Shows
Shoot to the TopSam becomes the guest as Marcus asks him about his past.In this show, Marcus interviews Sam.Marcus asks Sam to start at the beginning, and Sam splits this in two and starts sharing his photography story. Sam’s Dad was a professional photographer who shared his interest in photography with Sam. He had cameras from a young age and an SLR from a young age. Sam says that after university, he was travelling. One thing he did was photograph white water rafting trips in Nepal. He sold images to the rafting clients of their trip. Sam also talks about his kayaking trips to the UK, the Alps, and Ne...2025-05-0618 minShoot to the TopHow to use personality profiling to help your photography business with Kate Van Der Sluis Kate works at Humber HR and has been doing HR for over 20years. Kate has lived in several European cities before coming back to Yorkshire. Kate says understanding how people present and communicate at work is useful for photographers. Understanding how this works will help us work better with more clients. Kate’s degree is in psychology, and she says the way we present ourselves to the world depends on a huge number of factors. She says people present themselves in several ways. Extraverts and introverts are examples of this. And it can be difficult when people at t...2025-04-1726 min
Shoot to the TopWhat is it like working in Thailand as a brand photographer with Charlotte GrahamCharlotte set up Shot by Char in 2019 and is a brand Photographer. Charlotte studied fine art photography at the University of Manchester. After university, she started working for photographic studios, selling portrait vouchers on the streets. From there, she also managed to secure work as a photographer in the studios. While working in a studio, she also started to build her own business. Eventually, she earned enough money to pay off her debt and started to travel. And while travelling she taught English and worked as a photographer. Gradually, the photography went well enough that she could drop the...2025-04-0425 min
Shoot to the TopA chat about niching, helping other photographers and much more with Dan BarkerThe first Shoot to the Top Webinar is on the 2nd of April and it’s all about getting higher value clients for your business. To find out more and book click here.Dan started as an engineer and then moved over to running a photography business. Dan got a studio early in his career. When he started, there was a group of local businesseswith a shared space where he started with a desk. Then, as others left, he took over more of the space to make it his studio. Sam likes a few things on hi...2025-03-2725 min
Shoot to the TopA fireside chat with photographer Andrew Collier about his love of photographing people and targeted approach to marketing.The first Shoot to the Top Webinar is on the 2nd of April and it’s all about getting higher value clients for your business. To find out more and book click here.After school, Andrew worked for an advertising agency. In2002, he bought a camera, having hardly taken a photo since he was young. That camera rekindled his interest. But he said that he still had a fear of taking photographs of people. And when he went to a local camera club recently, he found that was what they were afraid of too. He found a cou...2025-03-1428 min
Shoot to the TopKeeping fit and looking after your body as a photographerThis week, Sam and Marcus discussed keeping fit as a photographer. Many types of photography take a physical toll on the body, such as events where you can be moving quickly and carrying a lot of kit. The job also involves a lot of desk work, which can be bad for the body again, but in a different way.There are three areas covered in the showExercise and keeping fitProtecting yourself while on the jobBest practice working at the deskMarcus and Sam agree that with exercise and keeping fit...2025-03-0718 min
Shoot to the TopCould an e-learning course get recurring income for your photography business with James Martin?Jamie is passionate about sales strategy, LinkedIn, socialmedia, and sales training to help businesses improve their revenue and processes. Focusing on selling to different personalities! In this show, he talks about setting up an e-learning course, and we could do this as photographers. After being a podcast guest, the host asked Jamie if he wanted to make an e-learning course with him. They used software called Zenler for the course. Jamie provided the content. When building a course, you need to think about who your target market is. And why do they need your course? You also need...2025-02-2025 min
Shoot to the TopWhy Street Photography is essential for photographers of all genresTo get the Shoot to the Top Podcast in your inbox every week to ensure you don't miss an episode,click here Join theShoot to the Top Facebook group to meet fellow photographers, guests and Sam and MarcusMarcus says street photography is about capturing incidentshappening around you. He also says there is so much to learn from street photography that all photographers should be doing it. He says the need to work at the moment as you see things is perfect training for other types of photography.EquipmentA street photographer needs to b...2025-02-1318 min
Shoot to the TopHear about AI, food photography and keeping your clients for fifteen years with Abi and Giles from Giles Christopher Photography
Abi and Giles have a background in film and TV. Abi as a producer. They met while working on Jonathan Creek. Abi says she does the organising side doing the paperwork, keeping the clients happy and getting the next client while Giles does the creative stuff.
