Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area.
Seona Misumi of www.seonamisumiphotography.co.uk is a successful portrait photographer based in Scotland where clients spend from $3000-4500 per session, and she photographs around 2/3 sessions a week.
She started her photography business in 2007 – focussing on boudoir with just $500 – in what you might call an ‘unpleasant' area in the city of Glasgow. That business grew to a six-figure business.
In 2015, she switched genres to newborn and family photography and never looked back.
She's a mum of three, having had her first baby in her first year of business, and a great believer in just jumping in and getting started in business with whatever you have – perfection should not be a factor.
Something about her photography makes it stand out in the family photography genre – higher contrast, beautifully lit, emotive and even edgy. However you describe her style, it's attention-grabbing.
In this interview, learn that it's possible to generate terrific portrait photography sales, no matter your location — something reported as a myth by many UK based portrait photographers.
Here's some more of what we cover in the 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 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.
Most of my most loyal clients come from events that I've been to and I've spoken to personally. – Seona Misumi
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 to 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 Seona 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.
I started with absolutely no business knowledge whatsoever and I feel like if I can do it anybody can do it. – Seona Misumi
If you have any questions that I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Seona 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 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 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 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.
Have your client pay before they leave, the same that you would pay for something that you've just bought you leave the shop. – Seona Misumi
LinkedIn Training for Photographers
LinkedIn is the most underused social platform by photographers but is a goldmine if you know what you're doing, and you have a fully optimised profile while posting the right type of content.
If you run a Photography Business and you're NOT utilising LinkedIn to grow a huge network and make a lot more money, you're missing out. – Jeff Brown
If you've no idea where to start or have been floundering on the platform, I have you covered!
Well… not me personally, but Jeff Brown, the LinkedIn expert and photography business coach.
Jeff is presenting a 4 part in-depth Live Training Event for you – starting this week.
At $97, this is, I believe, set to be the best value training offered via PhotoBizX.
You can see more details and reserve your spot here: https://photobizx.com/linkedin
This will be business changing training and can transform your business if you put into practice what Jeff teaches you.
The price will be going up to $197 after the event.
The live sessions will be recorded. You'll have access to them to rewatch if you need to.
You don't have to attend the live sessions to get the most from this training.
And YES, there is a money-back guarantee on this training, like anything from me. If you don't get what you hoped from the training, let me know and I'll happily refund you.
Reserve your spot and don't miss this training: https://photobizx.com/linkedin
Hope to see you later this week
NOTE: I've literally just opened my account on LinkedIn this week. I have no idea where to start or what to do — to generate leads or attract clients… yet.
This is all you need to get started, a LinkedIn account.
Jeff has assured me that I'll be 100% set to have LinkedIn working like a lead generation machine following this training.
I'll be going through this with you and implementing/learning as we go.
Get registered, come and join me and over 30 other PBX listeners, it's no risk: https://photobizx.com/linkedin
COMPETITION TIME – Dual Camera Harness
Murray Redpath of StrapZphotography in Australia recently sent me the most beautiful dual camera harness, and it's up for a giveaway to PhotoBizX listeners.
To say this product is beautiful is a total understatement!
Opening the parcel, I was shocked to see a beautifully branded burgundy coloured box containing the camera harness.
I lifted the box flap to reveal more colour and beautiful branding on the inside of the box and a small instruction card laying on top of the handcrafted leather and CARBON FIBRE harness.
The harness is a serious piece of kit that will last generations. The fittings look super strong, the straps – thick, quality leather and what looks like stainless steel fittings. Plus the carbon fibre parts – who doesn't find carbon fibre sexy! ?
This thing is gorgeous. AND IT'S UP FOR GRABS.
To go in the draw to win a dual camera harness for yourself – visit https://strapz.photography/ and email me at andrew@photobizx.com with the size and colour you'd like for yourself. The colour MUST be one of the listed colours from the StrapZ website.
I'll draw a random winner at the end of the month – August 2021.
Good luck!
Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:
Seona Misumi Education on Instagram
Thank you!
Thanks again for listening and thanks to Seona for coming on to share her thoughts, ideas and experience on how to create a super successful portrait photography business, no matter the area you're based… even in the UK, which goes against a lot of the commentary I've heard from PhotoBizX listeners and members.
The way to get yourself known to people is to go and talk to them. – Seona Misumi
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
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