You Have 30 Seconds To Sell Me On What You Do … Go!

You jump in an elevator and hit the button for your floor. Someone jumps in along side of you. As the doors close, he asks what you do.

As the elevator quickly climbs to your floor, you know you only have a few seconds to describe your business. What would you say? What is the most important thing about what you do that would make this person say “WOW”? What would make him want to get to know more about your business and invite you into his office for coffee?

Yep, that’s the premise behind an elevator speech. Its putting together words in a magical way that will allow you to quickly and effectively say what you do AND gather attention from the party you are speaking with.

Maybe you’ve heard of the concept of the 30 second elevator pitch. But have you ever truly thought about what you say in the first 30 seconds you meet with someone? Can you quickly motivate them to want more? Or are you more of a rambler?

An elevator pitch is more important today than ever. Not only is it important to make a good first impression, people have less time and more on their minds than ever. Meaning you have a small window to make a good first impression … or lose it forever.

If you have a networking function coming up, or just want to have your elevator speech in place for your next meeting, here are a few things to consider as you are creating it.

Write down what you do

As quickly as you can, write down what you do. Now write it again, only from a different perspective. Do it again. And again. Try writing it 15 to 20 different ways, all without editing. Don’t think about it, just write it from different perspectives. The goal is to get as many ideas as you can down on paper. [Read more…]

The Worst Way To Start Your Presentations

Have you ever thought of why you are closer to some people than others? Chances are it’s the way they interact with you.

Imagine you are out on a date. You sit down at a restaurant and order drinks. Then the conversation begins.

If your date starts out listing his good qualities, what he did today, what his goals are, “blah blah blah”. You’ll quickly find a way to bring this date to a close.

What makes a great date is the interaction and the equal care and concern for you as well. If the same person started with a question instead of listing his good qualities, you’ll be more engaged and more willing to open up and find out more about his person. “How was your day?” can go a long way.

When it comes to dating and building friendships, most people understand the rules of engagement. They understand the give and take concept.

But when it comes to the business world, it quickly falls apart. [Read more…]

How To Build Your Photography Portfolio With An iPad

One of the most important marketing tools a photographer can have is their portfolio. It may consist of a variety of printed images, either in loose or album format, online through your website or other portfolio tools, and increasingly by using your iPad with a portfolio app. If you’ve been looking for the perfect app to use on your iPad, here’s a list of some of the top iPad apps I’ve found that will get the job done in a beautiful way.

Are you using an iPad for your portfolio? What do you like about it? What’s missing?

And if you have any more recommendations that I missed, Feel free to comment below.

Portfolio

$14.99
Portfolio is a highly personalized and customizable app that allows you to do just about anything with your portfolio. You can brand it for your presentations, and even lock the interface with a PIN so your client won’t see tha management interface.

Foliobook

$9.99
Foliobook allows you to create your own magazine-like home page in an easy way. Use it horizontal or vertical, change around your presentation to fit your needs.

[Read more…]

9 Ways To Present Your Photographs And The Value They Portray

How do you present your final photographs to your client? How you present them says a lot about you. Do you take the cheapest way possible to save money? Or do you spend a little extra to present something your clients can’t get anywhere else.

If you shop at Wal-Mart, you expect the cheapest plastic bag possible at the checkout. You’re there to save money, and you don’t want to spend anything more than absolutely necessary.

But if you go to Tiffany’s, how it’s presented is almost as important as what is inside the box. If you give a Tiffany’s gift, you can present it in the box and in the bag it comes from the store in, knowing the recipient will squeal with delight when they see that light blue color.

How are you presenting your images? And what value do they have in the eyes of your client?

CD

Does a CD truly portray value in your photography? Or is it the cheapest presentation possible? Even if you create a custom insert in the jewel case, and etch the CD with your logo, they don’t get to experience your images upon receipt.

While a CD may be a great addition to a large package order, it should always be presented as an afterthought. You want people to look at your photography and experience the artwork – not have to take it home and pop it into their computer.

Loose Prints

A stack of loose prints has low value to a client. They receive a stack of loose prints from the big box store. Yes, they may love the images, but by presenting them in a stack, they can shove them in a drawer, touch them with dirty fingers, and bend them by throwing them on a desk.

Cardboard Folders

Cardboard folders have been around for decades. It’s a great way to add value to an image, and give the customer a better way to temporarily display it, and hand it out to family and friends that have placed orders. It’s also a step up from a loose print, and can be used to combine a two or three images, similar to what sports photographers give when presenting a group and individual image.

[Read more…]