 by Skip Cohen Put together a group of photographers or small business owners, and they'll be split down the middle on the effectiveness of advertising. And as you discuss the negatives, you'll always find a few people who'll say, "I tried it once and it didn't work!" It could be related to any of a dozen different issues, but my point is that doing anything in this industry "once" doesn't begin to build consumer recognition. You need to hit a consumer 5-7 times to establish any level of brand recall. But that doesn't mean you should rely exclusively on traditional advertising. You need to weave a web around your target audience and include social media, publicity, word-of-mouth, community involvement, partnerships, email blasts and direct mail. This means being fully involved in reaching the community. I checked in with Google AI to answer the question about the importance of frequency:  Beyond frequency, many photographers get tired of different aspects of their brand long before the public does. In fact, it’s no different for manufacturers. Companies get bored with an ad, a logo, or a business card design and change it. Unfortunately, they’re changing things before they need to. Most of the time they’re not even close to reaching the saturation point on brand recognition. They’re bored, but the public isn’t!
Think about how many times you’ve seen an ad on television before you remember the jingle, the product or the company name. You might be tired of your approach to the market, but that doesn't mean you've hit your target audience. A few years back I found some great advertising tips in the SCORE archives. This is the tip of the iceberg I'm sharing here. It's a great site with a wealth of information, online workshops, and articles to help you build a stronger business presence! Here are a few of their suggestions on advertising, which I think are the ones most ignored by photographers:
David Ogilvy was one of the pioneers in advertising and passed away in 1999, but his comments and his books are timeless: "I have a theory that the best ads come from personal experience. Some of the good ones I have done have really come out of the real experience of my life, and somehow this has come over as valid and persuasive." Happy Monday!
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 “Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die life is a broken-winged bird, that cannot fly.” Langston Hughes  by Skip Cohen It's been a couple of weeks since I shared a Sunday Morning Reflections post. I had simply burned out and needed a break from anything that tied to social media. I needed to recharge! This morning when I sat down to write, my mind was blank, but in a good way...like a blank canvas waiting for a painter's creative juices to flow. For ideas I wandered through my Adobe Stock downloads and *poof* there they were, two images that got me thinking. When we were kids, one of the most fun days was when anybody in the neighborhood got a new refrigerator or stove. The excitement was never about the appliances but about the giant cardboard boxes they came in. Every appliance came with a secret passage to a land of imagination. Those boxes became spaceships, castles, race cars, and the list went on and on. We're all just as creative today, but too often we're not having as much fun. Our imaginations are over-managed and harder to let loose. Our creativity is limited more to our profession, and it's not as much fun as dreaming without boundaries. We became adults and learned about risk-taking, and it broke so many of us. In a small way, that was part of why I recently needed to take a break. Many years ago, I published a one-of-a-kind newsletter for our high school reunion. It was called "When Did We Become Our Parents." We were all coming up on sixty years old, and the publication had every participant's backstory since graduation from high school. Here's my point: When did we trade in fun and the freedom to simply dream for the practicality of the real world? When did so many of you feel so discouraged by dreams that never bloomed that you gave up and accepted the reality of our parents telling us to "grow up"! Let's get back to those dreams! Every dream, regardless of how impractical it might seem today still has a spark of potential simply because it makes you smile and your heart skip a beat. It's about the excitement of life - don't mistake it for AFib. Wishing all of you a terrific day ahead. Make it a day that leaves room for time to pull some of those past dreams out of storage. Put them where they belong - on the front burner! Don't forget you've got help too - your co-pilots are those people you're closest to - the ones that get the eleven-second therapeutic hugs I've been writing about for the last decade! Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world! “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost;
that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” Henry David Thoreau  "There are three things that grow more precious with age; old wood to burn, old books to read, and old friends to enjoy." Henry Ford  A few grab-shots over the years by Skip Cohen I'm dating myself by referring to the phone system as "Ma Bell," but that was the nickname for the phone company...the Bell System, a massive conglomerate led by American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) that held a legal, government-regulated monopoly over telephone services across the United States and Canada for nearly a century.* I'm still old school when it comes to appreciating a phone call rather than a text or email. It's the next best thing to a face-to-face conversation. Here's why my appreciation for "Ma Bell" is on my mind right now. I just spent an hour on the phone catching up with Matthew Jordan Smith. We've been friends for a whole lot of years, going back to my Hasselblad days in the 90s. But keeping in touch is a challenge since he lives in Japan and is 13 hours ahead of my time zone. We haven't caught up in a long time. He left me a voicemail a few days ago, and we've been playing phone tag...I had just texted him to call me tomorrow morning when my phone rang...it was approaching midnight in Tokyo, but he was up. For the next hour we covered just about everything in our lives - from politics in the US to business, photography, family, and friends. Here and there we wandered down Memory Lane and I'm still laughing. We used to catch up a couple of times a year at conventions, but neither of us travels much these days. Being on opposite sides of the world doesn't have to change a deep-rooted friendship. In fact, it was as if we ended our last conversation with a comma...it just took off and didn't stop. Here's the bottom line and my point...there is no substitute for great friendships. You owe it to yourself to keep in touch with old friends and enjoy the benefits of a phone call when a live visit isn't possible. Rather than regret that Matthew and I haven't caught up in a long time, I'm so happy we did today. So, to Matthew, thanks for keeping in touch and especially a friendship I cherish. I miss ya Buddy. You might be 7500 miles away but great friendships don't slow down just because of a few inches on the map! And to all of you - have a great weekend and thanks for joining me today on the blog. Stay safe and take the time to chase down an old friend. It's one of the best ways to recharge your battery, even when you don't realize it's running low. * From Google "Sometimes the smallest things take the most room in your heart."
