We're halfway through the "slow season," although for most of you it should only be slow for incoming revenue, NOT the amount of work you should be doing on ideas to make 2018 your best year ever! Over the years I've seen some incredible efforts put into promotional offers, with a few being complete flops. Almost every time, the challenge was in the complexity of the program itself. Just because the idea sounds good in your head doesn't mean you can convey the message to your target audience. It's important to keep it simple with minimal qualifiers and text to quickly explain the offer. Here are some reliable questions to ask as you plan your 2018 promotions:
I've been involved in a lot of great promotional programs over the years along with plenty of bad ones. I remember one situation where the program was too simple and too rich. It was in my Polaroid days, and we offered a free companion ticket on Delta Airlines with the purchase of a Polaroid camera. It was under $40 to purchase/invest and qualify. The market went crazy because all you needed to provide was your receipt and the UPC barcode off the box. As an example, there was a classic story about a kid getting a dozen Polaroid's for his Bar Mitzvah, all with the UPC code cut off the box! The problem with the program? From the consumer perspective it was incredible, but from the corporate side, it was a logistical nightmare. The marketing team never anticipated the overwhelming response. They didn't spend enough time before the program thinking through every aspect of the offer. That's number seven in this post and the last step in putting together a good promotion. You've got to analyze the cost and the level of work involved to implement and make a promotional offer a success. This is where your network plays a serious role. You can't plan effective promotions by yourself - you need a couple of people to be your sounding board. You need feedback and a team approach to analyzing any special offer. Even when you've done everything right, things can change, and a program can be less effective than you had hoped. Don't be discouraged. It takes time to build up the momentum for promotions in any business. "Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations." Steve Jobs NOTE: There is one last ingredient, but it goes a lot deeper than just designing an effective promotion. Everything I write about in building a stronger business is always dependent on your skill set. Never compromise on the quality of your images, providing outstanding service and building a good reputation in the community. The greatest promotion in the world won't help sell mediocrity.
Photo Credit: © ra2 studio
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Images copyright Elario Photography. All rights reserved. Welcome to EDU10, a unique podcast series for photographers, sponsored by ProfotoUSA and focused on ideas to help you raise the bar on the quality of your images. "EDU" is short for education, while "10" is all about keeping the information we want to share short and to the point. We're going to do our best to keep it to ten minutes and focus mostly on one unique topic, things you can do with lighting today that you couldn't do in the past! JP Elario joins me on this first episode. It's a kick to talk with him because I've watched him grow up in this industry. I first met him when he joined his father, Joe, in the early 90's at what was then PhotoEast Expo in NYC. JP was a teenager, hungry to learn and focused on the pursuit of his career as a wedding photographer. Here we are a whole lot of years later, and he's become one of the best photographers in the country. From that spark of passion way back when, I've watched him emerge an artist, educator, business owner, husband, passionate Dad, and always a great friend. He never compromises on the quality of an image or his relationships. In the last few years, Profoto has completely changed the landscape of lighting with their Off Camera Flash Systems. I remember the B1 first being introduced and photographers referring to it as the "Game-changer." Profoto has never slowed down and continue to expand the selection of tools artists have to capture some of the best images in the world! Click on either of JP's images to visit Elario Photography and see more of his work. Then, click the banner below and get to know the lighting gear that's fulfilling more and more photographer's mind's eye visions every day! If you follow me on Sunday mornings, you're already used to the fact I go off track and a long way from the topic of photography. Well, I've been sitting here pondering what to write about, and as I whined a little to Sheila, who's up early this morning, being my muse she suggested, "Go read something!" Years ago Sheila got me into the concept of feeding my soul by reading things that were more motivational and spiritual. We know how to feed our bodies with at least three meals every day, but, at least for me, I wasn't always feeding my soul. Well, I decided to catch up on Melody Beattie and stumbled across this passage of brilliance from two days ago: Keep you heart open, even when you can't have what you want. It's easy to keep our heart open to life's magic and all its possibilities when we have what we want. It's more of a challenge, and more necessary than ever to keep our hearts open when we can't have what we want. Even on the best journey, things happen. Plans change. Things shift and move around. This shifting and moving causes doors to close, relationships to end, blocks and frustrations to appear on our path. For now, that is what we see. For now, what we know is disappointment. We can't have what we want, and it hurts. When that happens, our tendency may be to shut down, close our hearts, forget all we've learned. Keep your heart open anyway. Consciously choose to do that. Yes, you can go away, you can leave, you can shut down, but you don't need to. Now is a turning point. If you choose to open your heart, even when you can't have what you want, miracles will unfold. All of us are chasing some dream, whether it's in business, our skill set or our relationships. There's very little that's beyond our grasp if we're patient. And while it sounds like I know what I'm talking about, I'll always be work in progress. Maybe the reason I love this industry so much is that it allows me to regularly change direction and accept that I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up! My buddy Scott Bourne once talked about photography being the great equalizer. It doesn't matter how old you are, what race or religion, your financial strength, your sexual orientation or what you look like - you're judged by the quality of your images, the emotion, impact, and memories you capture. And that brings me full circle back to Melody Beattie's first four words, keep your heart open. Going through a divorce and challenges with my family, I once hugged my Dad and thanked him for keeping an open heart about my relationship with Sheila. He merely smiled and said, "When you love somebody there is no other choice!" Wishing all of you a day filled with appreciating the journey you're on, patience, peace and the love of family and good friends. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs and let those special people in your life know they're important to you. Happy Sunday everybody! When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor.
