Freedom Focus Photography

092 - It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business. Alan is planning a mini-session event and is looking to create it in a way in which he creates awareness, attracts potential long-term clients, and makes some money.  We discuss options for hosting and pricing and if you are planning a mini-session event, you don't want to miss this one!If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag us, @hairofthedogacademy.Haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to www.hairofthedogacademy.com/apple, and thanks for your support of this show!LINKS:Check out the Hair of the Dog Academy.https://hairofthedogacademy.com/academy/Grab your FREE Editing 101  or Pricing 101 masterclass!https://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/editinghttps://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/pricingConnect with us on Instragram - @hairofthedogacademyhttps://www.instagram.com/hairofthedogacademy/JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

091 - When it comes to "speaking dog," very few pet owners are fluent. And that language barrier, if you will, leads to misunderstandings and unnecessary fear on the part of our four-legged friends. As professional pet photographers, we need to do better. Understanding canine body language and social norms means not only will your sessions go more smoothly, but your subjects will be happier and more comfortable. This week, certified dog trainer Sherry Novato of All About Training Dogs joins me to chat about putting the pups you photograph at ease. What To Listen For: The two most stressful parts of a photo session for the dogSubtle signs that indicate a dog is feeling anxious How to introduce your camera to a nervous subjectCommon human behaviors that are confrontational in dog-speak 😳Helpful tips for working with blind or deaf dogsSecrets to a successful studio session Once you know what to look for, you'll see intricate displays of dog body language wherever they gather and greet one another. Learn the "lingo" and you'll be that much more effective as a pet photographer!   Resources From This Episode: All About Training Dogs on InstagramDon't Shoot The Dog!, by Karen PryorHair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

090 - Welcome to Biz Tip Thursday!  These are short actionable episodes in which Nicole takes something that's going on in her life or business and relates that to something that you can do NOW in your business!Have you ever purchased something and despite being super excited to start using it - that item sits unused for an embarrassing length of time? I'm looking at your Wacom tablet. 👀 In today's Biz Tip Thursday, we are diving into the reason this often happens to us - and what we can do about it!If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag us, @hairofthedogacademy.Haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to www.hairofthedogacademy.com/apple, and thanks for your support of this show!LINKS:Check out the Hair of the Dog Academy.https://hairofthedogacademy.com/academy/Grab your FREE Editing 101  or Pricing 101 masterclass!https://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/editinghttps://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/pricingConnect with us on Instragram - @hairofthedogacademyhttps://www.instagram.com/hairofthedogacademy/JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

089 - This week we cover the last of the six business pillars: marketing. Once the foundation of your business is in place, it's time to start telling the world. Because as much as we'd like the easy "build it and they will come" success, that's rarely how it works.  Thankfully, as you'll learn in this final episode of the series, the three phases of marketing your business are pretty straightforward. (Just remember to have the other five pillars in place first!) What To Listen For: What marketing actually is—and what it isn'tThe question to ask every single time someone asks what you doHow to overcome the biggest marketing challenge facing pet photographersThe 2 types of marketing, and the 4 stages of courting a clientIdeas for connecting with your email list (yes, you really do need a list)How to run special promotions without sounding desperate 😬Are you an Academy member? You can dive deeper into promoting your business with our email marketing workshop, released earlier this year. Not an Academy member? Get on the waitlist here; we'd love to have you join us! Resources From This Episode: Email Marketing Workshop (available inside the HOD Academy)Episode 79: Business Pillar #1 - Legal & AdminEpisode 81: Business Pillar #2 - BrandingEpisode 83: Business Pillar #3 - WebsiteEpisode 85: Business Pillar #4 - PricingEpisode 87: Business Pillar #5 - WorkflowAweber, MailerLite, Mailchimp, Flodesk & ConvertKit (email marketing platforms)Hair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

088 -  It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business. Inquiries!  How much is too much to share on the website, in the inquiry, and at the sales session?  In this conversation, Nicole and Joy discuss the pros and cons of sharing at different times and create a plan to prepare the client but not scare them away!If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag us, @hairofthedogacademy.Haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to www.hairofthedogacademy.com/apple, and thanks for your support of this show!LINKS:Check out the Hair of the Dog Academy.https://hairofthedogacademy.com/academy/Grab your FREE Editing 101  or Pricing 101 masterclass!https://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/editinghttps://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/pricingConnect with us on Instragram - @hairofthedogacademyhttps://www.instagram.com/hairofthedogacademy/JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

