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7 Favorite Tricks To Work Through Procrastination

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Do you ever find yourself procrastinating? Its human nature.

Many people would define procrastination as laziness – you simply keep putting things off because you have other things to do. But if you look at what you normally procrastinate on, it really isn’t laziness at all.

Instead, its more about fear – fear of not understanding, fear of not being able to be perfect, fear of being completely overwhelmed.

And while this fear is what drives us forward, it can also hold us back.

Here are 7 of my favorite tricks I use when I find myself procrastinating over something big.

1. Start your ideas immediately

When you get an idea, what do you do with it?

Most people get an idea, and start thinking about it.

Then they wonder if it’s a good idea.

And they wonder some more.

And eventually the idea no longer has merit.

And they move in another direction.

If you get an idea, take action. Now. Write it down. Do some research. Formulate it as complete as possible. Print it out and look at it. Take action to put even just a piece into your business.

Just by moving it from the idea mode to the action mode, the likelihood your idea will help you jumps tenfold. [Read more...]

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How To Build A Photography Business You Intend To Sell

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1. You love photography.

2. You hate your job.

3. You decide to make photography your career.

4. You open a studio and bring in clients.

5. You quit your job and begin building a successful photography business.

The above may sound like your plan. But do you have the 6th step in place?

6. Sell your business for a healthy profit.

Photography is an art form. Because its so personal, so much a part of who you are, very few photographers go into business dreaming of the day they will sell their business.

Yet in many ways, every business should be started with the intent that you will one day sell it. When you approach your business through that mindset, you begin to notice things you would never notice on your own. And you make changes to improve it so its more efficient and more valuable over all.

Lets look at this from another angle. Look at your business as you would your home.

When you buy a home, you go into it with the intent of living in it for a long time. Yet everything you do along the way you probably say something like “this will add to the value of my home”. So you happily improve the landscape in the summer. And add granite counter tops to your kitchen. Why not spend the money; you can enjoy it now and benefit from it in a few years when you decide to sell.

So why is your business any different?

If you make improvements along the way, you’ll increase your odds of attracting future buyers. You won’t look at your business through the eyes of “I just want to make money”, but instead you’ll say “how will this make my business more healthy, more profitable and highly attractive to others”? [Read more...]

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8 Lies Newbie Photographers May Fall For

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Is your client lying to you?

When you are new to the business world, its easy to want to trust everyone that walks through your door. Unfortunately not every client will live by the same ethics you do. Some clients are strictly out for “the deal” and will think nothing of trying to get everything they can.

Unfortunately, “lies” not only will take away the solid income stream you are trying to build to keep yourself in business, but it can also take away your self-confidence as a business owner, wondering who you can trust down the road.

Watch for these 8 lies you may hear from time to time. And if you hear these words coming from your client’s mouth, move forward cautiously.

Lie #1 You’ll Get A Ton Of Exposure From This

This has always been one of my favorites and I’ve probably heard this the most. People want the world given to them even when they don’t have the resources to pay for it. And since you’re just an “artist”, you get that, right? So why don’t you remain a “starving artist” and give me images for free. Then I’ll pass along your name to everyone I know and tell them what a great job you did. The problem is most people won’t follow through on telling their friends. And even if they do, chances are they will throw in a sentence or two about what a deal they got. Then any referral will also expect the deal when they visit you.

Lie #2 You’ll Have Plenty More Work In The Future

You may hear this one a lot in the commercial industry. A new company wants great photos of their current products, and expect to build on their success in the future. So they want a deal today, promising you their future projects – annual reports, model shoots, catalog projects and more. These clients mean well and you have to appreciate their big dreams. Yet in many cases these dreams simply won’t materialize. You have bills to pay. And because they are also a business owner, they should realize that too. If they want to commit to future projects in a contract, you may negotiate a pricing structure built on several shoots. Otherwise stick with your original pricing. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Pricing Tagged With: , , ,

The 7 Deadly Sins Of A Photography Business

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If you are operating a photography business, you are in competition with thousands of other photographers all vying for your prospects attention.

