Feeling stuck in your local market? You’re not alone. So many talented wedding photographers and filmmakers hit a ceiling—not because their work isn’t good enough, but because their market simply can’t support their next level. If you’ve been thinking, “There just aren’t luxury clients in my area,” this blog is for you. It’s time to reframe your approach, expand your reach, and start marketing like the expert you already are. Let’s talk about what to do when your market isn’t giving what it needs to give—and how to grow anyway.
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Growing Pains: When Your Local Market Holds You Back
“Luxury isn’t in my area.” It’s probably the #1 thing we hear from photographers and filmmakers who are wanting to pursue higher quality weddings. Because let’s be honest, we can only shoot so many barn weddings with the free white folding chairs until you’ve had enough.
If you’ve been running your wedding business for a while, you might hit a point where you feel stuck. You know you’re capable of more, but your local market just isn’t giving you the clients who value your work.
This happens more often than you’d think. You work hard develop your skills and raise you prices as high as you can, but at some point, you realize that the clients in your area just aren’t willing to pay for what you offer. It’s frustrating, but it’s also a sign that you’ve outgrown your local market.
Here’s the good news: just because your immediate area isn’t the right fit anymore doesn’t mean you have to stay stuck. Instead of trying to convince your current market to see your value, start looking at nearby regions that align with your brand and new 5-figure ideal client . Sometimes the solution isn’t working harder where you are—it’s strategically expanding to where your ideal clients already exist.
If you’re based in a smaller town or a market that’s historically budget-focused, look at nearby cities or vacation destination spots. It’s important to keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have to move your entire business (unless you want to and that’s a whole other story, future podcast episode perhaps??)—sometimes just marketing yourself differently to those areas can make all the difference.
One of the best decisions we made was being willing to travel for the right clients. Now, this doesn’t always require a round-trip flight. This could simply mean driving an hour or two to a high wealth area outside of your local area. Taylor is a GREAT example of this…by broadening her market to Napa. Sonoma, & Tahoe (a 1.5 hour drive from her house) she was able to unlock a pricing tier that she never imagined was possible! She went from 5K starting to 15K starting by marketing her services to a new area outside of her “local” market.
If your work feels solid, but your inquiries are budget, it’s time to stop trying to change minds and start marketing to people who already value what you do. Sometimes the hardest part is accepting that your current market just isn’t where you’re going to thrive long-term.
Invest in Your Own Growth
Growing your business isn’t just about booking more—it’s about booking the right clients who are willing to pay for your expertise. That’s why it’s so important to get clear on your brand positioning, pricing strategy, and target market. So that you can ultimately work less and make more. That’s our mantra here at Level Up if you haven’t caught on yet.
If you’re ready to take your wedding business to the next level, our workshop Break into the Luxury Market taking place virtually on May 6th, 7th & 8th (w/ replays available) is designed to help you break through those barriers.
Register today at thelevelupco.com/workshop!
