Are you ready for this? I just grossed over $70,000 in a single month, and you’re about the learn the secret to my success!

I know what you’re thinking – this isn’t possible. When I started my photography business, I thought the same thing. I might have earned $70,000 a year when I worked as a speech pathologist, even with my master’s degree. There was no way I could make more money as a photographer!

Turns out we’re both wrong. I earned every penny of that $70,000 month from my photography business, Boudoir By Jennifer Smith. 

Still don’t believe me? Let me show you how I did it. Keep reading to learn how I had my best month ever and how you can, too with my successful marketing secret.

Establish Your Business

Are you worth your salt? In the photography industry, you have to work for everything you get. To make a profit as a full-time photographer, you need to establish your business first.

I’ve been at this for a while. I started shooting in 2009 and finally launched my full-time photography studio in 2017.

But time and experience isn’t everything. If you want to get your name out there, be consistent in all that you do. Clients recognize consistency.

Now, my name is everywhere. When my clients book with me, they know exactly who I am and what I shoot. Many of my clients know that my work is mine just by looking at it.

Know Your Numbers

How much does your photography business earn in a month? How much of that comes from shoots, products, payment plans? What’s your average sale per client?

Knowing your numbers – and knowing them exactly – is incredibly important to your business. If you don’t know where you are financially, then you can’t know where you want to be or how to get there.

Here’re some numbers for you. During my best month ever, I earned over $70,000 overall, including almost $13,000 in retainer fees and over $57,000 in boudoir sales. I booked 17 shoots and 16 ordering appointments, but product orders made up most of my actual sales, averaging over $4,000 per client.

Use Multi-Tiered Marketing

Now you’re wondering where all my clients come from. In my education courses, I teach all the multi-tiered marketing strategies that helped me get where I am today.

Remember not to put all of your marketing eggs in one basket. Even if you find a marketing strategy that works great for one aspect of your business, don’t throw everything you have at it and expect it to profit every aspect of your business. 

Take Facebook ads, for example. When you use Facebook ads correctly, you can target your ideal clients and attract leads. Still, Facebook ads are only one marketing resource you can you use to increase your sales. At the very least, you need an organized customer management system, an effective sales strategy, and a consistent booking system.

Facebook ads are not the be-all-end-all. Many other marketing resources, a lot of them free, can help you build up your business if you use them the right way.

I use Facebook ads, too, but most of my marketing is through in-person sales. I meet with clients in-person every chance I get, for every shoot.

Connecting with my clients face-to-face elevates the luxury of my brand. In-person sales offers a higher level of service that allows me to personally relate with and understand my client’s needs.

Mix up your marketing strategies to find out what works the best for your business. There are plenty of resources out there that you can play around with.

Try My Secret To Success

Believe it or not, my TikToks and Instagram Reels are my secret marketing superpower! Lately, I’ve been putting a lot of effort into TikTok and Instagram – and it works.

TikTok is perhaps the most popular social media platform in the United States, especially when it comes to social media trends and visual content. However, as TikTok’s political controversy grew, Instagram launched its very own short-form video sharing tool called Instagram Reels. 

Because my TikTok account reached such a large audience, I decided to take my own advice and share some of my TikTok eggs with Instagram Reels. I created a workflow specifically for these videos. Here’s how it works.

Post Consistently

I’ve shared a TikTok video every day for the last six months. Before you ask, yes, it really is necessary that you post every day (even if it’s not on TikTok or Instagram).

Following trends and using popular hashtags will boost your content, but if you don’t consistently post on social media, your content won’t even be visible. To catch your followers’ attention, you need to pique and retain their interest with constant engagement.

Prepare Your Content

If posting on social media every day seems like an impossible task, that’s because it is. That is, if you’re not preparing your content beforehand.

I set aside two hours to produce as many short-form videos as possible. I use TikTok to create the videos and save all of my drafts so that I have a stockpile of prepared content to share whenever I need to. Instead of worrying about what I’m going to post, I simply share one of my drafts.

This tip will save you a whole lotta stress. Remember to share your content across multiple platforms!

Ready For Your Best Month? 

If I can go from earning $70,000 a year to $70,000 a month, so can you.

It’s time to turn your passion for photography into the full-time business of your dreams. With these simple steps, you might just have your best month ever.

For more successful marketing secrets, join our private Facebook group, The High Rollers Club.