087 - When it comes to mapping out your workflow, think of it as an investment of time and brainpower that your future self will effusively thank you for. Because once you have your workflow mapped and the pieces in place, you won't need to reinvent the wheel every time a potential new client appears. Stress drops significantly; scaling your business becomes possible.  And while it's no secret that I'm a huge fan of automation, in this episode I share specifics of the very analog system that served me well for years. No need to get fancy—you just need to get this done!   What to Listen For: What I mean by workflow, and why you need to map one outThe 3 distinct parts of the process (and the easiest place to start)How to use the "magazine rack" CRM systemThe single most forgotten step at the end of your processWhy you'll want to recruit an "inquiry buddy"...And an exciting new course coming to the HOD Academy!!Trust me when I say this: Future You really, really wants Present You to make this a priority!  Resources From This Episode: Spreadsheet of CRM software options (download available for Academy members)Episode 79: Business Pillar #1 - Legal & AdminEpisode 81: Business Pillar #2 - BrandingEpisode 83: Business Pillar #3 - WebsiteEpisode 85: Business Pillar #4 - PricingDubsado, Honeybook, and Sprout StudioJotForm, ToDoist, Trello and AirTableEpisode 40: Inquiries that Convert, with our Elevate CoachesEpisode 45: Using Video to Book More Clients, with Andrew HellmichHair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

086 - Welcome to Biz Tip Thursday!  These are short actionable episodes in which Nicole takes something that's going on in her life or business and relates that to something that you can do NOW in your business!I have a three pillow system for getting a good night's sleep. So when my ENTIRE family is sharing one hotel room, we obviously need some extra pillows!! In today's Biz Tip Thursday I'm asking you to take a critical look at the communication that you use in your business and if there might be ways to make it easier for your clients.If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag us, @hairofthedogacademy.Haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to www.hairofthedogacademy.com/apple, and thanks for your support of this show!LINKS:Check out the Hair of the Dog Academy.https://hairofthedogacademy.com/academy/Grab your FREE Editing 101  or Pricing 101 masterclass!https://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/editinghttps://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/pricingConnect with us on Instragram - @hairofthedogacademyhttps://www.instagram.com/hairofthedogacademy/JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

085 - We're on to the fourth business pillar this week, and it's one that makes joyful fireworks explode in the nerd-center of my brain: PRICING! Yep, this week I channel my inner CPA to help you sort through the numbers. Because if you want to be in business, you need to ensure that you're actually making a profit. There are pricing traps waiting to swallow up unsuspecting new photographers—and I don't want you to fall victim.   What To Listen For: The single most important number to figure outHow to handle the digital file pricing conundrumSuggested markups for wall art, albums and moreNicole's favorite of the three common pricing strategies…...and why a "floppy" print never leaves her studioThe universal answer to the What should my prices be? question (!!)You might want to listen to this episode twice. And for some extra guidance, you'll definitely want to sign up for my free 45-minute pricing masterclass! Download this FREE Pricing Checklist, too!Resources From This Episode: FREE Pricing ChecklistFree 45-minute Pricing MasterclassEpisode 79: Business Pillar #1 - Legal & AdminEpisode 81: Business Pillar #2 - BrandingEpisode 83: Business Pillar #3 - WebsiteHair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

084 -  It’s Laser Coaching time again, which is a member benefit inside the Hair of the Dog Academy when members get to schedule a 15-minute 1:1 call with Nicole to discuss any issue that they are currently facing in their business. In this conversation, Ina has been building her pet photography business with great success, but has hit a snag with finding some qualified clients.  Together in this laser coaching session, we create a plan to attract new clients for the coming months to her business.If this episode inspired you in some way, take a screenshot of you listening on your device and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag us, @hairofthedogacademy.Haven’t left a review yet? All you have to do is go to www.hairofthedogacademy.com/apple, and thanks for your support of this show!LINKS:Check out the Hair of the Dog Academy.https://hairofthedogacademy.com/academy/Grab your FREE Editing 101  or Pricing 101 masterclass!https://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/editinghttps://www.hairofthedogacademy.com/pricingConnect with us on Instragram - @hairofthedogacademyhttps://www.instagram.com/hairofthedogacademy/JOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.

083 - This week we're diving into the third business pillar: your website. It's your virtual storefront and yes, you need to have one if you're open for business! It doesn't need to be flash bang whiz fancy (and probably shouldn't be), but it does need to follow some best practices. In this episode, I'll walk you through what those are. What To Listen For: What to include in your website's prime real estateOne thing your website copy absolutely must doHow to avoid getting on Google's bad sideThe biggest pitfall of blogs—and the super-simple fixWhy your contact form should play it coolAnd to help as you assess your site, download and print this super-handy website audit checklist. Resources From This Episode: FREE Website audit checklistUptrends website performance monitoringGoogle Workspace (formerly known as G Suite)Creative Market room mockupsCanvy room mockupsThe LawTog Privacy Policy template (save 10% with code HAIROFDOG)Hair of the Dog Academy Hair of the Dog Facebook groupHair of the Dog Elevate coaching programJOIN THE PARTY: Connect with us on Instagram Explore valuable pet photography resources here Discover effective pricing and sales strategies for all portrait photographers. Ready to grow your business? Elevate helps you do just that. Check out our recommended gear and favorite books.