When it comes to photographing, many have a natural eye for creating amazing art.

But when it comes to running a business, most of them don’t have a clue as to what they are doing. The same problems come up again and again, keeping them away from doing the one thing they want most of all – finding success.

So how about you? Do you commit one of these deadly sins with your own business?

1. Laziness

Have you ever said something like:

“I don’t have the time for this.”

“Will this work immediately?”

“This sounds like a lot of work.”

You know what is a lot of work? Getting up every morning for work, spending time getting ready, a long commute it to the office, working your 8 hour day, plus breaks, plus overtime, a long commute home, then settling in for the night. Easily 10+ hours every single day – gone with nothing to show for it but a paycheck. And if pink slips come around next month, you can only keep your fingers crossed you won’t make the list.

By contrast, operating your own business is a lot of fun. You make your own hours, you create your own schedule, you do your own thing. You are in control.

Will there still be work? Yes. But the type of work will be much more satisfying.

2.Impatience

Every photographer in the world has been frustrated at the beginning of their journey. You have all of this energy, all of this passion, just bursting and ready to come out. You want so much for things to happen. So you wait. And wait.

It takes time to build an audience. They don’t come overnight. You must build slowly. One turns into two. Two turns into three. And so on.

Yet if you build today for where you want to be five years from now, you’ll see the picture clearly. You may struggle today, but that allows you to see things a bit more clearly and try something new. Don’t think of it as “why can’t it start today”? Instead, think of it as “this will help me for tomorrow”. [Read more...]

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The Day We Were Almost Sued

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Whew, yesterday’s post had me keeping up with comments all day. Thanks to everyone who enjoyed the discussion – I’ve enjoyed hearing what you have to say.

Wow, I Never Knew It Was So Easy To Make Money At Photography

One comment surfaced that made me want to share a story.

We had been in business for years, had the proper licensing and insurance in place, and had a very strong and lucrative business.

We met with a client and both “fell in love”. This bride and groom to be were from New York City, high powered, traveled the world, and were planning a very exotic wedding right here in the Rocky Mountains. They loved our work. We loved their personality and everything they were planning.

They were heading back to New York after meeting with us, and called a day later to book us. We forwarded a contract to the bride to be – in Word. She printed it, signed it, and sent it back. We likewise signed the copy once we had received it, made a copy for her and forwarded it back to her.

Several months later, we photographed one of the most fantastic weddings to date. It was on top of a mountain, beautiful day with not a cloud in sight. The food was great. The party was amazing. The bands were flown in from New York City. The wedding decorations were flown in from all over the world.

And the photographs were gorgeous.

So of course we started sharing them. We sent some to the caterer. Some to the wedding planner. Started using some for marketing. And then it happened. [Read more...]

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How To Master The Basics Of Success

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Success is like a ladder and no one has ever climbed a ladder with their hands in their pockets. ~Zig Ziglar

If you are planning on climbing up to the roof of your home, the steps are easy to understand. Find a ladder, place it against your home, and start climbing. One step at a time you move your feet until you reach the last one and step off to your destination. It doesn’t take much time – and probably not much thought. You just do it because you have a goal in mind.

But what if the ladder you are trying to climb has hidden steps? What if you don’t know what its leaning against, nor how many steps it will take to reach the top? Things can get a bit more challenging.

Everything in life has a final destination and the ever-important steps to get there. If you want to learn to play chess, you have to find a chessboard and playing pieces, learn the basic rules, and practice. If you want to play golf, you have to find some clubs and a ball, find a course to play on, learn the basic rules, and practice.

Running a photography business is no different. You have to have camera equipment on hand, learn the basic rules of running a business, and practice. Again and again. Things will go wrong sometimes and right others. But overall, building a solid foundation will set you up correctly and help you accomplish what you’ve set out to do – run a successful business.