Giles started doing stills photography as an assistant in the movie industry. He then moved into being a movie cameraman. Eventually, they both got tired of the long hours in the movie industry and set up their own business. They ran the company alongside their film careers for a...2025-02-0627 min
Shoot to the TopImprove your sales technique with Martyn SlowmanMartyn is a sales trainer; he is a non-pushy sales trainer. Everything he helps with is non-pushy selling. It’s all about helping, the opposite of the cheesy 1980s pushy salesman. Marcus asks what social selling means. This is around social media. If your customer is on a platform it makes sense to be on that platform and interact with them there. Martyn says his target market is LinkedIn so he is on there at least once a day. He says social media allows us to share what we do without being “shouty”. Marytn was either making a video a day...2025-01-3027 min
Shoot to the TopCreating a sales funnel for a photography businessSam explains that a marketing funnel is not complicated.
It’s simply a way to move someone from being unknown to us to a lead and then a customer.
Instead of talking about this in theory, Sam will create a
sales funnel. On that basis, Sam and Marcus will create a marketing funnel for a brand shoot.
What happens first? Let's say our target market is solicitors. I need to “get them into my funnel”. Sam says his go to place to find solicitors would be LinkedIn. A good start would be connecting with solicitors on Linked...2025-01-2417 min
Shoot to the TopHow to not leave "money on the table" with Gillian DevineThis is Gillian’s second show with us. Gillian uses social
media a lot as one of her marketing pillars. Today's show is about the extra ways we can make money, the extra money we are leaving on the table while working with our clients.
Sam and Gillian discuss the fact that in many cases our clients want the extra services we offer, but simply don’t know we offer them. Offering these does not need to be salesy or pushy. It can just be letting our clients know these extra services exist.
2025-01-1629 min
Shoot to the TopHow to get work with an agency with Sunjay SinghSunjay Singh is this weeks guest. He is in the sales
and marketing world. He has a video agency which he runs with his co-founder, live media UK and a small marketing company which provdes marketing managers for small businesses called Lambardar marketing.
Marcus asks how it started. Sunjay says Will (co-founder) and him had never had “proper jobs”. Sunjay said when he was 14 or 15 his Dad walked in told him he had to photograph a wedding and then left. Sunjay had never taken a picture before in his life. His Dad had always enjoyed photog...2025-01-0929 min
Shoot to the TopModern Photography apprenticeships with Anthony MilnerAnthony is going to be talking about photography apprentices. He has been a photographer for many years but was recently approached to create a photography apprenticeship. He says he has a learner who, four months in, is taking amazing photographs.
Anthony explains what the apprenticeship looks like from the point of view of a photographer and apprentice.
For the photographer, you have a full-time member of staff.
The staff have training once per month online. They also get skills coach learning and that involves the photographer and the apprentice.
2025-01-0229 min
Shoot to the TopChristmas comes to Photographers everywhereThis is the Christmas show. Sam is going to share three things you need to do in the new year while Marcus is going to make some predictions for the next year.
Sam says the first thing to do is look at your marketing numbers for the year. Find out where your customers come from. Then look at the time (and this part will be an estimate) spent on different marketing activities. Then compare them. How much income has each marketing activity generated compared to the time you spent on it? Then evaluate. What...2024-12-1918 min
Shoot to the TopMark Kensett shares forty years of photography industry experience with usMark Kensett is a photographer and has worked in it for 40
years since he was 17. Mark started in a commercial studio when he was 17—then co-founded a studio for a while. He finally sold his share in that and then moved on to work for himself.
Mark says his early work was all done on large-format film
cameras. Sam asks if he can tell us about some of the clients he has worked with or shoots he has done over the years.
