Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Abby Grace Springmann. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Abby Grace, thanks for joining us today. It’s easy to look at a business or industry as an outsider and assume it’s super profitable – but we’ve seen over and over again in our conversation with folks that most industries have factors that make profitability a challenge. What’s biggest challenge to profitability in your industry?

I’ve seen it over and over again with artists as a whole- we’re afraid to price our work like business owners, and instead end up charging based on how a number makes us feel. And in doing so, we forget that *we’re* not the consumer! Pricing is part art, part math- you absolutely must know your numbers, how much time and money it costs you to produce your deliverables, how much you need to bring home, etc. And those numbers serve as your jumping off point. But then comes the matter of understanding the demand side of things- so many artists think that because their work isn’t “essential” for survival, that that somehow means they can’t charge premium prices. They price based on what they themselves would be willing to pay for a product, instead of asking “what would my dream client expect to pay for a piece like this?” The result is artists who are undercharging and underearning, which inevitably throttles profitability.

I’ll never forget the time I was talking with a fellow artist about pricing her products, and when I threw out a number I’d expect to pay for her custom pieces, she told me that the people in her community wouldn’t pay that much, that they’d rather go to HomeGoods for wall art. And my response was “yeah… but that’s not your target client, is it?” We have GOT to stop asking for pricing feedback from people who don’t value what we create- identify your dream client and get THEIR feedback instead. They’re the ones you’re actually trying to sell to, so they’re the ones most qualified to tell you what they think!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a brand photographer for high-performing, creative small business owners! I create marketing-minded photographs to help business owners stand out and sell to those who need their products. What I do is part art, part strategy- I dig deep into my clients’ brand identity, identifying any gaps between their intentions v. audience perception of the brand, and then create a library of photographs that help bridge that gap. It’s strategic & intentional visual messaging, and because I work with creatives, it’s also really fun to look at, too!

When I first stepped on the branding scene, it felt like all I was seeing was a mass of “smiling at your laptop” photos (sometimes with a cute mug in hand, for extra effect). But there is SO much more to a brand’s story than the tool they use to send emails, and I knew I could tell that story more fully than it was currently being offered. So I combined my years of wedding photography expertise with my background in PR & communication, and started creating work that looked nothing like the other photographs I’d seen before. And the best part was seeing those photos go to work and get my clients noticed in new and exciting ways.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with some of the creative industry’s biggest names- Katelyn James, Ashlyn Carter, Natalie Franke, KT Merry and more, and I love that every session is a different challenge from the one before! I’ve also had the pleasure of teaching my process to hundreds of other photographers eager to move into brand work, and seeing their work grow and evolve is more satisfying than I can put words to.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I started out photographing weddings in 2009, and for the first few years, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I LOVED my clients, the joy and beauty of a wedding day, all of it! But as I inched towards the ten-year mark, something started to shift in me. The format from one fête to another doesn’t typically change too much, and I felt myself falling out of love- I wanted to create something new, I wanted to be challenged in ways that a classic wedding day didn’t offer. At first I brushed it off as a slump, but then when my first son was born, the feeling only intensified. Around that same time, I was also realizing that I didn’t want to spend every beautiful weekend April-November away from my growing family.

I knew we needed to make a pivot…. but I was terrified. We’d worked our way into the upper tiers of the wedding industry and my collections were in the five-figure range. The thought of replacing that kind of income seemed impossible, even though I’d been shooting brand sessions in the background for a couple of years at that point. I thought, at best, we’d be able to taper off *some* of my wedding bookings, but only if we went all-in on marketing brand photography.

And then Covid hit. My wedding bookings kept getting pushed further and further out, some of them outright canceled, which meant a delay or loss in income with each scheduling change. But weirdly, what didn’t slow down was brand photography- we booked more sessions in 2020 than I’d expected, and by 2021, we’d built enough momentum to stop taking new bookings for weddings. The pivot didn’t happen overnight, but we were able to replace what I was making from weddings with brand photography, giving me back my evenings and weekends to spend with my family AND providing me with the challenge I was searching for!

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

The best way we stay top of mind for our clients is by simply investing in them as people and building organic relationships with them. We do this in a couple different ways- firstly, I love cheering my clients on! It’s a joy to find ways to support their businesses, whether that’s with a shout out on my podcast, or a mention in my newsletter. Sending my audience members to my clients’ audiences helps both of us- I’m serving my followers & readers by providing them with great referrals for other high-quality service providers, and my clients get the benefit of growing their tribe.

In addition to cheering them on, I also love finding small ways to delight them, to let them know I’m thinking of them and understand them as humans. For example, one of my clients mentioned on social media that she was heading into a week of webinars and joked about the inevitability of losing her voice as a result. So I sent her a box of my favorite tea with a little note wishing her luck with her classes. Easy peasy, uncomplicated, and a relatively small investment, but it showed my client that I’m paying attention and I’m invested in her success.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.abbygracephotography.com
• Instagram: @abbygracephoto
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AbbyGracePhotography/
• Other: theartisanceo.com

Image Credits
AG_brand_2022-207- photo by Alisandra Photography BTS_2022-33 – photo by Dennah Renee Photography All other photographs are my own (Abby Grace Photography)