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197: John DeMato – Photographing Entrepreneurs, Speakers, and Authors with Visual Storytelling

This week on The Profitable Photographer Podcast I’m so excited to welcome John DeMato, a visual storytelling expert that photographs speakers, authors, trainers and consultants to create world-class, image assets that position them as an authority In their space of expertise. 

197 - John DeMato - Photographing Entrepreneurs, Speakers, and Authors with Visual Storytelling - Profitable Photographer Podcast with Luci Dumas

By using collaboration, strategy and execution, he sets clients up for success beyond the photo sessions by educating them on how to leverage their portraits, book images, virtual and live event photos across their online presence. 

And what a fascinating conversation John and I had all about empowering, and creating a magical experience for those he serves! 

With 22 years of experience behind the camera as a former television producer, John knows exactly how important it is to create a valuable experience for his clients. This experience is built on using strategy to create consistent results for each client, capturing a visual variety of images during a session, and, surprisingly, thinking more like a marketer than a photographer. 

But, John didn’t start his business intending to make headshots his specialty, he just happened to be doing them on the side. In fact, it took him a while to build his business. He built his business by focusing on 2 things: being intentional through communication and building relationships. In addition to focusing on communication, John is also very active in his social media world. 

John’s strategy for creating consistent results starts with having a strategy call with each client. During that call, he focuses on 4 things: 

  1. Getting to who they are
  2. Finding out where the resources are
  3. Getting to know their personality
  4. Building rapport so the client feels comfortable with him. 

His end goal for each session is always the same: to think like a marketer more than a photographer, to serve his clients, and to be a collaborator with them. 

John’s final words for us? It is a gift to make a living in photography and it is something that needs to be earned. Believe in yourself

Want to connect with John for more inspiration? You can find him here: 

Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas’ Programs and Contact Info:

196: Charles and Todd Lewis – The Kings of Wall Portrait Sales

This episode is a “Whopper” and worth taking the time to listen to every minute!

One of my first mentors and the person I call “The King of Wall Portraits,” Charles Lewis,  and his son Todd Lewis and I have an incredible conversation about selling wall portraits. We cover both why helping our clients select their portraits in “appropriate sizes” in person using a projector is best for our businesses and our clients, and how to structure the sale that is fun and highly profitable.

Okay…I do “Fan Girl” a lot in this conversation because I owe so much of my business success to this week’s guest.

Charles opened his studio 50 years ago in Grand Rapids, MI where he specialized in family, children, and senior portraits as well as wedding photography. He shares how he almost lost his family because he was overworking in order to provide financially for his family. Everything changed when he started selling wall portraits and setting office hours so he could be home with his family in the evenings.

He and Todd (and I) give you lots of concrete tips on the sales process. The three of us are super passionate about giving our clients full service and making sure they have finished art as decor that will give them joy every day. I am sure you will hear that enthusiasm as we share everything we can to help motivate you to provide this as well.

Be sure to listen for thoughts about:

  1. Why putting pricing online is not ideal
  2. How testimonials impact our business success
  3. Reasons for becoming a Wall Portrait Specialist
  4. The importance of finding our target market and how to reach them
  5. Setting up our sales room 
  6. Why you must have an organized system

Please…listen to the entire episode and then listen again. There is so much inspiration and great content that is one of the cores of my success over the last 40 years.

Charles is offering a free call to my listeners!

Just click below to sign up:

Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas’ Programs and Contact Info:

195: Kristin Sweeting – Destination Photography and Creating Income Streams

I had so much fun chatting with the amazing and lovely Kristin Sweeting, international wedding photographer, educator, and host of the Dangerous Creatives podcast. She’s been photographing weddings and celebrations around the world for over 11 years and photography work has taken her to over 20 different countries.

Listen in as Kristin explains how she manages a wedding photography business involving regular travel to other countries, and her advice to fellow photographers who likewise want travel to be a part of their lifestyle.

Kristin also does a deep dive into the four pillars of creative business revenue that every entrepreneur needs to work on to create a life of freedom: their meat and potatoes (i.e. retainer clients), main stars (your niche, i.e. wedding photography), enhancers (add-ons to your main services, i.e. albums and prints), and PJ profits (passive income, i.e. courses and an online gallery).

She also reminds us that the key to successfully creating multiple streams of income as a photographer is to focus on one thing at a time. Build your meat and potatoes until you reach that tipping point where your marketing efforts finally begin to break even. At this point, you’ll have enough referral momentum to start building your next stream of income!

Key Topics:

  • What inspires Kristin to become a photographer (4:01)
  • How wedding photography and retreats has taken Kristin to over 20 different countries (6:30)
  • The importance of knowing your numbers (15:48)
  • Navigating airport security as an international photographer (18:47)
  • Kristin’s international business retreats (21:51)
  • Creating multiple streams of revenue as a photographer (26:37)
  • The four pillars of creative business revenue (30:04)
  • Focus on one thing at a time (40:52)
  • What Kristin loves the most about being a creative entrepreneur (48:29)
  • Your authenticity is needed in the industry (52:52)

Grab Kristin’s free vision board templates over at http://www.dangerschool.com/freebies.

