by Skip Cohen

It might not seem like a topic for Marketing Monday, but how you handle yourself over the phone is at the top of the list of great marketing tools.  In fact, there was even a time when "Ma Bell" used to do classes for business clients on phone etiquette.  I remember being sent to a class in my Customer Service days at Polaroid and thinking how stupid it was to suggest I didn't have the skill set to answer the phone.  But it wasn't about answering the phone, it was how to use the phone as a customer service tool.

A few months ago I had one of the worst calls trying to reach a friend at a manufacturer I've known for years.  His operator disconnected me twice.  Then when I got a little irritable and sarcastic, she attacked me for calling at lunch time, when they're "short on staff".   Honestly, does any customer care about what's going on in your life when they call?  Do any of us care about how busy a company might be when we're trying to contact somebody?

Well, that set me off on a quest through Cyberspace and I found a great site with a ton of information to help you with a refresher course on your phone skills.   Check out phonepro.org.  I found so many outstanding tips.

"If you could hear the sounds customers make when attempting to navigate through your company’s IVR, (Interactive Voice Response) would it sound like a haunted house filled with agonizing, blood curdling screeches, moans and groans? …that could be scaring away both your new and loyal customers."

I've got two issues I hope you'll think about today:

First, how's your overall system of communicating with your clients? Don't rely on just a contact form for them to fill out on your website and then click "Send".  If a client is excited about your work they want to talk to you, NOT fill out a form.  When they do call, make sure your system is working right, so you get the call or at least the message quickly. Then, make sure you call them back promptly, because if you don't, one of your competitors will.

Second, no matter what bizarre things are going on in your day, smile when you're talking to people on the phone. This is all about being cheerful and having a great attitude. Believe it or not, you can tell when somebody is smiling on the other end of the line.  Getting a phone call from a client is an opportunity for you to show your personality.

Good old personal customer service is going to win out every time and sadly in today's market, so many people forget about it. The good news is that it gives you a chance to shine!  

Sorry, got to run, the phone's been ringing for ten minutes - wonder why my voicemail isn't picking up? LOL

Photo Credit:  © stokkete - Fotolia.com

by Skip Cohen

I've written about topics like this more than once in the past...

At the risk of sounding like I'm older than dirt, I might as well confess, I miss the kind of Sundays we had when I was a kid.  NOTHING was open!  No banks, no supermarkets, no Target, Macy's or malls.  Even gas stations were closed.

For those of you in the younger crowd that might seem like it's incredibly inconvenient, but it forced us all to take a break.  My Dad didn't do anything except hang out with the family and at least in the summer time, we wound up at my grandmother's for a barbecue.  Relatives from Cleveland would make the long pilgrimage (all of 27 miles) out to visit, just as the burgers were coming off the grill.  Somehow my relatives knew exactly how to time it so thye’d arrive just as the sweet corn was coming out of the pot!

For most people a quiet relaxing Sunday had nothing to do with religious beliefs, it was simply a day of rest, because you had no other choices.  Nothing was open and in fact, of the three TV stations, on at least one of them, nothing was even on until after 7:00 am!

So, let's start a trend - just a small one. Let's get everybody we know to return to family values on Sundays.  We're just going to enjoy our family, read a book, leave the TV off until noon - forget about whatever it is we absolutely had to get done today.  We're just going to kick back and chill - smile more than we frown and make it a great day!

...It's almost impossible to do, since I'm already here “working” and writing my blog, determined not to miss a day, but it can be done and we can all get off this trend of being obsessed with our own self-importance.  So, don't just make it another Sunday - make it a great one!  Enjoy your family and remember all the work you need to do will still be there on tomorrow morning.

You've earned the right to a break - so make the most of it and at the end of day  I hope everybody can look themselves in the mirror and simply say, "Wow, I didn't do a stinkin'  thing today!"

Photo Credit: © prudkov - Fotolia.com

by Skip Cohen

Okay, we could argue if this is the dumbest thing a photographer can do, but regardless, it's certainly in the top ten!  Sadly, it's not a new topic. I've written about it before, but I'm going to hit it again, because I just heard another horror story.

Every year at every convention there's at least one story about somebody who lost their gear and wasn't adequately insured. So, I'm taking one more shot at reminding you of one of the dumbest mistakes any photographer can make, being under-insured.

A few years ago at WPPI an attendee had all her camera gear disappear.  A year before that a photographer had a couple of lenses "walk" out of his camera bag.  I've heard story after story of cameras left out at a wedding venue disappearing.  We live in a world that doesn't always work the way it should and we can at least ease the pain and sleep better at night knowing we've got the right insurance.


