This is the 45th Fast Food Friday series from the SCU Diner. Each one has hit a different aspect of building a successful business. And, while many of the "blue-plate specials" are photography related, the majority apply to almost any small business.

I started the series in the hopes these short reminders would help you develop your own blueprint for success. Photographers are artists and artists are typically right-brain creative types. That means you can't help it if you hate the operational side of the business - the less creative structured side. Just about every Friday for the past year I've shared another suggestion to help you do more than just survive - I want you to thrive!

Today's Fast Food Friday special is seasoned with a little sarcasm but still prepared with the same dedication of a chef in your favorite restaurant. There's even a special free side order of the backstory behind the image below!

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday!
Don Marquis

We're almost halfway through the slow season, and there are still many of you who are re-enacting the 1806 fairy tale about the shoemaker and the elves. You've turned procrastination into an art form. You're acting like the elves are going to come in while you're sleeping. There's no need for you to do anything because they'll clean up your website, your blog, start building relationships and even write up a few promotional ideas for the year ahead.

Well, the only elf around to help you isn't Will Ferrell but the face you see in the mirror each morning. The good news is you've still got time to reinforce the foundation of your business for 2019 before things start to pick up. But, if you're not ready then it's going to be a you-snooze-you-lose scenario. 

You know how to focus your camera - now it's time to focus your business and career and yes, for a few of you it's time to pull your head out of your ass!

• What do you want 2019 to look like? The best thing about this industry is how fluid things can be and often easily changed. But you have to think about your goals for the year ahead. If you honestly haven't given it enough thought, dedicate the time you need to think it through.
• Who's your primary target audience? So many of you have websites that are confusing, especially with your galleries. For example, you're sharing galleries that have no connection to each other. As an example, you might be mixing wildlife and landscape with wedding or portraiture. Having different interests outside your core specialty is essential, but don't confuse visitors to your website. You've got to take the time to think through who your target audience is and see the world through their eyes.
• Do you have the skill set you need? Right now, most of you are answering "Yes," because you think I'm referring to your technical skills in photography, but what about writing, marketing, and relationship building? For example, if you hate to write, but you're trying to maintain a blog, then find help who likes to write.  
• Do you need new gear? Take the time to analyze what's missing in your equipment. With the upcoming trade shows and conventions, it's going to be a perfect time to talk with the various manufacturers. But...this isn't about new gear fever, but what you actually need to capture better images!
• Are you proud of your website? Be honest with yourself. When you visit your site, do you like what you see? Is it easy to navigate? Does it engage a viewer or scare them away?
• How recent was your last blog post? You should be posting at least twice a week. If you're only posting once every full moon, then you're hurting your business more than helping it. Remember, your website is about what you sell, but your blog is about what's in your heart. Building readership never slows down, but you've got to give them content that's relevant and helpful.
• Do you own your own zip code? It's one of the best pieces of advice I ever heard my buddy Scott Bourne share with a group of photographers! It might seem old-fashion, but at a time where success is based on relationship building, pounding the pavement has never been more valuable. You need to know every business in your community and even more important they need to know you.

No one blog post could ever cover everything you need to build a solid foundation for the year ahead. Every business is different, and if the seven ideas I just shared don't apply to you, take the time to be honest with yourself about what you're missing. This is one of the most competitive markets in the history of photography, and you've got to develop the ingredients to make yourself and your business different and better than your competitors.

As I've written so many times before, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it! There are no "focus fairies." You've got to take the time to focus on your business for 2019 - you're the only one who knows what it's going to take to exceed client expectations and make yourself habit-forming!

And, last but not least, you know where to find me if you're stuck and need some help!

​Since starting this feature almost a year ago, I've rarely missed a Friday post, but things got busy last week. Sometime just after dinner, like a cartoon character with a great idea, that imaginary lightbulb went off above my head.  I realized I forgot to post for Fast Food Friday. Well, there's now a reminder on my calendar, and that's the perfect topic for today.

Fast Food Friday is all about ideas to help you build a stronger brand and business.  Today's blue-plate special couldn't be easier to help reinforce your presence in the community and with your readership. Remember, your website is about what you sell, but your blog is about what's in your heart!

Here's an incredibly easy feature to add to your blog, and before you say, "I don't have time to follow-up on this," think about how great it would be to get a little help from a family member. This is nothing more than keeping track of events in your community and then sharing them on your blog.

​One of the most important keys to success for a great blog is being helpful to your readers. Putting together a calendar of events in your community is a terrific way to only keep your readers up to date, but show your support for various non-profit organizations and activities you're involved in supporting.

Making the concept even more useful is the simplicity of it all. From important fundraisers to gallery openings, school events, and seasonal things that happen around the holidays, the list goes on and on. And, best of all, you become the one sharing the information making you a focal point.

Now, take it a step further.  Some of the events/programs you might be directly involved in, are perfect for blog content with a post leading up to the event, and then one following the event with your photographs. You become the "clearing house" for community activities and each time you share a post about an event or organization you're working with you become an ambassador for that group. Even if you're not directly involved, you're helping to spread the word about what they're doing.

It's a win-win every time, and it's a great project to turn over to a family member to help you build content, share in creating brand awareness for your business and best of all, giving them a level of responsibility in your success. 

​You're looking for the community to be good to you...so you need to make sure you're good to your community!

​Everyone in the "kitchen" at the SCU Diner is surprised that we still haven't run out of menu items for Fast Food Friday. However, if you think about how many different aspects there are in running a business, then it really shouldn't be that surprising.

Fast Food Friday blue plate specials aren't always quick meals, but they are nutritional and fortunately, with the government shut down we don't have to worry about dealing with the FDA!

​(Sorry, with the nonsense going on in Washington and thousands of people not getting paid while the members of Congress still draw their salaries, it's hard to not have a little sarcasm spill over into today's post. Sheila had a great idea the other night, suggesting every member of Congress also have their pay docked and be fined $20,000 a day.)

Okay, back to this week's special - I do not profess to be an expert on this dish, but it is one I'm cooking today, and it's all from the heart! Let's talk about things you can do to find balance. And, while "balance" is such an abused all-inclusive word, we're really talking about adjusting your priorities. 

Today's special is my own recipe. It's taken me years to perfect and ironically, most of what I learned I first heard from my grandmother but wasn't sharp enough to understand! I'm hoping you can learn from my mistakes so you can make new ones of your own.

