572: Ashley Kaplan – From $20k to $200k a blueprint for explosive photography business growth

PhotoBizX The Ultimate Wedding and Portrait Photography Business Podcast

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

Ashley Kaplan of www.ashleykaplanphotography.com is a San Francisco, Californian-based family photographer, mentor, and educator.

She told me about her passion for intentionally incorporating location into portrait photography to add more meaning, memory, and belonging to her work, which she said leads to a higher-end offering for clients.

She's been in business for almost 8 years, is booked out nearly year-round, and is becoming known for her environmental portraits.

I always become a little wary when I hear the terms educator and mentor being used when it comes to interview guests so I asked a few more questions to get a better idea if she'd make a great guest for you.

I learned that 90% of her income comes from photography clients and 10% from education.

Her revenue from photography is over $200k, her work is gorgeous, and her portrait photography pricing starts at over $1500.

In this interview, Ashley shares a blueprint for explosive photography business growth and how she went from 20k to $200k in quick time.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

• From Hobbyist to Pro: Ashley’s Journey to Photography Success
• Invest in Growth: The Impact of Business Classes on Photography Ventures
• Capture the Moment: Why Meaningful Locations Matter in Photography
• Balancing Education and Bookings: Ashley’s Photography Mastery
• Elevate Your Craft: Creating High-End Portraits with Thoughtful Backdrops
• Ashley’s Passion for Location-Integrated Portrait Photography
• Launching a Photography Business as a Stay-at-Home Mom: Ashley's Success Story
• From $20k to $200k: How Business Coaching Transformed Ashley’s Photography Business
• Thriving Without Paid Marketing: The Power of Word-of-Mouth Referrals
• Unique Offerings and Quality Work: Ashley’s Secret to a Full Schedule
• Relying on Referrals: Building a Photography Business Without Incentives
• Breaking Records: How Ashley Earned $50,000 in One Week
• Boost Your Bookings: Upselling Tips from Ashley’s Photography Business
• Streamline Your Workflow: Automated Invoicing and Contracts with Honey Book
• The Value of Photos: Ashley’s Near-Miss Wildfire Experience
• Balancing Work and Family: Tips for Avoiding Missing Key Moments
• The Benefits of Business Coaching and Branding for Photographers
• Focus on Environment: Ashley’s Journey to Mastering Environmental Portraits
• Defining Environmental Portraits: Capturing Interaction in Photography
• Prioritizing Client Preferences: Ashley’s Approach to Emotional Photo Shoots
• Navigating Rescheduling Policies and Fees in Photography
• The Importance of Setting Rescheduling Fees for Your Photography Business
• Educating Clients: Rights, Responsibilities, and Boundaries in Photography
• Enhancing Family Photos with Meaningful Locations
• Automated Payments: Simplifying the Booking Process for Clients
• All-Inclusive Photography Packages: From Editing to Social Media Shares
• Timely Deliveries: Finalized Galleries and Client Feedback Processes
• Master Environmental Portraits: Join Ash’s ‘Sense of Place’ Photography Course
• Course Insights: Location Scouting, Lighting, and Local Business Connections
• Common Mistakes in Environmental Portraits and How to Avoid Them
• Creating Stories Through Framing and Negative Space in Photography

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

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, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

I decided to become a stay-at-home mom and run a photography business just as a side hustle to earn money. – Ashley Kaplan

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. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to 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 motives similar to yours – 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 from what Ashley 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, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

I'm a big believer that you like invest in people that support you to run the things that are not in your zone of genius and you stay in your lane in your zone of genius and it helps me actually make more money by paying people to do things that I don't love and don't do well. – Ashley Kaplan

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

PhotoBizX Premium Membership Special — LAST CHANCE TODAY!

It's rare to see a special price for the Premium Membership, but there's one available for you until Sunday, June 30th 2024.

Why the special?

Because it's holiday time (I'm off to France) and there's no better reason to celebrate!

