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Why There Are So Many Photography Experts

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I hear 20 year professional photographers say it all the time.

“A few years ago, I was one of just a few photographers advertising in this magazine. Now the pages of photographers goes on for 30 pages. There’s no way I can compete with this many photographers out there. So I’m lowering my prices and doing what I can to survive.”

Being an expert at photography is a lot like being an expert at social media.

Over the last two years, everyone has been jumping on the social media bandwagon. They sign up for a Twitter account, sign up for a Facebook account, read a little, build up their accounts to a 3 figure friend level. And then they start thinking.

“Hmmm, I’m not making any money at (whatever it is they do); maybe I should see if I could make a hundred bucks or so selling a Facebook page setup to business people.”

I can go to any networking group in town and find someone who fits that description. In fact I just received an email from a lady who has been selling an MLM product for the last couple of years – she is now a social media expert and will design your Facebook page for you.

So the question really is “what does ‘expert’ mean?”

Because you can buy the camera, the lenses, the “professional” looking bag, and have a pile of gadgets. You can read several books about photography and get a pretty good idea of how to take a decent picture. You can be the shutterbug in your family, fire off a bunch of shots, and probably end up with one or two that are pretty good.

But having the stuff doesn’t make you the expert.

You have to walk the walk.

Being able to design a Facebook page that ends up with a few hundred friends is easy. Its having the nohow to design a great page that brings in the right people, that converts as many people as possible to paying clients that matters most.

Instead of firing off a hundred shots, hoping you’ll get one or two great ones, an expert has the ability to fire off a few shots, knowing they have a few great ones. Every time.

Dig Deeper: 5 Reasons Not To Quit Facebook

And knowing you can rely on that photographer to give you expert results in every condition, no matter what the time of day, or what’s happening around you – that’s what changes a person from someone who loves it, to someone who is an expert at it. They don’t think; they do.

So how do you sell expertise? First, you have to be a true expert. Then question your potential clients. Make them curious about the so called expertise in the “cheap” photographers. Make them question whether they want to rely on someone who needs a few hundred shots to get a few good ones. Or whether they want to hire someone who gets great shots every time, no matter what the conditions.

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How To Look At Your Money Life

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A couple of years ago, we began looking at our life a little differently.

The economy was heading downward, with little end in sight. Businesses were changing, with many of them going out of business, or simply putting little value on the traditional “employee” model.

And we started looking at where our money was going, and what we wanted to do with it in the coming years.

Yep, we had a great life. Large house, great school system, lots of things to do in the area, and the occasional vacation. But when we really started analyzing our life, we discovered we weren’t quite where we wanted to be.

What Does The Future Look Like?

I often mention here on this blog that you should plan goals, think about where you want to be in the future, and then take the necessary steps to achieve it.

When we did that for ourselves, we discovered that even though we had the American Dream, our vision of the American Dream had slightly changed.

Sure, we had a great house. But did we really need that much space?

And we went on the occasional vacation, but were two weeks here and there really enough?

The answer was no on both accounts.

So we started looking at what it truly means to own a home.

Part of the American Dream was to own a home, have it go up and value, and use that appreciation to finance different phases of your life. But is that even possible anymore? In the short term, we found ourselves saying no.

Owning a home today means paying a mortgage, knowing full well the value might just come down. We’ve owned for almost 10 years, and as we are leaving, we’re walking away with a small profit. That profit has dropped considerably over the past 4, yet we’re happy to walk away with some.

Is owning a home truly where its at? Or are there other opportunities?

We started digging a bit deeper.

Where Is The Money Going Today?

Have you ever sat down and calculated where your money goes each month. And then really sat and thought about it? While we “write the checks” and knew exactly what we were paying, we never really thought about it.

Then we started putting it down on paper. [Read more...]

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What It Takes To Maintain Success

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When you’ve been in business for yourself for as long as I have, occasionally someone will come up with the question, “What’s the secret to your success?”

In truth, I have to say its actually pretty simple. There are no secrets. I’ve never had luck standing on my door, or a secret guide that’s shown me the magic path. But what I do is consistent with every business I’ve started, and works again and again because it’s systematic.

