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

Holly Cook of www.hollyccook.com and Marika Moffitt of www.dirtiedogphotography.com feature in this slightly different podcast episode.

Both pet photographers have separate businesses, both competing for the exact keyword phrase and are self-proclaimed soul sisters.

Both women are based in Seattle in the USA, have gorgeous portfolios, create and sell books, albums, and wall art to their clients.

Holly specialises in working dogs and lifestyle images, while Marika's focus is the family dog and capturing how important they are in our lives.

So why two guests for the one interview?

Late last year, I saw that Charlotte Reeves and Craig Turner Bullock — both past interview guests had teamed up to create Unleashed Pet Photography Education.

Part of what they offered was a 6-month interactive challenge-based dog photography course called Embark.

I asked Charlotte if she could share the names of some of the participants so I could ask more about it from a student's perspective.

Amongst a list of photographers, Charlotte told me Marika and Holly worked together through the challenge, and both did great.

I guess these two are as thick as thieves and would be perfect to have on the podcast together.

I'm happy to say they both agreed… well, Marika agreed for both her and Holly. ?

In the interview, both women shared a ton about their pet photography businesses, their differing marketing and sales approaches, and how and why they participated in the interactive challenge-based dog photography course together.

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

  • A snapshot of Holly and Marika's photography businesses
  • Holly and Marika's annual revenue
  • Reasons to join photography courses
  • Going through a total rebrand and why
  • The challenges of joining a pet photography course
  • What is the Embark dog photography challenge all about?
  • The importance of trying new techniques to hone your photography craft
  • Why you need to stop giving away free prints
  • Discovering your true passions by participating in photography projects and competitions
  • Instagram has more success rates with model calls for pet photographers
  • Why spend money to join a photography challenge despite being a successful photographer?
  • Why Holly prefers using Shootproof over IPS and Zoom meetings for sales sessions
  • What is a working dog (it's not what I thought)?
  • How to convince potential clients you have a unique approach to photography
  • What to do when your chosen niche is not generating enough sales
  • The importance of staying true to your vision
  • Why Holly has made her working dogs her focus
  • Is it better to choose a wide photography niche over a specific or unique one?
  • It is not all about building a million-dollar business
  • How to generate high sales with pet photography
  • Marika's pricing and packages
  • Qualifiers to weed out non-paying clients
  • How to handle clients who say they can't afford your pricing
  • How to say what your average cost is without surprising new clients
  • Marika's booking and sales process
  • Offering incentives for high paying clients
  • Generating pet photography sales through coffee table books
  • How to attract pet photography clients for coffee table book projects
  • Cameras and lenses that Holly and Marika prefer to shoot with
  • Thoughts on second shooters or photography assistants
  • The best thing Holly and Marika have done to grow their businesses
  • How to measure success as a pet photographer
  • How to handle unhappy clients and complaints
  • One thing to bring clients in fast
Marika Moffat Photography Podcast

Marika Moffitt Photography

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.

What we're doing is so much more than just cute photos of dogs. It has given people the opportunity to stay connected with their partners – their four-legged partners through beautiful artwork. – Marika Moffitt

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.

Holly Cook Photography Podcast

Holly Cook Photography

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything away from what Marika and Holly 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 I can make my client happy and I can walk away feeling happy with what I've created, I've done a good job. – Holly Cook

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

Marika Moffat Photography Podcast

Marika Moffitt Photography

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.

Reward your clients for good behavior. When they spend what you want them to spend, give them rewards. Make it easy for them to be like, “Yes, I'm so glad I'm here.” – Marika Moffitt

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.​

Profitable Book Projects for Photographers

If there's one piece of training you don't want to miss this year, it's this!

  • You need or want more income
  • You're exhausted with your usual marketing methods
  • You want to shoot for yourself, what you're passionate about
  • You want to make some kind of a shift in your business
  • You want to create something authentically you and make [a ton of] money from it

I'm talking about a PHOTOGRAPHY BOOK PROJECT.

And Katie Kolenberg of Heartstory Photography is going to handhold you through every step of the way.

All the details are here: https://photographybookprojects.com

One of Katie's book projects has yielded over $270k over 3 years!

She's completed 5 book projects to date and is kicking off 3 new ones this year. This really works!

It'll work for you too. Come and join us!

Holly Cook Photography Podcast

Holly Cook Photography

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening and thanks to Marika and Holly for sharing their thoughts, ideas and experiences on creating photography businesses that truly reflect their personalities, love of dogs and an ability to do this while staying true to who they are and the passions they have the photography they create.

If I don't make $100,000 in sales because my clients can't afford it, so be it. I have to be true to what my heart tells me. I have to be true to the art that I want to make. – Holly Cook

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