7 Important Things I've Learned as a Wedding Photographer in Kansas City
Anyone who has started their own business knows when you’re first starting out, you honestly have no idea exactly what you’re doing. You might have a solid business plan, marketing plan and all the equipment and skills needed to complete your primary job function, but owning and running a successful business requires so much more.
I’m no exception! While I have over ten years of experience as a photographer, I started shooting wedding photography in Kansas City as my primary source of income 7 years ago. During that time, I’ve learned some of how much there was to learn, and I still haven’t “arrived” yet! However, through ups, downs and middles, there are a few things I’ve learned as a wedding photographer in Kansas City that may serve you well, whether you are a wedding photographer, service professional, business owner or entrepreneur.
7 Important Things I’ve Learned as a Wedding Photographer in Kansas City
When I first opened my doors as a wedding photographer in Kansas City, I had no concept of what the next several years would have in store. I had a one year old at home, and was expecting our daughter at the time. I had taken a part-time temp job in a customer service call center over the holidays, and all I knew was that I wanted to work a job that would allow me to choose my own hours, while still contributing to our family financially.
I had no idea how much time, intentionality, commitment, skill, accuracy and consistency was required to deliver the kind of high caliber work that people would want to pay me for, let alone how precious little of my time spent working my business would actually involve photography. I had no grid for website design and building, SEO best practices, content, social media, marketing, business development, or hundreds of other things that would pop up over the course of the next few years.
Groom takes bride’s hand near the venue’s beloved sheep at The Vineyard at Jowler Creek near Kansas City. © Merry Ohler, Kansas City Wedding Photographer.
I may not have had a clear picture of the nature of work ahead of me, but I did have a strong motivator…and the willingness to be wrong, in order to learn what was right. My dad used to call that being “teachable.” There were many times I failed at something I set out to do, but in failing, I learned and adjusted course. Over time, failures became far less scary to me, and more of a natural part of life.
Kansas City Wedding Photographers
No matter what your profession or field of work, the odds are high the most important things I’ve learned as a wedding photographer in Kansas City will resonate with you. My aim in sharing them with you today is twofold.
First, I want to encourage you if you are just starting out as a wedding photographer, in Kansas City or anywhere else. The sheer number of things you don’t know can be overwhelming, and what’s even more crazy? The amount of things you don’t even know you don’t know! But take heart. You can do this!
Second, it’s good for all of us to review where we are, where we were, and the things we’ve learned along the way. I trust that in a few years time, I’ll look back at this post and chuckle at the things I “didn’t know back then.”
1. You can start and grow a successful business, even in an oversaturated market.
Kansas City is a highly saturated market for wedding photography and other types of photography. This was so discouraging to me when I first started out, but I quickly learned that where you place your focus makes all the difference.
Sisters fasten bride’s gown near window in the Presidential Suite at the Elms Hotel and Spa near Kansas City. © Merry Ohler, Kansas City Wedding Photographer.
When your focus is on figuring out who your ideal client is, finding out their pain points and how you can uniquely help them, you don’t have time to focus on what everyone else is doing. And honestly, it really shouldn’t matter. Market research is important, but if you are spending your time comparing your work or website to others, you are spending the precious time you should be using to speak to your ideal clients and create exceptional value for them.
If I could change one thing about my first couple of years in business, it would be that I would have taken the time to learn SEO and structure my wedding photography website with proper SEO that would age well over time. SEO is a long game, and the dividends in strong SEO practices pay out over the course of months and years. If you’re a fledgling business owner, or a business owner who is struggling to make ends meet, learn SEO or hire someone who can help you, today. Don’t wait another minute.
2. You don’t have to be a social media superstar to reach and book your ideal clients.
Social media has it’s place, but it can be a time suck that provides few actual dollars, if any. Rather than spend your time creating endless reels, posts and calls to action, outsource what you can and invest your time on sound SEO on your website. Write blogs that matter to your ideal clients and establish you as an authority in your field. Provide your ideal clients with content and added value they need, want and appreciate, and you’ll establish loyal customers.
Most people are aware that social media is a time waster, so why are we so insistent about creating a social media presence and strategy? Sure, set up a page. Post occasionally, or often, but don’t be mistaken: the majority of people are trying to intentionally limit the amount of time they interact on social media platforms. Doesn’t it make more sense to learn how to drive more search engine traffic to your website?
Bride and groom share a quiet moment after the ceremony at Berry Acres near Kansas City. © Merry Ohler, Kansas City Wedding Photographer.
3. Communication is the most important part of every business.
Communication is vital. No matter where you are in your business journey, your communication tactics could use improvement. First, examine the various touch points where your customers will need to interact with you. Some of those touch points might include:
Initial contact
Schedule consultation
Booking confirmation
Welcome packet
Invoice payment
Appointment reminder
Session guide
Session follow up
Gallery email
Thank you & Review
Once you have established the primary touch points, brainstorm and think of what questions your clients (or prospective clients) might have throughout each step of the process. Then, create email templates that answer those questions preemptively. Throughout every touch point, be sure to set expectations and guidelines for your clients. Go over these every year, and evaluate whether there is information you can streamline or whether there is more or better information you need to add.
