We recently connected with Michael Lemley and have shared our conversation below.
Michael, appreciate you joining us today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?
Social Media is the biggest window into getting eyeballs on your content! I’ve been able to grow my business over the past 3 years from 0 followers to over 3,000 followers and go from charging $1500 for a wedding to charging $8000 for a wedding. The power that social media has in the ability to network is unmatched!
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
My interest in filmmaking sparked at the young age of 6 years old when I began teaching myself how to edit and shoot video. I’ve loved the medium of video for as long as I can remember. I truly believe in the power that video has in creative storytelling. I love being able to tell the story of my couples in a way that’s unique to them
I’m a Jesus loving, down to adventure kind of guy who loves the simple moments in life. When I’m not filming weddings you can find me checking out a new coffee shop in town, relaxing at the Outer Banks at our family’s house, and crossing off spots on my travel bucket list. Being able to explore new cultures and cities and capture the beauty of the world we live in is something that makes me happy.
I get the opportunity to do my dream job every single day and I am SO thankful for all the amazing people and couples I get to serve along the way. I love capturing the small details and moments on a wedding day that are authentic and real.
I’ve filmed over 80+ weddings over the past 5 years and I’ve been to 7 different states as well as internationally for weddings which has been such a blessing.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I went full time in my business in January of 2020 before COVID started. This was such a challenge in the first year of going full time. I had to pivot my business to adapt to the market and began offering smaller micro wedding and elopement packages to best serve my couples. Sometimes as creatives we have to look at the world and adapt to best survive but also grow.
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
One of the things that I believe really sets me apart from many other videographers is that I become friends with all of my couples. We follow each other on Instagram, we become Facebook friends and I get to know them and their life story even before there wedding day. This has lead to incredible results for me. I’ve loved getting to know all of my couples as friends prior to the wedding day to make the best films possible. This close friendship has lead to numerous referrals and also being able to keep in touch with couples even after the wedding day.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.michaellemleyfilms.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/michaellemleyfilms
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/wrldproductions
Image Credits
Hannah Smith Photograohy Ashley Eagleson Photography