Saddle Up Success – Business Tips from an Equine Portrait Photographer
Ever wonder what it takes to succeed, in what seems like, an oversaturated business space? After all, many photographers are out there trying to make it.
At Cowgirl Biz we’re all about helping you meet and even surpass your business goals – and today we’re talking all things Equine Photography. Your business spotlight for this article: Kaylee Wroe Photography, Kaylee specializes in Equine portrait photography.
Let’s jump right in and learn Kaylee’s proven process for reaching her business goals.
How Kaylee Became an Equine Photographer
Hey, I’m Kaylee!
I’m the Kaylee behind Kaylee Wroe Photography. 16 years ago – I purchased my first camera. Then I spent the following 10 years photographing polo, which took me all over the world.
During this time, I met numerous incredible individuals and even crossed paths with my husband, who is a professional polo player.
While I loved my job and my experiences photographing polo were remarkable – I knew something was missing in my business. So I went back to my roots…
I grew up in Calgary, Alberta with a passion for horse sports – in particular the horses themselves. The relationships we build with horses are so incredibly special, so my business naturally evolved into Equine Portraits.
| “It’s my mission to create unique and beautiful pieces of art for my clients’ homes – which not only showcase stunning imagery… but also hold personal significance.” |
Setting up the perfect client experience wasn’t easy though.
Creating Kaylee Wroe Photography to Be a Client-Centered Business
I knew fairly early on that I was onto something great with my equine fine art photography business.
I already had the networking and the connections in place from working with Polo clubs. I knew who my ideal clients were… and they were coming to me.
It’s important to remember – I spent years in the equine photography industry before launching the horse portrait side of my business. The old saying is true: “It takes twenty years to make an overnight success.”
I had created the framework for my success. But the second part came from the experience I was offering my clients.
My goal: a boutique atmosphere with tangible products for my clients. For me, the term boutique means working closely with each client to understand their desires.
This meant:
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- Customizing each photoshoot
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- Helping with wardrobe planning
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- Reviewing images after the shoot
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- Using software to help the client visualize the artwork in their actual home
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- Giving expert advice so the client can choose the work that resonates with them
It’s all about crafting the perfect experience for each client.
A customized experience allows the client to resonate with the art… and often even choose to add more art to their package.
Because my goal is always a top-tier experience I don’t offer pre-set packages. I also don’t just hand over a digital file of photos to get lost on a computer for 20 years. Every equine portrait project is just as unique as the client I’m working with.
| “It’s important to me that people have beautiful artwork adorning their walls, rather than leaving their photos to die in a digital gallery.” |
However, with my big goals for my client experiences… and my early success, I quickly realized – I didn’t have the processes and systems I needed, for the client experience I truly wanted to provide.
How to Skip the Overwhelm and Reach Straight for Your Business Goals
One of the systems I put into place to help with the overwhelm I felt with my business was to automate what I could.
Dubsado1 is a CRM platform that handles client interactions that can be automated.
Things like:
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- Invoicing
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- Payments
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- Scheduling
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- Communication
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- Client forms and contracts
… and so much more. Automating what I could, allowed me to be more available to my clients on the things that mattered… their equine portraits. It also allowed me to scale more easily.
Another huge turning point for me in my business – was working with a business coach specializing in helping photographers. Life is too short to make all your own mistakes. If you can learn from someone else, that’s the quickest way to progress.
So I worked with Karinda Kinsler.2 She helped me to puzzle the pieces of my business together and move the needle forward quicker on my business.
Karinda helped me with everything from marketing to the overall client experience and I highly recommend her if you’re a photographer who wants to take your business to the next level.
I also wholeheartedly believe in continuing education.
If I can take a class or learn from a mentor it feels like the best kind of shortcut to reach my goals. I’m so thankful for the wonderful people who have helped me along on my business journey and I know there are many more to come!
Speaking of people in my business…
Connections Build a Path to Success in Equine Portrait Photography… or Any Western Inspired Business!
Building a top-notch, client centered service will set you apart from the crowd. You’re already putting in the legwork to WOW your clients.
Connections are everything.
Clients who love the experience you give them will refer other people to you.
I was able to scale my equine portrait business so much quicker because of the top notch experience I provided my Polo clients way back in the beginning of my career. I continued to be able to scale because I continued to provide top-quality services.
If I had just one important tip to share for equine photographers – it’s to understand that our clients don’t always have an urgent need.
To market equine photography effectively you have to create the allure for your clients. There is no deadline that gives them the urgency.
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- No wedding date set.
- No due date at the hospital.
- No family reunion…
Your work has to be good enough it makes people want the photos right now!
Marketing to equine photography clients means you have to create the desire for it.
Social media and face-to-face connections have proven more effective for my business than my website. It’s a lot easier for me to share current equine fine art photography on platforms that promote interaction.
In fact, vendor booths, word of mouth, and personal connections are the bulk of my marketing.
But business isn’t the only important thing in my life.
Balancing an Equine Portrait Photography Business Around a Personal Life
Balance? Is that a thing? Let’s face it entrepreneurship is hard.
Building a business around:
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- A family
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- A ranch
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- Training barrel horses
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- My husband’s job playing polo
None of it is easy. It’s about setting goals though.
Our children are in school now. So my goal is to complete as much work while they’re gone as possible. I want to be able to spend lots of quality time with them when they’re home.
It all goes right back to my earlier point of setting up the right systems.
As an entrepreneur, I’ve found that having efficient systems in place is crucial for minimizing wasted time. Time is truly our most valuable resource, and I’m constantly working on optimizing how I manage it.
What’s Next for Kaylee Wroe Photography?
I’m always improving my craft and my business. There’s always a way to improve my services and my products. I can always make it better.
Follow Along with me on:
And remember… “Life is too short to make all your own mistakes!”
| We loved chatting with Kaylee of Kaylee Wroe Photography. There is so much we Cowgirls can learn from each other about building our businesses. Join our email list to keep up to date with more inspiring stories from fellow cowgirls! P.S. Interested in your own business spotlight? Fill out your form here. |
Resources:
1 A CRM platform – Dabsado
2 Equine Photography Business Coach – Karinda Kinsler
Author: cowgirlbiz
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