If you ask an expert in the photography field what the crucial steps are to his or her success, you’ll likely hear a laundry list of items. And if you ask more than one, you’ll likely hear a few different items. Don’t get lost in the details. The real difference between a pro and an amateur is simply that the expert has built a solid foundation and is much more effective at determining what steps to take to continue building up from that successful foundation. He or she is constantly adding to the fundamental skills he or she already has in place.

You can do it too. There are three simple ideas on finding the basic skills needed to create a solid foundation.

Expect Mastery

Think back to everything you’ve achieved in life so far. Before you accomplished it, did you believe you could?

That’s kind of a trick question because the first step to any action is belief. If you think you can, you will. If your goal is to have a college degree, you take as many classes as necessary to graduate. You see the goal and word to get it.

The same applies to your business. Do you see it? Can you see yourself working full time as a photographer? Or can you only see it as a side business – your real money comes from your day job?

If you want to be a world famous photographer, you have to lay the foundation. You have to have the proper skills with the camera. You have to understand lighting, posing and production. You have to understand marketing, planning and sales. And you have to want to do it every single day, without stop, until you find success.

Think About The Long Term

Many people try to rush into success, only to give up because they simply can’t do it as well as they can see themselves doing it in their mind.

For example, lets say you’ve never had ice skates on before. But you watch the Olympics and think ice dancing looks like fun. So you head to the rink and put on your first pair of ice skates. Your first step on the ice is probably going to be filled with disaster. Your legs will wobble, your ankles will weaken, and you’ll probably find yourself sitting on the ice more than standing. But if you don’t learn to stand, you’ll never glide across the ice. If you’re not comfortable moving forward, you’ll never be able to move backward. And so on.

When you see how easy other professional photographers have it, its easy to get caught up in the excitement and expect it yourself. If they shoot 30 weddings a year making $250,000, you should be able to do it too. And you can – but keep in mind its going to take time. One foot in front of the other, learning as you go, adding on to what you’ve learned in the past, until you find the success you are looking for.

Avoid Getting Fancy

Putting the basics into action are the only important steps you need to take along the way. When you find yourself running into a complication or a problem, question yourself as to why it really seems difficult. Is it due to a shortcoming in one or more basic skills? Rarely will you find a fancy or complicated technique to be the answer.

If you can’t ice skate, the most expensive ice skates in the world won’t help you do it any better.

Thoroughly mastering the basics takes time. But its well worth the time spent. Remember, there are no “secrets” or shortcuts to success. Build your foundation. And add the basics as you go along. You’ll soon find yourself at the top of the ladder, stepping off into the lifestyle you’ve dreamed of.

Are you still struggling with understanding the basics of your DSLR? Then you have to check out the new guide DSLR: The Basics. It’s a camera and exposure book in friendly ebook format. I’ve just finished going through it myself, and love the detail and knowledge that Ed goes over. In addition to simple language for every situation, you’ll also find a wealth of information in his graphs, charts and photographs. Many of them help you understand difficult techniques in a user-friendly way. If you’ve ever struggled with the basics, or are still questioning different components of your camera, you can’t afford not to add this book to your collection.

Filed Under: Start A Photo Business Tagged With: , ,

3 Reasons You Should Give Up Your Dreams Of Being A Photographer

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I had an interesting comment thrown at me a few days ago and I’ve been pondering it ever since.

“You’re just lucky. You just happened to fall into the right place at the right time and happened to make some good money.”

The implication was very few can do it, its almost an impossibility to do it again, and photography is a market that simply has no money in it. If you make a decent income, it won’t be in photography.

So I decided to take the approach that maybe this person was right. Maybe there is no way you can make money at photography. Maybe the only people that do are lucky. In which case, if you are a photographer, maybe now is the time to give it all up. That’s right, walk away. And I have 3 reasons to prove that now is the time to do so.

1. The only way to get ahead in life is to be lucky – one in a million is the only shot you have.

Do you play Powerball (lottery, mega millions, whatever you happened to call it)? Did you stand in line for hours to buy a ticket? Did you hope and pray that your one ticket would be the magic winner and you would walk away a changed person?

