The Systems and Workflow Magic Podcast

You do not need to post every day to market your family photography business. In this episode, I am sitting down (for the fourth or fifth time, honestly, she should just be a co-host) with Tayler Cusick Hollman, co-founder of Enji, to talk about the four words she emailed me that I could not stop thinking about: consistent does not mean constant. You can watch the full conversation on YouTube or listen right here as a podcast, whichever is the best fit for you! Tayler spent about eight years as a marketing consultant for solo business owners before she and her husband Brett spent two and a half years building Enji, marketing project management software that helps you get your marketing plan out of your head and onto your calendar. Together, we break down how to market within the hours you have, how one blog post becomes at least five pieces of content, and why your numbers keep you from spiraling in your slow season. ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/consistent-marketing-for-family-photographers/ ▸ The Family Photographer’s Marketing Society: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society ▸ Check out Enji: https://www.enji.co/marketing-for-family-photographers?ref=mjvkymm Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Connect with Tayler 💻 Website 📱 Instagram Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love consistent marketing for family photographers, marketing without burnout, how to repurpose a blog post, repurposing content for photographers, marketing cadence for photographers, content batching day, batching marketing for photographers, marketing on two hours a week, Enji marketing software, Tayler Cusick Hollman, marketing KPIs for photographers, slow season photography business, blogging for family photographers, family photographer marketing plan, Pinterest marketing for photographers, Google Business Profile for photographers, AI captions for photographers, Family Photographer’s Marketing Society Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do your inquiries go silent every January, every summer, or the week after your busy season wraps? Before you blame your photos, your pricing, or the algorithm, check one thing: which month is your marketing talking to? For most family photographers, it is the wrong one, because the families booking you this week made their decision weeks ago. I'm going to share 3 different types of marketing calendars you should infuse into your plans weekly (it sounds intense just writing that sentence, but believe me, once you listen in, you'll see the power of these 3 marketing calendars come together!). ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/marketing-calendar-for-family-photographers/ ▸ The Family Photographer’s Marketing Society: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society ▸ Grab the FREE Family Photographers Marketing Trends Report: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/family-photography-marketing-trends ▸ Watch the full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@dollydelong Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love marketing calendar for family photographers, family photography marketing plan, when to market mini sessions, holiday mini session marketing, Santa mini sessions marketing, booking window for photographers, content calendar for photographers, what to post as a family photographer, slow season photography marketing, marketing ahead of maternity leave, SEO for family photographers, blogging for photographers SEO, AI search for photographers, email marketing for family photographers, organic marketing for photographers, marketing cadence for photographers, Family Photographer’s Marketing Society, weekly marketing plan for photographers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Picture it: it’s Wednesday night of a packed October week, minis are on Saturday, and you can’t remember if you texted those families. Then Saturday rolls around, and your camera battery is sitting at 12%. Crap...you forgot to charge your batteries because your mind is frazzled! This episode is for that scenario, and for the overwhelm behind it. I’m walking you through the exact pre-session routine I follow before every single family session, mini or full, so your busy season feels calm instead of chaotic. You can watch it on YouTube or listen right here on the podcast. Grab the printable checklist too, so you never have to rely on your memory again! You should have an SOP! Why am I talking about this now? After many busy seasons, I’ve learned your client experience is only as good as your busiest week. When you’re slammed in September, October, and November, it’s easy to send one family a detailed reminder and forget to text the next one. Those families don’t know you’re tired. They only know what they received. ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/pre-session-checklist-family-photographers/ ▸ Grab the FREE Pre-Session Checklist (printable PDF): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/pre-session-checklist-for-family-photographers Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love pre-session checklist for family photographers, family photography client experience, session prep routine for photographers, mini session prep checklist, family photographer busy season tips, Dubsado reminder email for photographers, client reminder text for photo session, photography workflow SOP, how to prepare for a family photo session, backup camera for photographers, camera gear checklist for sessions, solo family photographer systems, photography client communication, CRM automation for photographers, behind the scenes B-roll for photographers, family photographer fall mini sessions, kids snacks for photo sessions, Nashville family photographer, photography business systems, consistent client experience Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nobody will care about your business as much as you do. True. But that doesn't mean nobody will care at all. This week I'm sitting down with Hannah Allen, owner of Outsourcing with Love, to talk about how family photographers can start handing off parts of their business without living out one of those horror stories we've all heard. What you'll hear in this episode Why the middle of busy season is the smartest time to start planning your outsourcing, even though it feels backward Hannah's "start with what you dread" rule for picking your first handoff The first thing I outsourced while pregnant with Jack, and what four years with my bookkeeper has meant for my business And so much more! ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/outsourcing-for-family-photographers/ ▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society, my monthly membership where I hand you a marketing plan every Thursday: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society ▸ Outsourcing with Love directory: https://outsourcingwithlove.com/ Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love outsourcing for family photographers, what to outsource first photography business, how to hire a virtual assistant for photographers, Outsourcing with Love, Hannah Allen outsourcing, outsourcing photo editing, outsourcing bookkeeping for photographers, outsourcing blog posts photographers, how to train a virtual assistant, writing SOPs for photographers, Loom videos for SOPs, Buy Back Your Time Dan Martell, how much to pay a virtual assistant, solo photographer hiring help, contractors for small business, AI vs human outsourcing, Q4 planning for family photographers, backend systems for photographers, Outsource Assist app, photography business operations Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You don't sell courses. You don't sell PDFs. You sell sessions, and every email list tip online seems to assume you have a shop tab full of digital products. In this episode, I'm spilling the tea on three ways family photographers can grow an email list when all you have to sell are sessions (like THAT is the only thing you do!!!) I'm talking about this because I see it all the time. Photographers who want a stronger email list keep getting advice built for online educators, myself included. If sessions are your one and only product, these three local collaboration ideas put you in front of the families you want to photograph, and none of them require you to start a podcast or YouTube channel. Grab a notebook, because your action step has a deadline of the end of this week. What you'll learn in this episode The local vendor giveaway setup that hands you a segmented list of moms during the exact season they're thinking about photos Which local businesses make the best giveaway partners (hint: none of them hold a camera) The giveaway mistake I made years ago that had a family coming back to cash in a session two years later AND SO MUCH MORE!!!! Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/grow-email-list-family-photographer/ ▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society, my monthly membership where I hand you a marketing plan every Thursday: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love grow email list family photographer, how to grow email list without digital product, email list building for photographers, email marketing for family photographers, local vendor giveaway photography, photography giveaway terms and conditions, guest blog swap for photographers, local collaborations for photographers, how to get on local podcasts, pitching local news as a photographer, lead magnet ideas for photographers, Flodesk for photographers, holiday giveaway marketing for photographers, marketing for service based photographers, family photography marketing ideas, grow email list service business, photographer collaboration marketing, The Legal Paige contracts for photographers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your December roster (aka your clients) were decided back in September (because of marketing). That means right now, in September, you're deciding what February looks like. If your marketing falls apart every October and January shows up with an empty calendar, you don't have a time problem or a discipline problem. You have a decision problem, and that's much easier to fix. I promise This is Part 3 of my September marketing series for family photographers, and it is the one that holds the other two up. In Part 1 we covered the three layers of a marketing system. In Part 2, we covered the 4C Framework and what goes inside those layers. Today I am walking you through the marketing rhythm that keeps both of them alive during your busiest, messiest, most over-committed season of the year. I am also spilling the tea on what this looks like in my own business right now!!!! What you'll hear in this episode Why marketing is the first thing to fall off your list in busy season (and why it has nothing to do with how hard you work) The reason 70 of your 90 marketing minutes disappear before you write a single caption How to pick your weekly marketing day, and why the day you choose does not matter one bit The three separate jobs hiding inside the word "marketing," and why doing them at 9:47 pm on a Sunday makes your brain stall out What I do in 20- and 30-minute pockets now that batching a full month is off the table for me AND SO MUCH MORE! Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/family-photography-marketing-plan/ ▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society, my monthly membership where I hand you a marketing plan every Thursday: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love marketing plan for family photographers, weekly marketing rhythm for photographers, busy season marketing photographers, why my january is empty photography, slow season marketing for photographers, batching content for photographers, marketing cadence for solo photographers, how to market a photography business consistently, family photography business marketing tips, 4c framework for photographers, email marketing for family photographers, instagram marketing for family photographers, family photographers marketing society, marketing systems for creative businesses, photography marketing during maternity leave, how far ahead to market photography sessions, minimum viable marketing plan photographers, marketing for busy mom photographers, nashville family photographer educator Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's 9:47 PM on a Sunday night. You open Instagram, tap the plus button, type three words into the caption box, delete them, and somehow end up two hours deep in another photographer's feed with nothing posted. Friend, you are not out of ideas, and you are not uncreative. You're asking yourself the wrong question, and in this episode (watch it on YouTube or listen right here on the podcast) I'm spilling the tea on the question I want you to ask instead. This is part two of my September marketing series. In part one, we diagnosed what keeps you from a consistent marketing system. Today, I'm walking you through why "What should I post?" freezes your brain, and how my 4C Framework (Connect, Clarify, Celebrate, and Call to Action) shrinks your options from infinity down to four, each tied to a stage of your client journey. I'm talking about this because almost every family photographer I teach posts one type of content on repeat, and it leaves gaps in how she talks to future clients. What you'll learn in this episode Why "What should I post?" has unlimited answers, which means it has zero The smaller question that turns a frozen Sunday night into a decision your tired brain can make The one job your Connect content has (hint: it isn't selling, and it isn't teaching) How to write Clarify content that answers the questions moms wonder about but never DM you Why posting nothing but galleries and testimonials leaves holes in your client journey The three pieces every call to action needs, and what happens when one goes missing A 10 to 15 minute homework audit of your last 12 Instagram posts AND SO MUCH MORE! Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/content-ideas-for-family-photographers/ ▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society, my monthly membership where I hand you a marketing plan every Thursday: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love content ideas for family photographers, what should I post as a photographer, Instagram content for family photographers, 4C Framework marketing, content pillars for photographers, family photographer marketing plan, Instagram caption ideas for photographers, client journey marketing for photographers, content planning for photographers, how to market a family photography business, top of funnel marketing for photographers, educational content for photographers, testimonial posts for photographers, call to action for photographers, weekly content rotation, Family Photographers Marketing Society, marketing consistency for photographers, September marketing for family photographers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You made the color-coded content calendar back in January. Then an inquiry came in, one of your kids spiked a fever, three galleries landed in your queue, and you needed to prep a mini session day. Somewhere in the middle of all of that, the calendar stopped existing. You did not decide to quit. You just stopped, and a few weeks later you opened Instagram, saw you hadn't posted in eleven days, and felt that low-grade guilt settle in your chest. Before you go one more minute thinking this is a you problem, I want to say something. You do not have a discipline problem; you are not lazy, and you are not bad at marketing. What you have is a marketing plan without a marketing system behind it, and those two things are not the same thing at all. A plan is a list of what you hope to do. A system is a structure that holds you up when your life gets loud, and if you are a family photographer heading into busy season, your life is about to get very loud. This episode is part one of a three part September series. In it, I break down the three layers every family photography marketing system needs, why running your entire business on one of them is wearing you out, and a 20-minute audit that will show you which layer you have been ignoring the longest. Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/family-photography-marketing-system/ ▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society, my monthly membership where I hand you a marketing plan every Thursday: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love family photography marketing system, marketing for family photographers, marketing plan vs marketing system, SEO for photographers, blogging for family photographers, email marketing for photographers, Instagram marketing for photographers, marketing cadence for photographers, photography business systems, solo photography business, content batching for photographers, family photographer podcast, systems and workflow magic Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is the first week of September, which means your inbox is filling up, your calendar is filling up, and somewhere in the back of your brain there is a quiet voice asking whether you forgot to follow up with someone who emailed you two weeks ago. If that is you, hear me before we go one sentence further: you are not a disorganized person. You are not flaky. You are not bad at business. You are missing a system. That's it. And systems are learnable, which makes this a fixable problem before your fall season really gets going. In this episode, I'm walking you through the three Dubsado features I use to organize my family photography client work, plus the visual Trello board I built to catch every task a CRM cannot touch. Here's why I'm covering this now instead of in November: September through December is when most of your year's work shows up and when your capacity is stretched the thinnest. The experience you deliver this fall determines whether you have a busy season next fall. Your client workflow is not just an internal organization thing. It is client experience, it is retention, and it is marketing. What you'll hear in this episode Why a chaotic workflow does not fail loudly, and what it actually costs you in October and November What a CRM is in plain English (no tech jargon, I promise) The three Dubsado features that will change your fall, and the ones you can skip for now And So Much More!!!! Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/family-photography-workflow/ Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love family photography client workflow, Dubsado for photographers, Dubsado workflow setup, CRM for family photographers, client experience workflow photography, canned email templates photographers, photography business automation, Trello board for photographers, project management for photographers, busy season systems photographers, fall session workflow, photography inquiry follow up system, client onboarding photography, mini session scheduler Dubsado, photography SOPs, backend systems for photographers, photography client retention, how to organize photography business, Dubsado project statuses Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It is December 22nd. You have three last-minute sessions on the calendar because a family messaged you begging for updated photos before the grandparents arrive, and you said yes. It is 11:30pm, you are culling one gallery with five more stacked behind it, and your own family keeps asking when you will be done with work. Sound familiar? Here is what took me way too many years to figure out: the December you get is not decided in December. It is decided in September. The choices you make over the next four to six weeks around your numbers and your marketing determine whether your holiday season has margin in it or whether you get burned to a crisp by New Year's Eve. So today I am spilling the tea on the exact three things I am working on in my own photography business right now, at the end of August, and how each one connects to what December and January will actually look like. I am also sharing something personal: I am taking January, February, and March off for maternity leave with baby number three. None of this is hypothetical for me. It is my literal September to-do list. What you'll hear in this episode Why saying yes to every December session is not a discipline problem (it is a missing system) How to calculate your December number, and the three pieces most photographers skip The tax percentage I set aside every single month, no exceptions Why fall is peak season for shiny object syndrome and how to spot it before you check out The farming analogy that explains why your January is dead silent And so much more!!!! Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/slow-season-planning-family-photographers/ ▸ Get your free ticket to the Black Friday Virtual Summit: https://blackfridaysummit.com/ Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. slow season planning for photographers, family photographer business planning, how to prepare for slow season photography, december overhead costs photography, family photographer taxes percentage, paying yourself photography business, bookkeeping template for photographers, marketing for family photographers, seo blogging for photographers, long form content for photographers, january bookings for photographers, winter family photo sessions marketing, black friday for photographers, photography business maternity leave, sustainable photography business systems, photography marketing cadence, family photographers marketing society, shiny object syndrome small business, booking slow months photography Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Check your inbox. I bet there is a Black Friday email sitting in there right now from a course creator, a template shop, or a digital product seller, and I bet you skimmed it and archived it and thought "well, that's nice for them." Then you closed the tab and counted yourself out of Black Friday for another year. In this episode, I am making the case that Black Friday is for you as a family photographer, and no, it does not involve slashing your session prices. I am talking about this in the middle of August on purpose. Every year I watch family photographers ignore Black Friday until the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, then panic-post a mini session discount they never wanted to offer at a price they never wanted to charge. That is not a Black Friday problem. That is a missing system problem, and August is when you fix it. What you'll learn in this episode Why the version of Black Friday in your head (giant red banner, 70% off, JCPenney doorbusters) was never built for a service provider The math that makes the course creator model fall apart the second a photographer copies it Four reasons Black Friday is worth your time, even with a small email list Why a warm list of 200 local families outperforms 3,000 subscribers who forgot they downloaded something from you in 2022 And So Much More! Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/black-friday-for-family-photographers-skip-the-discount/ ▸ Get your free ticket to the Black Friday Virtual Summit: https://blackfridaysummit.com/ Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me https://www.instagram.com/dollydelongphoto/ so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. black friday for photographers, black friday for family photographers, black friday ideas for service providers, black friday without discounting, how to run a black friday sale as a photographer, family photographer marketing, filling your slow season photography, selling future dates photography, black friday email marketing small list, small email list black friday, high ticket black friday offer, photography business black friday planning, black friday summit 2026, marketing systems for family photographers, november marketing plan photographers, should photographers discount sessions, mini session pricing strategy, branding photography black friday offer, planning black friday in august Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If a quiet January makes your stomach drop, pull up a chair. I am giving you a behind-the-scenes peek at the session I recorded for the 2026 Black Friday Summit, which runs August 25 through August 27, and my session takes a different angle than most of the others you will see there. The other speakers walk you through a Black Friday that already happened. I am walking you through the plan I am building right now for my own photography business, before the cart ever opens. Here is the tough love I lead with: panic marketing is a pricing problem wearing a marketing costume. Quarter one is slower than molasses for most of us, and when January shows up with an empty calendar and no plan, we start slashing prices to get somebody, anybody, on the books. Thinking ahead is a skill you can train, not a personality trait you were born with, so in this episode I am spilling the tea on the seven steps I am working through for my own branding photography sale. Mostly, go grab your seat at the summit so you can catch the full session plus every other speaker! https://blackfridaysummit.com/ What you'll learn in this episode Why panic marketing in January is a planning problem, not a marketing problem The two money questions to answer before you choose a single Black Friday offer Why I am selling ONE offer this year instead of discounting my whole menu The booking chain I build and test by early September so I never answer an availability email And so much more! Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/black-friday-plan-for-photographers/ ▸ Get your free ticket to the Black Friday Virtual Summit: https://blackfridaysummit.com/ Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me @dollydelongeducation so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. black friday for photographers, black friday summit 2026, black friday plan for family photographers, how to fund your slow season, slow season income for photographers, q1 planning for photographers, black friday offer ideas for service providers, branding photography sale, how to price a black friday offer, email list segmentation for photographers, dubsado booking automation, launch planning for photographers, marketing for family photographers, photography business systems, black friday marketing without ads, google business profile for photographers, cash flow planning for creatives, how to avoid discounting your photography prices, family photographer business podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Guess what percentage of a recent course launch came straight from a waitlist? 78 percent. In this episode, I'm sitting down with email strategist Allison Hardy to spill the tea on exactly how she built that number, and why your email list might be sitting on more Black Friday potential than you realize. Allison is an email strategist who helps business owners write highly strategic email funnels that actually sell, whether that's a course, a membership, a VIP day, or a coaching program. She's a returning guest speaker for our 2026 Black Friday Summit, and in this conversation she breaks down her exact waitlist strategy, the biggest misconception people have about Black Friday prep, and how service providers (not just digital product sellers) can use this same approach to fill their slowest months. What you'll hear in this episode The biggest misconception about Black Friday email marketing (and why waiting until November is costing you sales) The real difference between an email list that just sits there and one that's actually primed to buy The three things that made Allison's waitlist convert at 78 percent And SO MUCH MORE! Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/black-friday-email-marketing-strategy-that-converts/ ▸ Get your free ticket to the Black Friday Virtual Summit: https://blackfridaysummit.com/ Connect with Allison Hardy 💻 Website 📱 Instagram Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me @dollydelongeducation so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. black friday email marketing strategy, email marketing for black friday, waitlist strategy for launches, black friday launch prep, email funnel for course launch, black friday summit 2026, email marketing for family photographers, how to build an email waitlist, black friday marketing for service providers, marketing cadence for photographers, email marketing for small business, black friday sales strategy, how to sell with email, email list monetization, presell photography sessions, Flodesk email marketing, black friday email sequence, waitlist conversion strategy, email marketing for online business owners Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I am sitting down with Megan Moore, a minimalist marketing strategist and Black Friday Summit speaker, to talk about why your Black Friday sale starts today, not in November. Megan owns a marketing agency and has been helping entrepreneurs in the digital space since 2014, working from her tiny house on the side of a mountain in British Columbia. Before running her agency, she owned a Pilates studio and a digital magazine, and she now teaches business owners how to market with one strong content anchor instead of chasing every platform at once. What you'll hear in this episode Why Megan calls herself a "minimalist marketing strategist" and what that means for a solo business owner The wardrobe analogy that makes minimalist marketing click Why long-form content should be the anchor everything else gets built around What connection-driven Black Friday marketing looks like versus the hustle-and-panic version most of us know And so much more Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/black-friday-marketing-tips-for-photographers/ ▸ Get your free ticket to the Black Friday Virtual Summit: https://blackfridaysummit.com/ Connect with Megan Instagram Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me @dollydelongeducation so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. minimalist marketing strategy, Black Friday marketing for photographers, Black Friday Summit 2026, connection driven marketing, repeatable marketing system, long form content strategy, marketing for solo business owners, family photographer Black Friday sale, how to prep for Black Friday, minimalist marketing strategist, audience growth for small business, Black Friday advice for photographers, email list growth for photographers, Black Friday burnout prevention, marketing systems for family photographers, blogging for family photographers, connection driven Black Friday sale, Megan Moore marketing agency, minimalist marketing strategy for small business, sustainable business growth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Spilling the tea today with two guests who manage hundreds of launches a year, so grab your notebook. If you've ever assumed Black Friday planning doesn't apply to you because you're a service provider and not a course creator, this episode is going to change your mind. I'm joined by Riley and Samantha, project managers with the KS Agency, ahead of our second annual Black Friday Summit this August. Between the two of them, they've run more Black Friday launches than they can count, and they broke down exactly what separates a calm, profitable launch from a chaotic one. What you'll hear in this episode Why priming your audience matters more than the offer itself The realistic timeline for when to actually start priming for Black Friday How a Black Friday funnel is different from a regular launch funnel How service providers without a digital product can still prime an audience The number one organizational tool Riley and Samantha recommend for solo business owners AND SO MUCH MORE! Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/black-friday-marketing-strategy-in-2026/ ▸ Get your free ticket to the Black Friday Virtual Summit: https://blackfridaysummit.com/ Connect with KS-Agency 💻Website 📱Instagram ⚡️ (Free Gift) My Week Trello/ Asana Templates Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me @dollydelongeducation so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. black friday marketing strategy for service providers, black friday launch plan, priming for black friday, black friday project management, black friday summit 2026, black friday marketing for photographers, how to prime your audience, black friday funnel strategy, solo business owner launch tips, project management for launches, trello for launches, black friday launch mistakes, black friday timeline, black friday for service providers, launch planning for photographers, black friday marketing for family photographers, KS agency launch tips, black friday email marketing, how to organize a launch Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever wondered what happens to your marketing when you actually step away from your business? I took 45 days off this summer for a family trip with no plans to work. In this episode, I am spilling the tea on exactly how I front-loaded six weeks of YouTube, podcast, blog, and newsletter content so my marketing kept running without me. You can watch this one on YouTube or listen right here on the podcast, whichever you prefer. Why I'm Talking About This I care about consistency in my marketing, and I do not like the idea of my business collecting dust while I am away. So when I realized my family trip would eat into six to eight weeks of work time, I knew I had to plan ahead rather than scramble. This episode is my behind-the-scenes recap of exactly how I did it, and why the same approach can work for you before a trip, maternity leave, or any season where life gets full. What you'll hear in this episode The moment I realized my summer trip was about to break my weekly content rhythm Why "I'll just wing it while I'm gone" almost never works (and what to do instead) The exact chain every episode goes through before it ever gets pre-scheduled How I mapped out fresh angles so six weeks of episodes did not feel repetitive What tool do I use to edit everything myself as a solo business owner The real number of hours per week this took (it is less than you think) What happened when I still ran out of runway (and how I handled missing a week) Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/content-batching-for-photographers/ ▸ The Blogging and Organic Visibility System for Family Photographers: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/blogging-visibility-system ▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society ▸ Grab the FREE Family Photographers Marketing Trends Report: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/family-photography-marketing-trends Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me @dollydelongeducation so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. batching podcast content, how to take time off as a family photographer, marketing before a trip, front loading content family photographers, family photography business systems, content batching for photographers, podcast production workflow, marketing while on vacation, systems for family photography business, taking a break from your photography business, blogging and visibility toolkit, Riverside Studio for podcasters, family photographer maternity leave marketing, marketing cadence for photographers, batch recording podcast episodes, content engine for photographers, Nashville family photographer, marketing ecosystem for creatives, pre-scheduling content family photography Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