Mark started as a food photographer and told us about a shoot he did with a f...2024-12-1324 min
Shoot to the TopHow Virtual Tours Can Be a Part of Your Photography Business with Andy FletcherAndy has worked with cameras for many years. Initially, he was in the CCTV industry. This role was about sales and account management. He worked long hours, and got well paid, but eventually got disillusioned with it and decided to be a commercial photography. He started out within a Google Maps niche. At the time google was recruiting photographers to do 360 virtual tours of the inside of businesses.
This was very popular for several years. He also sold standard images to businesses while doing the virtual tour. He also used to upload images to stock photography. He doesn’t...2024-12-0528 min
Shoot to the TopCreating a small home photography studioMarcus has been working in the studio since her started as a
photographer. His hair and fashion work was both in home studios and in larger professional studios. But what he learnt from this experience is that a large studio isn’t really needed. Sam asks if it is worth a photographer hiring a studio to experience what it’s like to use a big studio. Marcus says it’s hard as they are so expensive. But he says you can do a lot at home.
Marcus’s home studio is 4m x 5m and is a spare room. He...2024-11-2820 min
Shoot to the TopUsing LinkedIn to it's full potential as a photographer with Jeff BrownSam and Gillian Devine are running a workshop for Photographers to get more leads and customers from the website and email marketing. Join the event here
Jeff Brown is known for many things but especially encouraging photographers to use LinkedIn. Jeff Has a new version of his LinkedIn book “The Photographers missing link”. The first version of the book was written in January 2022, and the size of the book has doubled since then. Jeff says that many of his opportunities come from LinkedIn as well as customers.
Jeff says 41% of millionaires are on LinkedIn. The 26-34 age...2024-11-2131 min
Shoot to the TopFalling in love with wildlife photography and African Safaris with David HarrisonSam is running a “Capture Clients Workshop” with Gillian
Devine. Gillian and Sam will be focussing on email marketing and website design and how you can use these to get more clients and grow your business. There will be lots of practical advice that you will be able to take away at the end
of the day. To book on click here.
David Harrison was a Commercial Photographer and is now moving towards making his passion, wildlife photography, part of his business. David had an Uncle in South Africa when he was young. When he was 21...2024-11-1429 min
Shoot to the TopMaking the writing on your photography website work and get you more leads.There is an event for photographers about using website and email strategies for business success. This is run by Sam and Gillian Devine on the 27th November 2024.
You can get more details and book a free place by clicking here.
Sam and Marcus say that some photographers websites have no writing at all, which is terrible for SEO and getting business. Some things to think about before writing your website are:
Make sure you know your target audience – See this show for details.
What your call to actions are –see this show...2024-11-0722 min
Shoot to the TopLearn how to become more creative and more productive with Christian Ray FloresChristian does many things. He runs a performance
coaching program, does digital media and has a program in Mozambique.
Christian was a refugee at the age of 4 and moved from Chile to Germany to Russia to Africa and back to Russia. He has seen a lot of civil unrest on the way including a military coup in Chile, a civil war in Mozambique the collapse of the Soviet Union. In 1993 he started a music career in Russia and he became a pop star in Russia for about ten years.
Christian says he moved from a communist household to...2024-10-3128 min
Shoot to the TopFind great insights into running a photography business from photographer and podcaster Andrew HellmichAndrew is a Sydney, Australia based photographer. He started an interview based podcast 12 years ago and now podcasting is what he spends most of his time doing, his wife runs the photography guests. In that time he has spoken to over 600 guests. He finds that the listeners get the most from listening to the average photographer working hard in their business. But he has spoken to some very famous photographers including Ben Chrisman, Gable Clintop, Gable Peterson, Sue Bryce.
Andrew says he used to be part of the AIPP going to conferences and learning a lot. He was...2024-10-2527 min
Shoot to the TopHow do increase your revenue by using video in your photography business with guests Nathan Pidd and Mike RobertsonNathan Pidd and Mike Robertson are VIP Creative. Together they run a video and photography business in Hull. Nathan had been doing photography as long as he can remember.
He met Mike through a mutual friend and Mike helped on Nathan’s first wedding. In the business they have now, Nathan heads the photography side and Mike heads
the video side. After three years of running the business alongside full time jobs, they decided to run the business full time.
Nathan explains his training was through a fine art degree that then moved into lens media and rea...2024-10-1728 min
Shoot to the TopUsing Models in your WorkThis show is about working with models but is also working
with all sorts of different people on a shoot.