It's to enjoy each step along the way. Wayne Dyer Aaron is shooting with two different Tamron lenses, the SP 70-200mm VC G2 and the SP 24-70mm VC. The video was also shot with Tamron lenses. Click on either of the thumbnails below for more information about these outstanding lenses. There's so much you can learn from a video like this and watching how another artist shoots. Click on either of the two screenshots I shared to view more of Aaron Anderson's work. And, take the time to wander over to Tamron's YouTube channel. There's a wealth of educational material; all focused on helping you raise the bar on the quality of your images. "Worrying is stupid. It's like walking around with an umbrella waiting for it to rain." Unknown A few years ago I started tweeting a quote of the day every morning at 7:30 am. Initially, I did it because many of the "experts" claimed people love quotes, and it was a good way to attract followers in social media. Well, here I am 1000+ quotes later, and I'm addicted to the concept, but not because it builds followers. All of us need something to get us going in the morning. Looking for a quote seems to rev up my creativity to start the day. It compares with stretching before a workout, and the more I search for a quote I like, the more the creative energy seems to ramp up and start my day. This is a very short post this morning brought to you by the activity of "worrying." I started out looking for quotes about laughter today. The quote above came up thanks to Google and it hit me hard because we all waste time worrying! Take a minute and just think about how many different things you worried about yesterday. In our house it started with the flu bug...then moved on to a couple of new projects I'm working on...then to a friend's health who I haven't talked to for awhile...and the list went on and on. I'm not saying to live life without being cautious, but spending time worrying is simply unnecessary baggage, especially when we're using up our most valuable commodity, TIME. And, at the risk of sounding like the old fart I am, as you get older time goes by faster and faster. So, let's make today the start of a personal project for all of us. Let's slow down on wasting time and energy worrying about things. Let's embrace life, business and building our skill sets with laughter, energy, and appreciation for all those people in our lives who make it special. This is the perfect time to let my childhood, now turned adult hero, Alfred E. Neuman, into this post with a comment I appreciate even more this morning: "What, me worry?" Not today! I know I shared this in a post years ago, but I don't remember when or where...and that might be part of the fun of Throwback Thursdays. Some memories are too good not to go back to more than once! I also forgot about the shot of "Two-Gun Tony Corbell," and me as a wrangler walked us into position for a photo opportunity. We were doing a Hasselblad sales meeting at the Westward Look Hotel in Tucson. I'm guessing the year is sometime early 90's. I wanted an authentic looking period shot of the old west with all of us. I'm laughing about how serious I took the group portrait. I remember being upset you could see Mike Bowen's Nikes, but never thought twice about my Porsche Carrera sunglasses! There's also a fun sidebar. This was the Hasselblad team, but the photographer who we hired captured the image with his Bronica gear. Plus, forty years later at a high school reunion, I found out I went to high school with him! He just didn't connect it at the time, which goes back to three years in high school where I was "Steve." (I got tired of all the Skippy Peanut Butter jokes, but down deep I've never been a Steve.) He just didn't know he knew Skip. Well, it's Throwback Thursday, and you need to have some fun with the opportunity to dig out and share a few old images. And, if you don't share them on your blog to remind clients how fast their kids are growing, at least find a few for your own enjoyment. Happy Throwback Thursday! Image copyright Clay Blackmore. All rights reserved. "Why?" started as a way to introduce you to some of the most talented photographers in the industry through their favorite images and backstories. Along the way we've picked up some incredible insight and ideas to help you build a stronger business and become a better artist. Thanks to all the people involved this feature just keeps growing and there are a lot more images and stories to share!
Clay Blackmore joins me on this new episode. We go back just short of thirty years ago when he was just getting started, and I had just joined Hasselblad. Through all these years, while his skills as one of the leaders in professional photography is always growing and changing, his humility, and love for the industry has never wavered. His ability to combine classic portraiture with contemporary imaging is a testimonial to his experience and ability to see the world through his client's eyes. Clay ALWAYS delivers. Click on Clay's image to visit his website. He needs to be on your radar! "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” * Winston Churchill It's winter time, and for most of you, this is the slow season for professional photography. But, just because it's the slow season for revenue, doesn't mean it has to be slow for building your reputation and business! Remember, this is also the slow season for support to a lot of charities. That makes it the perfect time to step up and get involved. There's nothing better to build your brand awareness than community involvement.
This is so easy, and it costs you nothing but time. I know "time" is one of those elements we never have enough of, but that simply means you have to use it wisely. Every non-profit association and project needs help these days, and there's so much you can bring to the party as a photographer/artist. Some of the points I've made about marketing and expanding your reach into the community have been said over and again, but so many of you still aren't making the change. Think about how you feel as a consumer yourself? You like supporting companies you perceive as giving something back to the community.
The big issue is involvement and helping people remember who you are and what makes you different from so many other companies. I remember Tony Corbell once talking about when he first got started: "I wasn't the best photographer in town, but I was determined to be the nicest! It was the best way I could separate myself from everybody else and build my business!" You're looking for the community to be good to you - Well, you have to be good to your community! *I first read this quote on the NILMDTS site, but no matter where it might be shared it's so accurate! Several times over the last few years I've shared posts about the importance of never compromising on the quality of an image. The first reason is obvious - your clients deserve the very best. They've hired you because they trust you to capture the images most important to them. The second reason is less obvious. The newer you are as a professional photographer the less you realize the potential importance your photographs mean to your clients. Heres a perfect example, thanks to my good buddy Rick Gerrity, who's a Panasonic LUMIX Ambassador. The portrait on the right is of Kieran and her horse, Countess. Kieran was 8 years old when she got Countess. Kieran was coming up on her twentieth birthday when Rick captured this portrait of her and Countess. A week or so later, at thirty years old, Countess died. The relationship we have with our pets, whether they're dogs, cats or horses makes no difference, they're incredibly important and special. "Special" is one of those understated words that's so inadequate to describing the relationships in our lives, especially with animals. They have an important place in our hearts, lives, and memories. Rick talked to Kieran's mother a few weeks ago. She commented how this portrait has become one of the family's most prized possessions. Obviously, life would go on if Rick hadn't done this portrait, but because he did, it's a little better for Kieran. She has an intangible moment in time captured forever with this portrait. So, the next time you're doing a portrait, think about the importance of the image you're about to capture. Whether people or pets, you never know how an image is going to be viewed later on. Every seasoned artist has a story about somebody who passed away, often making their images the last pictures taken of that person...or pet. Never underestimate the importance of your photographs. Keep raising the bar on your skill set and make your images the best they can be. And, NEVER listen to that little voice inside your head telling you to rush the process or suggesting, "That's good enough!" Your clients deserve nothing but your best work! Years ago, back in my Polaroid days, there was a lot of excellent consumer research done on accessories for various products. The analysis showed the more accessories a company had, the more consumers liked the product. So, when Polaroid introduced the Spectra line in the 80's, it was the first instant camera with a full range of accessories. From Cokin filters to mini-albums, frames, camera bags and a wireless shutter release - the list went on and on. I know the connection I'm about to make might seem like a stretch, but it's really not. Think about everything you offer your clients with their images. The most common products are always albums, prints, and frames, but it's time for many of you to "accessorize" your lineup. Meet PhotoFlashDrive and one of the most significant product lines in the industry to help you enhance not only what you sell/give your clients, but the relationships you're trying to build. And, before you roll your eyes