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GOOD FEELING GONE?

by kare n lippowiths | j u ne s potlight Were always so concerned about ways to GET clients that we often overlook ways to better RETAIN the clients we have. None of us is perfect and Ill be the first to admit Ive made mistakes along the way, but Ive learned that what people are coming to me for is a consistently positive and rewarding EMOTIONAL experience. I mention this because a friend and business colleague (my financial advisor) answered the phone in a particularly barking tone yesterday when we spoke to confirm dinner plans. I was excited to talk with him but after 2 seconds, good
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feeling gone. I thought I was totally annoying him. He later apologized and conceded that he probably needs to work on that a bit. He admitted that he was frustrated with an unrelated project and simply took it out on whomever was on the other end of the phone line (me!). He said he needed to work on changing gears and putting on the smile better. I agreed. Im pretty sure one of the reasons I stopped doing business with a travel agent years ago was because as helpful as she was, she always hung up on me before I could utter good bye. It was
by e r in dr a llos | m a y s p otli g ht
as if she couldnt wait to get me off the phone. That click was unsettling and just plain rude. Good feeling gone. There are some things that quickly undo all the good will and built trust very quickly. Things that quickly translate into Good feeling gone.
reply / for being in touch is such a nicer way to start. Never underestimate the power of someone hearing and seeing her name.)
rudeness.
Taking unrelated
frustrations out on a client.
E-mailing when we
should have phoned. Texting when we should have e-mailed. Even in todays tech culture, never underestimate the power of a friendly voice.
Not keeping promises

(no matter how small -- if you promise the 3-yearold a candy at the end of a session, you darn well better have one!) What other mistakes do you think have cost your return / referral business? Again, were all human. Its not falling down that counts, is when you dont learn from the mistake that keeps you down for the count.
If we see these things and learn to control them, well undoubtedly clients. retain more
Consistently incomplete
HERE ARE A FEW: and/or inaccurate orders going out the door. (We all make mistakes)
NOT
keeping up with
Not answering the phone

in a timely, pleasant manner.
THE TRENDS
Unkempt appearance.
(Were in the image business after all)
Quick e-mails. TXT MSGS.

Incomplete sentences. (When a simple Dear X: Thank you so much for your message / for your
-------------------------------------READ MORE FROM OUR MENTOR KAREN LIPPOWITHS http://www. phototalkforum.com/forum/ forumdisplay.php?f=123
Unpreparedness. General shortness or
ever yone . g so willi ng to share your know ledg e with Jus t wan ted to say than k you for bein Q u o t e H e ds,. but u o t e H e rthe feed back that I get whe n I r e Q main ly for e . I love PTF, not just for the free dow nloa e to share and lear n! :: Gan ell K. post or ask a ques tion . Its a grea t plac
have learned that I have to set myself apart from the norm of photographers in order to charge the prices I do. Thankfully, it is still working for me. I dont know who is who in the world of photography anymore, I just know who my clients are and what they want. They want show stoppers. They want their images to match their lifestyle. They dont go for trends and they are willing to pay to get something that isnt going to look like something
they could get anywhere else and they are willing to fly me there to get it. If needed . I do not try and say I have one particular style of photography. I am partial to black and white
clean images. Some of my clients fly me out to a beach destination every year for that annual beach
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com/forum/showthread. php?t=7160
DEVELOPING A SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN

pic. They order one size every year, 12x18. They have a long hall in their East Hampton house that has each image in a coordinating frame leading down that long hall. Another client doesnt care what I get, just as long as I get one image of his kid every year looking like he could be on the cover of one of U2s albums. It doesnt always work out perfect, however its a cool series to have in their swanky apartment. (I could only upload 5. all shot with film) I do my best to really get to know my clients. To give them something they are not going to get anywhere else. I ask a lot of questions and I listen to everything they are saying. To me it isnt about what I want to give them. Trust me, I always get the shot I want. But it is more important to me that I blow them away year after year. Taking their kids into an alley, isnt going to do it for them. They dont want my old trucks or cars in their pics. Nothing whimsical (which I love!), they dont like any of the trends or for their images to look like a magazine ad. They want it different and classic, and they want it to look expensive. And I work my tail off to give it to them. I do not run a high volume studio. I work out of my home with no overhead. My lab fees last year were $6900. I didnt buy any new backdrops. I didnt buy any props, other than a 1950 Ford pick-up, for $800. And I made over 6 figures even after taxes. I keep it simple and it works. by andy bondu rant | april s potlight
As I sit and type this, I think its interesting how as photographers, we work really hard to develop a workflow for our clients (inquiry - booking - shoot - prep/retouch sales - order - delivery - follow-up - etc). We need to do the same thing with social media.
Lori mentioned how it can be really, really hard - you end up chasing rabbits, look up and youve wasted an hour. Its true - Im just as guilty (especially when it comes to YouTube...I try to stay off it unless I really need to find something). What we have to do is develop a plan. Social Media is huge. Huge in importance, but also huge in scope. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of ways to connect. So here are some of my rules.
-------------------------------------READ MORE FROM OUR MENTOR ERIN DRALLOS http://www.phototalkforum. com/forum/forumdisplay. php?f=119showthread. php?t=7160
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p hot ot alkf oru m.c om :: 1 1
mo re ins ide the for um . curi ous abo ut gro up pho tos? lea rn
person rather than a company. Here are more thoughts Ive written on being the brand http://www.photo-collective. com/2011...sell-yourself/
the conversation going. So there are a ton of different sites and places to spend your time. How do you know where to go, start, or even think about a site? Here
becoming
somewhat
passe
LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?

m e n t o r i d e a f r o m o u r f o r m e r S P O T L I G H T P H O T O G R A P H E R M I K E F U LT O N
among teens, but they wont wander too far from FB. Its really like the internet itself just part of everyday life. However, dont make FB your hub. In the end Facebook does whats best for FB. It will pay to make your site/blog your online hub and integrate that with your FB accounts (profile, page(s) Google Plus - Im just like younot another SM site! But this one is really important - because its Google. It still dwarfs in comparison to FB, but Google will give precedence to website searches to those tied to Google+ accounts/ pages. Long term this may be the most important of all. Twitter - This is my favorite SM site (neck & neck with Instagram). The problem for a
PARTY HOP WITH A PURPOSE.

