Lessons
Day 1
1Understanding the Industry
33:17 2Best Job in the World
23:18 3Target Brides and Tools of the Trade
19:48 4Portrait Posing Techniques
44:58 5Posing the Groom
31:21 6Posing the Bride
44:22 7Things to do with Hands and Arms
25:32Posing the Couple Part 1
33:36 9Posing the Couple Part 2
29:47 10Group Posing
17:28 11Crazy Stupid Wedding Light
35:05 12Adding Backlight
37:45 13Lighting Review
30:52 14Shoot: Silhouette With Flash
19:38 15Dance Floor Shooting
17:46 16The Money Shots: Part 1
33:50 17The Money Shots: Part 2
30:27 18The Money Shots: Part 3
17:06 19Starting from Scratch
31:33 20Marketing and Business Plan
31:53 21General Q&A
14:05 22Going from 0 - 5K Part 1
30:48 23Going from 0 - 5K Part 2
24:56 24Marketing Your Business
20:37 25The Art of Closing the Deal
10:39 26Skype Interview with Joe Abenheim
16:01 27High Profits & Balanced Lifestyle
28:53 28Role of a Mentor
24:51 29Interview with Gurm Sohal
16:32 30What is a Luxury Brand?
37:39 31Interveiw with Tauran Woo
16:40 32Video Testimonial from Marie-Lyssa Dormeus
17:23 33Ideas to Change Your Life
29:14 34Check-In & Q&A with Scott Robert Lim
1:12:19Day 2
Day 3
Lesson Info
The Art of Closing the Deal
The first thing is do is when you talk about your services, talk in terms of time, ok? Because when you start talking about in terms of an eight by ten print or something like that, they're automatically thinking of costco or something like that, so they're thinking forty nine cents but if you talk in terms of time and especially if they're professional, they're thinking a totally different thing because, um and how long? Because time equals money right on dso that's why time you're setting yourself up? You're kind of whenever time you talk and I talk in terms of time if I say it takes me a week to do this let's say this person's of professional they make says say they make one hundred thousand dollars a year let's say and I say it takes a week to do this they're thinking well, that's two thousand dollars it was different, okay, talk in terms of time. Ask them at the end of it uh asked him point blank asked him. Okay, what do you think about this? What do you want to go with one of the...
se deals you take have the courage to really ask for it, ask for closing that deal, ask hey, what do you guys think about this? What package are you ready willing to go forward with it? Put the ball in their court just don't leave it hanging there you need to initiate it and put it in their court then grade their response to see how warm there you go oh yeah we are definitely going with you we love your presentation I'm sold I'm basically you know what I need to go and my parents they're helping pay for this so I got to go back go to bat for you back there and get okay so you know you're cool that's a pretty good response and so you can just kind of leave it at that way. Okay but then if you get uh and then if you get a different responses like oh well um I I like your stuff if you get this a lot I love your stuff it's great it's not that I love you you're great I love your stuff but the problem is is that the price is too high and it's just out of my budget then you ask him that key question and this is the key question because you're going to get that response a lot go oh ok I totally understand that. Let me ask I just want to ask you a question though if I could create a dream package for you like whatever you wanted in that package of those services that you see and whatever price that would make you sign the deal right now can you give me a dream package? In fact, even if you if you I want you know, five minutes to talk together about it I could just go over there you can just text me when you're ready or whatever and let you guys talk about it right? But you can whatever it isthe I mean if it's an album engagement center session or whatever and just put your dream package together for him okay, now the ball's in their court they have to respond to that if they say well now that's okay, I think we're gonna go back and think about it what does that just tell you it's not it it's over you didn't do it it's gone what happens if they said okay you know what can you give us a few minutes would like to talk about this you're in the game, baby, you are still in there so you go back, they go and then they have you get your five minutes of whatever they come back and they go yeah, you know what? You grade the response you say hey, uh they come back and they give you something that is golden right there when they make the offer and say we would love to do your package but if we could but if you could just throw in engagement session we would sign the deal right now oh wow really and so then I repeat it to them I said so you're telling me if I take uh you know let's say this package be here and if I would just throw in an engagement session you would sign right now I repeat it yeah, we would do it and then sometimes I just surprise me, okay let's do it right or let's say they come back with something that is more than that that you can't do right yeah engagement session and an album and we can make it work and so there's ah if we could do an engagement session we could do an album then we would sign with you it's like oh wow, um okay, well, then I start talking in times again, right? Well, I would love to do that, but you know, unfortunately the album and actually takes me a week to do right and that's a lot of time they've got to do and I don't think I could do that, but I could do this, okay? And I throw it counter and I throw it back and forth to them so I'm always putting into and so lets gets let's let's take worse to say so case scenario and let's say that they are just adamant about I need that engagement session and I need that album and you just don't feel comfortable doing what going all that way and you just tried to negotiate it and it just didn't work right and you go home guess what, you still have an offer and most likely even if you gave him that deal there's still profit in it so if you're looking at your finances and you go I need something this month you have that option to go back and get that or if this is or while you're there and you know that you're a little bit you need some money that month you might