Heidi Thompson of Evolve Your Wedding Business will be a familiar name to long time listeners – she was interviewed for episode 40 while living and working in the UK. Now based in the USA, Heidi is back to share her new social media strategies for wedding photographers – no matter where you live or who your target client is.
Heidi's business is based around helping wedding professionals simplify their marketing, attract more clients and ultimately, get better sales. The best way to describe Heidi is an enthusiastic, passionate small business coach and she does all this via her blog, podcast, ebook, online course and one on one marketing training.
Here’s some of what we cover:
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 episode where you can hear lots more content from where we dive deeper into some of the earlier topics plus some new ones that I pushed hard for that include:
If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interview with Heidi Thompson, get access to an amazing back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.
Blogging is always important because it lives forever – Heidi Thompson
Plus, access to a members only Facebook group where you'll connect with other members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take what you hear in each episode and put it into action. You will not find cooler, more motivated and caring photographers online.
What is your big takeaway?
Following this interview, I’d love to know what your biggest takeaway is – what is the one thing that you’d like to implement or learnt from what was shared? Let me know by leaving your thoughts in the comments below.
It's really about getting to know clients better, not as wallets but as individual human beings with emotions – Heidi Thompson
If you have any questions that I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Heidi or if you just want to say thanks for coming on the show, feel free to add them below.
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 means 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 and your name.
New Facebook Pixel Training
Kerry Fitzgibbon from Social Media Plus One is the Facebook marketing expert who was interviewed for episode 139 of PhotoBizX. Kerry has just released a 30 minute free course on how to use the new Facebook Pixel and it's available here: The New Facebook Pixel Training
NOTE: you will need to add your email address to get access to the video.
The new pixel has been out for a while now and it will soon be the pixel you must use as Facebook start to phase out behold conversion pixel.
The new pixel is used for building custom audiences, retargeting, conversion tracking, lookalike audiences and more.
Included in the 30 minute training video, Kerry shares:
- Where to get the pixel
- How to recognise if you have the new pixel easily
- How to install the new pixel on your site
- How to use the Pixel
Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:
The Wedding Business Collective
How To Get Testimonials That Help You Make More Sales
Bittersweet Designs – marketing templates for photographers
Social Media Plus One – Facebook Training by Kerry Fitzgibbon
New Facebook Pixel Training (FREE)
Thank you!
Thank you again for listening to the show and thanks to Heidi for coming on and sharing so much about your business.
You need to see your clients as human beings with hopes, dreams, concerns and aspirations to effectively communicate with them – Heidi Thompson
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
Hey Andrew!
I have to admit, I haven’t been following the podcast for the last few months or so, (or anyone else’s!) but I got the email about Heidi’s interview and it caught my eye because I’ve been really working on my social media marketing the last month or so, so I gave it a listen! Great interview! Why I’m writing though, is your comment about Instagram being more for fun and not really worth marketing on, and I’ve heard a lot of others say the same.
I have to disagree with everyone on that! It’s only been in the past month or so that I’ve been really focusing on instagram, but I’ve found it awesome so far! Ive ran two small targeted ads, and I’ve booked 2 weddings, 2 more possible, plus another 10-15 new local followers that look like they’re recently engaged. (Lots of other followers too, but only 10-15 that look like brides to be!)
I’ve also started doing some small giveaways on Instagram to boost my local following, which has worked really well also. And I’m working on one for next month with a venue that I work with that I have high hopes for!
So ya, I’m getting way more business from Instagram then I do from Facebook! (Partly probably, because I don’t like Facebook, and don’t do that much with it!)
Anyway, that’s my 2 cents on Instagram.
Not sure if you remember me, but I started listening with episode 1, back then I was just starting out, shooting a few weddings for friends. Since then I’ve tripled my prices and I’ve got 15 weddings so far this year! (I’ve got high hopes to make wedding photography my full time job in the next year or so, hence the marketing push!) so thanks for all the help! Keep up the good work!
Thanks
Terry
Hey Terry… Yes, I definitely remember you! Good to hear you’re going well.
Good to hear you views on Instagram and read about the success you’re having with it.
I can see the potential for sure and I will utilise IG ads more than I have.
I guess for me, I liked having an IG account to simply post what I want to post without consideration for how a photo might fit into my feed for branding purposes. I liked having a place to post photos simply for fun. It seems as soon as business becomes part of the platform, it’s another place to do more work and work becomes inescapable.
There’s no denying your success with it and I’ll be the first to admit if the clients are there, yes, I should be there too. Hopefully I can do that without becoming too obsessed with followers, likes and comments.
Really good to read about the growth and success you’ve experienced over the last couple years!
Stay in touch.
Andrew
Hey Andrew! Really great episode!
