Saturday, July 24, 2010

Top 5 Business Mistakes Every New Photographer Makes

June 15, 2010 by Virtual Photography  
Filed under Blog, Start A Photo Business

Business Mistakes Every New Photographer Makes

Thinking of opening up a photography studio? Or maybe you have a studio, yet it isn’t bringing in much business. What can you do about it? What should you do to move forward, and what can you avoid?

Here are the top 5 business mistakes that I see every new photographer make.

1. Staying in the scared zone too long.
You want a client or two to build up your portfolio. You want some experience before you raise your prices. You test the waters of a business before you actually tell people you have a business. In other words, you leave it as a hobby for a long time because you’re too scared of what will happen if you make it a true business.

Starting a business can be scary. What if it grows too fast? What if it doesn’t? But living in the scared zone for too long simply cuts off your momentum. If you’re going to do it, just do it. The rest will fall into place.

2. Ignore the marketing.
You may need a business card to hand out, so you print up a free set on your computer. Outside of that you let everything else slide. You may think you don’t need fancy postcards or brochures, or a great website to build up your portfolio – that will come down the road. But if you don’t start out at the beginning with a great professional look to your business, when will it come?

Think marketing first. How do you want to look to your customers? How do you want them to perceive your business? And more importantly, how would you like them to refer you? There’s a huge difference between someone saying, “I found a really cheap photographer that’s just starting out and she’ll give you a deal” and “I found a very professional studio that takes amazing portraits – I would highly recommend her, check out her site.”

3. Buy for the future.
If you are a professional, you have to have what the professionals use. Don’t skimp and buy a Canon Rebel instead of a Canon EOS. Don’t by a consumer grade package of lenses. Don’t choose Elements instead of Photoshop or Lightroom to save money. Save and invest in the best equipment upfront – it will last you a lot longer over time. And allow you to do a ton more.

4. Work on the business.
Photography is fun – that’s why you’ve decided to go into business. But opening up a studio isn’t all photography – its business too. You have to wear every hat, especially if you are a solo business owner. You’ll have to invoice your clients, and pay the bills. You’ll have to do the production, and do the filing. You’ll have to handle all the sales meetings. And then you’ll also get to do the fun stuff – photographing.

If you aren’t sure how to build a business, find someone who can. Hire a coach. Buy a coaching program. Visit your local SBA office. And start reading books and magazines on the business side as well.

5. Jump quickly.
What if you had five new clients come into your studio this week? What if you had 10? How about 25?

What’s the worst that could happen? You may get completely overwhelmed at first, but I’m willing to bet you would come up with a system pretty quickly. Instead of sitting around Photoshopping one client’s files for 10 hours, you would probably find a way to get it done in 1. Or hire it out.

In other words, it would make you very efficient very quickly. Because you would have no choice.

So don’t worry about what may happen, or how something might affect you. Just do it. You’ll be amazed at the results.

Moving From Hobby To Business With Your Photography

April 15, 2010 by Virtual Photography  
Filed under Blog, Start A Photo Business

The statistics overwhelmingly show that people love their cameras.

  • 77% of U.S. households own at least one digital camera.
  • Almost 120 million cameras were sold in 2009, with digital SLRs having a 30% growth in sales.
  • The average consumer takes 72 digital photographs at each event they attend.
  • They share 55% of all photos taken by email.
  • And 40% post their images online at sites like Facebook and Snapfish.

So why not take something you love anyway and turn it into a business? Maybe not a full time business, but something you can make money at here and there.

Increasingly, that’s what the photography industry is facing.

As a business coach to photographers for over 8 years now, I’m seeing more and more people making the jump. Though this site is filled with information and ideas on building the business, here are the 7 things you need to do right now to put this into action.

1. What are your goals? Do you want to photograph a few family and friends on the side, and make enough for a nice night on the town once in awhile? Or do you have hopes of turning this into a full time, successful career? Knowing this up front will dictate how you approach your business.

how to turn a hobby to a photography business

2. Choose the right name for your photography business. Once you know your goals, come up with a name that helps you meet your goals. The larger you want to become, the more time you should put into naming your photography business. A small business may only register it with the state or your local area. But a studio with larger goals should secure the domain name, and register a trademark to block others from using it too.

3. Look at it like a business. Find mentors in your specialty or niche. Want to go into weddings? Find a few where you love their work; follow them online, attend their classes, and meet them at tradeshows. Use them as your guidance to grow.
Read more

Naming Your Photography Business – An Advanced Guide

January 29, 2010 by Virtual Photography  
Filed under Blog, Start A Photo Business

One of the most popular questions that finds its way into my email box and throughout my various social sites is: What’s a good name for my photography business?

