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.

• Why are you going? This isn't meant to sound sarcastic, but think through why you need to be at a conference. What do you want to accomplish while you're there? And if the answer is you need a break and want to party - that's your choice. I think it's a little short-sighted, but the last few years have taken a toll, and being with friends and associates is important. So I get it - but you have to weight the need versus the expense. I want you to get the very most out of every conference trip!
• Look around your office, studio, camera bag, or the trunk of your car. Isolate every product you use in your business, and put the manufacturer on a list. Now, look at every company whose services you use. Your lab, frame company, web design, album company, etc., should all be on the list. Your first goal BEFORE you get to the show is to isolate every company involved in your business.
• What new products or services do you need for your business? From hardware to software to outside developers and finished goods to offer your clients - what's missing?
• Visit the convention website. Check through the exhibitors and, in advance, get to know who will be at the show from your vendor/supplier lists. Your goal is to meet at least one staff member at every company on the list. This is a critical component of building an effective network. Check out the exhibitor list for IUSA. There are almost 150 companies on the list.
• At the convention - don't miss the print exhibit. This is a terrific time to get a feel for the trends in imaging because you'll see just about everything in the prints submitted for competition.
• Wear comfortable shoes! It might seem out of place this early on the check-off list, but you're going to be on your feet all day. If you're about to buy new shoes, now is the time to start breaking them in.
• Bring business cards and some images. I'm a big fan of pre-printed promotional material. My favorite is a 5x7 or 6x9 collage of a few images with the photographer's address and contact information. Unless you've made an appointment in advance, most exhibitors won't take the time to look at a portfolio, or an iPad or phone chocked full of images. However, leaving a card stock piece or brochure with a vendor and contacting them after the show can be very effective. This is your calling card and if you're stuck for design ideas, check out Marathon Press.
• Never eat alone - Make plans for breakfast and dinner meetings NOW. Reservations don't come easy anymore, and if you're going to be headed out for dinner, it helps to know where and when you're going. Plus, now is the time to set up some advance meals with friends and associates. Don't wait until you get there!
• Lunch is a little harder at a conference, but there's plenty to choose from, and if you grab something off the service on the trade show floor, don't expect fine dining. This is also why God created Pepto Bismol!
• Catching up with speakers on the trade show floor. Pay attention to those key vendors you want to see and what's happening in their booth. For example, Tamron will have speakers in their booth at IUSA, as will other vendors. Many exhibitors have in-booth programming, so it pays to know the schedule in advance.
• You snooze, you lose! Look, I was young and foolish once too, and there are few things as fun as going out with friends and bar-hopping at a convention. However, you're at the show for a reason, and if you need to sleep in late the following morning, your evening out with friends might become the most expensive investment you make in the show. Don't miss appointments or presentations you had planned to attend.
• Look over the programming. Plan which speakers you want to hear in advance. Plus, always pick at least 1-2 programs entirely out of your comfort zone. Growth only happens outside your comfort zone.
• Capture the moments! You want to get images you might want to use later on for press releases, your blog, Facebook, etc. Look for opportunities for pictures with vendors and those speakers you admire. Build a stash of photographs and short video clips of things you do at the conference.
• Talk to the people around you when you attend any program. A photography convention like this is unique because you're all there for the same reasons. Make it a point to get to know the people sitting on either side of you. It's amazing what you can learn by just talking to each other.
• Talk to the icons! I'm always amazed by how many of you are intimidated by your favorite photographers. They're there to teach and meet other photographers interested in their work. Just walk up, introduce yourself, and thank them for whatever inspiration they've given you. Honestly, they don't bite! But - wait your turn. I'm always amazed at attendees who charge in like storm-troopers and interrupt. Just be polite - I know it's basic, but so many people forget.
• Do a summary at the end of each day. Time flies when you're having a good time and there are few things more frustrating than getting home and not remembering specific companies or people you met at the convention. For me, it works best to take 20-30 minutes and make a few notes on the day, sort out business cards I picked up and look at what I missed and can catch the next day.
• Send a few notes or emails after the convention. When you're home after the convention, look through your notes and the exhibitors you met, as well as other photographers. This is about relationship building, and thanking somebody for their time and letting them know you're around if they ever need help on anything is a key ingredient to standing out from the crowd.