Newbies!  Your home insurance doesn't cover your gear when it's being used for commercial use.  This would include gear left in your car in your own driveway if your car was broken into. (Yes, that's already happened to at least one photographer I know.)

Seasoned Veterans!  When was the last time you updated your policy? Throughout the year you may have added new lenses, camera bodies, a computer, iPad, printer etc. At the very least, check with your insurance agent and make sure your policy is up to date.

BEFORE you hit the road for your next series of conventions or just the next local assignment, check to make sure your insurance is up to date! Let's scratch lost or stolen gear off the list of potentially painful events in your life!

Photo Credit: © jorgophotography - Fotolia.com

Yesterday I was talking with my good buddy, Bob Coates. We've been friends for a long time and as I look back on his work over the years, I think he's creating some of the most stunning images of his entire career as a photographer and artist.

A few of his images have been included in guest posts here on the SCU site. They're worth going back to enjoy.

Well, he's doing a lot of exciting things with Panasonic's GX7 and is a member of their Luminary team.  I'd heard about a little project he took on while teaching a program in Michigan. He had decided to use anything he found on the way to the conference to create art.

Well, it was a rusted paper clip that caught his eye and he was determined to demonstrate that anything could be turned into art with the right skill set! He finished with a standing ovation - perhaps the highest compliment any artist can receive from their peers!  Skip Cohen

On his blog he wrote: 

I just came back from doing a program in Michigan for the Professional Photographers of Michigan. The program was on my ‘Photo – Synthesis’ system of creating art from photographic images. When I do these programs I always try to use images from the area that were captured within the 24 hour period before the program begins. This time I thought I’d give myself a really strong challenge. I wandered around the parking lot with my LumixGX7 and found a paper clip in the parking lot that had been weathered and run over by cars and was bent and just a (beautiful) mess. And I made the attempt to create art from said paperclip. There was also a stone fountain out front with a lot of different slate plates that I was able to photograph to gather textures. When I announced to the class what I was going to do I saw looks of horror, bewilderment and just plain disbelief.

I continued anyway.

About one third of the way through the program I started to feel that maybe I had made a mistake. I wasn’t sure this was going to be successful… I persevered. Everyone had an opportunity to see the thought process as I work towards creating artistic images from simple objects.

Images by Bob Coates. All Rights Reserved.

by Skip Cohen

On and off I regularly have a "challenge" with Comcast.  But I know I'm not alone because everything is a challenge with Comcast. They're too big with too many layers to dig through and the guys at the top could care less about what's happening on the front lines.  The issue I had doesn't matter, but the challenge was simply being bounced around the company as one person after another tried to figure out what department I needed to speak with.

I'm a huge fan of  WalkTheTalk.com and a number of the different books they publish on customer service, leadership, communication etc. I ran across the TWO-PERSON-RULE from their 1999 publication, 180 Ways to Walk the Customer Service Talk

"Adopt the TWO-PERSON-RULE.  Never make a customer talk to more than two people in order to resolve a problem.  If you're the second person to deal with the customer, you "own" them.  Either solve the problem immediately, or get a phone number and a convenient time to call back."

I realize most photographers are on their own and rarely have the luxury of more than one other person to help solve customer problems, so let's modify the TWO-PERSON-RULE.  If you're a solo operator, make it a point to solve customer problems no later than the second phone call. 

Don't go back and forth over the customer's issues.  Listen to their concern, empathize and if you can't solve the problem right there, call them back within 24 hours with a solution. It's important to solve problems quickly and not let things drag out.  When things drag out longer than a customer anticipates, whatever the solution is, no matter how hard you've worked, it's anticlimactic!

And one more thought thanks to Walk The Talk...

"Complainers are GREAT!  They give you the opportunity to fix their problems and keep them as customers - instead of saying nothing and taking their business elsewhere."

Illustration Credit: © corund - Fotolia.com

by Skip Cohen

A few years ago my buddy, Scott Bourne, wrote a blog post, "Who's on your team?  Photographers need a network."  I remember the post hitting nerves with a lot of people, because Scott talked about one of the most sensitive topics out there, support from your family and those people closest to you.

In all honesty, it's not hard to argue that all of us need support from our family and friends in whatever dreams we're chasing, but there are some characteristics I think make photography unique.

First, it's an art form.  You need solid reactions from those people closest to you in order to help build your confidence and skill set.  Second, you're taking your "product" to market and you need not only feedback, but support in developing your presentation and your style.  Third, you need an HONEST response when something is bad or when you've written content for your website, for example, that just doesn't sound right.  Your family and friends are your first and often most significant sounding board.

There is no way to emphasize the importance of having somebody in your life who believes in you.  Almost five years ago I was writing my resignation from Rangefinder Publishing and WPPI.   My reasons for leaving aren't significant for the point I want to make here. 

