 by Skip Cohen
During a business crisis, we all do things differently. Often, the things we do are things that should have been done all along, but business was so good. Who cared if the expenses were out of line, you were overstaffed, etc. Well, the pandemic, business-wise, is behind us. The potential for 2023 to be a strong year is looking good for most photographers. So what would happen if you made some of those reactionary things you did a few years ago part of your standard operating procedures? Whether you've got an active blog or just a Facebook page where you're sharing ideas - see if this list makes sense:
This list is hardly all-inclusive, but each idea has the potential to blossom into other aspects of the business. They all center around your expertise as an artist in the community. Successful marketing is all about building relationships. Nothing builds relationships faster than being helpful to your readers!
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 by Skip Cohen So often, you get tired of some of the best ideas to offer your target audience. You need to remember how many people have never received them as a gift. A great example is slideshows for your clients. Mother's Day and Father's Day are right around the corner. In a way, they mark the start of Spring seasonality in professional photography, especially if you're a family artist. Slideshows are the ideal product to have in your mix of client offerings. Photodex closed its doors several years ago, but the value of the ideas they shared over the years still remains. And they're all still out there for your viewing in the Photodex archives on YouTube. Check out the two videos below from their archives. Being a successful photographer is all about exceeding client expectations. I can't imagine any client not being ecstatic to have a presentation like these loaded with your professional quality images. Don't let 2023 go by without adding slideshows to your list of products and services. With today's technology, you can combine short video clips with still images and great music to create a never-ending stream of "show-stoppers" for your clients. Think about the renewed sense of family in the world today. It came about at an incredible price as everyone hunkered down through the pandemic. And even though things today are far better than they were last year, there are still challenges in travel and often families being together. Now, think about what Grandma has missed the most...her family. If the idea is old school for you because you've been doing it all along, then use the slideshow concept to help you plant a few idea seeds with your audience for this year's Mother's Day and Father's Day offerings. Add in a legacy program offering videos of the most senior family members telling their stories, and you've got a great way to start getting clients excited about working with you. You snooze - you lose! Take the time now and start creating a game plan to capture more sales this spring and make the 2023 busy season begin with the explosion it deserves.  You've got to listen to the voice in your gut. It is individual. It is unique. It is yours. It's called being authentic. Meredith Vieira by Skip Cohen
If only a button on our keyboards reminded us to listen to our inner voice! *sigh* There is no button, but that shouldn't slow you down. We're only five weeks from April, typically the start of spring seasonality. So, regardless of your specialty, what are you planning for your business? Several times over the years, I lacked the confidence to tackle a new project. I'd ask just about everybody I knew for their opinion, afraid to decide on my own. But as I got older, I still needed advice, but I learned to trust my gut and listen to my heart. So, take some time NOW and think through your short-term plans for your business. The clock isn't going to slow down, but there's time to change plans if something just doesn't feel right. You need to focus on the long term too, but for now, with Mother's Day, prom, graduation, and Father's Day all coming up, you need to be ready. Proofread your ideas and plans like you'd spell-check something you're writing. There's something unique that happens when you "proofread" one more time - you catch things you might do better. It's not about fixing things that might be wrong but discovering better ways to tackle a project. As always, you know where to find me if you need a sounding board!  by Skip Cohen
It's Marketing Monday, but the reality is you should be thinking about marketing every day. But I love to start out each week and hopefully plant the seed for things you should be thinking about - besides, Marketing Monday has a nice ring! Here's another thing that has a nice ring - what do you need to do to ramp up your marketing and operations for a great kick-off to spring seasonality? With spring comes Mother's Day, prom season, graduations, and Father's Day. But it's a you-snooze-you-lose scenario - and if you're not prepared, you'll miss so many opportunities. Here's a suggested check-off list to make sure you're ready:
Here's what I love about both this time of year and this time in business history: Business is tough right now, and the more you listen to the politicians, the worse it will seem. Tune out all the negativity, and then focus on what you do best - help people create and capture memories. There are so many leadership opportunities and ways for you to stand out from your competitors! And I write this all the time...if you're stuck for ideas and need a sounding board - you know where to find me.  A business without a path to profit isn't a business - it's a hobby! Jason Fried by Skip Cohen
