587: Ryan Erickson – Fetch Photo Truck – A Mobile Pet Photography Business Wagging its Way to Success

PhotoBizX The Ultimate Wedding and Portrait Photography Business Podcast

Premium Members, click here to access this interview in the premium area

Ryan Erickson of www.fetchphototruck.com is a mobile, come-to-you dog photographer in Denver, Colorado, USA. His mobile pet photography studio was custom-built on a towable trailer where he shoots and does same-day in-person-sales sessions for his dog owner clients.

I'm always looking for terrific guests to feature on the podcast, and I love receiving a recommendation like this one from Pet Photographer and business coach Alex Cearns.

In her email, she says:

Hey Andrew

I have a podcast guest to recommend; he runs Fetch Photo Truck in Denver, Colorado.

He was previously a wedding photographer who wanted to move into pet photography and work for himself.

His truck is a custom trailer that looks incredible inside (and out!).

He hit six figures working solo and is a heck of a nice guy!

Alex.

I went and did some searching and can confirm… his photography is fantastic. The trailer looks terrific, and his clients love him!

In this interview, Ryan shares the ins and out, good and bad of Fetch Photo Truck, the mobile pet photography business.

Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:

• From Weddings to Wagging Tails: Ryan’s Transition to Pet Photography
  Ryan shares his journey from wedding photography to pet photography, giving credit to mentor Alex Cearns for helping him carve out a successful niche.
• Business Boom: A Year of Remarkable Growth
  Ryan reveals his business’s impressive revenue surge over the past year, highlighting October and November as standout months for sales.
• The Power of Online Presence: How Instagram and Website Traffic Fueled Growth
  Discover how Instagram and website traffic played a pivotal role in driving Ryan’s business forward.
• Flying Solo: The Perks and Challenges of Working Alone
  Reflecting on the solo business journey, Ryan discusses how the pandemic influenced his decision to pivot into pet photography.
• Early Days: From Wedding Photography to Studio Success
  Ryan looks back on his early career, starting in wedding photography post-college and eventually becoming the lead photographer at a bustling studio.
• Making a Big Move: Leaving the Studio Life Behind
  Ryan talks about his bold decision to leave the studio during the COVID-19 pandemic, which opened the door to his new passion for pet photography.
• Fetch Photo Truck: How a Simple Conversation Sparked a Creative Business
  Ryan shares the lightbulb moment when a chat about pets inspired his innovative mobile pet photography business, Fetch Photo Truck.
• Taking It on the Road: The Concept Behind the Fetch Photo Truck
  Inspired by food trucks, Ryan explains how his mobile studio offers flexibility and cost-effective solutions for pet photography.
• On-the-Go Photography: Setting Up for Success
  Ryan gives us a glimpse into his mobile studio, where clients enjoy same-day shoots and a seamless process from start to finish.
• Making Connections: The Importance of Face-to-Face Marketing
  Learn how Ryan taps into in-person pet events to connect with potential clients and promote his mobile photography service.
• Client Engagement: Building Relationships and Managing Expectations
  Ryan talks about the value of personal interactions, offering special deals, and being transparent to ensure client satisfaction.
• Tracking Success: Business Metrics and Financial Growth
  Ryan opens up about his business’s financial health, from average sales figures to managing startup costs and ensuring steady growth.
• Finding His Audience: Targeting Dog-Loving Couples
  Ryan identifies his primary market: affluent, child-free couples with dogs, and how he focuses his efforts on events that attract this pet-loving crowd.
• Niche Marketing: Partnering with Pet-Centric Vendors
  Ryan discusses the rewards and challenges of niche marketing, emphasising the benefits of collaborating with vendors in the pet industry.
• Pet Photography Challenges: Creating Comfort and Capturing Emotion
  Working with pets isn’t always easy! Ryan explains how he ensures a relaxed experience in his mobile studio and delivers emotionally powerful images.
• Looking Ahead: Scaling, Expanding, and Staying True to the Vision
  Ryan shares his future plans to scale the business, broaden his marketing efforts, and maintain his high standards as the business grows.

What’s on Offer for Premium Members

If you’re on the fence about becoming a premium member, join with the $1 trial today and get access to the FULL interviews each week, a fantastic back catalogue of interviews, and have ALL future interviews delivered automatically to your phone or tablet.

Plus, special member-only interviews.

When you're working for somebody else, you're working for somebody else's dream, right? So there's only so much growth that you can realistically kind of expect. – Ryan Erickson

You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online.

Seriously, that's not all.

