Peter: What's going on, everyone? Peter Byram here, and today I'm with one of our members of the Next Level photography training program, Leyah Childress of Leyre Photography. Leyah, tell us a little about you, your business and how long you've been shooting.

Leyah: I've been an aspiring photographer since high school. That's where the dream started. I've mainly been shooting families. Last year is when I really wanted to get into weddings and started putting a lot of hard work into booking them. Last year I did one wedding as the lead photographer, along with second shooting for other photographers. So I had quite a bit of experience shooting weddings, just not on my own. And I shot families all the time. Last year I booked about five weddings for 2020, so I knew this year was going to be the real jump start into the wedding industry, which is what I really enjoy. I love shooting engagements and weddings. What we struggled with was the marketing. I graduated with a business degree, but nothing to do with marketing. Besides boosting posts on Facebook and posting all the time, that was as far as my marketing went. And yard signs, which my husband put out. We booked one wedding from that.

Peter: I remember you telling me about the yard signs. You aren't afraid to work hard.

Leyah: My husband's company does yard signs all the time, so he said, "It works for us. Let's try it." We got one wedding from it, which paid for it, so we still do it every now and then.

Peter: You were shooting family sessions when you first started, and at a certain point you decided you wanted to shoot more weddings. Why?

Leyah: With second shooting, you learn a lot. And let's be real, weddings are happy days. The clients are happy, and everyone's so excited for the bride and groom. They're stressful, but it's just exciting. It's also good money. What I'd make from many family sessions, I can make in one day with a wedding. That's a bonus, of course, but I just love weddings. They're fun and exciting, and every wedding is different, so it's not the same thing over and over.

Peter: So there's the love of it, and there's also a cost-benefit analysis. You could shoot 20 sessions or do one wedding.

Leyah: Exactly. I still love doing families, and I still do them all the time. But weddings are fun, financially and in every other way.

Peter: Let's go back to 2019. How many weddings did you shoot as the lead photographer?

Leyah: One or two. I think two. I did a lot of second shooting with other people, but one or two for myself.

Peter: How did you get those?

Leyah: One was a great friend of mine, up in Georgia. The other was a referral from a family session I'd shot. There was no marketing in any way.

Peter: At a certain point, you decided to focus on getting more weddings, and you tried some different things.

Leyah: Besides boosting Facebook posts. When people talked about Facebook ads, I thought boosting a post was Facebook ads. In my mind, we were running an ad, but there was no real targeting.

Leyah: We were also working with a company that was helping us with Google. Let's just say we spent way too much money on them. We literally got no business from it. The promise was that they'd create a Google business profile for us and help us get to the top of Google. What they did was so minimal that I could have YouTubed how to do it. Their original quote was around $130 a month. When we told them we wanted to stop, they lowered the price all the way down to $30. My husband and I thought, "If they can do what they said for $30, when it was originally $130, they're obviously not doing that much." We never saw any outcome from it, so we stopped. We went back to boosting posts and generic marketing, posting regularly and trying to get people to comment. And going to venues and handing out business cards, all the old-school marketing.

Peter: And it wasn't getting the traction you were putting into it.

Leyah: Not at all, not for the money we were putting in.

Peter: Sadly, there's a lot of that in the digital marketing space. Companies make promises and don't deliver, and it taints people's impression of this stuff. When we connected, did you feel like, "Uh-oh, here we go again"?

Leyah: Absolutely. I remember the first message you sent me. My husband and I were traveling to New York for Christmas. I'd never been. I told my husband everything we'd talked about and said, "It won't hurt to hop on a call with him." We were so bruised from the other company that he said, "I don't know if we should do this." I said, "It won't hurt to hear him out. We don't have to pay any money to listen to him talk." It took a few weeks to coordinate, so you were pursuing us for a while. Looking back, you were doing amazing at that. When we hung up after our call, my husband said, "Everything he's saying sounds great. I just would hate to invest that kind of money if it's going to hurt us like before." So we absolutely felt that way. But we were at a point where we wanted to grow the business and didn't know how to do the marketing side. Neither of us is good at that. I knew very little about Facebook ads and Facebook marketing. I'd heard of what your program talks about, but I'd never known how to do it. I thought we'd have to hire a huge marketing company and pay tens of thousands of dollars to even learn this, or have them do it for us. We knew we weren't at that point as a company, only doing a couple of weddings last year on our own. So when you first reached out, we thought there was no way we could afford it. After talking with you a few times, we said, "Let's just try it." And it's completely changed the game.

Peter: What ultimately made you say, "Let's do this"?