It's Marketing Monday and the end of January. Your ideas for building your brand and marketing in your community should already be in full swing, but there's one topic nobody ever talks about enough - PRICING! But for today's episode of Brain Dump - I want to hit on your costs. Most photographers only know if they made money for the year once they do their taxes! And while it's sad to be in that position, I get it; you're right-brain artists, not left-brain accountants. However, the point of left-brain and right-brain analysis is to recognize that you need support from both to build your business. Where so many artists miss the correct numbers is not looking at ALL their costs. Today's short podcast hits on the list of most things you need to consider to accurately get to price points for your products and services that get you beyond eating macaroni and cheese every night!  by Skip Cohen Field of Dreams is one of my favorite all-time feel-good movies. Being at IUSA this past week, I was thinking about the incredible spirit and excitement of the crowd. People were pumped to be there - all looking for ideas for the new year and answers to the big questions, "What do I need to grow my business? What do I need to build?" Well, that took me to both sides of my title above. There is no reason not to follow your heart. Steve Jobs First, you've got to get the fear of failure out of your system and go for it. Follow your heart to start, and you can modify the journey as you go along. But sadly, too many of you live in a state of fear. You're dominated by overthinking the challenges with a side order of worrying about the outcome. So, you procrastinate your next steps and ponder the meaning of life until you've missed window after window of opportunities. Second, what if you build it and they don't come? When I left Rangefinder/WPPI in 2009 to go out on my own, Sheila said to me, "What are you afraid of?" My answer was instant, "Failing!" Her response was, "So what?" The more we talked, the more I realized that if things didn't work out going in one direction, nothing was cast in concrete. I'd rethink things and take a different route. Ironically, what I wanted was what I respected in so many of you - your passion as entrepreneurs. It was easy for most of my career to work for other companies, but when it's your own business, it's a true test of your focus and dedication. It's Friday, and perfect to leave you with one more thought: "The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people." Randy Pausch The bottom line - Build your dreams, and if they don't come, take a closer look. Figure out what you missed and then stay focused on the next "turn in the road." And if you hit a wall - build a door, knock it down, or climb over it!
  by Skip Cohen Near the end of 2012, my good buddy Scott Bourne asked me a simple question, "What do you think you could accomplish if you were working on just one thing?" At the time, I was working on two different blogs, writing for two magazines, speaking at a convention or two each year, consulting for one large client, and running Skip's Summer School. So I was spread pretty thin, especially when it came to writing. My first blog, the Photo Resource Hub, was doing okay but needed more traction. It morphed into Skip's Photo Network, although I hadn't done a very good job promoting it. But at a time when blogging was the next big thing - I at least had a presence.  I took Scott's question to heart and started thinking about consolidating everything I was writing. I wanted to give it a generic title, but Scott argued, "Through most of your career, you've been known for your support of education - It needs to have your name on it!" SkipCohenUniversity.com was born with the first post ten years ago today, on January 19, 2013.
But Scott's encouragement didn't end there: "Just trust me before you publish your first post!" He wouldn't reveal his game plan, but a week or so later, I was blown away by his approach. He published one single tweet to his then 100,000 followers, "Skip Cohen is back!" The response was remarkable, even filled with a bit of humor here and there. I remember one friend, I think it was Scott Kelby, tweeting in reply, "Where's he been? I just talked to him yesterday." Well, here I am ten years later, with thousands of original posts, guest posts, videos, and podcasts. After four summer programs, we ran one last Skip's Summer School in 2013 in Chicago. We decided to discontinue it only because there was so much going on in education at that point, and it had become so labor-intensive. But through all of these years, I never anticipated the support from all of you and the community. It's thanks to all of you that I wake up every morning smiling. It's a ten-year celebration in business, but more important is the gratitude I feel for so many people who have played a role. From sponsors to guest writers to so many friends in the industry and at the various associations to my muse, my wife Sheila - I could never have done it alone! Whether "It takes a village" or "I get by with a little help from my friends," no matter how you cut it, my last ten years have all been thanks to all of you!  Murphy's Second Law "Murphy was an optimist!" by Skip Cohen
It's Marketing Monday, and with IUSA kicking off at the end of the week, it's the perfect time to ensure you've got things covered when you're out of town. But we're going to go even deeper into the topic - what happens to your business when something unexpected interrupts? Before today is over, whether you're joining so many of us in Nashville or not, set things up, so you've got coverage for your business when you're not available.