This is the most important part of developing your social media plan. Im stealing the phrase Party hop with a purpose from Catherine Hall, who has done an amazing job of establishing herself as an expert through social media.
are my thoughts on the most popular SM platforms: Blog - I recently read the ebook by David Jay The System. It caused uproar over a few topics (overall I would 75% is good info). One thing I disagreed with was focusing on FB and not a blog. He gives a good reason, but he misses out on one major value of blogging - SEO. A blog does more for your SEO than almost anything else you can do (other than having your site set up right in the first place. It doesnt need to be daily, but at least weekly. Some new info with MORE than just pictures. Facebook Facebook is
www.tricoastphoto.com
Her point is this - There are so many different SM
YOU ARE THE BRAND.

When starting with any social media site, remember that it is you who is the brand of your photography. It doesnt matter what your studio name is (Smith Photography, Studio S, S Gallery, Smith Studio & Design, etc, etc, etc). For the most part, people will associate
you with the business or brand. So when creating an account, begin with tying it back to your personally. For instance, as much as possible each of my accounts use my name (Twitter - @andybondurant, Facebook facebook.com/
business page, you should name it your business name (ie - Smith Photography), but it starts with having a personal account (ie Jane Smith). Whats important is
platforms to be on that it will be overwhelming if you try to do them all REALLY WELL. What you need to do, is be on all of them, but figure out what you like, where you connect best and focus your time there. After youve figured out what it is you like best, hop from site to site occasionally (once a week or so) and keep
consumers now want to feel like they are connecting with a person. They want to feel PART of something - its much easier to feel connected if its a
lot of photographers, though, is your client most likely is not spending time on here like they are on FB. This could be
andy.bondurant, Instagram @andybondurant) Obviously if you set up a
probably the best and most logical SM site (outside your blog) to focus your time. Its
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different if you are a wedding photographer - I think more 20s/30s are into Twitter, but they are looking for different info. I like Twitter because of the great information/content shared. I find so many cool links and places to visit online. Instagram - Android just got welcomed to the party! Ive been on Instagram for over a year, and I love it because of the stories told with images. Its perfect for photographers. I would get on, and figure out ways to link back to your other sites (really easy with the IG interface). Pinterest - lots of buzz over this since the beginning of the year. Understandable concerns over the Terms of Service, but in the end it will be worked out. I think its a great place to build your brand. Share what you love
via images. Be careful on whose work you show though. You want to build YOUR brandnot another photographers. Tumblr - This site is great if youre after the teen/senior market. They have migrated to Tumblr/Instagram/Twitter from FB (solely). Easy place to share images, short thoughts, links, etc.
people ready to see your Friday baby of the week post. Same thing on FB or Twitter or your favorite place.
MORE TO COME.
Ive just touched the surface of whats on my mind, but this is really long right now. I have some ideas on what to share, ways to be more effective and targeted, apps to make your life
FREE DOWN for EV LOAD ERYON E!
a little
BE CONSISTENT.
Okay, so youve branded yourself with your SM networks, youve figured out what you like/dont like, now you need to be consistent. People will expect to see updates and information from you OR they wont continue to pay attention. If you are going to blog, blog at least 1x/week - more if you can, but consistently. Make
easier, etc. I hope this doesnt feel disjointed. Lets do this...
OK BO
of
www.p hotota lkforu
IDEAS
m.com
Ask me some questions about creating a plan.
-------------------------------------READ MORE FROM OUR MENTOR ANDY BONDURANT http://www. phototalkforum.com/forum/ forumdisplay.php?f=118
20 PAGE BOOK of IDEAS + NOTECARD

i nclude s 4 co lo r cho i ce s + 4 di ffe re nt the me s!
new to pho togr aphy and feel like I can Thi s site has so muc h grea toinfo .H e r e . Q u o t e H e r e . Q u t e Im quit e . :: Alet ha H. spen d hour s peru sing all the grea t info
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GETTING THE SALE AVERAGES YOU WANT

THE POWER OF 3!
by t eri q u a nc e | m a r c h s p o t l i g ht Have you eaten at Cheesecake Factory? Its always difficult to decide what to order with over 200 choices on the menu! From inexpensive salads to costly steak dishes, the waitress will never know what her partys final bill will be. Imagine trying to budget living expenses when youre not sure how much youll make! A successful Seniors studio is the opposite of Cheesecake Factory; in fact, it should model an exclusive price fix restaurant. Limited choices, but every one popular, with the enjoyment lasting long after the experience has ended. Limiting packages is the key to increasing your sales average, which is one of the most crucial elements of a profitable photography studio. Once you simplify your offerings, it becomes
1 6 :: p h o to tal k fo r um .co m
should be something special and not a necessity in a package. For example: additional books, or sorority packages. You dont want to nickel and dime your clients to death. If they are purchasing a package... they should have everything they
want in one package. No surprise fees.
-------------------------------------READ MORE FROM OUR MENTOR TERI QUANCE http://www.phototalkforum. com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=117
the for um . sen ior sess ions ! lea rn mo re ins ide

