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

Devin Robinson of www.anchorandveilphotography.com shares how to utilise Instagram to grow your photography business in a way I never considered. It's long term approach that does take dedication and work but there's no doubt, Devin has it down to an art and reveals exactly what he's doing in this candid interview.

And this interview came about when Devin sent me the following message…

I have to say, I am eternally thankful for your podcast. I remember listening to you on my commute to my teaching job as I started to build my photography business.

I first heard of Fer Juaristi on your podcast, who then became my favourite photographer and is now a great friend of mine!

I hope you are ok with me asking but I would LOVE to be on your podcast!

And this is the part of the email which led to this recording…

Since those times. I have grown my business to a high-end destination wedding business where I travel all over the world photographing weddings in 10 different countries and over 20 states.

2 years ago I photographed 45 weddings averaging 5.5K, this year I have 26 weddings and the average is 7K.

I also have 5 photographers and 2 cinematographers shooting for me and I reach multiple 50K months.

I will receive over 400 Inquiries this year

So far this year (September) I've generated 100 wedding leads and 130K from Instagram ALONE and will hit about 450K this year.

All of that to say, thank you.

I am SUPER thankful for you starting your podcast and it would be an absolute honour to be on yours.

Devin.

That email sparked this interview where Devin shares a ton about starting, building and accelerating the growth of his wedding photography business, by growing his team, implementing processes and dedicating himself to quality lead generation using Instagram in a way you've probably never considered.

Here’s some more of what we cover in the interview:

  • The reason for Devin's success with his wedding photography business
  • Why education is important for Devin
  • What was the turning point for Devin's business taking off?
  • The need to understand your client's experience and buying habits
  • Is it skill or confidence in photography that determines your pricing?
  • Why the first ten images in your portfolio should scare 80% of brides away
  • Devin's team of associate shooters and inhouse staff
  • How much Devin pays his associate photographers
  • How Devin finds associates willing to work with him
  • How to handle different photography styles when hiring associate photographers for your business
  • Devin's workflow when an enquiry comes in
  • Why Devin doesn't like photographing weddings in American churches
  • Why it is alright to be picky with what you shoot?
  • What is work-life balance like for Devin?
  • How Devin keeps his initial inquiries so brief and still books so many
  • The importance of charging a retaining fee in your photography business
  • Devin's workaround for destination weddings
  • What gear to pack for destination weddings
  • Why it is necessary to file proper documents when shooting destination weddings in Canada
  • Who are Devin's clients for destination weddings
  • Pitching destination weddings to local couples
  • What Devin is doing to get more than 400 inquiries in a year
  • How iPhone keyboard shortcuts became indispensable to Devin's business
  • Devin's direct message strategy on Instagram to generate positive responses from future clients
  • How Devin gets bookings without any hard selling
  • The importance of giving value first
  • Using location services on Instagram to find engaged couples
  • The need to create engagement in Instagram when marketing yourself to potential clients
  • Why following private accounts on Instagram is a great strategy for your business
  • The importance of cultivating and honing relationships with prospective clients on Instagram
  • Wedding photography is a long game on social media
  • How Instagram's algorithm is working in Devin's favour
  • Devin's take on unfollowing people in Instagram
  • How much time Devin spends on IG – per day
  • Devin's marketing and lead generation tactics
  • Why you should never run a Facebook Ad to land on your website homepage
  • Honing your message to find your target audience using landing pages
  • Sending Bonjoros to create trust and likeability to potential clients
  • Is Instagram the best referral source available for your business?
  • Devin's Facebook Ads target audience for destination weddings
  • How early on can prospect clients see pricing?
  • What Devin's initial client email sounds like
  • When is the best time to increase pricing?
  • What mistakes Devin made, getting to where he is in business now
  • Why chasing success is not always good
  • Do destination wedding clients pay extra for travel expenses?
  • Devin's exit strategy
  • How to create a scalable business

Devin Robinson Photography Podcast

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re a premium member, you should have received an email with links to your version of this interview – the full length and more revealing version where you hear the absolute best tips and advice from every guest.

