• Recently Written

  • I don’t need to be online
  • Putting Together Your Photography Studio
  • 10 Things I’m Reading About Photography
  • Come To The First Episode of Six Figure Photographer
  • Digital or Film for the Professional
  • Is it the camera or the photographer?
  • What Did You Do For The 4th of July?
  • The Case of the Freebies
  • A New Way To Welcome Baby
  • What’s Your Biggest Business Problem?

• Categories

  • Camera Equipment
  • Digital Photography
    • Digital Photography Websites
  • Ezine Resources
  • Get Inspired Photography
  • Just For Fun
  • Photography Business
    • Six Figure Photographer
    • Start A Photo Business
  • Photography Marketing
    • online marketing
  • Photography Training
  • Photography Website
  • Photography Website Marketing
  • Photoshop
    • Online Photoshop Alternatives
  • Portrait Photography
  • Questions & Resources
  • Uncategorized
  • Videos
    • Photography
  • Wedding Photography

• Archives

  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • December 2006
  • November 2006

• Admin

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Wordpress
  • XHTML

• Search

“Do I photograph people out of my home?”

“Do I rent out a commercial location?”

“Is it possible to work entirely on location?”

Opening up a studio is a very personal choice. If you’re like us, we wanted to keep our clients and our home life completely separate. I work out of my home now and love it. But I just didn’t want clients coming in and out of my home at any time of the day.

So for us, it was an automatic choice to open up a studio.

But what’s the best solution? Is there a right or wrong answer?

The only right answer is one that’s right for you. Start by reading and taking my studio choice quiz. Then start assessing your wants and needs.

When we did open up a studio, we also knew we didn’t want to be at the studio regular hours. And if you are in a strip center or mall, you have to be open when the customers are shopping in the area.

So we decided to open up a studio in an office building. May seem a little unusual. But we really enjoyed it because know one knew we were there unless we told them we were there. We could go in when we wanted, had access to meet people on weekends, and could close when we were traveling or simply out enjoying the day. And we didn’t have to pay grounds fees - we were in an office building. Plus we also photographed most of our work on location - so why dedicate rooms to backdrops and props?

No matter where you decide to run your studio, I would recommend a few things:

• Keep your front entry way neat, clean, and with a Wow factor. When you walk in, you should entice your clients to say Wow. I’ve walked into more than one studio where the owner apologized as we stepped over stacks of paperwork and boxes of photos just to make it into the meeting room.
• Create a separate sales room where you can display everything you have the desire to sell. You can’t sell what you can’t show. If you want to sell 30×40’s have them on the wall. If you want to sell multi-volume albums each with 72 pages in it, have them on display. You can only sell what a customer can see.
• Keep your production rooms away from clients eyes. They don’t need to see your stacks of photographs, piles of paperwork, and boxes of unfinished business. They should only see the best of what you do.
• Never have to apologize for where you’re at or what you do. Have total confidence in where you’re at and how you approach your photography. You are the expert - show only that side to your clients

And I guarantee you’ll see a boost in your business!

After months of talking about it, playing with podcasts and different Internet radio sites, and talking with “jillions” of people, I’ve finally scheduled my first episode of Six Figure Photographer.

We’ll be chatting about how to build up your photography studio and tips to turn it into a Six Figure success. Plan on joining us now - or listen in to the recording if you can’t make it to the show. And if you have any questions ahead of time, please email me. If I don’t get to all of your questions on the first episode, stay tuned to Episode 2!

See you on the show…

How many true fans do you need to have a successful photography studio?

A true fan is someone that doesn’t just buy from you - they love you. They follow you all the time. They buy whatever you are selling. They are lifetime clients.

But what does it take to get enough lifetime clients to have a successful studio? Kevin Kelly says it best in his post on 1000 True Fans.

In his post he specifically talks about an artist needs to grow his list to 1000 true fans in order to become successful. In theory, if you can sell $100 to 1000 true fans every year, you’ll easily become a six figure business.

Sounds easy, yes?

But the problem lies in business and marketing skills. Frankly, some people just aren’t cut out for finding and keeping true fans. Kelly says:

A more important caution: Not every artist is cut out, or willing, to be a nurturer of fans. Many musicians just want to play music, or photographers just want to shoot, or painters paint, and they temperamentally don’t want to deal with fans, especially True Fans. For these creatives, they need a mediator, a manager, a handler, an agent, a galleryist — someone to manage their fans.  Nonetheless, they can still aim for the same middle destination of 1,000 True Fans. They are just working in a duet.

