273: Luci Dumas on The Joy of Setting Boundaries

The Profitable Photographer

Welcome to The Profitable Photographer!

We all have them, right? Clients that are beyond challenging, can not be pleased no matter what, and make us question ourselves. Or create sleepless nights trying to come up with just the right response to a criticism. Did we do something wrong, are we not good enough, should we change our policies?

In this episode, I explore a crucial topic that every photographer faces: how to set and keep policies that help us effectively deal with difficult clients. Inspired by the wisdom of Anna Taylor, “Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious, and you get to decide how you use them,” we'll delve into how to navigate challenging situations while maintaining your sanity and business integrity.

The first piece of advice is to evaluate the situation and see if there is something that is our fault and search for remedies. The second is to realize that there is a very small percentage of our clients that are just plain impossible to please...or are purposely being difficult so they can get more from us than what we offer.

In this episode, we’ll cover:

• Understanding Difficult Clients: Why some clients just aren't the right match and how to recognize the red flags early on.
• Real-Life Experience: I share a personal story of a challenging client who crossed boundaries, teaching me valuable lessons in protecting my work.
• While most clients are wonderful, it's the .1% who can cause headaches. Learn how to handle them without losing your cool.
• Setting Boundaries: How being self-employed taught me to confidently establish and enforce boundaries in both business and personal life.
• Six important steps that help avoid or resolve misunderstandings.
• Whether you're just starting out or have been in the business for years, this episode will give you the tools you need to set boundaries that protect your business and your well-being. Tune in and take control of your client relationships!

Connect with Photography Business Coach Luci Dumas:

• Website
• Email: [e-mail]
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• Facebook
• YouTube