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Marketing with Enthusiasm

Lesson 41 from: The Boudoir Workshop

Christa Meola

Marketing with Enthusiasm

Lesson 41 from: The Boudoir Workshop

Christa Meola

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Lesson Info

41. Marketing with Enthusiasm

Next Lesson: Price Lists (Q&A)

Lessons

Class Trailer

Day 1

1

Introduction

07:36
2

Let’s Get this Party Started Right!

20:35
3

Redefining Boudoir: YOUR Brand & Style

29:59
4

Working with Women

20:01
5

Creating Relaxed Clients

17:49
6

Posing and Anti-Posing

12:05
7

Flattering All Body Types

21:13

Lesson Info

Marketing with Enthusiasm

Okay, awesome! We're gonna jump into partnership marketing this is my favorite um only tool that I really used when I started my family business and then with boudoir um it's awesome it's really? Um efficient to capitalize on the ideal clients of like minded businesses so depending on who your ideal client is, you want a partner with businesses that are attracting the same client. So for me it would be the money the gold mines had column are weight loss centers anywhere where women are investing on their image or their wellbeing and health could be yoga mommy and me classes um cosmetic dentistry um plastic surgery weight loss uh lingerie boutiques, spaz all of those places air huge for me that was attractive, ideal client for sure, but, you know, there's different levels of service like spas very so make sure you're targeting one that targets you're ideal client necessarily every now salon on the block okay places where women investing and looking good and feeling good. Okay, so what I...

