How to Personally Connect with Clients to ROCK your Business – Even if You’re Part Time! | Photography Marketing {Ep 004}

004 – How to Personally Connect with Clients to ROCK your Business – Even if You’re Part Time! | Photography Marketing

Hello there, beautiful entrepreneurs, I’m excited to share an amazing guest with you today! So many of my students ask for photography marketing help – and so many are working on building their businesses PART time.

Mary Schlener works in family construction by day and photographs weddings and engagements on her evenings and weekends. Since the age of 19, Mary has been snapping photos and capturing moments. Mary has photographed everything from construction to families to boudoir and beyond. Ultimately, she found her heart in wedding photography which led to her decision to focus mostly on wedding and engagement photos. Mary has worked hard to create a self-sustaining business, focused on timeless classic weddings, called Red Ribbon Photography.

On this episode of Business Straight Up, a small business podcast for photography marketing help and creative entrepreneurs, Mary dives into personal connection and how to use it to flourish in your business, and how to rock your business, even if you’re part time.

Mary Schlener has been working as a photographer for 20 years – but also works in a construction job as well. Personal connection is huge for Mary when it comes to finding and working with her dream clients, as well as connecting with other industry professionals. She has been using a personal connection to stand out in a world of social media and likes and comments – because sitting down with someone and actually talking with them is no longer the norm! Mary’s business is successful and sustainable, and she chooses to stay part time so that she can focus on other things in her life as well.

Just here for the networking cheat sheet mentioned in the episode? I feel you, and have you covered!

Key Topics

• Personal connection in your business
• Debunking the myth that you must be full time to be successful
• Networking with professionals and potential clients
• Seeing other professionals in your field as your community instead of competition

Major Takeaways

• Myth: To be successful, you must be full time (2:30)
• You don’t have to make a certain amount of money or follow a certain set of rules (3:45)
• If you aren’t willing to pay yourself why the hell would anyone else (10:15)
• Defining success on your terms (11:35)
• Bridal shows as an initial introduction (15:00)
• Importance of personal connection (16:58)
• Telling people what you do with confidence (19:25)
• Assumptions about how other people spend money (21:00)
• Being a resource and offering value to potential clients (26:00)
• Networking with other professionals (30:30)
• Community over competition (32:20)
• How others see you vs. how you see you (43:00)
• Providing an elevated client experience (45:30)
• Advice for upping personal connection with potential clients and professionals (52:25)

Now What?

• • Find Mary at www.redribbon.biz or on Facebook
  • Read more, learn, and get help from Brooke at Business Straight Up at businessstraightuppodcast.com
  • To subscribe on iTunes, click here!
  • If you’d like to get notice of new episodes by email, click here. Plus, advance notice of special classes, workshops, and mentoring opportunities that are ONLY available via email. If I could send you an cocktail via email, I would, so we’ll just have to have one together while I help you with your business, sound good?
  • Want the networking cheat sheet mentioned in the episode?

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