Winnie the Pooh "We didn’t realize we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun." Winnie the Pooh   Click on any picture to enlarge and view in the SCU Lightbox. by Skip Cohen Back in the "old days"....very, very old days - there was a great bar in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay called Red Square. It closed in November 2019, but plenty of WPPI attendees were there at least one night at every convention. For some reason, no matter where the show was held, that last night was ALWAYS at Red Square, a Russian-themed vodka bar, with the top of the actual bar a sheet of ice. For an absurd amount, if you bought a bottle, you could have drink it in the walk-in cooler toasting whatever made you smile, while wearing Russian attire and joined by a bust of Stalin covered in fake bird crap! Throwback Thursday photographs ALWAYS have a story - In honor of everyone's good friend Julianne Kost, we picked a bottle of vodka called "Tall Blonde." We paid $350 for it, and 6-8 of us went into the cooler to make a toast. A week later, my buddy, Bob Rose, saw it in the liquor concession at Rochester Airport for $14! Whether you share your throwbacks on your blog or enjoy privacy on your trip down Memory Lane, make it a habit on Thursdays to search for old photographs. You'll never be disappointed with their ability to throw you into the time machine. What you'll find is a fun change from the work you need to get done. You'll also be reminded of the importance of photography and capturing memories. Even a couple of blurry grab-shots serve a purpose in the fun of looking back at those priceless moments in our lives. PS A BIG thanks to whoever was sober enough to click the shutter on these!   by Skip Cohen In yesterday's post, I mentioned summer being over, but only in relation to the upcoming holiday season. In reality, it almost always feels like summer living in Florida. I grew up east of Cleveland, Ohio, and have lived in New Jersey, California, and back in Ohio and finally Florida since 2011. But the reality is that summer is never really over when you live in a vacation destination. But living here for the last 15 years, here are a few of the things I've learned:
However, there is a stigma that seems to come with living in Florida - too many people think you've retired. I've never denied becoming an old fart, but for me retirement comes in the form of being happy with what I'm doing. Between the photo industry and the new podcast, Before They Take Away My Keys, there's plenty to do. One last plus I love about living in this climate: virtually everything grows here in Florida. Whether it's on my phone or with my LUMIX G9 and my favorite focal-length lenses, there's always something in bloom. Put them together with spectacular sunsets, and I've got a front-row seat almost every day for photography. Wherever you are - wishing you a great rest of the week! Take the time to enjoy your community, family, and anything involving the click of a shutter! Being off this past week and staying away from social media was the perfect way to recharge.  Nokomis Beach, FL LUMIX G9 with Vario 14-140mm lens, shot at 1/320 @ f5.6 ISO 200  by Skip Cohen
Taking a week off from both social media and writing was exactly what I needed. While I did jump in a couple of times, especially to follow up on friends' birthdays on Facebook, getting away from the keyboard was like a double espresso for clearing my head. While I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, at least the frustration I felt regarding things to write about, finding a way to escape the temptation of doom-scrolling through FB notifications, and the feeling of apathy are gone for now. And while I know none of us can escape the noise of the outside world, we've even managed to reduce the evening news to a ten-minute review! God bless the inventor of the fast-forward button. Meanwhile, the clock isn't stopping for the countdown to seasonality. We may still be dealing with summer-like heat, but fall seasonality is here. Whatever you're doing for your holiday promotions NOW is the time to start ramping up the volume on your awareness campaign. So, what are you doing to ignite a little holiday excitement? I was in Costco a few days ago, and they already had Christmas trees on display. And the volume of snail-mail catalogs has started to pick up. The rush for holiday shopping earlier and earlier every year has started, but that's not all bad news. It means more time to reach your target audience. Here's a short list of things to think about to help make your presence more recognized and be a leader through the seasonality of the fourth-quarter crunch. YOU NEED TO BE PROACTIVE NOW! It's always more fun playing offense than defense. The obvious foundation to prepare for this year's holiday season is to define your marketing plans, including partnerships, etc. But here are a few less obvious things to help you fine-tune your planning.
