Setting Boundaries in Your Photography Business

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If you’ve ever felt like clients have taken advantage of you, requested more than you’re comfortable giving, or haven’t respected your professionalism, you are not alone. I’ve also been there, and I want to address this topic and give you some easy tips to help alleviate these challenges.

When we are faced with these situations, it’s important to take responsibility and consider proactive measures to prevent them from happening again. Setting clear boundaries, adopting a CEO mindset, and enhancing your client experience are all key steps to fostering a positive client relationship and building a sustainable business, and today we are diving into each of these strategies.

Take yourself seriously

It’s a game-changer when you as a photographer start viewing yourself as the CEO of your business. Whether you’re a one-woman show or not, you’re still running a business, and people will only take you as seriously as you take yourself.

If you aren’t taking yourself seriously, it can be really easy to start opening those doors where clients are able to push past your boundaries. So, having this shift in perspective ensures that you act confidently, make decisions with authority, and communicate with clients clearly and assertively.

The power of communication

A pivotal aspect of managing client relationships is communication. One of the biggest things I want to encourage you to do is keep all of your communication in one spot, preferably via email. Doing this not only keeps everything professional but also gives you a place to have a clear, written record of all of your interactions.

The other thing I want to add about communication is that we need to set those expectations up correctly at the front end. If we don’t let our clients know our process or how to communicate with us, they truly don’t know when they can communicate with you or how. A simple, yet effective way to do this is by crafting an email signature that includes your business hours and even setting up a vacation responder when you’re out of town or know you won’t be able to respond as quickly as you usually do. These small details manage client expectations and reinforce the boundaries you’ve set.

Scheduling and limitations

I am a huge proponent of scheduling your limits: when you want to have meetings, when you want to book, when you want to be working, when you’re going to be emailing.

For example, if I’m typing up an email, I’m not going to schedule it at 10 pm if that’s not a time I want to communicate with my clients. That email is going to be scheduled for the morning, otherwise, that’s going to set the expectation that my clients can reach out to me late at night.

Scheduling these things ahead of time helps maintain your work-life balance and upholds a professional image. I like to use a scheduling tool like Calendly. It can be so invaluable for managing meetings and client touchpoints, and ensures that every interaction is intentional and well-organized.

Build a business model that serves clients well

If you scale to any heights, you’re going to have frustrating client situations, no matter what type of business owner you are, and that’s why it’s really important to make sure you’re serving your clients really well.

There are people who will pay high prices, but the level of service needs to come with that. Am I saying you need to be available for those clients 24/7? No, but you need to be able to serve them well. That’s where those high-paying clients come in and that’s where those referrals come in.

I want my clients to know that they are going to be taken care of. I want them to have a memorable experience and to know that I value this just as much as they do.

By establishing clear boundaries, enhancing your client interactions, and adopting a CEO mindset, you can create a thriving environment for your clients.

In this episode, we chat about:

• Why it’s important to avoid complaining about clients and shifting blame on them
• Taking yourself seriously as a business owner and viewing yourself as the CEO of your business
• The role of communication in managing the client experience
• Scheduling and setting limitations
• The importance of serving your clients well

Connect with Christa

Want more info on adding in prints and products for BIG sales? Send me a DM on Instagram @‌christa_rene or check out my website https://christarenephotography.com/

More about the Uncapped Photographer Podcast

The Uncapped Photographer Podcast is a podcast for established photographers teaching them how to uncap their offerings and setup in their photography business without the burnout. Every other week, Christa Rene Robinson will share the clear and concise actions you need to take to grow your photography business. This is the info she WISH someone had told her much, much sooner that would have allowed her to grow even FASTER!

This podcast is for you if you are ready to hit the next level in your business and income so you can build the life of your dreams!

Christa is a wife, mom, and photographer turned business coach with 10 years of experience in the industry. If you’d like to connect or work with Christa, reach out to her on Instagram @‌christa_rene. You can also learn more about her on her website https://christarenephotography.com.