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, get access to an amazing back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Education has been the catalyst that's transformed my business to where it is. – Devin Robinson

Plus special member-only interviews.

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. There are also FB live video tutorials, role-play interviews and special live interviews happening in the group. You will not find more friendly, more motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Joining a Mastermind Group (encouraged by Andrew) has been incredibly valuable and fun, I look forward to connecting with my group members every week. Jina Zheng, Premium Member and Melbourne Children photographer.

Seriously, that's not all.

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to and 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 similar motives to you – to build a more successful photography business.

Devin Robinson Photography Podcast

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything away from what Devin 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, let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below, let me know what your takeaways were, what you plan to implement in your business as a result of what you heard in today's episode.

A smart person learns from his own mistakes but a wise person learns from others mistakes. – Devin Robinson

If you have any questions that I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Devin or if you just want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

Devin Robinson Photography Podcast

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

Each week I check for any new iTunes reviews and it's always a buzz to receive these… for a couple of reasons.

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

Secondly, iTunes is the biggest search engine when it comes to podcasts and it's your reviews and ratings that help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and ultimately a better show.

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 and you can leave some honest feedback and a rating which will help both me and the show and 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 and email me your keywords or keyword phrase and where you'd like me to link to.

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 made a difference to you and your photography business.

Here's the latest review…

My average sale is up over 25% thanks to PhotoBizX

On the PhotoBizX Facebook Page Reviews by Bristol wedding photographer, Sandy McClure in the UK on November 12th.

I just wanted to pay a massive thank you to Andrew for everything he does and all I've learnt from PBX.

I started listening almost exactly a year ago. At the time I'd not long upped my prices and gone from a relatively successful business shooting 40 weddings a year to hardly getting any enquiries. I'd spent 6 months trying to work out what had gone wrong and I was bricking it!

From various episodes, I learnt to sort out my marketing, branding and sales process and things have picked up significantly.

There's still work to do (isn't there always) but my bookings are back where they should be.

My average sale is up over 25% and forecast gross for next year up almost 50% on this year.

And the best bit is my conversion rate on enquiries is over 40%!

Massive love to everyone who gives their time and knowledge to contribute to PBX.

 

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November Sales are Happening NOW!

The Black Friday weekend is coming up at the end of the month and there will be sales galore bombarding our inboxes.

In an attempt to make life easier for you and me, I'm releasing the PhotoBizX membership special now.

This will only apply to you if you are on the $20 per month membership plan.

12-month Premium Membership – 40% off

You can save 40% on a 12 Month PhotoBizX Premium membership for USD$120!

The best price you'll ever see for the membership… ever.

NOTE: If you are on the $20 per month plan – make use of this offer and I'll refund your $20 November payment. You'll need to let me know your PayPal email address for me to do this for you.

Members already on this plan from previous years, no need for you to do anything, you automatically stay on this deal. 

Here's the link: https://photobizx.com/yesplease

Any questions, feel free to email me – andrew@photobizx.com or post inside the members FB Group.

Once you stop learning how to become a better photographer, you become stagnant. – Devin Robinson

FB Ads Course

Also on Special – The Facebook Ads Course

Save a bunch on the FB Ads Course here: https://photobizx.com/fbadblackfriday and get access for only $97.  More details on this course and how effective it continues to be by following the link above.

The Facebook Ads course is the easiest way to generate more leads, bookings and sales – super fast – no matter the wedding or portrait genre you focus on. The testimonials continue to pour in…

Hi Andrew, Had some awesome results from our call out for young families so far. Will email to you. Just made an extra $3000 this week from our first 2 clients. WooHoo! Regards Danette

If you've been looking for a simple, systematic way to make Facebook ads work for you, this is it and you'll never see it at a better price: Get access to the Facebook Ads Course for USD$97 now.