Most of my immediate family were confused, concerned and anything but supportive.  And if they said they were supportive, the tone in their voice or the look in their eyes said otherwise.  Fortunately, I had a very special lady in my life, Sheila, now my wife, who along with a few friends not only believed in what I was about to do, but made suggestions on new directions for me to consider. 

But here's what I learned about the challenges with family - and if it helps just one of you out there, then it's worth sharing.  A lot of the lack of support came from lousy communication on all sides.  I made assumptions they all knew my skill set. They made assumptions that my plan was half-baked. From their perspective, who leaves a great salary and starts a new business in one of the worst economies in history?

So, here's  a partial list to work with when you've got a family of "Dr. No's" who aren't supporting you and serious changes you're making in your life.  Before you cut them loose, consider the following:

1) Why?  Get everyone together to talk about why you're about to go in a new direction.  Give them all the information on what's brought you to this point in your life.  Don't sugar coat why you're making the change.

2) What?  Share every aspect of your dream.  They can't be supportive if they don't understand exactly what it is you want to do.

3) How?  Before you sit down with your family or friends, think about a 2-3 year plan.  Then share the details with them in terms of how you intend to achieve your goals and your dream.

4) When?  Here's where I missed the boat completely.  I sprung it on them with virtually no warning.  They were aware of many of my reasons for wanting to make a change, but it had only been in superficial conversations.  I literally called and with all the finesse of a Simpson's episode with Marge jumping out of Homer's birthday cake yelling, "Surprise" I dropped the bomb.

Last but not least and this is a lesson I'm still trying to master and it really takes work...When things do get out of control, never use email to communicate anything that's sensitive, especially with people you're close to. Email is the worst method of communication for virtually anything emotional.  It's great for business, it's great for contracts, it can even be good for simply touching base, but that's it.  Email can never replace the sound in your voice, eye contact and the emotions that make us better than our computers!

Illustration Credit: © alphaspirit - Fotolia.com

by Skip Cohen

Welcome to Grab Shots - Just like grab shots in photography these will be just as random. It's a series of random thoughts about the photographic industry, people in general, business and life. I'm going to keep them short and do my best to "plant a few seeds".

I’m tired of photographers who take shortcuts in learning the craft. Sure you can fix an image in Photoshop, but it’s a lousy business model to have to work on every image you capture twice. Learn the craft so you get clean images right out of the can. Use Photoshop to enhance your images not create them. Then, use your time to market yourself instead of wasting time cleaning up bad files.

A couple of years ago my good buddy and  co-author, Scott Bourne, did a rant on five of the most stupid things photo-related companies do to us. It's one of my favorite posts, because of two things, the actual  points he made are dead on and the sarcasm with which each point hits  home is some of the very best.

It's one thing to complain about the challenges we all face dealing with the rocket scientists at the corporate level, but it takes a true artist to describe them.  So, if there was a Pulitzer for reality and sarcasm, Scott would sure be my nomination. Skip Cohen

by Scott Bourne

Sometimes I just want to run to the printer and have them make 10,000 bumper  stickers that say “It’s not the economy stupid – it’s that you suck!”

I’ve been using serious photo gear in a serious manner since the early 1970s.  It didn’t used to be this bad – I don’t think. But it seems like the  notion of  customer service is completely foreign to many camera companies and their  related brothers and sisters. So here’s a partial list (just five stupid things in no particular order)  that photo-related companies do. I don’t expect these companies to change for  the better, but at least I’ll feel better after venting a little bit. Sorry for  the rant but at least some of you must feel my pain!

Stupid Thing #1 DO NOT...

Require photographers to enter their camera serial number to obtain a copy of  their camera’s manual or other camera info online. STUPID! Why is this  necessary? Why does the camera manufacturer care if I already own the camera? Do they think the manual possesses some secret information that will grant me the  codes to the Death Star? If so, isn’t that secret information available to the thousands who DO own the camera and who could look at the online manual anyway?  What if I am simply interested in buying the camera? Wouldn’t they want me to  have access to all the information I need before deciding? Maybe I’ll read the  manual and be convinced that I need to buy that camera. Wow – we wouldn’t want  to do something that would potentially sell more gear would we? And what would  stop me from calling my buddy with a Nikon D3x and asking him for his serial  number so I could look at the manual? This is one of the silliest things the  camera companies do and it should stop – but it probably won’t.

Stupid Thing #2 DO NOT...