And from Glen Clark...

• Plan ahead to take advantage of show specials. Check with each vendor on your go-to list and find out if they are offering a promo. If so, USE it! Many companies judge the success of their huge investment in trade shows partially by the responses they receive to their efforts. And, believe it or not, vendor investments is what makes most shows possible.
• Skip’s already mentioned the importance of taking notes. This may seem obvious but remember, if you’re a professional photographer (on any level), EVERTYTHING involved with a professional show (from planning to getting back home) represents a business write-off. It’s much easier to write down the details as they happen (especially cash expenditures with no receipts) than it is to try to remember it all after the fact. With complete write-offs it may not end up costing as much as you might think. And besides, if done properly it’s all an INVESTMENT in your future, not an expense.

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...
​

• What do you want to accomplish in January? It's only the "slow season" for incoming clients, and even that's limited to where it's truly the "dead of winter." January should NEVER be a slow month for you!
• Are you ready for your accountant? Any last-minute purchases you need to make for your business that will be deductible? It's not just camera gear but computers, printers...even your car. The bottom line - talk to your accountant.
• Do you need to offer some new products in 2023? Call your lab and simply ask, "What's new?" Then, kick back and listen. 
• What about services for 2023? What are you offering your customers that's going to get their attention? I'm a big fan of day-in-the-life sessions, Legacy programs and themed portrait sessions for kids.
• Reservations? If you're headed to IUSA in January - do you have your flights and hotel set up? And what about dinners with friends you want to see? Don't wait until the last minute to make plans!
• How's your skill set? What are you missing that would make you stronger as an artist?
• Relationship building: Who are the companies in your community who you'd like to work together with? I've shared so many ideas on partnerships over the years. From networking luncheons to cross-promotions to simply sharing the cost of a targeted direct mail piece - YOU DON'T HAVE TO FLY SOLO. Bringing in two partners can reduce your cost to a 1/3 of what an oversized postcard might cost by yourself. But nothing happens without you making a move!

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

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!

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.

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

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.

• Think about the relationship between the shadows and the highlights of a great portrait. Your ability to see and control the light creates the power behind the image. 
• Then there's the creativity to create sales over the last few years - again, "where none existed." Specifically, I'm thinking about JP Elario and his Facetime Portraits. At the height of the pandemic, he used his creative skills to capture portraits online through Facetime and develop a revenue stream that previously didn't exist.
• The true relationship between you and your subject doesn't exist before they step in front of your camera. I often do website reviews, and going through a photographer's gallery, I can always tell if the subjects were relaxed and their personalities captured versus just a nice picture.
• In terms of your community - your ability to build relationships that wouldn't exist without your involvement is critical to building your brand. And it's your creativity to balance the different hats you wear to be able to give back.
• One of my favorites is partnerships! It takes creativity and focus to bring together other vendors in your community to work together on a common goal of raising awareness for each other's products/services, and in turn sales.

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:

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:

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!

• What are you doing about holiday cards? Not just for clients but your own. Check out Marathon's BOGO program, which will help increase revenue on client cards, as well as save you money on your own.
• Have you booked any "Day in the Life" sessions for this holiday season? Here's one of my favorite products. You don't need to spend an entire day, but how about 4 hours on location with a family, a child, or a pet? Think about the preparation that goes into Thanksgiving in so many families. One of the best album-building opportunities is to spend the day in a home as Mom, Dad, Grandma, and the kids get ready for Thanksgiving.
• Pet photography is number three in the hierarchy of why people hire a professional photographer in the portrait social categories. It's grown to be even more in the last few years - pets are part of the family. And I've shared this before - it's a statement from Morgan Stanley on investing. But for you, it's a forecast of where to place your bets on services for your clients:

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. 

• Have you called your lab? It's a simple phone call with one question, "What's new?" Technology never stands still. You need to know what's new, but don't forget what's old. For example, canvas prints are old to us but not to many consumers.
• Are you involved in your community? What's going on around you over the next few weeks? Look for ways to be more active when it comes to giving back. Then use your presence on social media to promote the organizations you're supporting. Be an ambassador!
• Say thank you! Don't forget to recognize those who have exceeded your expectations in support of you and your business. Take a look at your network. Whether it's a fruit basket, a bottle of wine, or a flower arrangement, now's the time to start planning a more formal thanks to that handful of people who have watched your back.