(This is a replay of Episode #61, Aired in 2023) Are you putting in hours on Instagram only to watch your content vanish within 24 hours? Same. In this episode, I'm sitting down with website designer and Squarespace SEO expert Bekah Read to talk about her genius content distribution system called PIGFL (yes, like a full pig, and yes, it's hilarious). Becca walks us through exactly how she creates one piece of content and pushes it to five platforms so she can stay visible on Google without being glued to every app. Watch us on YouTube or listen right here on the podcast. Bekah is a website-in-a-day designer who pivoted her business after becoming a mom. She teaches small business owners how to DIY their Squarespace websites and has built her entire course business through organic search. She's proof that SEO is the long game worth playing. What you'll hear in this episode What SEO actually means (broken down without the jargon) Why Becca chose YouTube over Instagram as her one platform and the reasoning behind it Her full PIGFL content distribution system: Pinterest, Instagram, Google Business Profile, Facebook, and LinkedIn How Google Business Profile can get you on page one of Google before your website ranks Why posting updates to your Google Business Profile is one of the most underrated marketing moves Whether you need one or two Google Business Profiles, if you wear multiple hats in your business How blogging once a week (even with three readers) led to long-term course sales years later The role email marketing plays alongside your SEO strategy Why finding your "enough" as a business owner matters more than chasing six figures Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/seo-for-photographers-simple-content-system/ ▸ The Blogging and Organic Visibility System for Family Photographers: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/blogging-visibility-system ▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society ▸ Grab the FREE Family Photographers Marketing Trends Report: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/family-photography-marketing-trends Connect with Bekah Read: 💻Website: https://rebekahreadcreative.com/ Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me @dollydelongeducation so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. seo for photographers, seo tips for photographers, Google Business Profile for photographers, blogging for photographers seo, content repurposing for photographers, youtube seo for photographers, pinterest marketing for photographers, how to rank on google as a photographer, seo for squarespace, keyword research for photographers, content distribution system small business, photography marketing systems, long term marketing strategy photographers, google my business for photographers, seo for creative business owners, blogging strategy for small business, organic marketing for photographers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the money you're already spending to run your family photography business could also fund your next family vacation? In this episode, I'm sitting down with travel points coach Megan Lanford of Points Too Paradise to break down the actual system behind earning and using credit card points for free travel. I also put Megan on the spot and have her walk me through planning my son's birthday trip to Universal Studios Orlando using points. Megan went from barely affording one family vacation a year to taking seven vacations annually, saving over $30,000 on travel (and it's continuing to grow too!) She now teaches moms and business owners how to turn their everyday spending into dream vacations through her course and membership, the Travel Points Academy. What you'll hear in this episode The step-by-step system behind earning travel points (it starts with one card and your existing expenses) Why you should stop using your debit card and what to use instead How signup bonuses work and why they're worth way more than earning points on everyday spending alone A live walkthrough of how I'm planning a trip to Universal Studios for my son's 4th birthday using points How Megan's student Dara booked flights to Ireland and Germany within two months of starting The one free app that keeps Megan organized across 30 credit cards How to use points for conference travel (Megan flew to a Florida conference for $22.40) Why your points are losing value the longer they sit unused What a realistic 15-minutes-a-week version of this system looks like Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/travel-points-system/ ▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society ▸ Grab the FREE Family Photographers Marketing Trends Report: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/family-photography-marketing-trends ▸ Apply HERE to work with me to be your 1:1 marketer for your family photography business! Connect with Megan 💻 Website 📱Instagram Travel Points Academy Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me @dollydelongeducation so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. travel points for photographers, credit card points system, how to travel for free, travel points for small business owners, credit card strategy for photographers, free family vacations, travel hacking for moms, business credit card points, points to paradise, travel points academy, how to use chase points, travel rewards for creatives, family travel on a budget, conference travel using points, using business expenses for travel points, free travel for family photographers, credit card signup bonus strategy, travel freely app Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I sat down with Santa Scott himself for this one, and yes, I mean a real, professional Santa Claus with 51 years of experience. If you're a family photographer thinking about adding Santa minis to your holiday lineup this year (or making them run smoother than last year), this episode is packed with behind-the-scenes insight you won't find in a Facebook group thread. Santa Scott has been portraying Santa Claus for over five decades, starting at age 16 when he suited up for a little girl whose kindergarten teacher told her Santa wasn't real. He now works with multiple family photographers across Middle Tennessee and brings professional