We all wear multiple hats as business owners, parents, spouses, friends, and children, just to name a few. The challenge comes in remembering you've only got one head! And, while the buzz-word today is multi-tasking, you're still only one person.
​

• "To thine own self be true!" Shakespeare wrote it long before my grandmother said it, but here's the point, and I've said it numerous times before, you can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in the game! Being happy in what you're doing for a living is a critical component in balancing your priorities.
• You're not alone! Whether you're married or single, you've got a family and friends who are important. You've got to make time for them. Share your frustrations with them. They're part of your life because they care about you, but they're not mind-readers. You've also got to be available to participate in their lives.
• Set a time to punch out! Pick a time of day when you shut off the business. While it takes practice, it is almost that easy. I shut off the ringer on my cell phone around 5:30 every day. I only take urgent calls in the evening, and I ALWAYS have dinner with Sheila. 
• Where's your no phone zone? We learned this one from Michele Celentano. Her kitchen, like most of our homes, is all about family and friendship. Even as a guest, you don't touch your cell phone in her kitchen. The kitchen is a NO PHONE ZONE.
• Do you get enough sleep, exercise, and nutrition? It's the Trifecta you need to win EVERY day. Your body is like a bank account - if you're short on sleep, don't get enough exercise and have lousy eating habits you're going to be overdrawn. For me it seems rest is the most critical.  Everyone is different - I need 7-8 hours to have the most positive energy.
• You need to laugh more and worry less! It's easy to say, but not so easy to do. This is where your family and friends play a role, but you've got to make the time to let them into your life!
• Learn to walk away! Recognize stress! It comes in all shapes and sizes, but there are times when you have to walk away to recharge. You might even have to start completely over, but a fresh start give you a new perspective on whatever the challenge might be.
• Listen to your heart! Trust your gut - Most of the time your gut instinct is telling you exactly what path to take.

So, here's what works for me and it's taken me years to perfect it, and I'm still work in progress. I have a morning routine:

1. I start with checking my email and responding when necessary. The best advice in business I was ever given was to handle each piece of paper only once. Okay, so that was before the Internet, but the logic is the same. I read my email, make a decision, answer it and move on.
2. Next comes reading something that's inspirational. Melody Beattie is my favorite author lately. In the same way, many of you need that first cup of coffee; I need to feed my brain with something outside photography.
3. It's time for a walk! I'm an early riser, usually starting at 6:30. Around 7:30 Sheila and I take our morning walk. We walk for thirty minutes around the neighborhood. While the exercise is essential, it also gives us time to talk about the day ahead along with anything else on our minds.
4. Molly the Wonder Dog is next in the routine. Molly is let out, and I always go out with her. Then she's brushed, played with for a few minutes and fed. If you're a pet owner you already understand that special bond and how it adds to a sense of balance, even when things are most chaotic.
5. Time to open the "store:" Whether it's writing new posts, phone calls or thinking through what's on the agenda for the day, I'm officially into work.
6. Breakfast or brunch comes next, most often between 9:30 and 10:00.  I love to cook and we take turns, but Sheila and I ALWAYS have breakfast together. This is the equivalent of morning recess when I was a kid.  
7. Back to work for the day: I have a standing desk and another I can sit at, but I try and find a balance between the two. At any age, you should not be sitting for too long!  I'll work most of the day, head out for any errands or appointments and we'll grab something light for lunch early afternoon.

Obviously, there are phone calls and interruptions throughout the day, along with scheduled conference calls, appointments, etc. but at the end of the day, usually around 5:30 everything shuts down, and it's family time. Sheila and I have dinner together and then move to the TV for our favorite shows, a fast run through the news and maybe a movie. 

Our day typically ends around 10:00 PM watching a rerun of Friends. Why? Because the news used to be the last thing we watched and it's become so depressing we needed to laugh before going to sleep. I think back to my folks always watching the 11:00 PM news before going to bed. Well, these days it's all nightmare material, so we finish the day watching something entertaining.

That's our routine, but it only works if there's a lot of open, honest communication. Both of us have learned to share the challenges in our life, our aspirations, and disappointments. We've learned to trust each other and for example, when I'm off balance and too focused on a business challenge we talk it out. We're both work in progress and it's not always smooth sailing. But there's also that great quote about calm seas not making skilled sailors! 

Most important of all, take the time to be thankful. So many of you are obsessed with finding success, but you've never taken the time to think through what that really means. For me, it's about waking up with a smile on my face every morning. 

We've worked together to find balance. We're like a medieval castle.  We think of our home as surrounded by a moat. When the enemies are clamoring at the gate, we recognize when we need to help each other and pull up the draw bridge.

It's the second Fast Food Friday of 2019, and the perfect time to talk about educational support in the new year. We've talked a little about it in past posts, especially about getting the most out of a convention. But today, I want to hit all the opportunities for you to expand your skill set in virtually every area of photography, business and here and there, even in life. 

Remember why I started this series - to give you short tips on how to make your business stronger in quick easy to "digest" topics each week. Well, this is number 42 in the series and with a little help from my buddy, Scott Kelby, let's talk about education for 2019.

One of the most diverse educational resources that should be on your radar is "The Grid." It's loaded with content shared by some of the finest educators in professional photography.

This past Wednesday I was invited back to The Grid, hosted by Scott Kelby. Our topic was getting the most out of educational opportunities in 2019. We covered a lot of ground, including maximizing your time at conferences.

If you haven't checked out "The Grid" you're missing an opportunity to expand your skill set in just about everything to do with imaging including marketing, business, Lightroom, capture, printing and the list goes on and on.

There's a lot of great information in this episode. However, let's look at a bigger picture. This is the slow season and just because business might be slow doesn't mean you should be! Now is the time for you to fine-tune those areas you're not strong in and as Scott and I discuss, there's an endless supply of places to get help. ​

• Webcasts: I'm partial to The Grid. Take a scroll through all the episodes. There are over 350 in the archives offering photographers a long list of topic all presented to help you grow as an artist and business owner.
• Online Courses: Take a scroll through The Grid's selection. There are hundreds of topics ranging from short tips to full length multiple online presentations, each giving you the ability to learn at your own pace.
• Books and Magazines
• Blogs
• YouTube: So many of you have never taken the time to check out what videos have been shared online. For example, type any well-known photographer in the YouTube search box, and you'll more than likely find their channel loaded with help to make you a stronger artist. And, just as another great example, Scott Kelby has 124 videos on his channel, and there are 1459 on the Kelby Media Channel.
• Conventions and Trade Shows: You should be planning on attending every possible convention/conference you can in the new year.
• Manufacturers and Retailers Websites: Two of my favorite are Profoto's and Tamron's. You'll find them both on YouTube as well - always sharing great information and supporting the need photographers have to grow.
• Photographer Websites: You can learn so much looking through the galleries of photographers who you respect and paying attention to the way they tell their story.
• Live Workshops and Road Shows: Photographers and manufacturers alike are on the road each year with a series of workshops. You'll find Panasonic's LUMIX Ambassadors teaching at various retailers throughout the year, and Tamron's Tech Reps do a national tour each year, just to name a couple of companies who believe in education. 

​Here's my point with today's Fast Food Friday special - you've chosen a career field that's driven by creativity and technology. Our industry is continually changing, and if you keep doing things the same old way, you'll never grow. Remember, growth only occurs outside your comfort zone. 

