Business School

Don’t miss out on the chance to start off the year with inspiration from some of the world’s most successful photographers.

Photographic BUSINESS SCHOOL

Business School 2025 – Wednesday 15th January

Take your business to the next level – Step by step!

Anne ThomasGillian DevineMark RossettoDavid HakamakiJeff BrownRichard Bradbury

Start the year off with a bang by joining us at the Business School 2025, an unmissable event where you can draw inspiration and insights from some of the world’s most successful photographers. This is your chance to gain valuable knowledge and strategies to elevate your business!

Why Attend the Business School 2025?

The Business School has built an outstanding reputation and is a cornerstone business eduction of our annual convention. Every year, delegates leave with a wealth of information ready to be implemented into their businesses. The 2025 theme focuses on business development and growth, with an emphasis on creativity and strategic action.

Hosted by Gillian Devine, a motivational speaker known for her expertise in designing and influencing successful photography businesses. She, along with other top photographers, will share insider knowledge and success secrets that have propelled their businesses to new heights.

“Worth every penny, I would highly recommend investing in the business school, packed full of marketing and business knowledge” Julie Hollins

Key Benefits

  ✓ Achieve Your Business Goals: Set and reach your business objectives with proven strategies.
  ✓ Supercharge Your Marketing: Gain advanced marketing knowledge to boost your brand.
  ✓ Streamline Your Business: Optimise your workflow to create more ‘me time’
  ✓ Increase Your Profit: Learn how to maximize your earnings.
  ✓ Positive Mindset: Develop a mindset geared towards success.

Schedule of classes

9:00-10:00

How to Use Storytelling to Market Your Photography Business – Anne Thomas

Anne ThomasIn this class, Anne will walk you through the different elements of storytelling to market your photography business – giving you a structure that you can take away and use over and over again.

– What makes a good story?
– The headline, the hook, the problem, the solution, the guide, the call to action – what they look like and why they’re important to include
– Weaving in a personal story
– Where’s the emotion – the ultimate connector?

10:30-11:30 

The Missing Pieces to your Social Media Marketing – Gillian Devine

Gillian DevineIt’s amazing to see how a couple of easily actionable tweaks and changes to your marketing activities and presence on social media will generate big results. 

In this talk, business coach and marketing mentor Gillian Devine highlights the missing pieces she sees regularly in photographers’ marketing activities that, once implemented, will boost your brand presence, your engagement, and your leads, enquiries and bookings. 

Gill is helping photographers around the world take their businesses to the next level by helping them shine online.

“This simple change that took me 10 minutes on my social media created two bookings of over £2k” Zaria

“I get most of my bookings from implementing this simple activity in my marketing, something I had never done before” Emma J 

“This method has doubled my social media content and engagement. Thanks Gill” Emma H

12:00-13:00

Get with the times or get left behind! – Mark Rossetto

Mark RossettoTransform your photography business into a leaner, smarter & tech-savvy powerhouse, unitising automation & AI technology to streamline your business & continually innovate as new technology becomes available.

We are going to explore all the different areas in your business where you can implement these AI tools, workflows and marketing strategies for the modern photographer in 2025.

Learn how to identify areas that need improvement and implement and test small changes until it’s perfected.

Every improvement in your business needs to be deliberate, strategic and designed to streamline processes and make every second count for maximizing efficiency.

Join us and revolutionize your approach to photography in the digital age!

14:00-15:00

Things Businesses Do That PI$ People Off – David Hakamaki

David HakamakiGet ready to laugh until your sides ache with David Hakamaki’s uproarious program, “Things Businesses Do That PI$ People Off”! In this side-splitting session, David takes the stage to dissect those tiny annoyances that drive customers up the wall faster than a caffeinated squirrel on a treadmill. From overly-complicated websites to unhelpful employees, no stone is left unturned in this riotous romp through the land of customer service faux pas.