just go ahead and give it you need to take that offer like the beauty is you have an offer so that's the key you need to get an offer from your client whatever it is because now you're in the driver's seat you could lower your price if you want to and take that offer now if they're not giving you offers you're going to have to deal with reality is that should just not good enough or something that you're offering is not closing the deal for you okay and but because great photographers I would say eighty percent of the time they're going to say yes okay and so when there's a point where you're getting no no no no no no no then you need to get help or something you need some evaluation you needs a mentorship you need something because something is not going right so the key is always to get an offer back in your in control just don't throw it out there and leave it there. So there's two things that I would say one, you've got to know the reason why they're hiring you or not or not hiring you. You have to know those things before you can move forward because you've got to evaluate your business. So you need to know why. So let's say they do book you afterwards? I always asked the question right after that, why did you hire me? I mean, it had, you know, thousands of choices, and I'm so honored that you hired me. I was just wondering why you decided meat for, you know, to tire me over other people, sometimes they'll even tell you who you're going up against, you know, sometimes not, but then you'll get a good idea about your presentation and what key things that are hitting them. But you need that knowledge of what what's really happening with you. You need an honest opinion from your client that's why all the time don't you get annoyed by those surveys all the time you buy something and they think you have five minutes to take a survey while you buy a ninety nine. Stan album ninety nine cent item right? But that's what we need they always need that customer feedback and then it helps you make that decision but the key thing is just to make an offer. Okay, um that's it and that's how I close the deal so it's very important to get an offer if you don't get an offer, they don't like it work for you enough. Okay, that's the bottom line you don't get an offer, they don't like your work or they don't like you your personality, your presentation don't take it person that could be a presentation or whatever, right, but in general that's what it is okay, so we have one question in the audience and then joe is actually ready for okay, but go ahead. And, uh, what was the issue with these couple is financial likely really cannot book you ok, just like you're really I always on my website I always have a starting price, so I'm pre filtering before they get to me. And so I don't want to waste my time and you don't either. So if you say starting at one thousand, they're not going to come in with a two hundred dollar budget, right? Because they know you're way off, so I suggest just having a starting price before you meet with them maybe you don't have a starting price online, but when they first contact you say, hey, I would love to talk about packages with you. My prices start at fifteen hundred dollars. If you're interested, we can make an appointment leave it at that that's interesting because a lot of photographer like advice again, it's putting prices online? Yeah, because they want to accept everything you could do that you could accept everybody in the in pre filter, but you have to have a filtering process because you don't. Do you have time to meet with people that want to spend hundred dollars on a wedding? No, right? And especially has become more successful, more these requests coming in. You cannot possibly so you had the pre phil to your target, your market and so that's what I'm a believer in I'm just going after a specific market, right? I only need a few. I need twenty four people in this market that's all I need, so if you're not that thing, then I don't need you because I'm going after this, right? But pre filtered by price, if you don't have it on your website when you e mailed them back or whatever, just say I'm starting at x amount, if you're interested, we could make an appointment.
Class Materials
bonus material with purchase
bonus material with enrollment
Ratings and Reviews
mc
There are a few courses in CL that just keep giving - they exceed expectations - on numerous levels. This is one of those courses. For context: I am not a wedding photographer; i do not aspire to be a wedding photographer, but i saw a re-broadcast of this course and thought i have got to put the pennies together to order this as someone aspiring to be a better photographer. Here's why: The title: think like... In a lot of business and coaching approaches, the way to get better we're told is to be around people who are further ahead than we are - who are as close to where we aspire to be as we can get. Think Like a 10k wedding photographer is an invitation to get insight into how i'm already thinking in this headspace or where i'm not. is this course for you: If you're not already a 10k/wedding (or gig) photographer, there is likely something of value here for you. THE COURSE the course is v.grounded - from the ttitle again - that this is a course about photography as a business - and how to get to a place where one is thriving in that business. It's clear there are steps to getting up the ladder towards 10k, and Scott Robert puts all the milestones in to understand when to up prices, how to pace gigs, how to schedule weddings, how to start. But this course also excels at covering off what's included in creating an excellent wedding photography experience for a particular type of shoot: luxury, glamour, style. This is not documentary wedding photography - though the skills learned here can be applied in that space. Here - just take a look at the photos - people who want what Scott Robert Delivers want to be glamourous, exciting. And Scott makes the point - that looks "natural" but it's constructed, and so we have to know how to engage with people in order to construct these results. Thus the course offers Posing and Shooting techniques for photography - using natural and flash light using