Hello from the midwest where it is currently -7 degrees. Unfortunately for me, my Australian Shepherd puppy doesn’t mind and love to play fetch outside. Ummmm BRRRR
If you’re like most photographers, November—March is typically a slow season. Horses are fluffy and enjoying that winter weight and their owners don’t want to freeze in the cold. Does that mean you should just close up shop and hibernate with the rest of the world? No way!
Here are six ways to improve your business during the slow season:
1) Backup your photos
Take the down time to backup all of last year’s photos onto a separate hard drive and/or an online Cloud service. It may seem like a large project (especially if you photograph horse shows), but it is well worth it. I always recommend watching your favorite TV show while waiting for everything to upload to pass the time.
2) Invest in some education
There is no better time to take an online course than in the dead of winter curled up in your fuzzy slippers sipping some hot chocolate.
Try booking some online mentorship calls with a pro you respect to prepare for the new year. Or take their online course/read their ebook. If it’s not in your budget to pay for education right now, try some free online materials. Pinterest and Google will be your best friends in finding these!
One of my clients, Sara Shier with Sara Shier Photography (check her out!), just had me take Jenna Kutcher’s “The List to Launch Lab” for email marketing and I learned SO much.
3) Try a creative project
Every creative mind needs a break from their normal. Try something new and fresh. You don’t have to post it online or share it on your business page, but break out of your normal rhythm. Challenge yourself and your skill.
Have you been thinking about trying commercial photography? Grab some of your favorite products and give it a go! Normally only take photos of horses? Borrow a friend and try some human-only portraits.
I rarely photograph people without a horse subject, but I took some formal photos of my cousin after she had her violin solo this past month.
My personal new favorite photo by Tisha Pol of T.P Creations inspired me to want to photograph snow sessions and that’s coming from someone who HATES the cold!
4) Get your taxes ready for April
If you’re accepting money, you should be a legal business (that includes paying taxes). I’m not an accountant so I’m not going to give you any other advice other than book your appointment with your CPA and get those taxes filed before busy season hits!
Slow season is, however, a great time to get everything together and organized for your accountant!
5) Update your website/CMS
Did you take some AWESOME photos in 2019? Great! Update your website with those so your clients can see your current work. Plus, updating your website shows Google that you’re an active site which helps boost your SEO. Read tips about SEO on my other blog post here.
Customer Management Systems (CMS) are lifesavers. Seriously. They’re a lifesaver.
Personally, I use Dubsado because it best fits my needs. I can send invoices, contracts, questionnaires, PDFs, proposals and so much more. Plus, it keeps everything organized for me so if I ever have a question about what I sent a client, I have a concise view of it all!
PLUS a CMS helps keep you on brand with everything you send out. Your clients will be amazed with how “together” you look.
Let me help you save money! Save 20% off your first year with Dubsado by signing up here with my link here or with my referral code: breyingling
There are plenty of other CMSes out there, you have to find the one that best fits your needs.
6) Relax
Wait. I just told you to NOT take a break during the slow season.
You don’t need to take a 4-month long vacation (unless you can, in which case please let me know how ASAP) to relax. Decide ahead of time if you want to take mornings off to relax and do your own thing or if you’d rather work all morning and take your afternoons off.
Find a new book series to read or a new Netflix show to watch. Grab coffee with a friend you haven’t seen since the last slow season. Take up hiking, painting or another relaxing hobby. Yes. I find hiking relaxing.
Your brain is your business, let it rest before the crazy season hits. That’s the nice part of being an entrepreneur: you set your own hours.