And for you last-minute storm chasers - Take some time and think through how you'd like the year to finish. You've got more control than most people think, but sales success is a combination of timing, creativity, communication, and establishing value. If you just sit back and wait for customers to contact you, when your ship finally comes in, you'll be at the airport. Procrastination is NOT a strategy tool for marketing!  "Burnout is nature's way of telling you, you've been going through the motions your soul has departed." Unknown by Skip Cohen I started blogging in 2009 on Skip's Photo Network. In 2013, with a whole lot of help from Scott Bourne, we launched the SCU blog and website. I've been blogging ever since. Today, there are thousands of posts on marketing, business, technique, Throwback Thursdays, and Sunday Morning Reflections. When I started to post a week ago, I hit a wall. Whatever you call it, be it writer's block or life simply getting in the way - I chose to pull the plug for a stretch, with a plan of being back after Labor Day. So many times I've reminded photographers that you can't create images that tug at people's hearts if your own heart isn't in it. But...it's hard to practice what you preach! Well, that left me in a quandary - None of the last 17 years would have happened without my readers. You've shared your feedback, participated with dozen's of guest posts, and plenty of new content ideas, including several hundred podcasts and lots of speaking gigs over the years. So, I'm sneaking in one post today to thank you for your encouragement and support. And more short-term, I want to wish everybody a terrific holiday weekend. Labor Day is right around the corner, leaving me almost speechless in describing how fast this year has gone by. I'm still a work in progress, and really didn't realize how much I needed a break. It wasn't just from writing, but social media and all "doom-scrolling" through all the garbage that's providing a never-ending stream of frustration over a government that's forgotten about We the People. Here's the bottom line: If you're traveling this holiday weekend, stay safe and take your time getting to wherever you're headed. Remember to take care of yourself. You can't be there for everyone who depends on you if you're not keeping your own battery charged. Most important of all, cherish what you've got and the people in your life who have made it all possible. Savor the time you're with them and focus on making new memories. Happy Labor Day Weekend! “Self-care is your fuel…Whatever the road ahead or the path you’ve taken,
self-care is what keeps your motor running and your wheels turning.” Melissa Steginus “Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored” Earl Nightingale   by Skip Cohen My Dad served in the Asia Pacific in WWII. The photo above is from Nikko after the war in November 1945. Dad was part of a team to set up General MacArthur's headquarters in Tokyo. They got away for a day to get up to Nikko, the scenic mountain city 2-3 hours from Tokyo. I was there with friends from Polaroid's Tokyo office forty years later. On the back of the print above Dad wrote: "Our gang---and I do mean comedy." For those of you too young to know - the "our gang comedies" were the Little Rascals. Dad never shared many of the stories from the war, but the guy second from the left above is Stan Unger, known as "Uncle Stan." He and Dad remained great friends right up until Stan passed away. The pictures on the right and below are from basic training before deployment. It was shot at Scott Field, Illinois, in October 1943. The one at the bottom of the full group was shot in June of 1943 on the campus of the University of North Dakota. But the best part of all of Dad's photographs was his attention to detail. Dad wrote who was in the picture, along with the location and the date, on the back of just about every photograph. If your grandfather or great-grandfather served in WWII in the Asia Pacific, you might find him in this group shot of Barracks 7. I know he had access to a darkroom during the war and actually came home with a small contact printer, which we used when I was a kid in our makeshift darkroom. It was just a metal box with a glass plate on the top and a lightbulb. So many of you have access to old photographs in albums and shoeboxes! You owe it to future generations of your family to get the backstories. Happy Throwback Thursday! P.S. In the top photo, that's Dad on the far right. In the vertical shot, Dad is second from the bottom with the group below; he's on the far right, standing.    Adobe Stock  by Skip Cohen It's Hump Day and a great time for a quick lesson in lighting combined with a classic reason why I love social media. Wandering through cyberspace, Atlanta-based photographer David Wagner spotted the classic shot on the right in one of my posts and wrote to me about it. He wrote: I worked at Davidson & Company for many years and was the project coordinator and retoucher on that piece. I worked with Michael on determining the individual photographic elements we needed, and I then assembled and finished the image using the pin-registered photographic and conventional retouching methods we were using at Davidson at the time. I actually still have the original finished piece in my possession. I’ve attached a current photograph of it, including the registration holes along the edge, simply to help establish that I’m the person I say I am. As I wandered through David's website, the page below came up. At a time when so many new photographers don't understand lighting, it deserves to be shared with more artists! I loved how David demonstrated the different styles, which prompted my phone call to him for permission to share the page. I'm so tired of photographers who claim to be professional portrait artists and claiming they specialize in "natural lighting." When I hear that, all the alarms go off letting me know this is somebody who's never taken the time to learn lighting! Click on any image below to visit