Leyah: It was the examples you gave me of what other photographers you'd worked with had done. It almost sounded too good to be true. But you showed me someone you'd been working with, and I did my own research. I looked at his website and his Facebook and followed him for a couple of weeks before we started. So after talking to you and hearing what could happen, it was more of a leap of faith. We didn't want to invest that kind of money right then, but we thought we needed to. It was a scary jump, because we didn't know you at all. But we're so thankful we did it.

Peter: So you jumped into the program. Then what happened?

Leyah: When we first started, you put out new material once a week for six or seven weeks. That was great. It wasn't overwhelming, like it would have been to think, "I need to watch all these videos this week." It was really great for me as a stay-at-home mom whose photography business is what I do for a living. I watched every video and took notes, because I'm a note-taker. I wrote down everything you said, and I followed along with everything you told us to do. I could watch on my own time. My husband and I even listened to the content on a long drive one day. It fit my schedule perfectly.

Leyah: I went through the program, and I think I finished and had my ads running sometime in February or the beginning of March. A few weeks later, coronavirus happened. I live in central Florida. I heard great success stories from other people in our group who were still booking. We were getting so many leads that we didn't know what to do with them. We'd done a bridal expo in January, before we signed up with you, and I booked one wedding from it. Once these leads started coming in, strictly targeted to our type of client, it was insane. But with coronavirus, people weren't ready to book yet. In March and April, the leads were still coming in. I was doing consults like crazy, multiple a day. The leads weren't the problem. It was the timing and everything happening. People were scared to spend money, which I get. Everyone was scared. That slowed down booking in my area. But once things started lifting, and I took your advice and advice from people in the group, I started working with the situation. I offered a lower deposit to help people who had lost jobs. And I started booking. I learned that just because a huge pandemic happens, it doesn't mean people won't book. You have to learn how to work with the situation. Once I figured that out, everything started happening, and it got us really excited. After this call, I have five more consults today.

Leyah: The leads are definitely there. On slower days, when fewer new leads come in, I go back and talk to the leads I already have a second time if they haven't booked. So it's made a big difference in how I schedule my day, when I do follow-ups and when I talk to new leads. It's put things on my calendar to keep my business running smoothly, instead of a friend asking for a session, or someone messaging me on Facebook and then waiting two weeks for the next lead. Now I get about three leads a day, if not more. So I know leads aren't going to be an issue.

Peter: Back in 2019, about how many wedding leads were you getting a month?

Leyah: We were excited when we got one wedding lead. It was very minimal.

Peter: So you were getting about one lead a month. You went through the content, built a funnel and turned on Facebook and Instagram ads. Now you're getting how many leads a day?

Leyah: Definitely at least one a day, but on a regular basis, around three.

Peter: And you're spending how much?

Leyah: Right now, $10 a day.

Peter: So about $10 a day for about three leads a day. You solved the problem so many people in our industry have: "I need inquiries." And to be clear, that's all from Facebook ads?

Leyah: Yes. We stopped doing everything else, and it's strictly Facebook ads, with everything we learned from your program.

Peter: Do you like doing it that way?

Leyah: What I like most is that once you set it up and it's working, you don't touch it. Before, it was a daily grind of, "I need to boost another post. I need to post on Instagram." It's taken a lot of load off me, not having to worry about where leads will come from. I set it up exactly how you told us to in the program. Since it went live, the only things I've changed are the picture, maybe three or four times, because I got new photos I liked better, and the wording a couple of times. Other than that, I haven't touched it. It's worked, so you don't need to fix what isn't broken.

Peter: When you put a message in front of your audience that they genuinely want, generating leads becomes easy, instead of trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat with a new post every day.

Peter: So you're learning to build real Facebook ad campaigns, not just boost posts. You're getting leads, and coronavirus happens out of the blue. I remember a conversation we had a couple of months ago, when you were feeling bummed out. Do you remember what we talked about?

