458: Abby Wilkes – Discovering destination portrait photography

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

Abby Wilkes of www.abbywilkes.com is not your usual personal branding photographer — she will travel the world, connect and even holiday with her clients to connect and capture the real personality and face behind the businesswoman. 

I invited Abby for an interview after seeing her beautiful website portfolio featuring real women who look to be loving life! Photographed predominately outdoors and around the world, these gorgeous women are full of expression, and you could quickly be mistaken to think these are all captured while on unforgettable holidays.

That's not the case at all… these are personal branding images created for women who want more than the standard business portrait.

On her site, Abby says…

If you want a couple of headshot photos, one with a laptop, two with a cup of tea in your hands, and have all your beautiful and unique imperfections erased with Photoshop, then I'm not your photographer, and that's OK.

She adds…

I'm here to come on a soul journey with you to create something that's truly, deeply you.

Booking a shoot doesn't feel as simple as it might be with most studios.

In Abby's case, it starts with drinks over a zoom call. Setting up a private Pinterest gallery. Sharing everything about your brand personality, values, and soul's archetype, Abby asks all the questions to make sure she has a clear vision of your uniqueness, intention, message, and soul essence.

Only then is a location chosen and the session booked.

I was excited to discover more about what sounds like a unique business, even though I already feel outside my comfort zone with all this talk about soul, energy and spirit.

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

• How Abby came to be a photographer
• How Abby transitioned into branding photography
• Abby's thoughts on being a successful business owner today
• The need to build trust in order to connect deeply with your photography clients
• Abby's revenue
• Focusing solely on photography almost had Abby losing her business
• Discovering destination portrait photography
• Joining a marketing course to learn the business side of photography
• How Abby pitches her soul photography business to clients who are planning to travel
• Planting seeds and the costs involved when planning destination shoots
• How to keep the divide between friendship and business with your clients
• When is the right time to discuss pricing with your clients
• Pricing and packages
• How Abby plans and sources props to use with her client shoots
• How to find more clients when flying to a destination photoshoot
• What Abby did to bring in photography clients during the pandemic
• How Abby found her most recent client
• How Abby introduces herself to potential clients
• Discussing the balance between the business side of Abby's business and her focus on her clients
• Abby's strategy to connect with past clients

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.

Plus special member-only interviews.

When I stay true to myself, I hope I give that confidence and permission for my clients to be that way too. – Abby Wilkes

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.

Seriously, that's not all.

In addition to everything above, you'll get access 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.

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything away from what Abby 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.

You just never, ever, ever know where you'll end up. – Abby Wilkes

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

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

Each week I check for any new iTunes or Google 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 and Google are 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 or https://photobizx.com/google 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.

I just love giving people that choice. Just be yourself. There are no limits. It's just the limits that we put upon ourselves that we think that we're being judged. – Abby Wilkes

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 is the latest review…

★★★★★ Business changing for me !!

Via Apple Podcasts by Increased my profits from the United Kingdom on March 24, 2022.

I have been a member of Andrew Hellmich's PhotoBizX Premium group for over 2 years now. During that time I have increased the average sale for my family portrait sales from £250 to £700 !!

This is down to me listening to the podcasts and implementing the marketing ideas that his interviewees have suggested.

I was also introduced to Bernie Griffiths a mentor who totally change my mindset from small sales to big sales!!

I have to say the more I listen to the interviews he does the more I can see that he is asking questions that are exactly what we photographers need to hear ! I think the interviews are getting more and more focused on helping photographers to become financially successful businesses. The fact that Jenn Lindberg attributes her success to listening to these Podcasts just shows how much he knows and has learned, as have we!!

So thanks so much Andrew for all your amazing work !!

Onwards and upwards :)) I would highly recommend you subscribe to the premium group if you are a photographer struggling to make enough profit from your portrait business 🙂