David's website. I've got two points to make in sharing today's post. First, social media is the mortar that holds all the bricks of new and old friendships together. David saw my post. I called him and we had a great conversation about the original photograph above. That led to talking about the industry. There's no doubt in my mind there's a potential for a fun friendship to kick off. Second, Don Blair taught lighting and posing right up to a month or so before he passed away. He used to say, "You have to know the rules before you can break them!" So, if you're one of those "natural light specialists" out there, take the time to learn lighting. Understanding portait lighting will NEVER disappoint you, and even better, it's the magic that brings customers back time and again! Remember, you've got one goal in business: exceed customer expectations and make yourself habit-forming. And thanks, David - it was a great call, and I'm looking forward to the next time we catch up.  Click above to link to Wagner Studios  The secret of success is to treat all customers like your world revolves around them. Unknown Author  by Skip Cohen Alexander Graham Bell patented the phone in 1876, but it took almost 50 years to become a widely used household item. Today, the majority of us are NEVER without our phones, yet phone etiquette is often nonexistent. How you handle yourself over the phone is one of your most critical marketing tools. At a time when email and texting communications drive the world, a live call is still at the top of relationship-building techniques in business! There was a time when "Ma Bell" used to do classes for business clients on phone etiquette. I remember being sent to a workshop 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 about using the phone as a customer service tool. As I look back on it today, it was really about how to have a conversation. The same way you carry yourself with somebody face to face is a foundation for how you communicate on the phone. This is just as much about providing great Customer Service as it is verbal communication. Recently I had a challenge with Frontier and Verizon, regarding an offer for a benefit I thought I already had. It took multiple transfers at both companies before I reached the right department and an expert who could answer my question. Plus, my call was answered offshore and only one of the four people I spoke with actually understood my complaint. By the time I got to the last person, after being disconnected twice, I was so tired of being handed off. I was frustrated, rude, sarcastic and obnoxious. It wasn't the fault of the rep, but their systems of communication - nobody talks to one another! We're into that short window between the changes in seasonality. It's the perfect time to fine-tune your phone skills - Do you give good phone?
Here's a perfect example: I recently had a problem with Grace Alley American Flags. I called about their 3x5 flag, a $35 item. I spoke to Customer Service and felt strongly they should replace my flag, since what we experienced was a manufacturing defect. (It was only coming apart on the white stripes.) The rep told me he didn't have the authority to authorize a replacement, but would call me a week later. I never heard from the company again, even after I sent two emails and pictures of the complaint. I wound up buying from their competitor, and will never purchase from Grace Alley again. Here's the bottom line: because texting and email are so popular, we've lost the art of conversation. The phone is one of your most valuable tools for relationship building. Use it the right way and it will become one of your greatest tools for relationship building! "The greatest technology in the world hasn't replaced the ultimate relationship building tool
between a customer and a business...the human touch!" Shep Hyken  Life is too short to live the same day twice. Jennifer Lopez by Skip Cohen
It's Sunday and my time to jump the tracks and head off in whatever direction my thoughts take me. As I've written in the past, it's my therapy. I love stepping away from what I write about most often, business and marketing. This morning I had a hard time finding what I wanted to share until I came across the quote above. But, as I've gotten older, I've found that life is too short to make the same mistake twice...or more for us slow learners. The reality is, as you get older and hit your "Golden Years," you realize that when it's a great day, you crave to repeat it! Life is definitely too short, but not to repeat terrific days. I've grown to love Sundays...it's a slower pace, with less focus on what has to be done and more on whatever we want to do! It starts with getting the pups out and kicking off the daily routine. At some point, often before the coffee's even on, Alexa has her instructions for the morning music. Sundays always start with contemporary gospel or facsimile, because it represents a great chapter in Sheila's life when she'd head to church with her grandmother. Next, I finish my Reflections post, followed by breakfast. I'm the official breakfast chef in this house. Not sure how I got the title, but I love it and take my responsibilities very seriously. So, whether it's pancakes, waffles, eggs - whatever, it's all cooked as a labor of love. Here's my point - it takes practice, focus, and sometimes a Herculean effort to keep the outside world where it belongs...OUTSIDE. So the drawbridge comes up and the peace we enjoy, especially on Sunday mornings, doesn't get interrupted by anything that doesn't make us smile. Life is as good as we let it be, and while it's too short and goes by so quickly, that doesn't change the pure wonder and importance of savoring every special moment. So, as I sit here typing with Lucy on my lap...I'm wishing you a day that's so good it's worth living over and over again. Make a few new memories or just take the time to appreciate the old ones. Do your best to stay away from things that don't make you smile. Ignore the outside world for the day. Don't doom scroll or watch the news. All the craziness out there will still be there tomorrow morning! ALWAYS go for those eleven-second hugs I started writing about ten years ago. Long hugs are therapeutic but only when they're with the people you love the most. Happy Sunday...or Monday on the other side of the world.   by Skip Cohen