That’s luck. You don’t have to do anything other than stand in line and buy a ticket. No planning (other than which line to hang out in). And it all comes down to chance – will your numbers be the actual numbers pulled.

Photography is much the same way. You grab a camera and start shooting. If people like your work, they pay you. You may book a few clients. Or maybe not. It all depends on your luck for the day.

2. The only way to make money is to work for someone else – there is no room for small business and it’s way too risky to try.

Paychecks are where its at in today’s world. Nothing is safer than having an employer keep you safe and secure. You work for them 40 hours per week (or more) and they give you a paycheck at the end of the week. Hopefully. Your benefits may go away. You may worry about the pink slip. But at least your safe as long as it lasts.

The true risk is small business because it simply doesn’t work. You never know if you will succeed and there is no way to build a future that brings in a healthy income. [Read more...]

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10 Stupid Mistakes Every New Business Owner Has To Live Through

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If you’ve always worked for the “boss” and haven’t had the experience of working for yourself, you’re in for quite a shock when you first quit and venture out on your own. Its hard to lose the “job” mentality and start doing everything from an entrepreneur’s mindset.

Yet if you’ve ever jumped over to your own business, you know there are some things you inevitably do that when you look back on, you simply laugh at your actions. “Did I really do that?” Yep, I’ve had a lot of those moments over the years.

And some of those moments stand out more than others. Here is some advice for those of you that have recently crossed over to your own business.

1. Making mistakes with your contracts.

We’ve made this mistake more times then I’d like to admit. Never:

Assume someone will sign a contract because they say they will. Have your policies set up and stick with them – “I’ll fax over a contract and hold the day for you for 3 business days. If we don’t receive it back with payment, the day will open up to others.”

Assume a handshake is good enough. You may have a great relationship in the beginning, but things change when demands start in. A contract is there to cover you and the client. Always use it to maintain the relationship.

Assume they won’t change your contract. We sent over a contract in Word early on in our career, never thinking a client would change our copy. They did. They signed it and returned it. We signed it without reading it again. We only discovered it when the client began making unusual requests after the wedding – things we couldn’t uphold because we simply didn’t have the capability. When they began questioning why we weren’t living up to the contract, we went back and read it. We spent six months living in fear doing whatever the client requested to avoid a lawsuit – and we learned a very valuable lesson.

2. Spending too much money.

You’ve finally made the break from the job, and your time is your own. Since the clients aren’t flowing in, you have a chance to sit back and dream. That’s when you can start getting into trouble.

You dream about the perfect studio. And with a little research, you find a backdrop system you can’t live with out, a room full of props, a computer program that will help you with all of your photography management chores, and a new camera that will make everyone say “WOW”.

Maybe you put a little cash away to help build your new business. Or maybe you’re dipping into the credit cards. But if you fall into the “buy it today” philosophy, you’ll quickly be regretting everything that made you want to start your own business in the first place.

Ask yourself a question every time you are about to spend money – “Do I really need this right now to move me forward?” If the answer is no, put it off for awhile until you can truly afford it.

3. Spending too little money.

People love to spend money on the “things” within the photography business. Yet the “necessities” often fall by the wayside.

A necessity would be anything that will help you grow and profit from your business. Anything else is simply a “shiny object” that gets in your way of building a successful business.

A fourth lens that photographers have been raving about on Facebook would be a shiny object. A new website to help you attract new clients would be a necessity.

The difference is one is required to build your business and help bring in clients, and therefore profits. The other is simply something you justify to have because you want it. Learn to spot the difference from the beginning. [Read more...]

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The Most Important List You Will Ever Have To Quit To Succeed

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I’m a list person. But I’ll be the first to admit that lists aren’t always all they are cracked up to be.

A list can be a great tool IF you have the right things on the list.

But what if you don’t?

Then a list is simply a waste of time.

