The Mentor's Corner
Business and Marketing for ProsDO YOU HAVE A DREAM 50?
Create a “Dream Fifty” for maximum clarity and impact.
If your marketing plan is sorta like “post some stuff and hope for the best”, well…
You’re not alone.
But you’re also not in control.
Drumroll please!
Enter the Dream 50 List — a game-changer for photographers who are ready to stop the endless waiting and start some sweet winning.
The Dream 50 isn’t just a list of clients.
This puppy is a full-on strategy — a targeted, efficient, and relationship-driven approach to landing the right kind of work with the right kind of clients.
Here’s why building your Dream 50 should be your next move:
1. Targeted Outreach
(a.k.a. Stop Wasting Your Damn Time)
When you handpick your Dream 50, you’re identifying businesses, agencies, and individuals who are already a great fit for your work.
No more “spray and pray” marketing.
Instead, you focus on the clients who value strong visuals, create content regularly, align with your style — and treat creatives with respect.
(Yes, that last one matters. A lot.)
2. Efficiency and Focus
(a.k.a. Save Your Energy for the Right People)
Marketing can feel like shouting into a black hole.
The Dream 50 narrows your field of vision. You’re not trying to be everywhere for everyone — you’re laser-focused on the 50 relationships that actually matter.
This kind of focus beats “doing all the things” every single time.
3. Strategic Relationship Building
(a.k.a. Play the Long Game)
We’re not talking about scary cold calls and cheesy sales pitches.
We’re gonna start some real conversations.
How do we do that, you ask?
Simple. We:
- Follow them on social.
- Comment thoughtfully on their posts.
- Send a smart, personalized email introducing yourself and your work.
- Stay in touch with valuable and fresh content, not canned spam.
We’re not begging for a job — we’re building a connection.
And when they do need someone, guess who’ll come to mind first?
4. Prioritization and Planning
(a.k.a. Work Smarter)
Your Dream 50 shouldn’t be one giant, undifferentiated blob.
Break it down:
- Tier 1: Ready to pitch now.
- Tier 2: Almost ready — needs more relationship-building.
- Tier 3: Aspirational clients — the dream gigs.
This way, you’re always working the system.
Shooting personal projects that would appeal to your Tier 2s and 3s?
That’s smart, without feeling like heavy-handed marketing.
5. Tracking and Accountability
(a.k.a. Grown-Up Business Moves)
Use a CRM.
Or a spreadsheet.
Or sticky notes if you must.
Hell, a pack of Post-its is only a buck at the Dollar Store.
The point is: Track your outreach.
- Who you contacted.
- When you followed up.
- What you sent them.
- What they said.
Consistency wins.
Sloppy memory loses – every time.
Bottom Line
(a.k.a. Why You Must Get Proactive)
The Dream 50 flips your marketing from reactive to proactive.
It forces you to get clear on who you want to work with — and then actually do the work to get on their radar.
It’s not glamorous. It’s not overnight.
But it works.
And it’s how real, sustainable, and personally aligned businesses are built.
Ready to Build Your Dream 50?
Here’s How to Actually Stop Wasting Time.
Today.
Neither is scrolling LinkedIn and calling it “networking.”
If you’re serious about getting better clients, it’s time to act like it.
Here’s how to start right now:
Make the List: Write down 50 businesses, agencies, or people you actually want to work with. No randoms. No “well, maybe if they asked.” Only the ones you’d be proud to put on your roster.
Tier Them:
- Tier 1: You could pitch them today and feel good about it.
- Tier 2: You’re close, but you need to warm them up a bit.
- Tier 3: Total dream clients. (Start planting seeds anyway.)
Get on Their Radar:
Follow them. Engage with their posts. Send thoughtful emails. (No spammy “just circling back” nonsense.)
Track Everything:
Keep a simple CRM, spreadsheet, or even a notebook. (Amateurs rely on memory. Pros track progress.)
The goal?
Stop waiting to get picked. Start building the relationships that will build your career.
It doesn’t take magic.
It takes focus, persistence, and a little bit of guts.
And it starts today — if you’re ready.
Recent Business Posts
DISCOVERING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE BY LOOKING BACK
Discovering Your Photographic Style by Looking Back at Your Favorite Work Everyone, from budding photographers to professionals, seeks a distinctive style that sets their work apart. But how do you discover that unique touch? One powerful method is to look back at...
The Business Case for Expanding Creative Skills
The Business Case for Expanding Creative Skills We have a small reprieve from the infernal heat in Arizona as Hurricane Hillary makes landfall just southwest of us. We are dry, but under the deep overcast, the temps are milder than usual. Imagine being happy that it...
5 THOUGHTS ON CREATIVITY
Unveiling the Mysteries of Creativity: A Field Guide Hey, you wonderful, marvelous creatives and visionary photographers! Let's get into the delightful world of creativity. It’s a complex, fascinating process that involves our whole brain. So, let’s uncover some...
YES, PHOTOGRAPHERS, IT WILL ALL BE ON THE TEST
At some point, the test reveals itself. Of that, you can be damned sure. It is quite obvious to me today, that being a photographer has different meanings to many people. Being a photographer to some folks means the quickest, fastest, easiest, form-fitted, methodized,...
A THIRTY DAY PORTFOLIO SLAM: PLAN AND BUILD A PORTFOLIO
30 Day Portfolio SlamTABLETOP AND FOOD PORTFOLIO The goal of this workshop is to build a portfolio and develop a frame for doing it again or at scale. The process and system are definable, and they can be used again and again to develop a portfolio, book, project, or...
DISCOVERING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC STYLE BY LOOKING BACK
Discovering Your Photographic Style by Looking Back at Your Favorite Work Everyone, from budding photographers to professionals, seeks a distinctive style that sets their work apart. But how do you discover that unique touch? One powerful method is to look back at...
The Business Case for Expanding Creative Skills
The Business Case for Expanding Creative Skills We have a small reprieve from the infernal heat in Arizona as Hurricane Hillary makes landfall just southwest of us. We are dry, but under the deep overcast, the temps are milder than usual. Imagine being happy that it...
5 THOUGHTS ON CREATIVITY
Unveiling the Mysteries of Creativity: A Field Guide Hey, you wonderful, marvelous creatives and visionary photographers! Let's get into the delightful world of creativity. It’s a complex, fascinating process that involves our whole brain. So, let’s uncover some...
15 PHOTO ASSIGNMENTS GUARANTEED TO BRING YOU PEACE
Whether with a camera phone or a big DSLR, these short assignments can bring you some well-earned peace. Just a snap for the shadows and light. You know how sometimes we get a little funky about not taking a photograph for way too long? Of course, that time can...
WEEKLY INSTAGRAM POST SCHEDULES TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER
WEEKLY INSTAGRAM POST SUGGESTIONS FOR: FOOD PHOTOGRAPHERS: 6 MONTHS PRODUCT PHOTOGRAPHERS: 6 MONTHS LIFESTYLE AND PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS: 3 MONTHS Have you ever found yourself wondering what you need to do to increase social media presence? Well, I sure as hell have....
Comfort or Curiosity? To Lead a Creative Life, There is Really Only One Choice
We love being comfortable. We feel safe when we are comfortable. We feel cozy in its knowability, its constant barrier against the things we consider uncomfortable. Those things range from mildly annoying to extremely terrifying. So we avoid them by surrounding...