mentor idea from our member spotlight MICHAEL CERIZO
easier to budget and estimate your revenue and expenditures, allowing you to plan for the future. When combined with solid business practices, strong sales skills and technical expertise, goals suddenly become attainable. Craving new equipment? Desiring to expand your studio? Wanting to hire an assistant? All of this becomes possible when you follow what I call the Power of Three.
Level...No frills, basic package. Drive them to your mid level package for your desired sales average. Put the most popular products in that package. This is what you will base your annual budget from.
Every package should have a framed heirloom

portrait.
Every package should have a collection of

some sort.
Every package should have the gifting
THREE PACKAGES:
Top Level is the High End... Cream de la... well, you know. Mid Level... Your Desired Sales Average. Lower
portraits.
Every package should have the gotta haves Every package has an enticer of some sort.
Add Ons, of course. But, not as a ding. Add ons
business. Baggage that was heavy and wearing me out. b y k a r en ca r ey | febr ua r y sp otlight You see...I knew how to make money but I didnt know how to HAVE money. So I would work my butt off, make the money... then it would
MONEY MATTERS.
seem to evaporate. I asked myself on many occasions... where the heck is all of my money? It took me a very long time to learn how to have a relationship with money so that I could keep it in my life. I had to learn how to receive it openly and freely and care for it as I would a best friend. Since 2008 I have been studying money mine found ourselves sitting in the middle of 17K worth of credit card debt, no savings, and no work on the horizon. I was not the main bread winner at the time, so of course I blamed my husband for the problems. I had every excuse in the book for my mess - the economy, the other photographers in order to not blame myself. The truth is...I had no one to blame but myself for my mess. I had to own it. Ironically, by owning it, facing it, and taking accountability for it... I changed my life. My story is one of amazing struggle and amazing release. I want to share it with you because I am certain that at least one person, if not many, here in this forum can relate.
S
this topic.
o... I love talking about money and talking about making money because it is such a hot button topic. I have found through years of teaching and mentoring that
I am going to share my story about how I went from having a poverty mentality for most of my life, to learning to value money and show it the respect it deserved. I had to be taught how to create a wealthy mindset and then had to practice having a healthy attitude about acquiring wealth. If you show money the respect it deserves today, and carry it through in all your actions, then one day, when you can no longer take care of it, your money will take care of you. -Suze Orman. I dont know about the rest of you, but l had a lot of money baggage when I got into this
especially - and the lessons have been long and hard. Class began for me when the economy crashed and both my business and my husbands business took a beating. Neither of us were prepared for the hard times and neither of us were even aware of how hard the times actually were until we
just about everyone has some sort of baggage around money. I know for sure that I did. (So glad that I can now write that last statement in the past tense!) It is so important when building a business to have a healthy attitude about money and making money, so I wanted to open up some dialogue on
undercutting me, the rising gas prices, global warming... Whatever I could blame I did,
I grew up in a family that was pretty darn poor. Broke is the word that my mom used most often to describe our family. I now know just how powerful words can be...and when you call yourself broke what you are really saying is that you are broken. If you can change your vocabulary and admit to being broken instead of just plain broke, you are on the road to becoming fixed. I had to admit that I needed help and ask for it. This was probably the hardest part
neglected my finances. I didnt have anyone with healthy attitudes toward money in my family to look toward as an example, and I was never really taught how to be financially successful. In my home, we were never taught to ask God to bless us abundantly or to turn opportunities into profits. We were taught to turn nickels into quarters by scrimping and to pray for God to help us get by. It wasnt until 2008,
and asked for my business in the hopes of managing my assets. LOL After 3 months of graciously taking no thank you as my answer...he called again. This time he caught me on a day when the $hizzle was hitting the fan-izzle. I was scared, vulnerable, tired and totally broken. I came clean to him about the state of my financial affairs and received his help. It was the beginning of my transformation. He taught me a completely new way of looking at my debt. He taught me not to fear or resent it. He taught me to take back my power and own my debt so that I could eventually trade it off for wealth. He taught me to respect money and to recognize its power. He taught me to give, save and spend in a healthy way. He taught me to study money. The long and short of the story is that this client of mine helped me to understand the root of my poverty mentality and taught me how to replace the stinking thinking with a wealthy mindset. Essentially, he change my money credit card debt to having no credit card debt and $20K in my savings account!!!!! Four short years later I am completely free of financial stress and live an abundantly wealthy life. How did I do it? By answering the following
of my poverty mentality and identified the broken area in my present day finances. I went back to my childhood and it didnt take me long to recall my first money memory: My parents were divorced. My mom was on food stamps, an alcoholic and raising myself and my three sisters alone. She was scared, angry, and exhausted. My father was
in and out of the scene, but mostly out. I remember being 9 years old and asking my mom if I could get a pair of Converse sneakers... we called them Chucks as in Chuck Taylors. Her answer was a raging I have no goddamn money for your sneakers because your father left me and doesnt give me any support. Next time you see him...ask him for the damn sneakers. Three weeks later, I asked my dad. His response was equally offensive. Your mother has been garnishing my wages and I dont even have
when faced with I believed to be my financial ruin that I humbled myself and finally asked for help. Help which came ironically from one of my clients. This client was a financial planner and he had recently spent $3K on his order. He approached me a month after placing his order
of the journey for me. I was hard working, talented, and smart. I had great clients who were spending a good amount of money on my portraits, but because I was broken I didnt know how to handle the money that I was making. I mismanaged, overspent, and
question: What is your first money memory? By answering this question I painfully uncovered the root
at any time !!! the ama zing reso urce s avai lable to us I LOV E Pho to Talk Foru m beca use of Q u o t e H e r e . that ...su bscr ibing pays for itsel f 10 fold !!! on Q u o t e H e r e . There is reall y no way to put a $ valu e Than k you guys !!! :: Ang ela R.
message. Within 5 months, I went from having $17K worth of
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by r e n a du r ha m | de c s p otli g ht
a pot to piss in. If you want sneakers ask you mother. As you can see, remembering this horrific first
for any money there is going to be a whole lot of anger and heartache. No wonder I was broken. So if you have the courage... and you want to transform your finances, ask yourself: What is your first money memory? And is the money message that
you received keeping you from having a wealthy mindset and a healthy attitude of abundance and prosperity today?
money memory shed a great deal of light on my years of financial struggle. My money message was clear: There aint no money and if you ask
-------------------------------------READ MORE FROM OUR MENTOR KAREN CAREY http://www.phototalkforum. com/forum/forumdisplay. php?f=107
ide the for um . styl ized sess ions ! lea rn mo re ins

