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1,000 Ways To Say No … or Should It Be Yes?

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“Would you like to co-chair this committee with me?”

“Can you work the school auction?”

“Why don’t you plan the family reunion, you’re so good at it.”

Are you the type of person that people come to when they need something?

Is it because you do the best job? Is it because you’re reliable?

Or is it because they know you won’t say no?

Yep, I’ve fallen into that trap many times myself. Its easy to do when you love to help out when you can, and you’re committed to a cause. Whether its being a part of your children’s schooling, being a part of a family, or even being in business, its hard to say no when you feel a sense of community.

But saying no isn’t a bad thing; it’s the perception we feel it puts on our shoulders that we’re afraid of.

“Will they think less of me if I say no?”

“Will I miss out on hidden opportunities if I say no?”

All kinds of things run through your mind.

In truth, saying no isn’t a bad thing. In fact it can be beneficial.

Consider the cost of missed opportunities

If you say yes to something you’re heart isn’t into, and you would rather not do, you may find yourself having to turn down other things that would have more benefit. Especially if you’ve signed up for a long term project.

Planning an event or sitting on a committee takes time. You’ll spend hours working on the outcome, and even more hours driving to/from and attending meetings. What if a new project comes along for your business and you can’t accept because you don’t have the time?

Always ask yourself if you are using your time as wisely as possible.

Look at the alternatives

When someone approaches you with a new idea, don’t answer “yes” right away. Even if you like the idea, ask if you can respond in a day or two with your final answer. Then look at it subjectively over the course of the next day or two. Do a little research to find out how much time this project will truly take. Ask people that have been in the position before how much time they truly spent on the project. Also consider what you could do if you don’t commit to this project. Make your decision based on what you feel is the best thing for you at the moment. [Read more...]

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How To Follow The Path To Failure

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What’s the most common question people have when they decide to become professional photographers?

“How do I become a successful photographer?”

Yet that question is impossible for anyone other than the photographer to answer. And if I tried to answer it for them, I would quickly put them on the path to failure. Here’s why.

You see, everyone has their own vision of success.

One person may see a business that brings in enough income they can stay home with the kids. They photograph portraits a few times a week, and charge just enough to bring in enough income to pay the bills.

The next person may choose to become the most well known photographer in the world. They want to travel around the world, sell their images to the best publications, and give presentations in the highest places possible.

These two people would both be considered a success if they achieved the goals they have for themselves. Yet if I tried to define success for them in generic terms, I could never have  accomplished it.

So, if you want to follow the path to failure, buy a guide to success from a photographer and try to follow his advice down to the detail.

But if you want to create a path to success, use these strategies to move you forward

Read as many success guides as you can, and use them to define your own goals

The easiest way to find success is to follow in someone else’s footsteps. Let face it, its all been done before. Someone has made a lot of money as a portrait photographer, a wedding photographer, an app developer, and an album designer. If you can think it, you can find someone who has found success doing what you’re dreaming about.

Even though they have blazed the trail before you, you probably have key issues with the way they do things. You may be targeting a different set of clients, be in a different area, or have different desires. Because you are starting out now, and they may have years or even decades of experience, you’ll probably approach things a bit different. That’s okay. That’s what gives you your unique twist on things, and will help you blaze your own trail. [Read more...]

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Crowdfunding – Is It The Solution To Your Next Great Photo Project?

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Times are tough. The economy is in bad shape. Its hard to get a small business loan. And even harder to gain trust for a large project that may seem a little risky to some. So how are people doing it? Through crowdfunding.

Crowdfunding is described as the collective cooperation by people who network and pool their money and other resources together, usually via the Internet, to support efforts initiated by other people or companies. It can occur for a variety of purposes, from disaster relief, to world help, to artists seeking support from fans, to start-up capital for new businesses.

The great thing about crowd funding is it can work in many different ways. It can come in the form of donations. It can come in the form of small loans. Or it can come in the form of exchanging funds now in exchange for a final output at the end of the term.

