524: Alex Cearns – Photography business rules for success and profit

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area. Alex Cearns of www.houndstoothstudio.com.au was first interviewed for episode 290 of the podcast. When introduced then, I told you she was described as “One of our greatest dog photographers in the world.” By Dogs Today Magazine in the UK. Look at her CV, and it's difficult to know what to share without scaring you off and making you feel like an underachiever! I think you need to know that she is super successful in business, is still shooting and working as a photographer and has been in business for 15 years. * She has accumulated over 350 awards for her photography. * She represents companies including Tamron, Pro Photo, SanDisk, Ilford and Spider Camera Holsters. * She's a published author – multiple times – by a real publisher, Harper Collins. * She's a keynote speaker and professional photography tour leader for global travel company, World Expeditions. All this to say is she's bloody amazing and has a ton to share about running a successful photography business. Before recording this interview, Alex came up with a list of topics she felt would be helpful for you, including: Be client-focused: the client is always right, even if they’re not! Kill them with kindness coz you can't kill them. All I care about in business is attracting clients through marketing and running them through my business system; they give me their money and leave happy. THEY MUST LEAVE HAPPY. No negative reviews in 15,000 dogs photographed and over 7500 sales sessions. Always say thank you – it's polite and makes out memorable. Come from gratitude – any client is a good client in a tough market, and any spending is good spending. Never be mad at your money – don’t get spoilt by big sales and lose sight of the value of $1. Support local businesses; you are local – support other small businesses, including fellow photogs. Be a part of the local business community – good for relationship building, loyalty and visibility. Always wear your business hat — respond to situations in your business professionally, not personally. Authenticity and integrity are everything in business — Behaving in an unsavoury manner towards others in the industry is a surefire way to pick up a bad reputation that sticks. Don’t to things to others you don’t want done to you. Don’t poach their clients from their FB page, don't approach businesses or charities they work with, don’t copy their social media posts and be honest in the information you share about your achievements. Understand that business is not linear – it fluctuates – there will be high times and low times. The key is consistency, persistence and a bit of tenacity — Its knowing when to step on the gas and when you can coast a bit easier. Compartmentalise your time — Set days and time slots for certain tasks, so you have boundaries on yourself about you use your week. Sunday, for me, is always family day. I run my entire business in under 10 hours a week, doing 5 to 8 sessions a week, so a full-time contingent of shoots and online sales sessions, all in under two hours a week total, including editing. This enables me to do business coaching 4 to 5 days a week. So I effectively work two full-time jobs in under 30 hours a week. Here's some more of what we covered in the interview: 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,