One of the things Scott and I talked about was the importance of always taking at least one class completely outside your core specialty. Imaging has become a giant umbrella about helping people capture memories and tell their story. You never know how something you learned in what seemed like an off-topic class is going to help you later on.

One perfect example is video. Most of you are working with cameras that allow you to capture video as well as still images. However, only a handful of you are taking advantage of the technology that's right there at your fingertips.

Even if you have no interest in videography as a core specialty, understanding how to best capture video will give you better material to share in your own mixed media marketing presentation. There's very little that beats the impact of still images, short video clips and great music, all combined to tell your story as an artist, and presented to your target audience each time they visit your website.

And last on the list of educational resources are all of us in the industry here to help you grow. Scott and I talked about being educators, and while we might not always have the answers, we have networks of incredible people who do. But, you've got to let us know you need help. Got a question or a challenge you need help with? Just ask!

​Whenever the holiday falls on a Tuesday or later like it did this week, it's always a strange, yet terrific time of year.  Many of you are still on vacation. Those of you who are back at work are recovering from the holiday surge in business, and might even have a few last minute orders and loose ends to wrap up.

Technically this is the first Fast Food Friday episode of the new year, but we're going to keep it light and give you a little time to kick back and chill.  We're working on lots of great content for 2019, and a few new directions and guest "chefs" to join us in the kitchen of the SCU Diner. ​

Meanwhile, if you missed last week's wrap-up, it includes the links to all forty "blue-plate specials" in the SCU Diner, starting last February. From your website to your blog to relationship building and customer service, there's not very much we missed in ideas to help you build a stronger business. Take a scroll through last week's post with a click on the banner below. And, if you think there's something we missed, let us know!

​I started this series because so many of you are right-brained artists who need left-brain support. Your skill set depends on the creative juices flowing from the right side of your brain, but your survival as a business is thanks to the left side!

While some experts believe the right brain - left brain theory is a myth, it's still a great metaphor. At least in part, it explains the differences in discipline some of us have in various areas of business. 

Click on the illustration on the left to connect to a website I stumbled across called "The Brain Made Simple." It's not my intention to turn today's post into a lesson on how our brain works, but this site does do a nice job of explaining the left and right side functions.


In the meantime next week brings business back into full swing, but you need a fully charged battery to hit the ground running and start building a solid foundation for the new year ahead. Take today and the weekend to kick back a little. Reflect on last year; catch up on your reading; relax and even enjoy a few of the past Fast Food Fridays in those areas where you need the most help.

Most important of all, get your mindset in line with your heart and your passion for the craft. You can't create images that tug on people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it!

In January of 2013, with a lot of help from my good buddy Scott Bourne, we launched Skip Cohen University. Over the last six years we've shared thousands of posts, videos, sound bites and podcasts about business, marketing, technique, events, and the list goes on and on.

When it comes to helping you build a stronger business, Fast Food Friday has become a personal favorite. Started last February, and coming up to year end, it seems like a fun and helpful idea to publish a complete review of everything on the SCU Diner's menu to date. If you think about it, it's mostly a FREE e-book to help you pick those areas where you need the most help.

Besides, it's December, and we're all used to watching repeats as our favorite television or streaming shows close a season and prepare us for the new one next year. Only with Fast Food Friday, there is no grand finale or a loaded with suspense cliff-hanger. In fact, how much of a cliff-hanger you want is up to you and finishing 2018 as you embark on a new year next week.

For SCU, we've got new projects and programs coming your way thanks to companies like Panasonic, Marathon Press, Tamron USA, ProfotoUS, PhotoShelter, ProPhotographerJourney.com and some great technique pieces from the SLR Lounge! And, adding to the fun is working with Chamira Young on new content ideas and a new podcast. We're co-hosts on two podcasts, Mind Your Own Business for Photofocus.com and Beyond Technique sponsored by PhotoShelter.

We're going to continue the fun in 2019. Remember "FUN?" It's one of those words too often lost under the stress of business today. Three letters that need to be part of your day, EVERY DAY, from the time you wake up to when you shut off the lights at night.

So, have fun with the forty "blue-plate" specials below. Click on any of the specials that best match your appetite, and Happy New Year from the SCU Diner!

Fast Food Fridays are brought to you by:

​Back in February, I had a fun idea to launch the SCU Diner. The concept was based mostly on fast food, which most of us have a love/hate relationship with. It serves a purpose, and there are few things better than a great sub sandwich when you're on the run.

So, we started sharing fast business ideas, and just like fast food, they're meant to fill a need. They help you remember things you need to stay focused on when you don't have a camera in your hands!

We've shared forty different "blue-plate specials" over the last few months, and it's time for one more before Christmas and New Years!

With a new year right around the corner, you're down to the wire for 2018. You've essentially got ten days left to tie up loose ends on business and set things up for a cleaner slate in January. But December isn't just about closing the books on the year. 

Today's Fast Food Special is a reminder of things you might want to do beyond just wrapping up business.

• Holiday Wishes: While it's a little late to do a custom card for December, it's not too late to remind those people most important to your business how much you appreciate their support. From venues to wedding planners and clients who have referred business to you, take the time to make contact and remind them how much they mean to you.  A "thanks" can range from taking somebody to lunch to gift baskets and even phone calls.  Don't let the year close without saying "thank you."
• Major Purchases: If there's high-end gear you need for your business, you've got ten days to make the purchase and still take the deduction. Check with your accountant and find out if there's a benefit to taking the hit in 2018 based on your current deductions, revenue for the year, etc.
• December Deals: The Photokina show took place this past Septemer, and a lot of manufacturers announced new products. That means there may be some great deals still available at retail on previous models of cameras, lenses, lighting, printers, etc. New products coming in means the dealers want to move out the older inventory. Remember that doesn't mean the older stock isn't good, just that new models are coming in.
• Manufacturer Rebates and Bonuses: Take a look at all of the products you use in your business and then go online and check each manufacturer's programs. For example, Profoto has a great promotion going on right now with the A1 which ends on December 31, 2018. Excire Inc. has a program running until December 26, 2018. Tamron's rebates end on January 5, 2019. Marathon Press has a BOGO (Buy One Get One) on holiday cards ending December 31, 2018. 
• Contract Renewals: From your insurance to websites, QuickBooks and Internet service, etc. check to see what savings are out there if you renew now. And, are you adequately insured? Are there major purchases you made during the year that need to listed on your policy? If nothing else, checking the dates on all the agreements with companies who support you will help you remember the timing for payments in the new year.
• Your Marketing Video: I still fail to understand why more of you don't take advantage of technology and put together your own mixed media promotional video. Combine still images with short video clips and great music to create your own marketing film. Technology has made it so easy and you've got most of the material to put together highlights of 2018 in a 2-3 minute film for your website.
• Airline Tickets: If you're headed to IUSA in Atlanta, now is a good time to be making flight arrangements. You're thirty days out, and don't forget to lock in your hotel as well. Don't wait until the last minute and then pay top dollar.

