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

Chelsea Smith of www.vintagechicportrait.com is a Canadian based boudoir photographer, working hard and focussed on delivering an excellent experience for her clients.

She wants her women to feel like and be a model for the day in their very own magazine-style photoshoot with hair & makeup.

Her website features a page of incredible before and after images, information and galleries… but there is no sign of pricing.

She co-hosts a podcast – Don't Mind If We Do – where everyday women share stories and talk over wine or coffee!

She's a single mum — although I heard she met a guy in one of her podcast episodes where they discussed first dates and much more.

I'm excited to talk to a photographer focused on clients, more so than other photographers. And in this interview, Chelsea shares how you can utilise Facebook Groups to create a never-ending flow of clients into your photography business.

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

  • How Chelsea got started as a boudoir photographer
  • A snapshot of where Chelsea is based and where her clients are coming from
  • Chelsea's ideal clients
  • Chelsea's annual turnover
  • Average client spend
  • Why Chelsea shifted her focus to boudoir photography
  • Chelsea's shooting process
  • Achieving work-life balance with boudoir photography
  • The reason why Chelsea has high sales
  • The challenges that go with increasing your pricing
  • Improving your photography to justify the amount you charge
  • How changing products led to increased sales
  • Chelsea's product offerings and packages — what's included
  • Chelsea's ordering appointment process
  • Chelsea's reveal process
  • When do clients learn about pricing and the minimum investment they will spend
  • Chelsea's booking fee
  • Hiring someone to do post-processing for your photography business
  • Managing a Facebook group to grow a successful boudoir photography business
  • How to get started with creating a new Facebook group
  • Running competitions to increase FB Group membership or increase engagement
  • Examples of a $25-voucher contest on Chelsea's FB Group
  • How to choose winners for FB Group contests
  • Moderating Facebook Group posts
  • Why Chelsea does not limit her group members based on location
  • Chelsea's reason for not accepting male members into her FB Group
  • Asking clients to sign model releases during ordering appointments
  • Where Chelsea expects to see her business in 12 months from now

Chelsea Smith 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.

Plus special member-only interviews.

The posts don't reach every member in the group just because they're in the group. You have to be in there, you have to post a lot, and you have to post things that people want to comment on with the interaction to get that group growing. – Chelsea Smith

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.

Chelsea Smith Photography Podcast

What is your big takeaway?

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

My group is not really just about boudoir. It's about loving yourself, and self-empowerment, and just being surrounded by other women who are amazing. – Chelsea Smith

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

 Make this year your best yet — check out the Goal Setting for Photographers Training

Don't know where to start or want help creating your photography business plan for 2022, I've got you covered!

Last week, photography business coach Jeff Brown presented a live training session for PhotoBizX members and listeners. The recording and supporting documents and links are ALL available here: https://photobizx.com/goalsetting

If anyone knows how to plan, it's Jeff and his ex-military ways.

Jeff recently released a book (available via Amazon)… The Ambitious Photographer's Journal — perfect to help plan your business year.

His journal is what prompted me to ask him to deliver some training on preparing for your best year in business yet.


What's the Cost?

There is no charge to attend the training — I'm trying something new for this one… pay what you think is fair.

That's right, check out the training, implement what you can and pay what you feel it was worth afterwards. No pressure and totally up to you.

The main thing for me is you have a plan and everything you need to make 2022 your best year in business!

You can find Jeff's book here.

Chelsea Smith Photography Podcast

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.

Anybody, it doesn't matter where they live, they will have something to offer to the other people in the group. – Chelsea Smith

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.

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.​

Chelsea Smith Photography Podcast

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening and thanks to Chelsea for coming on to share her thoughts, ideas and experience on empowering women and growing a successful boudoir photography business by utilising Facebook Groups and making her members and potential clients feel like the centre of her world.

There's actually so much more to a print that you are giving your client than just developing it at Walmart. – Chelsea Smith

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