We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tréja London. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tréja below.

Tréja, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

Every now and then I do have the thought of what it would be like to have a regular job and I would even attempt to apply to places to do so, but when it comes down to it I definitely am happier as a business owner. When I think about it I weigh out my options and remind myself what I had went through working before. As a business owner I have full control of my schedule. I enjoy doing something different every day. Falling into the same repetitive routine bores me. Majority of the time I have photo sessions that give me the opportunity to travel or last minute things may come up whether it be personal or work related. When I did work a regular job I would miss out on certain opportunities or special happenings because I did not want to risk being terminated due to lack of PTO or relying on someone to cover me. My schedule varies by day and week so it’s nice to not have to make request to a boss. I’m not knocking any regular job though because of course being your own boss has its intense moments, you take on more responsibility and you’re trading that 9-5 for 24/7. I still wouldn’t trade the freedom I have with my business.

Tréja, 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?

I am a versatile Photographer. The services I offer are Portrait photography- Family, Maternity, Newborn, Couples and Milestone portraits (birthdays and graduations), Branding photography (product photos and head shots), and Event Photography. I now also offer photo booth rental.

What sets me apart from others is that I am very flexible when it comes to scheduling. I’m aware that most photographers require people to book months ahead just to get on their calendar. I understand that life happens and things come about quickly or last minute decisions can be made so I’m willing to make exceptions.
Another thing that sets me apart is that I don’t have a physical studio location. I make it convenient for the Client and set up in the comfort of their home or office. I will travel wherever my services are needed whether it be local or out-of-state. I look forward to taking a road trip or catching a flight.

Something I am most proud of is being persistent. I’m constantly on the look out of what it is to stay relevant yet stand out in my field since it is forever evolving. Trends and styles come and go. You either adapt and make improvements or stay where you are and have no growth. Years ago I wouldn’t have imagined having to engage as much as I do on Social media or to add certain services like a Photo Booth. I’m happy to do what it takes to expand my business to a wide range of people and tend to what they may be looking for; or if they can’t figure out what they’re looking for to put forces together and create something miraculous.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

I find that the key to building social media presence is to stay relevant. I truly believe, “Out of sight, out of mind.” If you’re posting once a month or every few months people are going to easily forget about you. When I’m consistent with either sharing final images from a photo shoot or posting videos whether it be a ‘behind the scenes’ or a fun trend that is going on it keeps people interested in wanting to see more from me or to reach out and work with me. I’ve noticed that people really enjoy seeing the process of what it took to get something done and seeing you actually engage on social media by showing your face. They want to get to not only see what you have to offer but to get to know you. It definitely can be a job itself to just get up and create content but in the end it is all worth the people you impact and the people you get the opportunity to end up working with. Another thing that works great is posting polls or doing raffles/giveaways. Polls can be helpful for you to get to know your audience and doing raffles/giveaways are effective for growing your brand and giving someone the chance to take advantage of what it is you offer if they had not thought about it in the first place.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing has been word of mouth. Treating people right and providing wonderful experience has lead to clients leaving thorough reviews for potential Clients to see when making a decision. Any chance there is an opportunity to network.. take it. You never know what good can come out of the connections you might make. For instance, I assisted another Photographer with a Wedding. The photographer had no interest in doing portraits outside of Weddings (such as Maternity or Family photos). One of the bridesmaid admired the outcome of the photos I took throughout the day and ended up booking me to photograph her family. Fast forward, the photo session is done, her cousin then contacts me to do photos along with other family members and friends. Just from that one Event I made 6 Clients and to this day 4 of them have been my most consistent Clients. That goes to show that networking and helping others in your field can pay off to your growth within your business. If I had not gone to that Wedding I’m not sure if I would have expanded outside of my local area of business.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.trejanicole.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/trejaxnicole
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/trejanicole
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/treja-london