We recently connected with Lorrie Miller and have shared our conversation below.
Lorrie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Do you have any advice regarding quality control and maintaining quality as your brand grows?
I never knew I wanted to be a photographer, let alone own my own studio! The path to my growth was surprising and organic. I used to be in banking after graduating from college. It was something I was proud of. I quickly worked my way into management. Shortly after, I had a family circumstance that led me to quit working and stay home with my children. However, I still had a deep desire to contribute financially and have something of my own to help define me. I was always a hard worker and pushed hard to get my bachelor’s degree after having my first son. I was motivated and focused, but I didn’t know where I could find substantial work that would make it so I could still be with my children during the day.
In July of 2014, I had a family portrait session that I had purchased for my birthday. It was amazing! It was less than 30 minutes, several hundred dollars and the pictures were beautiful! I remember thinking on the way home that I could totally do that!! (Little did I know what all owning a photography business entails!)
Several days later I purchased my very first entry level camera and got to work learning the basics of manual mode. I thought up a name – Lorrie Ann Photography – made a Facebook page and started asking for portfolio building sessions.
I definitely got some pushback from directions I never anticipated. I had a good friend at the time who encouraged me not to give up. Before I knew it I was needing to get into a studio of my own. I signed the lease of a $400 a month space with a storage closet and a large open room that had rustic brick walls and hardwood floors. It was beautiful. I remember setting up and just sitting down on a crate with tears streaming down my face. I was so very proud and excited. This little thing I never expected much of was growing and had no signs of slowing down.
It wasn’t long before I grew out of my first studio. By year 2 I was bursting at the seams with business and a collection of ever-growing props. I moved down the hall in the same building that provided me with 3 rooms. I then made a promotional video with a talented videographer that included clients speaking about their time with me and the quality of their photos. It ended with some final words from me. It was only a couple weeks after that my business exploded. Social media was in your corner more at that time, and my promotional video was shared and “liked” many times. I had hired a former high school associate to paint custom backdrops for me, so I could have something no one else had to set me apart. I remember talking to her one evening about how I felt like I couldn’t keep up and she offered to help. It was then that she turned from backdrop designer to assistant! I was able to maintain client expectations in communication and kindness, which was my number one goal.
My business grew 313% its second full year. I found solutions to issues that could compromise my quality and consistency. I stayed on top of the curve so the growing pains of my company couldn’t be felt by my clients. It all looked planned and seamless to them! Even though it was quite to the contrary!
When you are experiencing growth and change in your company you have to grow and change with it. Your company demands it of you, or you will fail. You can’t be afraid of making changes or taking on new challenges. This is where the real business starts – it’s no longer a hobby or side hustle.
Looking back I know that I could have done even more to stay on top of my curve of growth. Although I stayed current with my company’s changes, I could have been one step ahead. I suppose that happens, though, when your growth and success comes to a huge surprise to you!
Lorrie, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
The box with my entry level camera arrived. I took it out, looked it over, rolled my eyes over how thick the manual was for understanding this thing, put it back in the box, taped it up and set it by the door to ship back.
This was dumb. I had no idea what I was doing and there was no way I could learn how to be good at something like this. This was just another hobby of mine that wouldn’t last and I shouldn’t be taking money and spending it on something like this.
That camera was going back. That was, until my best friend talked me into cutting the tape off the box again. If I didn’t like it, I could at least sell it for about what I’d paid. The fact is, I had quite literally almost quit before I even started.
Fortunately, I hushed my insecurities long enough to spend the next several months learning ISO, F-Stop, Shutter Speed, white balance, rule of thirds etc., along with some photoshop.
During my first couple years in business I took some very important strategizing steps in order to create continuously sustainable growth. Between my 1st full year and second full year my business grew 313%. These steps don’t adhere to a strict timeline. The actions I took are very much actions that anyone can take to grow abusiness as they see fit. However, everyone everywhere can -and should- always follow this first step-
Most Importantly:
I was kind.
In being so, I created an experience with my centers of influence that resulted in referrals. I persistently displayed
-Understanding
-Flexibility
-Patience with children
-Integrity
-Respect
Henry Ford once said, “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.”
I would just like to take a moment to say that I truly believe if we approach each client not just as a means to our paycheck but as individual people, we could change the entire dynamic of our industry. If we could create a universal environment of compassion and set our priorities towards the understanding that our subjects are people going through real life issues, we could make positive changes everywhere in a very real way. At the same time, treating any everyday encounter with compassion would change the dynamic of life in general. When we treat others this way not only are we having a positive impact on our communities, we set ourselves apart. It’s good for the soul and it’s great for business!
