021. A Boudoir Photography Biz That’s Yours | Tracy Lynn Coaching

One great thing about being an entrepreneur and photographer? Meeting other creatives in the industry. It’s a great way to make friends and bond over your experiences and become better professionals.

However, I’ve seen photographers take their inspiration and admiration for each other a little bit too far. That’s when branding, services, and business models start to look alike.  Modeling your boudoir photography business after another person’s can be tempting because it feels safer. But you’re selling yourself short, my friend. 

I encourage you to build your business not on someone else’s success but on your hopes and dreams, your vision…you. I can help! Keep on reading.

Speak to your dream clients

The boudoir photography business is all about who you work with. That goes for anyone with a service-based business. 

You want to work with people who understand and want what you’re offering. Someone who has certain expectations that you can meet. And of course, someone you vibe with really well! That’s part of what makes your job fun.

So, in order to build a photography business that’s uniquely yours, you need to speak to and book your dream client. 

Our photography businesses may share a lot of similarities — there are only so many services we can all offer — but who we serve can make a difference.

What if you’re just starting your business? You want to build your portfolio, and the money wouldn’t hurt, either. It’s easy to say yes to every potential client in this case. But you know what? Saying no can be better for your business.

When you take on too many clients who aren’t your ideal customers, you risk overworking and burning out. You might even start to resent what you’re doing and who you work with. By saying no, you reserve your time and energy for the clients you really want to serve.

To speak to your dream clients, you have to meet them where they are.

Where do they hang out online, Instagram, or Pinterest? Do they like behind-the-scenes videos or inspirational photos? What do they talk about and with whom?

You can even find answers to these questions via your past clients! Ask them why they chose you over another photographer or what they like about your style and branding.

With this information, you’ll figure out where your ideal clients are and how to best reach them.

Create an authentic brand you love

Speaking to the people you want to work with is important, but your business has to look and feel the part, too. You have to provide your clients with an authentic experience they’ll love, that’s worth their investment.

You’ve already figured out who you want to serve. Now, think about other crucial elements of your brand, like:

• Your mission
• Your vision for your business
• Your photography style
• Your services and offers
• Your brand voice
• Your visual branding like your logo, colors, and fonts

Do you see how these details can be really different from another boudoir photographer?

Your mission may be to help women feel more confident and sexy, while another photography focuses on maternity and couple’s boudoir. The options out there are endless!

So, be honest with yourself about your branding, so you can create and grow a business that you love from the inside out because it’s uniquely yours.

Your dream clients will love you even more for sharing your passion and purpose through your business.

Be yourself!

Okay, this last tip for building a boudoir photography business of your own sounds a bit obvious. But I think we could all use the reminder from time to time.

Be yourself! Everything about your business, from your website to the hours you work to the services you offer, should feel authentic and just right for you. 

Imagine that there’s another boudoir photographer in your area that’s really different from you. You have a natural and playful style, while their style is dramatic and vintage. You offer solo and couples shoots, while they offer pinup and maternity shoots. They have multiple services and packages, while your offers are more streamlined.

(Side note: This isn’t meant to pit one style or service against each other! This is just for comparison’s sake.)

This other photographer often books more clients and has more followers on social media. You could say that they’re more successful right now, or at least more popular.

Does that mean you need to tweak your style to match theirs? Start offering more services?  Are you doing something wrong?

Nope, nope, and definitely not. You don’t need to change your business model because someone else is running theirs differently.

If it feels like you’re working for someone else or your branding is not quite right, it’s time to dig deeper and reflect on what you want for your business. But don’t think that there’s a “right” way to run your photography business and that you’re doing something wrong.

Let your goals, personality, and preferences impact how you build your business. Be yourself.

You have the foundation. Now let’s make a plan

Let’s face it, building and promoting your very own photography business is tough and SCARY. Modeling your business after someone else’s is less risky, especially if you know they’ve already found success.

I know you can be brave, though. You can put yourself out there with your business! It’s easier said than done, but it is doable.

Remember to speak to your ideal clients, offer an authentic experience, and be yourself.

With this foundation for your business, the next step to take is to create a plan. A plan that’ll help you build a thriving photography business that supports your dreams for your career and life.

Join my upcoming five-day challenge for photographers, 5 Secrets to Your Profitable Boudoir Biz, and you’ll get that plan! The challenge begins on October 17th and is totally free.

That’s right, in just five days and in an hour or so each day, you’ll have a definitive plan for your perfect photography business.

Together, we’ll cover core areas of your business each day, determining things like:

• The direction of your business (this is critical!)
• Your audience and ideal client
• How to share your work and draw in leads
• What would make your biz financially successful
• How to keep up your endurance as a business owner

I’m so excited about this challenge, and I can’t wait to help you move forward with your boudoir photography business.

Save your spot in the challenge now, and get ready to start building your business. I’ll see you on October 17th!