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.

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?

• How's your skill set? Diversity is one of your very best insurance policies. If you're a wedding photographer for example - if your audience disappeared what would you do?
• Who's got access to your computer, files and phone, text and email messages if something were to happen to you?
• What about a local emergency? Who would you call for help in the event you suddenly had to shut down?
• How's your presence in social media? I'm not suggesting you have to be posting every day, but do you have a circle of forums in which you're involved?
• Is your network contact information updated?
• Do you have a contact list of people/companies critical to your business? Is it complete with phone numbers and email addresses?
• More specifically, do have your gear set up in a way that you could leave in an emergency and take the necessities to run your business with you?

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!  

by Skip Cohen
​
It's Marketing Monday, and if this sounds like a rant...it's only because it is!

As a working or aspiring professional photographer, one of your best marketing tools is at your fingertips. Yet, so many of you will miss the boat and purchase a box of holiday cards at CVS, or you'll do nothing at all!

Here's my point - a holiday card is a perfect way to show your work and remind people what you do for a living. NONE OF YOU should be sending out any store-bought cards this year. A card featuring one of your own images is the perfect way to remind people what you do for a living. It's so soft-sell that it's really hard-sell without aggravating anybody!

At the risk of this post sounding like an infomercial, Marathon's got their annual BOGO going on right now. That means you're decreasing the cost per card and increasing your potential for more revenue this season. Just click on either banner in today's post to find out more.

There are two different applications for holiday cards:

First, create a few hundred cards to send to clients and influencers in your community. Put your image on the front of the card and a pre-printed message inside. Then, add a hand-written message for special clients/influencers to personalize it even more. On the back of the card, it's your contact information. Only, instead of "Hallmark," in the center at the bottom of the card, it's the name of your business, your phone number, email address, and URL for your website. 

Second, let's get holiday cards into your mix for your clients. This is about increasing revenue. After the last few years of challenges in life, this has the potential to be a remarkable holiday season. Again, it's your work on the front of the card, and you're working with each client to help make their card unique.

This is going to be a record-breaker for holiday messages this year. Think about it for a second: We're at a point in history where we're all trying harder than ever to stay in touch. What better way than spreading holiday wishes this season?

So, stop procrastinating! And like the Nike tagline...JUST DO IT!

by Skip Cohen

​​This isn't the first time I've used Tina Fey's quote. However, for those of you still procrastinating and not figuring out what you want to do for the holidays - it's right on point! 

There are still too many of you sitting on the sidelines watching the parade go by instead of being in it! So, here are a few things to consider for 2022's holiday season:

1. Family portraiture is back with a vengeance. Think about it for a second - what's grandma missed the most since the pandemic...HER FAMILY! That makes a new family portrait one of this year's best gift ideas. But you have to plant the seed of the idea! Use your social media, including your blog, Instagram, and Facebook - wherever your audience typically hangs out. 
2. Share specific gift ideas. From frames to albums to prints, holiday cards, and video holiday cards - share ideas that demonstrate your skill set along with your creativity.
3. Get to work on your own holiday card. None of you should be sending out a store-bought card this year. Use one of your own images, and on the back, where the "Hallmark" logo might be, include your contact information. You've got to remind people what you do for a living.
4. Time to clean up the neighborhood. I'm having fun with the idea of a "cleanup campaign" - use the concept to help educate your target audience to capture better photographs this holiday season. Make yourself the leader in education and share tips on how to get better photos.
5. The hierarchy of why people hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social categories goes brides, babies, and pets for the top three. What are you doing to capture anybody in those groups?
6. Pet photography is huge right now! While the excerpt below is from an article from Morgan Stanley over a year ago regarding investing - think about what it means for photography!

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. 

In a previous life, the owner of the company I worked for was a ponderer. He'd spend so much time thinking through what to do that the company was often pondered right out of some great opportunities. There's no such thing as a "sure thing" these days. That means you have to take risks. But the great thing about imaging and business is that nothing has to be forever.

November first is next week - Take some risks, and stop pondering at the top of the waterslide. Stop overthinking what you're going to do next.