It's not directly about wrapping up business but it does deserve top billing:

• Your Family: There's that old expression about "shoemaker's children needing shoes." My mother used to constantly remind me that she wanted new pictures of her family! Take the time during the holidays to capture images of your own family. From Christmas to New Years everyone has opportunities to capture and create those special images that will become tomorrow's favorite memories. There's also a place for a few classic image or two in your marketing slide show and even next year's holiday card.

There's no question that December is one of those months that's incredibly busy and then slows down so you can let out a sigh and kick back a little. It's a great month to finish looking at this past year and be a little reflective. Pat yourself on the back for another year in business and start to think about your goals for the new year!

Fast Food Friday is brought to you by:

Since February the SCU Diner has served up thirty-nine new blue-plate specials. The project started because there are too many of you who ignore the operational side of your business. You need a quick reminder now and then about operational components outside your gear. It's not because you don't care, but that you're artists, and more focused on capturing and creating the ultimate image than worrying about the business.

So, we started a series of relatively short tips to help you build a better biz, reach more clients and build lasting relationships rather than just purchases.

I've written about playing offense many times in the past, and since this is an active month for wrapping up the  football season, it's a great way to look at the new year. Playing offense is always easier than fighting to build your livelihood as a photographer on defense. Even in business, we'd all rather carry the ball than chase it!

Today's special is a list of seven key things to think about in the year ahead. And, while you're hopefully buried in holiday orders right now, there's no excuse not to be ready to kick the year off right in January.

1) Marketing: Many of you already have ideas for 2019, but you haven't turned those mind's eye visions into reality. You should plan at least one consumer promotion a quarter. Start to think about things you could be doing to create some excitement for your business in the form of consumer/client-based promotions. 

2) Conferences: What programs or workshops are you going to attend next year?  Not every conference requires you to hit the road for a week of hotels, air travel, etc.  Should you be at one of the big convention/trade shows?  The year kicks off with IUSA in Atlanta, WPPI in Vegas, ShutterFest in St. Louis, Photoshop World in Orlando and Las Vegas, ClickCon in Chicago and PPE in NYC in the Fall.  These are all big conferences - but don't forget a lot going on closer to home you should know about. Check on the dates for your own state or regional conference.

3) Credit Line:  Establish a credit line with a leasing company - even if you're not buying anything right now! Here's where you can utilize somebody else's assets without depleting yours!  You need the credit line in your back pocket so when you do need new gear; you're ready to obtain it without hitting the panic button because you don't have the funding. Your camera is your lifeline along with lenses, lights, printers, and your computer!  Most of you are always flying without a net - having the ability to obtain gear on a lease will give you a little extra security when you need it most without tying up cash flow.

4) Insurance: Fifty percent of the wedding and event photographers in this country list themselves as part-time.  That means many of you are playing Russian roulette with your home insurance policies, which generally don't cover equipment used for business purposes. Check with your insurance agent and make sure your gear is covered under your policy.  Also, do you have indemnification insurance?  Are you covered if you shoot a wedding and you lose the images before they're downloaded? PPA's insurance policy covering you in this area is outstanding.
  
5) Backup: Everyone talks about backing up their images and backup gear, but what about you? I wrote about it a few years ago - when I battled it out with the gallbladder from hell. I lost two solid weeks in my own business and had never thought about backup. Fortunately my good buddy, Scott Bourne stepped in to help.

There's a great line I read about safe driving on a billboard once: "Accidents only happen to other people. So, all you other people, watch out!" You need a person or two you trust to know the critical aspects of your business just in case you're caught in a bind. 
 
6) Diversity in your skill set: What's your specialty? Are you a one trick pony or do you have a couple of other tricks up your sleeve?  If business disappeared in the specialty you're strongest in, what's your game plan to still have a company?

7) Your Network: If you got a call to shoot the biggest wedding of the year and needed help, who's on your list to call? The same would go for all you commercial photographers - if you had a job more significant than anything you've ever done how would you do it?
  
I started this Fast Food Friday post talking about offense versus defense.  It's also called being proactive rather than reactive.  In a successful business you've got to cover both, but then Murphy jumps in with Murphy's Law, "If anything can go wrong it will!"  Well, I'm a big fan of Murphy's second law - "Murphy was an optimist!"

Fast Food Fridays are brought to you by:

​Every week since mid-February the SCU Diner has shared a "blue-plate special," just like those great diners in New Jersey I used to enjoy in my Hasselblad days.

The whole idea behind Fast Food Friday is to give you a taste of things you should be doing to build a stronger business. And, while I know this is your busiest time of year, that doesn't mean you shouldn't be looking ahead and building a stronger foundation for establishing better brand awareness!

Today's special hits on a favorite challenge for every business - finding new customers. There are too many of you who thought just by opening your business and hanging a sign; customers would flock to your door. 

Well, it doesn't work that way. Think about how much noise is in our lives. You've got to find ways to get through that noise and utilize your very best marketing tool - building relationships.

To figure out today's Fast Food Friday menu I started looking for motivational quotes, and I ran across one of my favorites above.

It really hit home for me personally and fits for so many of you. Whether you've recently just started as a professional photographer or you're a seasoned pro trying to jump-start an established business, you've got to look for new opportunities.

​Every business, no matter what line of work you're in, has the same challenge, finding customers and keeping them. You've got to find that sweet spot that makes you different from what everybody else is doing.

Own your zip code: When was the last time you got out and literally knocked on doors to introduce yourself to every business in the community?

When I was a kid, I remember moving to a new neighborhood and a woman from "Welcome Wagon" came by the house to introduce us to the vendors in the community. She left a basket of goodies, coupons, and information. You need to do the same thing, with or without a goodie basket.

And, it's holiday time! This is the perfect time of year to be meeting every business owner in your community. You don't have to sell them anything, just wish them "Happy Holidays," and remind them as a photographer and artist, you're there to help with any help they need in imaging.

All of your past clients: Everybody is busy looking for new clients, but they forget about building relationships with their existing base. These are people who already know you and have other photographic needs or friends who do, but you've got to stay in touch. Holiday cards, email, phone calls and even a personal visit here and there are all perfect to keep in touch. Remember, a great business is built on a foundation of relationship building!

Partnerships: Other businesses, including photographers, are the perfect partners to create excitement in the community. New alliances can be just what you need to "build some new doors."  It can be as simple as sharing the cost of a mailing to actual cross-promotions of each other's products/services. Again, it's holiday time, and you're going to be meeting so many different people at community events as the year comes to a close. Think about those people you meet who might be terrific partners in the future.

Social Media: Each day you've got an opportunity many of you miss to expand your presence in social media. Without question, for photographers, those new doors are through a well-done blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest when it comes to reaching new potential clients. However, you've got to pay attention to your presentation, the quality of your images and being helpful in what you're sharing.