When I first started blogging, I used to post every day except Saturday; often, I'd post several times the same day. Ten years later, I was posting three times a week and doing a Sunday Morning Reflections. On August 2, I decided to go back to posting every day, as long as whatever I had to share seemed worthy of your attention. Well, it's Saturday, and I wanted to share the piece on the right. It's from a Facebook group called The Daily Push. I know absolutely nothing about their origin - I simply liked this piece they shared. I don't profess to have any medical expertise except that as I've aged I've noticed so many changes in my physical well-being. I'm also aware of health challenges that seem to be genetic, and as my old buddy Joe Buissink used to say, "You can't hide from bad genes!" My family history includes plenty of issues with hypertension, heart attacks and my dad had 5-way bypass surgery in his 60s. It scared him into living a healthier lifestyle, and he died at 93. I'm hoping you find these nine habits helpful to pay attention to, especially the ones that don't require a trip to CVS! Sleep, exercise, anger, stress, and laughter - all easy to pay attention to. Plus, you don't need to be a lab rat to know that you feel better when all of these things are in play to their maximum positive potential. Have a great weekend, and if you're a wedding or event photographer and working, (and this is completely off today's subject) remember to save a few shots and do something completely different. Mix up your game a little - change the lighting, perspective, drag the shutter - act like a kid who just got a new camera! Happy Saturday! Stay healthy!  Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover. H. Jackson Brown Jr. by Skip Cohen
With the recent launch of the FB group and podcast, Before They Take Away My Keys, bucket lists are on the list of future things to discuss. It's the perfect topic for anyone who's older but still has a bucket list of things they want to do or accomplish. After the quote above, author Lou Mitchell wrote: This quote is a powerful reminder to live boldly and embrace the adventure. Fear of failure or the unknown often keeps us anchored in our comfort zones, but true fulfillment comes from taking risks and pursuing our dreams. By stepping out of our safe harbors, we open ourselves to new experiences, growth, and discovery. How many times, after completing a project or some actionable event, have any of us said, "You know what we should have done?" It's the old line about hindsight always being 20/20! But my wife's line takes it a step further, "Don't should on yourself!" More than a few times over the years at Rangfinder/WPPI, we wanted to implement some new projects. So often, we'd take the idea to the owner of the company, and he'd spend so much time pondering the concept that we'd miss the window of opportunity. Here's the bottom line for today's post...think about your bucket list of things you want to do someday. Then realize that some day is NOW! Growth only happens outside your comfort zone. Today's opening quote is so on point - you want to be looking back on your life with regrets. Don't wait to chase those dreams because time is NEVER on your side. Wishing everybody a terrific weekend ahead. The summer has flown by, and now is the perfect time to think about your goals for the rest of the year and into 2027. Lou Mitchell had one more terrific thought... Imagine yourself twenty years from now - what regrets might you have if you don't take action today?  That's my grandmother, fourth from the left in the back row. by Skip Cohen
I'm always amazed at what I find when I start going through old albums looking for something to share on Throwback Thursday. In an album of my Dad's, the picture above was tucked in between some WWII paperwork. On the back, he'd written, "Mother's Day 1942." This was in front of the fraternity house at the University of Illinois. Just five months earlier, the attack on Pearl Harbor took place, and at least half the fraternity, based on Dad's stories from his college days, had enlisted by the end of '42. Remember the TV show Laugh-in? Artie Johnson was one of the stars/characters. He was a member of the fraternity, and Dad told me a story about a Mother's Day Tea. If this is the group, then it's when Artie took off his shirt and wore shorts, no shoes or stocks...he walked by the Moms having lunch, but was on the other side of a waist-high hedge. It was just high enough to look like he was walking past stark naked! As always, the fun of Throwback Thursday is in the backstories that come out with each photograph you find. But that fun is limited by how much you know about those old photographs. Make it a point to talk with the more senior members in your family about those old albums and shoeboxes full of memories. They can't share the stories if you've found old photographs after they've passed away. Everyone has the ability to capture video or audio as well. There are few things in your life that you'll cherish more than recordings of loved ones and their stories from the past. I've written about building your own Legacy Program many times in the past - here's one of the more detailed posts, both personally and for clients. Happy Throwback Thursday!  