Make your photography business flourish by relying on five pillars of success

Being in a photography business is much more than just taking good photos. But if you’re planning to go pro, don’t let this intimidate you. In this short, but very informative video, Vanessa Joy shares five pillars of success to help you start and grow your photography business.

The main piece of advice Vanessa shares is “learn how to pivot.” In other words, being stagnant is your worst enemy if you want to succeed. Here are the five pillars of success to rely on and let your photography business flourish.

1. Creativity

“Be creative. But not too creative.” Try to find that fine line between having your own style, but not being too avant-garde. Be true to yourself and find the style your clients will love. When you find that happy medium, you’ll have the first pillar of your photography business.

2. Finances

To keep your business profitable and successful, you need to make sure that your finances are in order. Vanessa suggests that you never go into debt for the gear, but rather buy it when you have cash.

3. You

The third pillar of your photography business is you. It’s your ability to relate to people, to give them something more, something extra, and to provide them with an amazing experience. It’s also about communication and making the clients feel comfortable with you.

4. Product

You have to deliver a stellar product every single time. Of course, it will sometimes happen that you make a mistake, it happens to everyone. In this case, go back to the third pillar: communication with your clients. Find the way to get things right.

5. Marketing

Another very important aspect of a successful business is marketing. It gives you an opportunity to market yourself and your creativity, get new clients and have the people hear about you. Vanessa suggests that you invest roughly 10% of your earnings back into marketing.  You can go with online ads, direct mailers, wedding expos if you’re a wedding photographer, referral lists… whatever it is that works for you.

There are a lot of things to think about and to do if you want to achieve and maintain success. But if you have the will and the skills, it’s gonna be worth it.

[How to Not Fail at Photography: Breathe Your Passion with Vanessa Joy | Adorama]