Require photographers to sign in with an email address and password to access  basic information about products and services. Okay here we go again. It’s  almost as if they are afraid we might somehow sneak into their website and buy  something! Don’t create barriers to business. Don’t make it hard for us to  contact you. Don’t make us give up personal information just to find out whether  or not we want or need what you’re selling. Open the gates. Let us in. We  probably want to give you money. You want money don’t you? Why would you do ANYTHING that would make it hard for us to give you money? Get rid of the passwords folks. This isn’t a bank transaction. We aren’t asking for access to  the vault at Fort Knox. We don’t even want to know if Donald Trump’s comb-over is  real. There are no government secrets. We just want to see how your camera flash  sync works, or how many watt seconds your new flash head is, or how much RAM  your new software program requires, etc. Really. Take the bullet out of the gun  Barney Fife. It ain’t no big deal!

Stupid Thing #3 DO NOT...

Package products in such a complex manner. I recently ordered a camera  battery and just about had to call in a full-fledged nuclear strike to get the darn package open. I have actually had to have stitches before when cut by the  plastic that some companies use to ship their products in. I understand that  some companies package for retail and want to reduce loss to theft. Two points  to ponder. If I order it from Adorama or Amazon then it’s coming to my house  AFTER I paid for it. No need to force me to get a blow torch to open it up.  Second point…if you make it so hard for me to open the package I might just buy  something else. So you miss the sale anyway. STOP IT! Use common sense  packaging. It’s better for the environment, it’s easier on the customer and it’s  less expensive to YOU!

Stupid Thing #4 DO NOT...

Make it hard to register my product under warranty. Okay – so you sold me this thing. You included a warranty card. You want ME to fill it out. You give me about one inch to include the 400 words necessary to get the information to  you. You put the serial number in four point black type on a black camera body, hidden in the most obscure place possible. Couldn’t you just pre-stamp the warranty  card with the number that matches the product in the box? It would be a good  loss prevention tool since you have gear stolen prior to it reaching the  customer. Of course we’re not done yet. You ask all sorts of personal and  marketing questions that have nothing to do with the warranty. In some states  these practices have been ruled illegal but you continue to act in this fashion.  How about just making it easy for me? The warranty card has a bar code or a  simple key code on it that I enter at your website with my BASIC contact  information such as Name, Address, Email or Phone. That’s it! Then you ASK  NICELY if I want to participate in marketing research or additional marketing  programs. I reply according to my wishes but if I say yes, you have a serious,  committed customer instead of someone who resents you for making them jump  through all those hoops just to get the warranty YOU PROMISED THEM before they  bought your product.

Stupid Thing #5 DO NOT...

Sell us on more megapixels. STOP IT NOW! I beg of you. We’re NOT that stupid  – okay at least HALF of us are not THAT stupid. We know that cramming more and more and more and more and more and more megapixels on to the same size sensor is NOT giving us better image quality. It IS making us buy bigger memory cards,  hard disks and faster computers. It is wasting more and more of our time while we download files that are least 1/3rd larger than they need to be. Why not  stick with 12 or so megapixels and concentrate on great sensors that gather lots of light without aberration? That’s what we want. Really. Megapixel madness does NOT serve your customers. It serves your marketing department. How about a pact?  You promise to stop this madness, at least on the prosumer level and above  cameras, and we’ll tell all of our Uncle Harry’s that the $199 point and shoot  with 400 megapixels will make him a rock star photographer…deal?

I could go on – and that’s the bad news. But I’ll stop because I like to  contain my rants to a page or so. At the end of the day so much around us happens for no reason. Worse, most of it happens because it’s ALWAYS been done  that way. It would be nice if some enterprising company in the photo business  gathered up some key clients, suppliers and staff and just started asking  questions like: “Why do we do this?”

Ah – at least I can dream! Thanks for listening to my rant.

by Skip Cohen

A few times in my career I've been described as one of the luckiest guys in photography. I love this industry and have worked with some of the finest photographers in the world. While I'm very grateful and do feel really lucky as opposed to unlucky, luck hasn't always had a lot to do with it.

The truth is, I've spent my entire career totally enamored with this industry and especially with all of you, the professional photographers.  I've watched many of you struggle with the economy, new technology and the daily challenges of running a business.  You never give up!  I continue to learn from each of your mistakes and accomplishments, as well as my own.

I had a quote, an old Chinese proverb, up on Facebook and Twitter a few years ago that seems so appropriate right now:

"Learn from the mistakes of others because you won't have time to make them all yourself!"

My Grandmother used to say, "Be careful of the company you keep!"  My Grandfather taught me the meaning of a good hand shake and my Dad always said, "You're judged by the quality of your friends!"  So, if I've been lucky at all, it was in having some great role models in my family and later in life with some very special friends.

If my career has gone in the right direction it's because of the wisdom and quality of some very special people.  It's because more than once they've said, "Are you sure you want to do that?"  We all watch each others backs. 