PS And yes, that's me at Kalihari Waterpark in Ohio many years ago with our granddaughter. At one point I pondered so long at the top that a little old man, easily 80 years old, stepped around me and said, "Excuse me kid, I'm headed down this thing!"

​Intro by Skip Cohen

I've shared this a couple of times over the years, but with what would have been my Dad's 100th birthday coming up, now's a perfect time. My Dad passed away almost seven years ago, but his birthday was on Halloween. This is going to be the kick-off of "Ralph Week." 

It's funny, when I was a kid, he was in the wholesale candy and tobacco business. I had access to a full warehouse of candy, but nothing tasted as good as what I collected with friends every Halloween. So, between trick or treaters hitting the doorbell every few minutes and me heading out with friends, he never had a focused birthday until we were older.

In 2010, just after we moved to Sarasota, I talked him into write a couple of blog posts. He wrote the piece below for me that November. I love the relevance - there is no expiration date on running a good business, building trust with your clients, and creating a brand based on integrity.  

When Dad started in business just after WWII, he didn't have Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, or for that matter, the Internet, but he did have a telephone. He didn't go to any conventions to network, but he did have time to meet people and talk to potential clients. He didn't have workshops to go to, but he did have books to read and ideas to share with his associates over lunch.

He started out in the lumber business; moved into the vending world with candy and tobacco and into his dream of commercial/industrial real estate when he in his early forties. He loved bringing people together to build things that lasted, and everything he did was always on foundation of integrity and good business sense.

Right up until he passed away at 93, he still did a lot of his business on a handshake. He might have slowed down physically as he got older, but he never compromised those standards my grandfather taught him many years earlier. So as you think about 2022 and into the new year, everything he talks about is right on point! Pay attention to your business, and keep an eye on your competition, but don't get so obsessed with what everyone else is doing that you lose focus on your own marketing plans.

I have been happily retired for many years, and unemployed for almost twenty.  I am not a plagiarist, but I must quote my father who spent the last months of his life writing advice to his children:

“Conduct your business in an upright manner and remember, the most important thing in one’s life is to be honest with one’s self. Maintain the high standard and dignity that your business requires. Do not go into deals hastily and be visible in your business as much of the time as is possible.  If you take time to play, do it away from your business, because your livelihood needs all the attention you can give to it.”

Early on, I concluded that the best testimonials came from my many friendly competitors.  We didn’t really compete with each other, in the true sense. True, we were in the same field of endeavor, but we all knew we were there to help each other. Happily, the “tough competition” fell by the wayside. 

I remember giving Skip driving lessons and I told him, “Watch the left front fender…..the rest will take care of itself!”  I’ve found this is really true of everything in life.

An old axiom says, “If you tell the truth, you never have to remember what you said.”  That is all part of reputation-building. I found that, sadly, in the field of real estate, truth is hard to come by for many. In our case, it was a major building block in the reputation which we enjoyed, and helped us to thwart the competition.

Goodwill is all of the above, plus a lot of caring for your clients as well as your competitors.  If life is a give-and-take situation, giving is the more important of the two.  The taking will come with time and be far more appreciative.  Just remember – you heard it here!  

Ralph Cohen, Founder and 1/2 the Creators of Skip Cohen!

by Skip Cohen

​We're ramping up to the peak in seasonality for the 2022 holiday season. So getting your name out in the community should be at the very top of your "to-do" list. It's an ongoing process, but even more critical this time of year. 

You want top-of-mind awareness: whenever somebody thinks about photography, you want them to think of you. Now, combine that awareness with the increased importance of family that's a spinoff of the pandemic. I'm not sure there's ever been a time when family portraiture was more in demand or needed than today!

What good is working to create the finest images of your life if nobody knows who you are?

by Skip Cohen
 
We're coming up to the true seasonality of the year, and with all the challenges in the world, from the pandemic to natural disasters like last week's hurricane and then the politics we all deal with; NOW is the time to make sure your network is solid,
 
You need to pay attention to its care and feeding – just like a house plant that needs to be watered and fed now and then. Well, your network is no different.

Building relationships is your greatest marketing tool! And as Scott Stratten said years ago, in his book "UnMarketing," stop marketing and start engaging!
 