Greatness happens when the person with the wild imagination collaborates with the person who knows how to get things done. Unknown Author  Click to visit product page by Skip Cohen Most of the time on Hump Day, I hit Adobe Stock for a shot of camels, but recently, when I was talking to a well-seasoned photographer and mentioned he needed some partnerships to grow his business, his answer was, "When pigs fly!" So, I knew I had my theme for today and stumbled on the shot above thanks to Adobe. At least with those two pigs, they upgraded and went private plane! I've written a lot over the years about partnerships, but so many of you still believe you need to fly solo on everything you do. Everything is based on believing you have maximum control over the outcome. Sadly, while you do have control as a "one-man band," your reach, creativity, success, and reaction time are limited. It's time to stop being stupid! Partnerships give you an edge because you can draw from each other's creativity, databases, brand awareness, and skill sets. Plus, each partner becomes an ambassador for the different companies involved. You're pooling your resources and expanding your reach dramatically, and in the process, saving money and increasing your exposure to levels unaffordable as a solo act. Here's a list of potential partners that I've shared in previous posts over the years: Boudoir Photographers: Get together with a lingerie boutique and a spa, makeup artist, or salon. Also, because a beautiful boudoir image is very often intended to be a gift with a little romance attached, an intimate restaurant in your community might also be a great partner. To take it one step further, check out this locked image box from Photoflashdrive.com. It adds another level to both your presentation and the romantic mystery about boudoir. Pet Photographers: Talk with the manager at your local supermarket or pet shop to find out who the rep is for some of the big-brand pet foods. You can also reach out to animal shelters, pet boutiques, veterinarians, and doggy daycare facilities. Children's Photographers: Toy stores, summer camps, playgrounds, kids' clothing boutiques, and restaurants geared toward kids make great partners. You might even find a pediatrician or pediatric dentist interested in getting involved with something creative. Family Photographers: You're looking for any company that targets families. Family restaurants, decorators, parks, and special events targeting families all have potential. Years ago, on a Hasselblad program in Cleveland, a photographer told me about a landscaper who built him a backyard shooting area in exchange for promoting their services. The logic was that anyone paying for a family sitting more than likely had an interest/need in landscaping. Commercial Photographers: This one's a little more challenging, but think about what a client is looking for. This doesn't work if you're targeting Fortune 500 companies. However, a program to target small business owners in a community could tie in a local magazine/publication, a printer, and a courier service, for example. The promotional offer might target people who need a new headshot. Wedding Photographers: Wedding photographers are always the easiest because there are so many different business entities involved: florists, wedding planners, bakeries, salons, bridal shops, limo companies, musicians, tux shops, travel agents, venues, and the list goes on and on. Last on the list for every specialty - don't forget other photographers! There's only so much time in a week for you to shoot. Bringing in competitors who complement your style helps build strength and brand recognition in the category. Sooner or later, you'll send another photographer a referral, so why not build the relationship now? Right now, every imaging artist is dealing with the same challenges - trying to set up for as much business as possible this holiday season. With the holidays and the spirit of seasonality, it's the perfect time to plant seeds and consider strategic partners to grow your business and, in turn, your success! From direct mail to email blasts, community events, sponsorship, and cross-promotional offers, there's so much to choose from. Partnerships help each company involved - again, as each of you becomes an ambassador for the other members of the team. The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.
Phil Jackson Greatness happens when the person with the wild imagination collaborates with the person who knows how to get things done. Unknown Author  "Without customers you don't have a business, you have a hobby!" Don Peppers and Martha Rogers by Skip Cohen I'm pulling this topic out of the SCU archives, because NOW is the time to be fine-tuning your sales technique...BEFORE the chaos of holiday seasonality hits. It's one of the best posts my good buddy Scott Bourne has written over the years. What good is working hard to create the very best images of your life, if you can't lose the sale? It's not rocket science, but it does take practice learning to listen to your clients, read their reactions, and then present ideas/products they want to buy. You're part of a fantastic industry that can be incredibly rewarding financially as well as emotionally, and Scott's sharing advice so many of you need. Learn to close the sale and start building a more significant customer base and stronger revenue stream. by Scott Bourne
My mentor in sales was Zig Ziglar. He had a motto: "ABC" i.e., "Always Be Closing." It's a known fact that the NUMBER one reason people don't get paid, hired, etc., is they either don't know how to close, forget to close or are afraid to close. Don't let the word "close" scare you. At it's most basic form it just means to ask someone "Will you hire me." Common sense right? But you'd be surprised to learn how many people make sales presentations that do NOT contain a close. It's a losing proposition. Remember that good sales skills are as important as a good camera. Sales is not a dirty word. It's how you feed your family. Zig used to say "Nothing happens until somebody sells something." So don't be afraid. Persuading people to do what they already want to do is not sleazy. It's just good business. While I can't teach you everything I know about closing the deal in a blog post, I can and will give you some starter ideas that might make this easier for you. The following suggestions assume the following:
The Assumptive Close This is a basic technique where you proceed as if you have the business. "So Mrs. Jones shall I put you down for our Gold package?" The assumptive close is the first one you should learn because it can (and often should) be combined with other sales techniques. It asks the basic question that implies or assumes the prospect wants to hire you and it very often is all you need to get hired. The Calendar Close This is another basic technique used to book an appointment. If you are "two-step" selling, meaning you first sell the appointment and THEN the job, you need to know this one. Have a diary or a calendar in your hand and ask, "Mrs. Jones would next Wednesday at one or Thursday at two be a good time to meet with my staff to solidify the details?" Show the book to the prospect. Draw their attention to a specific date and time. Keep them engaged. This works. The Minor Points Close This is less aggressive than the assumptive close, but will be a good build up to the finale. Start by asking questions like these: "Mrs. Jones of our packages, which appeals to you most; the Gold or the Silver?" or "Do you have a venue picked for the wedding? Good we're very familiar with that church and can make sure your daughter looks her best there because it's got great lighting." Minor points are a way of walking the prospect toward yes. Which is of course where we want them to go. The Shame Close This is a delicate close that needs to be practiced, but used well, can be ultra effective. This close requires set up. Using weddings again as an example, you might ask: "Mrs. Jones who is your florist? They are great, but a little on the expensive side. How about your caterer? Again great but not the cheapest. Wouldn't it be a shame to invest all that money in a great cake and a great florist, but have substandard photography to remember the event by?" This sounds cheesy, but it is important and it works. After all, most of the time, when I was shooting weddings the bride was spending more on the flowers and the catering than they wanted to spend on photography. The flowers end up in the dumpster outside the hotel and catering - well we all know that ends up in the toilet sooner or later. But the photos? They are the lifetime keepsake. We have to build value and this is a great way to do it. The Hassle Free Close There are lots of photographers looking for business. If you can make YOUR company just a little bit easier to deal with than the next person, you might just get the business. Hence the hassle free close. There are some setup items with this close too. Make sure you accept EVERY reasonable form of payment. Make sure your business hours are convenient for your prospects - not for you. Make sure you are easy to find and easy to follow up with. But then, move in with the final step: "Mrs. Jones we've talked about the services we offer, you've agreed that you like our work. We've met with your lovely daughter and we fell in love with her. All that's left is to sign the contract and book the date. I've prepared the document here, all you need to do is sign here and arrange payment and we're all set." Making this seem like the natural thing to do, i.e. hire a photographer is part of the hassle free close. And you might note that some or all of these could be combined with the first close I mentioned, the Assumptive Close. Some of you are reading this and it makes you uncomfortable. To you I say hire someone to do this for you or prepare to starve. Sales are important. Without a sale there is no business; no need for a camera or a studio or anything else. You have to have the tools necessary to do the sales part of the business if you want to succeed. And these closes are simple tools. No different than a flash diffuser or a reflector. They are all intended to make the final result a positive one. Don't be ashamed to be a great sales person. If your heart is in the right place you need to know one last thing. Sales isn't something that you do TO someone - it's something that you do FOR someone. Now go get the business. Skip and I are rooting for you. Remember, objections are buying signals and when you start dealing with objections you are already starting the closing process, so be glad if you get an objection. It means the prospect is paying attention and is interested.  "Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice!" Steve Jobs by Skip Cohen There seems to be an abundance of negativity in the air. But today's post is NOT about politics; it's about photography. Most of you are professional photographers or aspiring to be, and too often it's an uphill climb. Let's get rid of all the "negators" in our lives. Just in case you don't understand how I'm using the word, it's my favorite word for all those people who tell us why we can't or shouldn't do something! They're the ultimate right-fighters, sure that their opinion is the only one with any accuracy. They seem to live for the opportunity to wait for you to fail so they can proclaim they saw it coming! Photography is an art form and so often misunderstood, especially by family members and friends. They don’t understand your passion to be an artist. They assume you’re going to starve in the process. They may never have seen your work and question whether you’re good enough. They don’t understand why you can’t just go out and get a “real job”! Sound familiar? The result is most often damage to your self-confidence. Here are a few things to help you stay focused, pun intended, and give you a little reinforcement. You know how to focus your camera, but do you know how to hold the focus on your career path?
“Even if you fall flat on your face, you’re still moving forward!” Victor Kiam “If you wait for all the lights to be green, you’ll never get started on your journey!” Zig Ziglar It’s August and fall/holiday seasonality is right around the corner. You've got the best and busiest part of the year ahead of you. It's time to really dig into your journey. And if you need a little help from one of the industry's biggest cheerleaders - you know where to find me!
