Whilst searching for an Instagram expert for the Photography Business Xposed podcast to cover the topic of Instagram marketing for photographers, one name kept popping up… everywhere! Sue B. Zimmerman. Also known as the #InstagramGal and #TheInstagramExpert.

Founder of the online course Insta-Results, author of the Book Instagram Basics for your Business, Speaker and Business Coach, Sue is a master at utilising Instagram marketing for business and teaches entrepreneurs how to harness the power of Instagram.

Here’s some of what we cover:

  • The social networking platform Sue B. uses to teach social media
  • Why Sue B. prefers Instagram over other social media platforms
  • Why entrepreneurs need to be utilising Instagram now
  • How to use Instagram to increase your sales and get more photography bookings
  • How to attract the client you want with Instagram
  • How to make it easy for your clients to like and trust you using social media
  • Why you must show photos of yourself and behind-the-scene photos of what you do
  • Should you aim to increase your followers to monetize your account?
  • Your #1 priority with an Instagram account
  • How to give value and keep your followers engaged
  • Are watermarks essential when sharing photos on Instagram?
  • Is it a good idea to stick to a certain look or concept for your Instagram account?
  • How to build engagement with Instagram
  • How to use hashtags effectively
  • Should you advertise your business on Instagram?
  • How to give more value to increase your business sales
  • What you should do in Instagram to get more bookings for your business
  • How Sue B. manages her multiple Instagram accounts
  • The importance of posting real-time on Instagram
  • Is it okay to share Instagram posts straight to other social media accounts?
  • How to determine the best time to post updates on Instagram
  • Do you have to be strategic if you want to be successful with Instagram
  • The best way to measure success on Instagram
  • The importance of growing and nurturing your community within your Instagram account
  • How important are bio lines on Instagram and how to maximise its benefit
  • You need to understand how to use Instagram for your business to stand out
  • What does the future hold for Instagram
  • #SueBMadeMeDoIt Instagram Challenge

Sue B Zimmerman Podcast Interview

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 something different this week… more from me. 🙂

I'll share exactly what we do at Impact Images to encourage and mostly achieve terrific wedding album upsets. I know the word “upsell” can be seen as a dirty word in the wedding photography business but I believe a lot has to do with how these sales sessions are conducted and if they are at all a surprise to your clients.

No matter your view, I'll share what works for us and has been for a long time. This strategy alone is what I attribute a large part of the success in my photography business.

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 Sue B. Zimmerman, get access to an amazing back catalogue of interviews and ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your podcast app.

Sue B Zimmerman Podcast Interview

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.

Have your own look and your own brand. Do not copy what everyone else is doing – Sue B Zimmerman

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

If you’d like an easy way to show Sue your thanks and support for the show at the same time, tag Sue in an Instagram post with the hashtag – #SueBMadeMeDoIt

Sue B Zimmerman Podcast Interview

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 your website URL just like I have with “Lollies Lauren” below.

The best photo biz education you can listen to!

In iTunes by Ed from Maine in the USA on July 9, 2015 

I've been behind the camera as a serious hobbiest for over 30 years. I've pursued other careers during that period. I'm now following a business plan to move my photography as an income generating passion. This is accelerating due to this podcast.

That said, the lessons in these podcasts don't just apply to photography. I have extracted elements from these interviews that I have implemented in my practice as a Financial Advisor. Just the customer service lessons alone are worth it, let alone the marketing nuggets.

These interviews obviously centre around photography as a BUSINESS. These interviews are study worthy. Listen, digest, learn and listen again. It's impossible to pick up all the nuances and great info from one pass though. The information is bountiful and is THAT good.

I've sent friends of mine that own other businesses to take a listen to select episodes. You can replace the word photography with any client centric business and you WILL benefit from this. If you're a photographer, then it's just an added bonus. The material is not so esoteric that it only applies to a limited audience. If you don't live in a cave, then there's something here for you.

Give it a go, you'll be glad you did.

Mini Mentor sessions

In iTunes by Adam from Raconteur Photography in Brisbane Australia on July 8, 2015 

Thank you so much Andrew for putting this together for photographers. It is seriously like a mini mentor session every week on different parts of running a business, everything from marketing, sales, pricing, SEO, shooting , inspiration and more.

Each speaker brings their own story and inspiration and hints to every episode. Each photographer or industry expert that you have interviewed has not held back from answering your questions and giving away some of their secrets.

It is honestly one of the best investments you can make for your photography business.

Thanks heaps again. Adam

The Premier Photography Business Podcast

In iTunes by Houston Head Shot Photographer Chris Gillet on July 14, 2015

Hellmich is amazing.

He is extremely responsive to listeners and somehow manages to get successful photographers to candidly discuss their business secrets.

Well worth the subscription to receive the top tips. Order now to avoid disappointment.