would love for you all to dio is create either a mini folio or promo cards. I think that they're so essential business cards don't really matter, but having a mini folio our promo cars is a must and how I like to do it I've had both I've had little mini folios that fold out kind of cool because you can tie him with a ribbon and they kind of opened up like kind of a centerfold. You do like five sided or however many and those air a little bit more pricey, but they're gorgeous or you can just dio uh, I would recommend a six by eight to something nice and big set of a four by six promo cards. It's just two sided and obviously you're gonna have your best images. The money shots, the laughter is sexy. Kick in silhouette is another one. Um some body shots um and all positive, happy, vibrant, beautiful. Um, and if you're just doing a promo card, I would recommend three to five no more than that, we don't want to junk it up and make it crowded. And if you're doing a folio, I would suggest not getting too fancy with the design just having clean one image. Perseid um and then obviously used some of your key phrases to communicate to her in the way that she thinks and feels and have your information on there. And then when you approach these businesses, I would suggest you personally go don't have like an assistant or I or anyone, you personally go there. Tell him what you're all about tell him you love um their products and services like you don't want a lie you want to go to a place that like you really admire and respect you want to be affiliated with a business or company or retailer that you're not really in love with so you know shoot from the heart you can never go wrong and just talk to them and say how much you would love tio work something out to benefit everybody and then talk a little about who their client is listen to what they say they would love you know or need help in so sometimes I've done you know, free hair and makeup with the purchase of one hundred dollars at the lingerie store you can also partner with this is a big one personal trainers so with the purchase of like their three month booty camp they get either like a hundred dollars off a session or they get free hair and makeup is a good one or you know you get a free book uh like a little mini book with the paid session whatever makes sense to you and whatever you're comfortable with, um and um you know, obviously you would talk to the business and coming collaborate and come up with something that works for both of you and then print out your cards so do you have any action's about this because it's really super easy and sometimes you need to do a lot of leg work but let me just tell you when you get your one goldmine sometimes that's all you need just that one place you don't need to be everywhere I'm a big believer in this but you need to be in the right place that's all you need to do it might take a year to find it but go and look and hustle hustlers remember dusters win so what like wouldn't you go in like what's going to save them like I'm new here I wantto this's what I do want to work with you like that sounds friendly and nice about you know well, you could say you're new here I'm new to the area this is what I love to dio love your business I'd love to talk to you about maybe something exciting that we can do together keep it positive going with the plan don't just go you know I kind of need here kind of getting to know the place doing this photography thing and you know, just starting out I don't know I thought maybe we could do something together that's still friendly yeah that's not really powerful I see it I mean it's like they go in with a plan and a suggestion and reverend price what they're at before you go in like so you know, for example like you're if you're going into a salon like say, I know you usually offer this I'm looking more for this for my clients will you work with me on it? Yeah your homework kind ofthing yeah, absolutely what is in your experience the approach that works more often is something you off them that works better than anything else. This is what works hands down every time offer a free session to the lady behind the counter that's really good for the owner uh saleswoman whoever just say out and and insist on it just like you hate pictures unit there's no obligates there's no there's no way I'm selling you anything it's just totally mike ofyou but I actually wouldn't feel comfortable with you um you know, representing me talking about me without actually having done it yourself and we could just dio, you know, a lifestyle session you just do pretty pictures you wear dress you know, just because you work in a lingerie store it doesn't mean we have to do that so really like try and get a photo session with them so they know who you are and you can interact with you but then they're gonna be like your biggest fans you make him feel amazing and beautiful uh they're gonna be like, oh my god, you have to do it I did it how much more power full is if someone says yes you know she's great I felt so comfortable I really wasn't going to do it kind of talked me into it and I had so much fun and here are some of my photos you know isn't that better than the best way to do it sold so I'll take teo couple people are wondering when you go in and approach the businesses do you make an appointment or do you just walk in and oh that's a good I've always walked in okay just kind of walk in a vendor question where do you get your many folios and promo cards or do you have anyone to recommend um I food does my promo car oh my designer kinda handles it and orders it through her so I don't know who the vendor is who does my promo cards there's a ton online great quality um and super affordable but again when we're talking about where to invest I'd rather instead of investing like tons of money on silly equipment that you don't necessarily need yet uh trauma cars and make them really the best you can afford um especially the folios the souk of books is doing kind of a cool thing right now little folio um I used to use white house they're pretty quality easy so yeah look around if you heard uh and part of the answer you were a decay but if you have a thousand dollars to invest in your marketing plan tto enter in a new market where would you spend them? Uh, first on a kick ass website if I don't have clear branding and gonna hire uh, brandon identity person a designer, the thousand bucks isn't gonna go far if you really aren't even branded yet, and that would be first. Got brandon's. Got to be clear. Um, and I would suggest a wordpress site because it's free. And then you could hire someone to easily customize it and again, keeping it simple would be a lot easier and cheaper for you. Um, and then you can maybe branch out a little bit later, but for early investments, brand identity does designer website