Today on the Frame Your Way Photography Podcast we are continuing our series of on-air coaching sessions! Our next on-air coaching guest is Kashia of KC Photography. Some of the questions she asks are:
And I am sharing my favorite tips for getting new clients and making their experience one they’ll ever forget!
Ready to book out your spring calendars? Click HERE to sign up for the upcoming free training series on Facebook!
Loving this podcast? Come join us in the NEW Photographer Community on Facebook.
Looking for more?
Check out the photography templates on Etsy.
Looking to learn how to run a profitable photography business? Join the From Broke to Booked Blueprint program.
Would love to have you in our Photographer Facebook group!
Today on the Frame Your Way Photography Podcast we are continuing our series of on-air coaching sessions! Our next on-air coaching guest is Kashia of KC Photography. Some of the questions she asks are:
And I am sharing my favorite tips for getting new clients and making their experience one they’ll ever forget!
Ready to book out your spring calendars? Click HERE to sign up for the upcoming free training series on Facebook!
Loving this podcast? Come join us in the NEW Photographer Community on Facebook.
Looking for more?
Check out the photography templates on Etsy.
Looking to learn how to run a profitable photography business? Join the From Broke to Booked Blueprint program.
Would love to have you in our Photographer Facebook group!
spk_0: 0:07
Welcome to the frame your way. Photography podcasts. I'm your host, Brooke Jefferson. I'm a wife, Mama to two and full time photographer and business coach. I created this podcast with the aspiring photographer in mind to bring you inspiring stories. Strategies to help you go from zero to multiple figures and tips and tricks to help you get one step closer. Toe work. Life harmony. Are you ready to frame your way to your dream career? Let's die, then.
spk_1: 0:39
All right. Hi, Keisha. I'm so excited that you agreed to come on the podcast today for a coaching session. I would love it if you would introduce yourself to my listeners.
spk_0: 0:51
Hey, Brooke. Thanks for having me today. My name is Keisha Core Ville. I am from South Louisiana. A little bitty town, Cajun country. So, um, I've been in business for probably about six months now. Um, and I'm a mom of four. Kiddos, I have a 21 year old and 11 year old an eight year old and a 10 month old.
spk_1: 1:14
Whoa, that is exciting. Another mama running of business. So I have a question for you before we let us question for me, okay? What What got you started in photography. And what are you primarily shooting right now
spk_0: 1:34
Has started in photography. Probably when must second oldest was born. Um, my husband at the time had gotten me. It was a film camp. Um, and that's what I started with. And I did that, um, probably often on a what kind of double in it and go back and forth for the last 10 years or so, and then just recently, I've really started to push the business side of it. Um, and right now I'm shooting primarily families and Children.
spk_1: 2:05
Okay, So are you wanting to go the family route or are you in a season of wanting to explore other options?
spk_0: 2:14
I do want to explore. I will say that I have done quite a few couples sessions, and there is something about the couples that I just love. Like when I do a couple session, it, like, fuels the fire inside of me, and I don't have yet to figure out what it is. But that side of the photography, I think, is my favorite.
spk_1: 2:38
Okay, well, I think that you're navigating your weight of finding a niche that might be for you. Which is if they let you up like that. That is a natural feeling that that is a path you should be walking down. Hi. Uh, let me ask you this. Do you have a plan to get a couple in front of your camera?
spk_0: 3:02
I actually started to work on something this morning. Um, cause for my family sessions, I always make it a point at the end of their session to do like mom and Dad. And, like, I could do that the whole session, but, um, yeah, I did kind of start, like, for try to do, like, some sort of model call so I can get more couples in my portfolio.