I've had people tell me I have so many great friends.  "Friend" is one of the most abused words in the English language. So, let's kill that myth right now, because we're all in the same boat. I have a lot of people who I like and admire and enjoy being with. Yes, they're friends, but I honestly have very few "great" friends. I'm willing to bet you're in the same boat.

"Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down."  Oprah

Think about all the people you consider friends and ask yourself how many of them are there to help you get up when you fall no matter what it takes? How many of them would give up a kidney for you? How many of them watch your back to such a point that they spend more time looking out for you than they do for themselves? There's the definition of a truly great friend.

Your journey is based on so many different ingredients. Success is about your mindset and the support from the people in your network. It's about your patience and belief in yourself and surrounding yourself with positive people, all topics I've written about over the last few years.

"Luck" is an ingredient, but I also believe things happen for a reason and here's another one...everything really does always work out for the better. (See this month's article in Shutter Magazine.)  It won't seem like it when your pain is the greatest, but over and over again I've waited out the storm and been surprised at the path it's taken me down.

I guess I'm lucky, but more than that I'm grateful! 

It's a new week - what are you going to do to make this week the best one of the year so far?
 

by Scott Bourne

As part of my Marketing Monday series here at SCU I want to teach you how to know something that's just as powerful and necessary as being good at photography. You need to know your customer. Or to be more accurate, you need to know your target prospect. 

Most of you think "everyone" is a potential customer. Sorry - not true. There is no way that YOUR photography will make EVERYONE happy. So you need to play like the big boys and girls do and involve yourself in some market planning. That's where personas come in. What's a persona?

Personas are archetypal prospects that represent the needs of larger groups of clients, in terms of their goals and personal characteristics. They act as ‘stand-ins’ for real users and help guide marketing decisions. 

This post doesn't take the place of a four-year marketing degree so I can't get into every single detail on personas here. But I can give you an idea of how they work and you can at least get started on creating a persona that represents your ideal target prospect. 

If you really want to go in-depth on this you need to do serious research. Conduct surveys, interviews, focus groups, etc. 

But for now, start here:

1. What is your prospects age, gender, income and educational background?
2. What sort of place does your prospect live in?
3. How many children do they have? 
4. Are they married?
5. Are they religious?
6. What are the five things that most drive their purchasing decisions?
7. What buzzwords are most likely to be attractive to them?
8. What do they want out of life?
9. What's making them happy/unhappy?
10. What are their mannerisms?
11. What pain points can we help them with? 

You should get the point now. We want to personalize the actual prospect not just have some general ethereal idea of who they are. The more detailed we can be in creating an accurate persona, the more likely we will have success.

In closing I'll say that knowing your target audience well is not only the key to getting hired, but the key to getting paid well. The photographer who has developed a great persona workup will likely never hear "That costs too much." You know why? Because that photographer is always talking to the right target audience and the right target audience tends to pay more than the wrong one.

Good luck.  Skip and I are rooting for you.

Illustration Credit: © XtravaganT - Fotolia.com

by Skip Cohen

It's Sunday and as usual there's no telling where my head is going as I start writing this post. I don't know what got me thinking about it this morning, but the topic is the love we all share for the craft. Think about it for just a second - you're reading my blog so right off the bat, we share a passion for this industry. Then think about everybody you talked to this past week - there it is again - everybody shares that passion.

Next month I'll be in NY for PPE and surrounded by people with an unstoppable passion for imaging. They'll be there attending programs, meeting with vendors, looking for answers to the same questions a photographer just starting out would have...how can I grow my business? What do I need to learn next?

We're all part of an industry that never slows down, especially when it comes to education.  Every day the paradigms shift and what was the standard yesterday is different today.  It's all about passion: for the craft; for learning and for understanding every client's mindset in order to create images with an uncompromising level of quality.
 
"One of the things that may get in the way of people being lifelong learners is that they’re not in touch with their passion. If you’re passionate about what it is you do, then you’re going to be looking for everything you can to get better at it."  Jack Canfield

Happy Sunday everybody - make it a great day and don't let anything get in the way of your passion!

by Skip Cohen

I want to do a series of posts on some of the traits of great photographers.  "Quality" isn't really a trait, but a commitment to a lifestyle.  Those photographers we admire never compromise on the quality of their images, their relationships with their clients or their approach to customer service. They do everything at the very best level they can and they set the standard.

There are stories about Ansel Adams spending hours working on one image, coming out of the darkroom and just ripping it up because it wasn’t right yet.  I've heard stories about people calling his studio and asking for information about his workshops and not realizing they were actually talking to him directly.

Have you ever seen a bad image from Bob and Dawn Davis?  While Bob is the shooter, they're a team and Dawn is working the post production side. They're an unbeatable combination.