You know how to focus your camera, but what about your business? Opportunities are everywhere, but you're the only one who can go out and find them!

Fast Food Friday is brought to you by:

​Every week the SCU diner has served up one more specialty to help you build a stronger business model. To date we've shared 36 different ideas/concepts, all in an easy to "digest" format, to help you think through how to fine-tune your business.

I called it Fast Food because you're artists. The time you spend on ideas to run a better business are often on the back-burner.

There are very few of you who want to get involved in the operational side of the business. It's not that you don't respect what you need to do to build a successful business, just that your heart is more focused on the creative side of life. You'd much rather discover a better way to light a portrait than put together a direct mail piece....and the list goes on and on.

Well, we're down to the wire with just a few weeks to go for 2018. Hopefully, you're busy with holiday orders, but that doesn't mean you can ignore things you need to do in the future.

Today's "blue plate special" is on the lite side of the menu in terms of anything you need to implement.  It's about four ingredients in your business future - dreams, products/services, profitability, and fun. It's fast food and just requires you to think a little about your business and the future. 

This is a very short specialty today. It's meant to get you thinking about a few of the things you do to compromise your dreams, your products and sometimes even the services you offer.  

Dreams: There's no reason ever to let go of your dreams, and that includes pressure from loved ones who don't understand your passion as an artist. That doesn't mean you don't have to modify them here and there, but if you let them slip under the umbrella that life is a compromise, then you're only going to replace your dreams with regret and sooner or later, growing resentment.

Products: There is no room for compromise delivering anything that isn't "excellent," just like the quote above. There's a standard of excellence in photography, and mostly it boils down to exceeding your client's mindset. You're living in the most competitive time in business history, and every consumer needs to know they made the right choice. Think about how many photographers they had to choose from!

Every product and service you offer has the same goal - exceed client expectations and make yourself habit-forming!

Profitability: Loving what you do, but eating macaroni and cheese every night eventually grows old. Going into the new year, look at your costs, ALL of them. Invest in marketing. Pay attention to consumer trends in your community and price your services appropriately. There's a ton of information out there to help you and even more educators who have focused on the topic. 

Earlier this year SCU diner offered a Friday special on pricing, which included a terrific video from Sal Cincotta. If you missed it, it's just a click away!

Fun: I gave "fun" it's own paragraph. It's the most important word in business today and also the most forgotten. It's not a crime to have fun when you're working. We all have the same challenge - we get so caught up in the pressure of the day in day out business we forget to have fun.  Having fun is critical to your success as an artist and a business person...make it a priority.

                       "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."
                                                                                                              Confucius

Fast Food Fridays are brought to you by:

Excire's ability to help you with Search and SearchPro is just a click away on the banner above. 

​If you're not familiar with the product, check out the video below featuring Suzette Allen as she put Excire to the test searching for various images.

You'll also find a wealth of information to help you raise the bar on the quality of your work with a visit to Suzette's blogs and YouTube channel. She's always sharing outstanding information as one of the industry's leading educators. ​

​It's the Friday after Thanksgiving, and if you're an American, you're probably enjoying leftovers from yesterday's holiday dinner. So, having fun with Fast Food Friday, I ran across this post in the SCU archives from four years ago, and it's perfect for today.

Looking for new blog content? If you have a blog and said "No," you're lying! Everyone is looking for content, especially about topics to draw in readership. Well, here it is - as today's "Chef" I'm giving you one of my favorite recipes, and it's going to expand your audience, and get your community more involved. 

​A well-done blog is one of the best marketing tools you've got. The only thing that will render it useless is if you don't know what you're doing with a camera in your hands! As with everything I write about - you've got to have the skill set.

Your website is about what you sell, your products and your services. Your blog is about what's in your heart. An excellent blog gives you the opportunity to go off track a little and be involved in your community. There are very few things with this strong a potential to help you build brand awareness. This is all about working to establish yourself as the photography expert in your community. It's a soft-sell approach, without getting in anybody's face.

There's a bonus with today's Fast Food Friday Special...listen to the minute and a half "First Byte" that gives you a taste of what's coming and why it's so important!

The whole idea with today's post is to build terrific content using businesses in your community. So many photographers complain about not having enough material and needing things to write about. Why not start featuring all your favorite places, starting with retail establishments?

Here's a great example - everybody has a few favorite restaurants, pizza places, etc.  Start with a visit to one of your favorites and shoot an environmental portrait (wide angle) of one of the staff in the restaurant. Maybe it's the chef in the kitchen or the host/hostess, a waiter or waitress or the manager. The point is, you're going to pick somebody who's added something to your life in your community, even it's inches to your waistline!

Next, do a short write up: 50-150 words is plenty. Talk about one of your favorite dishes and include a link to the restaurant's website or if they don't have a website, give their address. This is about recognizing one of the places in your community and why you like to go there. It's about sharing your experiences.

Having trouble understanding environmental portraiture? It was one of the legendary Don Blair's favorites. He'd shoot with Hasselblad's 30mm fisheye and pull in as much of the subject's environment as he could. Here are a few examples I pulled off of Google when typing in "Environmental Portraits." Click on any image, and you can find out more about the artist and how the image was used.

Now, let's pull the concept together with a marketing plan.

Each time a new community profile post runs, print out a hard copy and put it into an inexpensive acrylic free-standing frame. I went online and Googled "Acrylic Frames" for the example at the right. This one is an 8x10, but depending on what you print, a 5x7 might work as well.

At the top of the image add the following text, "Community Profiles - As Seen On ______________'s Blog (_____________.com)". Drop it off as a thank you to your subject for their time to pose and contributing to your content.

​Here's one of the best benefits of community profile posts - They help establish your expertise as a photographer along with being an enthusiastic member of the community. Every establishment loves a little publicity, and you're giving them a chance at more exposure, as well as showing your appreciation for whatever role they've played in your life. Each subject is going to become one of your ambassadors. Don't under-estimate how excited they're going to be about being featured on your blog when you drop off that acrylic stand.

Here are a few more tips to help you make this more effective...

• Build a stash of profiles. You need consistency for a blog to be effective, so post at least twice a week. Getting twenty of these community posts done in advance would give you material for one day each week for almost five months. It's the perfect project to do in the upcoming "slow season" of the first quarter of 2019.
• Run one community profile a week.
• Everybody in your community has the potential for a profile. Don't forget clergy, dry-cleaners, teachers, law enforcement, bank tellers, supermarket managers, doctors, dentists, restaurants, even the Chamber of Commerce. The list goes on and on. 
• When you run out of establishments, think about other topics. For example, pets of the community have almost the same draw, just not the added exposure with the acrylic sign. You could also do "Leaders of the Community" and theme the series.
• Create your own publicity! Once you've published a half-dozen profile posts, send out a press release about the project and include a couple of images of members of the community. You never know who's going to read the release and what new doors it might open.