member image share from KAREN LIPPOWITHS
TEENS
Working with Teenagers (and tweens) can be a bit intimidating for some so I thought I would share a bit about my approach since that is my speciality. My personality definitely lends to working with this age group as Im really just a big kid myself. - I feel the most comfortable working with teenagers out of any other age group. They are old enough to stay still when asked but young enough to think outside the box and try some ideas that adults may be apprehensive about. Just like anyone differ else, from personalities person to person - there are teens that are outgoing and those that are quiet and shy. The best way to connect is just by getting to know them. Talk to them. Find out what music
TWEENS +
to and why not play it while you are shooting (dont play the music YOU like - play the music THEY like! The results will be night and day). Find out what they like to do for fun, what they are interested in, what shows they watch, if they are Team Edward of Team Jacob (be fun and relatable). Especially for those who are shy, I will guide them along the shoot and often show them exactly what I want them to do by modeling it first. I will show them how I want them to position their arms or legs, etc. I will literally put my camera down and show them. When you show it they can copy what you are doing and then you can make small adjustments. (My personal style is that I dont like anything to look to posed
ght, answ er! Wha teve r it is: a ques tion , thou I love PTF beca use there is alwa ys an An awe som e Q u o t e H e r e . ng u o sharH e r e . Q to t e e and help you! feed back , etc.. .som eone is alwa ys willi elle W. foru m for ever y pho togr aphe r!! :: Dan
a bit so it doesnt look too posed). Compliment them! Everyone likes to be
complime nte d and look or that told they
amazing they are
doing a fantastic job! Compliment them and
let them know how amazing they look that their eyes look gorgeous, how much Have them involved in the shoot - ask their thoughts on some ideasHey, I was thinking it would be really cool if you did thiswhat do you think? Teens are people too. Get to know them, treat them with respect and value their opinions and it will go far. And just be fun and someone that they would want to work with. On a side note, I also try and learn a bit about who I am shooting before the session so
you like the pose they just did Compliments are a real comfort booster and allow them to relax more. Also, show them some shots from the back of your camera. Wow! Look at this - you look amazing and show them! When they see how they look, they almost always are surprised at how great they look and are more likely to trust you as the photographer and really let go at the shoot.
so I will often show them what I want them to do and tweak it or have them move around
by m e g g a n ha r p e r | n ov e m b e r s pot l igh t
a musician? Have them bring their instrument I would also say that if you really want to work with that I can try and incorporate their shoot. interests i.e. are into they Have the into them teenagers, it is a great idea to be knowledgable about their generation and whats hot and whats not (fashion, music, movies, TV, pop culture) so
that you are able to relate to them better.
-------------------------------------READ MORE FROM OUR MENTOR RENA DURHAM http://www. phototalkforum.com/forum/ forumdisplay.php?f=105
skateboarding?
bring their skateboard. Are they
ESTABLISHING A CLIENT BASE

K, I am going to start at the VERY beginning because I feel that will help you more if you are just starting out in the business. I think sometimes newer photographers get overwhelmed when they are tuning into seminars and workshops and might feel like the goals presented are just unattainable. It feels out of reach at first...I know, because thats how I felt.
IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET CLIENT

I think the first step in establishing the right client base for you is to know what you want. Identify your target client. Write it down. Narrow it down. My ideal client is a young mom with a growing family who sees the value in
portrait art and is willing to invest in it.
cart before the horse here (because if you have no clients, how are you supposed to pre-
to pre-qualify. You should plan your script and listen for certain responses. Most times, unqualified people will decide for themselves that your studio isnt for them.
potential clients! This is what I mean: From the very start, even when I was portfoliobuilding, I spoke in a way that sounded a little more refined--on purpose. I wanted potential clients to know that our studio provided a highquality product, the experience was very custom and that we were a boutique-style studio.
Instead of pictures, we say portraits or products. Rather than say Most clients spend $2000 on pictures, we say Most clients, for a family session, invest between
PRE-QUALIFYING
Once you know who your target client is, THEN you can start accessing prospective clients and marketing opportunities based on your goals. It might sound like were putting the
qualify them?), but I feel that you need to know how to pre-qualify people before you get started. It will make your life so much easier in the long-run. The initial phone call is the most direct place
WATCH YOUR LANGUAGE!