My clients were people, not just a paycheck. I cared about their feelings and their time with me while making their wants and needs a priority. I focused on delivering a product that I knew received my full effort. Sometimes I had to reshoot. I did it and I accepted that I had made mistakes and took responsibility for it. In fact, any time I made or make a mistake I admit it. I make my clients aware that it shouldn’t be this way and I will make it right. And then I do.
This is something a lot of us have a hard time doing. We make up excuses or we even outright LIE. Why do we do this? The truth is much easier to keep track of. If we are truly filtering our business practices through a philosophy of genuine care and we make a mistake, I would say speaking the truth about it would enhance your credibility even more! Sure, your client may never find out that you lied to them, or covered up a mistake. However, owning your short-coming and displaying this attitude of care through making it right speaks highly of the type of character with which most people would rather do business.
I Delivered on My Promises
I was true to my word. I didn’t say things I didn’t mean and I didn’t make promises on which I couldn’t deliver.
I LISTENED TO HOW OTHERS HAD DONE IT BEFORE ME!
I took workshops. Both in person and online. I learned a lot of what started me out on the right track from Jessica Vaughn, a wonderful photographer from, at that time, Indianapolis.
This business takes work. It also takes humility in knowing that you do not have all the answers. My husband also runs a very successful business and when asked how he got to where he is now he will say the same thing, he listened to those who had done it before him.
You cannot pin your business issues and failures on a saturated market. You are your own entity. Comparing yourself to others will take over your heart. Do the research, do the work, be kind and diligent and then shut off the noise of the other photographers in your area. You offer something they will never ever have, and that is YOU.
Along with listening to those who had done it before me, I also asked for help when I needed it. Help understanding business practices – help in navigating my next moves – even help with image critiques. I still ask for help and advice when I need it.
Marketing
You have to. There is just no way around it. And you MUST find your target audience and cater to them CONSISTENTLY. It is a never ending process. You will perfect it and perfect it again. It should be a consistent part of your workflow every week and something that you devote time to researching, experimenting with and developing. It is it’s very own entity, workshop, class and college degree!
Appearance
To make this topic easier, let’s relate it to food. Everyone loves food. I love food. Cheeseburgers, french fries, pizza, spaghetti. Great, now I’m hungry.
Restaurants can sell you the same exact type of food and charge VASTLY different prices for them. Why? Appearance. This is a quality vs. quantity concept; a flat unenthusiastic cheeseburger delivery vs. a hearty, drool worthy cheeseburger delivery.
The fast food restaurant can charge you $1.50 for their flat, greasy, smooshy, barely meat cheeseburger. They can get away with this because they know they will be selling quantity. They have thousands upon thousands of locations working for them around the clock. They don’t have to offer a superior product and advertise it as such. It still tastes good and gets the job done, but they have to sell it way more than their cheeseburger competition. They MARKET it as quick, easy and yummy. All of which is true.
Their competition, however, will serve you a big, juicy burger cooked just the way you like it, with thick slices of tomato and onion, healthy, un-wilted lettuce, pickle spears and seasoned, crispy fries on the side. Probably even with your choice of regular or sweet potato fries. Maybe it even has caramelized onions and mushrooms, with their very own special cheese sauce. YEAH I WOULD DEFINITELY PAY MORE FOR THIS!
You’re getting a REAL meal! Not a quick, cheap knock off! The latter put a great deal more effort into their cheeseburger, they should rightly be paid for that effort.
And shouldn’t we? Are we a knock off cheeseburger? Or someone with education, training, choices, print product, 1:1 consultations, phone calls to prospective clients and thank you gift giving champions? I’m pretty sure we are champions, just like that carmelized onion smothered cheeseburger!
I Got a Brick and Mortar.
This was my home set up. That window to the left is still the one I look out everyday when I’m editing, although the whole room now looks very different as it is fully dedicated to my office space. You can see I didn’t even have an actual background stand. I used our portable closet racks!
Back to the topic at hand – I took my business out of my house and created a comfortable and professional environment in a small studio space. I was able to find a space that met my needs at that time even though it was an adjustment financially.
(When my sweet boy was only 3 for size reference!)
