In this interview on the PropMedia Podcast I share why real estate photographers need to define their own version of success, build better systems and use proven shortcuts to create a more sustainable business:
Short on time? Jump to the topics most relevant to you:
0:53 - How I built a real estate media business and eventually sold it.
15:02 - Define what success should look like for you.
19:20 - How to plan and implement price increases.
22:56 - Should you remain solo or build a team?
25:51 - The systems every photography business needs.
34:34 - Why photographers resist documenting their systems.
38:15 - Start by taking control of your time.
39:38 - Shortcuts, outsourcing and virtual assistants.
Success, systems and shortcuts
A lot of real estate photographers spend time talking about gear and how to shoot, and that matters. But in this interview I talk about three key areas that I think a lot of photographers neglect - success, systems and shortcuts.
Success begins with deciding what you actually want your business to give you.
Revenue matters, but so do your working hours, average order value, workload and the type of work you want to produce. Without defining those things, it’s easy to become busy while accidentally building a business you don’t enjoy, whether that's working longer hours, accepting low-value jobs or managing a team you never really wanted.
Systems turn that definition of success into a business that can operate consistently.
Repeatable processes for marketing, bookings, production, delivery and client communication reduce mistakes and make the business easier to manage, delegate or scale. You don’t need to document everything at once. A useful place to begin is taking control of your time and availability, then creating systems around the tasks you perform repeatedly.
Shortcuts help you reach your goals without learning every lesson through expensive trial and error.
That might mean following a proven strategy, learning from someone who has already made the mistakes, outsourcing specialist work or using a virtual assistant. A shortcut isn’t about avoiding the work, but about avoiding unnecessary work and focusing your time, money and attention on the actions most likely to move your business forward.
Real estate photographers: Want help applying these principles to your business?
Since entering real estate photography in 1998, I’ve experienced most stages of the journey, from setting prices and attracting clients to building a team and selling the business.
Today, I use those lessons to help photographers find a shorter, clearer path towards their individual goals. I can help you:
- Identify what is really preventing your business from moving forward
- Avoid strategies and distractions that are unlikely to produce the result you want
- Focus your time and money on the changes most likely to make a difference
- Learn from mistakes I’ve already made, and corrected
- Turn a broad goal into a practical sequence of next steps
- Make decisions with greater clarity and confidence
- Reach your goals faster than you would through trial and error alone
"This is the place to learn how to excel in our profession from an experienced teacher with a vast library of learning resources."
- Real estate photographer in California
Case studies and testimonials:
Here are some of the results achieved by photographers I’ve coached around the world.
Learn more about these architectural and real estate photographer case studies here.
"You have been an amazing coach and great support to me this year. Without your help, I will have been still struggling with different things in my head. Thank you so much."
- Photographer from Hawaii, USA
“Following your steps I have gained so many of my dream clients.”
- Photographer from North Carolina, USA
"I have gained 2-3 new clients a month and it's been way better than I thought it could be. I rank on page 1 of Google, I get consistent business, and I have clients who love me and will do anything for me. It's awesome and I would not be here without you and your content."
- Architectural photographer from Colorado, USA
"While I found everything we talked about tonight extremely helpful I think having you go over my website and tell me very freely the things that are holding me back from ranking, and discussing social media and how to approach people through that really helped me."
- Photographer from Colorado, USA
“Thanks for all this - it’s exactly what I need!
The call today was great, thanks so much as always for putting it all together.”
- Photographer from the UK
Let's talk about your photography business
Book a free 30-min Zoom conversation to discuss where your business is now, where you want it to go and what may be preventing you from getting there.
You can ask questions, get an experienced perspective and decide whether I’m the right coach to help. There’s no pressure or obligation.
To book a meeting time with me:
Select a day and a time that suits you (it should automatically show available spots in your local timezone).
Note that you’ll automatically receive a custom Zoom link and confirmation for this call via email, so please refer to the email for details.