I Read

Every morning I get up and read through my favorite blogs via my Google Reader. When a trade magazine comes in, I sit down and read it. I buy books and check them out from the library every week. Yep, I’m what you’d call an information junkie. I have my favorite books – How To Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie, The Success Principles by Jack Canfield and the Little Red Book of Selling by Jeffrey Gitomer, which I read over and over again. I also watch the top 100 lists to choose new titles from. Every time I read, I gain a new idea. It doesn’t matter if the book was just published, or is 50 years old and I’ve read it 10 times. Because I’m always at a different place in my life, and I always have new issues to deal with, I always learn something new. I’ve also found the older I get, the more I read, the better my business gets. Any correlation?

I Write

Yes, I do write for my blog every day. But “I Write” in this context focuses on what I learn from my reading. You see the only way to remember what you read, and retain the very best ideas you come up with is to write them down. It doesn’t matter if you use them now, or save them for a later timeframe. If you have an idea that could impact your business or change your life, you have to write it down. Than quantify it. How can you put it into place? How can it help you build for a better tomorrow? The more action you take on it, the more you’ll reap the rewards.

I Collect Ideas

Whenever an idea comes to mind, I write it down. The trouble with ideas is they can “pop” into your mind at any time, day or night, so it’s important to be prepared. I keep a notebook and pen on my nightstand for the 2 am ideas that wake me up. I know if I don’t get them down, I’ll be up all night trying to remember them. I also have a small notebook in my purse. If you’ve ever been out running errands and had nothing to write on, you know the dilemma. Instead of finding a napkin or an old receipt, I have my small notebook at hand, ready for all my ideas. And of course now, I also use my iPad – Evernote is a great resource that allows you to collect just about everything, from sites, to content, to photos.
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Cost vs. Value: Would You Spend $25,000 To Grow Your Photography Business?

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Around the world, most people think with their pocketbooks instead of realizing the impact something could have on their futures.

They focus in on the cost of everything that is presented to them, instead of on the value the item presents to their lives.

For instance, if I said you have the opportunity to spend one week with the top minds of the world, learning all you can about business and improving your life, but it came with a price tag of $25,000 for the week, what would you focus on?

The chance to spend one on one time with brilliant minds that have grown major corporations?

Or the fact that there is no way you could ever afford $25,000?

Would you concentrate on the value you would receive from spending time with people that have succeeded at everything you’ve ever dreamed of?

Or would you concentrate on the cost of the program?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

I have spent thousands of dollars to attend seminars in the past, and when I talk about them with family and friends, the response is predictable:

“What, are you crazy? How could you spend THAT much?”

Because they are so focused on the costs, they miss one crucial point.

You can’t learn million dollar strategies from someone who has never made one million dollars. You can’t learn successful business strategies from someone who has never built a successful business. And you can’t learn successful lifestyle strategies from someone who doesn’t have the lifestyle you are trying to emulate.

So when I see someone holding a multi-thousand dollar event, I look at it and say, “Hmm … I wonder what they know that I don’t?” I look at the people in attendance, their reputations, their resumes, and what they have to offer to the group.

While the big price tag of $25,000 probably got your attention, the same holds true no matter what the price tag. People have different thresholds, and while some declare $25,000 to be outrageous, for others it might be $500, or even $50.

One person may say, “OMG, you paid $1,000 for that? Really? I’ll give you “advice” for half of that, give me $500 and I’ll tell you everything I know, wink wink.”

But a smart person knows better. “If this training teaches me one important tip that will help me generate $1,000 into my business next month, I could keep earning that $1,000 for the life of my business.”

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The Key To Photography: Connection

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Have you ever watched Ted? They have the most amazing speakers. I head over there all the time and watch one (or two or three) to be inspired and learn something new.

Yesterday I was in my Ted watching mode, and I found this wonderful talk by Brene Brown called The Power of Vulnerability.

As a human researcher, she spent years out in the field studying humans, and why we’re so afraid of one of the most key characteristics we face – vulnerability. It’s worth watching:

In it she talks about a variety of things, and it brought several aha moments to light, including one on connection.