You can also check out her website, her Instagram accounts @kristinsweeting and @dangerouscreatives and shoot her an email at: kristinsweetingphotography@gmail.com

Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas’ Programs and Contact Info:

194: Luci Dumas- Using “Magic” to Manifest/Attract Ideal Clients and More

Magic is real. Thoughts have power.

In this episode I am going FULL Woo Woo and talk about the power we have to become a magnet for success, attracting what we want in life, both big and small. The secret powers we have to manifest things like great photography clients, relationships, abundance, even a pair of the perfect sunglasses. (Listen for the tale of lost the sunglasses).

I often touch on this subject in my other podcasts and decided to go for it and claim my truth…that this stuff works (TSW) and that I use it all the time.

If the woo woo, or calling it the power of the Universe or God or a spiritual teacher is not your thing, you can call it awareness or accessing our own genius. Whatever you call it, my experience is that it is real, that actions combined with these manifesting principles go hand in hand to create the life we desire.

In this episode of The Profitable Photographer I share my perspective and experiences through 

-fun stories about my small miracles

-reference books and teachers on the topic

-tools like affirmations and visualizations

-quotes

-the principles of the laws of attraction

-where this teaching came from historically

-the importance of positive energy/vibration and how to raise it

And how there is a loving and creative force always listening to our desires and ready to bring us what we want and that the more clear we are, the faster these things can come our way.

I am visualizing this episode being the perfect one for you right now, whether you have been on team “Law of Attraction” or this is new for you. Because you deserve to have all good things in your life!!

Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas’ Programs and Contact Info:

193: Johl Dunn – Change Your Mindset, Change Your Life

I just loved getting to know Australian photography and coach,  Johl Dunn. He helps ambitious photographers build a highly profitable business by creating a sales and marketing engine and completely rewiring their subconscious programming.

Listen in as Johl reflects on his journey as the owner of a portrait photography studio. He shares how he personally realized that mindset is infinitely more important than knowledge and skill when it comes to finding success.

Johl tackles common money blocks in the industry and why it’s important to look at money as energy exchange. He also gives his best advice to those who feel a lack of self-worth as the owner of a photography business.

Asked about the value of a coach, Johl says: “I went through a lot of stress, anxiety, and a lot of really hard times in my business. What I love about coaching is that I can fast-track the process for other photographers. They don’t have to make the same mistakes that I did. I can help them achieve a very powerful and profitable business relatively quickly!”

Key Topics:

  • What got Johl into photography and coaching (3:15)
  • Overcoming money blocks (7:30)
  • Defining “mindset” and typical shifts photographers need to make (10:12)
  • How your personal life affects your business life (17:25)
  • Johl’s personal story of how a simple mindset shift changed his life (20:30)
  • What to do if you’re experiencing a lack of self-worth (26:30)
  • A case for charging more for your services (34:04)
  • Scale your mindset to scale your business (41:34)

Learn more about Johl Dunn at https://www.johldunn.com/ and send him a message mentioning that you heard him on the Profitable Photographer Podcast for a FREE 30-MINUTE COACHING CALL with him! Also, check him out on Instagram and Facebook.

Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas’ Programs and Contact Info:

192: Melissa R Rich – The Joy of Workflow System for Photographers and Creatives

Ever been that overwhelmed photography business owner? You’re probably all saying “YES!” 

Well, you’re in luck! Our episode of The Profitable Photographer Podcast is going to be so helpful for soothing that side of your business. You’re a talented photographer with so much to do…, client meetings, editing, album designing, AND many of you do your own admin work: bookkeeping, social media, email lists…it’s a lot to keep up with. 

192 Melissa R Rich - The Joy of Workflow System for Photographers and Creatives - Profitable Photographer Podcast with Luci Dumas

Our guest, Melissa Rich, is an EXPERT when it comes to business organization.

Melissa is the founder of “Virtually Done Systems,” a business dedicated to all things systems and workflows for creative small business owners. She has spent the last 15 years behind the camera as a full-time wedding photographer, secretly enjoying all of the behind-the-scenes work more than her time taking pictures! 

Now, Melissa specializes in helping busy creative professionals get their lives back by implementing proven, pre-strategized systems, workflows, and automations to take care of the day-to-day tasks that stress them out so they can fall back in love with their businesses and devote themselves to their craft.

Systems do not come naturally to many creative folks, so don’t worry. Being disorganized is nothing to be ashamed of. We’ve all been there! 

Listen now to her 8 tips about workflow systems and how to reduce overwhelm! 

And grab your free “Pay Day Automation Set-up Guide” from Melissa on Instagram @virtuallydonesystems

 melissa@virtuallydonesystems.com

Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas’ Programs and Contact Info:

191: Krista Marie – Overcoming Burnout as Photographers

Woo hoo…another awesome guest and episode of The Profitable Photographer with Luci Dumas coming your way. Thanks for subscribing and sharing. Also…check out this and many other episode on my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCut3Qk6t6Z2DUJYEYGSCfKA

191 - Krista Marie - Overcoming Burnout as Photographers - Profitable Photographer Podcast with Luci Dumas

In this video, we take a deep dive into the dreaded Burn Out and ways to avoid or recover quickly with my amazing guest, Krista Marie.