No really! Heres is another way to begin pre-qualifying
$2200-$2500 in products. When people ask for package pricing we say, The client experience here at Meggan
I never said Clients Needed (even though clients were
and this lets them know up front that we are a higher priced studio, and they will most-likely be investing some money in portraiture. So even though I was giving something away for free, I was already instilling the idea that my studio was a little more upscale than your average studio
needed). And there was a sense of urgency with it. I would say Casting Call Sessions are limited in availability, and are filled on a first-come-firstserve basis. This did the trick. My casting calls often filled up within minutes of posting! This was a great way to build my portfolio and also to increase excitement for my business.
RELATIONSHIP BUILDING IN YOUR COMMUNITY

Even when you are portfoliobuilding and doing Casting Calls, you have the opportunity to build some great
Another way to build great relationships is to look around your community. Are there businesses that have the client base you want? My target client shops at childrens boutiques, goes to baby yoga and attends baby sign language classes. Find a way to network with these small businesses and work together in a way that benefits both of you! More on partnership marketing laterwe have got some great ideas for this!
relationships with potential clients. Treat everyone as if they are important and valued. You never know who they may send your way. Even if they dont end up investing in additional portraits, if you treat them well and make them feel good, they will tell people about you. And actually, if you dont, they will tell people about you too. We have had several people who didnt have the money to purchase much, but were so impressed with the level of service they received, that they referred us to several friends who are now great clients.
and that they were receiving something of great value. For their time, models would receive a complimentary
Here is a link to a Casting Call blog post to give you an example. Notice that I put the Harper Photography is very custom. We would love to help you select the best products for your needs and create a package just for you. friends of friends...you know how that goes.), I did Casting Calls on Facebook. Whatever age I wanted for portfoliobuilding, I would request. I stated that we needed retail value in there also. The reason I did this is because the people who are going to be turned off by a $98 8x10, I want them to be turned off before we ever meet them and invest time into them. Obviously, people answering Casting Calls know that they will want some additional images (because of course, they will love them-they are images of their baby!),
Casting Call Session, and an 8x10. Additional prints were available at our regular rates. Most people bought additional images and about 75% of my original Casting Calls are
REFERRAL PROGRAM
Its a fact that it costs lots more time and money to get new clients in your door than it does to service the clients you have. So once you start qualifying potential clients
current clients, so thats not bad. Some people are always looking for a freebie situation, so they just moved onto the next one, and thats OK too.
QUALIFY EVEN WHEN PORTFOLIO BUILDING

When I FIRST got started (I mean....very first...had only a couple of clients..more like
models, whether it was to try out new props, or for marketing materials. Moms are always proud of their babys megacuteness, and are usually eager to have them model for you.
and building your client base, make sure you continue to
ng to share and answ er ques tion s... I love PTF beca use peo ple t e H e r e . Q u o t e H e r e . Q u o are alwa ys willi L. also LOV E all of the dow nloa ds!! :: Amy
nurture these relationships. One way we do this is through our referral program. We have little boutique-cut referral
give to their friends. It rewards them with $100 for every client who books a session with us, and it also gives a $50 credit to the person they give it to. This is one way that we rewards clients for bragging about us and encourage them to return! You spend a lot of time and
money
attracting
qualified
clients, so you definitely want them to become loyal, longterm life-timers!
cards that we put in every clients bag when we package up their order (as long as they invested $500 or more). The certificates are for them to
-------------------------------------READ MORE FROM OUR MENTOR MEGGAN HARPER http://www. phototalkforum.com/forum/ forumdisplay.php?f=104
mo re ins ide the for um . sen ior pho tos with one ligh t? lea rn
SETTING GOALS
by j ackie hagge rty | octobe r s potligh t Lets talk about setting goals. It doesnt matter what type of goals, personal goals, business goals, any type of goals...(learn from the story, but do not follow my lead for the first 2 paragraphs...) In the beginning, when I decided that photography was going to be a part of my life again, it was really hard for me to feel like I could charge the prices that I should have been. I just didnt feel like my work was worthy enough. Initially, I incorrectly set my prices based on my comfort zone rather than my COGS. At that time I didnt have a clue about business, my only experience had been giving my work away. One thing that did help me though, was a fellow photographer told me ok, if you are not going to charge what you need to then at least set the prices just outside of your comfort zone. Frankly, even though I wasnt doing it correctly, it did help me in setting some goals for myself. My first ever Imaging USA was in January of 2007. It was in San Antonio, TX, and I was awestruck. I went to the awards ceremony and it was so inspiring to see those receiving degrees on that stage. Not only that, but the work on display and shown around the event was breathtaking. I wanted to do that too! I figured that if I was going to feel confident

