pro tips

for headshot photographers

headshot photography makeup artists

Photographers: Your Makeup Artist is Costing You Clients

We had an interesting conversation about headshot photography makeup artists last week after one of the lessons in Headshot Academy. By the way, are you on the wait-list for the next launch? Get on it here! We were discussing makeup artists for headshot photography... and how to get them to work for us more efficiently. As I’m sure you can relate, when a makeup artist takes an hour and a half for “natural” makeup– we’re not talking full-on glam for weddings here– it makes us frustrated. Cuz,what in the world is taking so long? It’s a portrait for f*ck’s sake! Well someone brought up the...

Why Incentivizing Referrals as a Photographer Doesn’t Work

Have you ever tried to start a referral program incentivizing referrals from clients by offering to pay them? Like “If you refer me, you get $50 for every person I shoot”? Well if you have, you’ve probably figured out it doesn't work. It BARELY works with affiliate programs that track an easy referral link for clients to pass on, for a commission if the referee purchases using the link. Barely… …and with a lot of coaxing to be pro-active in sharing the link. See the reason this kind of marketing doesn’t work and doesn’t help grow your business is because it’s asking clients to be pro-active...

Headshot Photography Marketing

Photographers: The One Client You Should Be Targeting

Let me ask you a question. Who is your Ideal Client? Aaaand it’s not who you think. When I ask photographers who their ideal client is, I often get an answer that resembles their version of a dream client. Two totally different things. An ideal client, sometimes referred to as a right-fit client is the one person your business serves and markets to. Okay I know you’re thinking “Vanie, I definitely serve more than one person.” but hear me out on this one. Sure you have lots of clients. And sure you have different “types” of clients other than the one you market to. I serve all kinds of...

Terms and Conditions for Photographers: When to Enforce them.

I have a very clear cancellation policy. When a client books a session, they automatically get a “quote” sent to them from my CRM (17Hats 👈 affiliate link) that has them go through a series of agreements before paying their deposit. First, they have to initial the package details indicating they understand what they get with the package and what is considered an add-on, meaning, an additional fee. Next, they have to initial all 11 lines of my contract one by one before signing it at the bottom, line 6 of which (for my actors) reads like this; RESERVATION FEE, CANCELLATION POLICY: Unless...