This is about giving back to your community using your skill set. You're looking for the community to be good to you. So, you better make sure you're good to your community!

The concept of Fast Food Friday started as quick things to think about to help fine-tune your business as a professional photographer. I started playing off of our love for fast food. We all understand the concept of quick lunch at a place like McDonald's, Arby's, etc. although my personal favorite for quality is Chick-fil-A. 

The ideas that have been shared keep growing, and the blue plate specials have become more complex, often "tasting" like a full course meal at Ruth's Chris. But the concept is still the same - ideas to help you make this year and 2019 more successful.

Today's special is hardly fast food. Each one is a meal by itself. I hope you'll read the post as if it was fast food and there was little more to think about. Then, come back and go through each of the five questions below. If your goal is to continue to grow your business and make 2019 your best year yet, the time to start thinking about it is NOW!

Most important of all, there are no right or wrong answers to the questions. You've got to understand your business and your audience and most important of all, procrastination should NOT be part of your skill set.

Every year business gets a little tougher, and too often many of you get frustrated that things aren't coming together as quickly as you had hoped. You're losing patience and even considering giving up! Often your frustration is the result of not thinking through the business side of being a pro.  So, let's get you focused on building a solid foundation and keep you out of Ross Perot's definition of "most people."

What's your goal for each of the next three years? Let's start with this year and write them down. Most of you started your business, but never really thought about what you wanted it to look like. Many of you are trying to hit too broad a target with clients in weddings, family, children, seniors, boudoir, etc. You've got to build each business element one step at a time and make sure you have the skill set to meet the demands of each group.

Who is your target audience? Based on a Kodak survey done many years ago, women make 98% of the purchase decisions to hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social categories. I don't believe it's changed one point since then. Does your website have a feminine appeal? Are you hitting the right points in your marketing to appeal to Mom? Is the content you share on your blog interesting to her?

Do you have the skill set? Okay, this is the toughest...you know when you look at an image if it genuinely represents professional talent or could anybody's Uncle Harry have gotten the same shot? Look at your galleries and then dump those images that aren't spectacular. At every conference, you should be taking classes on new techniques and expanding your skill set, because growth starts outside your comfort zone.

Are you signed up for every convention and workshop you can hit in the next year? The benefit isn't just in what you'll learn in classes or walking the trade show floor - it's in the networking. Nothing can help you more than spending time with other photographers and building a network of associates who are dealing with the same challenges. Don't forget to add all the vendors whose products and services you use. You should know some of the staff at every company you work with.

When you look at this past year to date, if you're a little disappointed, is the problem in revenue or what you're shooting? So often I've met photographers who hate what they're shooting because it's so far from the passion and glamour of what they wanted to spend their time doing initially. The challenge is to build your revenue stream with whatever is going to pay the bills - but here's the best part of being an artist. Special projects can help you stay focused on the passion and give you a way to vent a little of that frustration when you're shooting subjects you're not crazy about. It's an easy question to think about - what do you love to photograph most and how can you build a special project around it to keep your heart and soul where it should be in the coming year?

Whatever pays the bills can often feel like the "depth of winter", but that's why I love that quote. It's that "invincible summer" we all have inside us that gets us through the challenges. You've got to keep your passion for the craft alive and when you feel like you're about to crash and burn, that's the time to step away from the business and often special projects can help you stay focused on what's most important to feed your creative genes.

Fast Food Fridays are brought to you by:

The SCU Diner has been serving up Fast Food Friday specials every week since February 16, and just when I think we've run out of nutritious "blue plate specials" something new comes up that's perfect. 

Fast Food Friday's are all about ideas to help you focus on the challenges of building a stronger business and making yourself habit-forming to your target audience. You're a working photographer, more than likely a right-brain creative type and more you probably hate the operational side of the business.  So we started sharing ideas to help you through the challenges.

This week's special is a little different than many of the past, and it's all thanks to a good friend who recently sent me an IM on Facebook. He wrote, 

After almost three decades I am switching gears. I'm headed back to school to get my MS in Instructional Design and Technology. Photography will be a plus as far as life experience. I immediately thought of you when I made this decision because of how successfully you have switched gears more than once.

Well, that got me thinking about how many of you hit the panic button when you think about changing paths. Some changes are significant in the form of full-blown career changes, others easier to handle, like expanding to another photographic specialty, etc. 

In 2009 I made the biggest change in my career - inspired by many of you, I decided to head out on my own and start my own company. As I hesitated to take the plunge, Sheila asked me, "What are you afraid of?" My answer was immediate, "Failing!"

Sound familiar? So, I'm dedicating this week's lunch special to my best buddy, my wife, Sheila. She's my support group and has been there every minute of the way, now coming up on ten years. To quote Jerry Garcia, "What a long strange trip it's been!"

This is the time of year when so many of you start thinking about future changes. Let's see what the SCU kitchen can whip up to help you through the process.

Here's the fun of being in a career field that's in line with the arts...everything can change, and each of you has to go with the flow. Success in photography is about what's in your heart. You can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings if your own heart isn't in it.

• Right now we're in the heat of seasonality, but that isn't going to stop any of you from the occasional day-dream about the new year. You might be busy, but new career fever comes whenever it's needed. Nothing is cast in concrete. Appreciate the fact that once you've learned the technique and your skill set is solid, you can move into just about any of the various specialties.
• Never give up on your dreams! Many of you have "Negators" in your life - associates, friends or even family who don't understand why you can't just be happy with what you're doing. Well, it's not their life, it's yours!
• Start thinking about what conventions you want to attend in 2019. Right out of the blocks you've got IUSA in Atlanta in January, WPPI in Las Vegas in February, ShutterFest in April and ClickCon in August. Plus there are a lot of state conventions sprinkled throughout the new year, especially in the first four months.
• At every convention you go to, attend at least two programs, entirely out of your comfort zone. 
• ​When you're at a convention/conference, NEVER eat a meal alone. Use the time there to talk to other photographers.
• Look for partnerships in marketing and building a stronger business. From sharing office/studio space to splitting the cost of a direct mail piece, there are so many opportunities for you to reduce expenses and gain the benefits that come from partners.
• Give yourself daily assignments. For example, years ago my buddy, Michael Corsentino, was doing a self-portrait every morning and experimenting with moving his lights around. Today he's considered one of the leading educators on lighting. Another friend, Brian Palmer, gave himself a 365 project, photographing something different every day and then posting it.
• Read, Watch and Listen: There are books, videos and podcasts all over the place to help you expand your interests and smooth out the rough spots in your skill set. Just here at SCU alone, you've got links to great videos from Profoto and Tamron.   
• Spend time with your network! At least a dozen times over the last few years I've talked about the importance of being involved in your local photographic community. You need to join the local chapter, guild or camera club and then attend their monthly meetings. Build relationships with other photographers, who often are dealing with the same challenges you're facing.