www mentor idea from our mentor JORDAN CHAN .tricoastphoto.com
to Alabama, stayed there the night before the test, took the test the next day and turned around and drove home. Luckily, I passed the CPP and my peers then started encouraging photographic me to enter
I told myself that I was going to get my M.Photog. in three years - that was the goal. It took 4 years. Fast forward to today, the pricing has been well established, I feel confident in the work I do, and this past January I received my Master of Photography degree - also in San Antonio, TX, on the same stage where I was inspired and driven to find my own personal successes. What I have found, though, is that in order to keep myself motivated, I have to set almost unrealistic goals. That may seem odd, but I do it all the time in my business also. It keeps me motivated, because I will be the first to admit that if I dont see progress right away, I get discouraged. Maybe its lack of patience, I dont know. What I do know, is what it takes to make things move along for
me - a short time line to get it done. Through this process, one thing I learned along the way is to absolutely stop saying things like I want to, Id like to, Someday, I will... and the like. Those words drive me batty, and as well intended as they are, they dont mean a thing. Instead, I say I will...., or Next week I will....., AND I say it out loud. To a person that I respect and admire who will hold me accountable. That person may vary, depending on the goal, but its always someone who is applicable to the situation, and who I dont want to let down.
competition.
THAT was more scary than the CPP! With the help and encouragement others with of many in
experience
competition, I entered. First, a local comp - didnt do so hot (I dont remember exactly now, but I do recall a stream of 7679 images). I entered my (now district) affiliate and came home with no merits. During that month following, though, in what I should be charging for my work, that I should then be able to find my work worthy of the price tag. It was at that time that I decided to set my goals on getting my Certified Professional Photographer and wanted to take the test soon so I didnt lose steam. There was a study group going on and I joined that group. I had it in my head that the sooner I got it going and finished, the sooner I would feel better about the adjustments needed to get my pricing established. I studied for 2 weeks, then drove to Nebraska for a 2 day workshop. Right before then, I found out the test was being given in Alabama soon, so I registered for that test. Drove home from Nebraska, was home a day, and then turned around and drove armed with a new confidence with the CPP thing, I created a bunch of new client images, entered the International
-------------------------------------READ MORE FROM OUR MENTOR JACKIE HAGGERTY http://www. phototalkforum.com/forum/ forumdisplay.php?f=103
Competition, and ended up with 3 of my 4 images meriting.
designation (CPP). I submitted the image portion right away,
to help and give advi ce and Q u t! e H e r e is so willi ng Pho to Talk Foru m is greao tEver yone . Q u o t e H e r e . :: Eva C. the free dow nloa ds are AWE SOM E!!
NEWBORN PULLBACKS!
wi th ana brandt | au gu s t s potlight Ana Brandt has shared so many newborn sessions and pullbacks that we dont know where to begin. READ MORE FROM OUR MENTOR ANA BRANDT http://www.phototalkforum.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=102
SENIOR MARKETING
by lori nords trom | f oru m m e ntor
We are making goodie bags/party favors for our seniors parties! For those seniors who order announcements from us, we will also deliver treat bags for their party. Weve designed stickers that match in design to the seniors announcements, with an image of the senior AND of course our website.
Im hoping this little take home will be a better tool and more memorable that just a referral card, and also be an extension of the announcements and other things out there to get juniors (and their moms) thinking about us again!. If anyone is interested, would be a good time to go and grab after Easter candy on sale. Just dont get anything Easter branded! We found lots of fun colors.
e decided this year to market through our current seniors to next years seniors in a different way.
----------------------------------------------------READ MORE ABOUT SENIOR MARKETING http://www.phototalkforum.com/forum/ showthread.php?t=7034
value. This does several things
s e c u re t h to
----
for establishing how successful the auction will be for you. First of all, it immediately creates goodwill between you and the administrators of the auction. Private schools are continually fundraising. They are so
ei
- way s
usin es rb s
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
by b rit n ey k i r b y ful l g r a f | fo r um men t or It is certainly important to participate in all kinds of auctions, but were going to specifically School address Private Lots of business, but if managed correctly, should generate lots of profit on their own. Auctions. photographers manage
Contact Info Item must be from a Single Pose High Dollar Value
auctions lots of different ways. Weve found these guidelines to be incredibly important and helpful. Not only will they help you secure school portrait
GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING A SUCCESSFUL PRIVATE SCHOOL AUCTION

High Dollar Value Live or Silent Auction Only Display Onsite Minimum Bid
Our current auction item for Private Schools is $880... and should probably be even higher. It is really important when donating an item to a school that it have a high dollar
---
---- - - ---- --
grateful for a larger donation, which in turn, enables you to be more specific with your needs for the auction. They are not going to be nearly as willing to cooperate with your requirements if you donate a session and an 8x10. Keeping the value of the item high helps everyone get what they need from the transaction. Another reason to have a high dollar value on the item, is that you want to begin educating these clients about who you are. You want to be known as a high-end photographer. You also want to make sure that the people who are bidding on the item start to get an idea about what to expect regarding pricing. Having that high dollar value on your item helps to prequalify these clients, so that hopefully you end up with a client who can afford your pricing as they purchase additional items from you.
LIVE OR SILENT AUCTION

It is extremely important that you specify that your item may only be used in a Live or Silent Auction. Ticket auctions and door prizes do not accomplish
any of the things you need to see from the auction. They do not educate the client, prequalify them in any way or give you the proper amount of exposure. This is one of our main requirements before we agree to donate an item for auction.
do that. You want the people who see your display to think, What in the world? If we have THIS as an option, why are we using ...? Of course, youll need to have a great example of a family portrait. I will sometimes include examples of competition prints with their awards...but the primary focus should be school photography. We have many different displays. I usually try to
bidding. You need for them to be willing to make a significant investment. Do not be afraid to require this of your auctions. The actual amount can be a little flexible, but I would say somewhere between a third and half of the items actual value is about right. Everyone wants to get a deal at an auction and you cannot expect your items cost to meet or exceed its value every time. Establishing a minimum bid, though, makes sure that the client values what they are receiving, you are acquiring a client who is at least somewhat pre-qualified and the school receives a suitable donation. Without a minimum bid, you have no control over what
CONTACT INFO
Schools vary widely in the amount of information they are willing to provide to you about the winner. Some
everything youd ever want to know....some will not give you any information at all. We have found that this area can be a deal-breaker for some schools. Some have strict
privacy guidelines, so while we ask that they let us know IF the item sold, HOW MUCH it sold for and for the winners contact information... we also allow them to have the client
schools will give you absolutely
ide the for um . sen ior pho to sha re! lea rn mo re ins
DISPLAY ONSITE
Another Crucial requirement is that we must be allowed to have a display onsite. Our auction item is a Family Portrait Collection. But that is not what we feature most in our display. If the auction is for a school we have not secured yet, our display is going to be mostly a School Portrait display. Well talk more later about the #1 way to secure a schools business, but it has a lot to do with making sure the parents at the school know that they have other options for school photography. This is a great place to begin to

member image share from MIKE RIDINGER
have the base be some kind of container in my brand pattern or color....like those little suitcases you can get at department stores. Then all the literature for the display, business cards, etc...can fit neatly inside.
MINIMUM BID
This is another essential requirement. There absolutely must be a minimum bid for the auction item. This is another place where you continue to pre-quality the person who is
happens with your item. In fact, if it does not sell, it may be given away to anyone, even a student or child. Protect your investment in the project and establish a solid minimum bid.
www.ridingerphoto.com
contact US, within a period of time, to activate the item.
treat it exactly like my other sessions. Were going to do a clothing change if they want... and all the different groupings
commitment to making sure all your requirements are communicated in a positive way, and they should be well aware of what your ultimate goals are for the relationship. Managed entire well, the should
ITEM MUST BE FROM A SINGLE POSE

