So you’ve got this photography business and it’s more than up and running… congrats! But have you caught yourself wondering if you could take it to the next level… and make more money in the coming year?

My friend, the answer is YES, YES, and MORE YES! You can make more money with your photography business this year. And what’s even better… you can do so with three EASY things!!!

Are you curious, even just a liiiitttle bit?  I can promise you that if you’re willing to think outside the box and be willing to do more than just push that shutter, you WILL make more money with your photography business!

So let’s just say NO to limiting ourselves and say YES to being open to new things and new revenue!! Are you ready? Here come those three ways to make more money with your business this year!

1. Personal Brand Photography

I’ve been doing personal brand photography as a way to make more money with my photography business for years and I absolutely loooove it!! This is when you come alongside another business owner {hello, you know you have a girl boss squad who could use your talents!} in your community and provide them with an arsenal of photos to tell their brand’s story.

Let me give you an example: a yoga studio.

When I do personal brand photography for a yoga studio, I take headshots of all their instructors for their website; after all, instructors are a huge part of their story! I also take photos of them in a variety of yoga poses that really capture the story of what goes on in that studio. I’m careful to make sure most photos are nice wide, horizontal images that work well for the web and social media. This allows the business to use the photos to tell their story on a variety of platforms and in a way that feels authentic to them.

You guys, there’s a huge market for personal brand photography right now!

Businesses are shifting from just brick and mortar locations to using the online space, and they need photos to help them bring their vision to life!

Very few photographers are doing this!!! There is a wide-open market with ample opportunity for you to provide this service and bring in more revenue. It’s usually done indoors, making it an ideal way for you to bring in revenue during your “slow season.”

Want one more reason to hop on the personal brand photography train? Recurring revenue. Depending on the brand, they may need updated photos every quarter! Find the right clients, and you’ve just created additional revenue for your biz that comes in every couple of months. Instead of constantly marketing your biz, you’ll have a handful of clients that you can shoot over and over again. Why not seize the day and jump into this kind of photography to make more money with your business this year?!

My friend Jamie, from the Modern Tog, has a fabulous Personal Branding Workshop.  It’s not open for enrollment right now, but you can learn from her {and there may be unicorn onsies involved} in this entertaining live video!

2. Add a Side Hustle

Okay, so this way to make more money with your photography business may be a little more controversial, and {I’ll be honest} it’s not for everyone, but it has definitely worked for me! You may want to consider adding a side hustle to your biz by partnering with an MLM company so you can pump up that revenue.

Yesss, one of those multi-level marketing companies! Before you roll your eyes, hear me out! I know a lot of you may have been burned in the past by people who do MLMs in a skeezy, sleazy, icky way… but there is a RIGHT way to do it, too!

Do a side hustle right, and the future is BRIGHT!!

If you choose this path, your future with an MLM can be very bright and be a way for you to make more money with your photography biz! The MLM I partner with, MONAT, has not only added significantly to my income, but has sent me on all-expense paid trips – a cruise to Bermuda, to the Bahamas, Cancun {my husband got to go on that trip for free too}, Nashville and Vegas {twice}.  I’ve even earned a FREE Cadillac to drive. And it’s not just happening for me, it’s happening to the girls on my team, too!!!!

Here’s why an MLM is a super smart move for you as a photography business owner:

You already have all the skills needed to be successful!!

You already have the online business skills and marketing skills, right? You’ve already developed an audience, right? Those are the same exact reasons I’ve been able to be successful with my little side hustle! Ready to have your mind blown? My MONAT business makes me more per year than my first year of teaching elementary art, it’s already out-performing my photography business, and it’s competing with Sparkle Society!

My friends, you can’t afford to miss this opportunity, because it creates recurring revenue for your business during the “slow months.” And also? You can use your photography skills with your MLM side hustle to create strong branding and images that draw your online audiences in. So, don’t count out an MLM as a way to make more money this year!

3. Teach a Photo Class

If you know me, you know that this one is my absolute favorite! To make more money in your photography biz this year, you must consider teaching a photo class! I’m talking about teaching a beginning camera class for moms or amateur photographers, so they can really learn to use and get the most out of their “fancy camera.” The reality is, phone photography has led many people {especially mamas} to become more interested in photography as a whole. So, people are buying DSLR’s in droves… and then getting them home and realizing, “I have no idea what to do with this thing!”

Hear me, sweet photographer: teaching a photo class is the easiest way to give yourself a raise without raising your prices or booking more photoshoots. I typically teach mine in the winter, which is my “slow season” here in Ohio because it’s SO DANG COLD!

Still skeptical? Let’s talk dollars!

I average about $2,200 a day when I teach a photo class. During my slow season. In a nice warm building! My students who’ve gone through my Sparkle Academy are pulling in, on average, $1,383on their very first photo class! So, this isn’t anything to sneeze at or laugh at, rather it’s a super smart way to make more money with your photography business! It’s got a fantastic return on investment.

Think about it: you’re going to spend a couple of hours to develop your curriculum, but then you can teach the same class on that one curriculum over and over, unlike a photoshoot that’s “one and done!” Soon, you’ll be able to have more profit in one day of teaching than in several days of photo shoots, which will translate into more time with your family, too!

Teaching a photo class is an amazing way to grow your business, add income, and give yourself more time freedom!!!  Do a little market research and you’ll see that very few people in your area are doing it, so get on that teaching train, my friends!

All of that to say… instead of “mo’ money, mo’ problems,” it’s “mo’ money? NO PROBLEM!” this year for your photography biz!!

You don’t have to be limited to just pushing the button on your camera.  If that’s what you want to be doing and it’s working for you – then, by all means, carry on, sweet soul!

But if you’re one of the many photographers who are struggling right now, it might be time for you to consider diversifying your income!  So grab hold and let’s jump in this together, shall we? I can’t WAIT to see how your business explodes this year!!!