For those that prefer to “do” their art, not their business, it’s time to hire someone that can help you find your True Fans.

[I recently posted an article entitled, >10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do. As I was writing this article, I realized my 10 could be expanded and have even more detail. So this is the start of 10 Reasons Why Photographers Can Command Such High Fees.]

1. In any profession, it always comes down to trust. Do you trust who you’re hiring to do the best job possible?

Professional photographers have the knowledge and the skill to make you look the best you can be. That’s their job. That’s their passion. That’s what they’ve chosen to do for a living. That’s what set them apart from amateurs.

I can buy a hammer for a few dollars at the hardware store. Yet I spent hundreds of dollars for a handyman to repair my deck. I can buy a needle and thread for a few dollars at the fabric store. Yet I spent over $100 on alterations at a local tailor. It’s not about the tools; it’s about the outcome.

If you just want a snapshot, go to a friend with a camera. But if you have the desire for an experience like know ot her, hire a photographer. The results will show the difference.

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

So you’re ready to start a photo business. Does that mean you have to open up your home to your clients every day?

When we first started our studio, I had only one requirement – not to open up a home studio. Very few houses are set up in a way meant for client traffic.

They have to shuffle through your living room and kitchen to get to your back office.

They have to walk through your main living areas to get to your basement stairway.

You simply use your entire entry level as a studio, limiting your actual living space all together.

So what do you do instead? Can you have a successful studio without brining people into your home, or opening up a commercial location that will cost a significant amount of money each month?

Yes.

It’s called running a virtual studio. A virtual studio is one that is run with technology; one you can take with you wherever you go. You run it with a website, a blog, email, and a voice message that directs them to your online portfolio.

If you need to meet people, you do as much as you can from the phone or from a coffee shop. You choose locations for portrait sessions that are convenient for you, and offer a world of possibilities.

And if you are looking for corporate, events or wedding work, destination is the only way to go. Where else can you get paid to travel anywhere in the world?

It is possible – you just have to create a business that sells the benefits of not having a central shooting and meeting location.

[I recently posted an article entitled, 10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do. As I was writing this article, I realized my 10 could be expanded and have even more detail. So this is the start of 10 Reasons Why Photographers Can Command Such High Fees.]

2. If you go to a chain studio, you’ll get the most popular sellers. They won’t offer it unless they can sell it to the majority of their clients.

Professional photographers watch for the newest, most innovative, creative products available. They stay up to date on industry news, and find things that perfectly match their clients taste. They realize each client is a little different, and try to pinpoint unique products for each individual. They don’t try and fit you into something you don’t like - they find out what you want and search the world over for the perfect things. They are the professionals.

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

[I recently posted an article entitled, 10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do. As I was writing this article, I realized my 10 could be expanded and have even more detail. So this is the start of 10 Reasons Why Photographers Can Command Such High Fees.]

3. Ever try to get great customer service at a chain studio? They only make money in quantity - the more people in and out, the more they make. So their goal is to rush you in and out as fast as possible.

A professional photographer isn’t just an order taker, she provides total customer service.

Professionals photograph dozens or even hundreds of clients a year. They understand what looks good, how to put together albums, and how to group multiple photographs together. Their goal is to provide you with what you need and what’s best for you - not just have you sign on the dotted line.

Are you promoting these facts to your clients? Do they know you only book one client at any given time? They can make special requests, and get your opinions because you know what’s best?

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

[I recently posted an article entitled, 10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do. As I was writing this article, I realized my 10 could be expanded and have even more detail. So this is the start of 10 Reasons Why Photographers Can Command Such High Fees.]

4. Have you ever visited a discount store’s photo studio, and asked if they’ll do something special, just for you? My bet is you’ll either get a blank stare or a lot of laughter.

The chains make their money because they  have systems in place. Come in, stand in line, stand on the X, smile, move to sales room, buy packages, walk through store in hopes you’ll purchase more items.

Professional photographers will do it all. Want to get married at the top of a 14,000 foot high mountain, where the only way up is a 30 minute ski-lift ride? A professional photographer will be there. Want a portrait running through the waves on a Southern California beach? A professional photographer will be there.

Even if you’re staying in studio, and will be using backgrounds, its a completely different experience. Your time is your time. You can bring in your own props, ask for changes, and work exclusively with the photographer to get the exact results you’re looking for.

As a photographer, are you promoting this feature?

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

[I recently posted an article entitled, 10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do. As I was writing this article, I realized my 10 could be expanded and have even more detail. So this is the start of 10 Reasons Why Photographers Can Command Such High Fees.]

5. When a consumer grabs a camera, snaps a picture, and runs down to big box discount store to have it printed, the only cost is associated with the simple act of printing.

A professional photographer has many more jobs, and must be all things at all times. They have to be CEOs and marketers, and bankers, and salespeople, and production workers, and janitors, and buyers, and negotiators, and networkers, and drivers, and organizers. And photographers. That’s a lot of skills for one person to master.

In order to create a successful business, a photographer has to incorporate the cost of wearing each hat at different times, and make sure their business runs profitably. They have to learn how to do each job efficiently, or hire it out to someone who can. They have to master certain skills (like marketing and sales) in order to continue to offer you top quality services. 

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

[I recently posted an article entitled, 10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do. As I was writing this article, I realized my 10 could be expanded and have even more detail. So this is the start of 10 Reasons Why Photographers Can Command Such High Fees.]

6. When a client hires a professional photographer, they desire the output - the final photograph. But what they don’t see is how long it takes to get to that final image. Have you ever been asked why you can charge so much for one image, when they can run down to their favorite discount store and get the same size for a few pennies?

Professional photographers can spend hours producing one professional photograph. Time can include:

• creating the marketing to draw a prospect in
• answering emails and phone calls from prospects
• meeting with the client to talk about the event
• setting up for the event
• drive time to and from the event
• time for the actual photographing
• running to and from the lab
• meeting with the client for previews and decisions
• processing the image
• retouching the image
• mounting the image
• framing the image
• packaging the image
• dropping off final images
• production work
• follow up work

Add it all up. One portrait session can take hours worth of work. Can you really expect someone to spend hours in production, and charge just a dollar or two for the final product?

It’s impossible to stay in business if you only make a few pennies per client. If you have clients asking about your price, create a handout showing the time and care you put into each portrait. Once your customer understands it, they’ll be more excited about your portraiture, not your prices.

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

[I recently posted an article entitled, 10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do. As I was writing this article, I realized my 10 could be expanded and have even more detail. So this is the start of 10 Reasons Why Photographers Can Command Such High Fees.]

7. Don’t you just love that feeling of creating the perfect image? You know it the minute you look through the viewfinder. You know it as you’re setting it up. Because you’re a professional, it comes naturally to you.

Photographers don’t just snap a picture, they create a photograph. They understand positioning. They understand lighting. They understand placement. They do it again and again, so it’s not a matter of hoping for a great image - they know they got it.

With a professional, you’re not just paying for the ability to place a finger on the trigger and snap a picture. You’re paying for the years of experience it took to create the perfect image. It doesn’t matter if it only takes a minute for setup and for taking the image. What matters is the experience and education it took to be able to know how to take that photograph. 

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

[I recently posted an article entitled, 10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do. As I was writing this article, I realized my 10 could be expanded and have even more detail. So this is the start of 10 Reasons Why Photographers Can Command Such High Fees.]

8. When someone starts a career, they dedicate themselves to learning all they can about their topic of choice. A mortgage broker knows all they different types of loans available, and can help direct a client into an appropriate loan. A hairdresser has full training in many types of cuts and colors, and can help you choose the right hair style for you.

A professional photographer is no different. They stay on top of all the latest industry trends, practice on a regular basis, and train under some of the biggest names in the industry.  They join groups like Professional Photographers of America or the National Press Photographers Association. They concentrate on becoming the best they can be.

You pay people based on their knowledge and their expertise. The more professional they are, the higher the fee they can command.

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

[I recently posted an article entitled, 10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do. As I was writing this article, I realized my 10 could be expanded and have even more detail. So this is the start of 10 Reasons Why Photographers Can Command Such High Fees.]

9. An amateur will take a few great images with their point and shoot, and think they should go into business. They don’t think about the thousands of other images that we’re gust “so so”. A professional can’t have thousands of “so so” images. They have to hit perfection 80 to 90  percent of the time Sure some will be better than others. But as a professional, you have to rely on the majority of the images you take to make you money.

So instead of relying on a few consumer grade cameras, a professional photographer invests in a ton of professional equipment.  They spend thousands upon thousands of dollars getting multiple camera bodies, the finest lenses, flash equipment for every situation, tripods, light stands, backdrops, props, carrying and storage cases.

And it doesn’t stop there. As a photographer, you’re always on the run. What if something happens to a camera body or lens? You have to   get backups for everything to make sure you never miss an image.

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

I recently posted an article entitled, 10 Reasons Professional Photographers Charge What They Do. As I was writing this article, I realized my 10 could be expanded and have even more detail. So this is the start of 10 Reasons Why Photographers Can Command Such High Fees.

10. If you are a professional photographer, and you’ve decided to make it your career, the only way to stay in business is to make money. You have to build your studio as a business, and make enough money to pay you for your lifestyle, and still have enough left over to run the business.

Other business owners have no trouble commanding high fees. A consultant can easily charge a company 5 and 6 figure fees because of their knowledge base. Why can’t a professional photographer?

If you’ve made the choice to be a full time photographer (even if you now are part time) you have to build up the business to be profitable. 

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

Finding your first client is easy, right? You are excited about it, and start sharing your stories with all of those around you.

So a couple of people you know come to you for portraits, and you’re on the way to a profitable business.

But then your sources dry up. You’ve already told the people you see every week about your business, and you’ve only photographed a couple of people. Where are the other dozens of clients going to come from? How will they help you grow your business?

No matter what you read or hear, businesses don’t grow instantly over night. You can’t go from zero to successful in a matter of days. It takes weeks, and sometimes years to become a true success story.

And it takes planning.

1. Start with your first customers, family and friends. Tell them what you’re doing, and let them be your samples.

2. Start a newsletter. Send to your first customers, family and friends, and add to your list all the time.

3. Fill your newsletter with everything you are doing in your business. Show them your work. Give them stories. Provide specials.

4. Keep everyone you meet in your communication loop – forever.

Repetition is the key to success. 

So you want to become a professional portrait photographer? Maybe you’ve enjoyed taking family photos over the years. Or maybe you enjoy snapping great images of your kids. For whatever reason, the idea of doing it professionally has become an important part of your life.

So you print off a few business cards. Print up a couple of brochures. And you start the hunt for customers. What’s next?

To become a professional, your first goal is to take one portrait, and make money doing so. That’s really all there is to it.

Yes, its easy to take photographs of your friends and your family. But to truly become a professional, you need paying clients.

Go to your friends and family for samples.

Then start hitting your community. Talk to the people at your daycare or school. Tell people in your local community center or church what you do.

With your samples in hand, your first client is on the way.

It seems as if everyone with a camera is setting up shop and marketing themselves as a true professional. But can everyone with a camera be a professional? Can you command professional prices just because you love taking photographs?

The answer is a definite no.

Lots of people love photographing nature, but there’s only one Ansel Adams.

Lots of people taking portraits, but there’s only one Annie Leibovitz.

So what is the difference between an amateur and a professional? How do you know when you’ve reached professional status?

1.You think like a professional. Amateurs want a photography business to give them a reason to buy more camera equipment. Amateurs want a photography business to keep them busy when they want to be busy – not on a full time basis. A professional loves capturing images, and sharing them with as many people as possible. They love to be busy doing what they love – and making a good living at it as well.

2. You think of yourself as an entrepreneur. Yes, there’s more to a photography business than photographing. There’s production. And marketing. And paper work. And emails. And promotion. And sales. An entrepreneur loves growing a business, with photography as your passion, product and service – not the other way around.

3. You make it a goal to improve. You take your camera everywhere. You’re the one at the party behind the lens of the camera. You also attend your local photography meetings; buy videos and training materials to improve both your photography and business skills; and hire coaches to make you better at building your photography studio.

4. You spend time studying other photographers work, and try and improve your own photography by following examples. An amateur loves what they do, and thinks there is no room for improvement. But a professional knows the education will never stop. There’s always room for improvement. 

5. You create your own style. Everyone starts out imitating a mentor photographer. I remember taking posing guides from some of our favorite photographers (David Ziser, Clay Blackmore, Heidi Mauracher) and imitating poses and images produced by greats like Denis Reggie. But once we moved into professional status, we created our own style. The posing comes naturally. The fun is always there. It’s always effortless, and it shows in the images.

6. You know your stuff. There’s no more thinking about each image. You automatically know when you’ve captured the perfect image. It’s all about having fun with the client, pulling together a professional image for the client to see, and knowing everything will fall into place perfectly.

7. You’d do this even without the money. Photography is something that is inside of you, no matter what. You love doing it, and find any excuse to photograph. But you also know that as a true professional, you can command a high fee. It comes with being a professional. 

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

I attended a 4 hour event on Saturday with my daughter and her Girl Scout troop. It was at the Young American’s Bank, and it was on starting up your own business.

We started by going over the profile of an entrepreneur - what it takes to be successful at running your own business. Each girl had to fill out a profile to find out if they had what it takes to run their own business. There were dozens of questions like:

• I enjoy making presentations and know how to give a professional presentation
• I like selling an idea or product to people I don’t know
• I regularly meet the goals I set for myself
• I manage my time well
• I have a high energy level
• I want to be able to determine when and where I work

They also gave us a number of chances to brainstorm ideas for businesses, how to build a brand and a logo for these businesses, and even a four page fill-in-the-blank business plan to help them get their business ideas in place.

They made it so easy that even 12-14 year old girls had no trouble putting together some pretty amazing ideas.

I also realized during these four hours that the key to everything they were talking about is planning and goal setting. In four hours, they taught exactly how to plan for success. The problem with most small business owners is they never plan for success. You have to spend the time to write down what you hope to achieve and how you will achieve it.

Make your plan today. Start with these ideas:

• Make a list of 3 to 5 services/products you could sell
• Define your potential customers
• Why do people need to buy your product?
• What price will people be willing to pay for your products/services?
• How much will it cost to produce your products/services?
• How much profit do you choose to make?
• Do you need employees?
• How will you gain customers?
• Where will you get funding to get this idea started?
• Who is your competition?
• How much time do you anticipate running your business at the beginning?

You’ll soon be on the road to success.

I hear people time and again saying they are so motivated to build up their photography business, and yet there always seems to be a let down because profits don’t keep up with that motivation level. As a start up company, you wear many hats because you have to. Lack of capital and resources hold you back, but you still manage to grow because of the deep commitment level you have, and the long hours you are willing to put in. Then as time goes by, and you continue to grow, you become the controller. The person who has a hand into everything because you are the ultimate caretaker. You started this company; you grew this company, and you’re going to control this company!

The key to focusing your energy is to invest your time at what you’re good at, and let others handle the other stuff. In simple language, that is the key of focusing your energy. As your photography business grows, you can afford to put more of your capital resources into growing your company with people. Hire employees to take over the office and administrative tasks. Hire a bookkeeper to control the data entry. Hire an accountant to control your accounting and your tax information. Hire production people to do day to day production tasks. This will give you the time to do what you need to do - and what you do best!

Jumpstart your photography to the next level

What is it that you like to do best? Chances are its what brought you to self-employment in the first place. You like to do web design. You enjoy photographing families. You love creating images that are appreciated by people throughout your community. This is where you need to focus your energy. You need to continue to think of marketing ideas that will grow the business, to give all of those you have hired more responsibilities to keep them happy! It is truly a circle of life, one that continues to feed off of the next idea. As you grow, so does your business, and your lifestyle!

There’s something to be said for being the best in your field. It can get bring in business all the time. And it will keep you profitable for years to come.

I hear from photographers all the time who are searching for a way to compete with the many other photographers in their niche. “What can I do to separate myself from the pack, and make good money doing what I love?”

Create a new “pack”! When you create a new pack, you’re the instant leader.

While that may sound good in writing, how do you go about it in real life?

Let me share an example. A few years ago, I was sitting with a group of mom’s at the private school my daughter attended. All were complaining about the quality of work from the average school photographer that took the children’s photo year after year. They all had a deep desire to have something better - a higher quality product that they would be happy to purchase and display. We found a very lucrative niche.

Become a Six Figure Photographer

We created a program that allowed us to go in and provide quality portraits of a child within their private school setting using the surrounding areas as our backdrop. We would spend 20-30 minutes with each child, and photograph him or her in unique settings all over the campus. Each child received a small keepsake photo album containing approximately 24 of the best images - this was theirs to keep as a part of the sitting. Of course they could order extras. Of course we had packages that contained a variety of photographs and sizes. And the best part was the multiple requests we had for family portraits, based off working with the children and providing quality portraits.

Keep in mind this works well with private schools, that don’t have a huge population. Doing 30-40 children can keep you busy for a couple of weeks. The families understood the difference in this type of photography, and were willing to pay a lot more than standard school portrait prices. But they also received quality, and were happy to connect with a good, reputable photographer.

So, instead of sticking with the standard niches, try and create a new twist to an old way of doing business. What are you doing now? How can you give it a twist, and find a whole new market ready and willing to spend their money with you?  - Become a Six Figure Photographer

 

Are you an amateur photographer, taking photographs every chance you have? Maybe you’ve entered your photographs into a few contests and won. Or maybe you have friends and family that love your work, and think you have potential.