 
Stop beating yourself up for changing your mind. It's like going through my closet...I've got my fat clothes for when my weight is up and the thinner ones for when I'm trying to get in shape, but every day when I get dressed, I have to go with what fits!  Okay, so as an analogy it's a stretch, no pun intended, but think about the passion you have for the craft and then let it take you in the direction that feels best. ​

​Fast Food Fridays are brought to you by:

Fast Food Friday is all about things you can do to build a stronger business. Each "blue plate special" here at the SCU diner, and there are 33 of them to date, is meant to help you identify those fundamental building blocks you need in strengthening your brand.

I started this series in February because it's so obvious how many of you want to be successful artists, but fail to recognize the importance of critical ingredients to pave the road to success as a business owner. So, with the help of Excire Inc. we expanded the weekly selection with a menu that was more extensive.

Although today's special is out of the SCU diner archives, it's the perfect entree for November. We're into the fourth quarter and it's the busiest time of year for all of you. Albums, reprints, sittings for family portraits, fine art prints, etc. are all part of holiday gift ideas and hopefully the demands on your time are starting to ramp up.

At the same time, as a business owner wearing multiple hats, you're pulled in different directions. Stress is rearing it's ugly head and the pressure for a strong finish to 2018 is nonstop.

I'm having fun with this Fast Food Friday today, just like a chef trying out some new ingredients. I've shared five mistakes so many of you have made in the past in the hopes you don't repeat them. There's even an audio bonus. Think of it the same way you'd get a singing waiter!

​Happy Fast Food Friday and as always, wishing everybody a terrific weekend.

Wandering through the Internet several years ago I came across Desk.com and a list of "Five Annoying Customer Quotes" written by Allyson Stone. Today the site is called Salesforce.com and it's loaded with a lot of good content. Reading her five quotes, I wanted to put them into perspective for the business of photography. 

1. "Please go to our website!" - Your website should be about your services and what you sell, but instead many of you are managing by the exception and have filled your site with policies. I've been on a few that were written with all the finesse of an IRS audit, with material about cancellation and refund policies. Save those topics for the contract discussion and utilize your site to show your best qualities as an artist. Stop scaring customers away!
2. "I'll have to transfer you." - Take responsibility for the answers your customers are looking for. Even more important, if you have staff, whether part-time or full-time, train and give them the ability to make decisions. There's nothing wrong with saying to a customer, "I'm sorry I don't know the answer, but let me call you back in a few minutes." Customers know it's not a perfect world and they can accept mistakes. What they can't accept is feeling like they're not important.
3. "That's not our policy." - Rules for any business are important, but there are times when circumstances warrant a modification. If you're looking for everything to be black or white, you're doomed. You've got to be able to define the gray areas and find solutions, not fall back on a statement blaming "policy." If that's your only way to do business, then you're going to be far more successful working for Comcast!
4. "Sorry, there's nothing I can do." - Whoa, that's the end of the road, because right after you make this comment, the customer decides to not only NEVER work with you again, but to tell their friends about you. There's no more significant statement that defines you as a jackass. The truth is, there's ALWAYS something you can do. Just make sure whatever you're doing to resolve the situation is always the BEST you can do.
5. "Hmm, I don't know." - It's not the fact that you don't have an answer, but the interpretation of the statement itself. It's like a surgeon saying "Oops!" on the operating table. You're expected to be the expert, and if you're going admit to not knowing the answer, then you need to temper that statement. Add a few more comments about getting a better answer, looking into it further and giving the customer a sense of commitment, rather than just shrugging your shoulders and walking away.

Here's the thing about excellent Customer Service - it's about your attitude. It's not a department that's part of a large corporation. It's meant to be the foundation of everything you believe in business and about your customers. Excellent Customer Service is about making yourself habit-forming and exceeding customer expectations. Every client needs to feel like they're your most important customer.

"Your customer doesn't care how much you know until they know how much you care!"
Damon Richards

As always, Fast Food Fridays, especially with our new "menu" is meant to give you ideas to help you build a stronger business. I've been sharing these since February, and each "blue plate" special has offered help on a different aspect of your business.

Thanks to Excire, we expanded the menu in the SCU diner offering bigger entrees. Posts with more details also mean they take longer to enjoy but we're stepping away from fast food with concepts to help you increase reach and sales.  

Today's special is a little different because we're serving up a plate about advertising. So many times over the years I've heard stories about wasted money and poor results.

Most often the problem is the business invested too much in just one type of advertising without looking at all the other things they should have been doing. The result is almost always too much money spent on one vehicle and no coordination through a few other channels for reach.

Over the years I've heard so many photographers talk about advertising as if it was some strange new food they tried and didn't like. Look, my Dad hated lima beans, but that doesn't mean he gave up eating!  
 
The same logic applies to virtually ALL publications regardless of whether they're an Internet or printed media. I know a lot of you, especially those of you who are wedding photographers, get hit for advertising in upscale local printed magazines. For today's special, when I use the word "publication" it covers everything from websites to printed magazines and newspapers.

"We advertised once, but..." The whole statement is absurd. If you only ran an ad in a particular publication once you wasted your money, no matter how good a rate you had. Why? Just about every authority I've ever read has talked about a minimum of running an ad three times. Think about how much noise there is in our lives. You have to build awareness and consumer recall isn't going to happen with just a one time run.

Poor Results: You need to find out why your ad didn't pull well. Was it confusing? Was there too much copy? Did you hit the consumer with something exciting or could it have put a rock to sleep? Did your ad match the demographics of the web publication? Was there a sense of urgency for your target audience to respond?

Location, Location, Location: You've heard the expression as it relates to commercial real estate, but advertising in a publication is no different. Where was your ad in the publication?  With magazines, a lot of companies believe the forward third of the book is more prime than anywhere else. On a website that changes, but the concept is still the same - maximum visibility. Obviously, with a magazine, the inside and back covers are strong, but there are some other great locations...for example, opposite the Table of Contents or dead center of the magazine, if there's a tip-in subscription card or some other piece of literature.

Fractional vs. Full Page: A full-page ad will always drive your ego, but will it drive traffic to your business? I'm a huge fan of fractional ads but used in multiples on sequential pages. I learned this lesson from the master himself, Bruce Landau, who the industry sadly lost many years ago. When Bruce was the VP at Bogen he almost always ran multiple third-page ads, typically three in a row on the right-hand page. It was very effective and gave him as much, if not more bang for the buck than many of the big companies running full and double-page spreads.

Leveraging Editorial: Many of you get approached all the time by reps offering a great rate in local publications. They'll cut what seems like a great deal, but you can make it even better. Let them know you're interested in advertising, but you'd also like some editorial support. There are so many opportunities - a profile story about your business, a story about a particular application you specialize in or an article about a community fund-raiser you're involved with. Editorial in any publication has room to be less objective, as long as there's something newsworthy in the story.