If you aren’t sure about what to include, ask your clients! Ask them what information they’d like more of, and do your best to accommodate them. There’s nothing wrong with a client or customer asking questions, but if you can intuitively answer those questions before they are asked, you’ll present yourself as even more of an authority in your field.
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Bride and groom embrace on a sunny, blue sky day at Berry Acres in Kansas City. © Merry Ohler, Wedding Photographer Kansas City.
4. Automation is almost as great as hiring an assistant.
No, I’m not talking about bots, here. With the right tools and client management system, you can create workflows and schedule emails in advance. Imagine booking your wedding couple and scheduling their engagement photos, then initiating a workflow that populates and sends relevant emails, automatically. This doesn’t mean you won’t respond personally to client emails, but it does mean you can have those intuitively written emails mentioned in my last point scheduled to send with the click of a button.
5. Comparison will steal your joy. Every time.
Regardless of the industry or field you work in, comparison is the monster threatening to steal your joy. Market research is important, but there’s a fine line between gathering information in order to streamline your business, and comparing your current state and business to your competitors.
To avoid this, here are a few practices I use that will help keep your eyes in your own lane.
Unfollow anyone on social media who you notice sparks envious thoughts. This doesn’t mean you can’t applaud or support them and their business, but it does mean that right now, it isn’t fruitful for you to have eyes on everything they’re posting. Support them from a distance and unfollow all their social media accounts.
Interrupt the “I wish I…” thought pattern. When you catch yourself starting down this loop, pivot and replace “I wish I” with “I’m thankful” and complete the thought with something you are genuinely grateful for in this season. Maybe that’s being your own boss, or learning something new, or having the freedom to grow in new ways. Whatever it is, voice it in place of the “I wish I” thought, and watch your contentedness grow.
When you notice work someone else has done that you admire, voice a genuine compliment and a positive action. For example, “Her couple work is stunning. I love the way their interactions seem so genuine. I will put time and effort into growing in that area this year.” Then, make a plan and DO it! Write it down, and set a deadline for yourself.
Groom gets ready in the Capone Suite at The Elms Hotel and Spa near Kansas City. © Merry Ohler, Wedding Photographer in Kansas City.
6. Undervaluing your time kills your business in the beginning stage, and attracts clients who undervalue you.
When I was first starting out, I worked for pennies. Honestly, I worked for less. By the time I paid my website fees, equipment and training, gallery fees, etc., it cost me money to be a photographer for the first couple of years. I wasn’t considering all the costs related to my work. I didn’t think about the time it took to edit, the time spent emailing and calling clients, time spent creating and sending invoices, the time spent for consultations and meetings, the time it took to create, update and maintain my website, the cost of all the equipment required, the cost of childcare, and how I was valuing the time I’d be taken away from my children and husband.
I know it’s hard, and when we’re starting out in a new field, it can feel crazy to charge industry standard rates. The truth is, until we know and are proficient at our craft, we shouldn’t charge those rates. However, there must be a middle ground.
Rather than starting at a certain point and staying there for years because of fear, change your language. Your current rates aren’t your forever rates; they’re your introductory rates. This sets a clear expectation to your clients and customers that you are just starting out, and you are offering discounted pricing because of that. However, they are introductory, which indicates they are for a limited time.
This will help you in so many ways. When you do begin to raise your pricing as you begin to produce work that is worth more, your clients will not be surprised. You have already set the expectation that your rates will go up over time, and when that time comes you will be acknowledging that you’ve been in business for a while and are growing. With increased skill, ability and work comes increased costs for all kinds of things, so it makes sense that your rates would go up every so often. At this point in my business, I reevaluate my costs and rates every two years and adjust accordingly.
Bride and Groom share an intimate moment in The Vineyard at Jowler Creek. © Merry Ohler, Kansas City Wedding Photographer.
7. Your Cost of Doing Business (CODB) matters. Knowing that number and structuring your business with it in mind matters more.
So many new photographers and entrepreneurs I speak with do not know their Cost of Doing Business. I get it; I didn’t know mine when I was starting out, either. But if there’s one thing you take away from this today, I hope you immediately crunch numbers and figure out how much it costs you to be in business each year.
Your cost of doing business should include every cost of doing business in a calendar year. For a wedding photographer in Kansas City, this should include, but is not limited to:
Your take home salary
Taxes
Business Insurance
Accountant or CPA costs
License fees
Website fees (domain, hosting, etc.)
Client management software costs
Digital file storage and management
Equipment costs, repairs and maintenance
Marketing costs (advertising, business cards, fairs and shows, social media ads, mailers, etc.)
Office supplies
Digital gallery cloud storage and delivery
Employee salaries, benefits and insurance costs
Customer gifts (if you give them)
Studio/office costs
Business vehicle and transportation costs
If you’ve never thought about this before, please stop everything you’re doing and figure it out today. Don’t put it off even one more minute. If you continue doing business without calculating what it costs you each year, you are setting yourself up for disappointment and failure. Why continue to do that when you could course correct right now?
Bride and Groom share a kiss and show off their rings in The Vineyard at Jowler Creek. © Merry Ohler, Kansas City Wedding Photographer.
There are many things to learn in business, and certainly in wedding photography in Kansas City, but my hope is that this glimpse of important things I’ve learned in my journey will be an encouragement and help to you in your own endeavor! No one has it all together; the most important thing is to be willing to learn and adjust when needed. You can do this!