Outsourcing and growing your business into something you love
How many times have photographers heard “you only have to work 20 like days a year" or "photography is such an easy career”. We all know that running a photography business is SO MUCH more than just shooting an 8-hour wedding every week.
We’ve talked to so many photographers over the years who come to us in the middle of a wedding season and say “this is it. I can’t do this anymore. I don’t care what you do to my images, just edit them and I’ll send them to my clients.” We get into this business because we love the creative side of photography. But because we are just 1 person trying to run a successful small business we often get burnt out with all the extra things that take up more time than photographing clients.
As business owners we wear many hats; photographer, editor, email correspondent, website editor, content creator, marketing, scheduling, and the list goes on and on...
In order to create a business that you love and is long-lasting, you need to understand your personal strengths and weaknesses.
DISCOVER WHAT YOU LOVE AND LET GO OF THE REST
Just because you love or are able to do something doesn’t necessarily mean you should be doing it. Finding a balance between what bring you joy in your business, and what is the most time-consuming.
Example 1: You may love editing, but when a wedding might take you 10 hours to complete, an editor could do in 2-3 hours.
"Without a doubt, outsourcing has changed my business. Post Partner literally saves me 10-15 hours a week at the height of a wedding season. Instead of hours in Lightroom tweaking my own images, I’m focused on delivering an exceptional client experience." - Jamie Delaine
Example 2: You might be doing your own accounting to save money, but when tax season arrives you are stressed out of your mind and confused at what to do. You do not have to be a professional in every aspect of your business. Sometimes it's better to ask for help.
Sometimes we are so attached or crave control over things that don't need it. In reality, it is sometimes better to have someone do the bulk of the work and make final adjustments when needed.
TIME IS MONEY
We need to look at our businesses with an outside perspective. We need to understand what our hourly worth is. If I charge $3500 for a wedding, that doesn’t mean I make $3500 on the day of the wedding. That total includes the day of the event, the client communication before the event, all my marketing, client interaction, accounting, and editing, and more. For example, if my time is worth $100/hour and it takes me 10 hours to complete editing a wedding, then it costs me $1000 to edit a wedding. Maybe I love editing, but I could outsource that same wedding for $300.
Once you find the things in your business that can be passed off you will have so much more time to invest in other areas of your business!
We do not have to do it all. Create a long-lasting business by utilizing helpful tools such as outsourcing.
“I think in 2014 I was still working a full-time job, I was commuting to the city on the train and working a full-time job and I shot about 25-30 weddings that year. This is obviously where outsourcing my editing comes into it. I started outsourcing my editing basically just out of necessity because like I was gonna trying to work full-time and do 25 30 weddings I was gonna get myself a bloody nervous breakdown. I started outsourcing in 2014 and then when I went full-time in 2015 I was like “oh I have all this time on my hands I'm gonna do my own editing again” and then I just never did. I just kept outsourcing it and that's how I was able to grow the amount of weddings I was shooting and grow my business quite rapidly like from doing that.” - Michael Briggs
Listen to more on youtube about how Michael shoots 70+ weddings a year and still has time for his family and business.
TAKE INVENTORY
We want to see your business grow and succeed. Take some time this week to make a list of tasks that you do in your business.
Which ones do you love? Dread? What do you look forward to doing for your business? What could you live without?
Assessing these tasks in your business will only help you grow. If you could pass off one thing in your business, let it be the one task that takes the most time. This will allow for more time for other important tasks in your business and in your personal life.
Outsourcing your culling, editing, accounting, marketing or scheduling will help you immensely.
WE CAN HELP
Try a risk free trial with us today, we would love to help take things off your hands to help you grow and succeed. Chat with us today about outsourcing your work! You are still the photographer, creative visionary and at the end of the day this is your art. We are here to help you get your life back.
