584: Craig Peterman – Build a $300K Wedding Photography Business Without Aggressive Marketing

PhotoBizX The Ultimate Wedding and Portrait Photography Business Podcast

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

Craig Peterman of www.petermanphotovideo.com is a wedding photographer and videographer based in Phoenix, Arizona with over a decade of experience.

Over the past two years he has successfully generated over $200,000 annually in revenue and is on track for $300k this year.

His work has been featured on The Knot and Style Me Pretty, and is a mixture of natural light with vibrant dessert colours with some black and white edits.

Here's why I'm most interested in learning more from Craig…

I see a nice looking, easy to navigate website, great photography, social media accounts that are ticking along – he has close to 60k followers on Instagram – but nothing jumping out as an obvious reason for success.

There is no aggressive marketing, special offers, or specific online ads, and his website doesn't rank highly in search for major keywords.

How is he achieving the success he is?

In this interview, learn how to build a $300K wedding photography business without aggressive marketing strategies or pushy sales techniques.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

• Maximising Slow Seasons: Use downtime to invest in your education, audit your social media, and strengthen vendor relationships. These efforts will pay off when business picks up.
• Optimising Your Team and Workflow: Building a team can help you manage multiple bookings and deliver a seamless client experience. Consider adding assistants or delegating tasks to streamline your workflow.
• Leveraging Post-COVID Opportunities: Enhance your SEO, strengthen vendor partnerships, and improve your online presence to take advantage of new opportunities and grow your business.
• Targeting Your Ideal Clients: Use targeted ads and SEO strategies to reach local and out-of-state clients. Understand your client base and focus your marketing efforts where they’ll be most effective.
• Improving Client Engagement: Quick follow-ups, relaxed meetings, and showcasing your best work can help you build strong, personal relationships with clients, leading to more bookings.
• Offering Flexible Packages: Simplify your service offerings by providing both separate and combined photography and videography packages, making it easier for clients to choose what fits their needs.
• Maintaining Quality Through Post-Processing: Ensure your team works well on shoots, and consider managing post-processing yourself to maintain consistent quality and fast turnaround times.
• Building Strong Vendor Relationships: Stay approachable and build solid relationships with vendors. These connections can increase referrals and strengthen your business network.
• Focusing on Continuous Improvement: Keep growing by working hard, expanding your network, and improving your online presence. Building strong relationships will lead to long-term success.

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

My unique selling proposition, is selling high quality luxury service at a fair price. You know, something that can attract the masses. So, I'm not I'm not pricing couples out immediately. – Craig Peterman

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Craig shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

Put yourself in many places as you can. Invest wisely in your ads and see where that leads you. – Craig Peterman

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Craig, or a way to thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

It's This week… Don't Miss this business and life-changing training!

The “40 Over 40” Campaign Masterclass helps portrait photographers attract high-value clients by focusing on women over 40, a powerful and often underserved demographic.

Led by Laurie Brown, who has successfully run these campaigns multiple times, the course provides step-by-step guidance on creating a luxury experience that boosts client satisfaction, generates referrals, and significantly increases profits.

You will learn marketing and pricing strategies and how to create lasting relationships with clients.

This training is perfect for photographers seeking to elevate their business with a proven, profitable campaign.

All the details are here –>> https://learn.photobizx.com/40over40/

Here's what you'll learn…

• How to attract high-value clients with a “40 Over 40” portrait campaign.
• Marketing strategies targeting women over 40.
• Techniques for creating compelling portraits.
• Generating referrals and long-term client relationships.
• Using social media ads and email marketing effectively.
• Storytelling techniques to connect with clients.
• Designing a luxury portrait experience.
• Pricing strategies for high-end clientele.

When: The live training is on September 26th 2024 @ 7:00am AEDT.
AND October 2024 @ 7:00am AEDT

You will have access to the recording, stand-alone course and any downloadables after the live training has been delivered by Laurie.

Click here for your local time.

Where: Zoom (I'll provide a link once you register)

Why: To fill your calendar with fantastic clients who love what you do and leave raving about you to everyone they know.

Cost is $197 and doubles after the live training.

Early bird bonus: $100 off any other existing PBX Course (to be used in 2024).

All the details are here: https://learn.photobizx.com/40over40/

If you want a full calendar of high-value portrait clients, this could be your perfect marketing campaign.

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

I don't offer a discount. I will say this though, if a couple has a budget that they want to start with, I'll work with them. I mean, it's not worth losing a sale over 500 bucks or $1,000. Sometimes you just gotta make it happen. – Craig Peterman

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

Respond to your clients immediately, within 24 hours at the very most. There's too many vendors out there and photographers that wait way too long to respond back. I respond back immediately with an email letting them know ‘Thank you for contacting. Can we set up a meeting?' And we kind of take it from there. So, yes, email responses. The first thing if I don't get a response back after that initial email response, and about three to four days I will give them a call to see if they're still interested. – Craig Peterman

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Craig Peterman Website

Craig Peterman on Instagram

Craig Peterman on Facebook

Craig Peterman on Tiktok

Craig can help you with building a profitable photography business

Thank you!

Thank you again for tuning in, and a big thanks to Craig for sharing his valuable insights on how he has been able to build a $300K wedding photography business without aggressive marketing strategies or pushy sales techniques.

If you're going to do a zoom meeting with a couple, don't just wing it. Prepare for it. Have a plan of what you're going to talk about because that does translate really well across the couples. They remember that. And if they're talking to five different photographers, and you don't have anything memorable about you, they're not going to remember you. – Craig Peterman

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon
Andrew

The post 584: Craig Peterman – Build a $300K Wedding Photography Business Without Aggressive Marketing appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.