How do you find a fashion model for a test?
A test is a situation where everyone is working together for
free to build images for their portfolio. It is a very typical way of starting the fashion world. Marcus says the first thing is what a fashion model looks like. Look at fashion magazines to get an idea for this. Marcus says that fashion models should look striking / unusual. Marcus says now there is a...2024-10-1020 min
Shoot to the TopMaking more money from your business with Accountant Bel TurpinBel is part of Turpin Accounting Services a business setup by her Mum.
Bel she she fell into accounting. She started in retail management, but when her Mum’s business expanded she needed help. Bel started doing data entry on her days off, and then applied for a role when it became available. So she started on admin, then moved onto bookkeeping, then accounting and did all the training in those areas on the way. Now she works with clients on business development.
Marcus says he doesn’t have an accountant and asks why he
should use...2024-09-2626 min
Shoot to the TopWhich Business Apps will help your business? This episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
This week Sam talks about apps you can use in your business.
Accounting apps
This is a vital part of all of our businesses. This can be
done on excel, but this doesn’t give you much business information. The app also makes your life easy in many ways. Once the template is set up sending invoices
is quick and easy. The app also gives you key business inform...2024-09-1923 min
Shoot to the TopUsing a stylist for your Photoshoot with Suzanne SuthersSuzanne has been working fo the last 16 years as a personal
stylist. Once people find what clothes suit them and work for them, shopping and dressing becomes so much easier.
Suzanne was nurse for a while, but decided it wasn’t for her. She then studied fashion and worked for various high street brands. From there she had her own shop. After she closed that business she trained as a stylist and has been working as a stylist ever since. Suzanne’s shop was a ladies accessory
shop with a café. Marcus points out that twenty years ago h...2024-09-1226 min
Shoot to the TopWhat can photographers learn from musicians with Pete CocoPete is a New York headshot and portrait Photographer and musician.
Peter started photography and music at the same time as a teenager. As a musician Pete is a Jazz musician. And he spent lots of time learning the music of the Jazz masters. He spent time working out bass lines of great jazz music. As you do this over time you start to absorb their work into your style and then develop your own style. And Pete then took this approach to photography. First he started working with New York headshot and portrait Photographer and musicians2024-09-0531 min
Shoot to the TopGetting more clients with Christine SaundersThis week the guest is Christine Saunders. Christine is an art buyer, producer and business coach for professional photographers. She helps photographers curate their websites to show their best works and ultimately get more work.
Sam asks what is Christine helping these photographers with and why are they coming to her? Christine says she helps photographers help them see themselves more as CEO of a business. Think about all of the departments the CEO of coca cola might have. Generally photographers are great at the creativity and often get help with the accounting side, but there...2024-08-2227 min
Shoot to the TopSarah J Naylor helps us live our best lifeSarah J Naylor is a lifestyle success coach and mentor. She helps people at crossroads in their life. Often a midlife point where you suddenly start asking questions about where you
are and what you are doing. She works to help people understand what fires them up, how they want their life to looks and helps them work towards that. It is also about how you see your life and having the gratitude for what you have
already.
Marcus asks Sarah to define mid-life. Sarah says it’s around 40 to 60, but age is just a number. Sam says...2024-08-1525 min
PhotoBizX The Ultimate Wedding and Portrait Photography Business Podcast578: Sam Hollis – How to generate photography leads with Google Maps
Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area
Sam Hollis builds websites for photographers and is an SEO specialist who popped up on my radar when premium member Adrienne Angelo suggested I listen to an episode of the “Shoot To The Top” podcast, where the discussion was focussed on utilising Google Maps to generate leads for your photography business.
Sam is the podcast co-host and runs a web design business with a difference—you pay for your website monthly with no upfront fees and no long-term commitment. If the website isn't workin...2024-08-1232 min
PhotoBizX The Ultimate Wedding and Portrait Photography Business Podcast578: Sam Hollis – How to generate photography leads with Google Maps
Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area
Sam Hollis builds websites for photographers and is an SEO specialist who popped up on my radar when premium member Adrienne Angelo suggested I listen to an episode of the “Shoot To The Top” podcast, where the discussion was focussed on utilising Google Maps to generate leads for your photography business.
