How to write
a photography studio
business plan

The photography studio business is a business, and like all other businesses, it requires planning, investment, training, and a lot of hard work to succeed. If you've noticed, planning is the first step to starting a photography business.

Every business requires solid planning and a photography studio business is no different. But what is a business plan? A business plan is a write-down of what we say in business terms, a SWOT analysis. It analyzes a business's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Let's show you how to come up with one.

Do extensive market research first

Every business requires solid market research to understand the opportunities and threats from the market.

Whether you're starting a photography studio rental business, a wedding photography business, or anything else, it's essential that you understand the environment in which you're going to start your business and the plan to survive and make money in that environment.

What are some practical methods of doing market research?

There are two methods by which you can do market research. The first one is to go through the DIY process. This is usually what most beginner entrepreneurs do. It is neither the most recommended method nor the most effective method of doing market research.

The reason is that not every business entrepreneur is excellent at market research. Market research is a specialized job requiring years of experience and domain knowledge to develop a solid business plan effectively.

We're not suggesting that a business entrepreneur does not have domain knowledge. He can be an experienced photographer with a lot of knowledge about the industry.

He may know how to start a photography studio business on the side. He can perhaps even develop a good business plan on his own complete with a costing analysis.

But he may not be an expert in marketing. Additionally, he may not have a solid knowledge of the day-to-day operations of a business. A businessman must address details of setting up the business, identifying the target customers, its daily process, financial requirements, and revenue generation.

Decide on your positioning in the market

Understanding where you fit in the market is essential to formulating a business plan. There may already be a lot of professional photographers in the market that you're trying to target. Many of them might work in the same genre you are trying to target.

How would you place yourself so your services and products are unique to your clients? How will your target customers identify you as a better option than your competition?

Let's say you are a wedding photographer trying to find your place in an already saturated market. First, you must figure out whether you should open your studio in an already saturated market.

If there are more threats in the form of competition than opportunities in the form of business, you will find it very difficult to run your business long-term.

Statistics have shown that 10% of all new businesses perish within the first year, and 30% of all new businesses perish after operation for over three years. The numbers are gloomy, but they teach an important lesson. Finding another market where competition is less and opportunities are more is advisable.

On the other hand, if you are determined to go ahead with your photography studio proposal in an already competitive market, it is best to establish yourself as someone who offers something unique.

It might be how you post-process your images, or you can throw in a pre-wedding shoot as a free component of the wedding photography package.

Determining your position in the market and what you are offering that's not already out there is a critical element of business success. Sure, competition will catch up to you once they realize that you're offering something unique and nobody else is doing it, but you will have the first starter's advantage.

We can cite the example of a pet photographer, somebody who specializes in photographing stunning images of pets. Pet photography is something that not many photographers prefer to do.

It's a lot of work, and you must be great with pets. It would also help if you had oodles of patience because these furry friends have no regard for your priorities.

But if you're good with pets and genuinely love them, it could be an excellent opportunity to start a business that solely caters to pet photography.

Do some proper marketing too

Once you have the essential elements of your business in place, like a business name, logo, website, and business cards, you need to implement a marketing strategy to get your name out there.

Most beginner photography entrepreneurs feel that the best way to succeed is to shoot great photos. They think that the business management part comes second.

It's actually the other way around. All successful photographers who have established a successful business are good at business management. This is why it is not always the most talented photographers who taste business success but those who are good at managing their business.

Marketing is one of those essential aspects which differentiates successful businesses from unsuccessful ones. Marketing can bring new clients on autopilot and help you improve the flow of revenue.

There are different channels of marketing. In the modern age, the Internet and social media are the most effective tools to get news about your business.

Another great way of doing marketing is to offer discounts and freebies occasionally. We are not great fans of undercutting your prices. It is always a vicious cycle, and it isn't easy to get out of it once you get in. You can cleverly position your discounts, so it doesn't feel like you are undercutting your prices.

Let's say that you are a wedding photographer. June, August, and October are your most active months as a wedding photographer. You can position a marketing message offering a discount for all wedding packages that are brought for July and September.

That way, you not only fill your bookings for the months when you are less busy but also get your word out there. At the same time, you can run another package that targets weddings between November and May and offer a complimentary pre-wedding shoot for all packages bought for those months.

This way, you are not undercutting your prices, giving yourself the maximum chance of filling your booking calendar plus the additional benefits.

Get online bookings with the right software

Business automation can help you do more with limited resources and manpower. The more you use business automation software, the more efficient you become as a business owner and the more you can get done in a day.

As a beginner entrepreneur trying to establish a photography studio, there is a lot that you need to do before your studio starts to see some revenue coming in.

At this nascent stage, you may not be able to hire people. Your overall budget may be too small to pay the salaries of dedicated employees. This is where business automation software like Vev comes into the picture.

Vev is free appointment scheduling software for photography studios that helps you accept bookings and appointments seamlessly without any input from your side.

You could be busy with another project working with another client, asleep, or on vacation. Vev will show your availability calendar and let the client choose the dates they prefer based on your availability. You automatically get an e-mail when a booking is made.

The best thing is the system works 24/7, and you don't need a computer to access it. You can use your phone on the go anywhere you are to access your bookings and get back to your clients.

Now write that business plan and get started

A business plan helps you focus on the aspects of business that require the most work. A business plan enables you to identify the areas that are your strengths and identify weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Without a business plan, it becomes very difficult for a business entrepreneur to put his finger on the areas that require his attention.

A business entrepreneur has many things in his head. With a limited amount of time, he has to prioritize the aspects that require immediate attention.

But the benefits of a business plan transcend all that. It's the outline that determines the position of the business in a competitive market, how the business will operate, where the revenue will come from, and identify potential clients.

Write one today, and then install Vev' free online appointment scheduling software next. Thank us for it later.

Frequently asked questions

Can a business entrepreneur do a business plan on his own?

A business plan is a professional document prepared by experts with domain knowledge and years of experience formulating business plans. Professional hands are necessary to make these.

What information you require in order to formulate a business plan?

For a photography business plan you require a good understanding of the market, the various kinds of costs associated with the business, the target clients, and how to generate revenue.