easy. First, just one camera, one lens before that on. And then, um, folios. That's like the next step before I would buy anything for you to start hooking up your studio with lounge chairs and chandeliers and stuff. You need to have this. Yeah, randy, how do you further that connection once you let's say said okay, well, I like your pictures. And what if they give you the, uh, well, I'll call you back or just leave me your information do you follow with female? Do they want to check out your credibility like education have you ever had anyone kind of say let me see your portfolio like because I'm not a go see but weapon you would say that you put photo magazines that intense or is it usually just um it's not that intense but you should be there with your work you should bring your portfolio should bring whatever product you just like I would totally bring the peep shows and bring a little album um and you're folio yeah and then email them afterwards or dio you often say no I mean then they're probably not interested but they could be just really busy where the owner isn't there and she has to ask so a lot of times you have to go back a couple times but definitely follow up yes and the mp photo has a question regarding the gifted session you give to the business do you sell the prince heir products to that person that you give teo are no I would just give her the cd okay this way I'm not out of pocket and anything and then she really is just getting the whole thing for free. I know that's not not a sales thing great. And a question from tom uh shopper further on the partnership how does this work for the partner business? What is in it for them to say yes other than a free shoot uh whatever their offer is so the offer could be if you spend one hundred dollars in lingerie that day then they get one hundred dollars off a session or if they book the personal trainer for their three month booty camp you know so it's helping themselves what they want to sell it depends on what their needs are what their incentive wants to be and do you ever do um do they ever ask you to say to market them to your clients? Yeah oh yeah goes both place for sure on dso I've given business tio quite a lot of luxury stores and personal trainers and makeup artists and yeah, definitely that's part of like the everyone winning and the client will get a deal is that bad from the website like they give you an advertisement to post up now promo card just the problem so you're just handing that out when people when the women come to your studio for the shoot um oh, I see what you're saying no, I'll just tell them like you know who I recommend in terms of linda is on the phone, I see what you're saying how do I drive business elsewhere? Yeah yeah or where they should shop or if they want to get in shape for whatever okay howmany meaning folios do you want to leave tau penny specific place for them to hold? Because the meaningful expensive yeah, so you don't want to drop him really, until you can see how effective it is. So I would say, like, twenty five guys because they're expensive. You might want to start with promo cards, which were so much more affordable just to see which business is your gold mined. Like I said, you only need one. And I'm sorry if you already said this. But question from, uh, sabrina and cole, do you leave the folios with the business or just show it to them and I leave it? Yeah, um, question kind of switching roles if someone approaches you wanting to partner with you and you know that it's not a good fit, how does that dialogue kind ofwork and have you had that before? Um, I would just say, yeah, I just don't think we're attracting the same clients are not really interested in offering something. You know, I get that a lot. Do people approach you? Thanks so much. Ok, so we're gonna move on. Okay, so here are some of the just to list them for you. Pretty much nailed on top of my head, right? Okay, so then, word of mouth this cannot like you can't not talk about this because I feel like my business was built on it. Um word of mouth can't beat it everyone I only go by personal referral right? So um I mean, my whole business was just based on that in the beginning so I really didn't have to do much and I think I always look for a referral um clients do your marketing for you and it saves you a lot of time and money you will create repeat boudoir addicts and build a solid playing bass raving fans will sing your praises and give extraordinary testimonials and I know front friends or big friends are very persuasive, right um and if you really want to just attract your ideal client we're talking about the topic you want friends telling your friends about to and how you do that is incorporating a lot of surprise like delivering the unexpected all the above and beyond things we chatted about this weekend and um, seth gordon's quote is a positive word of mouth is generated by surprise and delight the unexpected but positive unexpected do you do a customer referral program like with a you get twenty five dollars if you refer for and I'm just saying twenty five yeah, I know what you're saying I don't actually I found uh didn't feel it didn't sit right with me um so I tried it out once um when I was doing family and really they refer me anyway and I don't want to be like, hey, you get a hundred bucks off an exception of you for a fire friend, itjust felt salty to me, and I just didn't want that to be the reason they were referring me they did because they love me, they don't, you know. So even with boudoir customer, what I feel is more personally is is an experience that is very much for themselves. How do you try and leverage this? Do you speak to your customers saying, talk to your friends or bring your friend when I'm shooting you? And how do you make sure that they speak about you? Um, well, I make sure to deliver an amazing experience so they can't help but talk about it, but however, I definitely encourage friends on the shoot, I always say, you know, you got a restaurant best friend you want to bring along their always fun to have on the shoot, um, we'll be able to help out might make you more relaxed and it's always a good time, and so I definitely encouraged best friends, and they absolutely will be your next client. Um, but I don't encourage, like, make sure your friends all about about it, but usually I have them keep it a secret, as I mentioned earlier, so af stur, you know, delivery of the final product and they've seen their images, I always want to go. So which it has been think, did he did he, like, dropped down, but, like, more importantly, which it girlfriends think, did you shit like I have this one client, um, had dinner, big dinner with all their girlfriends, and they're, like, passed around her book, and they talked about her experience, and they had a great discussion all around that shoot, so