I wanted to chime in with a few little thoughts of mine. When I started out, I was afraid to cuss or meet clients for drinks. I would usually meet clients at Starbucks. A lot of those clients I didn’t have anything in common with. Hell, I don’t even drink coffee or like to support Starbucks. One day I had a couple request that we meet at a bar. That’s when it all changed for me. I got along great with them. I actually met up with that couple recently to just hang out. And it’s been almost 3 years since their wedding. Needless to say, I started to only meet clients over beers, so that if they were opposed to it, I would immediately tell them that I might not be the right photographer for them. I also started cussing in my meetings, my emails, and on my website. Not a lot on my website, but just enough. I cuss a lot, so holding myself back for a business that I approach in a personal way just didn’t make sense. I now attract the couples that I want to hang out with and do hang out with from time to time. I guess what I’m trying to say is that for me, it did help because that’s truly how I am… I cuss and I drink. Lol.
As far as Snapchat, I’ve been on it for almost a year. It’s a very different platform for sure. I don’t have any sort of way to tell you that it’s working or anything, but I do enjoy it. About 90% of my couples are younger than me and they’re on it. So, it’s a cool way to show my everyday life, post funny things, or reply to their Snapchats. It allows you to either send a chat message, video, or photo as a reply. I don’t always do that, but it’s a great way for me to engage with my couples, which is something I like to do and that my couples like to do too. Your Snapchats don’t stay on for long, but they do give you an option to save them to your phone. I’ve saved a few of my funny Snapchat stories and uploaded them to my website’s About page. It’s a way for me to show more of who I am to potential couples. If you’re interested, you can see those Snapchat videos on my website here: http://anthonygaunaphoto.com/about/
Great to read your comments Anthony!
The whole cussing/sewearing/drinking thing is something I have to come to terms with in business. I guess it’s partly to do with the way I was raised, partly to do wth the fact my business is a combination of photographers and staff – not only me and it just wasn’t the “done” thing in the past. Added to that, I’m don’t swear a lot, I don’t drink a lot so I’m guessing it’s a matter of finding what feels right for me and the business.
The last thing I wasn’t to do is go too far and portray myself as something I’m not. Having Linda pull back the reins could be a good thing 🙂 Watch this space.
Great info on Snapchat – thanks! So do you ask couples if you can add them or do they ask you – how does that part work? I imagine it’d be a bit weird if you just start following them once they book or do they have to accept your request like Facebook?
I’ll check that link too.
Ok, I’m back. Cool, I like em! Love the cucumber video 🙂
Actually love you whole about page, nicely done.
So you’re using Wistia to host your videos? Great platform but not cheap… Why Wistia?
Hi Andrew! Thanks so much for the shoutout and your support. Your show is really an asset to the photography community. To answer your question, we leave the profanity out of our communication. Not to say it doesn’t work, look how Gary Vaynerchuk uses profanity. I think having a consistent voice is probably the best bet. From seeing a lot of websites and social channels, I can almost pinpoint the times when someone took an Instagram course or a class on how to be “Authentic” because it comes off as actually being less authentic and more rehearsed. So it’s kind of a catch 22 when trying to change your delivery. One thing we started doing last year was showing a little more of our life and behind the scenes, our favorite of course was our podcast with you;). People can relate and they know we aren’t some big company that doesn’t engage our audience. We really try to communicate on all our social platforms as much as we can and as a result it generates almost as much traffic to our website as our organic Google traffic. Keep up the great work, Andrew!
Hey Thomas!
My pleasure mate, love what you and Rose are creating and delivering – makes life easier for photographers.
I like your idea of showing a little more real life on social media. Interesting to read your social media “work” is generating as much work as your website. More proof this stuff really works.
So… not sure if you do but if you use any profanities at home, even accidentally and it makes it into one of your behind the scenes videos (for example) do you leave it in or reshoot/delete?
Such a great episode. Thanks Heidi for sharing so much good stuff!
A lot of what she said echoes the best advice I’ve heard from the podcast, but I especially liked the testimonial advice. I’m about to ask my clients for some testimonials and I’ll be gladly using her template!
Also, the ‘…so that…’ tip was solid gold. Common sense, as most good advice is, but solid gold nonetheless.
Thanks Damian – I’ll be sure to let Heidi know about your comments!
She definitely dropped some great info in this episode and made life easier for us with the testimonial cheat sheet!
Thank you so much Damian I am so happy you found it helpful!
A fantastic episode! So choc full of great advice – I used to ask questions for a testimonial and not sure why I stopped; I’ll definitely go back to doing that, it’s such a great idea. Thanks Heidi and Andrew!
Hey, thanks Anna!
Love that you’re enjoying another interview or two… and picking up a takeaway too. 🙂
Thanks Anna! Let me know how it goes for you 🙂