Archive for Business
Diary of a Photographer, The Discomfort of Networking
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These last few weeks have seen a mixture of things going on in my life, mainly new and uncomfortable things, though my business coach keeps telling me that being in discomfort is where you have to be to keep going forward. Hmm! He’s probably right, and it’s reassuring to know that it’s ok to feel uncomfortable at times.
So the first dabble into the unknown came at a networking meeting, and I would be really interested to hear your comments on organised network meetings, not just for me but for other people who are starting to dip their toe in or are trying to work out whether to have a go and if it would help them. It would be good to know if you’ve found them useful, if they have brought you in any extra business or if contacts that you’ve made there have helped you to go forward in your work. So please do leave your thoughts below.
My experiences so far with just one under my belt and another coming up next week; have been good. I have to confess to not being over keen to go when the afternoon came around, just a wee bit of nerves of having to work a room. However, this meeting was lovely and informal and within a minute of walking in I had found a person who is a virtual P.A. meaning that now when I take a few days off I have someone that I can get to check my emails twice a day and respond to any queries. Now I can have a proper holiday and switch off knowing my correspondence is in good hands. Read More→
A Photographer’s Diary, Business All Day
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Last week saw me attending my very first business conference which I really enjoyed. I still do find myself walking around either taking photographs on weekdays or at an event like this and realising that this is what I do now for work and it’s really exciting.
So what did I learn? Well firstly, if I’d gone on the first day there had been a free bar, which considering I’d gone by train would have been ok with me. I turned up early expecting the venue to be heaving yet strangely it was very quiet all day and there were hardly any trade stands there, and of those that were there, very few that had any relevance to me, though I suppose with Healing with Photography I have quite a niche market. Read More→
A Pricing Strategy That Actually Works: by Chris Horner
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Pricing has to be one of the most volatile topics – next to Nikon vs Canon – that photographers discuss. There are numerous schools of thought on this subject. A scan through any photography forum will show heated debate from every side imaginable. Even seasoned photographers can grapple with this question.
On the subject of pricing, I’m only passionate about one thing – if you truly produce quality work then you should be properly compensated. Period. Stop giving away your talent for free. That’s not going to help anyone, least of all yourself. So just stop it.
As I was going through various pricing scenarios, I read a piece by Rosh Sillars. He argued to sell photography to clients on a per image price. Think of it like working on straight commission. Your client only pays for the images that they want from your shoot. It was an intriguing thought. And it’s a thought that made a lot of sense.
Think of it from a clients point of view. What are they worried about? They’re worried about you not performing, having to pay for something they’re not happy with, and then having to explain to their boss/client why they chose you and all they now have is subpar work coupled with a lot of wasted time and money. Do that too many times and you’ll find yourself unemployable. Often too they may balk at many ‘fees’ that can get tacked on – sitting fees, setup fees, fees for showing up, fees for breathing etc. The fees can begin to look like a bank brochure. The end result is an unpleasant conversation where feelings get hurt.
Per image pricing removes all of that. Read More→
Marketing Campaigns for Photographers – Email Triggers
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Firstly I’m hoping that you use database management software to organise all of your lovely clients. If not put it at the very top of your shopping list as it will make you more money than any lens, Photoshop action or whatever else has caught your eye at a trade show.
You might only have one client and think its not the right time to invest in software that you’ll not really be using that much for a while. In fact it’s the perfect time as you don’t have to waste hours inputting old data from a spreadsheet and you’ll have time to develop your system and processes.
If you can’t afford much then you can’t go far wrong than the free version of Studio Cloud to start you off. Although the email triggers are a paid upgrade ($30 per month) to the free service but it’s done as a monthly subscription which will certainly make things more affordable.
Marketing your business can be a tiresome affair so it’s a delightful relief when
- Things are automated
- You don’t have to look for new clients because you already have a database full of them.
One of the best things about photography is that it’s not a one off event. Weddings are arguably one offs but they’ll probably have kids and want pictures of them at some stage. The point is that just because you sold a £1000 wall art to someone last year doesn’t mean they’re not going to want another one this year.
Marketing Campaigns for Photographers – The Pinterest Competition
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There’s no denying that in regards to social media, 2012 is all about Pinterest. Everybody seems to be racking their brains to find a way to make it work for them as a marketing tool. There has also been a lot of talk about copyright and the Pinterest terms and conditions so before you sign up you might what to check this article published recently on Mashable -http://mashable.com/2012/03/21/pinterest-copyright-legal-issues/. It is also worth noting that Pinterest have since updated their T&C’s which will go into effect for all users on April 6, 2012
One simple idea that I’ve seen is a competition in which participants aim to create a board in order to win a prize.