I reviewed KickStarter a while back in How A Photographer Can Find Money For A Project. I’ve also been a part of a great program, Kiva, for many months now, and love giving small loans to business owners around the world.

While KickStarter is a great crowdfunding source for photographers, it isn’t the only option.

ChipIn – If you already have a great fan base, and they love what you do and are willing to support you in your endeavors, ChipIn might be the perfect solution for you. ChipIn is a widget you can quickly build and add to your website or blog, and it will showcase how close you are to your goal. [Read more...]

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How To Change Direction With Your Business When You Absolutely Hate What You Do

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It doesn’t matter what you do; at some point you will reach your absolute limit, and have the desire to start all over again. It happens to everyone.

For some people, they let a little piece of them die, and keep plodding along doing the same thing over and over again. They don’t change out of fear. And so the fear stifles their creativity, and holds them back from what could have been.

For others, they embrace the need for change. If you take notice of your desire to change and actually do something to put the change in place, that’s where the true results can happen.

Have you ever read Dr Seuss’ Oh! The Places You’ll Go! It’s one of my favorite books. In it is a great message: [Read more...]

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What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do Next

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Have you ever been completely overloaded and overwhelmed, so much so that you don’t know what to do next?

Even today, I have that happen all the time.

I fill up my goal lists with dozens of great ideas. I start several different projects, plus have my clients’ files scattered across my desk.

I end up with so much to do, its easy to get overwhelmed, and simply walk away, doing nothing.

Yet “nothing” isn’t going to get you closer to your goal. And “nothing” won’t help you move forward towards the life you’ve dreamed about.

Early in my career I had a mentor that I spoke with often, especially when I ran into problems with moving forward. At one point she said something that was so simple, yet so profound.

“You’re over thinking it. Just take the next logical step forward, and the rest will fall into place.”

That simple statement has helped me out many, many times since. I have used it again and again whenever I have felt overwhelmed, and not sure what to do next.

Here are the three steps I take: [Read more...]

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How To Be An Exceptional Photographer

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There is only one way to be an exceptional photographer:

Find out what makes you exceptional, and use that to build your business.

The reason we have the great photographers of the world is because they have leveraged their unique talents in such a way that they “get known” for what they are great at.

If you jump in and try to be a general photographer, taking in whatever prospect calls in and offers you money, you’re not building your greatness.

If a business offers you money for a product shoot, and it’s to develop a catalog for car parts, it may be a lucrative venture. But if you love working with babies and new families, and car parts are the furthest thing away from how you picture spending your perfect day, you’re not building up your greatness.

Be Aware Of Today, Get Excited About The Future

If you’re just starting out, you may not know exactly what you want to do. And that’s okay.

When we started out, we were generalists. Then we moved into weddings. And then we added babies and families as our wedding couples started having families.

We started out as generalists because, well, that’s pretty much how everyone starts out.

But we became exceptional photographers when we narrowed down our interests, and really focused in on what we wanted to be good at, what we wanted to develop over time.

If you don’t know what your unique talent is yet, don’t get discouraged. In all reality, unique talents change, build and grow over time.

I know what worked in the past. We loved weddings, and all they had to offer. We loved capturing one of the most exciting days in a couple’s lives.  So we made it the focus of our business.

I know what works now. I love marketing and coaching, and have found a unique way of incorporating that into my life through VirtualPhotographyStudio.

And when I look at growing towards the future, I simply sit down, and ask myself a few questions. [Read more...]

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A Guide To Creating A Strong Photography Contract

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Before you accept payment for another wedding, or book another commercial photography job, make sure you have a strong photography contract in place.

When you’re working with a “friend”, or it seems like a simple job, you may approach it with a handshake and a smile. Yet that may be the time you need a contract the most. While I’m not one to say Murphy’s Law is always in place, there still will be the times when your equipment fails, a mistake happens, or you simply don’t agree on what the final results should be.

Your contract can stop all of that. A contract puts all the details in writing, so in the event something happens, you’ll both have something in place that shows you exactly what was agreed upon from the very beginning.