"Sound Advice" is about helping you build a more substantial business this holiday season. I've got one goal - let's make this one of your best years ever!

by Skip Cohen

Eight to nine years ago, Photofocus and Skip Cohen University launched the "Mind Your Own Business" podcast. That's over one hundred episodes with some of photography's most respected artists and educators.

In this last episode, my good friend and co-host, Chamira Young, and I wandered down Memory Lane and talked about some of our guests and the lessons we learned. Unfortunately, we couldn't cover everyone, but that doesn't change the appreciation for each guest who joined us on the podcast.

A BIG thanks to all our listeners and followers, Chamira for so often making me sound better than I deserved, and the team at Photofocus who made the podcast a reality. As for what I'm going to jump on next? No idea, but that's the fun of still not knowing what I want to be when I grow up. 

What an incredible ride it's been!

by Skip Cohen

Throwback Thursday doesn't have to be exclusive to old photographs and memories. Sometimes they can tie into great concepts - things that never change but remind us how to run a better business.

The two images below are at least twenty years old and are thanks to Bambi Cantrell. With bridal fairs and wedding expos getting back into swing, many of you will be exhibiting in the months ahead. So, with the help of two very small low-res images, I want to remind you how to set up your booth.

The image on the left is a photographer in his booth at a bridal fair. The image on the right was Bambi's at the time. And while it looks expensive, those are painted cheap hollow wood doors with crown molding in the back. Put together with a few pieces of stylized furniture and fresh flowers, and you've got the perfect exhibit. ​

​But there's more to think about:
​

• When Bambi talked about this in a presentation, she always made it a point to remind you to make the booth a place attendees wanted to come into. Don't block them with tables or yourself, for that matter.
• Bambi loved using image boxes to show her work. Rather than have just a few albums that a few brides and mothers were going to "hog," prints in an image box could be easily shared.
• While prints on easels are nice, they don't plant the seeds for ideas on display. If you're going to show big prints, then matte, frame, and display them in a way, people might do in their homes. It's rare anybody has prints on easels!

And here's one more tip from my buddy Bryan Caporicci. I've shared this before, I don't know if he still does this, but I love the idea! Working bridal fairs, he'd hand a future bride a floppy disk and say, "Take this home and look at some of my work." Brides today have never even seen a floppy, let alone know what to do with it. He made it a point to talk about the importance of prints and the wedding album.

Michele Celentano took a similar position. You'll find her "I Believe" message just a click away. It's all about prints. I'm not saying to hold back those digital files from clients who want to share them in cyberspace - just don't forget the importance of printed work.

So, I'm celebrating Throwback Thursday with timeless advice from three well-respected artists and good friends. There is not expiration date on great marketing ideas!

​Happy Throwback Thursday

by Skip Cohen

I started this series to remind you about all the different building blocks you need to help make 2022's seasonality the best ever! I'm keeping these short podcasts under ten minutes and as jam-packed with ideas as I can make them.

So, it's Marketing Monday and the perfect time to talk about your blog. Things might be changing in social media a lot, but a good blog is still an essential part of the foundation you want to have to keep building your brand and business.
 
Your website is about what you sell, but your blog is about what's in your heart. It's your opportunity to show how much you love the craft, be helpful and right now, give Mom ideas for this holiday season.

See you next episode!

by Skip Cohen

I started these short podcasts to help you with the building blocks you need to make this year's seasonality the best ever! And while I know that's a pretty tall order - it's possible for everybody, but you've got to be in the right frame of mind and be confident in your skills and marketing.

Today's topic is a little different for a Marketing Monday post, but so relevant these days. Let's get rid of all the negative people in your life. Let's keep those "Negators" on the sideline where they belong and simply shut them off. They're not allowed to interrupt your thoughts or your passion for the craft.

And if you're stuck and need a little support, or even a quick review of your website, I'm a great sounding board - you know where to find me and I'm happy to help.

by Skip Cohen

The whole idea behind Sound Advice is to give you ideas to build a more substantial business - so let's talk about fine-tuning your website with some easy-to-do fixes. In another couple of months, Internet traffic will explode as more people start doing their holiday shopping. In the same way, you have favorite stores you like to shop in; you want your website real estate to represent you with the best possible experience. 

No single blog post could cover it all, but today's post will give a few ideas to at least keep people looking rather than moving on to another photographer. ​