Emergency Backup If we've learned nothing else from Covid, we all should recognize that it can strike anytime. That can be devastating for a photography business with commitments to weddings, events, and client sittings. And while every consumer understands, if there's an event you were hired to cover, then you need to find somebody to fill in.
Owning a business today is a continual fire drill. Like those fire drills, we did in school as kids, or the active shooter drills in today's schools, don't wait until you're in crisis mode to start planning what to do next. It's so easy to take the time now and have a plan in place...just in case. And there's one more side benefit - if you're headed to IUSA for example, you can be more relaxed and enjoy the convention if you know your business is in good hands when you're gone.   by Skip Cohen Michele Celentano and her husband, Paul, were here in early December. We haven't all been together since before the pandemic, but that didn't stop the laughs. We've been friends for a lot of years, and with great friends, even a one-night stay-over is time to cherish. So, what happens when one of the industry's finest family photographers falls in love with your dogs? First, she threatens to steal them! When Michele wanted to photograph our girls, I figured a couple of grab shots, not a complete series. But the fun of it all was watching her work with the puppies. There's are reasons she's one of the best - her love for the craft and her ability to communicate with her subjects, whether they've got two legs or four. For all of you younger artists, there's a lesson here. Michele's skill set is extensive. While she's not a pet photographer, she understands every aspect of composition and lighting. Moreover, she's never stopped learning and fine-tuning her skill set. Lucy and Belle responded to the love they were being shown, the same as Michele's clients. When you wander through her galleries and look at her work, you can tell from the natural expressions of her subjects. It's a story of trust in the photographer combined with fun during the sitting. Here's my point: As photographers, you've got an enormous responsibility to consistently deliver the best to your clients. They're trusting you to exceed their expectations. And when that happens you become habit-forming. If you're at a convention and Michele is speaking or doing a demo on the trade show floor, run, don't walk to get a seat. She never disappoints and never compromises on the quality of what she delivers! Click on any of the images in today's post to link to her Facebook page, and then put her on your radar!  In the hierarchy of why consumers hire a professional photographer, it goes to brides, babies, and pets. That's the top three from a Kodak study at least twenty-five years ago, and I don't believe it's moved a bit. The pandemic changed the ranking slightly, but not the top three. Now, add to that the incredible growth in households with pets worldwide! Take it a step further and look at the size of the pet industry. I took a quick stroll through cyberspace, and PetKeen.com had one the most thorough sets of statistics. Click on the banner below to link to the complete article. It's the top line you need to appreciate - the global market for pets is worth $261 billion, and pet owners in the US are spending over $100 billion on the furry members of the household. But one more statistic made me smile: Americans spent an estimated $490 million on Halloween costumes for their pets! Here's the bottom line - pet photography can be an incredibly lucrative business, but don't underestimate the need for a great skill set. The standards for a great portrait and the experience of a fun sitting don't change just because the subject's got four legs!    by Skip Cohen
Most of you have taken advantage of the typical business slowness in the first couple weeks of the new year, and if you need more time to recharge, go for it. But, it's only the "slow season" for regular customer purchases - NOT for business owners who need to fine-tune their presence, marketing, and brand awareness. I'm going to start this new series by hitting on three easy projects that are no-brainers in terms of raising the bar on your Internet presence:
Remember, today's post is just the beginning of your "house-cleaning" for the new year. It might be the slow season, but that's not for you. Now is the time to do everything you can to ensure the new year is one of growth, and your website is a great place to start. Over the next few weeks, I'll share a few more "homework assignments" to help you stay focused on the task at hand - strengthening your business and making your website the very best it can be!  Intro by Skip Cohen I ran the post below in 2013, so like many of your favorite shows, it's a "repeat." But it's a repeat so many of you need to read!!! Success in your business for the new year will be about relationship building. That's your very best marketing tool - keeping in touch with your clients, communicating with them, and staying in touch: NOT texting, but actually talking to them. While you might think some of Scott's comments from 2013 are a little dated, the overall concept has no expiration date. It's about keeping in touch with people, especially your past clients, who are your best ambassadors. I still find so many of you have websites with template email systems and not phone numbers. That might be fine, but you don't answer the email requests! There's no such thing as giving people too much contact information. A phone call separates you from the competition when people want an answer to a question. One of the hats I wear is CMO for Platypod. So often, when I've got a customer service question, it's so easy to pick up the phone and call. In a day when we've all accepted boilerplate email responses from companies we contact, people truly appreciate getting a personal call. I also learn a lot about who they are and how they photograph and use our products. Just remember we're a word-of-mouth business, not word-of-Internet. As Scott Stratten wrote many years ago in his book Unmarketing: Stop marketing and start engaging! by Scott Bourne