The Competition
Create an inspirational Pinterest board (on your own account) that reflects the theme [insert theme]
The board must be named [Your competition title] and finished by [insert end date]
To enter your board share a link [via email/on your Facebook page/in the comments of a blog post]
We will choose the best board that reflects [insert theme] and the winner will receive [insert prize]
What you do
Follow all competition boards and creators.
Comment on pins you like that reflect your style (the theme for the competition should already reflect that anyway).
Share boards on other social media sites and your blog
Marketing Campaigns for Photographers – Create a Competition for Charity
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I’ve seen lots of different promotions from photographers who have run different competitions and many that do charity work but this marketing campaign is a little different.
The biggest difference is that you will be raising funds for charity but you’ll also be making some money for your own pocket too.
What you need
1. Friends
Not just any friends, but lots and lots of what my wife likes to call my “photo friends”. To be more specific, you need a network of photographers either locally or nationally that photograph the same sort of subject as you (babies, pets, seniors etc).
The next thing you have to do is convince them all that you have a wonderful idea for a marketing campaign and it’s not going to cost them too much time or money.
You will need to have all the photographers on board before you begin the promotion of the competition.
2. A Charity
It does help if you choose a charity which will help you with your marketing and promotion. Ideally your charity needs to reflect your area of expertise so if you are a pet photographer then work with animal shelter, if you’re a baby photographer then a children’s hospital might be your choice.
3. Judges
They don’t have to be celebrities but it’s certainly wouldn’t hurt if they were. Obviously they can’t be the photographers entering images but if you manage to sign up a couple of industry experts with judging experience all the better. Read More→
Marketing Campaigns for Photographers – Be a Fool
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“There’s an old saying in Tennessee — I know it’s in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on –shame on you. Fool me — you can’t get fooled again.”
There’s something about April Fools day which I love. It’s not recognised as a national holiday, Hallmark don’t sell ‘happy fools day cards’ (then again I could be wrong about that one) and there’s no real target market as adults and children both equally participate.
But it is jolly good fun and these days it’s not restricted to silliness in the playground or fake stories in the newspapers.
Google (or should I say Topeka) have led the way online in recent years but its not just the larger companies that have been noticed. The viral effect of social media means that any small business with the right prank can generate themselves quite a large amount of exposure very quickly.
So why shouldn’t a photography business be any different?
Well, be aware that there is such a thing as bad publicity and if you’re a family portrait photographer then tread very carefully.
3 golden rules for creating an effective Aprils Fools prank Read More→
A Photographer’s Diary; The Bigger Picture
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I’ve started putting some more nurturing activities into the end of my day to help me unwind and relax; a steam room, sauna and whenever I feel like it, the gym upstairs.
A day sat at the computer as you no doubt know yourself, doesn’t give you much chance for exercise. So a quick walk on the treadmill whilst watching, what is fast becoming, my favourite comedy and then retiring to the leisure facilities with a good book, has become a cherished part of my day.
My old back garden
The one thing though that has become a bit tricky is recognising people that I meet in the steam room or sauna once I’m out of it! Let me explain; I wear contact lenses though remove them before going to gym as lenses are uncomfortable in the steam room. So I wear glasses, though obviously not in the steam room or sauna and this is where the problems begin. Read More→
During Digital Photography Café’s live WPPI 2012 coverage this past month, Joseph Cristina and I had the opportunity to chat with Roy Meyer from Ultimate ROI Marketing about how appreciation marketing can help build referrals to grow your photography business.
In the first video below, Georgia McCabe created a great presentation with marketing strategies designed for innovation and maximized return for your business.
We also review some case studies of how appreciation marketing has worked for other companies and show how it can work for your photography business through some real world examples.
We hope you enjoy these information packed videos and be sure to stop by their website at UltimateROIMarketing.com and connect with them on Twitter and Facebook.
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Marketing Campaigns for Photographers – Seasonal Touches
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The one great things about the changing seasons is the fact that we can all jump on the promotional bandwagon and take advantage of the numerous holidays throughout the year.
In a way people almost expect a seasonal offer. A couple of days after valentines day I got a call from a potential client asking me what my mothers day offer was! They found my website had a quick look round and after they couldn’t find anything they gave me a call. Luckily I had an offer prepared, I just hadn’t launched it yet.
There are plenty of photographers out there that will be offering all manner of deals throughout the year so it’s your goal to try and do something different. If you can’t make it different then do it better!
Here’s a couple of ideas that you could use in the coming months. Really these are ideal for portrait studios aiming at a young family.
Mothers Day
Free box of chocolates for every mum that books a session on [insert dates]
Photo-shoot and beauty treatment bundled gift voucher
Team up with a local spa and put together a special mothers day offer.
The little chef surprise
Cupcake decoration photoshoot. Client walks away with a print and a cupcake for mum that the kids decorated during the photoshoot
