Podcast Summary: The Difference Maker Revolution – "Valentine's Only Around the Corner"

Date: December 29, 2025
Hosts/Guests: Ronan Ryle, Jonathan Ryle, Steve Saporito (and contributions referencing Jeanine McLeod)
Theme: Strategies for leveraging Valentine’s Day to engage existing clients, maximize repeat business, and build resilience in photography businesses by prioritizing client relationships and adapting marketing for both traditional and AI-driven leads.

Episode Overview

This high-energy episode focuses on how photographers can prepare their businesses for Valentine’s Day—a prime opportunity to engage both existing and past clients, fill the studio calendar, and grow revenue. The conversation stresses the importance of personal, segmented outreach, the nuances of client communication across generations, continuity strategies, and marketing preparedness for both seasonal events and the emerging influence of AI recommendation engines.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Valentine’s Day: Planning and Prioritizing Loyalty

• Preparation Is Now: Other industries (like packaging for Easter and Christmas) start planning far in advance. In photography, January is the last window to set up profitable Valentine’s campaigns.

  “Being prepared for Valentine's Day probably should have already happened… Once we enter 2026, it is pretty much the first thing on the calendar.” (A, 00:51)

• Celebrate All Kinds of Love: Valentine’s isn’t just for couples; past successes include family and pet sessions.

  “People just need a reason to come in and they want a reason to have artwork...pet clients...celebrate Valentine's Day with the most loyal love in their life.” (A, 03:59)

2. Activate Your Existing Client Base First

• No Such Thing as a Past Client: Always reach out to loyal clients first for any limited opportunities, especially those who have shown interest in Valentine’s previously.

  “When you do have something like Valentine's Day and there is limited space, we should always be offering those spaces to our loyal clients because they deserve it more than anyone else.” (A, 00:00)

• Segmenting and Tagging: Avoid mass email blasts; instead, work through manageable segments and follow up personally. Tag database entries so you can prioritize based on interest and communication preference.

  “We take segments...so we can follow those VIP clients up with a phone call and, and trickling them out into manageable, manageable amounts...” (A, 05:05)

• Database Hygiene: Keep your CRM up-to-date with personal notes about preferences, milestones, and special dates to personalize outreach and make clients feel valued.

  “We should be logging their birthdays and contacting them for their birthdays...setting those reminders...because it's a major shift in their family.” (A, 16:42)

3. Mindset: Encouraging Repeat Engagement

• Many Photographers Undervalue Repeat Business: The team addresses a common limiting belief that clients won’t return once they’ve spent significant money. Their experience (and that of members in their community) reveals the opposite.

  “The more they spend, the more they're—the more they want to come back, which is the opposite of what most photographers believe.” (A, 09:00)

• “Earning the Conversation”: Permission-based marketing is crucial—understand each client’s preferred communication (call, text, DM, etc.) and earn their trust before a phone or in-person conversation.

  “You have to earn the conversation with the client and it's okay to interact on text or WhatsApp or whatever you need...” (C, 15:17)

4. Communication Strategy: Multi-Channel & Generational Differences

• Adapting to Generational Preferences: Younger generations see phone calls as formal “appointments”; be flexible with text and social DM, keeping communication in the client’s preferred channel.

  “If you want to have a phone call with me, you have to make an appointment. So they viewed a phone call as an appointment, like going to see a doctor...” (C, 14:17)

• Record Interaction Preferences: Always note how each client likes to be contacted for efficient follow-up.

  “Keeping notes in the database...just follow that preference of communication because it's about starting that conversation.” (A, 15:34)

5. Continuity & Recurring Revenue Concepts

• Moving Toward Recurring Engagements: While true continuity (i.e., Netflix-style subscriptions) is rare in photography, recurring clients and payment plans can be structured for future sessions.