This may come as a shock to some of you, but in the old days, not one single professional photographer on the planet had a Facebook account. Nor did they have a Flickr account, a blog, a website, an e-mail address or anything else that involved being "on line." Yep I know, I know, hard to conceive. But it's absolutely true. And in keeping with my status as "older than dirt" I know this is true because I was actually there! Truth be told, I've spent more of my life operating without the Internet than WITH the Internet. I've sold more photographs, licensed more images, booked more shoots using the telephone than the Internet. Now here's the good news. The telephone still exists. Oh you don't hear about it very often, but yep, I checked. It's still there. You can get one just about anywhere. And you no longer need to rely on a lady named "Ma Bell" to pick one up. Yes, the magical telephone still works and in my opinion, still has great value. So today's Marketing Monday tip is short and sweet. Get a telephone number, plaster that puppy everywhere. Use it. Share it. Actually answer it. Talk to people. It's an amazing thing. You can hear the happiness or sadness or joy or suspicion or whatever in the other person's voice. You don't have to rely on emoticons! You can just ask people how they are feeling, what they need, and they will tell you! Crazy right? You should put your telephone number on every single piece of marketing material you hand out. And you should put it on your website, your blog, your social media accounts (at least the ones you use for business) and you should do so today! People still use the telephone. They really do. Maybe not ALL people. But enough to warrant you investing in one, promoting the number and responding promptly to every single call, period. I know what you're thinking. "But Scott if I put a telephone number on my website people will call me!" Yes! Isn't it wonderful? Clients and prospects will call and try to give you money. It's like magic. Give it a try. Really. As always, Skip and I are rooting for you.  by Skip Cohen
Please note - this list gets better and better every year, thanks to some great friends. Glen Clark commented on Facebook and I've added his two additional points below! With IUSA and WPPI coming up in the first quarter of the new year, it's time to share my annual check-off list of things to remember to get the most bang for your buck. This year's conferences are more precious than ever because most of you haven't been to a big convention since before the pandemic. Sure, you've hit the online programs, but nothing beats a live convention for education, networking, and recharging your battery. It's time to plan ahead so you're not hitting Nashville or Las Vegas like a deer in the headlights! It's so easy if you just put in an hour and think through my suggestions.
And from Glen Clark...
Here's the bottom line - you can't afford to NOT go to as many conferences a year as you can work into your schedule. It's all about education, networking, and growing your business. So, if you're headed to any convention in the next few months, don't miss all the opportunities to raise the bar on your business. Plus, it's the perfect way to recharge your battery! See you in Nashville!  When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you. Anon by Skip Cohen Years ago, in my Polaroid days, I was the Regional Services Manager at the Chicago distribution center. We got a new distribution manager who, after just one day, started telling people how great things were going, even though there had been no significant change in the operation. When I questioned him about the approach, he laughed and said, "We're going to be making changes, and they're going to take time, but when you tell people things are changing for the better, it speeds up the process. Things really do start to get better." I have no idea why this scenario has been in my head today, but while I'm skeptical of people who always tell you things are great, regardless of what's really happening. Although to a point, there is some truth to the power of a positive mindset. It's the reverse of a negative self-fulfilling prophecy - You know, the one: "If you decide something is hopeless, it will be." Here's my point - you can't change your business very much now, as we come down to the wire this late in December. But you can clear your head and start getting ready for the new year. The new year doesn't suddenly wipe the slate clean of bad habits - it just gives you a new starting point. Here are few things to think about and do...