Yervant spends hours fine-tuning and perfecting an image until it’s a work of art rather than just a photograph. Check out any album by Yervant and you'll see quality, not just in his work, but in his storytelling.

Ever watch Michele Celentano working with a client? There’s no compromise in the tools she uses to create outstanding images. In fact, from the first meeting right through to delivery of the framed print she'll hang for the client, there are no shortcuts.

Look at any image of John Paul Caponigro's or spend some time talking with him. There simply is never a compromise. And with John Paul, it's in his blood. He recently had a special "Father/Son" print offer which included his work and his father's, both recognized as incredible artists.

Delivering quality images and maintaining the highest quality in your relationships with your clients is critical to building your reputation and in turn developing repeat business. Even more important is making sure your work is always better than your competition and the Uncle Harry’s of the world.

I’m always amazed when I hear photographers complain about the amateur who “stole the job from them.”  Seriously, if their images were solid and their reputation of the same caliber, Uncle Harry shouldn’t have stood a chance. Everybody knows the line, cameras don’t make pictures photographers do!

Here’s the one real message on quality that every seasoned well-respected photographer lives by…

                                                       “Always work to exceed each expectations!”

by Skip Cohen

It's Friday afternoon and every now and then I just get in a funk. No particular reason, just things seem off and I can't seem to focus on what I had planned on working on.  Well, I know I'm not the only one who hits a frustration point like this and here's a tip.

Take a trip to YouTube.com and search by just about any word you want. I hit "motivational" and this is the video that got me to focus. It hits a little too hard on the issue of financial success, because happiness for me goes a lot deeper, but it's still the same recipe. So, as you watch it, if you just think about some of the things being said, people you'll hear talking and simple one liners you'll read, they all point to the keys to success.

There are no shortcuts and no matter what your goal or definition of success, it's all about believing in yourself and working hard. Every one of you is passionate about photography and establishing your own business and there's a quote in the video from Gary Player...

                                                                 "The harder you work the luckier you get!"

Put that together with "You won't fail if you don't quit!" and you've got the recipe to keep building your business and waking up every day with a smile on your face.

Wishing everybody a terrific weekend!

by Skip Cohen

Welcome to Grab Shots - Just like grab shots in photography these will be just as random. It's a series of random thoughts about the photographic industry, people in general, business and life. I'm going to keep them short and do my best to "plant a few seeds".

I’m tired of battling with photographers who take shortcuts in learning the craft. Sure you can fix an image in Photoshop, but it’s a lousy business model to have to work on every image you capture twice. Learn the craft so you get clean images right out of the can. Use Photoshop to enhance your images not create them. Then, use your time to market yourself instead of wasting time cleaning up bad files.

by Skip Cohen

A couple of years ago I was doing a project for PDN. My assignment was to do a short interview with Kirk Voclain about what makes great senior portraits. He's one of the top senior photographers in the country and does some amazing work with high school seniors.  These kids love their first real experience with a professional photographer and he does everything in his power to make it memorable.

I remember hanging up the phone and thinking about the qualities that make great photographers, in addition to a sense of humor! I've worked with hundreds of different photographers in my career, including the recent SCU Summer Session Faculty and there are some powerful common denominators.

We already know how clients define satisfaction and being happy with their photographer, but what about from the industry side?  How do we as photographers, manufacturers, advertisers and vendors define a great photographer?

1. Enthusiasm and Passion:  It has to be virtually unmatched.  Spend five minutes talking to Kirk and you know he sets the standard.
2. Willingness to Share: There can be no secrets.  Think about the best workshops/programs you've attended.  The speakers all shared their "secrets", presenting ideas that have worked to elevate their work and business.  The old expression of secrets to success are never held back and openly given to you for your own application and use.
3. A Thorough Understanding of Photography:   When Kirk picks up his camera there's no hesitation in knowing the results.  It's all thanks to his foundation in film.  And for those of you that think film is a four letter word, right up there with the "F-bomb" you're missing the point.  Kirk gets the shot the first time and his images look great, right out  the can!  He's not spending hours cleaning up his images.  I've heard him talk about teaching and taping up the back of the cameras so his students can't "chimp".  Once their panic subsides, they're able to pay attention to their subjects and focus on the expressions not the exposures.
4. Confidence:  I was blown away by the fact that Kirk only takes six images in each outfit.  SIX!  Not a couple hundred variations of the same smile - but six images in 3-4 wardrobe changes, with a presentation of 18-30 final images!   And every image is different - not a series of slight variations on a quest for the ultimate smile.   He knows he's got the shot the minute he clicks the shutter.  In those moments when he knows he missed it, because of a blink or maybe his exposure was off, he'll re-shoot it.
   