Keep in mind that different cities, states, and countries have different rules in place. This is designed to give you a guideline to follow when creating a contract; however, check in with an attorney to make sure you are fully covered in the event something goes wrong.

With all of this in mind, lets take a look at the critical pieces of a great contract.

1. Start with the basics

A contract is an agreement between both parties. Therefore put all point of contact information from both parties on the contract. On your side, you’ll need your name and/or business name, the business address, and contact information such as email, phone number and web address. For the client, you’ll need much of the same info: name, address, contact information, etc.

Both parties will need space to sign the contract, and if the contract is more than one page, make sure you both initial every page to verify all of the contents. [Read more...]

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Are You Taking Care Of Your Number One Client?

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Who is your number one client?

Is it the person that has purchased your biggest package this year?

Is it the person that has spent the most with you overall throughout your business life?

Or is it the person that has referred the most clients to you over the years?

While you can argue that they all have the potential of being your number one client, one thing is for sure. You probably treat each of them extra special, spend a little more time with them, spend a little more time on their production work, and maybe even send a gift or two along the way.

Dig Deeper: How To Be Unique

Now let me ask you another question.

What if you spent the same amount of time, care and dedication on your own business, and treated it like it was by far your number one client? What would happen?

Something interesting happens when you start looking at your own business through different eyes. Yes, it’s important to spend time on clients, especially the great ones, and dedicate your energy towards them. But if your energy is gone at the end of the day, and you consistently think, “I’ll create my plan, my goals, or review my direction tomorrow” because you’re too tired, when will it truly happen? [Read more...]

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8 Ways To Make Your Photography Business Stronger When You Run It With A Partner

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Are you running your photography business as a partnership? Whether you run it with your sister, father, spouse, or a best friend, nothing can be harder on a relationship than running a business together IF you don’t put in ground rules from the beginning.

Start With A Common Vision

When you run a successful business, you work every day with a goal in mind. As a partnership, you have to have a common goal you are striving for. Take the time to sit down and map out your vision, and what you hope to accomplish over the coming months and years. Look for things that energize the both of you, and will keep you working together instead of apart.

Make Sure Each Partner’s Needs Are Addressed

When two people start a business together, they each have different ideas and aspirations. While your vision is a long-term big goal, make sure you focus on the steps you’ll take to get there too. This is where each partner can do things he or she is best at, and can help the business grow towards a common goal.

When Andrew and I started building our business together, Andrew loved the photography side, and was happiest out in the park or at a wedding shooting. I loved the marketing, and seeing how much publicity we could get in our local community. I enjoyed being the assistant at weddings on weekends, but during the week, you could always find me designing a new marketing piece, or networking with a potential referral source. We knew where each of our expertise’s lie, and were happy to push each other into our proper directions.

Utilize Each Partner’s Strengths

When you first start out in business, you start out with one overlying love – and that’s the photography side of things. You usually go into this business because you love creating images. But along the way you can find other things you are passionate about. Maybe you love the marketing side of things, and designing new brochures for your business. Maybe it’s speaking, and you love nurturing new photographers along the way. Or maybe its one field in photography – babies for instance. Maybe you build a charity that helps newborns, and use your photography to create something new within your community. Whatever you love, whatever you become passionate about, use that to help define your vision along the way. [Read more...]

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Can You Make A Decision?

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You’ve been presented with an idea. You’ve come to a fork in the road, and you must make a decision. Can you do it?

What if both roads seem to hold promise? How do you make a decision?

People handle decisions in different ways. That’s why some people end up in a life with little change because they are scared to make decisions that will have a major impact, and others make decisions daily that change their world.

I’ve been reading quite a bit about decision making, and how to change your processing to allow you to make effortless decisions. What follows is a brief guide to help you make effortless decisions.

Lose Your Perfectionism

One of the major things that holds us back is our desire to be perfect, never make a mistake, and show the world that we are best at everything. So instead of trying, we become paralyzed, and don’t try at all. Start by telling yourself there is no such thing as the perfect choice. Every choice has potential; it’s up to you to take it to fruition. [Read more...]

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