The 12-Month Premium Membership – is normally $200… NOW $120… https://photobizx.com/holidayspecial

This is the cheapest you'll ever see the 12-month membership.

SPECIAL BONUS FOR EXISTING MEMBERS

If you've made a membership payment this month already and want this deal, I'll refund this month's payment for you.

For me to process the refund, you'll need to email me your PayPal email address, which may be different to your regular email address.

Make sure you join first, then cancel your existing payments. This way, your Premium RSS Feed URL stays the same.

NOTE: If you are already on the special price from last year, there's no need for you to do anything. Your existing membership will automatically renew at the special price.

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

If a terrible situation happen and my home burnt down, what are the things that truly matter besides my people? And photographs and albums are that for a lot of people and it's one of the only things we invest in that our children's children's children will have. – Ashley Kaplan

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 or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. 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. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

There are so few things that are heirlooms and photographs are that. – Ashley Kaplan

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 impacted you and your photography business.​

Here's the latest review:

★★★★★ Essential listening for professional photographers

Via Apple Podcasts by Los Angeles Family Photographer Sarah Sido, in the USA on June 25th, 2024.

This review is long overdue! There is no other podcast that has been as important and impactful to my business growth.

Andrew is a fantastic interviewer who always gets the most helpful information from his guests. Instead of vague concepts, he really pushes for real numbers and specific strategies. The only thing left for you is to make sure you implement the strategies that resonate with you.

But what really separates this podcast from so many others is the community that comes with the premium membership and Andrew himself. I don’t know how he does it, but somehow Andrew finds time to respond in detail to any questions or requests for feedback in the FB group. And I don’t mean quick lines of encouragement, he gives real, thought through, helpful feedback. I’m consistently blown away.

Definitely try out the premium version. So worth it!

★★★★★ This is priceless!

Via email from Adelaide pet photographer, Tanya Simmonds, in Australia on June 28th, 2024.

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for letting me know. I have to admit, a few times I have contemplated leaving the membership to save some money, but I wanted you to know that the reason I stay is that you have created such a lovely, nurturing and safe haven for photographers where I feel very supported, that I just have to stay. Thank you for bringing together such a lovely and positive group of people! This is priceless!

Warmest regards,

Tanya

THE BE INSPIRED JOURNAL – The Ultimate Mindset & Morning Ritual Journal for Business Owners

Photography business and mindset coach Johl Dunn has finally released his journal for photographers!

Why You’ll Love It:

• Daily Prompts: Simple questions to help you stay aligned and focused.
• Track Your Progress: Monitor your days, weeks, and months all in one place.
• Cultivate Habits: Consistent use realigns your thought patterns positively.

What’s Inside?

• Morning Routine: Reflect, plan, and set your intentions for the day.
• Night Routine: Dive into gratitude, track your energy, and end your day positively.
• Weekly Winning Habits: Track the habits that feed your energy and connect you to your goals.

For more details and to order yours, head to: https://photobizx.com/beinspired

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

A Sense of Place – Learning to Intentionally Incorporate Location To Enhance & Elevate Storytelling Course

Ashley Kaplan Website

Ashley Kaplan on Facebook

Ashley Kaplan on Instagram

With environmental portraits, composition is paramount. People can get really lost in the image if you are not very intentional about where you are placing them and how you're composing the image and how you're cropping it. And so sometimes I can show how minor tweaks can really elevate an image quite a bit. – Ashley Kaplan

Thank you!

Thanks again for listening and to Ashley for coming on and sharing her thoughts, ideas and experience on creating backlinks for a successful and fast-growing photography business based around gorgeous environmental family portraits.

That really impacts me in what I deliver to clients knowing that sometimes we have these pressures on ourselves in the moment but you're not my only client. Your great great grandkids are also clients that I think about and that's why I'm all inclusive because I want all of those pictures, the full story. – Ashley Kaplan

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon
Andrew

The post 572: Ashley Kaplan – From $20k to $200k a blueprint for explosive photography business growth appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.