spk_1: 3:25
Okay. I love that. Yeah, I think you're definitely on to something. And what'd elicit hers? Don't know is that was one of your questions for me. Weighs How do you know if you have found your knee? Should my correct Yes. Okay, So my I love this question, actually, because I think everybody asks it. And while I don't think that we have to necessarily Onley shoot one thing for the rest of our life, I definitely think it makes a huge part of our branding and business. And so a couple ways that I tell people that they can find their niche is number one. That feeling that you described of something to write you up because that there's some things that you photograph that don't let you up. E look, other photographers and I'm like, Oh, man, I'm so glad that you do that. I could never do that right Like this. It's not light me up. So I That's one of the ways the other way is literally by experimenting and finding out what people come to you for. So, like my first year of business, I shot everything under the sun. And what people do in their first year or two is to look back at what they're most popular sessions were, and then see, what are people coming to you for? Because you probably are doing something right. And if it also likes you up, then you know that you found your niche, so Okay. Yeah, yeah. Awesome. Well, I will let you start asking the questions. Do you have another question for me?
spk_0: 5:04
Um huh. Ok, besides doing a model call, I do have a few photos of couples. How would you like? I've been doing just Facebook advertising. Um, what's other ways? Like to market to get out there to get your name known. Like I've tried everything under the sun just to get my name out there to try and get more clients.
spk_1: 5:29
Okay, so I like to take it back locally first. So my question is, how long have you been in the place you've lived?
spk_0: 5:40
I've left in the Lafayette area my whole life. Um but so where I where I'm living now? I've been there probably six or seven years.
spk_1: 5:51
Okay. And would you say that you have strong connections locally, and I What I mean by that is do you know enough people that have other people that if you if they started referring you, you think you could get clients from
spk_0: 6:07
them? Yeah, I think so.
spk_1: 6:10
Okay, because one thing people, people like to talk about the shiny stuff, which is social media and all the other ways that you can mark it yourself. But honestly, how I built my business, I started locally, like I literally started making connections with people and so I would highly recommend finding a couple in your area. And like, if you want to do a model call, I'd be very specific on what you're looking for. Her people understand that they kind of need to almost apply. And yes, yes. So But what I would do is even more than just a model call, I would do an entire styled shoot. Whether you want this to be a, um, styled engagement session or whether you want this to be, maybe for people who have been married a long time, maybe an anniversary session. Whatever direction you want to take it, I would work with some local vendors that could really also help advertise for you. This is one of the most underutilized things I see in our industry. But I promise you that making connections, especially with local businesses, would take you farther than any type of social media strategy ever will. So that's where I would start for you. So I would think that your project today I would envision your a styled shoot what you wanted to look like. I mean, go to Pinterest and see what inspires you. See what really likes that fire. Then I want you to look around, and I want you to find two or three businesses that you think would be awesome and fantastic, but also that in turn, the people you're going after those clients would ultimately shop at. Okay, maybe it's Ah, maybe it's a floral shop and you want tohave, you know, a bouquet out of it like a wedding, but maybe, or of an anniversary session, it would be a really cool piece to use. Or, you know, maybe going to a boutique and saying, Hey, I would absolutely love it if I could use, um, your clothing to dress my clients with. So I hope that's getting your brain wheels.
spk_0: 8:23
Yes, those wheels are turning good.
spk_1: 8:26
That's what I would recommend because you want to see how many eyeballs that you could get. Then the whole thing is, once you work with them locally and you've edited this session and you've put you know, you've already advertised for the businesses and for your clients. And the cool thing is, you do get to hop back on social media and tag them, and then when they stuff, just simply ask Hey, do you mind just tagging my photography page when you post. That's it. Okay, then you already have more eyeballs on your stuff.
spk_0: 8:55
Okay, That's a great idea. I love it.
spk_1: 8:58
Awesome. I'm glad. Do you have another question?
spk_0: 9:03
Uh, I'm sure I do. It's tryingto down and find one. Um, pricing, I guess I struggle with pricing.
spk_1: 9:13
Okay. What about pricing? Is
spk_0: 9:16
I keep going back and forth, whether do I want to do shooting, burn or do I want to Do I ps um I've heard both sides like I'm in photography groups, and I always hear that. Oh, I ps you can make so much more money. But then you hear the crows and cons of shooting burns. I'm kinda in between and ah, flip flop back and forth. Okay. Stuck?
