sales room to lead them to the purchase

5- Knowing how to respond to objections that can dismantle a great order if not handled correctly.

6- And…selling with emotion, keeping them in their heart about the purchase. (I love it especially when they cry during the slide show.)

Some photographers will simply email a price/policy list on request and maybe a magazine with some pretty words and pictures. They cross their fingers and hope for the best. This puts them in the position as a “commodity” rather than an artist that will create custom portraits and product. Then there are surprised when people say they are too expensive, misunderstand policies,  or don’t book them at all. Before hearing about pricing, it is critical for potential customer understand the value of the experience and the finished art.

Does it surprise you to learn that the portrait session is an important part of the wall portrait sale? Or have you assumed that it is the only important step…to take pretty pictures and hope they will buy them. A portrait session is a special time to develop your positioning as a trusted advisor. Guiding them with posing, location, expressions and such puts people at ease and helps them trust you even more. Dropping “seeds” along the way about eventual purchase ideas during a session helps with the final decisions. During the portrait session, getting super excited when everything comes together (location, lighting, expression and posing) and hinting that this set up will make a great wall portrait is one of my tools for sales success.

Of course,  the sales room is where the magic happens. How you structure your presentation is most important to making amazing multiple wall portrait and album sales for thousands of dollars, and a big hug at the end because they are so happy. Just don’t underestimate the value of building their purchase one step at a time. I will share more about this process in another blog post….or you can contact me directly for more on this.

I recommend using an excellent quality projector and screen, even if you are selling in their home.  And after over 30 years, I have created my system to lead clients easily to towards an order that frequently includes several wall portraits and a high quality album. This is where the trusted advisor role is most important. When you create a wonderful experience for your clients from the first contact, they will relax and trust you to help them design the art that they will love for lifetimes.

This system is the core of my Insight Training Program. When photographers work with me directly I give them the roadmap and guidance along the way to build and maintain a profitable photography business that is super fun and blesses their clients.

I would love to connect with you about my private and group coaching programs, or anything else you would like to share.

Happy Summer! Luci

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