  “The closest thing we have to continuity in a photography business is getting people, our clients to use us more often.” (B, 18:29)

• Offer Payment Plan Extensions: Let clients keep payment plans rolling as a self-funding deposit for future sessions.

  “If they want it...it allowed them to save the deposit for the next time they came in.” (A, 21:42)

6. Strategic Use of Event and Evergreen Marketing

• Evergreen Campaigns First: Nail your year-round offer before layering on event-specific marketing—event-based marketing works best when you already have a steady “evergreen” lead flow.

  “If someone asked me...can I run Facebook ads for Valentine's Day? Yes, you can. But unless you have good experience of running evergreen offers, then I would suggest you don't because the probability that you're gonna F it up and get it wrong is high.” (B, 24:34)

• Layer, Don’t Replace: Event promos (e.g., Valentine’s Day) should supplement—never replace—regular offers.

  “Your Valentine's Day promotion would run on top of your evergreen.” (A, 24:34)
  “We're not saying replace the evergreen, but layer it on top and see what happens.” (C, 26:49)

7. Leverage Alliances for Double Impact

• Business Partnerships: Build alliances with complementary businesses (e.g., jewelers), offering gift certificates and joint offers to broaden your reach both ahead of and after Valentine’s Day.

  “We had alliances with jewelers...if they had a sweetener, which usually was us...they were making more sales, their team was converting more. And we then were busy after Valentine's Day...” (A, 27:16)

8. Embracing the AI Revolution: Marketing for AI Recommendation

• Preparing for AI Search & Recommendation: Modern clients increasingly rely on AI like ChatGPT for recommendations. The Inner Circle is helping members optimize their web presence and messaging for AI discoverability.

  “We have been preparing our members not only to be ready to be recommended by ChatGPT and get bookings through AI, but also to give their business that spark, that push they need again.” (B, 31:34)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Existing Clients & Loyalty:

  “No such thing as past clients. A difference maker revelation.” (A, 03:59)

• On Mindset Shift for Repeat Business:

  "For some reason so many photographers are wired to believe that if my client comes in and spends a few thousand with me...they won't want to come back again. And that's not the truth." (C, 08:14)

• On Personalized Communication:

  "You have to earn the conversation with the client and it's okay to interact on text or WhatsApp or whatever you need to interact with to earn that trust..." (C, 15:17)

• On Event vs Evergreen Marketing:

  “If you start out for the first time running paid advertising...then you have to wait another year to do it again.” (C, 26:07)

• On AI-Driven Discovery:

  "We have been preparing our members not only to be ready to be recommended by ChatGPT and get bookings through AI, but also to give their business that spark, that push they need again." (B, 31:34)

Important Timestamps

• Valentine’s Planning and Loyalty Clients: [00:00 – 03:59], [16:42 – 18:17]
• Communication Preferences & Generational Insights: [11:08 – 15:27]
• Continuity & Payment Strategies: [18:29 – 22:55]
• Event vs Evergreen Marketing Cautions: [23:03 – 26:49]
• Alliances and Partnerships for Holiday Campaigns: [27:16 – 31:05]
• Marketing for AI Recommendation & Inner Circle Pitch: [31:05 – 34:32]

Tone and Style

The discussion is lively, conversational, frequently peppered with good humor, and both hands-on and candid about the realities of running a photography business. The team stresses practicality, the value of systems, and the evolving landscape of digital marketing.

Final Takeaways

• Prioritize existing clients for all key moments—know them, delight them, invite them back.
• Event marketing works best as a supplement when you already have great evergreen systems in place.
• Align your communication style to your client’s preference—text, email, DM, or calls.
• Consider payment plan extensions and continuity offers to encourage repeat visits.
• Leverage partnerships to create reciprocal promotional opportunities around major calendar events.
• Future-proof your marketing—optimize your messaging and online assets to be discoverable and recommended by AI.

For further training or AI-optimized marketing support, the hosts recommend joining their Inner Circle community, where resources and recorded courses are available.