Hello from Hannah Freeland

Hello all you lovely current and future trainees.

I would like to introduce myself. You will see on the About Us page that there is a new addition to the Training Barn… ME!

Emily asked me if I would like to join her and come on board as a associated trainer. Of course, I jumped at this opportunity as I have so much experience and advice to share and secondly, because I run a successful equine photography business. I have created my business from nothing and have some interesting and inspiring stories to share with you all. I have many famous equestrian names under my client list and run a luxury photography experience for each customer.

Please check out my website www.hannahfreelandphotography.co.uk if you would like to know more about me.

I’ve been able to build and bring my business forward because of the support and guidance from Emily and I believe in education and personal growth. Being able to shoot beautiful images is only the start of running a successful equine photography business. You also need to be able to:

1. Market your business to the right client
2. Be able to decipher who that client is
3. Find your voice and talk as an expert
4. Come up with marketing and advertising ideas that sets you apart from the crowd
5. Know your worth
6. Implement a pricing strategy
7. Be able to run a successful photo shoot
8. Create a wonderful portfolio
9. Run a viewing of your images
10. Put procedures in place to give your client a luxury service
11. Create your USP
12. Be able edit your images in a consistant style
13. Be able to send images correctly to the labs you choose to work with
14. Understanding prints, papers, frames and books
15. Picking the products you would like to sell
16. Understanding how to sell to clients
17. Growing your business
18. Keeping on top of your accounts and admin
19. Mastering your technology and camera equipment
20. Building your brand

Ok, I had to stop at 20 but believe me, I could think of another 100 points to creating and running a successful business and who wants to battle all this on their own? Plus, why not join a group session or tailored session and learn from us who have been there, done it, seen the cracks and can advise how to jump the holes.

I signed up with Emily nearly 9 years ago. I knew how to take the shots, but I needed to perfect them and then learn EVERYTHING else that goes into running this business. I would also like to point out, that I am still constantly learning and adapting. Just in the last month I have re-branded my business to step up a gear, been to lectures, read an educational book and attended an art exhibition to be inspired and continue my personal growth.

I am brimming with ideas and cannot wait to start connecting with you all and seeing you at our training dates which will be released soon.

If you have any ideas on courses that you would like to see, please drop us a line through the Contact Page and we will put them on the list.

Thank you

Having a trade stand on a budget

To continue on ‘marketing to our ideal client‘, you should now have your best clients bio created. If you missed the last blog post about creating this, click here.

Now that we know who our ideal client is we need to be able to speak and connect with them.

We have so many avenues to connect to our potential clients, here are my top 5:

1. Trade stands
2. Social Media including Instagram, Facebook and Twitter
3. Collaborations with livery yards and tack shops
4. Client referrals
5. Newsletters

Trade Stands – I cannot recommend having a stand at equestrian/country events high enough.

When I first set up my equine photography business I remember saying ‘I would love to have a stand at an equine show but I can’t afford to pay for the pitch’ or ‘I just don’t have enough to fill a stand’. Let me tell you, you can ABSOLUTELY do this with a couple of frames, a borrowed tent and your business cards.

My first stand was at a local pony club event. I was the only stand there and I was positioned next to the secretaries tent. I had my 4 studio sample frames, my business cards, a competition box and a show offer. I borrowed a tent and table and the rest was created with nerves and enthusiasm.

I paid nothing for the pitch and I donated 2 photo shoots, including a print, to 2 of the top classes. The reason I sponsored 2 classes:

• My business name was in the programme under sponsors and contributors
• My name was announced over the tannoy as the sponsor of the 2 classes
• Hannah Freeland Photography was printed on the tail of the rosettes for these classes
• I handed the prize to each winner and spoke to them and their family about the photo shoot

At the show I spoke to EVERYONE I possibly could. I knew who my ideal client was and I was on the look out for them. Just from 1 day and a free pitch I got:

1. Exposure to over 80 of my perfect clients
2. The ability to chat to them in a relaxed enviroment, while they are thinking about their pony/horse
3. Over 50 entries to my competition to win a photo shoot with me, including a framed print
4. Newsletter database names from the competition
5. 2 Winners of the classes and my competition winner for photo shoots. These 3 winners all spent money on beautiful products from their shoots and have referred more clients to me.
6. Experience in running a stand

By the time someone contacts you, after seeing you at a show, they are ready to buy. They are a hot lead and simply need things confirming. A good rule of thumb for converting a lead to a client is talk to them for at least 20 minutes on your stand. Tell them all about what a photo shoot is like with you, how much they will enjoy it and what they will get out of it.

In my experience even the small, intimate shows that don’t even charge to have you there exhibiting, can be great sellers. One, that I still do, has earn’t me over £12,000!

This was one of my first stand set ups (I have my hands over my eyes looking back!) note the sofa and rug! The yard owner had these in the barn and added them to my stand to help! It was also his tent. As I said, this event has brought in over £12,000 worth of sales, so there is no excuses for not getting out there and being seen.

