S14E04 | LinkedIn for pet photographers
NEVER MISS AN EPISODE: CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE
LISTEN FOR FREE ONLINE
Todays guest is Chris Miller, one half of the husband-wife team behind MIL Pet Photography in the UK. He photographs 30 clients a year as his version of semi retirement and in todays episode he shared why it’s worth setting up LinkedIn for your pet photography, and finding a couple of minutes a day to dedicate to the platform.
WE COVERED:
Working as a husband and wife team
Why 60 images is too many
Intro in how LinkedIn is working for MIL
EXTENDED MEMBERS-ONLY EPISODE:
Managing so many social channels
How does LinkedIn even work?
How Chris has reduced the time spent on Social Media
MENTIONED LINKS:
LinkedIn for Photographers course
Chris’ LinkedIn post about the career change
Link’s to MIL Pet Photography:
Website: https://www.millersimage.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/millersimage/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/millersimage/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mil_pet_photography/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MillersImage
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/mil_pet_photography/
Chris Miller
MIL Pet Photography, UK
MIL Pet Photography is animal loving husband and wife team. Chris Miller is the UKʼs first certified Dog Photography Master, and also has a Diploma in Canine Behaviour Training. Sue Miller has an eye for the perfect photograph, and chooses the final images that get edited. Together, we are dog photography specialists who love nothing more than capturing that unique emotional connection and deep, unconditional love between you and your beloved dog.
We passionately believe that animals are best photographed within a natural environment. It is a combination of our patience, knowledge in canine behaviour and formal photographic training that allows us to photograph each dog with heart-warming and often humorous portraits. In doing so, we celebrate the very essence of who they are.
Transcript
I became a, a pet photographer, in fact, focused as dog photographer just five years ago now. And we're based in the uk live very close to Windsor Castle, just six miles south of there, which gives us some great opportunities for for, for pet photography and dog photography in the area.
So, yes, I didn't fall into dog photography. Took a decision five years ago that I wanted to create a retirement business and, and to have something that I could make sure I come up corporate life and stay busy. And boy did I pick something that's kept me extremely busy. So yes, I've been a longtime listener started off by listening, in fact, to the free version of your podcast and around 2019, I think that was, I started there maybe early 2020, and then have just made sure I could learn as much as possible and went focus.
A hundred percent into our business meal, pet photography. Started doing that as of February last. Okay, so actually it's relatively new that you've gone focused on pets. I didn't realize that, Chris. I thought it'd been quite a bit longer. So you are really kicking some goals. I wanna get into those in just a second.
But first of all, there's something that in interests me about your business that maybe other photographers don't have experience with, or the idea is just completely. overwhelming to them. And that's that your business is actually co-ran with Sue, right? That's correct. Okay. Now, is that Sue is your wife, is that right?
She's my wife. Yes. Yes, yes. So you are running this as a partnership then? I mean, whether it's on paper or not, whatever, break it down for us. Like how are the roles between you and Sue within the business? Yeah, no, so it is a great question. We do get asked it quite a bit. So two parts to this. Firstly, for nearly 40 years, I never worked with my wife
And then we do this as, as a, as a full-time activity together. So yes, she's, we're actually a, a a limited company. The, the company is actually Miller's Image Limited, and that's what the mill part of PET Photography stands for. So we, we are partners together in the business. Sue's focus is twofold.
One, she chooses the images that I will. So as we all know, as as pet photographers, we take literally hundreds and occasionally maybe even a thousand images on a, on a long shoot. She will pick the images that I will edit, and that is so helpful because I would probably edit most of them because I just love editing and creating great images.
But she makes sure that we only show a client 20 to 30 images at the. She picks the ones that are the keepers, which is fantastic. The other thing she does is when we're out on the shoots she's doing all of the assistant type work. She's sometimes letting the dog free if the dog is is on a run to us.
And I have the owner literally standing over me. While I'm laying on the floor again the majority of people who are dog photographers on this call know exactly what I mean by that. So she's more than assistant. She has a very active role. And occasionally we'll use some dog noises and dog coolers right ac across the top of the camera as well.
Okay, so that makes sense to me that, so her role is the assistant on the shoot and do handler in a way, I guess. Yes. And back in the studio. That's very interesting that you are the photographer, but she's doing the, the call, the, the initial selection, which I'm imagining that the listener, a lot of the listeners are think, wow, I, I cannot give up my creative control over that.