you can't beat that. And again, friends are with like minded people, so those are all your ideal clients right there, so all you need to do is really get know who she is be very clear on it communicated very clearly inconsistency and all you d'oh and all your website and marketing materials, and then deliver a fucking cake ask experience that she'll never forget, never expected with a lot of surprises, and then let the buzz continue, and I always tease the next I'm like, oh, next time, we've got to do this, that and the other, and I do say, what is your friend's thing? So I'm definitely I don't say tell your friends, but I said, what do your friends thinks I talk about it like that, any other questions, yeah, question, oh, corey for moto and a couple of other folks had asked uh they're from another part of the world where there weren't sure what the mini portfolio is and maybe we can oh sure that on facebook or yeah it's just uh if you take it's a folding card multiple sides and it folds up into one like five by seven it's like an accordion like rain set a good visual with sound waves but I really have to say like, what is a really cool standout idea is it's a fantastic for bringing on over thanks brandi brandi has won this is actually an accordion wallet folios are a little different in the they might not have the hardcover and they're they're bigger but brandi this is so cute um so they this type of thing and pretty much all the vendors out their duties but I would recommend uh these air really affordable if you can like I said do promo cards first find your gold mine and then do a super sexed up high quality version of this way to go randy okay, and then I know we have them yesterday but maybe we could show the peepshow that's what was the show but also your promote your card, your promo cards? Okay actually I don't have my promo cards business cards but those air just for fun on set and see hand out when I meet people to get strange looking tonight what do you do exactly? Wouldn't you like to check out the website? I remember that the first time I met you, ray ray right whenever I'm really big on and this is a great segue way, I'm really big on just marking with enthusiasm just I am so in love with what I do and I so really want every woman to x spirits it it's not for everyone you can kind of tell what you've been doing it a little while and uh definitely for you, nicole icy silence I just love to approach women and say, you know here's my card you are stunning with love to photograph you it's what I d'oh check out my sight go kind of deep in it because especially have a nude on top go deep and low look through I do a variety of stuff and it's so much fun and I would love to talk to you more about it, so if we're just you know and I get so much business like that, just talk him into it and I don't mean like I'm heavily persuasive but it's the same with sales I'm so enthusiastic it doesn't feel like selling I would tell my best friend the same thing I tell my mom the same thing I've shot my mom once before the shooter again coming up for her if I can engage her sixtieth birthday will be awesome I just wanted to come and say I think that when you when you are already giving people that positive feedback went specifically when you say I want to photograph you know it makes like it made me feel special yeah, I think that's it's a just a really simple powerful statement, right? And I don't say that to everybody like I can kind of I just really want a photograph people I want to photograph does that any sense it sound so simple but there's some people I'm just like, oh, I got a photograph of you is there an awkward moment effort when if they do contact you that they think that they're getting this for free that's such a good question there isn't because I'm kind of clear on I would really love to do this this isn't a free shoot hears the price list not by any means pressuring you I love to shoot you it's what ideo and blah blah blah and I talked more about the ex spirits but I do get out there that hears the price list. Okay? Yeah? Or if you want, you can gift the session my session fees over three thousand now so I can't really give that, but if you have let's say, three hundred dollars session and all of your packages or what costs more than you absolutely can give free session just be like I'd really love to shoot you I could do the session for free but if you really love the images here's the priceless for that if you wantto buy more is it a brand decision to not do um like not a billboard but just more newsprint advertisement or things like that like in the in my community in charlotte there you know the photographers they're in the malls are in a mall as in like on a kiosk there on a billboard there in every bridal magazine you'll have something up, so it does that my placement people seeing your name over over again out do you have that you or does that not even make a difference with your business plan? Um, I don't know, I've never I think that's the kind of waste of money actually unless you're like a chain, I think it's going to be really hard for you to afford to be doing that and I don't think it's really that powerful yeah, I think it's more intimate and effective when they're going to a store and they see your promo cards there a billboard or in a magazine doesn't work anymore means brand or commission your website is the most important thing for your brand do you know where your customer come from landing on your website I sure do I've got lucre and so um like google analytics on steroids it's awesome we could see people alive as they're entering my sight but they're downloading kubra w o o p e r a you can get started with them for free but they only give you sir you gotta keep upgrading like more and more traffic you get or if you want more, more detailed information it's really useful really useful and designing your website you can see what people are clicking on what they're spending time on I can tell when people are downloading my images and you can live chat with um I feel like I did it once only freak this person out there on my site like two hours download me images so is popped on there never in san diego I really get crazy amount of information and then if they write submit uh email or do something like that you get their I p address and you can like know who it is based on the name and the email address they left for the comment it's crazy so I've tagged some people that I know anyway bye digress it is useful because you you'll get to know where they're spending their time what's attracting them where they keep going so like wow everyone's going to my about paige or wow everyone's going to news what are people googling sexy soccer moms krista meal a nude eyes all like words like so anyway it's really useful this could be a class in and of itself actually would be a