5. The Ability to Communicate:  In one 15 minute call I got everything I needed to write my assignment, because there wasn't one second of hesitation with any of the questions I asked.
   

So, go back to thinking about your favorite presentations and the photographers who you love to listen to.  They were passionate. They were confident.  They understood photography, the topic they were presenting and they could communicate.  Most important of all they were willing to share what they've learned to help you.  No secret ingredients - just a bunch of great people who believe in giving back.

I've often said I'm the luckiest guy in the photo industry.  I've worked with some amazing photographers and have an incredible network of talented friends and consider Kirk one of them.  Check out his faculty page here on SCU and follow the link to his site to see more great images.

Jim Collins, business author and theorist said it best:

"The kind of commitment I find among the best performers across virtually every field is a single-minded passion for what they do, an unwavering desire for excellence in the way they think and the way they work. Genuine confidence is what launches you out of bed in the morning, and through your day with a spring in your step."

by Skip Cohen

I know this seems basic, but a year or so ago I heard a horror story about a new photographer who dropped a camera at a wedding and went into panic mode, so that makes this a short, but oh so relevant topic today. New photographers are notorious for not having depth in their equipment, but every now and then there's a story about a seasoned veteran who just got too comfortable and hit a project without a back up plan.

                                                                Murphy's Law: If anything can go wrong it will.
                                                                Murphy's Second Law: Murphy was an optimist!

There’s more than just your skill set that separates you from Uncle Harry. It’s the depth of gear in your camera bag! Uncle Harry just has that one camera and maybe two lenses. That’s all he’s got and even if it’s a better camera than you have, he doesn’t know what to do when things go wrong.

Calling yourself a professional photographer carries with it some heavy responsibilities. It's about being relaxed and knowing what to do when something goes wrong. It’s about being confident because confidence breeds more confidence versus fear that only breeds panic.

Here’s a short list of basic questions to answer if you’re going to be a success as a professional.

• Do you have a back-up camera body?

• You don’t need a lot of lenses, but you need the overlap in coverage so if for some reason a lens doesn’t work, gets dropped, jams, whatever, you can still complete the job.

• How’s your depth on lighting? It takes so little today to have an extra strobe with you.

• What about backing up your files during a wedding? Are you set up with a system to download save and then get back to shooting? Do you have back-up cards?

• If your gear was stolen while you were shooting or just before, do you have a back-up plan? Here’s where you want to get know your local camera store, rental house and even the sales rep for the company whose gear you shoot. They all need to be in your network.
  

• Just like Who Wants to be a Millionaire – if you need to phone a friend, do you know who it’s going to be? This is also why going to your local photographer meetings, PPA Guilds etc. becomes so important. You need to know the community of photographers around you. It’s about building your network, so you’ve got somebody to throw you a life-line before you sink!

• Here's a big one on back up plans - who's your back up if something goes wrong and you can't make the appointment? Who knows all your procedures? Does somebody have account information, including your bank account and the ability to write a check in your absence?
  

The list of things to think about in running a successful business goes on and on, but this is enough to at least get you thinking about your plans.

When we were all kids we got used to do fire drills on a regular basis. Sadly, as adults we completely forgot about fire drills. Just be prepared for those unexpected challenges, so at the very least you've got a few different back up plans in place.

Photo Credit: © defun - Fotolia.com

by Skip Cohen

Just trust me on this one. It's got absolutely nothing to do with photography, although it does have to do with global branding and people's perceptions. Besides, it's only going to "waste" two minutes of your day and you need a chuckle.

by Skip Cohen

Three years ago I wrote my first post about giving back to the community. It's such an important part of your efforts to build your brand that it deserves to be at the very top of your priority list.   As business picks up in the fourth quarter, you need to make sure you don't lose sight of how much it can help you build your reputation.

Just giving back should be enough to make you feel good, but this morning I'm talking about cause-related marketing. There's a very practical reason to make sure you give back.

Years ago I had the opportunity to hear Jay Conrad Levinson speak. Known best as the originator of the expression “Guerilla Marketing”, he talked about the top 100 things Guerilla Marketers need to do.  At the very top of the list was “be involved in your community and charities”.   Why?  Because, people like to buy products from companies they perceive as giving something back.

It’s cause-related marketing at its best and it helps build your brand beyond just being a photographer.  Let’s face it, you’re looking for the community to be good to you.  So, what are you doing to be good to your community?

I’ve had a lot of guest posts from professional photographers all involved in various charities.  I ran  “Charity Fest”  and posted a week of great ideas from all over the country on how photographers were using their skills to make the world a better place.  And, by “world”, I’m not talking about planet earth – just your corner of it.  Obviously some projects were much bigger than others, but the point is, these were photographers who went ahead and did something, instead of just talking about it. 