Sam is the podcast co-host and runs a web design business with a difference—you pay for your website monthly with no upfront fees and no long-term commitment. If the website isn't workin...2024-08-1232 min
Shoot to the TopUsing Google Ads in your Photography Business This episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
Why would we use Google Ads?
You get instant results. As soon as you press go you get visitors to your website. But it means you have keep paying to keep those visitors coming. It can also be complex to setup.When should you use adsSam says the first thing you need to do is do some research before running ads.
1. You need to know your conversi...2024-08-0819 min
The Buffalo Sessions71 - Changing EVERYTHING and Moving from the UK to Mozambique, with Sam HollisIf you've ever thought about changing everything and starting a new life, this one is for you.
In 2020, Sam Hollis moved to Mozambique with his family and hasn't looked back ever since.
Learn more about his experience and how it affected this digital business in this episode of The Buffalo Sessions Episode.
↳ Join us for our LIVE event in September!
↳ Get a 14-day trial in Circle Networks
↳ Follow Jamie
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↳ Sam's Agency
#networking #buffalosessions2024-08-0716 min
Shoot to the TopCropping Images for Social Media, Websites and moreMarcus says the show was triggered by a client he had recently who wanted images cropped in a very specific way.
Back in the days of film Marcus says it was a lot simpler and to some photographers it was a badge of honour not to crop their images. There were of course a great deal of different film sized and ratios back then including:
35mm – which were a 2x3 ratio
6cmx6cm so a 1x1 ratio
6x7 ratio was also possible for magazine covers.
Large format 5x4 was also available ...2024-07-1818 min
Shoot to the TopUsing Google Maps to get leads This episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
This week Sam is talking about using Google Business and
Google maps for your business. Google maps is great for photographers, as most photographers want local clients. Google maps is the app we all know where you can find your nearest hairdresser, or photographer. Google maps gets it's information from Google business, or Google my business as it used to be known.
Google business is a system that...2024-07-0419 min
Shoot to the TopMeet Business Expert, Zoe WadsworthZoe runs Ask Zoe and calls herself a consultant with a difference. She focusses not just on your business, but also on marketing. So she educates customers on what to do, when and how to help you grow. Sam and Zoe met four or five years ago pre-Covid when Zoe ran Fab Events. This business was setup in 2016. Zoe grew the business with 4N, the networking group Sam and Zoe were involved with at the time. The name Fab came because people kept saying “Zoe you are Fab”. Even in this business she was doing marketing as well as even...2024-06-2729 min
Shoot to the TopYour Photography PortfolioThis week Marcus talks about building a portfolio as a photographer. He breaks this down into three areas, photographs, pace and presentation.
Marcus starts by taking about Robert Frank and his book 'The Americans', that was published in 1960. He took photos and made what he called about a visual poem out of them. Marcus encourages you to look at the book and focus on
the fact that it is a series of images.
Sam asks why a photographer wants a portfolio. Marcus says there are two reasons. One is to get more work. The other is...2024-06-2018 min
Shoot to the TopWho is my ideal client?This episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
Sam talks about who is your ideal client or customer. First Sam explains why you want to an ideal customers. If you think “anyone” is your client, your messages is bland and doesn’t land with people and so “nobody” listens. While
if you have a specific audience in mind when you are writing your content it is much more engaging and interesting for that audience. S...2024-06-0617 min
Shoot to the TopTalking to Brand Photographer Emma Bunn Emma runs Natural Aspect. She creates images for her clients so they can market their brand with ease and confidence. And Sam said that is reflected in her social media where she is promoting herself with confidence.
The name of the business has changed many times over the years. During her last rebrand she was in the mountains in Wales. She as looking for a name that reflected her style, capturing the natural look and the logo reflected the mountains.
Sam asked about TikTok and Emma said she was dragged onto it by a marketing coach. Emma says h...2024-05-3027 min
Shoot to the TopMeet Robin Thompson, IT expertRobin Thompson says he is an IT stress reliever working with
small and medium-sized businesses helping ensure that their IT is not causing them stress. Sam and Robin have known each other for a long time having started their business at a similar time and having run a networking event together.
