We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Phillip Destruge a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Phillip thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you as a business owner?

I have been a portrait photographer for over a decade but in the interim I have been in the medical field for over 16 years. However, in 2020 I lost my job and I needed to replace my income within the next month but for obvious reasons I didn’t want to go back to working in person in an office with a full staff.

So I signed up to all the delivery services in my area which included UberEats, GrubHub and Instacart. Unfortunately, many of those apps were quickly over staffed and I was put on a wait list. So the next app I signed up for was Mercari. It was built much like Ebay but with more security and peace of mind.

I did my research and found out what was the hottest selling items at the time, which turned out to be shoes; golf shoes specifically. However, I wasn’t the only one on this site selling similar merchandise. So, I looked at what most people were doing and analyzing the tactics of what the ones who were selling the most were using.

I wanted to make sure I had the best chance at succeeding because I was running out of time. I saw that the most successful transactions were with folks who had good photos of the product, a detailed description, included FREE SHIPPING as an offer and had excellent ratings.

As a professional photographer I knew I could really step it up when it came to the images displayed. I used all my skills and photographed the products I was selling in the best way possible. I made sure to take advantage of the app allowing me to showcase 12 images rather than my competition only using 4-5 images.

When it came to the description, I made sure to point out all the features of the item and how they can be used. If there was a flaw I was sure to include it and it could be clearly seen in one of the images. As well as letting buyers know that there item would be shipped the next business day.

When they purchased it, I packaged the items very well and included a note telling them “thank you for your purchase and to enjoy their new item” which bought me extra brownie points and secured my 5 star rating. Once I had enough good ratings, Mercari starts awarding you TRUST badges as a top seller.

Combining all these touch points, I was able to ask for a higher price point and include Free Shipping.

It was after doing this process repeatedly for 6 months that I understood the power of high quality professional images. Before I was photographing people because I found them interesting or updating a models portfolio so she can land jobs through her agency but it never dawned on me that my work could have such a deep influence in the purchasing decisions of someone. So much so that they would gladly spend more money with me than my competitor solely based on the fact that my work had created trust and removed the risk of losing money.

3 months later I was allowed to be part of the UberEats delivery army and applied similar tactics like private messages to let the person know their food was being kept warm inside an insulated box and that I was on the way as well as some mints for after dinner. All these things increased my tips by $5-$15 per meal averaging my salary to $1400/month while only working 4 hours a day Mon-Sat.

So how did I take these lessons and apply them into my business today? I made sure that my website was a clear and easy to understand landing page. It told my ideal client what to expect, how their problem would be solved and what to do next. I also installed a Client Management system so that any message or inquiry is met with an immediate response rather than them having to wait days for an answer or risk me forgetting to check my email.

When it comes to working with my clients, I don’t just show up and take some pictures. Instead we build a strategy together that will help them increase brand awareness, set them apart from their competition and position themselves as the authority in their field. At every touch point I do my best to add value and make sure they feel like I am rooting for their success, which I am.

I treat every client the way I wish I would be treated if I hired someone and I know that the amount of money I’m spending, although high, will have a great ROI and will be well worth it.

Phillip, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My photography career began in NYC around 2012. I originally began photographing portraits of friends and family while also taking clients who were referred by them. However, my fascination with photography started long before then. When I was 12 years old I picked up my first Vanity Fair magazine and instantly was drawn into the beautiful imagery. With my father working at the School of Visual Arts in NYC, I was exposed to amazing creativity when he would take me along to his job. It was the first time I got to see more of NYC and understood it’s appeal. Fast forward to 2015, I was introduced to a few friends who were agency-represented models and I fell in love with creating editorials; hence a lot of my early work is shot in NY and it has a distinctive magazine style.

Then in 2018, I moved to Florida with my wife and kids and I continued to shoot Portrait & Editorial work. I was able to get in touch with a few agencies here and managed to create some great relationships and be hired for model development. Unfortunately, 2020 placed a halt on the fashion world, therefore, stopping work from coming in. It was during this time that I took the moment to reflect on what I really wanted to do long-term and that took me back to my roots which was creating beautiful magazine-style portraits for everyday people.

I wanted to transform the experience from something that’s just an average mini photo session (which feels impersonal) to a more elevated and exciting affair. Everyone should have the chance to feel like a celebrity for one day and celebrate themselves. Whether you’re a new mother or a matured parent with many children or it’s a personal achievement such as a graduation or even a celebration of love such as an anniversary, I wanted to offer a unique gift people can give themselves or to their loved ones.

So with that goal in mind, I created two separate branches of my brand, Phillip Destruge Portraits. Both offer the same quality of work but are meant for different people. One is the Family Portraits and the other is Personal Branding/Headshots for entrepreneurs and business people such as realtors, coaches, speakers, educators and service based businesses. My other realization during COVID was that the world quickly adopted an online life. Companies like Zoom profited exponentially and regular corporations were currently struggling to find new workers because the ones they had didn’t want to go back to a 9-5 because they have created their own thriving businesses.

All this change created an opportunity for me to offer my own services as not only an experienced photographer but as a social media strategist as well. My services range anything from updating your new headshots to creating social media content across various platforms to helping write engaging copy as powerful combination with the images taken.

I very much enjoy helping a business grow and thrive. There is something so fulfilling about seeing how your work can greatly impact the lives of people in such a positive way. I enjoy being the guide to heroes I help.

How did you build your audience on social media?

My audience on social media isn’t large in comparison to many influencers. currently at a little less than 1,400 I would say I’m barely there.

However, my strategy isn’t based on a massive amount of people. For me to be successful (in my definition) I only need 80 clients in a year or 8 on retainer. I live in a region with over half a million people, which means I got options.

So my social media strategy is to connect with those ideal clients who have influence locally and are well known in my area. A great portion of my following is just that; local businesses and key people of influence.

Obviously, depending on your career path, it may benefit you to have a huge following but if you are a service based business that’s only working in a local area then big numbers don’t matter.

My biggest suggestion would be to create content that your ideal client/customer will want to see. Answer your most FAQ’s through your social media, Show behind the scenes of your process, share testimonials and case studies of previous clients and show how your services helped solve their problem.

Don’t get stuck on vanity metrics but instead focus on your client and their needs.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

There are many books out there that have been a great resource but 2 of my favorite has been “You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth” by Jen Sincero and “$100 Million Offers” by Alex Hormozi.

For a long time, and I still struggle with it at times is understanding how valuable my services are to people and that I am deserving of a lot of money. Jen Sincero’s book tackles that crap right away and in a very “I’m your friend” kind of style. It is an excellent book if you are struggling with feelings of self doubt, you know you need to charge more in your business or you simply want to attract more wealth. It all starts in your noggin and it’s wild once you shift your mindset.

As for $100 Million Offers, it offers similar suggestions minus the whole “universe, God or whatever you believe in” talk. It’s straight business talk on how to make real money, real fast and no its not a get rich quick scheme. All the info in the book is based on his personal experience but it actionable information that anyone in any business can apply. I’ve listened to it via Audible but plan to read and listen to it again. You cannot go wrong.

Other honorable mentions are “Building a Story Brand” by Donald Miller which will help you clarify your message and not confuse your clients/customers. And “Captivate: The science of succeeding with People” by Vanessa Von Edwards. This book is for those introverts who have a hard time connecting with people and bringing out that necessary charisma that sells your services or products. It will help you nail your next networking event.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.egurtsed.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillipdestruge/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/phillipdestruge1/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillipdestruge/

Image Credits
All images created by Phillip Destruge Portrait, LLC