Action and Success Plan For Your Photo Styling Business

Ohhhh . . . those Shiny Objects!  Shiny Object Syndrome.  It can stop your scroll, suck up an entire block of your time and get you thinking, “that’s what I REALLY want to do”, let me . . .

▪ Try that!
▪ Buy that!
▪ Do that!
▪ Join that!

Recently, my friend Tamara from Today with Tamara, shared her message of committing to your goals, choosing a mantra and action steps. Let's take Tamera's outline and make it specific to us Photo Stylists!  Specifically, the action steps we need to take!  We can't just hope our dreams will magically appear. AND we can't let that Shiny Object Syndrome distract us while we are trying to take action ~ because inevitably we will be inspired, find ideas and fall into the rabbit hole of SOS, right?!  With part of our job researching and sourcing beautiful inspiration of images, products and ideas ~ it can be MORE challenging for us to keep to our styling business action plan and not get distracted. (In terms of marketing, social media and tasks for the business side of our business.)

Let's turn THAT S.O.S into THIS S.O.S. ~  SHINY OBJECT SOLUTIONS ( & I'm getting' specific on ya! ;) Giving you specific tasks to do to see success in your business.

Set Measurable Goals. 
Instead of saying: “ I will work on getting more clients to style for”.

DO THIS:  I will contact 15 prospective clients a week and email them photographs I have styled and I will reach out to that same 15 prospective clients on Instagram.  If I have not heard back, I will follow up within 7 days from sending. (I batched tasks by days of week.) Sending outreach letter on Monday and from the previous  Monday, I will do the follow up to those prospective clients) This is measurable. You have a specific number of people you will reach out to.  You can analyze this approach by learning the ratio of clients who have either outreached back to you or hired you.  You will know the percentage.

Be Specific in your Styling Business Tasks.
Instead of saying: “I will work on my business “paperwork”.

DO THIS: Set a specific day and detailed, specific tasks, like the ones suggested below.

I will get my EIN#/Tax ID for my styling business and make my business "legal and official". (Also if you have EIN, you can get wholesale accounts that can be very beneficial for your business AND your clients.)

I will establish my styling business (LLC) for business. (If you do "nothing" your business will be classified as a sole proprietorship ~ which does not protect you.)

I will get dedicated business bank account and credit cards.  (Keeping everything separate from your personal purchases is the best practice to have for your business and your business taxes.)  I have a separate account for my styling business AND then for credit card for purchases I may make for clients.

I will get a Styling Services Contract for my styling business. (You want to protect yourself and business with a contract and to also be known as a professional stylist.  Your rate, scope of work, timelines is all reflected in your contract.)

I will follow up on getting my tearsheets from styling jobs I have done. Challenging to get I know! We talk about it in How to Get Your Photo Styling Tearsheet and Samples.  But you get more work when you SHOW the work you have already done. (That's a "must keep on top of" on your list!)

I will establish a dedicated a business IG that focuses solely on getting business.  Separate your business and personal accounts. Dedicate an IG to your work, thoughts and ideas as you ~ the photo and prop stylist.  (Set up your highlights into categories that would interest potential (& current) clients. Now, you know I'm not super active on IG ~ I'm talking about setting up something (whether that be another platform, Pinterest, etc.) and having that be your "marketing my photo styling business Hub". (Or setting up a strong Email Newsletter to help your current and prospective clients.)  That is what Tamara, who I referred to in this Post, does. Her "Hubs" are Instagram and her Newsletter.  Establish your Hub! Put it on your "Action Plan"! ;)

Get More Photo Styling Work For My Portfolio.
Instead of saying: “I will work on trying to get more photos for my portfolio ”.

DO THIS:  I will call 5 Photographers today to see if they want to do a Collaborative Styled Photo Shoot with Me or if they offer the opportunity to a "test" with them.  If you need a guide on this, we have a Collaborative Styled Photo Shoot Guide in our Shop.  It also has a sample outreach letter in there for you! You can cross that off your list! :)

So, I wanted to talk specifics (and suggestions) with you on your Action Plan, because I know if we don't set specific tasks for our business, it's easy to step into what I call the "When I" Syndrome. 

BUT, we gotta lend into our shiny objects, sometime, right?!?  Schedule time to look at your shiny objects!  lol! This is what I do!  I LITERALLY place them in a "Shiny Object File! (computer and/or physiceal file) I’m ALL about the pretty pictures and find I WILL be completely distracted, so I schedule it in!  It’s not a bad thing to be distracted by your “Shiny Object” it’s the letting it derail your whole vision, goal and action plan to make your dream a reality.

Photo Stylists tell me they think a certain niche makes ALL the money?  More than likely it’s the PERSON in the niche who put the time, effort and investment in learning and in themselves and avoided Shiny Object Syndrome. (Or scheduled it in!)  We can’t make excuses for our “shiny objects” ~ We have to “own them” and just limit the time we give them.  Heck, we’re all on IG getting inspired and looking at the pretty pictures ~ but we’re also learning and connecting too!  Be strategic.


Bonnie ~

Image Credit ｜ Mariah Gale Creative via Reverie.Boston