I’ve touched on a lot of issues in two of my posts:

What Should I Name My Photography Business?

Choosing The Right Name For Your Photography Business

But there are several other things you should think about when you’re deciding on a name, and a few resources you should keep in mind.

Will you be trademarking your name?
Twenty years ago, your photography business would only be in competition with other photographers in your local area. Not true anymore. Now you’re in competition with photographers from all over the world. If you travel regularly as a wedding photographer (as we did starting in the mid 1990’s) your branding extends well beyond local lines. Trademarking your name gives you added protection of having someone come in and choosing something similar, and trying to ride on your coattails. It’s also important as you expand into multiple areas: books, gift products, artwork, etc. What do I name my photography business

You can trademark your name and any branding material, such as a logo. While there are many companies and law offices out there that will help you with the trademarking process, two of my favorite sites are Nolo and the USPTO. Nolo is a legal site filled with all kinds of help for small businesses. You can order books, legal forms, and even find a lawyer in your area if that’s your next step. They have a great book on Trademarking that gives you everything you need to know about the trademark process and protecting your name. The USPTO (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office) has a ton of information on trademarking. They have an online search function that allows you to put in your name ideas, and see if anyone else has trademarked it. And once you file for trademark status, you can follow it online as well.
Read more

How To Photograph Pets

According to a recent pet owner survey, over 62 percent of U.S. households own a pet – equating to 71.4 million homes. And for a great majority of these households, they look at their pet as a part of the family. Which means it’s an ideal source for your photography business.

If you’ve ever photographed small children, you know how difficult it can be working with something that has a mind of its own. In that manner, pets are a similar subject matter. It can be a challenge to keep them still, make them “pose”, and get them into a great position. But the results can be monetarily rewarding. Here are 7 tips to get you started.

1. Develop a trust. Determine where you’ll be photographing: the client’s home, your studio, the park? Meet your client there and plan on spending the first five to ten minutes playing and warming up to the pet. (Okay, you may not have to do this if it’s fish, but definitely with a dog or cat.) Talk with the owner about ways to shorten this process, like introducing a favorite toy or treat. If they trust you, they’ll work with you easier.

how to photograph pets 2

image source

2. Choose your background. Keep your background as clean and uncluttered as possible. If you’re meeting at the park, watch what angle you’re photographing from. Are there cars in the background? Groups of people? Switch your angle to ensure the most pleasing look. Then be prepared for taking a variety of photographs to ensure you get the best angle and poses.
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The Missing Ingredient To Your Photography Dreams

October 26, 2009 by Virtual Photography  
Filed under Blog, Start A Photo Business

Last night we had dinner with some very dear friends. We met them over 15 years ago at a bridal expo, and have been friends ever since.

They’ve been in the photography industry for over 30 years now, and I have to say they are in love with it as much now as they were when we met them. They’ve changed direction along the way, and are doing things completely different even from a few short years ago. But sitting with them is a motivating experience. They love what they do. They never run out of ideas. And they always reach their goals because of their passion.

So last night I started thinking about what separates photographers like them from other photographers. And I came up with five characteristics – or ingredients you have to have to find success in this business. 

The Missing Ingredient To Your Photography Dreams

1. Dreams. The first ingredient is where everyone starts. It starts with your dream of doing something different and meaningful in your life. You can’t accept what you already have. You have to dream of where you want to be. The more vivid your dreams, the easier you’ll be able to make them a reality.
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The #1 Reason My Photography Grew Into a Business

October 15, 2009 by Virtual Photography  
Filed under Blog, Start A Photo Business

Have you ever had a day that you just don’t feel like doing that much work, and thanks to owning your own business, you don’t have to?

It really is the best feeling in the world.

IMG_0923I had an early morning breakfast meeting with friends. Then I ran Andrew out to the airport as he and a friend are heading out to Blogworld for the weekend. (I chose not to go this year, as it’s our daughter’s final cross country meet tonight).

So instead of “working”, I decided to catch up on some reading, and started looking through my feeds. I came across a great post by Darren Rowse – The #1 Reason My Blogging Grew Into a Business – and decided that concept would be a great inspiration for today’s blog post.

