issue 107

January 6, 2010

a note from Lori

Happy New Years Everyone!

Didn't the last two weeks of December seem to fly by? I love being home for the holidays, spending time with friends and family. This year we were very busy checking out the movies (didn't you just love Avatar?), taking in a play and the improv theater, and heading out to a slew of parties. Hopefully you enjoyed your time as well.

I know from all the responses I received in December that a whole bunch of you are thinking about 2010, and how you can improve your business. And as promised, I'm going to be offering a ton of things over the coming year to give you specific ideas on how to grow your business.

Let's get started with my first gift of the year, my brand new report to help you implement what could be the best marketing tool I've ever seen to help you grow your business. Simply click here and you'll be taken to the report - either read it online, or save it and read it later. Either way, focus in on some of the tips - and let me know what you think!

This year, it's all about focus for me and my businesses. I've made my lists, and will be sticking to a pretty specific plan this year. And to help you start your own plan, and bring it all down to focusing on what's really important for 2010, you'll love today's article on 4 Things To Rev Up Your Photography Business.  

Enjoy!

Lori

Six figure training

 

Yes, the talk is all about creating a business on a shoestring budget. As a small business, you just don't have the resources to try out a ton of marketing tools, not knowing which will produce and which won't. So you rely on a few of the free tools, and with little luck, you're still pondering what to do next.

 

The problem isn't with the tools; it's with the way you use them.

 

There's very little out there that won't help you grow your business. In fact I can find success stories of people using everything that's talked about regularly. The Gary Vaynerchuk's who are taking social media by storm. The Darren Rowse's who are teaching us everything we need to know about blogging. And the Annie Leibovitz's who are teaching us everything we need to know about photography - and maybe some things we don't.

 

This year, don't just say you're going to try something, put it to good use and use it all the time. Dedicate your time and your commitment to these 4 things over the next 12 months, and I guarantee you'll see a difference in your business. 

 

1. Start a blog. Don't just set one up and post on it a couple of times per month. Post to it five times per week. Talk about the wedding you just photographed. The engagement images you just created. The conference you're attending. The award you just won. Blogging is about sharing your ideas with people that have an interest in what you do. The more you write, the more they connect. And the more they'll think about using your services.

 

[If you haven't downloaded my newest report I spoke of in my note to you above, I highly recommend getting your copy now. I've added a ton of detail that's going to give you the steps to helping you find more clients.]

 

2. Choose one other tool to help connect to potential clients. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter - whatever you choose, get passionate about it. Head to your library or bookstore and get a book that walks you through step by step. Or find a resource online. Check out TheSocialGhost for a variety of information on social networking, AllFacebook for great tips on using Facebook, or TwiTip for everything you need to know about Twitter.  
 
3. Reaching out to new potential clients is a must for growing your business. But don't forget about your existing clients; they are the crux of your business. Start a relationship building program just for them. Send out postcards, newsletters, and greeting cards every month to help keep your name on the tip of their tongue.

 

4. Start a new program. Business doesn't work the way it has in the past. Newspapers are dying, traditional marketing is all but dead, and even conventions are having to restructure as less people are willing to travel.  So how can you do something using today's technology to offer a new product to your clients? If they have a business portrait, how about offering a special package with social media images? Or maybe its time to start a seminar photography program - as conventions restructure, they'll be looking for new ideas. Be proactive. And go where the business is. 

 

Social Links

Latest blog stories

 

I met with a photographer over the weekend that will be starting a new job come the New Year. She's been struggling with her business all year, and just can't seem to pull in even a part time income from her photography any more. Her husband's job is on shaky grounds, so rather than waiting for a big hit to their income, she's decided to take a desk job. She wants to continue her business on the side, and hopefully bring it back up to where it was a couple of years ago.

 

So I started asking her about how she has marketed her photography business this past year. 

Keep Reading>>

Keep Reading>>

lori recommends

 

I remember the day I decided to quit. It gave my life new meaning. I knew I would no longer have to report into the office every day, working for someone else, doing something I really didn't enjoy doing. It was such a relief. And the start to an exciting ride.

The one thing I realized at that moment is I would either have to push as hard as I could to bring in a continual stream of clients, or go back to the JOB atmosphere. I knew I would never take that route again, so I started looking for something that could almost put the "guarantee" in making my business successful.  

And over the next few years as we doubled and tripled our pr0fits again and again, I learned exactly what one thing inspired people to not only become clients, but also to refer their friends and family as well. 

 Get started with finding new clients today >>