5 things i learned relocating my photography business

Relocating a photography business is a scary new experience, but it can be a great one! 

i only partly knew what i was getting myself into when i married someone in the Air Force.  i knew we'd be moving, but there is constantly something new i'm learning. i had my first military move this summer, and i got to do it mostly alone since brandon was out of town.. yikes was i grumpy, and on top i was worried how relocation of Davista Photography and visiting Las Vegas and Minnesota would come in to play. Especially with our move to middle of nowhere New Mexico. 

learning some fantastic locations in New Mexico!

It's been such a learning experience, getting my license in a state where i wasn't able to rely on other photographers that had been through it, to finding places to plug-in and find new friends right away. Here's 5 things i learned already from relocating my photography business and how to prepare. 

1-  Blog and announce your move. Not everyone will see this, so i've made a few announcements on my blog and facebook, and always try to let clients know when i'll be back in town! an email monthly or even every couple of months can be a huge help! 

2- Become a vendor at an event, or advertise there! Before i even made the move, i jumped in to all of the wives pages on Facebook and started searching for different ways i could advertise. I participated in a wonderful Christmas Bazaar in November, my first event while here, and it was such a great experience! I got a couple clients, met some wonderful women and other vendors too! It doesn't have to be a wedding event, or even expensive to get into. find ones that fit your advertising budget; it's tough to find but search a little and you're bound to find something! 

3-Get to know other women and their businesses. I haven't attended many events, but going to a women's get-together can always be a help, even if you don't get to talk business for a while. be a good listener, find out about other in-home businesses, not only a time to find people to work with, but some friends too!

4-Don't forget about where you moved from! I've been including several Vegas and Minnesota in my yearly trips so i can see friends and photograph those wonderful clients again. This is where those emails come in handy so clients who are interested can find out first hand.

my beautiful best friend getting married last year!

my hot friend again. a little time together :)

5-Take some time to re-do your online presence. Luckily i was re-doing my entire website so working on my SEO and changing my location on each of the social media outlets went hand-in-hand. 

For such a long time in Vegas, i was relying on friend photographers for knowledge when i was stumped. (Don't get me wrong, we still talk photography all the time) but the biggest thing i learned is; how to go and find all the information on my own again and find some new fantastic friends in the process! In the past 4 months since the move, i've grown and learned so much and am thankful for these experiences. I never could have imagined that i would embrace change in 2010 with my first move from my home state. 

Shootdotedit came out with a wonderful article "How to start a photography business" a great way to dig into the ins and outs of a successful business! check it out!