Andrew and I started out as most photographers. We both worked corporate 9 to 5, and photographed at night and on the weekends. We made a little extra cash, but nothing that ever pulled us away from our full time positions. Until we had our own paradigm shifting moment:

My father died at the age of 54, 2 months shy of his 55th birthday when he would have retired from a job he’d had to reinterview for several years running. His goal was to do something he loved – something that made him smile going to work – instead of worrying if he had a job every day.

That day never came for him. But it really made us look at our lives and ask what the future had in store for us. Read more

Choosing The Right Name For Your Photography Business

I’ve had a ton of comments over the past few months about my article What Should I Name My Photography Business? Based on some of those comments I thought I would dive into the concept of choosing the right name for your photography business a little bit further.

naming my photo business
Choose one that’s unique
I know the word “unique” is overused, but in this case it’s true. In many cases a photographer will choose a relatively common name based on the type of photography they are going to promote, and wind up one of many with the same name. Now that we have the Internet, it’s easy to find out how unique your name is. Simply head over to Google and type in your choices – are there any other photographers using the same name?

Read more

How Many Paths To Photography Success Can I Take?

August 26, 2009 by Virtual Photography  
Filed under Blog, Start A Photo Business

Every morning I sit down at the computer with my hot tea and start reading. I go through my Twitter account and find out what people are saying. I read the ezines that have come through my email. And I read through my RSS feeds looking at the latest blog posts of around 50 or so of my favorite blogs. That sets me up for my day ofpath to photography success writing and consulting.

Today one of the ezines I read was all about finding the right path to go down. It told a story of a newbie who attended a conference, looking for advice on how to start his business and get it to the point where he could walk away from his corporate life, and make this his full time income.

The problem wasn’t in finding advice – there were 5 gurus there, all selling their own strategies and systems.

The problem didn’t lie in his efforts – he was on 17 different email lists, trying to capture tidbits of information from each of them.

The problem was in the overload. Every time he would start out following one piece of advice, another “tip” would come in and contradict the first piece of advice. So he would abandon the first path, and jump onto the second.

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From Amateur to Professional Photographer – The 7 Steps That Will Get You There

July 29, 2009 by Virtual Photography  
Filed under Blog, Start A Photo Business

It usually starts out with a love for photography. You buy more gear because you can achieve more results. You show up everywhere with a camera bag over your shoulder. And from amateur to professional photographer eventually you ask,

“Maybe I should be making money doing what I really love!”

That’s how the majority of photographers move from amateur to professional. For some, the love starts as a child, and they follow their dream through school and beyond. But that isn’t necessary. Photography can be something you start at any age, at any point in your career, and take it as far as you have the desire.

If moving from amateur to professional is your goal, here are 7 steps that will get you there.

1. Shoot like a pro. If you take 100 images, how many are great and really stand out? If you’re an amateur, probably a dozen or so. But as a professional, virtually all 100 should be quality, sellable images. Your clients are counting on you to capture everything in a professional way.

2. Practice. Feeding off number one, the only way to shoot like a pro is to practice. No, you don’t have to go to a four-year university to become a professional. But you can spend every day on assignment, doing something to improve what you do. Choose a theme, and head out for 30 minutes capturing your theme in different ways. Ideas would be: red, flowers, people, buildings, ducks, etc. Just pick a subject around you, and see how many creative images and angles you can find.

Read more

What Does The Branding For Your Photography Studio Say?

Are you living and trying to compete with a look straight out of the 80’s? Or are you cutting edge, ready to take the future by storm?

The first thing people see about your and your business isn’t always your photography. In many cases it’s your logo, or your branding.

I’ve long promoted the need for your own, unique website and blog. You can’t run a successful business in today’s marketplace without them. But in order to make those successful, you have to have a look and feel for your site. Once you’ve chosen your business name and coloring, it’s time to get started with the look of your logo.

Should it be cute? Should it be elegant? Should it be feminine or masculine? 99designs

If you want to start gaining some ideas, head over to one of my favorite sites, 99designs. With this site, you don’t have access to one graphic designer – you have access to as many online designers that choose to participate. Set up your contest and give your requirements. Then let the designers compete to design a logo you love.

Check out Catch Me If You Can logo contest, a contest created to brand a photography business.

Your logo doesn’t have to be expensive or years in the making. It just has to be fresh and new, and give an insight into your niche.

For example, a commercial photographer should use a logo with clean lines and a professional look. A children’s photographer should capture a fun, whimsical look.

Your logo is your starting point for your entire branding strategy. You’ll use it to design all of your marketing, including website and blog. Make sure you love your look before moving on to other creations.

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