It was a scary thing. I remember going back and forth on it, showing my parents, asking friends, etc. It was a big decision. It meant more than taking some of what I earned and having to pay rent – it was committing to growing and prospering. Also scary.
The numbers themselves of what I personally paid for rent mean nothing, as depending where you are in the country or the world it could mean a little less or it could mean a little more.
Then I took my small space and I grew that, too.
(Since then I have moved my studio twice because of continued growth. My first move was renting a larger space in the same building with 3 rooms, my second was BUYING my own building!)
I grew through that next year while learning from several workshops. Then, on December 14th, 2015, almost exactly 1.5 years after purchasing my entry level camera, I posted my very first promotional video. It had examples of my work, interviews with 4 clients that were involved or had been involved in my BSP and clips of me working. It ended with me explaining my motives and goals.
This video CHANGED MY WORLD. Within a couple months I had more emails and clients than I could keep up with. 2 months later in February, for the first time ever Lorrie Ann Photography made almost $10,000 in one month ($9,578.21 to be exact). I was drowning in clients and emails so much that I had to hire an assistant.
She took over emails and my calendar planning so I could focus on photographing and editing. I also stayed focused on my first 2 steps of being kind and delivering on my promises. Even if that meant now having to pay someone for some help.
This takes me to a bit of a curve ball in my story. In 2016, right when my business was exploding, we found out we were expecting. The news was surprising and took me mentally to a place of fear and anxiety about the future. I knew I was building something amazing, something that could grow into things I never imagined when I started. Mentally I was panicking, but I didn’t let it slow me down in what I wanted to accomplish.
I still set goals, I still focused on the tasks I needed to do in order to achieve those goals. I pushed myself past my fear and through the looks of pity I got from everyone thinking SHE CAN’T DO THIS. And I did it. I grossed even more that year than the year previous, I bought a whole freaking building AND I was so busy with sessions I was able to contract an associate photographer who took all the sessions in which I didn’t specialize. She works under the name I built. The solid name of Lorrie Ann Photography. She stepped into booking sessions at hundreds of dollars more than she would have been able to just starting out.
Not only was I able to continue making my dreams come true, but I was able to help another woman’s dream come true, as well. All because I kept pushing when the odds were against me and when everyone was telling me I couldn’t do something I wanted to do.
On Father’s Day of 2017, 9 weeks before my baby’s due date, my water broke. I had 2 months left of work. 2 MONTHS left of newborn sessions, milestones, cake smashes and maternity sessions. I had to call or email all of them. I had to disappoint 2 months worth of clients. All my pushing myself to continue working hard to grow what I had built – here I was, again, afraid of losing it all. My only choice was to stay in the hospital on complete bed rest until I had to deliver.
They ended up delivering Lilly that same day. They couldn’t control my contractions and Lilly was dying in the womb. She was born with a severely septic and crashed several hours after birth, weighing only 3 pounds 9 oz. She was resuscitated and intubated. This brand new life was a lot of tubes, and a little baby. She was tired. She was purple. She was sick.
I spent the next 2 months driving to and from the hospital, watching my daughter fight for her life and trying to still be a mother to my other children.
Besides newborn sessions, my associate photographer took over all sessions for me.
When I returned home from my stay at the hospital after having Lilly, I still worked. You might think I’m crazy, but my deadlines still meant something to me. I didn’t push myself to where I would hold it against any clients, but I continued to edit one session an evening so I could get the galleries out that I had photographed before having Lilly. Their investment still meant something to me and it helped clear my mind.
That year I didn’t gross more than I had the year previous. In fact, it was off by several tens of thousands of dollars. 2017 hurt.
Then came 2018. I labeled it my year of regrowth. I buckled down and got real about the next steps I needed to take in order to regain my foothold. I did the hard things, I made the hard decisions. And I blew 2016 (my best year at that time) out of the water.
I Held Focus Groups
After my workshops I invited past clients I trusted and people who I knew would give me a broad range of ideas. I also invited several people who I knew I would like to be my ideal client. I made them a steak dinner, bought China from the thrift store and thoroughly wined and dined them.
I presented my ideas on how I wanted to grow and enhance my business and I genuinely listened to their feedback. I had material ready for all who attended so they could look through and follow along as I presented my strategies. I also had examples of welcome guides I wanted to have available to my prospective clients.
I took what they had to say and combined it with my ideas along with what I was continuing to learn from those who were teaching me and made a plan of action.