Krista is a photographer, business coach and the host of “She Calls Her Shots” Podcast. She helps creatives ditch the overwhelm and create thriving businesses by focusing on the tactical strategies, habits, and mindset & confidence work that’s crucial to seeing long-term growth via social media, her blog & her Podcast.

You know you are in burnout if you have overbooked, working too much, lost your passion, feel resentment, and have self-doubt. Or lack of business not motivated because things aren’t working feels like burnout. Remember:

  1. It is inevitable. 
  2. It comes in seasons. Sometimes we need to step back for a while.
  3. Figure out our intentions if we feel called, stop and do nothing. 
  4. Find your triggers..release the pressure and timelines.
  5. There are no brownie points for overworking.

Marketing mistakes:

  1. Too many places, and not knowing who we are targeting
  2. Too many platforms and not enough activity
  3. Waiting around for opportunities to come to us
  4. Asking others for their advice…not knowing if they are successful
  5. Overcomplicating the process

Get in touch with Krista Marie and grab her 

Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas’ Programs and Contact Info:

190: Luci Dumas – Your Best-Year-Yet Success Plan

Well, it is that time of year when we think we are going to jump in and finish our plans for the year. January is over and we better get going, right? So we make a list. And, if you are like a lot of us, it is a big and overwhelming list. 

And someone says “you need to make a yearly calendar and just do all the things.”

Or you are in a fog and exhausted from the year before and the holiday rush. And don’t know where to start.

If this is where you are…even if it is July…this solo episode of The Profitable Photographer can help. I offer you several ways to:

  1. Jumpstart your creative marketing plans
  2. Clear your brain clutter
  3. Focus on just a few projects per quarter rather than planning an entire year
190 - Luci Dumas - Your Best-Year-Yet Success Plan - The Profitable Photographer Podcast

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day…but a healthy photography business is built one step at a time, one project, and one idea at a time.

Hey…feel free to contact me at http://www.lucidumascoaching.com or email luci@lucidumas.com if you want support on anything about your business.

And thanks for checking the show out and subscribing on YouTube!

Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas’ Programs and Contact Info:

189: Jeff Brown – “Scroll to a Sale” Websites for Photographers

The Profitable Photographer Podcast is pleased to welcome fellow profitable photographer Jeff Brown back to the show to talk all about using your website to attract ideal clients!

At 27, Jeff joined the Royal Navy and began a career as a Military Photographer, but after nearly 10 years of service he left the armed forces to set up his own photography company Eighteen months later, Jeff had built a successful six-figure wedding photography partnership and a commercial photography company. 

189 Jeff Brown - "Scroll to a Sale" Websites for Photographers - The Profitable Photographer Podcast with Luci Dumas

After photographing 750 weddings himself, in 2015 he developed an online photography business mentoring program. We are so excited to soak in some of that wisdom today as he shares nuggets from his new book  “Help!! My Photography Website Needs MORE Customers.”

Websites are one of, if not THE, most important part of your sales and visibility. They are our shop window to the world which is why Jeff says it is so important to convey confidence and trust on your site.

He says, “a website should have one major purpose and that purpose should be to either direct a visitor to book a call, book a session or leave their email address in exchange for something.”

To do this, Jeff prefers a “Scroll to Sell” Website which takes people on a journey to an end result and are preferred in recent Google SEO updates. 

What is a “Scroll to a Sale Website”?  I take people on a journey to an end result

  1. Creates a big first impression
  2. Focuses on empathy first by addressing their fears and problems. 
  3. Includes testimonials on the home page. 
  4. Uses descriptive words
  5. Has a call to action 

Jeff also tells us some big news about GOOGLE’s Helpful Content Update starting in 2023

And is offering a special 50% discount on an SEO package if we sign up for a website with his service through thephotographerssuite.com/

info@focusonmarkerting.co.uk

http://www.thephotographersmentor.com

Grab your headphones and listen now!

Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas’ Programs and Contact Info:

188: Michael T. Davis – Creating Story-Telling Wedding Albums

This episode of The Profitable Photographer Podcast is all about love stories! Our guest is here to tell us how we can enhance our hearts to increase sales.

Joining Luci on the show is Michael T Davis, a wedding photographer and storyteller who focuses on preserving his client’s love stories through albums and prints. Michael has been a professional wedding photographer since 2011 and shares his expertise as a coach to other photographers. He loves coaching on how to build albums that sell.

188: Michael T. Davis - Creating Story Telling Wedding Albums

Michael says selling is all about focusing on the client’s story and designing the album in a way that evokes an emotional experience. 

To sell more:

  • Focus on a great story rather than great images
  • Build albums with intention and strategy
  • Become a great listener..Listen to your clients before, during, and after their wedding day

We are so excited to have Michael here and we hope you enjoy this episode! Listen now. 

(Pssst… grab a FREE coaching session from Michael all about album building. Contact him below)

Michael T Davis Photography

Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas’ Programs and Contact Info:

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