We recently connected with Jennifer Kielich and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Jennifer, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
Back in September of 2012, I became a first time mom. We had tried for years to start a family, and the day my twins were born truly changed my life forever (doesn’t it for all parents??). I had recently left the corporate world and knew I didn’t want to go back. I was dead set on being a stay at home mom and soaking up every minute with my newborn babies. So that’s what I did! For about a year I devoted every minute of every day to my kiddos, and it was MAGICAL. During that time, I picked up an old digital camera that was collecting dust at home. I was a long time hobbyist photographer, starting with film back in high school, though I hadn’t really picked up the camera in a while. But now I had these adorable little subjects to photograph, and I Ioved having so many images of my kids in those early days of motherhood. It felt really important to have those! I kept taking photos, and I realized that I had some talent! My love for photography was always there under the surface, but now it was on fire. I was obsessed and I knew I wanted to try and do something with it. I wanted other moms to have images like mine to love and cherish and smile over. I stayed awake at night researching equipment, settings, editing techniques, etc. I couldn’t get enough! So when my kids were about a year old, I decided to go all in. I was going to officially start a photography business. I literally just dove right in. Without a second thought I spent a ton of money on the best gear I could find, I created a website, and I started reaching out to mom friends to let me practice with them. I did a LOT of model calls and worked for free for several months until I built up a portfolio and felt like I was in a place where I could start charging for my services. At that point, I reached out to some of those mom friends I had practiced with and asked them to spread the word! I gave them my professional contact info and the rest is history. My first paying client was an adorable family of four, who were complete strangers to me. I was ECSTATIC. And also really nervous! There’s certainly more pressure on you not to “mess up” when someone is paying for your services! It went well though and that same family comes back to me year after year, even as my rates increase. I think that’s one of the best parts of my job; watching other families grow and change through my camera lens each year. That first family gave me the confidence I needed to keep going and keep building. Now I’m shooting full time and I’m loving every second of it. Even the non-photography related parts of the business (accounting, marketing, advertising, etc) are enjoyable because I love what I do and I know I’m providing something important to the families I serve. Babies don’t keep, and I can’t think of a single parent who doesn’t cherish photos of their family above all else.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I’m a professional portrait photographer based out of Tampa, FL. I absolutely adore working with young families, and I try to focus on naturally emotive imagery that feels candid and organic. My sessions always include some “smile at the camera” shots, but my favorite photos are the in-between moments where family members interact with one another. I believe that’s where I really shine. I’m great with kids and I always manage to bring out their personalities in my imagery. That’s something you can’t “learn.” Unlike the technical aspects of photography, like camera settings or lighting, the ability to connect with people and make them feel comfortable in front of the camera is an innate skill. You either have it or you don’t. And while I would certainly consider myself more of introvert in my everyday life, as soon as my camera comes out I’m able to connect and make my clients feel at ease; even the smallest ones.
I also believe that what I do is IMPORTANT. There is value in my art…value beyond the monetary investment. If your house was on fire and you could take only one material possession, what would it be? Most people say their family’s photos. So while my career doesn’t require a PHD, it’s certainly not any less important. Spend the money, friends. Hire the professional! And get in the frame with your kids!!!
We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.
In a world obsessed with social media, it’s easy to think that this is the best way to reach people. In my personal experience however, good old fashioned email marketing is what works best. There’s no algorithm to beat and no trends to keep up on. It’s a direct line to your clients. You can’t spam them with daily emails and expect them to stick around though, so you have be focused and purposeful. I send an email MAYBE once a month. I let them know what’s going on with my business and I offer them something special that random folks on social media don’t have access to. That keeps me in the forefront of their minds and I usually get at least a couple of bookings each time I send one. These emails don’t always have to focus on sales. Sending a guide on what to wear for family photos, for example, is a great way to connect with your client base. I’m not asking them to spend money, I’m just giving them some helpful information. And when they are ready to spend the money, they’ll hopefully think of me!
Growing an email list can seem slow at times, but it’s well worth it. I sometimes use social media to tease upcoming events and ask my followers to subscribe to emails in order to learn more. And I have my website set up in such a way that when a contact form is submitted, you are agreeing to be added to my list (with the option to unsubscribe at any time). That way, even if they don’t book a session right away, the lead is solidified and the next time an email goes out, I’m reminding that potential client that I’m still here.
How did you build your audience on social media?
While email marketing is my number one method for reaching current and potential clients, social media obviously plays an important role in any business now-a-days. Posting regularly (which I’m admittedly not great at) is important, but there are other ways to grow your social accounts too. Write an article and submit it to an industry specific blog with links to your Instagram (and website!), reach out to other professionals in your industry and collaborate on a giveaway, get involved in your community or volunteer for a charity and post about it. My biggest jump in followers on Instagram was through a joint giveaway with other photographers. Each of us had written an e-book for a well know photography network, and we came together to try and build our audience. We each offered a copy of our e-book as a prize, and asked people to follow all of our accounts in order to enter the give away. The winner got a TON of free material and we all saw our audiences grow by several hundred followers. Sometimes you have to get creative!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://jenniferkielich.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenniferkielichphotography