How I’d Rebuild From Scratch | 125

What would I do if I had to start from scratch? No niche, no portfolio, no clients. Just a camera and the skills I have today.

I've broken it down into a 5-step blueprint that's all about focus, strategy, and growth.

1. Find Your Focus: The Power of Niching Down

First things first, I'd pick a niche. But not just any niche. I'd go for something very specific, like product photography for breweries.

Why? Because when you niche down, you become the go-to person for that specific service.

This is extremely important if you have no clients.

You don’t have credibility if you don’t have clients. Niching down makes it easier to build this credibility. You're not just a photographer - you're the brewery photographer. This focus makes marketing yourself simpler and more effective.

2. Show What You've Got: Building a Portfolio

With my niche in mind, the next step is to build a portfolio that showcases exactly what these breweries can expect from me. How? By buying products from different brands and taking a variety of photos—about 20 is plenty.

Then, I'd use these photos to build a killer website with some basic marketing copy that speaks directly to my ideal clients.

This last part is something most photo/video portfolios lack.

3. Make Them an Offer They Can't Refuse

Here's where it gets interesting. I'd reach out to local breweries with an irresistible offer: free photography in exchange for a testimonial or case study.

This step is all about creating value for both parties. It gives me the chance to prove my skills and build relationships, while the breweries get high-quality photos and virtually no risk.

Once I get a few of these I switch over to my paid offer.

4. The Secret Sauce: My Client Acquisition System

Once I've got some experience and testimonials under my belt, it's time to deploy the client acquisition system I've developed over the years. This isn't about posting on social media or waiting for leads to come in. It's a proven email system to land paying client after paying client, focusing on targeted outreach and delivering value first.

I’ve talked about this in-depth in other newsletters and my YouTube videos, so check those out if you need help. Or reply to this email with what you need from me.

5. Focus on What Matters: The Customer Experience

Always remember to keep the customer experience at the heart of what you do.

Happy clients not only come back, but they also bring new clients through referrals and testimonials. It's the cycle of success for any business, especially in photography.

A big mistake I used to make was focusing more on the sales process rather than the fulfillment process. It’s hard to get a client. It takes a lot of effort. You need to be putting in just as much or more effort trying to keep this client coming back for more. A 5-star onboarding and fulfillment process will do just that.