and think I'm writing this because they're an SCU partner - I have NO vested interest in their company. However, Brian Campbell, their CEO and I have been friends for a long time, and I'm nuts about their products and the potential to help you create more business. Let me give you a few examples of my favorites: Let's assume you're a boudoir artist and just had a fantastic shoot with one of your best clients. Picture this lockable enamel box with a selection of the prints from the shoot and a jump drive of the finished images. It's a class product or gift, depending on the relationship with the client. Brian showed me this box at ShutterFest last year, and I love the way it elevates the presentation to the client. And, while I've suggested it for a boudoir shoot, it's perfect for virtually any application that's defined with a certain level of unique exclusivity. Looking for a way to say thank you to a bridal client or a particular anniversary shoot? The embossed gift box holds a bottle, two glasses, prints and a jump drive. Again, this is about being a class act. And, if you don't want to go a full package like this, check out the two individual bottle boxes - each customized to help build your relationship with the client. Last on the list of my favorites is their image boxes. Designed in all shapes and sizes, it's one more great way to share images with your clients and expand your product line. The first time I heard about the concept was twenty years ago from Bambi Cantrell. She'd take blank mattes to a wedding and have some of the guests who were closest to the bride and groom sign them. She then put the collection together, matching the mattes to the images and put them in a final presentation box. It wasn't a replacement for the complete story in the album, but an enhancement. And, it was perfect to add a personal touch to the event. This is all about added value, and PhotoFlashDrive carries a full line well beyond my personal favorites. Remember, this is about exceeding client expectations. Whether products like this are part of your regular offerings or a surprise thank-you to a client, they're primary ingredients to one very important goal, making yourself habit-forming. "Loyal customers, they don't just come back, they don't simply recommend you. They insist that their friends do business with you!" Chip Bell PhotoFlashDrive just launched their new website this week, and it's loaded with ideas to help you create added value, enhance your products/services and turn yourself into a legend with your clients. Click on any of the product shots above to link to their new website. Check it out before February 12 and take advantage of their 35% savings during their new website celebration.
"Some beautiful paths can't be discovered without getting lost." Erol Ozan I'm back to the routine of a typical Sunday morning. There's something so unique about the house being completely quiet with the only sound being me typing away on the keyboard. I never know where my thoughts are going to go, but I always start thinking about the events of the past week, and I've got a special one I'd like to share. Many years ago I had a friend who just disappeared and dropped off the grid - No response to emails, phone calls, just *poof* and he was gone. This past week he came out of the woodwork, with a couple of IMs on Facebook, then a text or two - each time requesting a time to talk. I was reluctant to talk to him and pretty much had shut the door. So often we close a door, mostly for our own protection. I know in my case I just didn't feel like being hurt and frustrated again. But the truth is, I'd always wondered why he chose to disappear. I wasn't obsessed with him vanishing but it was a topic Sheila, and I would talk about every so often. We'd speculate if he was in jail, dead or maybe in the witness protection program. I think we're watching too much television! When life shuts a door...open it again. It's a door, that's how they work! Author Unknown Well, I opened the door with a phone call, and we had a long conversation. We'd always shared a love for the business and marketing side of this industry, and after 15-20 minutes of awkward explanations and an apology, we were almost back to our old selves. Only time will tell where this renewed friendship goes, but it did get me thinking about the friendships we all have. Like many of you, I think of myself as having a lot of friends. However, while there are lots of people we're friendly with, we only have a handful of genuinely great friendships, and here's my point: Learn to know the difference between people who are your friends and those who you love having in your life. There's a difference between somebody you enjoy being with and talking to versus a person you'd donate a kidney to! Obviously, you know the difference, but so often we fail to recognize the investment that needs to be made for a friend to grow into a GREAT friendship. Wishing everybody a Sunday filled with friends and GREAT friendships. Take the time to invest in some of those special friends. You just might be surprised on the journey they'll take you on. Go for those eleven-second therapeutic hugs and make it a day filled with peace and plenty of smiles. "Life is so much better when we focus on what truly matters!" Unknown Author Happy Sunday everybody!