But the problem comes in not knowing if you are making the right list … or the wrong one. Because we use our own knowledge, our own filters, our own biases, there is a good chance your list may do more harm then good.

Your list may be putting you on the path to “un-success”.

If you look at your own life – wants, desires and goals – chances are you have big things planned for the future.

“I want to start my own business.”
“I want more time with family and friends.”
“I want to quit the 9 to 5 corporate grind.”
“I want to travel more.”
“I want to make sure my kids get into all of the best camps and schools.”

Those are great desires to have; but does your list support those goals?

Unnecessary tasks are the number one cause people don’t get what they want out of life.

When you make a list, you fill it with a variety of tasks. But when it comes time to check the items off the list AND SO SOMETHING, we tend to go with what we love first, pushing the difficult or challenging tasks to the bottom. And eventually you wad up the piece of paper and throw it away – do you really want to be reminded year after year of the tasks you can’t get done?

If we don’t want to do something, for whatever reason, we don’t. No matter how much impact it may have on our future.

So what is the solution?

Do only the things you love to do and have them make all the difference in the world.

Of course its not that simple. We would all be highly successful people if that were the case. But there are things you can do right now that will help you create better lists.

If you actively looked at everything you do, there are many ways you could simplify your life, giving you reason to create stronger lists. Let me show you what I mean. [Read more...]

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5 Things A Small Business Owner Should Never Skimp On

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If you are just starting out as a small business owner, or are trying to move from part time to six figure level, chances are “shoestring budget” is something you live by. You might not have a regular paycheck coming in, low or no income stream, and are probably taking on debt to help you achieve your dreams. In short, you are cash poor.

So the most logical step to take is to try and do everything on a shoestring budget.

Marketing – what’s that?

Advertising – that’s why Facebook and Twitter is great, they are free.

Business cards – why buy them when you can print them on your home printer?

Part of living on a shoestring budget means doing everything at the lowest cost possible. But if you live your entire life like that, you may be putting your business at risk. There are some things that you just shouldn’t skimp on. It shows.

Your Image

When a prospective client meets you for the first time, what do they think? People form opinions within the first few seconds of meeting; make sure those seconds count. Even if you can’t afford an entire wardrobe from Bloomingdales, you should still invest in one great outfit to meet people in. Head to your local consignment store and talk with the staff. Ask them to make recommendations about looking your best. Make sure everything fits the correct way. And pay attention to your shoes; holes, scuff marks and worn down heels say a lot.

Try to look like your customers. If you are targeting business people who usually meet you in business suits, follow their example and show up in a suit. If you work with Internet companies and start up business owners who show up in jeans and a t-shirt, dress down a bit and show up in something suitable. Never look like you’ve spent the last 24 hours in front of the computer.

The Customer Experience

Meeting a potential customer for the first time puts you on display. At all other times, its your company that is on display. Everything you do that relates to the customer should create a “WOW” experience and make them feel like a million bucks. If you are not fully vested in making your business shine and stand out, a prospect may not feel like investing in what you have to offer.

Look at what you have to offer through the eyes of your customer. Would you buy something? Are the marketing materials top notch – or are they thrown together? Is the website custom designed – or put together by amateurs? Do you use top quality albums, frames, materials, etc – or do you use your local discount store? It all matters at this stage of the game. The more thought and time you put into creating a dynamic experience for your customers, the more it will show in top quality referrals, and life long clients.

Your Website

Having a great website no longer equates to spending a ton of money. If you are even just a bit tech savvy, you can do the design yourself with WordPress.

Dig Deeper: The 10 Advantages Of WordPress For Designing Your Photography Site

Move Your Photography Business To The Six Figure LevelThere are really only two things that will provide you with a website you can be proud of.

1. Having a site that looks professional.

2. Having a site that allows you to create content.

Websites today are meant to be a window to the online world. They connect you up with various social sites and allow you to connect with your customer base on many different levels. If you still think a 5 page website will cut it, think again. The more you put into it, the more you will receive. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Planning Tagged With: , , ,
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