flash and video light posing men; posint women; posing groups how to get the checklist of wedding shots from dress to cake. And how to get the business. This course is worth the money just to get the tips for posing - you'll use them right away whether you're doing corporate shoots or what in the us is "seniors" portraits. THE KIT A particularly inspiring element of Scott's work is how minimalist the kit seems to be. No strobes; just speedlights. Lightstands and umbrellas. And small video light(s). Considering the shots he gets that seem so constructed, it's fantastic to see that they are constructed fundamentally with a set of modelling principles about the human form that work work and work. The BUSINESS As said the progressions for the business side to move from a starting photographer to a 10k photographer are clear. The detail is good. The motivation, unflagging. Participants who want to get there need to do the hours of practice. There are a couple people who have used Scott's methods to get from starter to 10k shooter so it's possible to see their path. - One who was a videographer mayn't be as inspiring because already pro etc, but it is cool to see a pro in video testify to the value even for him of scott's approach. LESSON the best advertisement is word of mouth you have to have the work to get that endorsement. Scott is the one person on CL where you'll hear him say he's not working on his social network particularly, but on the quality of his portfolio and referals within jobs to get the jobs - it's plainly working for him. For him, it's clear he wants to be regarded as the best photographer - not the best customer service that trumps adequate photography. THE INSTRUCTOR As other reviewers have commented, scott's attitude is amazing. He has a burning entrepreneurial spirit and a drive to be successful to support his family - which means getting to a point where he's shooting fewer weddings for more money in order to have more time with his people. Nice. No matter what area of photography you're in, there are insights to be gained from this course. Related Courses There are a lot of wedding photography courses on CL. The others i've seen are Wedding Cinematography, Doug Gordon Wedding Project, Master the Business of Photography (which turns out to be based in a wedding business) and Start and Grow your Photography Business (also based around weddings). These all have good things to teach. The biggest contrast to Scott's is Sal Cincotta's Business of Photography - in that course while there is a goal for his teams / shooters to be professional and get all their shots at the wedding and deal with the unexpected well - and there are great tips for how to cover your butt if there's conflict about being able to take a shot or who wants what shot - the focus seems to be way way WAY more on the sale in the studio and selling all kinds of prints. This is v.much the flip side of Scott's work where the focus is on getting the wedding (and why he actually likes 5k weddings more than 10k weddings - fascinating). For scott, it seems the 10k is about figuring out what the package is in terms of what's the difference between 10k vs 5k - and what you promise to deliver in that experience vs SC's focus on what are the materials produced that are worth that charge. And how the wedding can be used to hook people in for life - for portraits, baby photos, seniors etc. Kevin Kebota's class similarly has some nice stuff around bonuses vs discounts. I can see a very interesting panel discussion on pricing btwn sal, scott and kevin... For scott, it's not about shooting the lifecycle and getting money off prints: he does weddings - some engagement and boud. around that, but it's the Wedding that is the star - the quality and amazingness of the images - not the number and size of prints. Perhaps this is a weakness in the course not to go into that part of the deal - but i didn't find it so. What's great is that he has a dropdead line in the sand too: if you're doing X and you're not getting to Y by Z, do something else! fantastic. he even has a part time shooter plan. COol. He also knows how and what to outsource: so will you. He's also cool about how long it will to take to start making a real income. (and what's the difference between a 3k and 5k wedding?? you'll learn). Why would you buy this course? If you're a WEDDING photographer, shooting under 10k /wedding then this will be interesting - lots to learn about what's possible in a wedding context, and seeing examples about how "natural" can be constructed. If you're just considering weddings and want to understand what it would take to make a living or part time living as a photographer here IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ABOUT POSING -- there are lots of CL classes involving posing and philosophies of posing so why this one? 1: Robert is v.good. that simple: the way he's translated everything he's learned about posing into heuristics - in other words rather than memorising poses, you learn heuristics about what to set up for any shot to get more from it. Fantastic. 2. Posing in the context of a live wedding under pressure is a litle different than in studio 3. We see posing for different lighting conditions/contexts for an event - in this case a wedding. Powerful stuff. What's also cool in the demos is that you don't have him doing tethered shooting, but focusing on teaching posing and having the class learn it. That's cool too. IF YOU WANT TO LEARN LIGHTING - and not spend much on lighting kit and get great results this course is inspiring. INSTRUCTOR - v.engaging - doesn't suffer fools, i'm betting; expects committment to do the work to get to aspirations. EXCELLENT. heck i watched most of this with a friend who just found Scott so compelling, in particular how the posing section worked, it was just that engaging. hope that helps. good luck on your mission.
Kerry Sleeman
This is the best Creative Live Course I have purchased, well worth the Money! Scott is fantastic and has a lot of great advice! Even though I am not a wedding photographer I am a Boudoir Photographer and has given me a lot of ideas to help my business. ! Thanks Creative Live Amazing!
Student Work
Related Classes
Wedding Photography