Image copyright JB Sallee. Posted on Facebook with the following description: Think Fine Art Using multiple off camera Profoto strobes and cross light Sunny 16 (Sunny 13 in France) ISO 100, 1/200, f13 Simple, flattering posing 101 Bullseye composition I've shared several images of good buddy JB Sallee's over the last few years. Each one has had something that pulled me in and caught my eye while taking a scroll through cyberspace. The image above I spotted this morning with a series of other images from a workshop JB just finished in France. He posted on his Facebook page: 10 days ago I arrived back home from France where I hosted a 2.5 day workshop near Normandy. We all stayed together on this amazing 700 year old property and conversed, shared stories, drank wine and broke bread together. It was truly was one of the greatest weeks of my life and I made lifelong friends that I will never forget. In 2 days of shooting with the group, We shot 13 (YES 13) different sessions with different looks with 4 different models + one very special session with the Castle owners (last image). As an artist, imagine the potential to raise the bar on your skill set in this kind of an environment! JB needs to be on your radar. Just click on either image to link to his Facebook post and see the other images he shared. Intro by Skip Cohen We started Photodex Fridays because so many of you work events on the weekends. So, we thought the best way to keep ideas fresh in your mind was to share them closer to your working schedule. However, the truth is, everything we've shared is good any day of the week. Suzette Allen is back with some great tips on adding title slides, but I want to expand on her concept just a little bit. If you've ever entered print competition or read some of the suggestions by the judges over the years, one of the best tips is to pay attention to the title of your image. There's that old expression of what's in a name? Well, sometimes the answer is everything! Suzette's suggestion on title slides adds a more sophisticated element to a slideshow, but I want to remind you to pay attention to the title you put on the entire show as well. I know it's a different application of the word, title, but the creative tools you have to share your images in a presentation have never been greater. Check out ProShow 9 with a click on the banner on the right. You'll find so many terrific ways to enhance your slideshows and better demonstrate your skill set, including title slides. And, don't forget to use SAVE20WITHSKIP in the code box when you purchase any Photodex product for a 20% discount. For a limited time, this special discount code is still active. For life in general, titles may have their place, but as a pretty humble person, I’m not really into titles. However, when it comes to a slideshow, that’s another story! Because a slide show is telling a story, using only pictures and music. Of course, the music choice will set the mood, but you are relying on the images themselves to spell out the story clearly. Sometimes, the story is clear and no titles are needed, but most of the time, I think that titles HELP tell the story. They set the stage instantly so the viewer can recognize what is going on in an instant and THEN gather more visual details faster! If you have the luxury of seeing your show many times, all the questions are answered and each time you see more details to your story. But for maximum impact, choosing short, concise titles will help your story unfold more smoothly and believably! Here is a fun family session, with no titles. You can tell what’s going on but in many instances, you need to study what each person is doing to tell what is happening. But here in this show, the titles were added so there is no doubt what is going on and it seems even more entertaining, as your expections are met in each scene. Titles can often make a show more formal, but mostly, they give it more meaning. I always end my shows with music credits and photo credits, but sometimes, I add an ending message or purpose statement. Especially if it is a surprise or gift, it adds much to the meaning and becomes a cherished memory. Check out this walk down memory lane—that ends as a special gift for a very good friend. Titles can be added within Proshow, or in this case, made as a slide or graphic and brought in as an image. I typically add the effects of Zero Motion too, so it is easy to read and words don’t get chopped off in transitions! This is a Throwback Thursday post that really hits the time machine, taking me back to 2005. I get that you can't please everybody, but the response to this cover was one of the very few times in my career I had to deal with screamers. The photographer was Damien Bredberg, and the image won him Editorial Photographer of the Year in Australia in 2004. Adding to the fun of the image and backstory is the fact that it was his father who was the model. How many of you could talk either of your parents into that kind of role? I remember joking around with my Dad when the issue was published. He said he was willing but not on a scooter. He wanted a Harley! The image and story was a definite staff favorite when it came time to decide on the cover for that issue. It made us all laugh, and represented an artist with a great skill set and sense of humor. The issue was published and within a couple of days I got my first angry call. I don't remember his name, but he was from Arkansas and accused me of publishing porn! He screamed at me to cancel his subscription; that his granddaughter saw the issue and was embarrassed. Then he hung up on me. But technology was on my side, and thanks to caller ID I called him back to get his name and address! I know you should never go head to head with an angry customer, but he'd pushed all my buttons. In all honesty, I was happy to let him go as a reader. Then, a few days later I got a letter from a woman who also hated the cover. She tore it off the magazine and sent it to me with a note: "May the view from the back of this motorcycle rider be your just reward!" It took us a minute to realize she was referring to the obvious moon-shot. I can only imagine the comments we would have gotten if we had shared this second image I found yesterday on the Vanishing Point website from a post in 2012. Click on the image above or below to for more of the story about "Scooter Man." For years I had the "Scooter Man" cover shot as my last slide for the close of any class I was teaching. After telling the story of the people who objected to the cover, what I said back then is still so relevant: Stop taking life so seriously and just have fun with everything you're doing! If you're not smiling for most of your day as a photographer then you're doing something wrong! Happy Throwback Thursday!
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