Last but not least - none of the above can be handled on the fly. Build in some time over the holidays to kick back and daydream a little. Dreaming isn't a waste of time when it has a purpose. And sometimes the only way to get in the right mindset is to dream! This is only the start of the list of things you could be thinking about, but it all starts with a clear head and a positive mindset. You can't change what's going on around you
Until you change what's going on within you! Anon  Click on either the paperback or e-book above to link to Amazon.com Intro by Skip Cohen As I've written so many times in the past, the best thing about this industry is the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft. Sure, it's about imaging, but it's also about the community, sharing, creativity, and respect. Rick Sammon and I have been friends for easily thirty-plus years, going back to my early days at Hasselblad. We've worked on many projects together, sat next to each other at rubber-chicken industry dinners, and share a long list of mutual friends. Rick's newest book is loaded with great content to get you thinking about not only your business but ways to maximize your skill set. While I'd love to share more, let's start with part Rick's introduction, which will give you and idea of the framework of the book. There's so much good content! Anybody can start a business. Anybody can get their first few sales. But the key to longevity is creativity, paying attention to your business, building relationships, and having an earning strategy that's always working...even when you're sound asleep! “If you don’t find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die.” Warren Buffett by Rick Sammon The quote by Warren Buffett that opens this blog post was the inspiration for my latest book (paperback and Ebook), How To Make Money While You are Sleeping: A photographer’s guide to passive income – and other savvy business strategies. I want to share with you part of the Introduction from the book. As you will see, if you put in the effort while you are awake, you can indeed make money while you sleep. The book is dedicated to the memory of my dad, Robert M. Sammon, Sr., who, through his example, showed me the importance of paying careful attention to one’s income, expenses, and investments . . . as well as the benefit of living below your means. My dad, an amateur photographer who got me started taking pictures, also gave me some invaluable advice when it comes to making money: “It takes a lot of peanuts to feed an elephant.” In other words, he was saying that all those pennies and dollars can add up, which is the theme of this book. “Dad, you’re not only a photographer, but you are also an entrepreneur who happens to be a photographer.” – Marco SammonThat’s what my son Marco, seventeen years old at the time, said after I introduced myself as a photographer at a neighborhood party. Marco, who has since received his PhD in Finance and is a finance professor at Harvard Business School, was making the point that although I take pictures for a living, I spend a lot of time—the majority of my work time actually—on the business side of my profession. I’m always working hard on new projects—writing books, setting up affiliate programs, cultivating sponsorships, recording online classes and podcasts, and so on. “Dad, you’re not only a photographer, but you are also an entrepreneur who happens to be a photographer.” Marco Sammon That’s what my son Marco, seventeen years old at the time, said after I introduced myself as a photographer at a neighborhood party. Marco, who has since received his PhD in Finance and is a finance professor at Harvard Business School, was making the point that although I take pictures for a living, I spend a lot of time—the majority of my work time actually—on the business side of my profession. I’m always working hard on new projects—writing books, setting up affiliate programs, cultivating sponsorships, recording online classes and podcasts, and so on. Marco also observed that I spend a lot of time promoting those projects on social media, and then tracking the results. We’ll talk more about tracking sales later in this book, but for now, if you self-publish a paperback or Kindle version on Amazon.com, you can actually track sales on an hourly basis – which I don’t encourage because it can become addictive. However, I have to admit that I do track sales quite frequently when I release a new book. So, the message here is this: as much as you love photography (as I do), and as much as you want to save the world (its people, wildlife, environment, and so on) with your craft, it’s important to understand that in order to succeed you must also be a good businessperson—which involves generating income while you are both awake and asleep. Zzz If you know me from some of my other photography books, photo workshops, tours, seminars and online classes, you may be thinking, “I like Rick’s photography and I’ve learned some cool things from him, but what could he possibly know about sound business practices?” Well, believe it or not, before becoming a professional photographer I spent ten years (1980–1990) at Bozell & Jacobs as vice president/group supervisor on the Minolta camera account. At that time Bozell & Jacobs was one of the largest advertising and public relations firms in the world. At that agency I learned about the business side of photography, as well as how to promote Minolta photographers, including famed Beatles’ photographer, Harry Benson. When I left the agency, I had the “ammo” to promote myself through advertising and PR. I had also learned the business side of a professional photographer’s life from working with other famous photographers like fashion photographer, Robert Farber, and United Nations photographer, John Isaac. The lessons I learned at the agency were invaluable, as were the business lessons I learned as editor of Studio Photography magazine (from 1978 to 1980). Having been hired with no editorial experience, my boss and the publisher of the magazine, Rudy Maschke, said this to me when I asked him for my first raise: “Sammon, you are learning so much that you should be paying me.” Zzz On these pages I will share all I know about the business side of photography with you, which of course includes making money while you are sleeping. These lessons have helped my wife, Susan, and I run our business for more than thirty years—and I can tell you, there is nothing like running your own business. As a small business owner, you learn very quickly that you are both the “chief cook and bottle washer,” as my dad used to say. When thinking of generating income while you are sleeping, please don’t get me wrong, I still work my butt off during my waking hours—because I love what I do. And as the saying goes: “If you love what you do, you never need to work a day in your life.” Zzz Generating income while you are sleeping starts with your waking time, something we’ll cover in Chapter 1. Before You Doze Off. If you are new to generating passive income, the cool thing is that after you put in the work, you can doze off (take a nap during the day or go off to bed) and wake up a little richer than you were before you closed your eyes. The key phrase here is “a little.” Before I explain, here’s another expression my dad shared with me: “Everything is relative.” In other words, “a little” means something different to different people. For example, “a little” passive income each day from different sources (including books, online classes, and crowdfunding projects) could possibly add up to a very nice source of income. In fact, I know several well-known photographers whose major source of income is generated passively. In subsequent chapters, you’ll see how you can generate “a little” income while you sleep with different money-making projects that you can create during your waking hours. Here’s a look at the table of contents (topics I cover) for the book: Acknowledgments & Networking Author’s Preface Introduction 1. Before You Doze Off 2. Your Website: Your 24/7 Store 3. Socialize or Succumb 4. The Advantage of Affiliate Programs 5. Buy Me a Coffee 6. Start a Facebook Group 7. Write or Narrate a Book 8. Offer a Downloadable PDF EBook 9. Join the Crowd with Crowdfunding Intermission 10. Start a Podcast 11. Record an Online Class or Classes 12. Offer a Newsletter 13. Strive for Sponsorship 14. Create Content for a YouTube Channel 15. Get into Webinars 16. Sell Prints Online 17. Launch an Online Forum 18. Suggest a Product to a Company 19. Take Stock of Stock Photography 20. Your Money Can Work Harder for You Than You Can Note: There's only so much information you can share in a blog post. Check out Rick's book - you won't be disappointed.
 I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us... If we shut out all the noise and clutter from our lives and listen to that voice, it will tell us the right thing to do. Christopher Reeve by Skip Cohen
It's Marketing Monday, and we're definitely in the final stretch of 2022's seasonality. At the same time, some of you are still trying to make key decisions regarding promotions, partnerships, community involvement, and more things to bring the year to a solid close. Here's my point, and it's all in the quote above - stop second-guessing yourself and, like Nike's tagline - JUST DO IT! That little voice inside us gets drowned out by all the noise, stress, and confusion in our lives. And while it's simply the way life is - we all wear too many hats, and that little voice in our hearts - the one we should be listening to most often, disappears in silence. It's just a short thought this morning. Listen to the voice in your heart and let yourself be proactive instead of reactive. Happy Monday!  Creativity is the ability to see relationships where none exist. Thomas Disch by Skip Cohen At the risk of sounding like a Jack Handey clip from old SNL shows, when I read the quote above, it got me thinking about how it applies to our industry. As pros and aspiring professional photographers, you're all in the business of capturing relationships.
And here's one last big one I see every day when I'm wearing my Platypod hat. Eight years ago, Larry T. had a vision of being able to travel without the bulkiness of a tripod but have the necessary gear to capture images that could never be handheld. In fact, the recent Platypod Pros feature on the website highlights forty of the most respected artists in the industry who, every day, create and capture relationships where none previously existed. So here's my point - so many of you undervalue what you bring to the party with your skills, business, and ability to help your target audience. You worry about the timing of getting more involved and reaching out. You've got the passion for the craft, and you've spent plenty of time fine-tuning your skills, but taking that jump into the public eye and building relationships is risky. Here's one more thought based on an old proverb: The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago.
The second best time is now.  by Skip Cohen It's November 21 and the end of the year is just 40 days away. While there's still time for plenty of business, you're down to the wire. While 2022 has been better than the "pandemic years," anybody who tells you "it's been easy" is lying. Still, there are a lot of success stories out there - business is back. With less than six weeks to go, and Thanksgiving just a few days away, here's a different way to look at the year: Years ago, I used to share wisdom from the Walk the Talk books. I was looking at Finish Strong and found a great quote: "To finish first you must first finish!" Here's my point: No matter what you didn't accomplish this year, you're still in the game. The ending of the year is only a fiscal measurement, not a rolling average of your growing passion, skill set, ideas, customers, or promotions. Every day you grow a little more as an artist, and if you've been up nights worrying about your choices, you still have your passion. Nobody can steal that unless you give it to them. You can only do your best! As trite as that sounds, appreciate what you've learned and how far you've come instead of worrying about how much you still have to learn! And for those who like to procrastinate, over-think, and ponder instead of taking a few risks... "People who take risks are the people you'll lose against."
John Sculley  by Skip Cohen
A comedian once said, "It'll be my luck when my ship comes in; I'll be at the airport!" It's a funny line, but sadly the way some of us feel at times. But it's just a one-liner and doesn't have to be your reality. We're down to the wire with minimal time for you to remind your target audience that you're in the business of capturing memories. And as sappy and overused as that expression is, you've still got time to put it to work before that last wire snaps!
The $100 billion pet industry is poised to nearly triple to $275 billion by 2030, creating potential tailwinds for pet-friendly stocks...The pandemic has upended the lives of humans, but for pets, it's been a bonanza: Their owners have been home all day, showering them with attention and treats...Morgan Stanley's housing strategists estimate that the growth trend of US pet ownership more than tripled during the pandemic.
Here's my point - that last wire hasn't broken yet. There's still time for you to keep building relationships with your clients. Just remember, this holiday season, there's a renewed sense of family and the potential to make this a solid final stretch for holiday sales in 2022. And if you're stuck for ideas - you know where to find me.  Erik Kuna, Scott Kelby, Skip Cohen on The Grid in 2020 by Skip Cohen
The best thing about our industry is the friendships that come out of everyone's love for the craft. Platypod and the KelbyMedia team have an incredible relationship extending well beyond friendship. Both companies have a solid focus on education and helping artists raise the bar on their skill set as well as having fun. "Fun" is one of those words too often lost in business today, but not with these guys! And if you've ever hung out with any one of us in the shot above, then you know it's a work-hard-play-hard scenario. Tomorrow at 1:00 PM EST, I'm on The Grid joined by photographer and educator Dave DeBaeremaeker. We're going to be talking about getting the most out of workshops and conferences, the importance of diversity in your skill set and we'll have some fun looking at some of Dave's most favorite images. I'll also be sharing a fun announcement wearing my Platypod hat and kicking off the holiday season. See you on The Grid at 1:00 PM this Wednesday, November 9, 2022.  It's not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change. Charles Darwin by Skip Cohen
When I was a kid, several times a year in school we'd have a practice fire drill. At the risk of giving up how old I really am, I also remember emergency drills during the Cold War and the craze for a need to have a home bomb shelter. Today's kids have even more to deal with because of school shootings. And right up to present day, we're in tune with hurricane, tornado, flood and fire threats. But so few of you are truly prepared for the "what ifs" in your business! Think about the pandemic. It was March of 2020 and professional photography came to a screeching halt! If you were a one-trick pony exclusively devoted to a single specialty, most artists were dead in the water and might still be working at Home Depot! It was horrible, as the world around us shut down. We grew up on stories like the three little pigs - but we still built our houses of sticks and straw. So, what have you set up for your business to make it more secure? If a disaster like the pandemic rolled back in tomorrow, what would you have in place?
And you can drill this down as much as you want. For example, who's your back up if something goes wrong, short or long term and you can't make an appointment? Who knows all your procedures and passwords? Does somebody have account information, including your bank account and the ability to write a check or pay a bill in your absence? Most of us know the safety drill from the airlines by heart. From the exits, to the life jacket to the oxygen masks we can lip sync every flight attendant's speech. But we've got nothing in place for the one thing we do the majority of every single day - run a business! |
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"Why?"Check out "Why?" one of the most popular features on the SCU Blog. It's a very simple concept - one image, one artist and one short sound bite. Each artist shares what makes the image one of their most favorite. We're over 100 artists featured since the project started. Click on the link above and you can scroll through all of the episodes to date.
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