This Can't Be That Hard

Hosted by Annemie Tonken

Business Marketing Entrepreneurship Arts

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381

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Aug 2026

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About the show

You love photography, but running a business? That's a different story. If you've ever thrown up your hands trying to figure it out yourself and said "This CAN'T be that hard!!!" you've come to the right place. Host Annemie Tonken's secret superpower is cutting through the confusion to give you actionable, step-by-step strategies and systems that will help you build a business that reflects your values, serves your needs, and thrills your clients. Tune in to find out why thousands of photographers around the world love Annemie's simple, you-can-do-this approach to everything from pricing to marketing to customer service... and so much more! Whether you're still just dreaming of starting a photography business or have years of experience under your belt, you'll find ideas and inspiration every week to help you run a profitable, sustainable business you love.

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August 11, 2026Episode 38125 min

381 - Creating an Appetizing Offer Menu

Most restaurant menus have a handful of apps, a handful of entrees, and a handful of desserts: enough to give people choices and accommodate dietary restrictions, but not so many that people get overwhelmed.So why do most of us limit our photography "menu" to one or two items? When your business only has one package, one price, the offer is take it or leave it: you're handing hesitant clients an easy way to say no by saying nothing at all.In this episode, I'm breaking down: Why a single, rigid offer might be costing you bookings How to navigate your public-facing pricing so it signals flexibility (without being overwhelming) How to develop an off-menu "special" that you can bring out in special cases, and Why figuring out what's actually causing someone to hesitate matters more than guessing and discountingThis is part two of our back-to-school marketing series. And if you haven't grabbed your ticket for the September 1st marketing summit yet, a Consistency Club membership gets you in.Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

August 4, 2026Episode 38036 min

380 - The Back-to-School Marketing Challenge: Organizing Your Leads with Dayna Schaaf

It's August, which means it's probably feels way too early to think about Black Friday, holiday cards, or filling your calendar for Q4... but that's exactly why now is the time to do it!Every year I watch the same thing happen: photographers coast through summer, and then the second Starbucks rolls out everyone's favorite seasonal latte, panic sets in: empty calendar, no plan, reactive scramble. This month on the podcast, we're running something we're calling the Back to School Marketing Challenge, and this episode is step one: getting organized.My marketing director Dayna and I get into: Why proactive marketing beats reactive marketing, every single time The hot, warm, and cold lead system, and why sorting your contacts into these three buckets changes how marketing feels How to go on a "lead scavenger hunt" through your DMs, comments, and email to find people you forgot were even interested Why and how this up-front organization step will increase the effectiveness of these conversations If you're in the Consistency Club, this sets you up for our marketing summit on September 1st, where we turn all of this into an actual plan. If you're not, you're still going to walk away from this one with a spreadsheet and a plan for filling it.LINKS: Learn more about Consistency Club Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

July 28, 202618 min

379 - 20 Steps in One Direction

Here's a pattern I've noticed: photographers spend months chasing a version of growth that sounds right, but never actually sits right. Typically this is because they've heard advice or purchased a course that may be well-intentioned, but doesn't really align with their unique circumstances or goals. Before they know it, they've spent their valuable time, money, and energy heading in the wrong direction, and now have to spend more of each of those things to get themselves back on track.I'm wrapping up our Beyond the Bottleneck series this week, and although this episode may sound a bit like a contradiction to our other episodes, I meant it more as a reminder: Being organized is important. Building systems is crucial. Bringing in help is a big step on the road to growth. But all of it requires a clear sense of direction.In this episode, I'm sharing: The three questions I'd ask any photographer before they start optimizing A breakdown of when outsourcing actually makes financial sense Why the math can work perfectly and still not be the right answerGrowth is a strategy, not a goal. This episode is about making sure you're growing in the right direction.LINKS:Grab Buy Back Your Time by Dan MartellGet The Photographer's Business Plan Glow UpResources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

July 21, 2026Episode 37833 min

378 - The Nuts & Bolts of Building an Associate Team with Ali Leigh

You can streamline and automate every last thing in your business, but there are still only so many clients you can take on because there's only one of you... unless you build an associate team.This week, I'm sharing my conversation with Ali Leigh, a Minneapolis-based wedding photographer who has been running an associate team for almost a decade. Ali was an open book, sharing the actual nuts and bolts: How and why she got started with associates (mostly by accident) How she finds and vets associates that represent her brand well How she pays them and handles the legal stuff How she talks to clients about the fact that she won't be behind the camera The honest trade-offs - especially the editing workload Who this model is and isn't right forThis is a practical, no-hype conversation from someone who has been doing this for nearly a decade. If you've ever thought "I wish I could book more, but there's only one of me" - or the flip side, "I'd love to shoot less but I can't afford to earn less" - this episode is for you.LINKS:Find Ali at https://alileigh.com/ On Instagram at @alileighco.Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

July 14, 2026Episode 37742 min

377 - Get It Out of Your Head with Colie James

My dad had a "system" for organizing his office. You could ask him for anything - any book or file or piece of paper - and he'd be able to locate it in 30 seconds. The problem? No one else had any idea what his system was, and if he wasn't available, nothing could be located.Maybe your office is super organized, maybe your desktop is as clean as the day you got your computer, but I'd be willing to bet that somewhere in your business, there are "systems" that only you have the keys to.Colie James is back on the show, and today we're getting into the practical side of what it actually means to get your business systems ready out of your head and into a format that you can hand off - to a person, a tool, or AI.Here's what we're getting into: Why "getting everything out of your head" is the first step Colie's "and what happens next?" method for mapping your client process The booked-and-busy trap: why the moment you're too busy to build systems is exactly when you need to build them How to use feedback forms as a data source - and how to utilize AI to make this easy (and objective)Colie's story about not outsourcing anything in her business until she went blind is one I keep thinking about. You don't want to be forced into building systems by a crisis. Today's episode makes it easy to get started today without the overwhelm.LINKS:Find Colie at coliejames.com Be sure to check out her podcast, Business First CreativesResources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