But fear not, for this isn’t just a comedy show—it’s a masterclass in self-awareness for business owners and workers alike. David hilariously highlights the absurdity of our own mistakes, inviting us to laugh at ourselves while also shedding light on the simple changes that can transform a negative interaction into a customer service triumph. With David’s infectious humor and keen insights, prepare to leave not only in stitches but also armed with newfound wisdom and a dash of self-reflection.

So grab your popcorn and prepare to giggle your way to enlightenment as David Hakamaki takes you on a rollicking journey through the pitfalls of business blunders. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or a newbie in the world of commerce, this uproarious program promises to leave you roaring with laughter and equipped with the tools to turn those customer service snafus into moments of delight. Don’t miss out on the chance to laugh, learn, and maybe even snort a little, in this riotously funny and refreshingly lighthearted exploration of the things that make us go, “Hmm… maybe we should rethink that.”

15:30-16:30

Overcome Procrastination, Improve your Self-Belief, Happiness and Work Productively every day – Jeff Brown

Jeff BrownThe majority of photographers don’t set precise business goals, if you want your photography business to dramatically grow then you need a road map and a detailed plan for success.

Success doesn’t appear overnight, it’s an accumulation of the small steps you take every month, every week, and every day towards your bigger goals that can produce amazing results. Small steps compound to deliver unbelievable rewards, but you must be doing the right sort of tasks each week, above all you need to be consistent and believe in yourself.

In this workshop we’ll cover everything you need to know to help set big, impressive, dream goals, then take the essential daily steps to achieving them in record time. You’ll also learn how to create a positive routine for increased happiness and self-belief, because whatever you believe in you can achieve.

• How to set important goals in the 8 areas of your life and business
• Using ITG’s to take your business to the next level
• Start your day with gratitude and a positive mindset
• How to overcome procrastination and get stuff done
• Why every photographer should reach out for opportunity
• Overcoming set backs and learning from your failures
• Banish the feeling of imposter syndrome and believe in yourself
• How consistency can change your business in a matter of months not years

Jeff Brown, author of the best-selling books “The Ambitious Photographer’s Journal” and “The Photographer’s Gratitude & Mindset Journal”, has developed an easy to implement winning routine that helps photographers banish procrastination, believe in themselves and grow their businesses fast.

17:00-18:00

How to become a Master Sales Person as well as a Master Photographer – In Person Selling for everyone – Richard Bradbury

Richard BradburyMost photographers know how to take great photographs. Weddings, portraits, pets or commercial specialists are able to use their skill and creativity to wow their clients. So why do so many photographers complain about low sales figures and clients who decide to simply take the 10×8 print option? The reason is that most photographers don’t spend enough time learning to sell their work like a professional. In this talk Richard will give you the tools to ensure that every shoot is a saleable success. He will explain how to create a sensible price list and then guide clients through it for better sales. You’ll learn how give your clients a better service, how more options are not always a good way to get more sales and how to fine tune your product offerings. This is not about cutting prices with a buy one get one free attitude, it ‘s about learning to be a master sales person as well as a master photographer earning 4 to 5 figures sales every time!

18:00
Final session and Q&A

Tickets

£160 (The Societies of Photographers members receive 20% off code)

Ticket price includes:
Sandwich Packed Lunch, drink, sandwich, crisps, fruit, chocolate and salad.

Secure Your Spot Today!

What are you waiting for? Don’t miss this opportunity to transform your photography business. Book your tickets today and start 2025 with the inspiration and tools you need to succeed!

Book your tickets

Testimonials for The Business School 

“ Gill, you are the main reason I signed up for The Business School, and I found it very useful. Speakers were fantastic, and I would highly recommend to anyone. Very informative, useful, the full experience was absolutely amazing, thank you for that. “  William Andrew

“Worth every penny, I would highly recommend investing in the business school, packed full of marketing and business knowledge” Julie Hollins

“Doing The Business School with The Societies was a really good idea. So much valuable information I learnt such a lot from it. The variety of speakers, the knowledge of the speakers, but also getting to speak with photographers from all over the place, different genres, different business’s. 

If you haven’t done it, then do it! I would highly recommend it. Oh my lord, go and book it , its one of the best things you can do for your photography business” Gabriele Swift. 


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