We recently connected with Caleigh Churchey and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Caleigh, thanks for joining us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later
Looking into my business now, I would say I started at the perfect timing. Previously, I worked at a daycare and photography was just a hobby. I was rather shy before working at this job. This job had shown me all of these little personalities ranging from 2 years old to fifth grade! With this I learned how to communicate, and build relationships with TONS of kiddos and my co-workers! I believe this helps me get all those smiles and build bonds with all of my clients and their children… some of which make sure to hug me before they leave a session! I loved watching my daycare kids grow day by day as I do my clients children. You feel apart of their family capturing all of these special moments they hold onto forever.
I feel if I would have started earlier I wouldn’t be so confident so soon. I wouldn’t be so ready to sing songs, dance and make crazy noises to get kids to laugh. I wouldn’t have gained that confidence and broke out of that shell if I hadn’t worked at the daycare for 3 years prior.
Lastly, having my son in 2022, not realizing when I started up on my part time photography, it would completely take off. I wanted to capture those special moments of him, they went by so quickly. I knew this was all I wanted to do. Manage my own photography business. Slowly, I started getting client, after client, after client and have been full time ever since. I am so blessed for that happening right after I had my sweet boy!
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.
For those who do not know me, I am Caleigh Churchey. I own Caleigh Christine Photography LLC. I specialize in newborn and cake smash photography but also shoot maternity, families, couples and any other photography needs you may have! I grew interest in becoming a photographer when I went with my bestfriend to get her daughters newborn pictures taken. I thought to myself “these are beautiful” and only thought how special it was to capture these moments. After losing my grandfather in 2011, I only have 2 pictures to look back on and remember him by. That really hits home when you feel in your heart how special the person was to you. I wanted to provide those pictures of special moments for people to look bad on and not miss out on. A picture may be all you have at moments.
I am most proud of how happy clients are when they finish a session with me. I’m forever grateful for all of the friendships I have built with many of my clients. But more than anything, I’m proud I am so trusted to capture the most special moments in hundreds of peoples lives.
How did you build your audience on social media?
I will say social media plays a big part in my growing clientele, but word of mouth is more so what keeps me going.
I started off not too sure this was going to get far as my social media wasn’t looking all too great. I didn’t have many followers, didn’t get many likes. I didn’t give up though. I started posting daily, even if it was just a quote on a picture, a session, just SOMETHING. I felt like this engaged people into my page. I then ask my clients to write me reviews and invite their friends to my page. This started boosting my social media a TON. Giveaways also helped build my portfolio as well as engage people in my page!
My advice to those just starting to build the social media presence would be to not give up. Keep posting. Share your work. Get your name out there.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The most effective strategy for growing your clientele to me would be building relationships. Don’t only build these relationships to just get clientele, build them when you MEAN IT. Create bonds, share stories, laugh, talk to them while doing their session. Anyone in this world will want to work with someone who is personal and makes them feel comfortable. THIS makes people come back to you. For the person you are, how you make them feel. This is 90% of what they take in from their session with you. This is my favorite part of being a photographer, the relationships with my clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://caleighchristinephotography.mypixieset.com/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ
- Instagram: CaleighC.Photography
- Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/caleigh.christine.5?wtsid=rdr_0XrraG6AgsKAw7vyw&mibextid=Zxz2cZ