So how does that work for you as a photographer that you are, you are. Are you not that attached to your images or are you too attached? I mean, why is, why is that the role that you chose for? Ki Kirsty. It, it's exactly what you said. I'm too attached to the images. You know, I, I will take I mean, on average, to be fair, it's normally about six to 700 images I'll get on a 90 minute shoot, and I will get that down to about 60 and I can never get it lower.
and as we all know, you cannot show a client 60 images because they'll just go into paralysis around trying to pick those pictures. So we tried that on the first couple of friends and, and friendships and it was just a nightmare. You know, they, they were having arguments themselves to try and pick their favorites for an album, but no, we she's very good at at getting down to that 30.
And then I say, but what about this and what about that? And we might debate a couple, but I never edit more than. Okay. Okay, that makes sense. So hang on a minute. You just said that 60 is way too many. So what products are you selling to your client then Chris? Sorry. Yes. We don't do digital downloads or digital packs at all.
We give our digitals away for free, but we match them to whatever product they purchase. So we do size match digitals at no cost. Our products there are, there are two types. We do albums both display albums that we use graphic studio for. And then we use large wall art, which will be a mixture of acrylics and tray framed photos which we use a, a British company for the print found.
Okay. Okay, so let's say that I come to you I'm your client and I'm getting a photo shoot of my dog. Afterwards I decide I want one of those albums and something on the wall. How many images would I end up with then in, in the album and on, and the pieces on the wall. Yes. So the minimum number for the album is 21.
It's one as a cover image and then 20 inside. And then if you are gonna have one on the wall that's different for any reason to what's in the album. Most people don't, they tend to take their, their favorite from the album. But you would have 21 or 22 digital images size match to to what you've purchased.
Okay. So did you mention before that your or Sue is getting the gallery down to around 30? Did you say that's correct? Yes, that's correct. Okay. So we, sorry. I'm just gonna say we can provide, and, and many clients do say, I want all 30, and we'll provide all 30 in an album for them. If that's, if that's what they, they wish with, with one cover picture as well.
Perfect. Okay. So that makes it really easy for the client to decide to decide, because they don't really have to take any out, just which one is going on the wall. But also that's, I mean, you are shooting, well then you are delivering a really good gallery if your clients cannot remove one image. I mean, or, or they can only move a coup, remove a couple.
Because I think, you know, a lot of photographers even shooting for an album, they overshoot. Overdeliver or, or gallery is, is larger, myself included probably. And then the client, we expect that the client is not going to love every single one. So two or three or four come out. But then there's still enough for an album.
But you are selling almost every image that you're taking the client is, is wanting. So imagine your gallery is, gallery's are pretty spot on then Chris and that. And that's true. I think, you know, when we, when we tried right at the beginning, nearly five years ago, By showing 60 or so images. Then people would go, how many do you get in the album?
And we sit 20 with a, with a front cover 21, and they would go, okay, I need to pick 21. When we show 30, it's, you get 21, but you can upgrade it to, to all 30 if you wish. And they tend to go, I love all of them. I can't exclude, I've only gotta drop nine. I might as well pay for the extra page. Okay, so you are selling extra pages, so you are selling in a similar way to wedding photographers in that regard.
You know, cause exactly, there's the bass album and then there's an extra They buy extra spreads, I imagine, right? Exactly. Yeah. Spread. So they get, they get, it's two at a time obviously. . Mm-hmm. . Okay. Nice. Oh, really interesting to hear how somebody else is doing it. And just for the listeners, just a reminder, Chris and Sue are in the uk so this can work anywhere in the world.
I don't want you guys you Brits saying like, oh, it only works in the US because Chris and Sue are in the UK too, right? ? Absolutely. Absolutely. And it's, and, and that's all. We sell our albums in Wallock. We don't do anything else. Okay. Okay, nice. Now the reason I got you on the show was actually not to dive into all that stuff, but I digress because I was excited about it.
But to get into LinkedIn now, I would say most of our listeners are probably nodding when I say this next line that. What even is LinkedIn? Why would I need it as a pet photographer? That's for maybe headshot photographers, but who uses LinkedIn? Why do I have to be there? Et cetera, et cetera. So instead of me telling the listener the answer to those things where I'm just starting to fumble my way through LinkedIn, I want you to kind of give a bit of an overview, Chris, for your journey in using LinkedIn for pet photography.
