Whether a recession comes or not, whether a resurgence of a global pandemic comes or not, we want you to be ready for anything! To do that, you’ve got to be prepared. You’ve got to stay on top of the industry and aware of what’s movin’ and shakin’. You’ve got to be more conscious than ever of what you do well, market it flawlessly, and reject compromises that weigh you down. So, we’ve created a year-end series just for you! We want to ensure you have all the tools you need to charge into the new year refreshed and ready to go.

Particularly these days, wedding planning is downright overwhelming. A recommended or preferred vendor list is a stamp of approval. It’s another professional putting their name and reputation on the line for yours. That’s huge! And it means you can’t just shoot off a quick, poorly written email to a vendor you’ve never spoken to before and expect to land a spot! 

Whether from the initial inquiry, during the consultation call, or somewhere in between, you realized this inquiry is from someone who is the exact opposite of your ideal client. So…now what?

Should you ignore the red flags? Should you lower your standards? Should you sacrifice your boundaries? At the end of the day, should you just book them anyway?
Let’s talk about how to recognize and handle an inquiry from a less than ideal client.

One of the biggest stumbling blocks solopreneurs have to overcome is the tendency to operate from a place of fear. Instead of confidently charging forward with belief in service, approach, and self, they come at every potential client with the equivalent of an awkward side hug. Everything is couched in 10 layers of “only if you want.” Nothing is chased with all-in enthusiasm. And it can have a terrible effect on your business! So, I have to ask: is fear the thing that’s holding your photography business back?

How do you articulate the value you bring when marketing to people who aren’t fully on board with shelling out a few thousand dollars to hire a wedding photographer? How the heck do you market your wedding photography business like a pro? The answer is simple: you show that you do so much more than click a button! Most wedding planning couples just don’t understand that. Instead of getting frustrated by that gnawing fact, however, let’s educate them!

Y’all, if I could shout this from the top of that really high building Tom Cruise climbs in that one Mission Impossible movie, I would: BOUNDARIES ARE HEALTHY! You need them. They are good. They are the best gift you can give yourself as a business owner, so let’s break down a few of the reasons why.

I have some unsettling news for you. Simply hiring a stellar copywriter won’t guarantee a stellar copywriting experience. You and I both know that, when it comes to creative work, it takes two to tango. But, if you’re planning to work with a copywriter in the near future, how can you ensure you get the most bang for your buck out of the experience?

“You don’t understand,” you say. “This way, we can get on the phone with a potential client, make them understand why we are worth the money BEFORE dropping the price on them.”

And, no, I totally get it! I’m just here to break the bad news that, unfortunately, this tactic doesn’t really work the way you think it does.