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There is no doubt that the right coach or mentor can help you to build a more profitable photography business. When you do the work a great coach sets out for you, you'll get the money you spent on that coach back several times over. But notice I said 'the right coach' because the wrong one can be a disaster...
Prefer to read? Scroll down for the blog post...
Before we talk more about photography business coaches, if you're looking to shape up your photography business for more profit and success, download my FREE ultimate photography business plan.
You won't find a more comprehensive one and it comes with detailed information and examples to help you complete it. Check it out and enjoy some sweet clarity!
Ok, let me share with you something one of my Togs in Business members posted to our community recently. I won't name this member for reasons that will be obvious afterwards.
"I paid SERIOUS money (5 figures) to hire a coach before joining Togs in Business and it worked for a while. I made mega money each month...10k+!
But soon I was miserable and soul-destroyed. I felt I was running a production line rather than something built out of love.
The marketing strategies filled me with so much anxiety I ended up ill.
My coach tore down all of my ideas and natural creativity. I lost my spark and my confidence and the inevitable happened. I couldn't sustain the activities that were bringing in the money."
A lot of coaches have a blueprint photography business and marketing model that's been tried and tested and tweaked over time with their various students.
That's fine. I'm not doubting for a moment that their blueprint isn't great... for the person it was created for .
And that's because, as a small business owner, you can't help but bring your humanness into your business!
That's exactly why my lovely Togs in Business member couldn't keep going with the profitable strategies her coach told her to use. They were so out of sync with the person she is.
Not only did she feel enormous levels of anxiety trying to run her business in this way, her values were screaming at her on a daily basis.
It didn't feel right and if you're someone who also needs to feel aligned with the business you're creating, you need to hear this before you even think about coaching.
If you try to run your business as someone else, you might have some short term success but that success won't have longevity.
Am I telling you not to hire a photography business coach?
Certainly not!
Like I said, the right coach can be a phenomenal decision.
Here's my advice;
1. If they don't start by asking you lots of questions about your business objectives, your ideal client and, crucially, you as a person?
Go no further.
How can they help you when they don't know who you are, who you want to serve and what you want from your business?
A great coach will not take on any and every coaching client. They'll know who's a good fit and who isn't and they get that information by asking questions and listening to the answers.
2. If they tell you that they have a blueprint business and marketing model that works for everyone 'as long as they do the work and have the right mindset'?
Go no further.
Anyone who claims that their model works for everyone regardless of their personality, values, character and aspirations is deluded.
Nothing works for everyone. Nothing.
You can start something with the best mindset and work ethic in the world and its likely to work for you but if you're miserable and soul-destroyed whilst you're doing it? Well, that's just a short term win and a long term disaster.
Their advice on marketing and running your photography business will be tailored to who you are and what you want.
If they have a blueprint model that they teach to everyone, they should be very transparent about who it's right for and they should help you to decide whether or not it's a good fit for you.
This isn't a small investment (of money and time) and it's not something to dive into lightly.
Whilst the right coach can skyrocket your business and your confidence, the wrong coach can lead you to create a business you hate and, however successful that is initially, the shelf-life it has is very short indeed.
I hope this helps you if and when you decide to hire a coach to take your photography business to the next level.
And if a coach is out of your budget right now, download my free ultimate photography business plan instead. It'll help you to create the perfect business for YOU.
[…] choice when it comes to photography business and marketing education. There are superb mentors and coaches out there whom you can hire on a 1-2-1 basis, epic six week online courses you can take, in-person workshops and retreats to attend, or you can […]