Ultimately we as people want to feel connection with those in our own community. Connection is why we’re here – its what gives purpose and meaning to our lives. We want to fit in. We want to belong.

On the opposite side of connection is disconnect. If you are vulnerable, you end up with shame, or the feeling of being disconnected. And that’s something we all avoid like the plague.

We never want to “not fit in”. So we do whatever we need to do to make those around us happy. Even if it means putting our own feelings and beliefs in jeopardy.

As an artist, as a photographer, this can be hard to take.

  • If you’ve ever created an image that you love and your client hates, you understand vulnerability.
  • If you’ve ever created the perfect package, only to find none of your clients are willing to buy it, you know vulnerability.
  • If you’ve ever put together a wedding album that you simply love and you feel tells the complete story of the wedding, only to have your client rip it apart, you know vulnerability.
  • If you’ve ever put the business on hold because everyone around you tells you how risky it is to start your own business, you know vulnerability.
  • If you’ve ever struggled with vulnerability, and tried to numb it so you would be more liked, more accepted, find a way to push back.

Do one thing today that shows your courage. Do one thing that helps you take that crucial step to believing in yourself, and connecting with people that truly love what you do.

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Are You In A Dying Industry?

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Have you ever watched the Amazing Race? The concept is simple. Take 12 teams of two, and have them race around the world as they accomplish different tasks along the way. Then at the end of each leg of the race, you eliminate the team that comes in last place. The winner wins a prize of $1 million, and the honor or being first in the Amazing Race.

As the teams race, they end up in some pretty incredible places. And they also have to do tasks that directly relate to the area they are in to experience the lifestyle and the culture of the people around them. This season they had to do a search and rescue at the top of the mountain, looking for a “dummy” under piles of snow. And they enjoyed heading under water looking for buried treasure amongst a sea full of mermaids.

If you watch the show, it’s easy to be captivated by the race, and end up with a desire to travel beyond the typical tourist attractions. So of course there are many people that would love to experience their own “amazing race”.

Enter Nextpedition.

Nextpedition is a custom made mystery trip based on your travel sign. You uncover your travel sign by taking an online quiz, which walks you through a series of questions to determine what your preferences are. Do you like visiting museums? Or hiking in a rain forest?

Once you’ve determined your interests, you can select your level of enjoyment – three four or five start accommodations. You can also choose where you want to travel – US or Europe. Then they put together a mystery package, and you’re soon on your way.

Over the last few years, the travel industry has taken a huge hit. Most travel agencies no longer exist, thanks to the tools of the online world. Who needs a traditional travel agent when you can search and get exactly what you are looking for online?

But if you tweak the old concept, and come up with a new twist, you can create an amazing new opportunity. American Express through so, and created Nextpedition.

Why did it work so well? It’s all about the experience. Head over and watch some of the videos. They all talk about the experience, and how they could have never have achieved the same results themselves by walking around the city. What made their trips special was having insider tips, guides and opportunities as they traveled from place to place.

Okay, how does this apply to photography?

One of the top debates in the photography realm is whether you can still make a great living at photography, or if it’s a dying industry.

Photography in its old format is dead. You can’t revive the way photography used to be – digital and the Internet changed that forever. People now like to experience things for themselves. They have their iPhone on them all the time, and can post photos and videos from every location in the world instantly on to Facebook, Flickr and YouTube.

But you can change the experience. If the travel industry can, so can the photography industry. You’re not just a photographer; you’re a visual storyteller.

What sites have you found that have revived a dying industry? What photographers do you know who are changing things up, and making it big in the new economy?

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10 Signs You Are On The Road To Success

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How do you know if your business is on the right track, and is heading towards success?

1. You have a profit at the end of the year

The first and easiest sign of a successful business is taking in more revenue then you’ve spent on expenses. If your business shows any profit, you know you’ve achieved the first skill required for growing a successful business.

2. You receive referrals from a past client

When someone sends a referral to you, you know your products, services and customer service have reached a level of appreciation by your clients. They think enough of you to put their trust in sending family and friends your way.