good idea we do accept you dio we do have a word pushed class s and silly so you can check that out so you do your ceo and all that or do you have someone else that's a great question I need to get someone to do a ceo right now but honestly wordpress on its own does a bang up job now I want to soup it up to the next level so I'm going to hire someone because it's been a little bit I don't know unfocused I wasn't really planning on keywords or doing anything in that realm and I know I should but it kind of just kind of blossomed and kind of snowballed and so now I need to kind of go okay, let me take it back now that I have all of this information where do I want to steer it? What do I want to change so that's currently what I'm doing now? Plus because I just moved I was living in italy now I'm in new york city so I need to do a major very working so before you have all the info because like you're establishing your sight and I don't even have a sites like how do I go about getting we're finding out similar stuff like that in order to make my sandy start you know we all have to start somewhere you just kind of go for it yeah yeah I didn't need to have all this information I've just started with rupert well brana maybe six months ago maybe earlier this year uh last year I mean okay awesome. One more question for carlo and b uh when we're talking about kind of the cold call of being enthusiastic and telling women I want to photograph you yeah what's a male approach that's such a good question without being creepy right right, right I don't know if I would recommend it hey, no uh let me think of some alternative real quick uh definitely carly you have your wife so she can yeah, you can do that e I would actually I'm one sitting trying to think about that but I don't know if I was approached by someone and I'm pretty open minded um I don't know if there is some but do you ever see anyone on the street that you would be like I really loved to photograph yeah I do and you know I just go I can't say a thing about it because you know it has that oh my bad I just came up with it sorry okay, so one of my dear friends is a fine artist phenomenal if one of the the brightest stars in the young painter industry. Anyway, he goes up to women and he gets them to pose nude for him all of the time. And he is a big sweetheart silent bear type like you. And what he does is he has just his card and his website address and he's, like, you know, I'm a professional painter. I'm looking for models. Always. I think you would be wonderful to paint if you're interested. You can contact. Uh, you know, my assistant for more info. Look on the website, and he just keeps it at that and he's so, like loki, and I think I would feel, you know. Yeah, I think I think you can do it if you keep it like that. And you just keep it. Teo, I'm a professional photographer. I photograph women. Here's my information, I think we wonderful to shoot with you. If you're interested, take a peek and then you can give me a call for more information. Sounds professional, not creepy. Yeah, more. You put it out there, just keep practicing, the easier it will be. Okay. And the last point I wanted to make in thrilling your client's is no, at the end of the day, this is about having a career you enjoy. Um so make it your focus to thrill your clients and go above and beyond not only to create insane word of mouth but also because you are going to actually enjoy it so much more. All right, so I get that question a lot how do I get more clients? How do we get more clients? So I want you guys to focus on creating massive value I want you to change your question instead of how do I get more clients into how do I create more value? See how that's like a smart question kind of because it's getting lead you into a smarter area a smarter answer that's a tony robbins quote ask dumb questions you get dumb answer and I know it's horrible not politically correct to say there's dumb answers but they're just not going to lead you into a smart strategy. So instead of saying how do I get more clients? Well you want to be more desirable, right? How do you become more desirable create massive value? How do I create more value? How can I change more lives deliver better results that's a huge one take a look at what you're delivering what can you do to make it more freaking awesome and how do I make my customers happy? We'll get your whole process every step of the way? How can I infuse this with more fun more journey of self discovery more meaningfulness more surprises more unexpected little gift here and there I love that you guys are writing notes like me awesome this's juicy stiff so this is kind of what I actually talked about in q and a little bit so we can kind of skip over this we did have a question about how do you feel about facebook marketing? Facebook has been really good to me and I didn't really set out to do anything with facebook um but now I feel like most of my most the women that approach me kind of seeming on facebook get to know me on facebook that's another one like they already feel like they know me um I'm not too personal and what I update but I definitely you know update some you know, things going on in my life so uh in terms of paid advertising, I've not uh you know, experimented with paid advertising on facebook except um advertising to photographers who when I first started doing workshops and that was really effective, so I do believe in it, but I think it's a way you can get pretty narrow in your market but I don't know I'm still all about the promo crime still like so old school door to door you know, I want to get to know you on a seer a retail location but I bet it's probably pretty pretty awesome, but in general, and you definitely want to be, and I think jasmine start talks a lot about this. You definitely want to be getting, you know, people get your fam page, tag it when they share their pictures, it's a little different with boudoir, because when, when you're getting married, obviously, like a lot of people want to see your wedding pictures and sharing them, and not so much with who you are, not a lot of you, and believe me, facebook will boot it. Um, they have vetoed a lot of my images that don't even show nudity, so it's a little bit more difficult with boudoir. So I'm not saying I'm spending much time marketing that on facebook, but, um, I would say definitely add your clients as friends. Do you think that's been helpful already? Dd birthday cars or funny says, keep the relationship going? Do you do something that's annual that makes you stay in contact? Mostly, it's faced the and keeping in touch with what they're doing, and especially like the ones that had an amazing experience that I really enjoyed that I could tell want to do it again? You know, um, I definitely keep keep it going, provide surprises and tease the next shoot.