I found my motivation. What motivates you? If your answer is money, good luck. If your answer has a little depth to it, like pursuing your creative goals, giving yourself a creative outlet, fulfilling other peoples’ dreams of capturing their most important milestones or even creating a lasting legacy in your own art for your family, then you probably have a better foundation on which to build your dream. For when you base your dream solely on the pursuit of money or even fame, when these weak, peer based foundations fail you, you will fail along with them.
My motivation is loving my next creation just as much as my last. I am inherently fulfilled by the love of my art. I get braver and braver with my artistic attempts because I am increasingly more content in knowing my motivation. I can easily withstand my art not being in someone else’s taste because I know that my creativity freely flows from the foundation on which I have built the rest of my business. It brings me an immense amount of joy and although my hope is for it to bring this same joy to others, I acknowledge and accept the fact that it will not always. This means I don’t consistently need the acceptance or appreciation of everyone. This also means during those times I don’t have other’s acceptance and appreciation, I can still be growing, building and successful in my creative ventures. I don’t have to base that success on what everyone else constantly thinks or even what everyone else constantly prefers.
I found my style. This isn’t the easiest thing to do. You can be drawn to more than one style for sure. Light and airy, dark and moody, a little warm, a little cool… my style is warm, bold and with vibrant colors. My goal is to stay mostly true to color for a timeless look but create an eye catching image with depth, feeling and vibrancy.
I integrated payment plans for package deals
“According to a U.S. Bank study, a whopping 82% of businesses that fail do so because of cash flow problems.” (Business Statistics: 19 Essential Numbers to Know in 2019) This same article says that this is the most frequent reason for small business failure.
I made it easier for people to afford me, while still getting paid a respectable wage for my work. I set up automatic payment withdrawals so I didn’t have to worry about people paying their bills on time. Once they set up their plan, the rest was taken care of. This gave people the feeling of having choices, and everyone likes to feel like they have choices because it enhances their feelings of having control.
Having payment plans also created a more predictable cycle of income so I could easily and properly allocate my funds. I knew what would be available to spend on props and what I could use to put back into the business. Having a 3-5 month payment plan gave time to consistently recycle the supply and demand that had been created. Consequently, it created consistency in earnings.
Family Support
It goes without saying that without support, I never would have made it. (I would have sent my camera back without ever having learned how to use it!)
We are creatives. We put our hearts out there in picture form with every session we do. Sometimes we are sensitive and guarded. Rightly so, as this is our hearts we’re talking about. We need support and reassurance at times.
According to an article from OutBound Engine, there are 543,000 new businesses created every month. (https://www.outboundengine.com/blog/scary-surprising-small-business-stats/)
That is a lot of competition. These new businesses may not be in the photography field, but they are still competing for my attention. This same article reiterates what I said was the first step I took in growing a successful business – focus on customer service (experience). I reminded my clients WHY they are working with me and not the competition.
According to a survey conducted by Alignable, word of mouth is the best way to acquire new clients.
I was genuine. I was the kind of person I wanted to do business with. This did not mean letting people take advantage of me. It is possible to run a business with kindness and empathy and still be respected. In fact, I believe running your business this way naturally creates more opportunity as compared to managing with strict, policy regulated practices. This is because with
-Kindness
-Understanding
-Flexibility
-Patience with children
-Integrity
-Respect
the need for damage control, refunds, reshoots, etc is already almost entirely avoided. My name and business will be much easier to recommend.
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” – Warren Buffett
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Without a doubt, the answer to this is word of mouth.
I have several “contact us” forms on my website and business Facebook page. In each form I have a mandatory question field that asks where the prospective client heard about me. The majority of the time a previous client’s name is in that field.
That is the best compliment! A lot of times in my business after you send a gallery you don’t hear anything back. It’s crickets! So when I see those names in that question field, I’m absolutely thrilled that their experience was fluffing in a way that brought them to recommend me to someone else!
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
Communicate. Communicate. Communicate.
Be approachable. As business owners our team needs to know that they can speak to us. As leaders we need to curate an environment where honest communication leads to problem resolution. Respect should be given in all directions. When team members feel heard, valued and seen – production, participation and creativity can flow without hindrance. It’s a beautiful thing!
Contact Info:
- Website: lorrieannphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorrieannphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lorrieannphotography
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1nVR5e81-JK17UF2y72glA
Image Credits
Fabiola Sanchez Katie and Kyle Moser Nayeli and Edward Patino