With over 120 MJ2Day alumni now taking over the globe, I thought it would be fun to do a series on my blog to check in on past attendees and see what they're up to now and how their businesses, lives and photography have been impacted by their experience at the workshop. I love keeping up with past attendees and seeing where their journeys have led them! So many of them are blowing me away with their amazingness!
Today, I'd like to introduce you to Meredith Melody -- an attendee of the Columbus, Ohio MJ2Day that took place last June. Meredith is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and has honed in on two photography specialties: weddings and glamour/boudoir. I can just imagine her making the women she shoots feel gorgeous. She's so stinkin' gorgeous herself!
Today, I'd like to introduce you to Meredith Melody -- an attendee of the Columbus, Ohio MJ2Day that took place last June. Meredith is located in Little Rock, Arkansas and has honed in on two photography specialties: weddings and glamour/boudoir. I can just imagine her making the women she shoots feel gorgeous. She's so stinkin' gorgeous herself!
We get photographers at all stages of their business at the MJ2Day and Meredith was a few years into her business but was primarily a shoot & burn photographer who was struggling to define her style and provide the kind of service she wanted to give her clients. Her wedding prices before the workshop averaged $2k - $3k and since the workshop her clients are now generally spending between $4k - $5k. She's rocking it!
I interviewed Meredith for this post and I love what she shared in answer to my first question:
Q: What is the biggest difference in your photography since attending the MJ2Day?
A: I have come leaps and bounds in solidifying my style of shooting for portraits and weddings. I am no longer trying to figure out my recipe for great images at every shoot. I am more confident in interacting with my clients and am constantly seeking light instead of location. I feel very confident in how those two things translate into my images. I now have clients who have hired me because they love the look of my backlit images. Before, I was shooting haphazardly and not knowing why I loved some of my shots and why others just weren't quite right. Now, I have a consistency in my images - soft, diffused light or beautiful backlight - and I know that no matter the situation, I can make it work.
I just love to hear the confidence coming from Meredith! So awesome! Here are some examples of Meredith's work before the workshop:
I interviewed Meredith for this post and I love what she shared in answer to my first question:
Q: What is the biggest difference in your photography since attending the MJ2Day?
A: I have come leaps and bounds in solidifying my style of shooting for portraits and weddings. I am no longer trying to figure out my recipe for great images at every shoot. I am more confident in interacting with my clients and am constantly seeking light instead of location. I feel very confident in how those two things translate into my images. I now have clients who have hired me because they love the look of my backlit images. Before, I was shooting haphazardly and not knowing why I loved some of my shots and why others just weren't quite right. Now, I have a consistency in my images - soft, diffused light or beautiful backlight - and I know that no matter the situation, I can make it work.
I just love to hear the confidence coming from Meredith! So awesome! Here are some examples of Meredith's work before the workshop:
And here are some examples of her work since attending:
What a transformation!
Q: What is the biggest difference in your business since attending the MJ2Day?
A: I have streamlined my workflow and client experience. I have incorporated ShootQ into my day-to-day workflow, which allows me to send template emails, keep track of tasks in each client's workflow (boudoir/glamour clients have a specific workflow and I have custom workflows for each of my wedding packages), and also has allowed me to move everything from paper to digital. My clients now book and pay online, which saves me tons of time and keeps my desk much more organized! I have also incorporated customized gifts to show my clients and favorite vendors how much I appreciate them and their business, which has translated into more word-of-mouth and more business! Every wedding client receives a box of yummy fresh baked cookies and a thank you note from me after they book. My brides also receive a less-stress box from me a few weeks before the wedding. I pack it full of goodies I find at Bath and Body Works and a little note from me reminding them to take some time to relax before the wedding arrives. Both are very small and inexpensive ways of showing my clients I care about them and appreciate their business, but the gifts have a big impact and leave my clients super happy with their experience working with me.
Q: What are some of your goals that you set after attending the workshop that you have since completed?
A: A few of my big goals were to increase my bookings and improve the products my clients receive in their packages. I now have a full set of bookings for 2012 and I have already booked a lot of 2013 weddings, which has never happened this early in the year for me. I also adjusted my packages so that all of my wedding clients receive a beautiful 12x12 leather album from Miller's. I wanted all of my clients to have something that I was proud of. Before, only a handful of my clients would purchase an album. I was tired of my clients walking away with only a DVD. I wanted them to have something beautiful to showcase their images and I also wanted to bring up the value and quality of my brand - adding these albums definitely helped me do that.
Q: Have you seen a change in your booking rate or the type of clients you book since the workshop?
A: Since the workshop, I have been able to more clearly identify my ideal client and I now make an effort to market to that client. I have become more conscious of the images I post to my blog so that I'm communicating a more specific message.
Also, I was able to solidify my desire to NOT book 30 or 40 weddings per year. I want to shoot less and provide excellent customer service and a personalized experience. That translates into a higher price tag for my services, which I am happy about. That means I'm not for every bride, and I'm okay with that. I am now in a place in my business where my ideal client is starting to seek me out. They see my work and it resonates with them. They hire me, they have a great time working with me and they tell their friends. It's a wonderful cycle!