spk_1: 9:40
No. Here's what I do When I find myself wondering which direction ago or when I had to choose. For instance, when I was trying to choose which Christmas gifts I was going to send out to my clients, I finally decided, How about I just asked them, You know, I would recommend either doing a pole or putting something on your personal Facebook page and simply asking a question. Which would you choose or or Or what's most important to you about a session? Would you rather have more digital's upfront and have the ability to print on your own? Or would you rather come have it a complete experience and then also be able to print from your photographer? So we're even making it super simple and asking about the printing. Okay, So would you rather put your images on your own with the print release? Or would you rather me do all the hard work for you and get you those quality canvases and wall prints and photo prints that you want? Like, I would literally ask a simple question like that? Yeah. Or results. And then they will speak for you. Okay. Yep. All
spk_0: 10:58
right. Idea. Okay. Yeah. Simple enough.
spk_1: 11:07
Yeah, for sure. It doesn't have to be a long drawn out being, and I think right today again, it goes back to What do you feel most passionate about? Because I'm not gonna knock either one I think will work. They obviously do, because there's so many of us doing both or doing right other. Um, there's always cons about everything in life, so I it comes down to what do your people want the most? And then what lights you up? You know, because we're in the business of serving and I don't think a lot of people wrapped their brains around that it's more than just taking pictures like we're literally serving people. So it's all about the experience your potential clients are after. So just ask the questions and you will find what they want.
spk_0: 11:55
OK, OK, anything else? I have one more question. You keep talking about the experience, how cannot offer, like, I think our struggle with that, too, like making sure that my clients do get the experience. Like, Can you kind of tell me like, What exactly is the experience like besides coming to their photo session and making sure they have fun taking photos?
spk_1: 12:23
Absolutely. So this is like my one of my favorite things to talk about, and this is something that we dive in really deep inside of my membership, like it's already planned out to talk about in 2020. And so here's the deal. It goes back to digging really deep on what photography means to you because I truly think that those of us that have a business. There is something underlying about photography that moves our soul. There's a reason it lights us up in it. You have to take the time to explore what that is So as an example. Photography is so important to me because I've lost two siblings, let alone other family members, and I've had to go through the grieving process since I was 14 years old. And the one thing that I do on the days that I grieve the most is I start looking for pictures. I want to remember them in those moments of they were most alive, and so I searched for them and I try to look for them. The sad part is for me, I only have a handful and they're not imprinted their digital. So I like to me when I photograph, I want people to enjoy the session, not just stand there and smile for 30 to 45 minutes and then walk away like that was great. She's really talented, but like it didn't move my soul. I don't want that to be the case. So you really need Thio. Find your why which I hate saying that it's okay, but really find out where your emotion comes from or something. You're passionate backs. I know a lot of people will use their talents. And, for instance, I wish I could remember her name. But there is a photographer who specifically, um, photographs couples who married couples who have gone through a very hard things, and sessions are like therapy for them. It's about roll out lifting, and it's about healing. And she captures all of that, and we'll almost brought tears my own, Yes. But that's what I'm talking about. That is that experience. And when you you're out what that is, you will craft an experience that goes beyond the sticks and pictures for people. So Okay. Yeah. So that's the first thing is, I just want you to dive in deep. Yeah. Okay. Find what? Where your emotions come from and what light you on fire? Because there's something about those couples that are lighting you on fire. And I want you to explore what that is and how you can make their session and experience beyond his taking pictures.
spk_0: 15:00
Yeah, Yeah, I agree.
spk_1: 15:02
One. Awesome. Will you ask some really great questions? I'm so glad that you took advantage of this coaching opportunity makes too. Yeah, I love it. I'm so excited and you'll definitely have to keep me updated with how your photography business is going and how you know I will. Good. I'm so excited, So excited. Where can people find you and connect with you online?
spk_0: 15:28
I am on Facebook under K C photography. Um, and I do have a website. It's, um www dot k in sea photography dot net.
spk_1: 15:40
Awesome. Well, thank you so much, Keisha, for coming on. And I appreciate you so, so much.
spk_0: 15:46
Thank you for having me group. If you haven't already and you were loving this podcast, would you take just a second and hit that subscribe button? This will automatically deliver new episodes to your phone every Thursday. And if you want to go above and beyond, I would love for you to leave an honest rating and review. This helps other photographers find the show and get the support they need. Thank you so much for listening. And I'll meet you back here next week.