Robin’s journey into IT has been an interesting one. As a
child of the 80s he has been using computers since he was a child. Robin spent ten years in financial services and then moved to working in higher education. He did do some first li...2024-05-1623 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with Zoe HiljemarkZoe Hiljemark is a PR and marketing consultant who works
just with photographers. She has spent twenty years in PR, ten of those working with photographers. She leverages PR
content and SEO to promote photographers.Back when Zoe became a mother she wanted baby photographs. So she got a photoshoot with Karen Wiltshire. Zoe got on well with Karen and the ideas went from there. Zoe realised Karen’s work was amazing but could reach many more people. So Zoe started working with Karen and then moved on to working with other photographers. The business grew from there and...2024-05-0927 min
Shoot to the TopSEO series part III Internal SEOSEO part III on site SEO
This episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
This follows SEO part one, which as about planning and SEO
part two, which was about work external to your website. That leaves this show, SEO III on site SEO. The first thing to do is ensure you have competed part one and part two. So if you have not listened to those shows and planned...2024-05-0218 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with Denise Brady - Food PhotographerDenise Brady has been a food photographer for two and a half years. She is based on the East coast of the UK in Suffolk. Before this she was doing weddings and family photography, but Covid meant Denise had to pivot her
business and moved to food photography. Denise’s photography journey began on her wedding day. When she got the images back from her wedding day she didn’t like them, and said she could have done better herself, which her husband laughed at. Denise had done photography in her youth but stopped. The next Christmas her husband boug...2024-04-2527 min
Shoot to the TopAlternative GenresEvery episode has an extra bonus tip that we give only to newsletter subscribers. For the show about fashion Marcus’s tip as if you want to shoot fashion, don’t shoot fashion. And now Marcus has a whole show on this principal.
When Marcus was working in fashion lecturing, students would come up with great fashion work. But he would say remember editors commissioning this work see pictures
all the time. So if you want to get noticed, do something different. Sam says this reminds him of the interview with Joe Giacomet. He spent ages...2024-04-1818 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with Sonya DoveThis week Marcus and Sam speak to Sonya Dove who is Wella’s Global Creative Director and Marcus’s big sister. Sonya has been with Wella for 40 years and hairdressing for 45 years. On a day to day basis Sonya travels around the US and Canada educating and mentoring hairdressers. She also does classes and photoshoots. Hairdressing has given her the opportunity to travel the world. She still travels at least two to three times per month.
Sonya says photoshoots can be for hairdressers, or for consumers. She used to work in a salon, but now with...2024-04-1129 min
Shoot to the TopSEO Series part two, external SEOSEO Part Two
There are going to be three podcasts on SEO.
Planning
External SEO
Internal SEO
This episode is looking at External SEO.
This episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
This week Sam is talking about external SEO. That means
things you can do, external to your website, to help your SEO.
One of the most important things you can do i...2024-04-0518 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with Paul CooperPaul Cooper has been a professional photographer for over 30 years. He is currently a commercial photographer. But, in the last 30 years he has shot most types of photography. His photography business Baily-Cooper Photography is run
with his wife. They also have a photography education business called Master your Photography. Master your photography caters for everyone from someone who wants
to buy a photographer and doesn’t know what to buy, to professional mentoring.
Before Paul was a professional photographer, he was an amateur photographer. His parents got him a camera when he was 18. Him and his wife married, an...2024-03-2826 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with Fiona Scott PR ExpertThis episode is an interview with Fiona Scott a PR
specialist.
To start Sam and Fiona discuss the difference between PR and marketing. Fiona says public relations encompasses every type of marketing as public relations is about any time your business contacts the public. Fiona says that means if
someone says they can help you with all of your PR be very wary, that is a very wide field.
Fiona’s specialism is in press communications. Fiona suggests that when you are starting business, get some advice about marketing and PR. You probably can’t afford PR or m...2024-03-1626 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with LinkedIn expert Maureen KaneMaureen helps elevate peoples Linkedin profile. She helps them create more opportunities and visibility. That creates more leads and more business.
Maureen tells her story. She started off in the world of sales and marketing. She went from telemarking to field sales. To then running sales teams working with tech startups. As a Sales and marketing director LinkedIn was always her go to platform. She has always known that it is such a great tool.
