4 Tips to Help You Grow Your Boudoir Photography Business

Let me start by asking you a simple question…what do you want for your business? Take a sec to think about it. 

Is it making $100K per year? Is it only working 30 hours a week? Is it getting your side gig off the ground and finally going full-time? 

There are no right or wrong answers. What you want for your biz is totally up to you, and it’s going to change from person to person. But to take your photography business where you want to go — wherever that is — you NEED a strategy. Because strategy gives direction. 

It’s just not reasonable to think that your only responsibility will be to photograph clients. When you own your own boudoir photography business, you also have to be the manager, admin support, marketing expert, etc. (until you’re ready to outsource, of course). 

And if that sounds overwhelming, don’t worry. Remember…strategy. Because if you can plan for these roles and responsibilities, while also photographing clients and planning to grow, it’s a lot easier to manage.

So let’s dig into the four things you need to create a strategy to grow your boudoir photography business. 

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Six Figures Simplified: https://tracylynncoaching.com/six-figures-simplified/  

Tip #1: Prioritize Money Goals That Make Sense To Grow Boudoir Photography Business

I won’t lie, this is easier said than done. You can’t just take a small handful of clients each month and expect to make bank WITHOUT putting in some kind of effort elsewhereBut again…that money goal is solely up to you. Maybe you’re totally fine with only a handful of clients right now. Or maybe you need a few more to help you generate a salary that fits your lifestyle. 

Whatever it is, you have to have a money goal in mind to help you get there, too. 

HOW TO WORK OUT YOUR SALARY GOAL

Figure out your salary goal (how much you want to pay yourself) by deciding how much you want to make and how many clients you want to take on. These two numbers will give you a sales average goal, or how much you need to make per session.

That’s it. You just need to divide the number of clients you want per year by how much you want to make per year. That’s how you find a number that works for YOU!

Tip #2: Find a Schedule That Makes You Happy 

It’s a lot easier to work yourself to the point of burnout than you think. Even if you love what you do. Because to bring in something like seven figures, you have to work a LOT. Like a LOT. 

If you have a goal of having a 7-figure business and you have a $3,000 sales average, you’re still going to have to photograph 333 sessions each year. That means 27-28 clients per month. I’m burnt out just thinking about it!

So think about what’s really going to fit your life and your goals. 

Maybe success right now looks like booking a few more clients because you’re ready to make your business a full-time thing. Or shaving off a few hours of your work week to spend more time with your kids. 

The truth is, you may not have the time and energy to do the things that a million-dollar business is going to require (like running a HUGE team…because you can’t do it alone!) right now. That’s totally fine. 

Whatever it is you want to prioritize, build your schedule around THAT goal, not someone else’s. 

Tip #3: Focus on Organic Content

Paid ads DO work. But, they’re not always the best method to grow boudoir photography business. They can get pretty pricey and don’t always have the best track record as far as leads go. 

You’re likely to find more success with organic content — your website, blogs, emails, social media, etc. And then focusing on how you can funnel leads with that content. 

How are you directing people to take the next step when reading your blog? Or once they sign up for your email list? Are you just dumping content on them? Or are you expanding on that content and showing the value of what you can provide?

This is a much better approach to getting clients than paid ads (and hey — it’s cheaper, too!). 

Tip #4: Make it Easy for Clients to Book With You

Nothing turns away clients faster than a confusing booking experience! If your system isn’t clear, has too many steps before they hit book, or just takes forever, you may be losing clients. 

Think about it…how many times have you seen something you thought about doing — like maybe buying a shirt from a Facebook ad —  then when you get to the checkout screen, if your credit card isn’t saved in your iPhone, you’re like, “Well I didn’t want that anyway” and back out of the screen.

I know that’s how I am at least!

You have to make it as simple and easy as possible if you want the client to actually book their session! If a client books with me, they sign the contract and pay the invoice upfront. I’m not wasting my time tracking them down or hoping they actually follow through. 

They follow through immediately because that’s how my business is set up. 

And the majority of the time, I don’t even SPEAK to my clients until I see them walk into my studio. Yet they feel fully prepared for the session because everything is set up to be automated, smooth, and efficient.

It’s Time to Simplify Your Business

Growing your boudoir photography business doesn’t have to be complicated. Does it take work? Yes. But just because a strategy is more complex doesn’t mean it works better. Sometimes we feel like being busy makes us successful. It’s not the case. AT ALL. 

A simple strategy is all you need. And if you’re still not sure how to build one, Six-Figures Simplified can help!

In this six-month group coaching program, I’ll help you get out of your ruts and holdups to build a more sustainable business. Because contrary to popular belief, being in the studio 24/7 or chained to your desk all the time doesn’t automatically mean success. 

You’ll learn how to simplify your pricing strategy, your marketing strategy, and your session systems for a more streamlined and sustainable biz. Success may look different for everyone, but Six-Figures Simplified can help you grow your boudoir photography biz in a way that works for YOU.

Interested in joining? Learn more about Six Figures Simplified here!