I would love to see your stand set ups or if you have any questions on this topic please contact me through our Contact Page.

Identifying your ideal client

Hi there, Hannah here!

When you are creating a marketing plan for your photography business you need to know who you are talking to. Its a good idea to create a bio of your ideal client.

What do I mean by ideal client?

This is the one client we all hope calls us in the studio and says “I have seen your work, looked at your website and cannot wait to get a photo shoot booked in with you, when is your next free date?”

Here are my top tips for creating your Ideal Client Bio.

1. Give them a name.
   This helps to identify the client in your marketing. (Mine was called Margaret) You won’t actually say Hi Margaret, I am a wonderful photographer, but it will get you in the right mind set when you think, lets write a blog post that speaks to Margaret today.
2. Look into their home life.
   Write down their lifestyle choices. Heres a list to help you get started: 
   1. Where do they live?
   2. Do they stable their horse at home?
   3. Do they have children?
   4. Do they have a disposable income?
   5. Do they work?
   6. What type of car do they drive?
   7. What do they do with their horse?
   8. Do they buy art?
   9. Where do they socialise?
   10. What interests are they likely to have?
   11. What do they spend their money on?
3. How can you connect with them?
   Now that we have a good bio on our ideal client we can start to think about how to get in front of them. Have a think about where your best customer will hang out in their spare time. Do they go out to dinner? Do they attend horse shows? Do they have children in the Pony Club. Once you have created this list, this is the start of your marketing plan. You now have a good idea of where you need to aim your advertising and offers.
4. Write an offer that will appeal to this customer.
   For example: You have decided that your ‘Margaret’ has a cottage in the south and her horse is her life. She stables her horse at a livery yard with 20 other horse owners and works part time. This type of customer will want to invest in an experience for herself alongside receiving stunning images of her horse. She may not have a huge disposable income, but values your work and time. Therefore you need to target livery yards and could come up with an offer to get 2 or more owners at the yard to have their shoot on the same day, therefore reducing their session fee, allowing them to spend more money on purchasing the shots and products they really want. TIP: When one owner on the yard experiences a photo shoot with you, the others will want one too!
5. Think of your platforms for connecting with your potential clients.
   We have so many oppotunities to grab our customers attention. We have social media, your website, a blog, newsletters, networking, advertising in yards and tack shops, trade stand at shows/events, collaborations the list goes on and on. Come up with an offer for ‘Margaret’ and plan how you will showcase this offer on your platforms.

If you follow the above tips you will create a strong marketing plan to move your business forward and up! I would love to hear your ideal clients name and bio, post on our Training Barn Facebook page.

Photography Business: Leveraging the Visual in Your Marketing

Creative Careers: Building a Career as a Photographer

If you’re just starting to build your career as an equine photographer, you may find things don’t go to plan and that you make a few mistakes- it’s just the way things are with all small businesses, so don’t panic! I have compiled a list of top tips that can help you develop your successful equine photography business.

#1: Learn to shoot in manual mode as soon as you can:

If you know how to use your camera in manual mode, you allow yourself to have better control over the photographs you take. Learning how to adjust your camera when shooting in difficult light or at high speed gives you the upper hand when the auto settings don’t quite cut it. This will not only allow you to shoot quicker and take better shots, but you’ll save a lot of time editing your photos too.

#2: You’re not just a photographer:

You need to remember that your job roles stretch much further than simply taking gorgeous images. You are also the customer service representative, the marketing director, the book keeper, the branding responsible, the SEO, the CFO- but to name a few! I think you’ve got the idea…. But it is important to nurture these roles and pay as much attention to them as you do to taking great photos- the images won’t sell themselves!

#3: Be patient:

You may think that you’ll have lots of success in your first year without much effort- but you have to remember that nurturing the perfect, successful business takes a lot of time and effort! Its not all plain sailing, and when you feel as though you’re really struggling, you need to be proactive and analyse where you’re going wrong and what you need to focus on and improve- then wait for the results!

As the old saying goes, patience really is a virtue, but as long as you persevere and work hard at it, you’ll get there- I promise!

#4: People skills are vitally important:

Photography is a people business- no matter what field of photography you’re in. You need to know how to liaise with people, be it your clients; business partners; associates; suppliers (I could go on)… Once you understand how best to interact with these different groups of people, the more people will remember you and associate doing business with you as a positive experience.

#5: Purchasing unnecessary gear won’t solve your problems:

When you’re an equine photographer, it’s easy to convince yourself that new kit is the answer to improving your business. At the end of the day, a new lens for your camera is not going to earn you a six figure salary. Photographers are known for convincing themselves that fancy kit and the most expensive supplies are the answer to making your business run more smoothly. The key is to improve your skills with the kit you already have- chances are, its perfectly good enough, you just need to learn how to make the most out of it.

If you are about to invest in new kit, make sure it has a purpose. It needs to improve your photos sin some way, or it won’t be worth the investment.