But let's start at the end, like today. Can we do a bit of a breakdown where, or how how LinkedIn is impacting your business today? Yeah, absolutely. So today currently got around 5,000 followers against me, Chris Miller, which is the dog photographer. If people wanna look that up on LinkedIn in terms of what does it mean, We've got access to so many high net worth individuals.
You know, the average salary for someone on LinkedIn is 85,000 US dollars, and the majority of people that we reach through Instagram and Facebook are nowhere near those kinds of packages or, or salaries. So we've actually able to target and reach a very, very strong community of people who will.
Pay for services where they value them. So what we're actually seeing, and I, and I very, very live literally overnight, I've had an inquiry from someone who I've. Had as a connection for a little while now, has never put a like, or comment or anything against any of my posts, but just overnight has said, could I have 20 of your images that I want to put in our reception, please?
And, and I'll put that together as a, as a marketing pack for them and a completely unsolicited request coming through LinkedIn because. Both the presence that's there, but also the consistency in posting and the kinds of things we put out. So that's, that's a very live example, Kirsty that came in overnight.
What I've had quite recently as well is I've been working with other Associated dog businesses one in, based in the uk that creates the easiest way of saying it is a poo bag. There's no other way. It's a company called Perfect Bags and they've created. A bag, which is as, as we all need as dog owners to be able to take out with us.
But it's a phenomenal product. And when I'm doing something with them in a collaborative way, and there's another innovation around a dog collar to help repel dogs that are actually aggressive company called Dog Fender. And, and again, I'm working with them and these are things that have just come together.
LinkedIn can take you in some, some very interesting. Journeys that you just have to be quite open-minded. But there is money at the end. It's not my initial goal necessarily, but there's money at the end of every single one of these. Mm-hmm. . Okay. And am I right in thinking that when these companies approach you via LinkedIn, they're on that platform for business and so they're expecting it's going to cost something or that, you know, at the end you need to make money somehow, whether it's, you know, through.
Some kind of marketing collaboration with them or, or if it's a direct quote to them versus Instagram where we see lots of, you know, influencers, et cetera, et cetera, that are looking for freebies a lot of the time. , absolutely. There is an expectation of of, of spending and, and of you know, having to pay for something.
But, but you are right in what I just covered are the business to business. And I think that's been LinkedIn's core history, but where I've had huge success again in the run up to Christmas I used to be like this when I was back in corporate life where I would. Buying Christmas presents very last minute, maybe even Christmas Eve.
And I can tell you on Christmas Eve this year, which is, as everyone will remember that that that was running over that weekend, I had three, and I have to say, gentlemen, I'm not trying to be sexist, but three gentlemen reached out to me and said, Chris, that offer you put out last week around the gift vouchers is it still available?
Can I get a digital download gift voucher ready for tomorrow? And I sold three of those on Christmas Eve. Jesus get organized, guys, . I know, and I'm not trying to be sexist, but they, they, and to be fair it could be anyone who's busy in their day-to-day life, in their day-to-day world and their corporate job.
You know, they're not all dog or pet photographers out there, of course. And they've seen my posts somewhere in the week. It's, it's crossed their feed. There were other things that were higher priorities and now , now we're suddenly it's urgent. But that's the power of LinkedIn. You can be very targeted in your messaging and a bit like some of the other platforms you can directly message people where their connections.
Mm-hmm. . Okay. I wanna get into actually like an overview of LinkedIn because at the moment, okay, all this, this is sounding great, but I'm still sitting here like, okay, but how does it work? What are connections? You know, how do I connect with somebody? Is it like a follow on Instagram? How does it work? Is it creepy if I send somebody a message?
I mean, I've got all of these questions and I'm sure the listener, listener does two if they're not on LinkedIn yet, or they're just like, Starting to fumble the way through, but let's save that for the second half of this interview where we can get into the nitty gritty of that and also, you know, a bit more of your process and where you learned about it as well.
But that's it for part one of this episode. If you're a member, of course you can continue listening to part two in the Member Zone or via your private RSS feed in your favorite podcast player. Just a reminder that if you are a member, you do have that private. . If you can't find it, shoot me through an email and I'll hook you up because that makes it way easier to listen to put your, you know, the extended episodes on the go.
You can listen to it on whatever app you like, you know, listening. So yeah, make sure you hit me up for that. Now, if you're not a member, of course you can join today. It's just $10 a month and membership includes loads of perks, like listening to the end of this. Sign up here: https://thepetphotographersclub.com/join