Sue B Zimmerman Podcast Interview

Sales Without Shame – Photography Sales Course by Kristen Kalp

Kristen Kalp was our guest a couple of weeks ago and I shared details about her Sales Without Shame course. After hearing about her strategy to use printed proofs for the sales session (part of the course) I promised to give it a try and have since ordered three lots of proofs and we've completed two sales session using Kristen's strategies – more about them in today's episode but the signs are very positive!

Since the interview, I downloaded Kristen's course and there is so much more to it than printed proofs! It's a complete strategy for portrait sales including:

  • Products to sell and show
  • Overcoming and dealing with rejection or resistance to your prices
  • Questions you need to be asking during the session to give your client what they actually want
  •  How to move quickly and completely through the session
  • How to deal with discount hunters
  • How not to give everything away
  • Using incentives to make the sale happen and actually get paid
  • What to do when the decision-maker isn't at the session

In addition to the tactics, you'll find cheat sheets and forms to use during your sales sessions with everything laid out in order so you don't miss a step.

I've since passed the course onto Linda to follow for this weeks sales sessions. Usually, it would be Tenneille but she is heading off on holiday for 6 weeks!

I was also pretty excited to see a complete module for wedding photography too! Topics include selling albums to disc only wedding bookings, selling extra pages to clients who have ordered an album and doing it all easily and without fuss.

Honestly, if you're someone who struggles with sales and selling, you give too much away, feel intimidated by some clients or don't feel you're worth what you need to (and want to) charge, have a look at Kristen's course and make use of the $200 saving for the next 3 weeks only.

Here's the link again: Sales Without Shame

I've been asked if Kristen has a FB group for users of the course. She doesn't but she encourages you to email her directly if you have anything you want to ask, discuss, question or clarify.

KriSten Kalp - Sales Without Shame

The Photographers SEO Course is Coming Next Week

After months of work and planning and recording, the Photographers SEO Course will be available next week! This is the course I asked Gabriel Machuret to create for PhotoBizX listeners after engaging him to help me with my new website.

I've been looking at the course outline and the content is amazing. What I love most from what I've seen is the videos, over 30 of them are so easy to follow as Gabriel walks us through the exact steps on a real website as he makes changes and optimises the site.

If you want to see your website rise higher through the search engines, know what to prioritise with SEO tasks and not have to be a blogging machine (no photographer I know has time for that, I know I don't), this course will suit you perfectly.

Keep an eye out for an email this week with links to the pre-launch videos to get a better idea of exactly what's included or you can save the URL –  learnphotographyseo.com

Oh, and the course will only be available for 3 days at a super special price, then 7 more days before it's taken down. Gabriel will explain why in the videos but there's a great reason… something about one on one support for 3 months!

SEO Logo 600

Special Website and Consulting offer for PhotoBizX Listeners

Julius Garofali of The Creative Plan Agency in Sydney is a regular listener to the show and has made a very generous offer for us with the following vouchers 4 x 50% off, 8 x 25% off, 12 x 10% and 5% off for Photobizx members indefinitely.

Screen Shot 2015-07-20 at 10.51.19 AM

The Creative Plan Agency have Google certified SEO services available for those who wish to have a managed service. There is also training available to manage and update your website with Julius if you wish to take things into your own hands.

Julius likes to develop a professional and friendly relationship with his clients so you can comfortably depend on his service. His aim and responsibility will always be to know what technology is giving people the best value. Most importantly Julius is a photographer himself and will be able to relate to your needs.

You can get in contact with Julius here – julius@thecreativeplan.com.au

Looking for an Instagram Photography Challenge?

May-Jun is a regular listener to the show and is kicking off a free 21 day photo challenge starting today.

This challenge takes up to 5 minutes a day to do and you can learn more and get started here: 21 Day Photo Challenge

Sue B Zimmerman Podcast Interview

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Sue B. Zimmerman Website

SueB.Do Marketplace

Sue B Zimmerman on Creative Live

Sue B. Zimmerman on YouTube

InstaResults Online Course by Sue B. Zimmerman

Sue B. Zimmerman on Instagram

The Instagram Expert by Sue B. Zimmerman

Sue B. Zimmerman on CreativeLive

Sue B's Team on Instagram

The Daily IG Quotes by Sue B. Zimmerman

SueB.Do Cape Cod

Instagram Results Facebook Group

Instagram's New Application Layout SlideShare by Sue B. Zimmerman

Instagram Basics For Your Business Kindle Edition by Sue B. Zimmerman

Immerse Photography by Cyrissa Carlson

Sparkle Society by Cyrissa Carlson

Sue Bryce

Daniel Molincom

Olia Saunders

PS.New York by Olia Saunders

Giant Square App

ScheduGram

Latergramme

Phonto

InstaSize

VSCO Cam

Afterlight

Iconosquare

If This Then That

Bitly

Sue B Zimmerman Podcast Interview

Thank you!

Thank you again for listening to the show and thanks to Sue B. for being a fantastic and thought provoking guest!

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