 Be happy. Be yourself. If others don't like it, then let them be. Happiness is a choice. Life isn't about pleasing everybody. John Spense  by Skip Cohen When I started writing this morning, I had no idea what I wanted to write about. But the fun of Sunday Morning Reflections is that it's ALWAYS a blank canvas - I have only one rule: to try NOT to write about marketing. So, this morning I started by looking for inspiration in Adobe Stock. I've been using stock for post illustrations for many years. When the picture above came up, today's theme hit me. Life doesn't have to be a race, but the older you get, the more focused you are on what you want to do. You wake up one day and realize you have fewer days left in your life than you've lived. The "race" begins. If you know me even a little bit, you know my love for the craft and especially the respect I have for those of you who are full-time artists. I'm not a full-time artist in photography, but somewhere in life I did become a writer. But like many of you, I wanted a change - not to step away from imaging and business, but to add another direction to my life's journey. That direction has become a greater focus on the challenges of aging. The new Facebook group is approaching 300 members, and as new podcasts air, it's going to grow. We can't stop the aging process, but we can have more fun with it. While most guys my age have slowed down, I'm feeling energized and ramping up. Don't get me wrong, I'm slower than I used to be and I still creak for ten minutes when I get up in the morning. I love a mid-day nap (why should kindergartners get all the benefits?) and time to recharge my batteries. I suppose if I were to update the illustration above, this shot would suit me better. Catch the smile on the old guy's face. That's how I feel working on this new project. It's bringing out energy and hopefully some solid information to help you bring more dignity to aging. It's also given me better focus, and while it's not a race, I don't have all the time in the world like I believed when I was younger. Somebody recently tossed a negative bomb in a comment to me. You know the kind - trolls who like to dump their negativity on your doorstep, then run. His opinion was that it's time for me to slow down. Well, my mantra for years has never been more appropriate: I do it because I can. I can because I want to. I want to because you told me I couldn't! Unknown Author Here's my point...if you're not smiling at the start of every new day, then it might be time to change something in your routine. As the expression goes, this isn't a rehearsal - it's the only life you've got. So, focus on what your heart's telling you. "Happiness starts from within. True joy comes when you accept who you are, stop looking for outside approval, and enjoy your own company." GoodReads.com
I hate turning a post into an infomercial, but please check out the new Facebook group and join us. There's so much good content waiting in the wings and coming each week. In the meantime, make it a day filled with new memories. If you need a slug day, then take it without guilt and appreciate the downtime. If you're pumped and loaded with energy, put it into something you love doing and the "peeps" you love to be with. With a world that's upside down, those eleven-second therapeutic hugs have never been more important to share. Thanks for hanging out with me - Happy Sunday...or Monday if you're on the other side of the world.  by Skip Cohen When I first started blogging in 2009, I posted every day and often 2-3 times in a day. It was overkill, but I was having too much fun with the concept. Eventually I went to weekdays and later added in Sunday with my ALWAYS off-track-from-business topics, Sunday Morning Reflections. Two weeks ago I posted on Saturday and after not missing a day over the last two weeks I though I'd keep it going. Recently on Facebook notifications the piece below was posted. It came with sort of a challenge - "Nobody has done all 20 of these!"  I don't feel like an old fart because I've done all 20. Instead, I'm proud of the fact. See how many of you can relate to the following tag-alongs with some of the above...
#1: In the days of pay phones, they were all rotary. However, you could bypass paying for calls by putting in a nickel and hitting the cancel lever at the same time. Once you had a dial tone, you could click out the phone number by tapping the switch hook. #2: My good buddy Peter used to manage Polaroid's floppy disc assembly plant in Northern California. #3: I won my first typewriter, an Olivetti, my sophomore year in high school selling magazines in the annual fundraiser. Do they even still have magazine subscription drives? #5: We have hundreds of CDs, but these days we only listen to Pandora and Alexa. But we can't bring ourselves to let them go. #11: I just gave my fax machine to Goodwill a few weeks ago - it had been sitting on a shelf in my office closet for years. #17: My Dad used to get so aggravated with all of us because nobody bothered to fold the map back the right way. #19: We had the start of at least three encyclopedia sets - but never complete. That's because my mother would get the first volume or two free or heavily discounted as part of a supermarket promotion, but she'd never follow through on the whole set. So each time they had another promotion, she'd pick up another few letters of the alphabet. #20: We still write a handful of checks each year, usually for contractors involved with some level of home services and the IRS annually. There are more highlights I could add, but you get the point. Aging has its benefits, and being able to say I've done all those, plus owned an 8-track player, pushed a rotary lawnmower, drive a manual transmission with the shift the floor or the column and last but not least, had a dead battery and got a run downhill or pushed by a lot of friends and popped the clutch to get going. It all puts a big smile on my face. Feel free to add more to the list! Wishing everybody a terrific weekend!  by Skip Cohen While launching "Before They Take Away My Keys," I looked through Adobe Stock for images to fit a blog post I was writing. Although the new podcast is about the challenges of aging or caring for an aging family member, I took the search a step further. I typed "Alzheimer's" into the search box. I found hundreds of images from artists who had submitted work in the category. The collection above is a small section of one of the hundreds of pages that are available. It's Friday, the end of a busy week, but I wanted to share how different artists have interpreted the word "Alzheimer's." And it really doesn't matter if it's a photographer with a camera or somebody using AI - my point is the way the word has been defined in an image. The stock photos below are a few of my favorites. If you've experienced Alzheimer's with a family member, then you know the sense of frustration. No single image could ever define what you're feeling, but a few come pretty close for me. My mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother all died of the disease. I was too young to relate to the challenge with my great-grandmother, but I was there for my mother and grandmother, especially my mother. If you're looking for an interesting sidebar "adventure" over a cup of coffee, take a walk through Adobe Stock. Type in any word you want and then watch what comes up. It's a great exercise in seeing how intangible feelings become presentable images. Wishing everybody a terrific weekend and time with the people you love most!         |
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