Leyah: We've had a lot of conversations, because I've needed a lot of help. When coronavirus happened, I was feeling bummed out. All these leads were coming in, and I was having great conversations, but no one was booking. We were non-essential, so I couldn't even shoot engagement sessions. As far as income, I needed people to book. But I was also faithful to your program, because leads are leads. They were still pouring in. The issue was that people were scared to book. In our conversation, you said not to take advantage of people, but to make the best of the situation. So I approached my consults differently. Instead of starting with, "Hi, this is Leyah," I'd ask, "How's everything going for you? How is this affecting your business, your daily life, your work?" I'm going to keep doing that after coronavirus is over. Asking people about their day has been huge. When it first happened, everything was scary, and no one knew what was going on. Some consults were almost, "No thanks," and they'd hang up. When I learned how to re-approach the situation, it was insane the different response I got. Really caring about what's going on in their lives changed my bookings. Once I brought that into every consult, not really a script, because I don't go by a script, I saw a change in how many bookings I was getting. Even if it was just an engagement session. If I don't get their wedding right away but I get their engagement session, that's one step closer to them seeing what I can do. So even when weddings weren't being booked, engagements were, and those are potential weddings to me. I hate saying "advantage." I wasn't taking advantage of people. I was learning how to work with the situation in the right way.

Peter: We talk a lot in Next Level about meeting people heart to heart. These people are interested in what you're offering, or they wouldn't inquire. Before coronavirus, the message was, "You want a wedding photographer? That's what I do. Let's talk about collections." It's different now. Connecting heart to heart makes you stand out. When you approach people with an attitude of service, it changes everything. So we worked on how you approached your consultations. Then what happened in May?

Leyah: Once I implemented that, people started booking more engagement sessions. In May, I booked four weddings. It was either May or June, I get confused now, but I booked $11,000. Last year, my whole business did $16,000. In May or June, I did $11,000. It was a game changer. Once I started having that attitude on the phone, I started booking like crazy, and it's been up and up since.

Peter: This is a valuable lesson. A lot of people think it's only about generating leads. You need leads first. But once you have them, it's the sales process. We made changes there, and you did over $11,000 in one month, when the previous year you did $16,000 in the entire year.

Leyah: And that was only weddings. With your program, I also set up ads for family sessions. That $11,000 didn't include family or engagement sessions. That was only the weddings I booked.

Peter: Do you know the total off the top of your head?

Leyah: I'd have to go back and look, but it was more than I'd ever done.

Peter: How has that changed your mindset?

Leyah: The camera I was shooting with was my first professional camera, which I bought used back in 2015. I'd been making it work. Since we started your program and started booking weddings, I've been able to upgrade all of my equipment, which was a goal I didn't think was reachable. You need to keep up with the right technology. And we're getting to the point where we can start paying ourselves from this business. I always wanted to be a photographer, growing up, before I got married. And I've had multiple people in my life say, "That's not a real job. You're not going to be able to do that." Now I'm like, "Yes, it is. I'm doing it." It's only been about seven months since we started with you, and it's really happening. This is going to be our family income. We're running this business as a business. It's go time. It makes me want to push harder. Last year I was always bummed because leads weren't coming in. I'd post things like, "Hey, friends, share this on Facebook," hoping to get my name out there. Now that I know leads are going to come in, it makes me want to work harder, because I'm reaching the goal I had as a high school student who was told she couldn't be a photographer. It's a complete 180.

Peter: Once you know you can do $11,000 in a month, you think, "Let's double it." Your standards change. Before, booking a couple of weddings a year was great. Now you know you can replicate this.

Leyah: After talking to you and going through the program, once I started booking weddings, I actually raised my prices. My husband said, "We just need bookings. It doesn't matter the price." And I said, "Yes, but I need to raise my standards a little." When I raised my prices is when I started getting bookings. So that's another nugget for people listening: your work is worth it. It's okay to raise your prices. It's not going to stop people from booking. People saw value in my work.

Peter: Why do you think that is?

Leyah: I think I was underpriced, to be honest. When people saw my lower prices, they thought, "Well, she doesn't know what she's doing. She's priced too cheap." When I raised my prices, I feel like people took me more seriously. I knew my photos, my editing style and my work were competitive in my area. I just didn't feel like my experience was there, because of how few weddings I'd done on my own. I knew I could do it, but I didn't think they'd believe I could. Once I got out of that mindset, I realized that if I'm confident, they're going to see that and buy from that. People can feel fear and they can feel confidence. And after I booked those weddings, my confidence went way up. It's much easier to show people what I can do when my prices make them take me seriously.

Peter: I talk to photographers all the time who are really talented but charging way too little, and they're afraid to raise their prices. How were you able to do it?

Leyah: I just did it. I said, "Let's see what happens. If it doesn't work, we'll lower the prices again." I raised my prices to be competitive in our area and to match what I knew I could produce. Once I saw the bookings come in, that was all I needed to know my work is that valuable. You can always go back. You're not working with the same couple for 10 different weddings. If you're getting leads, you've raised your prices and no one's booking, maybe that's the issue. Lower them a little and see if that helps. It's all testing. But I raised my prices, it worked, and I don't feel like I need to lower them.