training, intentional presence, and a whole lot of Christmas magic to every session. What you'll hear in this episode The origin story behind Santa Scott's 51-year career How to find a trusted, reliable Santa in your area, and yes, Facebook groups CAN be helpful Green flags and red flags to watch for when hiring a Santa for your sessions Why Santa believes he works for three people, and how that mindset changes everything The exact time slot sweet spot for Santa sessions (hint: 5-minute slots are rough) The biggest mistakes family photographers make when running holiday sessions Santa's go-to strategy for warming up a nervous, crying child (it involves toys on the floor) How to price your Santa minis so you cover real costs and still stay profitable Three action steps to take right now if you want Santa minis on your fall calendar Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/santa-mini-sessions-for-photographers/ ▸ The Santa Mini Session Marketing Playbook (no code necessary): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/santa-mini-session-marketing-playbook (no coupon code needed) ▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society ▸ Grab the FREE Family Photographers Marketing Trends Report: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/family-photography-marketing-trends ▸ Apply HERE to work with me to be your 1:1 marketer for your family photography business! Connect with Santa Scott: 📱 Instagram: @santa_scott_tn 💻 Website: https://tn-santascott.com/ 📧 Email: Santa_Scott@comcast.net Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me @dollydelongeducation so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. Santa mini sessions for family photographers, how to hire a Santa for mini sessions, Santa mini session planning, Christmas mini session tips for family photographers, how to find a professional Santa, Santa mini session pricing, holiday mini sessions for photographers, Santa session workflow, Christmas mini session marketing, family photographer holiday sessions, how to run Santa minis, Santa mini session systems, booking Santa for photography sessions, family photography Christmas minis, professional Santa for photographers, holiday session planning for photographers, Santa mini session mistakes to avoid Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You know SEO matters for your photography business. You have heard it a hundred times. But every time you sit down to actually do it, you freeze up, second-guess yourself, and end up scrolling Instagram instead. Sound familiar? In this episode, I'm sitting down with SEO strategist Brittany Herzberg to break down how to build an SEO system you can actually maintain as a solo family photographer. Brittany is the creator of the SEO and Grow method and the host of the Basic B podcast. She went from being a massage therapist who could barely make rent to accidentally discovering that SEO was the reason clients were finding her online. Now she teaches established entrepreneurs how to stop chasing clients on social media and start getting found on Google. She also serves as the SEO strategist inside The Family Photographer's Marketing Society, where she teaches foundational SEO skills to our members every single month. What you'll hear in this episode Why family photographers get stuck between knowing SEO matters and actually doing it A realistic monthly SEO routine that takes one to six hours (not one to six hours per week) How to plan a quarter of blog content using just two types of posts The one URL mistake that is costing you keyword space on Google (and how to fix it) Why renaming your image files before uploading is one of the fastest SEO wins How to turn a basic gallery blog post into an actual SEO asset What AI search (GEO, AEO) actually means for family photographers (spoiler: your starting point has not changed) The 15-minute exercise to do before you ever touch keyword research How SEO maintenance mode works without draining your energy Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode ▸ Read the full blog post that goes with this episode (that way, you get all the links mentioned): https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/how-to-build-seo-system-family-photographer/ ▸ Get the Blogging & Visibility System For Family Photographers (only $37): https://dollydelong.thrivecart.com/organic-marketing-blogging-system-yt/ ▸ The Family Photographer's Marketing Society: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/the-family-photographers-marketing-society ▸ Grab the FREE Family Photographers Marketing Trends Report: https://systemsandworkflowmagic.com/family-photography-marketing-trends ▸ Check out the SEO Sprint HERE: https://brittanyherzberg.com/5-day-seo-sprint-intensive Connect with Brittany Herzberg 💻 Website 📱 Instagram ⚡️ Free SEO Resource 🔗The 5 Day Sprint SEO Intensive: https://brittanyherzberg.com/5-day-seo-sprint-intensive Connect with Me (Dolly DeLong Education) 💻 Website 📱 Instagram 🎥 YouTube Thanks for joining me on The Systems & Workflow Magic Podcast ! If you enjoyed this episode: ✅ Sign up for weekly reminders + free resources here → Business Tools 🥳 Share a screenshot of this episode on your IG story and tag me @dollydelongeducation so I can cheer you on! 🔗 Affiliate links included. I only recommend products I personally use and love. SEO for family photographers, SEO system for photographers, blogging for photographers SEO, family photographer blog strategy, how to do SEO as a photographer, simple SEO routine for photographers, image SEO for photographers, alt text for photography blogs, URL slug SEO tips, AI search for family photographers, GEO for photographers, keyword research for photographers, SEO maintenance for small business, blog content planning for photographers, photography marketing systems, quarterly blog plan photographers, Google Search Console for photographers, SEO strategist for photographers, photography business marketing tips Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.