3. You receive referrals from vendors

The majority of our new wedding clients didn’t come from brides and grooms, they came from wedding planners and reception sites. While a bride has a certain level of expectation, multiple that tenfold within the industry. When you get this first vendor referral, nurture the relationships like it is gold – they can be great referral partners for life. [Read more...]

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How To Attract Affluent Customers And Make Your Photography Fit Their Lifestyle

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Are you a portrait photographer? Wedding photographer? Commercial photographer?

Who are you targeting, the people that are barely squeaking by, trying to pay the mortgage, or trying to cover the next payroll?

Times are tough right now, but not for everyone. 22 percent of American households have more than 55 percent of all earned income. This means that one out of every five households controls more than half of America’s wealth.

And while it’s easy to get sucked into the notion that people aren’t spending, the truth is these one in five are spending – and they are spending a lot! They are just being more cautious about what they buy, making sure they get the best deal possible for their money.

If the sheer numbers of people spending money hasn’t convinced you on why this target market is so important right now, here are 5 more reasons to push you to start marketing your products to this audience.

1. It takes less energy and less sales to meet your goals.

If your goal is to make $100,000 this year, you can do so in a variety of ways. You can sell 100,000 people something for $1, or you can sell 1 person something for $100,000, or somewhere in between.

That sounds basic, yet so many people don’t look at sales this way. They choose price then try to retrofit customers into their packages. Isn’t it easier to get 10 customers to spend $10,000, and target people that can truly afford this, then to hope you can find 100 brides at $1,000?

2. The affluent aren’t affected by the ups and downs.

When people reach a certain level of affluence, they rely less on one income source, and more on multiple sources. If one drops off or goes away, they have others that keep them stable while they replace it with something else. While they still may be cautious about spending, they know they can always afford what they truly want and love. [Read more...]

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How To Make Your Small Photography Business Seem Bigger

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When our business started growing by leaps and bounds, we made a conscious decision to stay small – Andrew, myself, an office manager, and two part time assistants – yet look like we were a very large photography studio that could take on clients anywhere in the world.

Guess what? It worked.

It doesn’t matter if your business is in a large office building, or run out of the basement in your home, there are certain things you can do to give it the large business appearance. Along with the comfy feeling of being a small time studio.

Brand Yourself For Mass Appeal

Your brand is your window into the world. Just because your current client lives 10 miles from your studio doesn’t mean she won’t be mailing photographs and sharing your information with a friend that lives 1,000 miles away. Especially in today’s world, there are no boundaries when it comes to promotion. We’ve had clients in Germany plan a long distance wedding and choose us as their photographer by viewing our online portfolios and making decisions through email – that’s a long way from Colorado.

Start out by looking at the name of your photography business and your tagline. What do they really say about you as a photographer? Does it say we stay local, or does it say we are willing to travel anywhere? When we were in the process of doubling our business, we changed our logo by deleting “Denver” from our tagline, and adding “Worldwide” instead. From that point on our business grew exponentially. Not only did we have a different attitude, our clients did as well. We received many phone calls asking if we had offices in different regions of the world – and they were always surprised to learn how small our employee base really was. [Read more...]

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Why You Should Strive To Be Unrecognizable In Five Years

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Take a few moments, sit back, and think back over your life. What have you done? Who have you been?

Hopefully you see some drastic differences along your path. (Okay, if you’re 15, it may be a bit harder to recognize yet.)

When I look back over my journey, I see many things.

  • High school
  • College
  • Masters program
  • Job in a retail store
  • Job in a bank
  • Job with the government
  • First business
  • Second business
  • Third business
  • Writer
  • Author
  • Speaker
  • Consultant
  • Traveler
  • Daughter
  • Sister
  • Wife
  • Mother
  • Friend

The list could go on and on. Mainly because I’ve made big changes to my life, and never was comfortable with staying in one place. I’ve always been a student of change, and when things get a bit too comfortable, I throw in the towel and try something new.

Today I read an amazing article by Julien Smith – I’ve actually read it three times so far. I highly suggest you take a minute or two and read it too. He touches on so many things, and brought up so many ideas, I could go on for a long time. [Read more...]

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