We are coming into a beautiful time of year. Blooming flowers, longer days, the sounds of baseball games, & the end of the school year. What a perfect time to schedule portrait sessions & get your business moving in the right direction. Our Spotlight on Business this month is Kristie Bradley Photography. It was fun to get to know Kristie better and to find out how she runs a very successful photography business. Take a few minutes and check out her work, I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Here are the questions we asked her:
What is the most valuable business advice you have ever gotten?
Don’t run your business on debt! This simple piece of advice has really helped me make rationale and sound decisions. If I don’t have the money then I don’t make a purchase. I think it helps me remember that I started this business to help make my family’s life better, not to put us into debt, so I have to be wise.
In no more than 12 words, how would you describe your brand?
I am currently in the middle of rebranding(yay!), but truly I am just updating my “look” to match the experience I hope I am already giving my clients! My new “look” represents my brand as: modern, fresh, upscale, bright, fun and memorable!
Is there something special you do when your business reaches a goal?
Yes! Set a new goal…ha! I believe in constantly learning and growing so when I reach a goal I look to the next one! There may also be a fun family trip or pretty camera bag in there if it was a financial goal:)
What is your favorite tool that helps run your studio?
I think effective organization is KEY to any business. i found a great planner last year that helped me tremendously with that, but it was changed a lot this year and its just not working for me in its new format. I am on the look out if anyone has any suggestions! Find what works for you and keep a schedule!
What product do you sell most of?
Storyboards(mounted on white styrene from prodpi) size 5×10 to 20×20! Every session!
How do you nurture your creativity?
This year I was a finalist in the Chic Critique Photography Idol Competition(which was SO much fun and an honor!) and it reinstated my love for planning and shooting for myself. I realized again that I need to do some photo shoots just for me, styled and planned with something that I want to try. It truly re-energizes!
What is the best application investment you‘ve ever made?
i LOVE Preveal, but it doesn’t seem to help me much with my Seniors. My Photo App! I am still getting in the swing of using it, but it is a great way to get your images into the hands of your clients to share on the go! The most popular apps I use on my phone are FREE. My top 3 Favs: Instagram, Square and PicTapGo!
What is the best equipment investment you’ve ever made?
My new Nikon D800…yay!
What’s your advice for better profits?
Be very aware of your cost of goods and price accordingly. I have had some great orders that when it came down to it were not as profitable as I had thought because the COG was so high. I am currently re-working some of my offerings with this in mind. Don’t forget about your time to create a product as well!
Have you had to change your game to stay ahead in the photography world?
I think in any business it is imperative to stay on top of the most exciting and current trends. With our technology the “game” is constantly changing and we have to adapt accordingly to keep our business in front of our customers. I don’t mind though, because I enjoy the challenge of learning and growing!
The Business Spotlight blog post is sponsored by Rebooku, a fantastic online company.
Here is what Kristie had to say about her experience using the Rebooku services: “As a new user I found the customer service phenomenal! Ty Fisher with Rebooku was fantastic at responding to my questions and making sure that I understood how the whole process worked!”
Where can potential new clients and our readers view more images and learn more about your business?
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KristieBradleyPhotography?ref=hl
Website: www.kristiebradleyphotography.com
Our goal at Modern Teen Style is to help you build, develop and grow the best business that you can. We hope that you have found this article useful. If you have any suggestions, please let us know. We would love to hear from you.
Katie
www.katiehughesphotography.com