Frequently Asked Questions

How did Boudoir by Olin grow to $1.3 million a year?

Through craft, a team and a planned marketing system. Caroline Winata, known as Olin, launched her Sacramento boudoir studio in 2019 and grew it to $1.3 million in annual revenue, with 500 leads a month and a $3,600 average sale. She credits dedication to her art, a team she trusts to run the studio, a marketing plan mapped a year ahead, and handing ad execution to Photography to Profits.

Do Facebook ads work for boudoir photographers, or is networking better?

It depends on the genre and the price point. Olin says Facebook ads and Google ads work well for her boudoir and portrait genres. She doesn't think paid ads would work as well for her wedding photography because the price point is higher, so her weddings and her photo booth company still run on networking and SEO. Knowing your target audience and brand tells you which medium to use.

When should a photography studio plan its marketing for the year?

Before the year starts. Every December and January, Olin maps out her marketing campaigns for the whole coming year, month by month and brand by brand, so she knows what's running before January ends. She keeps ideas and action plans in her notes with timelines. She also builds her own campaigns that fit her brand instead of copying something just because it worked for another studio.

Should I hire an associate photographer for my boudoir studio?

Yes, if she shares your studio's values. At Boudoir by Olin, the associate, Emily, is presented as a photographer in her own right: she has a presence in the studio's Facebook group, and clients know who is photographing them. Emily charges a different amount on the front end because she is still growing and asked for that. Her sales aren't capped, and on a given session she can outsell Olin.

How do I hire the right people for my photography studio?

Use a set process and ask hard questions. Olin posts most jobs on Indeed, runs at least two rounds of interviews and gives candidates an assignment. She keeps a standard list of tough questions, such as what your parents would say about you or what they once had to correct you for, and she watches body language as closely as the answers. Even people she meets in person go through the same process.

How do I nurture boudoir leads that come in from Facebook ads?

Give them a community, not just a follow-up sequence. Olin says ads keep leads coming in, but people still need to get to know you. Her studio runs a Facebook group of about 9,200 people where the team posts fun questions, shares behind-the-scenes stories on TikTok and hosts in-person client events. Her team stays in touch past the first contact, and a good number of clients come back for portraits or family sessions.

How do I train new studio employees without overwhelming them?

Trust them first, then hand over the work in small steps. Olin says keeping staff out of parts of the business out of fear tends to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. But she doesn't give everything at once either, because that overwhelms people. Borrowing from her dog-training days, she breaks each job into building blocks, learns each person's strengths and weaknesses, and lets them help decide where they grow.

Can I run a photography business in multiple genres at once?

You can, but Olin's studio shows it takes a team. She shoots boudoir, teens and seniors, branding, pets and weddings, and runs a photo booth company, backed by an associate photographer, a studio manager, an operations lead, social media help and an in-house editor. Boudoir now runs like an engine, so she spends her own time launching campaigns for the other genres. Humberto normally steers photographers to focus on one genre.