As creatives and entrepreneurs, we seldom have others to affirm big business decisions, cheer us on when we succeed, or motivate us on the day to day.
Which is why communities, such as The Kindred Path, are vital in our industry. We want to be a safe space where all can learn, grow, ask questions, and receive encouragement along the way.
Today we want to share helpful tools that will help you grow a thriving business. Which starts with our personal mindsets and how we perceive ourselves.
Our creativity can have the potential to interfere with our business mindset. Between “imposter syndrome” and a lack of perspective and/or confidence, we tend to put a healthy business on the back-burner.
We spend our time and our resources learning how to be more unique, buying all the gadgets, all the presets, and things that we think might enhance our work. However, do we invest the same passion on our businesses? Such as the workflow of a healthy business; client communication, product delivery, and payment.
How much we should charge is a difficult topic to discuss and luckily, Marie will be addressing this next month. Today I want you to consider this:
Why do we always have excuses at the ready. From “not being good enough,” to offering free products to our clients to make our work seem attractive, or we tell ourselves that our community isn’t interested in paying “that much.”
We envy the “big” photographers who are well known. We assume they must be making all of the money because their work is worth it, so they can.
I’m here to tell you that you are worth it and your business is worth it! Collectively, we can change the standard of the photography industry. We can educate ourselves and in turn, educate our clients as to why our work is so valuable.
If you want to have a sustaining business, you need to loosen the creative grip a smidge and invest in growing a healthy business and a healthy mindset. It’s not about how many followers you have or the location you live in. It’s about you. It’s how you run your business from your website, your copy, how you communicate, and how you carry yourself.
If you aren’t confident in your business, why should your client be confident to invest thousands of dollars in your work?
We have three tips to help change your mindset and begin cultivating a healthier business.
1. Stop everything you’re doing and carve out 1 hour to write out these specific things. I promise this is the surface level stuff that will change the direction of your business.
Who is your ideal client? Be super-specific.
What matters most to you within your business; product, film, the session, process, etc.? Choose the absolute most important or number them from most to least.
How much is your time worth to you? Do you believe your time should be paid for?
- Example. You’re working a 9-5 job where you sit at a desk and answer emails, phone calls, write up contracts, speak with clients for your boss, etc. When you get your weekly paycheck, you’re only paid for the in-person conversations, roughly 2 hours a day out of your 8-hour workday. You’re getting paid for 20% of the work you did within the 40 hours you worked. Is that acceptable to you?
2. Create boundaries. If you don’t create boundaries for yourself and your work, you will run yourself dry and won’t be attracting ideal clients. Do you want to be the pushover? The one clients can talk down to and negotiate deals for your work and your time or do you want to be valued? Write out your boundaries for personal self, family, work, etc. Write them out and hang them where you can see them. Stick to them!
3. Write out your priorities. Your monthly priorities, weekly, and daily. Be specific and be disciplined to do them. The best advice I can give you is never to skip ahead. Always work on what’s most important during that time and see it through.
- Example. If you’re working on your website, don’t put it off for months on end. If you want to attract your ideal client, get found on google, and get booked regularly, you need to prioritize your time and take your business seriously. Your website is more important than Instagram.
We are eager to share more business tips soon in our educational series. We want you and your business to thrive!
For now, know that you are worth it! Be confident in yourself and be confident in your work. Creativity is beautiful and should be prioritized but having a healthy business will help you and your creativity to flourish.
I promise, I’m preaching to myself too!
xoxo
Lauren
Lauren Sosler Photography
Asheville Maternity, Newborn, & Family Photographer
Website: www.laurensosler.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurensoslerphotography