 Click to visit the IUSA website by Skip Cohen
This isn't a new topic for me to write about, but it's more relevant than ever TODAY! With the world becoming a healthier place and IUSA in January, I want to plant a few seeds to get you thinking about how you can make the most of the trip! First, however, here's my big assumption - I'm hoping everyone recognizes the importance of the IUSA convention. It's not going to be a typical conference, but a celebration of the journey back to some level of normalcy! It's about helping you build a stronger skill set, networking, and getting back in touch with an industry you're an essential part of! The bottom line? You need to be there, and PPA's done an outstanding job of reducing your costs to be a part of it, from the special hotel rate to the discounted registration of just $59 - they're out to help you make 2022 a year of not only healing your business but growing it! Anybody can survive - their goal is to help you thrive! So, let's start planning your trip!
You've got a choice in how you want to kick off 2022 - you can either sit on the sidelines and watch the parade go by or you can be a part of it! Hope to see you at IUSA!
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  by Skip Cohen It's Marketing Monday, and today's post is as much a reminder for you as a consumer as it is for your business as a retailer and a product/service provider. So consider it a public service announcement! Let's turn back the clock to this time last year. We were in the throws of the pandemic, and everything went upside down when it came to shipping. I remember a holiday gift we ordered for friends that took six weeks to get here through the USPS. Concerned, I wandered into my post office and was told by our local postmaster, "Sorry, nothing we can do - I've got gifts of my own I'm still waiting for!" Then came the challenge of overseas shipments - often on their way, but with virtually no tracking information. Several times, I saw Platypod shipments look like they were still in NY when the same day, I'd get an email from the photographer overseas saying it had arrived. So, here's the bottom line. As a consumer, shop early and ship early! Unless you're delivering locally or personally, as a business owner, encourage your clients to make their decisions now, so holiday gifts arrive on time. Last week our fulfillment manager at Platypod sent out an email with the dates to the right for FedEx and USPS. It's up to you whether or not you believe them. Personally, I'd lean to adding a few days on, but follow the news - this is guaranteed to be a hot topic this season. The challenge of shipping has already been in the news repeatedly. I caught this short piece in this week's copy of The Week. I know it might be hard to read, so click on it to enlarge in the SCU lightbox. There's also a more in-depth article online at theSkimm.com about delays and price hikes through the USPS.  So, the expression, a good offense is the best defense is credited to George Washington! “…offensive operations, often times, is the surest, if not the only means of defense.” George Washington, 1799 The bottom line is to build a good solid offense. Don't get caught short with your clients or your personal shipments this year. Shop early, help your clients as much as possible and get their orders out ahead of whatever you'd consider the regular schedule.
It's going to be a great holiday season for photographic products, and with the renewed sense of family in this country, you've got the skillset and products to meet the needs of your target audience! Happy soon-to-be here holidays!  by Skip Cohen
This will probably be the last post in The Road to Seasonality series. I've done my best to cover so many different things you can be doing to help make this year's holiday season one of your most successful. Sadly though, there are still too many of you caught in analysis paralysis, trying to figure out what to do next. STOP OVERTHINKING! First, you're only one person - even if you have a staff to help support your business, it still comes down to you. Second, you're better off doing something and being only moderately successful rather than being complacent and going into the holiday season without any marketing plans. Last but not least - remember the definition of insanity - doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results. I wrote a post a few weeks back with a similar theme, but let's take it a step further. Here's a check-off list to work from, and it doesn't matter what you do, as long as you maintain a presence with your target audience and do something!
Here's the bottom line - the future of your business is in your hands! I'm not suggesting it's easy, but nothing in life is effortless these days. Just remember that relationship building is your strongest marketing tool. You've got to be out there and shed the chains of analysis paralysis. It's November 1 - so what are you doing today to help secure business over the next two months?  by Skip cohen Last week, I had a conversation with a photographer that left me feeling like it was time to bring back the story about the hot dog vendor. There's a lot of fun history in this story. My good buddy, Jim Morton, found it years ago. We were both at Hasselblad then, and in a tough economy, our parent company was suggesting cutbacks to save money on things that were MAKING money. So there was an anecdotal story in circulation by the advertising community in the early '90s. Jim showed it to me, and while it might be thirty years old, it's still so valid. It's the perfect reminder to help everyone stay focused on the big picture, pun intended! So here's the short version: A very successful hot dog vendor is hitting record sales. He's advertising, cross-promoting, staying open longer each day, and business is fantastic. His son comes home from college for the summer and says, "Dad, don't you know we're in a recession? You need to watch your spending and be ready for business to slow down." The father, concerned, stays awake all that night worrying about what his son has said. The following day he pulls down a lot of his signs and puts the money he would have spent on advertising and promoting in the bank. He ceased all the creativity he was putting into marketing. By the end of the month, business is terrible, and all he can say to himself is, "Wow, it's a good thing I listened to my son. There really is a recession." The conversation that prompted the return this story was with a talented artist who felt there was nothing left to do to try and grow his business. He's caught in "analysis paralysis," and instead of doing more, he's doing nothing. He's been beaten down by Covid and the pandemic. Everything he used to do in marketing no longer works. Yet, "It always worked in the past!" Sound a little familiar? Here's my point - the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results. That just doesn't work anymore - all the paradigms have shifted, and most things we thought were normal are gone. How you market yourself, reach your target audience, and what you need to offer have all changed. There's a renewed sense of family in this country, and they're looking to capture memory-making moments. So relationship building with your clients has never been more critical. Being active in your community should be at the very top of your list too. And the products you offer need to be new, exciting and memorable. Sadly, too many of you forget one of your most significant resources, your lab! All it takes is a phone call with the question, "What's new?" Covid didn't slow down creativity or technology, and today's labs can print on just about anything. At the same time, don't underestimate the power of a canvas print - which is still relatively new to most consumers. We're into the fourth quarter, and opportunities are everywhere for increasing revenue this holiday season. But, most important of all, keep the renewed sense of family in your mind. Think about what we all missed the most while hunkering down - family and friends! When things are slow, it's a scary time to think about spending more money on marketing. But, you have to spend money to make money. Covid has hurt everyone in so many ways, but it didn't take away your skills, creativity, or passion for the craft! "A person who stops marketing to save money is a person who stops his clock to save time!" Anon And I've offered this before - if you're stuck and need a fresh pair of eyes and a sounding board - you know where to find me!
 by Skip Cohen It's Marketing Monday, and as we kick off the seasonality of the fourth quarter, I'm not sure how much more I can write about the goldmine sitting on your doorstep! While the pandemic hurt us all in so many different ways, it brought with it a renewed sense of family. At the height of the pandemic, everyone was hunkered down, two words that I'd rarely used before Covid! Families protected themselves and especially their senior members. We all connected via the phone, Skype, Facetime, and Zoom, to name a few. Early on, I remember posts from friends on Facebook with stories about bringing back family game night, stories about Facetime calls with grandparents who couldn't be physically visited, and family projects ranging from the kids joining in meal preparations to interior decorating. And when it came to family pets, thousands of people added a new furry critter to the family. Put all the events of the last year and a half together, and there's a whole lot of business sitting on your front porch right now. From family portraiture to children and pets to capturing memories - we're cherishing time. And there it is - the magic word that defines your ability as an artist. As a photographer and/or videographer, you're able to stop time and take those intangible memories and turn them into moments your clients can appreciate forever! So, what are you doing to offer your target audience this holiday season? Each of the ideas below is perfect for a theme in a blog post too!
The list easily goes on and on in terms of your style and materials used in the items above. And while canvas prints are old to most of us - they're not necessarily old to your target audience, especially if you're a full-service photographer and include framing and helping each client with the final placement of the work in their home or office. Most important of all, remember this quote by Seth Godin: People rarely buy what they need; they buy buy what they want! That means you have to plant the seeds for unique gift ideas this holiday season with your blog, Facebook posts, Instagram shots, Pinterest, etc. And with a renewed sense of family in the world, what grandma has missed most has been her kids!
  by Skip Cohen It's Marketing Monday, and I'm not sure there's a better specialty to talk about this time of year than family marketing. One of the unique things the pandemic brought to us is a renewed sense of family. Combine the increased importance of family with this year's seasonality, and you've got a perfect ingredient to help build a more substantial business and brand awareness. Obviously, you need the skillset, which goes deeper than just knowing when to click the shutter. You need to understand composition, lighting, and most importantly, you need to make working with you an experience. Beverly and Tim Walden have talked a lot about creating the experience in their workshops over the years. While the finished product is essential - it's about the subjects having fun working with you. It's about the relationship you build with the client. And remember, you're not selling a photograph but a new heirloom and a memory-maker for a unique family. So, how are you going to reach your target audience? If you haven't checked out Marathon's Family Marketing program, now is the time. In fact, it couldn't be better to help you create awareness and increase your family portrait business...NOW! Here's what I love about Marathon's program:
Don't let this year's holiday season pass you by because you missed the opportunity to plant those marketing seeds with your target audience. The fourth quarter isn't just a time for direct sales, but it also sets the stage for the "slow season," and help's you create sales right into the new year. Click on any of the illustrations in today's post to link to Marathon's Family Marketing Program, or call (800) 228.0629 to reserve your marketing area today.   If you want to catch more fish, use more hooks! George Allen by Skip Cohen This is the seventh post in this series, each one written in the hopes of helping you take action to capture more sales in the upcoming holiday season. The reality is there isn't any single key to success. But there is a winning combination of publicity, products, and promotion. There's only so much content you can put in a blog post. So, today, it's just getting you to think about building awareness. What good is working so hard to create the best images of your life if nobody knows who you are? Too many of you think of publicity as awareness outside your control. So, let's kill the myth - thanks to social media and communication technology - EVERY business can control and contribute to their own awareness.
The definition of publicity from Google is: In marketing, publicity is the public visibility or awareness for any product, service, or organization. It may also refer to the movement of information from its source to the general public, often via the media. Stop waiting for that knock at your door from a reporter who wants to do a feature profile story about you and your business. Those opportunities will come, but you have to build your own awareness first! The bottom line is simple: "use more hooks!"  A goal is just a dream with a deadline! Drake by Skip Cohen The one thing we can never change is time. We can't slow it down. We can't speed it up. We never have enough of it - but right now, when it comes to preparing for the seasonality of the fourth quarter of 2021 - you DO have the time. Most of us fly by the seat of our pants. We're reactionary and respond accordingly to whatever good ideas and, too often, bad ones come our way. Then when an idea doesn't produce the results we hoped for, we withdraw until we regain the confidence to try again. Okay, enough of the philosophical side of trying to run a business at a time when the world is upside down! Let's go straight to the "brass tacks" of whatever it's going to take to make you smile about your business at the end of the year! I'm assuming everybody wants to regain a firmer footing in their business during the next few months - so, there's the goal and that dream with a deadline. Start with thinking through what you want to offer to your clients.
Here's my point - last year's holiday season was one of the toughest ever. We were all dealing with the unknown and the challenges created by the pandemic. And while we're still faced with so many challenges, there's never been a greater sense of family. As a photographer, videographer, and artist you've got the skillset to offer your clients great ideas tying in your skills with their families and friends. It all starts with you, and while I hate the expression, "you snooze you lose." And if you're stuck for ideas, you know where to find me and I'm serious, I'm happy to try and help.  "If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." African proverb  by Skip Cohen I'm so tired of hearing how much the pandemic took away from business. I don't want you to think I'm minimizing the pain of the challenge, but Covid didn't take away your creativity, or your skillset. It also created great opportunities to demonstrate a leadership role in your community by working together with other businesses to generate some promotional excitement this holiday season. Here's a shortlist of potential partners for five different specialties in the portrait/social category:
And this is only a partial list. For example, years ago, while doing a Hasselblad University program in the Cleveland area, a portrait photographer told me how a landscaper approached him to do a landscaped scene behind his studio for family portraiture, complete with a small pond and walkover bridge. It was like a mini Hollywood set, and at no cost to the photographer if he'd just promote the landscaper's business. Why? Because the landscaper knew, for this artist, there was a high correlation between the families he photographed and homeownership! In terms of designing an effective promotion, you can do anything from cross-promote each other's products and services to planning a mailing together to an open house, gallery-like event to introduce the community to your businesses. Last but not least - think about partnerships like this - each member of the group becomes an ambassador for each partner's business. Working together reduces costs and increases cash flow. But if you do it all alone - 100% of the cost is on your shoulders and wallet! “Teamwork: Simply stated, it is less me and more we.” Unknown Author You don't have to be a solo act. Stop thinking you've got to do everything alone!
 Click to visit the StoryPeople website by Skip Cohen
Most of us have seen the artwork done by StoryPeople in various shops and galleries over the years. For Sheila and me, we've always found their messages mostly related to us personally or about love and relationships. Well, I'm on their email list, and I get a new one every few days. But the minute I thought about the message in this week's artwork, my mind went immediately to business. Right now, most of you are doing everything you can to get your business back on track. You're fighting to rebuild, be creative, and figure out how to best enjoy the upcoming holiday seasonality. It doesn't matter whether you believe in angels, and you don't need one drop of spirituality to appreciate the message. Here's my point: It's your imagination and creativity that will carry you through this year's holiday season and, in turn, sales. Coming out of the pandemic, even though we're struggling with politics and fighting to not get sucked back into a second wave - the world really is in the palm of your hand. There's a new sense of family and just for a second, think about what everybody, especially "Grandma," has missed most - her kids! So, when it comes to the challenge of what to get Grandma this year, I'm not sure there's a better gift than a new family portrait. And if you're not a portrait artist, think about wall art. We've all spent more time at home with limited travel, looking at the same artwork on our walls. It's time to redecorate, and you've got the skillset to meet the needs of your clients. But nothing happens without your imagination and creativity! Use your blog to plant the seeds of ideas. Talk to the vendors in your network, especially your lab, about unique products. The reality is - angel or not; your community is in the palm of your hand!  by Skip Cohen
Last Monday, I shared a post reminding you that you're coming down to the wire to be planning your marketing activity for the seasonality of the fourth quarter. It was pretty general, but this week let's start to list some actions you should consider. Blog Content: If you've got a blog, it's the perfect vehicle to plant the seeds of gift ideas in photography with your clients. Here are some topic ideas:
Direct Mail, alone and with partners: I'm a huge fan of relationship building with other vendors. While you can do a direct mail campaign alone, with two partners, like a florist and salon, you'll reduce your costs to 1/3 of what it would be if you flew solo. Now is the time to get out in the community and look for partners. New products for gift ideas: CALL YOUR LAB! I mentioned this last week, but the pandemic hasn't slowed down technology. So all you have to do is call your lab and ask, "What's new?" Then kick back and listen. Somewhere in there, you'll hear about a product that will get you excited as something new and creative you want to offer. Community Involvement: In the top 100 things guerrilla marketers need to be doing, base on Jay Conrad Levinson's list many years ago, is be involved in the community. People like buying products from companies they perceive as giving back. Now is the time for you to be raising your hand to be involved in activities in your area. And remember, this is about people getting to know you, and it doesn't always have to involve your camera. Even working at a Friday night football game, filling ketchup and mustard containers for the Booster Club, is a way for you to be involved. No one post can cover everything, but each Marketing Monday, I'm going to be doing my best to share more ideas for you to consider. Most important of all, remember there's a renewed sense of family in the world. Who better to help capture and create those memory-making moments than you?
Images copyright Andrew Michaels. All rights reserved.  Intro by Skip Cohen One aspect of the fun of a conference or convention is the people you meet. Today's post is a perfect example with a guest post from Andrew Michaels. We met briefly at ClickCon in Chicago last week, and after the convention, he sent me an email about a unique special project he worked on during the pandemic. The main idea was to photograph a different train operator at each of the 194 CTA stations. I simply wanted to put a face to the L. I know a lot of people don't even think about it. After showing my friends, I would get texts "OMG I saw the operator at the front of the train!!" And from what the operators told me, it meant a lot to get that recognition...The message I was trying to send hit me harder than I intended. These people really are part of the community, and just like your barista you see every day, no reason you can't say hi and just smile to brighten their day. I got to know some of them, and they are truly amazing people. There's that old line about "it takes a village." Well, take a second and think about the people in your "village" since the pandemic started. For Andrew, he wanted to recognize the team that kept Chicago's transit system operating - never missing a day of support for the community. And remember, they supported thousands of nurses and doctors who rely on the CTA to get to the people they care for! I'm a big fan of special projects because they help you focus on essential concepts outside your business. In addition, they help bring out your creativity and spirit, which too often, lately, are buried under Covid's baggage. In other words, they help keep you grounded! Andrew needs to be on your radar - visit his website and follow him on Instagram. "Dedicated to the entire CTA organizaton for their consistent dedication keep Chicago moving forward." by Andrew Michaels In January 2020, I made a decision to commit full time to photography, spending January offering headshots and February learning squarespace to put the new portfolio online. In March 2020 COVID hit, so my plans came to a screeching halt. With my studio-that-never-was on lock down, I needed a new creative outlet. I sifted through my phone notes and landed on an idea that I really liked: to photograph a CTA bus driver at every stop as they opened the door looking at the passengers outside. But with about 10,000 stops in Chicago, the “L” seemed like a better option, with 194 stops. In hindsight the “L” was even more near to my heart, given how many hours I’ve spent photographing classic shots like the Merchandise Mart and the Adams/Wabash overpass. As I went about my work, kicking off each day with my morning coffee, I started to consider how the local barista becomes a friendly face in my morning routine. It occurred to me there's no reason the CTA staff shouldn't be embraced in the same way. It can make such a difference in someone's day to get a smile from a familiar face. I got excited thinking how a collage of 194 different operators could encourage the riders to connect with the workers. At the very least it would literally force Chicagoans to register the idea that these iconic trains don't drive themselves. It’s an obvious but often overlooked fact. As I went about the project, I was amazed at how many times an operator - who I previously photographed, would appear days/weeks/months later at a different stop. It was serendipitous to see, even with such a sprawling organization, I might cross paths with these people over and over. In fact, the very first operator I photographed, Calvin, was spotted 3 times before I finished the project. In rail transit, a “meet” is a situation in which a train traveling in one direction "meets" another traveling in the opposite direction. Growing up, I was pretty shy, so my family would encourage me to push outside my comfort zone, stressing the importance of meeting new people. “You never know who you’re going to meet…” implying at any moment, you can make friends with a stranger who may become the most important person in your life years later. On a micro level, this project proves that to be true. I ended up leaving many of the duplicate people in the final collage to reinforce the lesson I was taught growing up, and during the project- treat every stranger you meet as if you will meet them again.  Sorry, but a blog post doesn't really do the collage above justice, but I know you'll get the idea! Check out “Familiar Faces” on instagram.com/statestreetphotostudio .The posts are more visible and the “Familiar Faces” highlight shows BTS/ video content as well.
 by Skip Cohen It would be so easy if there was just a button on your keyboard you could hit and have all your ideas in place for this coming holiday season. Well, there isn't, but that doesn't mean you can't come up with everything you need to give 2021 one of the strongest finishes you've ever had! It's Marketing Monday and August 16 - just a month ahead of the start of fall seasonality and into the fourth quarter, the busiest time of the year for photographers. What are you doing right now to start planting seeds for ideas for your clients with imaging products? This will be an ongoing weekly series because no single post could cover everything you should be considering. But here's an ideal place to start: What are you offering this season that's unique or, at the very least, new to your target audience? Here are some things to consider:
Here's my point - September is two weeks away with kids going back to school (if they're not already), Labor Day, and Fall. October brings in Halloween, and by November, we're already into Black Friday specials from companies all over the world. That makes NOW the time to get your ducks in a row and have plans in place to capture the seasonality. It doesn't matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going. Brian Tracy So, where is your business going for the rest of the year?
 by Skip Cohen
As a kid, I know I'm not the only one who dreaded bringing home a report card every six weeks. While there were moments of brilliance when I applied myself, most of the time, there was something I had to explain. LOL Then, as a parent, the process returned, only now I could hear my folks saying, "You'll understand when you're a parent someday." Well, now fast forward to today, and the closest thing to a report card you get is feedback from a client now and then. With ClickCon right around the corner, then WPPI, Photoshop World, PPE, and IUSA in January, if you're going to make the very most of the time you put into the events, let's look at your "report card."
Here's my point - your time and funding for attending conferences is limited, even if they're online. So take the time NOW and do your own report card. The goal is to walk through the door (or portal) for each event ready to get the most out of it.  Intro by Skip Cohen I've shared this post several times over the years, and always at this time of year. It's one of my favorite guest posts by my good buddy Scott Bourne. This year after dealing with the pandemic and ALL of us graduating back into a bit of normalcy over the last month, Scott's words are even more appropriate. His original target with the post was the new artist just coming into the business after graduation, but take a second and think about his advice. We've all experienced some level of hitting the "hold" button over the last year. His advice is the perfect reminder of the things we need to do like marketing, business, technology, and social media to get back into full swing. We're all never-ending students! And, to Scott's point about relationships - Relationship building is your most valuable marketing tool! by Scott Bourne
Commencements are coming up all over the country in the next couple months. As someone with gray hair, I can’t help but have a very different perspective on photography than someone of college age. I am often asked what advice I’d give someone just breaking into professional photography. The usual response goes something like this… “Be prepared for lots of hard work – sales and marketing should dominate your day – show the work every chance you get – network like crazy – shoot what you love – repeat.” But while that’s all good advice, there’s more I would say if I were speaking at a commencement. I’d talk about understanding the high degree of importance graduates should place in each and every relationship they engage in during their career. Whether it’s the mailman or the recent client, these relationships are really all that matters. I didn’t know this when I was young and it hurt me…both personally and professionally. So obsess over gear and f/stops if you must, but if you really want to succeed, pay attention to the people in your professional life. Build solid, long-term relationships with them. Care about them. Help them. Put them and their interests ahead of your own. You never know where that will lead. You might be dealing with that person 30 years later. They’ll remember how you valued (or didn’t) the relationship when you were young. And so will you. If Scott isn't already on your radar, check out his blog; his website and follow him on Facebook. Plus, check out his field workshop and portfolio reviews.  by Skip Cohen We're right in the heart of spring seasonality, and although Mother's Day has passed, you've still got proms, graduations, and Father's Day ahead. That leaves some terrific opportunities to pick up a little momentum for your business. As we slowly come out of the pandemic, there are so many ways for you to start to regain some of the business you lost. Plus, there are some unique opportunities to raise the bar on your skillset.  If you're a senior photographer, Marathon's program on grad cards increases your profitability by 50% with their buy-one-get-one offer. Think about the Class of 2021 and what they've been through their senior year. They need all the help they can get with ways to celebrate, but this is also your chance to start building brand awareness with the Class of 2022. Click above for more info!  Need help with your skillset in photography, videography, marketing, and business? Check out the upcoming Visual Storytelling Conference. The VIP Package is on special for $99, and the free software alone is worth almost $200. And if you don't want to spend any money at all - you can sign up for the FREE pass. Just click on the banner above.  Father's Day is right around the corner, but there's plenty of time to get Mom thinking about the need for a new family portrait. And it's the perfect gift for Dad! Use your blog to plant the seeds for ideas. And Throwback Thursday posts are perfect to help remind your target audience it's time for a new portrait.  Stuck on ideas for new products to offer your clients? Pick up the phone and call your lab. All you have to do is ask, "So, what's new?" Then kick back and listen. Technology didn't slow down because there was a pandemic, and there are so many products to offer. I'm a huge fan of metal prints, especially when they're hung outside on a porch or patio. It's unique and becomes a conversation piece when people are together. Check out Bay Photo's Performance EXT Metal prints. Here's my point - the pandemic created a greater sense of family and also heightened our awareness of our friends. Most of us hunkered down and kept in touch with Zoom, Skype, Facetime, phone calls, and email. But now it's time to get back to capturing memories, and nobody can do it better than you!
There are only two significant stretches of seasonality in imaging, the Spring and the November/December holidays. Don't miss the opportunities around you right now...you snooze, you lose! And if you're stuck on ideas, you know where to find me. I'm happy to help you take those steps to get your business back on track.  by Skip Cohen I apologize for this sounding like a rant, but while so many of you are working hard to get business back on track, there are still too many of you bitching, moaning, complaining, and whining about what the pandemic took away. So, this email is addressed to those of you stuck in analysis paralysis trying to figure out where to start. I keep sharing links to various programs coming up, and the response is minimal. Yet, when I wander into many of the Facebook forums, there are threads of conversations from photographers who are still procrastinating about ramping back up! It's time to put your energy into relationship building with your target audience.
I've grabbed the banners of a few of the great programs coming up, but don't forget about support through the blogging community, including Photofocus, who's always sharing great information to help you raise the bar on the quality of your images! Click on any of the banners below for more information and put them on your radar.  For many of you this is short notice, but not if you're in the Phoenix/Tucson area. Check it out.  Check out the other speakers and program with a click on this banner. I'm in GREAT company and now is the time to register for your FREE pass.  Over the last year KelbyOne has put together some of the very best conferences in the industry!  This is all work-in-progress - So, put it on your radar. The schedule and speakers are all coming.  Follow what's going on with special programming and print competition, all being shared on the website.  While they just finished a two-day online program this past week, you need to keep track of all the great content being shared.  by Skip Cohen Long before the pandemic, we'd all experienced online education, but safety and social distancing has created an entirely new level of quality programming over the last year. "E-learning" is a buzzword regularly in our vocabulary. Coming up on April 16-18, circle the dates for CanAm Expo - three days of intense opportunities to help you fine-tune your skillset and raise the bar on the quality of your images. Sometimes it's tough to figure out which programs are going to meet your needs best. Well, here's one that's destined to be outstanding - great instructors and a platform designed to allow you to raise the bar on your imaging skills with excellent presentations.  Click for the complete schedule and registration information I've written a lot over the years about the best thing about our industry being the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft. It goes deeper than that because it's also about respect for each artist's skill set, which is often the catalyst for kicking off the friendship in the first place. Besides teaching great photography, there are three instructors who are great friends of both mine and Platypod's - Rick Friedman, Don Komarechka, and Shiv Verma. All three are teaching at CanAm and putting their best into programs to help you become better at your craft! Click on their headshots below for more information
 Plus, there's a special bonus program: Batting "clean up" and wrapping up the conference is Platypod's founder and owner, Larry Tiefenbrunn.
"Dr. T" will be presenting a ninety-minute program on the last day of the conference featuring dozens of photographers using Platypod in a long list of different applications. Together with Shiv Verma, they'll share dozens of "how-to" tips to help change your perspective in portraiture, landscape, wildlife, macro, closeup, and even working with flash. CanAm Expo offers you an opportunity to learn from thirteen of the movers and shakers in imaging today, all in the comfort of your own surroundings. Great topics and perfect timing for you to sneak in more ideas to help you create even better images for your clients as we approach Spring seasonality. Remember, hunkering down has been about your health - not about your business or building a stronger skillset! See you at CanAm Expo!   by Skip Cohen I'm not sure the opportunities for senior photographers have ever been greater than they are for this upcoming graduation season. To start, think about what these kids have gone through for the last year, compared to what all of us experienced when we were kids. Now, add the opportunities for creativity with seniors and the upcoming graduations, which appear to be scheduled LIVE in most communities around the country. Last but not least, think about how senior photography has grown in the previous decade. We've come a long way from when I was a kid, or even my kids were seniors a generation later. (This is where I get to share my senior head shot each year - complete with clip on tie and glasses that hid my uni-brow!) Senior photography today captures the subject's personality, with images often telling a story about their interests, hobbies, and even dreams for the future. These kids deserve every opportunity you can create for them to help celebrate. So, do you offer grad cards? Grad cards represent one of the best tools you have to help families celebrate and appreciate images you captured and created despite the challenges during the pandemic. Think back to the pride you had in the quality of the senior portraits you captured. Now it's time to put them to the very best use and create more ways to share the memories!  And yes, this is an infomercial for an outstanding product - grad cards! I love the way photographers can work with Marathon Press and extend the celebration for the class of 2021. Find out more with a click on the banner below, and make sure you check out Marathon's BOGO promotion going on through May 31, 2021.  Click for more info  by Skip Cohen It's a short post this morning with a point that's so perfect for today! Koi are beautiful but put a few hundred together in a pond, and they all look the same. None of them truly stand out. Well, that's exactly what's happening in business right now, especially in photography. Everyone is in the same boat, battling similar challenges. Too often they're trying to rebuild business with the same old products and services. If you're going to stand out, you've got to bring something new to the party! You've got to position yourself as a leader in your community. You need to start planting seeds of ideas on memory-makers. You need to take advantage of all the creative ways out there to reach your target audience. The pandemic took a lot away from every business owner, but it doesn't have to impact your creativity and marketing skills. Seasonality in photography is right around the corner with graduation, proms, Mother's Day, and Father's Day. While most of what the pandemic did was painful, there's a new stronger sense of family today. There's a greater demand for family portraiture and you can help put the pain of the last year on a back burner. As photographers, you're magicians. You take intangible moments and turn them into memories your clients can hold in their hands for a lifetime! I wrote this the other day in a post - think about the last year. What's grandma missed the most? Her family - and what better time for an updated family portrait? If you're stuck for ideas of what to do this season - you know where to find me. There are so many opportunities for you to be a leader. In the midst of every crisis, lies great opportunity.
Albert Einstein |
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