Outsource whatever you can. I outsource my editing. I realized early on that I had a vision of what I wanted my photos to be, but, it took me too long to do a not so great a job. So I realized early on, I need to hire somebody else that knows what they're doing and can do this efficiently, and pay them to do it. And that was one of the better decisions that I made early on. – Ryan Erickson

In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a MasterMind Group with other premium members. These groups are super motivating, make you accountable, and build friendships with other pro photographers with motives similar to yours – to build a more successful photography business.

What is your big takeaway?

Following this interview, I’d love to know if you're taking anything from what Ryan shared. Is there something you heard that excited or motivated you to the point where you thought, yeah, I'm going to do that! If so, leave your thoughts in the comments below; let me know your takeaways and what you plan to implement in your business based on what you heard in today's episode.

I wanted people to know exactly what they're getting into because I'm asking them to make a lot of decisions on the spot. I never want people to feel pressured and overwhelmed. The goal is for them to feel fully educated and prepared going into that day, having a good idea already of what they want. – Ryan Erickson

If you have any questions I missed, a specific question you’d like to ask Ryan or want to say thank you for coming on the show, feel free to add them in the comments area below.

iTunes Reviews and Shout-outs

I check for any new iTunes or Google reviews each week, and it's always a buzz to receive these… for several reasons.

Firstly, it's confirmation that I'm on the right track with the interviews and that they are helping you improve your photography business. That's awesome!

Secondly, iTunes and Google are the most significant podcast search engines, and your reviews and ratings help other photographers find PhotoBizX. More listeners mean more interviews and, ultimately, a better show.

Last October and November were my best months of 2023 and October was a $24,000 month, and I did 18 sessions that month. And November was also an 18 session month. So having 31 on the books for October is big. I'm trying not to get too excited or too overwhelmed. It's part of the joy of having your own business, right? – Ryan Erickson

If you have left a review in the past, thank you! If you haven't and you'd like to, head to https://photobizx.com/itunes or https://photobizx.com/google. You can leave some honest feedback and a rating, which will help both me and the show. I'll be sure to thank you on the show and add a link to your website or blog if you let me know the URL of your website and your name.

Alternatively, if you've left a review for PhotoBizX and are looking for more backlinks to help your SEO, leave a review for the new Photography Xperiment Podcast. Email me your keywords or phrases and where you'd like me to link them.

We're a dime-a-dozen as wedding photographers. Everybody and their sister knows a wedding photographer, so it felt really exciting to specialize in something, and say, ‘I'm a dog photographer.' – Ryan Erickson

Another great way to get a backlink to your site is to send a video testimonial. It doesn't need to be fancy, and your phone will be perfect. Click record and tell me how PhotoBizX has impacted you and your photography business.​

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All the details are here –>> https://learn.photobizx.com/exhibition-marketing-for-photographers-registration

Here’s what you’ll learn:

• How to book clients and fill your calendar through a well-crafted photography exhibition.
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• Tips for creating stunning, gallery-worthy portraits that capture attention.
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All the details are here: https://learn.photobizx.com/exhibition-marketing-for-photographers-registration

Links to people, places and things mentioned in this episode:

Fetch Photo Truck Website

Fetch Photo Truck on Instagram

Fetch Photo Truck on Facebook

Episode 524: Alex Cearns – Photography business rules for success and profit

Thank you!

Thanks for tuning in, and a big thanks to Ryan for sharing his journey in creating a successful mobile pet photography business. Ryan’s passion for capturing special moments is clear, from the Fetch Photo Truck idea to working solo. His insights offer great tips on adapting to change, connecting with clients, and providing a unique experience for pet owners.

And I say, ‘Hey, I keep my weekends reserved for market events and also to help maintain my sanity. That's one of the big benefits of being your own boss. That was really important to me. And when I had this idea, I was like, I know what it's like to work on those Saturdays. And if I know, if I make Saturdays available, that's all clients are going to want. People respect that. When you're making a dentist appointment, you don't ask your dentist to come on on Sunday to do your appointment, right? So if this is important to you, if this experience is important to you, you can go in two hours late to work. You can call in, or you can leave two or three hours early kind of thing, if this is, if this is something that's important to you. – Ryan Erickson

That’s it for me this week; I hope everything is going well for you in life and business!

Thanks, and speak soon
Andrew

The post 587: Ryan Erickson – Fetch Photo Truck – A Mobile Pet Photography Business Wagging its Way to Success appeared first on Photography Business Xposed - Photography Podcast - how to build and market your portrait and wedding photography business.