This is SO important in protecting your investment
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we can think of. Making sure they know that what they purchased at the auction is from ONE pose, protects the sale. A few other details can help things go smoothly. Its important that the auction item itself be attractive. You probably also want to have an expiration date, although we always honor ours... even past the expiration, because our profit is so high on these. In very rare cases, like someone who has repeatedly canceled, I have been glad we included an expiration date. Any of your employees who staff interact should with share school your
in the project. Remember, securing the schools business is not the only goal for the auction. We want to make sure that our sales averages are significant from these sessions. When creating your auction item, you may want to include 5 portraits or 50 portraits, but it is essential that the Portrait Collection be from a single pose. This enables you to sell, following the session, from all of the different poses you photograph during that time. Im going to photograph as many different poses as they like. My auction item includes a full, private session and I
transaction
communicate that you have something amazing to offer them, that you are excited about their school and their goals and that you would be a valued asset to their organization in a continuing business relationship.
-------------------------------------READ MORE ABOUT PRIVATE SCHOOLS http://www.phototalkforum. com/forum/showthread. php?t=5152
Q u o t e prof essioQ u insig ht whe n I post a ques tion ! :: Trac y D. H e r e . nal o t e H e r e . I love this foru m - I alwa ys get quic k
This template set includes letterhead, notecard, business card, desktop organizer, workflow form, order form, client contract and client profile.
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46 :: p h o to ta l k fo r um .co m p hot ot alkf oru m.c om :: 47
BABY PLAN
by fa r r a h br a n iff | for um men t or
up idea. So far it is working really well! I price the package very well and it only includes sessions. Right now I do not include product. In the past when I have included product, that is all they buy. Its like I told them that they need these things and thats it. Now I add in a 10% discount on WALL art and birth announcements. I am considering creating an
session. I dont mean to veer away from your style but rather to make sure and document the different milestones well (dont do two sessions with the baby lying down for example). I try and give each session its own unique flavor so it stands apart from the others. The other BIG lesson I learned was to make sure and get the maternity sale done before the baby arrives! This is huge! Every so often a baby will come early and spoils this plan for me and it usually means the maternity sale will be lower (not always but most of the time!). I definitely think a
are going to be working with a family for a year, you need to be on the same page. The consult is the place to plant seeds for product sales. Lori is the one who taught me this- When we first talk on the phone, I always try and say something like: where were you planning to display (hang, show, etc) your art (portrait art, portraits, images, etc)? This gets them thinking about it early on. It says that I am assuming this is going up on the wall. I downplay loose prints at every step. For example, in a sale, I might say something like lets start with what were going to do for you guys first, your significant piece. If they try
Maternity (optional, can swap for a family session if they prefer), newborn (5-10 days old), sitting up and standing up.
all-inclusive high end baby package but haven;t come up with the right combo yet.
You have to be sure that what you shoot at each session babies in at specific milestones rather than ages. How I got to this configuration of sessions was really through the inspiration of Lori N and Julie Klaasmeyer. Lori suggested the original NB,4,8 and 12. When i was struggling with my 4 month sales, Julie suggested the sitting up and standing is different from the last! Why would they buy something new if it looks a lot like the last
used to do NB, 4 mos, 8 mos and 12 mos. I always felt like the 4 month sales were low and the sessions more difficult so I dropped that. I changed the language from ages to what the baby should be
consultation is key too. If you
doing bc I wanted to be sure people brought the
there, willi ng to share thei r expe rien ces, Lov e PTF b/c ever yone is supe r help ful Q u o t e H e r eare au o t e Horrare aski ng obvi ous ques tion s. . Q new bie e e . nd they don t mak e you feel bad b/c you ela P. Lots of grea t idea shar ing too! :: Pam
by da r ty hi n e s | f or u m m e n tor
and veer off to announcements or loose prints first I politely try and get back to the big item first. Ill say something something like picking out the gift prints, 5x7s and such is pretty simple, how about we start with what you guys are thinking about for your main piece. Basically, I try and make it real light and let them know loose prints are there for them but that what they need me for and what is most important is the wall piece. Its not a hard push by any means. In fact, if you do it confidently and softly, they go right along with you most of the time. I did come up with a few solutions for loose prints. I have a loose print package (inspired
by the Taufers, they have one on their price sheet too) that is priced better than a la carte and is priced even better after a wall portrait purchase. I also use a rewards pricing schedule (another Lori inspiration) and put loose prints on it. So, that makes it easy for me to say that we should pick out the wall piece first b/c then their loose prints are less expensive than they are a la carte. Another thing I do is I allow someone to upgrade to 1st year. So, if you have someone who is more cautious, they can try you out for maternity and go up from there. I rarely have someone just do a single session. They pretty much always upgrade. They get to
know you and ideally have a great session with you and then feel more comfortable. I charge them the single session fee and if they choose to go 1st year, then I just charge them the difference. Hmmm, I cant think of what else to say. Let me know if you have any questions! I did a whole one hour long webinar for Marathon press on babys 1st year. I can give you guys the link if you are interested in watching it.
KICK LIGHTING
a lesson in...
-------------------------------------READ MORE ABOUT FARRAH'S PLAN http:// www.phototalkforum. com/forum/showthread. php?t=4248
wide variety of lightning styles. I think it is very important to offers as much variety as you can. When you do this, you have to make it something that is quick and easy to do. That way, you will not get tired or
t Colleen & Co. one of the things we try to showcase is a
So the key to that - especially in senior photography - is to make every photo different so they want them ALL! Providing variety in lighting, posing, expression and backgrounds, give you that good sale. The first lighting lesson is going to be called Kicking Window Light - This type of lighting is done with natural light from a bank of windows, however, it can be done with