#6: Branding is very important:

The branding you create for your business is vital for getting people’s attention and for getting people remember you. It is important to remember that during the early stages of your business, people don’t know who you are or what you have to offer. Good branding can give you an advantage over other equine photographers as it is a great way to really sell yourself and make yourself known.

Make it personal, bespoke and relevant- don’t design a brand that looks similar to another successful equine photographer’s- if it’s already been done, then stay clear and create something unique and personal to you that makes your business stand out.

A mistake many people make is to buy large amounts of packaging, brochures and business cards in bulk. This can be a mistake because you’ll hardly use it and you’ll be wasting a lot of money at the same time. It will only get used if you have got yourself a solid brand which you can be proud to market.

When starting your own career as an equine photographer, things can be tough. However, just put your business head on and stick to your plan. I hope you can take away some useful tips from this!

Choosing a career: how to retrain as a photographer

With all the technology that is around us, you can see most people taking photographs, editing and uploading them via social media. So, people tend to assume being an equine photographer should be easy. However, making a living from being an equine photographer is completely different. You don’t just take a photo, add a filter and make an instant profit! 

Here’s some info and tips you should know about how to effectively retrain as a successful UK equine photographer:

#1: What an equine photographer needs to do:

You’ll need to take pictures- and lots of them. But you need to plan the ideal locations to place your subjects, find the perfect lighting AND make sure your timing is impeccable- missing that one shot by half a second could be the difference between a horse with his ears forward and his ears flat back! But it doesn’t end there.

An equine photographer will also spend hours editing photos to ensure they are attractive to the client in order to make the sale.

And if you’re going it alone, you’ll also need to make some time to take care of the marketing of your business. This could include the upkeep of your facebook/twitter/instagram page, as well as press releases and making new connections to really get you business known and your name out there!

#2: The skills you need to have:

There are some skills that are vital to being a great equine photographer:

– Computer software skills: Using a great photo editing software is a MUST. The better you are able to use it, the better your photos will be. If you feel your skills in this department are a little shabby, take the time to watch tutorials or invest in some training- it could be the difference in a successful or unsuccessful viewing!

– Familiarity with the equipment: Make sure you know your camera well. You need to understand everything that it is capable of doing. So practice practice practice at every spare moment you have- photograph your family and friends to experiment with light and location as well as your camera settings- and it always helps if they have a horse or two handy!

– Advertising and marketing: When you’re putting all your energy into your equine photography business, you need to take the time to market it. Showing some of your best shots or highlighting your photography style may be a good choice- social media is perfect for this as you can gauge the popularity of your shots through the feedback you receive from your followers- this is invaluable to you and will certainly help improve your photography!

#3: The qualities you need to have:

– Persistence: There’s always something new to learn and I can say, from experience, that you NEVER stop learning- both about yourself and your capabilities as a photographer. Develop your personal business skills and improve your photography skills- this is what will allow you to be the best equine photographer

– Confidence: You’ll come across a vast range of clients, all with different personalities and views on your work and how you ‘should’ run your business. You need to stay grounded, stay true to what you believe, and find a way to best deal with your clients in order to keep them happy whilst always looking professional and maximising your profits. Remember- NEVER give a product away because someone asks you to- be proud of your work and know you’ve earnt your worth!

– Creativity and Adaptability: Try to put your own creative spin on your photos. Give them a special “look”- This is how you can stand out. Be on the ball so that you can quickly change a location or a shot as hassle-free as possible. This will show your clients you are versatile and can think on the spot.

#4: Special education:

There is no need to take a bachelor or a masters’ degree in photography- if you have the talent, then run with it! However, it can be useful to study in an area related to business, since you’ll be running your own. Online courses are available as well as free tutorials across the internet which should be used to their full advantage!

If you want to keep developing your photography skills (as you should), similarly, there are online courses and workshops you can attend, including the ones run by myself which can be found on the training barn website. Courses like these are aimed at improving specific areas for photographers of all levels and will give you the confidence to go out there and dominate your market.

#5: As with any other career, being a professional equine photographer has pros and cons:

* Pros:

– You already enjoy photography so you’ll be working in a job you love, which unfortunately isn’t very common- think of yourself as lucky! You’ll also be providing joy to your clients as they will be able to cherish special memories with their horses for years to come- and it’s all down to you!

– Through networking, you’ll be able to meet new people, just like you, who enjoy photography and share your journey with them- I can say, hand on heart, that my photography friends are the ones who have got me through the highs and lows over the years!

* Cons:

– To be successful equine photographer, you need to stand out. Sometimes, it can be really hard to achieve your niche market, but practice makes perfect and if you work hard enough, you will surely get there!

– There are always concerns that photographers don’t earn as well in the beginning. But it’s the same with all small businesses- the start is the hardest part, and you need to be prepared to deal with times of stress and little work. Once you get the testimonials and your name is well and truly out there, you will be turning clients away because you’re so busy! Perseverance is key!