July 7, 2026Episode 37616 min

376 - Getting Out of Your Own Way

There's an old story about a fisherman who keeps going out every day with holes in his net. Even though he knows the net leaks, he doesn't think he can afford to take the time off from fishing to mend the holes. I've been that fisherman more times than I'd like to admit, and I'd be willing to bet there's a good chance you have been too.At some point in business, most of us will get in our own way. Of course that bottleneck isn't obvious - instead, it shows up as exhaustion, as the feeling that you're working harder than ever but not getting further ahead, as that sense that success is always just around the next bend... but somehow you never quite arrive.This month on the podcast, we're digging into how to recognize those bottlenecks in your own business, and covering three strategies to get yourself out of that stuck place: systems, outsourcing, and adding capacity. Today's episode sets the stage for all of it.Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

June 30, 2026Episode 37516 min

375 - Your Clients Don't Know What They Want

This last episode in our Summer Essentials series dates back to 2021, but don't let its vintage fool you: it's message is as true - and important - now as it was then: most of your clients don't actually know what they want. Here's what we're chatting about: Why you need to replace "give people what they want" with "show them what they need" The importance of showing (only) what you want to sell - a rule most photographers break constantly The value of connection: what listening, educating, and handling objections actually looks like in a real conversation The benefits of being picky - why the clients who still don't want what you offer after you've made your case are not your clientsIf you've ever taken on a session you knew wasn't the right fit, or caved on your packages because someone said they "just want digitals," this one is for you.Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

June 23, 2026Episode 37428 min

374 - The Four Types of Buyers with Courtney Fanning

This conversation with copywriter and brand strategist Courtney Fanning changed how I think about copywriting. The premise is simple (if a little uncomfortable): we all instinctively write for the type of consumer we are, and if there are four types, that means we're only effectively speaking to maybe 25% of our potential clients.Courtney shares a framework she adapted from Spanx founder Sara Blakely that breaks buyers into four types: the director, the socializer, the relator, and the thinker. Each one needs something different from your website and your copy in order to feel confident enough to reach out.Here's what we're getting into: What each of the four buyer types is actually looking for when they land on your page How to do a copy sweep to catch what's missing - without starting from scratch What testimonials, FAQs, marketing receipts, and imagery are actually doing for each buyer type Courtney's take on voice (and why it's not the be-all end-all most people think it is)LINKS:Take Courtney's quiz to find out what your buyer type is. Find Courtney at bigpicturecopywriting.com and on Instagram and Pinterest Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

June 16, 2026Episode 37324 min

373 - Double Your Marketing Mileage

There's this cookbook my mom had when I was growing up called More With Less. The whole premise was: here are big, satisfying meals made with humble ingredients. It was on her shelf my entire childhood, and honestly... it's basically how I think about business strategy too.This episode is one of our most popular ever, and I'm re-sharing it as part of our Summer Essentials series because right now - in this slower-before-it-gets-busier stretch - is a great time to re-engage your most valuable marketing asset: your past clients.In this episode, I’m sharing four simple, relationship-focused ways to bring people back in, get them talking about you, and build more consistency and sustainability into your schedule and revenue.We’ll cover:How to re-engage past clients with new or expanded offersA smart way to use client stories and testimonials that builds trust and drives bookingsWhat it looks like to partner with clients to grow your networkThe membership model that keeps your best clients coming back, year after yearLINKS:If you want to go deeper on the membership piece, check out my course Revenue on Repeat Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

June 9, 2026Episode 37222 min

372 - Marketing in Hard Times

This month, we're taking a little break from new episodes and digging into our (big) archive to reshare some of our past faves. Today's replay originally aired in 2022, but if anything, it feels MORE relevant now than it did then: how do you keep showing up and promoting your business when the news is heavy. How do you send out a sales email or post about your upcoming mini sessions when those things seem trivial at best compared to what's happening in the world?Here's what I'm covering: Why remembering your "why" isn't just a motivational exercise - it's the actual calculus that makes continuing to show up make sense when it doesn't feel right The permission structure most photographers need to hear - both to take a beat when you need one, AND to come back, even if things still don't feel "normal" Why consistency is the thing that earns you the right to keep marketing even when timing feels off How to acknowledge the elephant in the room without making it the only subject of conversationBalancing the need to book work with our genuine sensitivity can be tricky... no one wants to be an insensitive jerk, but we all have bills to pay, too. Today’s episode gives you a strategy for how to stick to your marketing plan while remaining tactful and tuned in to the bigger picture.LINKS:Looking to make consistent marketing easier? Join the (literal) club! Resources:New to the podcast? Go to thiscantbethathard.com/welcome to get access to 3 of Annemie's best free resources.Join our community! We'd love to welcome you into our supportive, business-focused private Facebook group. Go to facebook.com/groups/thiscantbethathard to request access.Long-time listener? Leave a review!

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About the show

Listen to episodes

381 - Creating an Appetizing Offer Menu

380 - The Back-to-School Marketing Challenge: Organizing Your Leads with Dayna Schaaf

379 - 20 Steps in One Direction

378 - The Nuts & Bolts of Building an Associate Team with Ali Leigh

377 - Get It Out of Your Head with Colie James

376 - Getting Out of Your Own Way

375 - Your Clients Don't Know What They Want

374 - The Four Types of Buyers with Courtney Fanning

373 - Double Your Marketing Mileage

372 - Marketing in Hard Times

Is this your show?

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This Can't Be That Hard