466: Helen Schryver – Work less and make more by tripling your portrait photography prices

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

Helen Schryver of www.schryverphoto.com is UK based, where photographers say it's tough to charge what many photographers do in other parts of the world. And… the market is just different there.

Last year, I posted a request inside the PhotoizX Member's FB group, looking for successful UK based portrait photographers to interview and help dispel those myths.

Since then, I've featured a few photographers, including the fantastic Helen Bartlett from episode 435 and Seona Misumi from episode 428.

And recently, I'm happy to report, another photographer sent me a PM, saying…

Hi Andrew! Hope you're well. A while ago, I commented on your post asking about UK photographers hitting good average sales. You asked me to report back if things continued going well for me.

I put my prices way up around this time last year. I almost trebled them!

My average has also more than trebled and is now £1700, and I just made a £2400 sale in just 30 mins which prompted me to message you ?.

Happy to chat sometime!

I do lifestyle/documentary shoots, mostly in my clients' homes, and do IPS in their homes too.

That was enough for me to send an invite for an interview. I'm rapt to have Helen come on and share how she finds her ideal clients, can price her work the way she does and that you don't need to be city-based or focused to build a profitable family portrait photography business.

I'll be curious if your big takeaway is to work less and make more by tripling your portrait photography prices, just like Helen has done. 

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

• How different is the UK photography market from the rest of the world
• What prompted Helen to triple her pricing
• Factors to consider when increasing your portrait pricing
• Helen's target annual turnover
• How VAT works in the UK
• You don't need to be London-based to have a successful photography business in the UK
• How to attract clients from all over the world
• What Helen does to get the phone ringing and attract client bookings
• Using promotions to update your Business profile and get seen in your community
• Helen's strategy to keep attracting new clients to book photography sessions
• Outsourcing
• How effective is Helen's website in terms of getting clients booked
• Helen's family guides as a fantastic lead magnet
• Sourcing guide ideas from Facebook and Instagram
• Helen's photography style
• Helen's booking inquiry process
• The need to plant seeds with clients about products they can buy
• Helen's routine when going to client homes for family sessions
• How Helen sells her wall art
• How Helen handles clients who are not aware of the pricing
• Helen's photo viewing and ordering appointment process
• How to show clients the scale of wall art prints
• The difference between studio sessions and family visits
• How to upsell in a photography business to family portrait clients
• Where Helen sees her business in 12 months

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.

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I always make sure to analyze every situation like that to see what I could do differently. I try not to take it personally, try not to get upset about it, and just think what do I need to change so that doesn't happen again. – Helen Schryver

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.

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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 Helen 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, and what you plan to implement in your business as a result of what you heard in today's episode.

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

PhotoBizX Premium Membership Special!

It's rare to see a special price for the Premium Membership but there's one available for you until Tuesday, May 31st 2022.

Why the special?

Because it's holiday time (I'm off to Spain and France) and there's no better reason to celebrate!

The 12 Month Premium Membership – is normally $200… NOW $120… https://photobizx.com/holidayspecial

This is the cheapest you'll ever see the 12-month membership.

SPECIAL BONUS FOR EXISTING MEMBERS

If you've made a membership payment this month already and want this deal, I'll refund this month's payment for you.

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Make sure you join first, then cancel your existing payments. This way your Premium RSS Feed URL stays the same.

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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.

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:

★★★★★ Incredible source of information and inspiration

Via Apple Podcasts by Pete G of Grit Photo from Australia on May 18, 2022.

As a photographer turning a hobby and passion into a business, I’ve found this podcast an incredible source of information and inspiration.

There is such breadth and depth in the approaches of the photographers interviewed. While not every episode will be for you, there will be hundreds that you will vibe with and will be invaluable.

Andrew has a unique, honest and encouraging interview style that sets an incredibly welcoming and positive tone. This tone carries into the Facebook community.

I have never been so motivated to start building my photography business.