an open garage door, also. As long as sun is not streaming directly into your windows (garage) this will work. The BEST light is windows facing North. That is the most even lighting for the majority of the day.
-------------------------------------READ MORE ABOUT DARTYS LIGHTING http://www.phototalkforum. com/forum/showthread. php?t=1496
Q u o t e H e r e . Q u o t eoneeplac e! :: Jodi W. H re. I love all the grea t pho togr aphe rs in
lazy. For us, we want a high sales average out of our clients.
NO EXCUSES
by e m ily potts | f oru m m e ntor One of the things that I am most proud of in regards to my business is that I have a sales average that is very comparable to our industrys leaders, and yet I work out of my modest home in a small town. With an older average population. In the midwest. On top of all of that, the bulk of my business growth occurred while this economy was going down, down, down. Reading this paragraph kinda makes me want to put my head under a blanket and hide! I think a large reason why my business has been able to grow so well despite some obstacles is because I refused to make excuses for why my business couldnt succeed. I think sometimes because of fear or lack of confidence we assume our businesses wont do well because of whatever circumstances we are in and we create an environment for failure. I dont write this post to boast about my business at all! Nor do I write it to scold . . . rather I write because I want to encourage all of you who feel like there is a reason you are being held back from the business. My goal is to encourage you want to examine if there are any ways you can work around obstacles - to find solutions that might be a little outside of the box
but will work well for you. Here are a few common excuses I hear photographers make that I think I have good solutions for:
without having to attract clients from nearby towns (although I sometimes do). If this is simply not an option for you then you can look at neighboring bigger cities and pull your client base
one! This is the excuse that almost got me. A few years ago, I was reading a lot of industry leaders educational materials and many of them were boasting gorgeous 3000, 5000, 7000+ square-foot
hard to make the experience feel like a transaction with a friend. Clients responded to this and I watched my profits go up while I kept my overhead low. I still work from my home and plan to for at least a little while longer.
build a business. I feel, though, that if I am going to spend time away from my family, I better get paid handsomely. I dont want to work for less than I would make at Starbucks. (At least there, you get benefits, a steady paycheck and free coffee!) I now put in at least
that I wanted my dollar-perhour earnings to go down. To have a successful part-time business, I really suggest doing everything you can to maximize your sales and streamline your workflow so you can have the highest dollar-per-hour
I live in a small town/lowerincome town. The first thing Id recommend is to see if there is enough of a population with disposable income that values photography and can support your business. Fortunately this was the case in my little town. I was able to target the top tier of the population and therefore am able to sustain my business
from there. I know a lot of photographers who do this, including the incredible Lori Nordstrom!
studios. I felt inferior . . . like a wannabe professional
earnings possible. You may even consider outsourcing
photographer. Then I decided there was nothing I could do
I have small children, so I dont have much time to devote to my business. / I only do this part-time. I definitely think this presents a particular challenge because time is so valuable and it really does take quite a bit of it to
40 hours a week, even though I have a young child. He goes to school every day and then I do additional work on the weekends or after he goes to bed. When he was younger, however, I didnt want to work full-time. That didnt mean
less profitable activities so you can spend more time doing things like photographing
I work out of my home/ on location. I dont have a luxurious studio in which to showcase my art and provide a great experience. Oh man do I empathize with this
about this and that I should maximize the benefits working from my home offered. I decorated every space clients see with portrait art (and those they dont too!) and worked
sessions, selling and marketing which generate more profits than culling files, editing,
packaging, etc. Just keep at
eabl e pho togr aphe rs with so man y know ledg Q u o t reso urce s for Pho to Talk Foru m is one of the best e H e r e . Q u o t e H e r e . es ever y mon th! :: Elisa beth L. tion all the grea t tem plat pho togr aphe rs on the foru m not to men
the forefront of your mind that part-time doesn not equal less professional.
price-sensitive
than
before.
for your business that keeps it from reaching its highest potential? I really do believe that anyone, anywhere that has decent photographic ability and strong business sense can be successful. Ok guys, hopefully I dont scare you all off with my giant first post! Please share any excuses you may be making and lets put our heads together and tackle them!
Things we are doing include offering shared sessions for seniors (a pair of friends split
The
economy
is
bad.
a session fee and time, but still place individual orders), extending payment plans
Right now, I hear this a lot. Many industries blame the poor economy on sluggish sales. There are quite a few businesses, however, that are booming right now. While you cannot change the economy, you can definitely take a proactive approach about it and not accept defeat. Look for new programs, products and policies you can put in place to help clients who are more
and creating more affordable options for some of our higherpriced items (such as folios instead of albums). When my clients see that I want to help them be able to afford the products they want, it is a mutually beneficial situation.
-------------------------------------READ MORE ABOUT EMILY POTTS http://www. phototalkforum.com/forum/ showthread.php?t=5295
These are just a few . . . do any of you have excuses you make
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GOOD FEELING GONE?

Not keeping promises

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Quick e-mails. TXT MSGS.

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DEVELOPING A SOCIAL MEDIA PLAN

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LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?

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Her point is this - There are so many different SM

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the for um . sen ior sess ions ! lea rn mo re ins ide

LOOKING FOR INSPIRATION?

Every package should have a framed heirloom

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I never said Clients Needed (even though clients were

RELATIONSHIP BUILDING IN YOUR COMMUNITY

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