Q: Are there any other changes or exciting developments you'd like to share?
A: I have opened a small studio office and have expanded my boudoir portraiture to include contemporary glamour photography. This is a truly inspiring and exciting venture for me. Boudoir photography has been a wonderful source of creativity and revenue for my business - it opened up a new market for me and allowed me to gain new clients where I wouldn't have otherwise. Glamour portraiture will allow me to expand even further to reach a larger demographic of women. What woman wouldn't want a supermodel photoshoot experience and beautiful portraits of herself and the important women in her life?? It's a fun and uplifting experience for my clients, very rewarding for me, and allows me to increase my revenue while keeping my wedding bookings to 12-15 per year.
Love it! The biggest thing I sensed from Meredith through this interview process is the growth in her confidence. I love love love that she is at the point where she can say, "That means I'm not for every bride, and I'm okay with that." She's doing the right things to put what SHE loves to do out there and her ideal clients are seeking her out for it. I feel so blessed to have been able to be a part of Meredith's journey, and to be able to see what she has done with the experience and knowledge she gained from the workshop last summer. And it's only been a year! At the rate she's going, I can't wait to see what the next year holds for her!
Thanks for sharing with us, Meredith! So excited for you and so proud!!
If you're a photographer and would love to take your photography and business to the next level like Meredith has, join us at an upcoming MJ2Day!
Q: What is the biggest difference in your business since attending the MJ2Day?
A: I have streamlined my workflow and client experience. I have incorporated ShootQ into my day-to-day workflow, which allows me to send template emails, keep track of tasks in each client's workflow (boudoir/glamour clients have a specific workflow and I have custom workflows for each of my wedding packages), and also has allowed me to move everything from paper to digital. My clients now book and pay online, which saves me tons of time and keeps my desk much more organized! I have also incorporated customized gifts to show my clients and favorite vendors how much I appreciate them and their business, which has translated into more word-of-mouth and more business! Every wedding client receives a box of yummy fresh baked cookies and a thank you note from me after they book. My brides also receive a less-stress box from me a few weeks before the wedding. I pack it full of goodies I find at Bath and Body Works and a little note from me reminding them to take some time to relax before the wedding arrives. Both are very small and inexpensive ways of showing my clients I care about them and appreciate their business, but the gifts have a big impact and leave my clients super happy with their experience working with me.
Q: What are some of your goals that you set after attending the workshop that you have since completed?
A: A few of my big goals were to increase my bookings and improve the products my clients receive in their packages. I now have a full set of bookings for 2012 and I have already booked a lot of 2013 weddings, which has never happened this early in the year for me. I also adjusted my packages so that all of my wedding clients receive a beautiful 12x12 leather album from Miller's. I wanted all of my clients to have something that I was proud of. Before, only a handful of my clients would purchase an album. I was tired of my clients walking away with only a DVD. I wanted them to have something beautiful to showcase their images and I also wanted to bring up the value and quality of my brand - adding these albums definitely helped me do that.
Q: Have you seen a change in your booking rate or the type of clients you book since the workshop?
A: Since the workshop, I have been able to more clearly identify my ideal client and I now make an effort to market to that client. I have become more conscious of the images I post to my blog so that I'm communicating a more specific message.
Also, I was able to solidify my desire to NOT book 30 or 40 weddings per year. I want to shoot less and provide excellent customer service and a personalized experience. That translates into a higher price tag for my services, which I am happy about. That means I'm not for every bride, and I'm okay with that. I am now in a place in my business where my ideal client is starting to seek me out. They see my work and it resonates with them. They hire me, they have a great time working with me and they tell their friends. It's a wonderful cycle!
Q: Are there any other changes or exciting developments you'd like to share?
A: I have opened a small studio office and have expanded my boudoir portraiture to include contemporary glamour photography. This is a truly inspiring and exciting venture for me. Boudoir photography has been a wonderful source of creativity and revenue for my business - it opened up a new market for me and allowed me to gain new clients where I wouldn't have otherwise. Glamour portraiture will allow me to expand even further to reach a larger demographic of women. What woman wouldn't want a supermodel photoshoot experience and beautiful portraits of herself and the important women in her life?? It's a fun and uplifting experience for my clients, very rewarding for me, and allows me to increase my revenue while keeping my wedding bookings to 12-15 per year.
Love it! The biggest thing I sensed from Meredith through this interview process is the growth in her confidence. I love love love that she is at the point where she can say, "That means I'm not for every bride, and I'm okay with that." She's doing the right things to put what SHE loves to do out there and her ideal clients are seeking her out for it. I feel so blessed to have been able to be a part of Meredith's journey, and to be able to see what she has done with the experience and knowledge she gained from the workshop last summer. And it's only been a year! At the rate she's going, I can't wait to see what the next year holds for her!
Thanks for sharing with us, Meredith! So excited for you and so proud!!
If you're a photographer and would love to take your photography and business to the next level like Meredith has, join us at an upcoming MJ2Day!
Comments