Finding a charitable cause in your community couldn’t be easier, but you have to take the time.  Just read the local paper.  What’s going on in your community?  If the school tax bill didn’t pass, then the arts are going to suffer, starting with the yearbook, photo club, newsletter etc.  All, perfect matches for you to lend a hand as a professional photographer.

Is there an event coming up that might need your skills as a photojournalist?  Everything from a walkathon to organizations like Kiwanis, Rotary, Lions and Exchange Club all have a major charity drive each year.

Check with your local hospital, police force, fire-fighters – they always need help and they always have an event they’re sponsoring.  Then there are great organizations like Big Brother and Big Sister.

Within the photographic community, there’s  NILMDTS (Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep), Thirst Relief, The F.I.L.M. Project, HeartsApart.org and the Josephine Herrick Project. These are just a handful of non-profits out there and they're featured in the SCU's Giving Back section.  They all involve photographers and are dedicated to helping make the world a better place.  

And let's not forget PPA Charities, founded over ten years ago by Bert Behnke.  I'm proud to have been one of the original members of the team along with Helen Yancy, Steve Troup, Dennis and Lori Craft, just to name a few.

The importance of giving back isn't about how big the charity is or even how much you're able to help - it's simply that you do help and by helping you raise awareness for the cause and yourself as a member of the community!

                            “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”  
                                                                                               Muhammad Ali 

Illustration Credit: © IGORS PETROVS - Fotolia.com

Yesterday's post, if nothing else, at least added a few painful chuckles to your day.  Here are a few more...

1. Give your clients lots to read! Your most valuable piece of real estate is your website, but what I don't understand is why so many photographers junk it up with paragraph after paragraph that just don't say anything! If a picture is worth a thousand words, then keep the copy on your site to the bare minimum. Every outstanding image demonstrates why you're a professional. You don't need to add a lot of words if your images speak for themselves.

2. Never bother to check your website. I've written about this several times in the past.  There are still those of you who are convinced nothing can go wrong - after all, it was working okay yesterday!  Ever had an unexpected problem with your car? Maybe it was a dead battery or a flat tire or just maybe somebody hit you in a parking lot. Your website is no different! When the gremlins get involved and your site locks up or is just too slow to load, it can cost you serious business.

3. "I'm too good to have a network."  Yeah, I know, you're so good you don't want anybody to know what you're working on. Plus, you're so smart and you absorb new technology so fast, you don't need new ideas or help from other photographers. Seriously, a great network takes time to build, but every new photographer or vendor you meet at a local guild meeting, state/national convention or workshop helps you expand your expertise. Your network can help you through the toughest challenges in half the time and time is your most valuable commodity.

4. If it ain't broke, don't fix it!  No, it should be if it ain't broke, you haven't looked hard enough! Need I say more?

5. And the last one on the hit parade: criticize everybody else!  Negative sell because your potential client really wants to know what's wrong with your competitors. NOT! Negative selling just doesn't cut it. Ever had a contractor like a plumber or an electrician do some work on your house? They'll always tell you the last guy did it all wrong! Don't get caught up in negative comments. Instead talk about your own work, but spend time listening to your clients first. They need to know you understand what they want. You want to develop that special level of trust that will allow you to step into their lives and capture the moments most important to them. You won't get there if you sound like a cheap salesman who only wants to close the sale.

Thomas Edison is quoted as saying,

"Hell, there are no rules here - we're trying to accomplish something."

Don't be afraid to throw out the "rule book" and show your creativity, in your marketing, your images and in building your relationships. You don't need to give up business to your competitors if you stay focused on integrity, customer service and quality in your images!

Illustration Credit: © iQoncept - Fotolia.com

by Scott Bourne

Banner advertising can be very effective, but only if you’re being exposed to the right audience.  Placing a banner ad for children’s photography on the Home Depot site, because you want to be out there in time for Father’s Day will be as effective as advertising in Guns and Ammo magazine!  Why? Because an industry study showed, in reference to the portrait and wedding categories; 98% of the purchase decisions to hire a professional photographer are made by women!

You have to consider the demographics of the site where you’re advertising so you’re hitting the right target.  It’s also important wherever you link from your banner ad is the absolute strongest presentation of your work, e.g. take people right to your images!

In my personal tests, working with lots of clients, the only banner ads that work seem to be those placed on Facebook. You might explore Facebook ads if their younger demographic matches your target market. Otherwise, banner ads are generally a big gamble. I prefer contextual search based ads like you find on Google. We'll cover those in a future Marketing Monday column.

Illustration Credit: © Petr Vaclavek - Fotolia.com