As photographers it’s so hard not to get sucked up into the comparison game. When we see a “Oh my goodness this was such a great shoot, and I made a $4k sale!” We go from thinking that’s super awesome, and how can I do that to, Why can’t I do that?  What are they doing that I’m not? Today I’m going to pull back the curtain a little and let you know 3 things profitable photographers don’t do.

Personally, I’m a huge believer in only competing against yourself and removing yourself from anything that has you comparing and feeling like you’re somehow less. 

But I also believe that these feelings can spur us on to bigger and better things. If we’re actually willing to do the work, make the changes and invest the time and effort, it can lead to us bettering ourselves and our businesses.

So today, if my subject line has you feeling like “Why can’t I reach $10k months? What’s wrong with my business?”, I’m going to hope you fall into the group of people who are feeling motivatedand let you in on a few not-so-secret secrets. I’m going to tell you exactly what we’re doing.

Or, rather, what we don’t do.

Photographers who are achieving $10k+ months aren’t:

1. Spending hours on social media, creating reels and posting multiple times per day.
2. Editing their own work for each and every client
3. Personally responding to every email they get.

Now, I’m sure there are exceptions to this rule. But these are three things photographers who are busy serving their clients in a way that results in 5 figure months aren’t spending their time on.

So, what are we doing instead?

*Heads up, this section of the email contains affiliate links. I assure you, I wouldn’t be sharing them if I didn’t whole heartedly believe in them and use them daily in my own businesses.

We’re relying on our well-designed, SEO optimized websites for clients, rather than social media.

Now, you may be thinking, Kelly, I have NO CLUE how to design a website, or set up my SEO (what does that even stand for?) No judgment. I am personally not a website designer, and while I’ve learned a bit about SEO and do a lot of it myself these days, I didn’t spend months on end Googling SEO and figuring out how to do it.

Personally, my beautiful, high-ticket-client-attracting website is designed with Showit. This drag and drop Website builder is super simple to use and has included templates so you don’t have to design a thing. Just update the images and text to your brand and have a stunning, high end website ready to go.

As for SEO, my friend Kyle Goldie has an amazing Mastermind that helps you set up your website and rank for highly searched keywords so that clients find you effortlessly, without any ads or social media, in an easy to understand and accessible way. While it’s an investment, it’s one that pays off as long as you do the work, and continues to pay for itself over and over as time goes on. (Seriously, I wouldn’t even have a photography business if it wasn’t for Kyle. You should check him out.)

Profitable photographers also aren’t editing their own work.

I know, this one is hard to let go of. Your work is your baby, and if it’s not exactly your style, then it’s not worth anything.

But this is the beauty of outsourcing to an amazing editor who knows and can replicate your style seamlessly, or to *GASP Ai.

Yep, I said it. Ai does all my editing. Specifically, Aftershoot. In fact, this program has had the single most impact on my life and free-time in 2024. It took me a bit to get it set up, but now, the morning after a session, I plunk my SD card into my computer, click a button or two and it culls for me while I make my coffee. 

Then, I do a quick 5 minute look through, hit another button, and it edits for me while I drink said coffee and snuggle my kiddos.  By 8:30am I have a fully edited client session ready to go.

We also aren’t on a digital leash to our computers and clients.

Nope. We automate. In fact, my inquiries usually have no clue, but I often don’t have any clue an inquiry has come in until they’ve booked a phone call with me. My entire top of funnel for inquiries is completely automated through my Dubsado.

Again, it took me some time at the beginning to set up an inquiry form and a workflow that starts automatically when the form gets filled out, but now it’s a seamless process.

So you may be asking, WHY don’t we do these things?

The answer is an easy one: I am not a website developer, an SEO strategist, an Editor or an Administrator. I am a photographer. What I do best is create connections with my clients, serve their needs and create stunning artwork for them.

That’s where I’m happiest. 

Other people ARE those things and have created some amazing things so that the parts of your job that don’t light you up no longer have to be part of your job. This frees you up to create, to stay passionate, and to serve your clients as best as you can.

So, now that you know what we don’t do, what are you taking off your plate this week?