Here we share the story of Melisa Savickas Photography
Starting a small business can be daunting. The stress of whether you’ll be successful, and what the right next step should be to grow can be overwhelming. We spoke with Melisa from Melisa Savickas Photography in Melbourne to hear her insights on how she’s approached running a small business, and how Oneflare was able to help grow her small business.
Melisa has been in the photographic industry for the past two decades working in a variety of roles, and decided to run her own business and register it with Oneflare less than a year ago. Since registering with Oneflare, her photography business has been hired on Oneflare over 73+ times and has over 33+ positive reviews and high star ratings. Here’s what Melisa had to say about how using Oneflare has helped her along the path to success.
How much has Oneflare helped grow your business?
Since I got started, Oneflare has been instrumental in growing my client base. My business has more than doubled with Oneflare. I have a regular influx of new customers, and I find that some of my Oneflare customers are returning time and time again to hire me.
How has Oneflare helped this growth?
I have been able to access the general public as well as businesses that I would not otherwise have had access to. I am a sole trader and do not have a shop front, just a website and social media for advertising. Oneflare has become a very effective way for me to market my business and grow my customer base.
How do you think Oneflare helps small businesses?
Small businesses will get the right exposure to new customers on Oneflare, at a reasonable cost and a high strike-rate for professionals. It’s a really effective tool for small businesses to access the customers that they need to get started and keep going.
Do you find using Oneflare easy?
Yes, it’s easy and simple to use. The interface is intuitive and it’s easy for me to update my details, add new images or take old ones down, plus I can respond to my customers’ comments to thank them for their positive reviews. I get notified of new jobs easily through my email and the app on my phone so I can send my quotes quickly.
What is the most important feature of your Oneflare profile to catch a potential customer’s attention?
My positive customer reviews and high star ratings show what I offer my customers in a way that they will trust. I have completed my profile with details of who I am and what I do, plus I show evidence through images of my photographic skills. Being able to link my profile to my business website gives potential customers confidence in my work.
What advice would you give to someone starting to deal with their first customers?
Build up a portfolio of your work and take the time to create a professional-looking website that shows it off. Be reliable and polite with customers. Having good communication skills is essential and always be friendly when talking to customers and out on jobs.
What advice would you give to someone starting their business on Oneflare?
Read the onboarding emails and the Win Work Guide after you register, because these tell you how to correctly complete your profile and get started quoting on jobs. When communicating with a potential customer, provide as much information to them as you can.
What should people who want to hire a professional photographer look for?
- A good photographer will have taken the time to make a professional website and profile that shows a range of their work to a high standard.
- Don’t go for the cheapest quote – professionals need to factor in high-end camera gear, photo-editing software and the costs of running a small business.
- Explain a breakdown of the costs when giving a quote, so there’s no room for surprise that can end in getting a bad review.
- Speak to the photographers that send you quotes to see if you feel comfortable with them since you will be spending a lot of time with them.
Having a small business can be stressful when you hit a quiet period and can’t predict when the customers will pick up again. That’s where using Oneflare comes in. The constant flow of job leads means you can grow your business from scratch, or maintain a steady stream of customers.