Have you been thinking about a career change, and photography has sparked your interests? You love photographing, and the idea of making it into a full time career is exciting.

Maybe you’ve started your business, and its just not doing what you hoped. You’re working part time at photography, hoping to turn it into a full time career, but its just not working quite as you had planned. You’re missing a key piece that will launch you into success.

Or maybe you’ve made this your full time career, but you just can’t make it as successful as you would like it to be. You have a five-figure income, but you’re barely paying the bills. You would love to take the family on vacation, or buy that new car, but it’s just not in your future because you can’t get the business working for you.

Guess what? I understand. You’re not alone in your frustration. Read more>>

Everyone talks of the ideal lifestyle. Being able to work when you want, where you want. And being able to travel when you want, where you want.

But how many people actually live that lifestyle? Sad to say, not very many. Most people are still living with a JOB, having to work 50 weeks out of the year to be able to afford all the “toys” in life.

Saying you want the ideal lifestyle, and actually living it are two different things.  Read More>>

Well that all depends on how much business you need in your studio.

Let’s say that you want to photograph 30 weddings per year. How many leads you need to generate those 30 weddings would depend on a number of factors:

• How much you charge for your weddings?
• Do you leads know and understand your pricing before they contact you?
• How good you are at turning leads into sales?

If your leads are pre-qualified, have a lot of information on you and your services before they contact you, know and understand your pricing, and have a strong referral, you might only need 30 leads to book your 30 weddings.

But if your leads come in with little knowledge of you or your services, they call in ‘blind’ from a vague advertisement with little information, and don’t match your criteria for your ideal client; you may end up having to meet 10 to 15 prospects before turning one of them into a client.

Which would you rather have for your business: 30 prospects turning into 30 clients, or 450 prospects turning into 30 clients? Obviously, your ultimate goal should be the first option. The better you define your perfect client, and the better your marketing strategy to reach your perfect customer, the easier your business will be.

Lead generation is all about understanding your customers, and reaching out to them in a way that makes them need what you have to offer. Refine what you have until you’ve developed your “perfect” message. Not only will you become better at business, but you’ll also have more time to concentrate on other things.

I was out to dinner with a good friend last week. We met at 7 pm, sat and talked awhile, then ordered dinner and talked awhile longer. Then her phone rang and she answered it, spending over 5 minutes talking with a client.

I had a 7:30 breakfast meeting with another business owner and a client we are both mutually working for, discussing all aspects of the product. Twice during the meeting this business owner and client both answered business related phone calls as they came in.

In both of these cases, our meetings were before and after normal business hours. Yet as a business owner, they all have been sucked into the belief they must be available at all times for their clients.

Your clients do what you teach them is acceptable - read more>>

Productivity is the best asset to have on your site during a busy day at your photography studio. Increase your efficiency and free up time with new tools. Several people had referred this software to me, so I finally headed over to their site and watched the demo. Wow. I was sold. So we picked up the software last night, and I can see this is going to have a huge impact on the way that I write, and how much I get done. If you write a lot, check this out.

http://www.nuance.com/naturallyspeaking/

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

A picture is worth a thousand words, or so the saying goes.

As a photographer, I’ve used that quote thousands of times.

When you glance at a picture of a newborn infant, it can make a young mom cry, remembering that exact moment she first saw her child.

Or when you see an image of a happy couple celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary, the memories are etched on their content faces.

That’s really the power of a photograph. It can transport you back to a particular moment in time instantly, remembering exactly how you were feeling at that moment.  Read more>>

Sounds very strange to hear someone telling you not to answer the photography business telephone. But, during off business hours like evenings and on the weekends when your studio might be closed, let the messaging service capture the call. If you allow your clients a way to contact the business in the evening when you should be closed, they will see that you are available anytime. The last thing a photography studio owner should do is to always be available. Your clients will call you at 10pm at night and 5am. I found, listed on a recent web site, a photography studio had published that she was available “anytime” and always answers her phone, so call anytime. Are you crazy? She also had very inexpensive pricing for her work and gave away most of the available profit. Sure, you are busy but, at what cost. So the tip here is to “don’t answer your telephone”.

Earn money today with your photography - Photography Money Club. Providing new ideas to your photography business and information on how to start a photography business. Stay up to date with our photography newsletter which provides tips on your photography studio.