Peter: Your standards change. There's no secret. You faced the fear, raised your prices and took a chance. Take the step and the path will emerge. A lot of people get hung up trying to figure everything out first. Leyah, it's been amazing to watch you grow into a bigger, better version of yourself. Do you feel that?

Leyah: Absolutely. I'm thinking back to our first call. You asked us how much we wanted to make in a year, and you said something like $100,000. My husband and I looked at each other, like, "That would be great, but we don't see that being reachable." I wasn't confident in what we could produce, only because I'd never done it. And you're right, I wasn't thinking of it as a business. We were a legal business doing everything we should, but we didn't know how to produce the leads to make it a full business that provides for our family. Going through the program and seeing what can happen, I'm a lot more confident. I know this can happen. My husband sees it too, and he's a huge support. He says, "Let's keep going. Tell me what I can do." And I'm like, "You don't have to do anything. We've set it up, and it basically does it for us." Now we know where we can take our business. I feel completely different.

Peter: I've seen this with a lot of people in the program. When their goals start to manifest, I notice they've evolved. It's the leads, but it's also pushing yourself, getting on consults, getting feedback and being in a community where you see other people win. Did that play into it for you?

Leyah: Absolutely. Anytime someone shares a win, I'm like, "Let's go. We're making this happen." I love the community. I'm trying to post and comment more. There are thousands of photography groups out there, but in the Next Level group, everyone's going through the same thing. Everyone has the same problems or the same wins, and that's an awesome support system. When I started in January, I could message you anytime with an issue. Now that Next Level has grown, I post in the group, and it gets answered almost immediately, by you or another member who just went through the same thing last week.

Peter: It's powerful to be around people a couple of steps ahead of you. You realize it's possible, you take action, you get results, and it creates positive feedback. And you're making it happen with everything going on in the world. Imagine what you'd do in regular times.

Peter: Say a photographer is just starting out with weddings. They've done some second shooting, and they're thinking about joining Next Level. What would you say?

Leyah: The investment is 100% worth it. With the $11,000 in that one month, we've paid for the investment over and over again. And it's not a one-time thing. I get to take this knowledge with me forever. And there's the support from you and the group. You're not some guy you talk to once and never again. My husband and I have talked about it multiple times. We laugh about what we did last year, the company we basically lost money on. This was the best thing we've ever done. It's insane how much changed in seven months. If we'd had this conversation back in May, it would have been a game changer from January to May, and two months later, I'm still going up.

Peter: You've seen other members in Next Level and the challenges they face. What's your number one piece of advice for them?

Leyah: I feel like everyone's doing so great. If you follow what the program teaches, do exactly what it says and put your own little twist on it for verbiage and things like that, you're going to succeed. Of course, everyone hits bumps in the road, but that's the great thing about the group. There's another person right behind you to say, "I had this problem, and I did this," and it's fixed.

Peter: Building a successful photography business, living your dream, traveling, there are going to be bumps. That's what comes with business. But nothing is insurmountable. What would your advice be to photographers outside Next Level who are struggling?

Leyah: To photographers who aren't generating the leads they need or hitting their goals: the information you have is so valuable. And I've been told photography isn't a real job or a real way to make money. But you see all these other people doing it. I never in a million years thought I'd be able to travel for photography, especially with a young son at home. Two of my weddings next year are destination weddings, and I'm talking to another potential one now. In my head, I'd limited myself to central Florida, and I wondered whether there were enough people getting married here who'd want me to make this full-time. Now that it's happening, I want to do more. Even if it's only a few times a year, that's amazing. Before last year's trip to New York, the farthest north I'd been was Tennessee. Getting to travel with my business and see and do things I've never done is amazing. So if there are photographers sitting at home, where I was last year, thinking, "This isn't really a possibility. I should start looking for a real job," that's not true. It can happen. Photography can definitely be your income, and you can make a lot of money doing it the right way. I never knew what that right way was until we signed up for this program.

Peter: Leyah, congratulations on all your success. This is just the beginning. If someone wants to get in touch with you for a portrait, engagement session or wedding, what's the best way?

Leyah: All my information is on my website, and I'm on Facebook and Instagram. My business has a unique name: Leyre Photography, L-E-Y-R-E. It comes from my name, Leyah Renee. It was a nickname growing up from friends and family. Everything is under Leyre Photography.

Peter: Thanks so much again, Leyah. I know this is going to help a lot of people, inside and outside the group.

Leyah: Absolutely. It was good talking to you.