Class Materials

bonus material with purchase

Christa Meola Day 1.pdf
Christa Meola Day 2.pdf
Christa Meola Day 3.pdf

Ratings and Reviews

a Creativelive Student
 

This is meant to be a HELPFUL review for those that are wondering if they should purchase this workshop. About 75% of what I took away from this workshop was posing, composition for boudoir and the importance of eye lines and capturing movement. I had two boudoir sessions a week after this workshop and my images significantly improved. I was able to coach my clients through poses better, direct them on where to look for better eye lines, I was more aware of their posture and how to fix it, I think I sounded more professional and felt more confidant with getting awesome poses, stand out expressions and adding movement to my images. I put a fan on my client the way Christa does.. and she is right! The instant I put the fan on my client, her expression changed and you could tell she was really "feeling it". She told me she felt like a real supermodel right after I turned on the fan. If you are looking for inspiration on how to coach women and pose for boudoir then Christa is the girl for you. I think the most worthwhile thing I learned watching this is something that will help me in the years to come... with my brand, my website, my workflow and my business goals. I learned how to "keep it simple" which is Christa's tag line. For example Christa brings a roll of gray background paper and uses gaffer tape to hang it from the wall of the hotel (instead of bringing a 12ft background stand). I know this seems simple but this will change my life! I hate dragging equipment back and forth. There are some negative reviews on here about Christa's technical skills, but I think these people may have missed the whole point. If you provide an awesome product and an awesome experience for your client, they will buy it. And guess what.. your client will never know if you used your camera in auto or manual and they won't care if you used one light instead of two. As someone who has been in business for 3 years doing boudoir exclusively I learned a lot. I see a lot of value in learning from someone who doesn't spend a lot of money on fancy equipment, yet charges her clients over $3,000 for sessions. I'm a huge fan of her keep it simple philosophy and I'm glad Christa is willing to be honest about her workflow and how she best utilizes her time. Your not going to agree with or use everything Christa talks about, you take the parts that you like and are most helpful to you and work them into building a stronger business.

a Creativelive Student
 

AWESOME DEAL on Christa's course. I just sent an email to my husband to tell him thanks for "gifting" me this course. I told him just the ONE CLASS about pricing was worth the full $129 price of the course. And there are over 50 classes?! That is a crazy stupid good deal. You can learn something good from every class you take, every book you read, and just apply the stuff that works for you. There are a lot of people out there who seem to just enjoy giving crappy reviews, and to me it's almost like bullying. How someone could not find $129 worth of value in this course is beyond me. In my opinion this course is worth over a thousand bucks, because it can help you make SO much more money. I hate when I see people whining about things that are not 100 percent perfect, and they get annoyed if the person isn't catering to their exact needs. It's like the Yelper generation, with a disturbing sense of entitlement. I would love to see those people try teaching a class about boudoir and see if they could do any better. It also seems like, the more popular a person gets, the more other people feel the need to tear them down. I'm grateful that Christa even offered this course at ALL. Thanks Christa for all you do to help those of us who really need to know this stuff. You rock.

a Creativelive Student
 

I never thought I would shoot boudoir. I am a shy and private person. I started entertaining the idea when I first saw Christa's work and saw how beautiful and tasteful it can be. I love her lighting and all that she uses from historic painters and sculptors. I watched all three days live and learned a ton. I have a lot of lighting education, but it was nice to freshen up my skills. I loved the posing tips and the three typical situations she uses for one shoot. I loved learning about how she shoots in hotels and also using things like an outdoor situation. I have now shot my first boudoir session and it was a total hit. I am thrilled to show my client her images. This was fantastic! Thank you, Christa!

Student Work

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