I do think that there is a direct correlation with how hard you work and how much you make and sell. – Devin Robinson

The Online Sales Masterclass

The Online Sales Course is also on special!

Struggling to maximise your online sales or just need an alternative to IPS, this course will show you the easiest way to generate fantastic sales online. And it's on special for Members, right now: https://photobizx.com/online-sales-masterclass-special

Since releasing this course to PBX members, we've steadily been adding content to the course as requests from users arose. Now, you'll also find a complete set of swipe copy to use in ALL your client correspondence, sample galleries, real price lists and a growing Q&A chapter.

Hey hey hey Andrew and Nick, …. I must admit this course has been the best I have purchased BY A MILE…. I can't thank you enough for putting it the way you have. Even though I am just starting I was in procrastination mode most of the time… but after this it will change.

The content of course, Nick's website and how easy to understand. Its a game changer. This course is like RED BULL for my photog business startup. You truely have give me the push and WINGS TO FLY ? – Praveen Shankam

The course has been put together by family and portrait photographer Nick Peel who is averaging $1000 sales – all online.

Yes, the big industry push is towards IPS but there are a bunch of reasons you might need to utilise online selling. That's why I saw such value in putting this together with Nick.

In the course you'll learn:

  • how to set up your pricing to lead client naturally to your top package every time
  • what to include in your online gallery
  • how to set up your gallery and pricing to make it easy for you and clients (video tutorial)
  • which shots you need to best sell your top package following every shoot
  • what kind of locations will give you the best chance at selling your top package
  • why you should never sell individual images
  • how to introduce urgency into your pricing which encourages sales
  • email and text swipe copy to use in your business
  • why you shouldn't use sneak peeks with online sales
  • and as they say… Lots more

The course is aimed at portrait photographers, in particular, family photographers but there is a section for shooting couples and engagement sessions and selling online to these clients.

The course is on special for only USD$47.

As usual, there's a money-back guarantee – if you're not happy for whatever reason, let me know and I'll refund you. No questions.

Nick and I have worked hard on this and we're both proud of the result and think it fills a need for any photographer who for whatever reason can't or doesn't want to do IPS.

If that's you and you want the best chance of making great online sales following every session, this strategy will do that for you. It's proven and it works.

Click the link to get access now: https://photobizx.com/online-sales-course-special

Life is good but life is not slow. – Devin Robinson

Devin Robinson Photography Podcast

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

Anchor & Veil Photography

Anchor & Veil on Instagram

Anchor & Veil Photography on Facebook

Anchor & Veil Photography on YouTube

The Anchored Business Podcast

Anchored Education Facebook Group

Anchor & Viel Pricing Guide

Kreativ Summit

Freedom Edits

Táve

Bonjoro

Episode 053: Fer Juaristi – Success and Happiness as a Wedding Photographer

TPX10 Episode: Parker J Pfister – Get Inspired and Go Create Your Own Photography Portfolio

Episode 041: Steve Saporito – The Doctor of Portrait Photography Success… Is In Session

Episode 072: Steve Saporito – How to Generate Terrific Sales for Portrait Photographers

Episode 168: Two Mann Studios – Careful Curation is the Key to Photography Success

PhotoBizX 12 Month membership Special – save 40%!

Save 50% on the Online Sales Masterclass

Get 50% off the Facebook Ads Course for Photographers

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening and thanks to Devin for coming on and sharing his thoughts and ideas on how to create a super successful photography business faster by strategically utilising Instagram in ways that no other photographers are.

When you make that much money on it, it's no longer just a social media platform. It's business. It's marketing. – Devin Robinson

If you have any suggestions, comments or questions about this episode, please be sure to leave them below in the comment section of this post, and if you liked the episode, please share it using the social media buttons you see at the bottom of the post!

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

Thanks and speak soon
Andrew