About 12 years ago Maureen had a son and wanted to work for herself. She started being a general marketing consultant. Before lockdown...2024-02-2926 min
Shoot to the TopHow important is it to be consistent in your marketing?Sam and Marcus discuss consistency in your marketing. Sam says the basic idea is decide what you want to in your marketing, and do it consistently and well. If you look at businesses that are doing well through their marketing, they are being very consistent. That doesn’t mean that all businesses that consistently market, do well.
This episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
...2024-02-0820 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with Toby Lee, Headshot PhotographerToby Lee
Toby is a headshot photographer in the UK. His business is called Headshot Toby. He has been a Headshot photographer for 7 years. He started out working with actors and those in the entertainment industry. He is now in Lincolnshire working more with businesses.
Toby started out as an actor and went to one of the top acting schools in the country. During his final year at acting school, it was essential to get a professional head shot. His headshot was done by Robin Savage. Toby felt he really enjoyed the
process. He happened to...2024-02-0325 min
Shoot to the TopBusiness PlaniningThis episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
The show starts talking about why would you have a business plan?
The most basic answer is it helps you achieve your goals in life and in business. This is linked to where you and your business want to be in one year or in five years. Then the key is working out how you are going to get there. S...2024-01-1117 min
Shoot to the TopIn conversation with the Royal Photographic SocietyThe Royal Photography Society
This week Marcus is doing the show solo, without Sam, and talking to Dr Michael Pritchard from the Royal Photography Society(RPS). Michael’s story
Photography has been something Michael has been involved in since he was 11 years old. He started working as a Saturday boy in a professional studio in the late 70s. The studio did a wide range of different work from weddings, studio and commercial work. He also got to work in the black and white darkroom. This really sparked Michael’s passion for photography. They allowed him to do h...2024-01-0430 min
Shoot to the TopChristmas fireside chat with Marcus and SamSam and Marcus have a cozy fireside Christmas chat about the podcast over the last year.
Marcus refers back to our very first show Degree or disagree. Marcus loves this for the content of the show and for the pun. This is always a debate that stirs up a lot of emotion.
Sam refers back to the show on networking. As networking is such an important part of your marketing for photographers. Marcus thinks thinks networking in person will be a great place to focus for 2024. He is going to try to do more face t...2023-12-2113 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with Gillian DevineGillian Devine is a photographer of 18 years. Gillian started with weddings and babies, but is now a brand photographer, business coach and marketing mentor to other photographers.
Gillian says she is where she is today as married the wrong man. She started in corporate marketing and then married a man called Phil Devine. His dad Vincent Devine was a professional photographer with 40 years experience. Gillian started
to go to weddings with him. Vincent eventually mentored Gillian and helped her become a photographer. She then took over the family business. Sadly Vincent has passed away and Gillian is now...2023-12-1527 min
Shoot to the TopShould I work for free?Marcus’s answer is… it depends!
The pros of working for free
If you are starting out as a photographer Marcus thinks there
are some advantages to working for free.
One is getting experience. Marcus thinks that if you are working for free it allows you to try the client photographer relationship but without the client handing over any money.
Portfolio building is another reason to work for free. When you are starting out you need portfolio photographs for your website, social and to show people.
Experimentation. Marcus thinks this is anot...2023-12-0715 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with Sarah J Naylor, Lifestyle Success Coach and MentorShe helps people who have got to a point in mid life when they start ask who they are and what are they doing. Her job is about finding what really fires people up and she helps them identify that and helps them make the change towards doing what they want. “Life is an illusion of your own creation” How do you see your own life?
Marcus asks what she means by mid life. Sarah says it’s the forty to sixty age bracket officially, but it’s also about mind set and where we are. And Sam commente...2023-11-3026 min
Shoot to the TopHow to decide what to charge, pricing for photographers.This episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
There are several different models for how to decide on a price for your services. We talk about some of the main ones in the show.
