Photographers often ask how I scaled my business so quickly while still maintaining work-life balance. The answer: OUTSOURCING!! I could go on and on about the benefits of outsourcing (and I do occasionally on my Podcast) along with how much you can plan for it to cost, but I wanted to change things up a bit.

Let’s talk about the cost of NOT outsourcing.

It’s pretty simple…if you plan to grow your business without outsourcing, it will lead to burnout. Every time.

The Scenario

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen this exact scenario happen:

A photographer finally starts figuring out this business thing. They get a real marketing strategy together, they serve their clients well, and they start booking up consistently. The money starts rolling in and they get excited. They up their marketing efforts (because it’s WORKING!!), and they book even more clients! Then MORE money rolls in! This is the BEST!!

This cycle continues until they hit a breaking point. What was exciting once is now draining. They dread sitting down at their computer to edit. Their inbox goes untouched because they don’t have the time or mental capacity to respond to people. There are so many things they want to do, but they feel so exhausted and overwhelmed to do anything. 

Things around the house start to unravel. Laundry? HA! Not happening. Dishes pile up. The kids go crazy. The photographer is so exhausted from working extra long hours just to try to get all the things done that they have zero energy when it comes to family time. The cycle continues until one day they hit a breaking point and throw in the towel just to be able to breathe again.

Sound familiar? I’m telling you, I see this over and over again! This is what happens when you don’t outsource. Friend, I don’t want that for you! Let me pose a better way…

A Better Way

A different photographer also starts figuring out this business thing. They get a real marketing strategy together, they serve their clients well, and they start booking up consistently. They see the trend and know they won’t be able to keep up all the editing when busy season hits. They find an amazing editor to outsource to, and they immediately save HOURS sitting behind their computer editing and instead get to happily close their computer to have dinner with their family and spend the evening watching the latest show on Netflix. With the hours they saved by outsourcing editing, they can spend more time marketing and getting even more clients without increasing the work very much! It’s the BEST!

This cycle continues and they still feel refreshed. What was exciting once is now even more fun because they feel a sense of freedom. Their business doesn’t own them. They own the business! They continue to grow and that inbox starts to get neglected. Instead of letting potential clients slipping through the cracks, they hire a Virtual Assistant for a few hours a week to manage the inbox and deliver galleries to clients. The time they saved by bringing on the virtual assistant gives them more time to market their business. By booking just one more session each month, they cover the cost of the virtual assistant. More hours saved, more energy saved. 

Things at home are great! At the end of the day, the photographer feels a little tired (because running a business isn’t easy), but they’re able to re-charge with some nutrition and a good night’s sleep. They wake up the next morning ready to take on even more!

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Wow! Now that sounds SO much better. Friend, this lifestyle is super attainable! You don’t have to be making 6-figures to start outsourcing. (Read “When Should I Start Outsourcing” for the money breakdown.) 

Here are some action steps you can take TODAY:

1. Look for an editor if you don’t have one already! You can ask in photography facebook groups to see who everyone uses. You’ll find some great suggestions there!
2. Make a list of everything you currently do in your business, then circle the things ONLY YOU can do. For all the other things, write down if you should automate it, delegate it (outsource), or eliminate it.
3. Find a virtual assistant to bring on for 10 hours a month to help with the “Delegate It” list. Maybe they only take on one or two things. Just START! (Again, ask around photography facebook groups for suggestions.)

By following these steps, I know you’ll be well on your way to scaling your business in ways you never thought possible!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:

• Free Mini-Sessions Class: “How to Market, Monetize & Grow Your Photography Business with Mini-Sessions”
• Behind the Lens – my BTS membership for Family Photographers
• The Photographer’s Blogging Toolkit
• Complete Family Posing System