Are you a creative person, but no ZILCH about keeping yourself organized for things likeTAXES, INVOICING, GALLERIES, INSURANCE, APPOINTMENTS
and all the 1000’s of things that go into showing up on TIME, paying things ON TIME and being a good BUSINESS owner?
Believe me, I started in the same place as you- just wanting to have a side-hustle to provide for my kids and stay-at-home and work. No one told me all the STUFF that goes into owning a business.
If you haven’t already started a LEGIT photography business in VA, You can read more about my process here:
Are you already a business, but it’s hard to keep track of everything? Here are some awesome companies that either I USE or other photo friends use to keep our sanity.
Organization and booking software:
Staying on top of everything from invoicing to appointments might be hard.
17 hats, dubsado and honeybook, acuity are here to help. Depending on your budget price line, you may or may not be able to use their services right away.
I know, I use good old-fashioned wix appointments from my website, google calendar, square appointments and facebook appointment directly on my facebook page, because they are FREE or cheap to use!
Online invoicing
Don’t have 17 hats, dubsado or honeybook like me?
You can invoice your clients for free or cheap through the square invoicing app, paypal app invoicing, your quickbooks software (if you use quickbooks)
You can also do free money requests through google pay, zelle, cash app or venmoOnline contracts
What about online contracts?
17 hats, dubsado or honeybook does all of this too (are you seeing a pattern here?)
If you are like me, you can make forms, online deposits and contracts right on Jotform, docusign or acrobat sign
Learn more about photographer’s based contracts here from the PPA website
Online Client Galleries
You can run your galleries through your WIX website if you wish (I love recommending them).
Pixieset has a new website option and app option as well, if you want to run all your galleries and online ordering through them in one place.
Pass, shootproof and zenfolio are all galleries that most photographers use to show their work off and for their clients to order from them.
Social Media Scheduling
Don’t know if you can post on time and everyday? Can’t visualize what all your photos and graphics will look like on your feed?
Second business number
Getting tired of scammers getting to your personal cell?
Filter out spam and give yourself another number but using the SAME phone with the free google voice software. Or if you want to pay, you can use go daddy’s plans.
Accounting and mileage tracker.
Don’t know when to pay taxes?
Mileage got you down? Don’t know what expensive go where and how to snap receipts?
Quickbooks has been a lifesaver that makes paying taxes at the end of the year a snap! I just take a picture of all of my receipts and then swipe to categorize!
Fresh books has also come highly recommended if you want to check out their pricing as well.
What about insurance?
Alright, feel more prepared now for your business’ future? Have questions or comments on what you use for your business? I would love to hear what works for you!
Christal Marshall is the owner of Virginia Photos and Films, Virginia Marketing and Media and Virginia Beach Photobooth Company. and Be a marketing genius
She lives, breathes and does media and marketing pretty much 24-7 for over 14 local business through social media management, website design, photo, video or media coverage or graphic design.
She is a homeschool mom of three, cat lover, sushi eater and poke fan!
She started her business in 2011 with nothing but a $400 camera from Amazon, now she is has been published in over 60 different blogs and websites for her media work and rank top Wedding Photographer in Virginia Beach.
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