1. Charge per hour.
With this approach you decide what you want to be paid per hour. Then work out how much time the whole process takes and work out a price...2023-11-2318 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with Allie CreweAllie used to lecture and the decided to walk away when she had a photograph hanging in a gallery alongside work by Martin Parr. Allie started photography when she was 16 or 17 shooting black and white with film. But Allie had a difficult childhood and so felt she had to get a “sensible” degree so she did a degree in English literature. She then taught, until she felt she had been “bled dry”. When her daughter was in her teens Allie Crewe went to night
school to study photography. Allie had already studied film and Italian at night school and loved lea...2023-11-1626 min
Shoot to the TopGuest Interview with Lauren McWilliams Photographer and Brand StrategistLauren McWilliams is a Brand photographer and Strategist. Lauren works with ambitious service based entrepreneurs across the UK through photography and programmes.
With a keen eye for capturing the essence of brands through photography and a knack for strategic thinking, she’s the go-to for those looking to make a lasting impact in their market.
Her passion for helping others can be seen and was recently recognised in the Great British Entrepreneur Awards 2022 as a finalist for Young Entrepreneur of the year.
Lauren's business story
Lauren started her business in 2019 not long...2023-11-0226 min
Shoot to the TopStop Talking About YourselfThis episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
In this episode Sam says we should talk much less about ourselves in our marketing. People are interested in themselves, not about you. So if your marketing is talking about you, the people receiving it are not very interested. They are more interested in themselves.
SocialWho was your last social post about?
Was it about you?
If so ho...2023-10-3018 min
Shoot to the TopGuest interview with Colin D Smith, the listening expertIn this show we talk to Colin D Smith who is an expert in listening. A skill we have talked about many times in the show.
Listening makes people feel needed and valued. It is something that can be learnt either through coaching in group settings or
121. Even though most people think they are good
listeners in reality very few people have the skills to do it well. And this is reflected in society with a rise in loneliness and sadly suicide rates.
Colin goes on to say the importance of us...2023-10-2026 min
Shoot to the TopCreativity and restCreativity and Rest
Marcus takes us back to episode 12 and reminds us about the 5 Rs of creativity
Rules
Research
Reflection
Repetition
Rest
Today Marcus is going to talk more about the subject of rest.
Marcus has been looking at the latest research into creativity. According to the research your brain works in two different modes
1. “Default Mode Network”
When you are not really thinking about anything. When you do something by habit. Like having a shower in the morning, or driving your car and you arrived...2023-10-1216 min
Shoot to the TopBattle of the Website platformsThis episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
In this episode Marcus and Sam discuss the different platforms available for building a website. Sam grouped into three different broad groups.
1. The self build platforms – Wix, SquareSpace, Shopify and others
2. Content management system platforms. This is dominated by WordPress, but
there are other platforms here like Joomla
3. Custom coding. This means someone builds a site for you
using c...2023-10-0619 min
Shoot to the TopCall to ActionsThis episode is sponsored by Website for photographers. Website 4 photographers help photographers get more leads from their websites. You can get in touch here
info@website4photographers.co.uk
01482 765871
This week Sam and Marcus discuss the “Call to Action". A key concept in
marketing in general that is used a lot in websites.
What is a “call to action”?
In marketing it is the action you want someone to take. In the case of
a website it is what you want the visitor to do before they leave the...2023-09-1416 min
Shoot to the TopBlack and White PhotographyThis week Marcus and Sam discuss the use of black and white photography.
Marcus did a poll on LinkedIn and found that (from the sample of people who responded) people preferred colour for a head shot, but like black and white photography in their homes.
William Eggleston a famous photographer did an exhibition in
the Museum of modern art, New York in the mid 1970s and he used colour. At the time the critics said his use of colour was “vulgar”.
Marcus thinks that using actual film, black and white film, and developing it yourself will expa...2023-09-0717 min
In Business Talks2 PodcastFriday Fix - Sam Hollis ''My business is in the UK, my clients are based in the UK, the only thing about my business that isn't in the UK is me!''Prepare for a bonus episode that will propel your business to new heights!We're chatting with a member of our In Business networking group or another successful entrepreneur to dive deep into their field of expertise.Every week, one of our experts will share their secrets, unique ideas, and professional guidance on a certain topics, providing you with the skills you need to succeed.So grab a notepad and get ready to scribble because this episode is not to be missed!This week we have Sam Hollis of 'Sam Hollis...2023-09-0132 min