Hey, this is our last episode together of the most intentional year yet podcast series. If this is the first one you've heard be sure you go back to Episodes 17 and 18 to get all caught up. We've spent some time together. Reflecting on this past year, we set some new boundaries and dove into our goals, including brainstorming those action steps to actually make them happen.

Today is about getting into the details of planning out your year.

I'm going to tell you guys one more time about the annual planning party that I'm hosting, and I'm inviting you all too! Yep, I'm going to walk you through planning your year.

This is actually all happening tomorrow, Thursday, December 9 on a guided zoom call. We're going to be setting dates and filling out our calendars together. I am limiting the number. I don't know what my number is at right now because this podcast is pre recorded. But if it has filled up by the time you’re listening to it, I will open up another day. You can grab your seat and pre-planning workbook at www.seniorstudiosuccess.com/planningparty.

My Breaking Point

I was exhausted and frazzled. I was missing things. I was dropping the ball, in my business and in my personal life. It's funny what finally tipped you over the edge? Right? Well, the day that I forgot to send in money with my son into a reward day for his class was what actually broke me.

Easily recoverable? Yes. But I had had enough. I was at that breaking point. He was so excited. And I had forgotten. I had been staying up late when everyone else had fallen asleep to finish updating the website with the model team stuff and racking my brain trying to figure out some way to bring in clients.

Well, it was not on the top of my mind, and I blew it! His teacher loaned him money that day, after a frantic email by this super mom of the year, bless this woman's heart, she got a really nice teacher's gift that year.

But back to the point of all of this, I don't do that anymore. When I started implementing this system, at the end of every year, it all started coming together for me.

What happens after I Implement the System?

I was in control.
I was running my business, instead of letting it run me.
I was able to let it go at night and just be with my family.

So I'm going to walk you through the exact process that I go through about this time every year that has made a huge difference in my business and in my home.

This takes some time. But if you're willing to invest now there are tons of payoffs. I set aside a solid day to get going and dive in deep with my business. Then I'll put a few more hours in over the next week or so.

Why Planning a Year Makes it Relevant?

Some of us are full-time photographers with commercial spaces.
Some of us are stay-at-home moms or dads who do just to hold down the fort and run a business at the same time.
For some of us, this is a little side hustle to the nine to five.

This system can work in whatever season of life that you're in, you just may have to tweak it to make it work for you.

What are the Tools and Things I used that I included in Planning my Year?

I have a big blank, dry erase calendar on my wall.
Trello Boards
My Financials
The Profit Loss Statement from this Year
The number of sessions that I had my averages
My Yes/No List
Goals that I've set for the year

Before you start planning your year, check out the first two episodes of this podcast 17 and 18.

Steps in Planning my Year

Take one week off from clients every single month. I block off an entire week each month for writing content, social media planning, and just working on my business.
Block off your personal time. I block that personal time off based on my priorities.
Conferences. I try to make it at least once a year and if I can only get to one, it's going to be synced. You guys, is my favorite conference for senior photographers which happens every February in Destin, Florida.
Sessions. I only shoot on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings for my senior sessions. I set Mondays and Fridays aside for my one on one mentoring and for my group coaching for you guys.
Putting our console in session premier availability on the calendar. My morning is what I feel most productive and creative. If I'm not shooting, I'm able to create in other ways, social media, recording podcasts and others. These sorts of appointments are only scheduled after lunch, and only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Putting on the calendar big days for my audience. This is going into a little bit of marketing at this point because my target audience is 16 and 17 year old girls and of course their moms too. I listed on my calendar all their events and school breaks so that I can talk to them about what they care about.
Two big days for my studio. We call them CEO days and studio secrets. This is going to be things like monthly admin and review days.
Start planning on the target audience and the needs in the studio on the calendar. I start adding things in like Senior Open House graduation announcements sale.
Finally, start planning our biggest launch of the year, our Senior model team.

Availability is better on what I can personally handle without going crazy, not based on a lack of planning by others.

I do educate my clients year-round on when they should be booking their sessions. If you have an issue with this, here's an easy fix. You're just going to create a tiered session fee schedule that's going to help control your calendar. What do I mean by that? Well, the less desirable dates have lower session fees, and the busy months, have higher session fees.

Important Dates to Pre-Plan

The model team launch date
The application deadline,
The registration deadline
The model team shoot date
The meetings
The events
Parties, gathering

Okay, now that those dates are on the calendar:

I can start backing into a marketing plan for the senior model team.
I can plan some other marketing activities throughout the year.

On Getting the Year Planned

This should really get you a great head start on planning your year. You should know how many sessions you need to book to bring in the revenue that you need your available session days and your meeting days too.

You've set your boundaries you know what you're going to say no to this year, and you've set some intentional growth goals. You've got your personal time marked off on the calendar and you're in the beginning stages of your marketing plan for the year.

Now, I would go ahead and set aside your monthly planning days too if you want to start doing those, you'll need to revisit this and you'll need to start drilling down into the details of how you want to start marketing your business. Be sure you print out your most intentional year yet workbook.

If you've already saved your seat to the annual planning party, which is tomorrow, you guys. I am so excited!

If you haven't listened to the first episode. Actually, the first two episodes in this series, just bounce back to episode 17. Start with “What Went Right, What Went Wrong”, dreaming, setting your Yes/No list, and then listen to episode 18.

Just start setting your goals. I can't wait to see what you guys come up with for this next year. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. Screenshot your notes or this episode and share it with me on Instagram.

You can tag me at @seniorstudiosuccess so I can see what you’re up to! Or come on over to the Senior Studio Success Facebook Group to share with us about your planning most intentional year ever!

Here’s to the best year yet! Can’t wait to continue on in this series. The last one is next Wednesday and then it’s on to our Planning Party the very next day, Thursday, December 9th! Remember to go save your seat at www.seniorstudiosuccess.com/planningparty. See you there!

* JOIN THE PARTY! *

If you struggle to know what to do when in your business, if you have a tough time planning or seeing the big picture for your life and business, come join me on Thursday, December 9th at my first Annual Planning Party for photographers!

Seats are limited.

If the first date fills up, I will open up another date :)

We will be planning session days, consult & sales days, content creation time, intentional growth time and personal time off to give you more work/ life balance for 2022.

Be there or be square ;)