2016 has been a great year for us as we have had an amazing wedding season and got to work with even more amazing couples. Thank you, thank you for sharing your wedding day with me and allowing me to document your special day on my camera. It’s been truly a privilege!!
It’s hard to believe that another year has gone by! Here we are, at the end of December, the last month of the year. I am in awe as I am typing this post because this year has truly flown by in the blink of an eye.
At the end of every year, I like to really take the time to look at what has worked and what hasn’t worked for my business in the past year. I also like to set goals for the new year, just to keep me accountable and have a constant reminder of what I am trying to accomplish in the new year.
Without further adieu, here are my goals for 2017!
- Update website
Having my website display some of my most current work is really important to me. I feel that I am refining my photography style more and more every year, and for that reason, it is important that prospective clients see more of my current work displayed on the site. There are also a few design tweaks I would like to make to my website, and although I am not looking for a full rebrand at this time, there are some aspects of my website that need to be updated and improved. In 2017 I want to be more intentional with my website and blog.
- Blog consistently
This is a goal I set a few years back and I am proud to say that I have been able to meet it so far. I would love to be able to blog more than just once a week, but with two little ones in the house (2 and under), weekly blogging is what I am going to commit to this coming year as well.
- Be consistent with submissions
This is a huge one, friends. This year I submitted a whopping of ZERO weddings for publication. However, ALL my 2016 wedding have been published by at least one blog. I have been very fortunate to have had editors reach out to me about publishing my work, which was a huge help. Moving forward into the next year, my goal is to be consistent with submitting weddings to be published.
- Write e-books
I’ve been working on some great content for photographers this past year and received very positive feedback. Some of you have emailed me about the educational resources I shared for photographers, and although I’ve been meaning to pour more into the education side of my business, I just couldn’t find the perfect time to do it. My goal is to change this in 2017, and bring the e-books to life. They are going to change some of your businesses in a great way! I can’t wait!!
- Offer mentoring sessions
I have received numerous emails with inquires from photographers who are just starting out and eager to learn more about shooting weddings. While I have met with many of you over coffee, and even had you assist me at weddings, I believe that having a good foundation to start with is fundamental. The mentoring sessions are going to be tailored to your specific needs, and we are going to cover everything from business basics to shooting and editing consistently, while defining your own style. Feel free to shoot me an email if you want to get on the waiting list for the 2017 mentoring sessions.
- Host a class or workshop
This has been in the back of my mind for so long now and I am really, really excited about it. I believe in giving back and I know that sharing my experience could radically transform someone else’s business. I have been asked to host a class for a very dear industry peer next year and I am literally so excited about it!! I’ve also been wanting to host workshops for the longest time now, and hopefully that will become a reality this coming year.
- Host mini sessions
I have been thinking about offering mini sessions (like fall or Christmas minis) for the past two or three years now, but every year I gave up on the idea. This year, however, I’ve had multiple inquiries from my past brides interested in booking mini sessions. So I am making it a goal for next year to start offering mini sessions once or twice a year.
- Newsletter
I am ecstatic about this! I am working on delivering great content through newsletters in the new year. So many free resources coming your way soon. Make sure to join my mailing list if you want some additional content to help you grow your business.
- Read a business book every other month
I love reading. I used to read all.the.time, but once babies came along, I just couldn’t find the time to read as much as I wanted to. I have started multiple books this year but only finished reading ONE. I’m ashamed. Reading a book every two months might be an ambitious goal for me at the moment because of the stage I am at in life right now as a mom of two (a toddler and a newborn) but I am hoping to at least finish a business book per quarter of the year.
- Attend an educational event
I believe that one should never stop learning. Although I am at a stage in my career that I am able to teach others, I would absolutely love to attend either a conference, or an in-person workshop just to learn from other people’s experiences. I watch online presentations all the time, and listen to podcasts, etc. but for 2017 I am really hoping to attend a live event, whether it be a conference or a workshop.
- Get acquainted with shooting film
I love the film look in photos. Although I do not shoot film, my work does tend to look a little bit like it. Growing up, my family had a film camera and I would really love to be able to start using one again.
- Work on balancing business and family
Funny I should say this, because some might think I have it all figured out. I have even been asked to write articles about it: balancing work and life, and although I am not terrible at it, there is always room for improvement. This year we went from a family of three, to four and that changes things a little bit. I am praying that this adjustment will be easy and that once busy season picks up again, it won’t be hard to handle.