Don't forget about links to enhance your online presence. A publication offering additional exposure with links in solid relevant editorial can drive traffic to your site, just like a good magazine article can drive traffic to your front door. Again, make it part of the negotiating process.

Ask to see the demographics: You need to know who the readership is before you spend your money. For example, if you were a cosmetic company launching a new nail polish would you advertise in "Guns and Ammo"? Anybody who says "yes," lock up for the day and go home.  For the rest of you, pay attention to the readership of the publication. We know that women make 98% of the purchase decisions to hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social categories. If that's where your expertise lies, then you want to be advertising in publications that reach women. The same applies to children and family photographers, fine art photographers, etc. Every specialty has its own audience with a few that overlap.

Advertising is just one part of the marketing equation. A print or online ad with a particular company followed by inactivity in any other area will never accomplish as much as it could.

Don't forget all the other components as shown on the right. Print and Internet advertising are only two of the areas targeting consumers.

This is where your blog comes in along with Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. Social media plays a huge role today in helping you expand your reach.

And, don't forget the look and feel of your website, community involvement, and publicity in your community. Direct mail, if done right, is another strong component.  The point is, you can never slow down on building your brand and for any campaign, you need 3-6 of the elements in the illustration above to be effective. 

Fast Food Fridays are brought to you by:

We launched the Fast Food Friday series to give you quick ideas on fine-tuning your business. I called it Fast Food Friday because everybody understands the concept of a no-brainer decision to grab something at McDonalds, Arby's or my new favorite, Chick-fil-A. They're fast, easy and it doesn't take a whole lot of brain power to figure out what you're having for lunch.

A few weeks ago, thanks to Excire, we expanded the menu in the SCU diner offering full entrees, posts with more details and content to help you build a stronger business. Today's special is a perfect example.

​With the Photo Plus Expo show coming up in two weeks in NYC, now's the time for you to make sure you plan your trip BEFORE you get there. Plus, IUSA, WPPI, and ShutterFest all come along during the first few months of the new year.

Time is your most valuable commodity.  If you plan each trip you'll not only spend your money wiser, but you'll come home energized, better prepared to take on the challenges of being a photographer and business owner.

​It's essential for you to attend as many conventions/conferences each year as possible, but you might be surprised at why I believe that so strongly.

• Networking - a convention is an opportunity for you to network, but not just with other photographers, but the staff at EVERY vendor whose products and services you use.
• Education - photography is a career choice where you have to keep learning - your education is critical, and a good convention offers you a great selection of programming.
• New Products - This is especially important this year. Remember, 2018 was a Photokina year, and many of the major manufacturers introduced new products just a month ago in Germany.
• Recharging your battery - A good convention is a chance to energize your ideas about photography, marketing, and business. With a new year on the horizon, you've got to feed your heart and get time with old and new friends. You need to celebrate and appreciate the career path you're on, regardless of how long you've been on the "journey."

 
So, let's get specific and come up with things to think about and do while you're at the next convention:
​

• Why are you going? I know that sounds incredibly basic, but some of you go to party, others to buy and more of you to learn and network. Figure out what the most important thing is you want to get out of each show before you get there.
• Who are the companies whose products/services you use? Take a few minutes and look around your office, studio or the trunk of your car. Isolate every product you use as a photographer, and put the manufacturer's name 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 that's involved in your business. 
• What products/services do you need? Last on the pre-show list, are there products you need for your business or new services you require? One year at WPPI many years ago, 45 album companies were exhibiting and probably 25-30 labs. If you're looking for new companies and products, this is the time to go exploring.
• Now hit the convention/conference's website! Get to know who's going to 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 in building an effective network.
• How's your credit line? Whether you're in a buying mode or not, take the time to establish a credit line with any of the major financing companies. Or, at the very least check the balance on all your credit cards. If you see something you want to purchase at the convention, it's a lot less stressful if you already know what you've got to spend.
• Print Judging: If you're in early enough and the convention offers print judging open to the public, make it a point to attend. It's one of the most valuable educational experiences you can have.  
• Walk through 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 images being shared and you'll also "meet" artists who you might not have heard of.
• Don't be a storm-trooper! Start in one corner of the convention and walk every aisle. You'll have a chance to meet more people, see more products and learn about concepts you might not realize were in the market.
• Wear comfortable shoes and stay hydrated. You're going to be on your feet all day - respect the importance of staying on the top of your game.
• Bring business cards and some images. Personally, I've always liked being shown a 5x7 or 6x9 collage with 2-3 images with the photographer's address and contact information. Unless you've made an appointment in advance, most exhibitors don't have the time to look at a portfolio, or an iPad chocked full of images. However, leaving a cardstock piece or brochure with a vendor and contacting them after the show can be very effective.
• Make plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings NOW. Reservations don't come easy in any convention city. Even if you don't know who might join you, have a couple of dinner reservations regardless.   
• Pay attention to those key vendors who you want to see and what's going on in their booth. Many of the exhibitors have guest speakers sharing great information in smaller more intimate venues, right on the trade show floor.
• You snooze you lose! Look I was young and stupid 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. 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 if you 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 completely separate from your core specialty. Your growth as an artist and business owner will always be with presentations outside your comfort zone.
• Bring a camera...a real camera. Sure phones are fine, but you want to get some images you might want to use later on for press releases, your blog, Facebook, etc. You don't need your regular gear, but a decent camera will always produce better images than your cell phone. Look for opportunities for pictures with vendors and those speakers you admire. Your goal is to build a stash of photographs of you at the show for use in PR releases and blog content later on.
• Talk to the people around you when you attend any program. A photography convention 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. The truth is they're there to teach and meet other photographers interested in their work. Just walk up and introduce yourself and thank them for whatever inspiration they've given you. Honestly, they don't bite, but be respectful and don't charge into a conversation when you see them already occupied - just wait your turn!

The one thing I find most frustrating with attendees at a big convention is they just haven't planned their trip. They got their tickets and made it to the show and then completely fall apart. Plan each convention experience so that you're not wasting time and even more important, your money!

Fast Food Friday's are brought to you by:

Need help better utilizing your time? Click on the banner above to visit the Excire website. Take Excire Search Pro for Lightroom Classic CC for your own FREE 15 day test drive. And follow us on Facebook for the latest information on this exciting software and time-saver. ​​​

Check out the special promotion launched on September 26 at Photokina - "Search" is just $49 and "Search Pro" is $99.

Fast Food Fridays are all about things to help you fine-tune your business and create stronger branding and awareness in your community. And, we're at the very beginning of the fourth quarter with great seasonality to close the year.

There are so many things you can do to create strong awareness for your business and in turn, not only close this year with a good finish but set the stage for 2019.

It's time for another entree from the new menu at the SCU Diner.

​I want to focus on promotions, but with a very different approach. Let's look at some of the things photographers think about when it's too late, after the promotion is over.

​We all do it - We "Monday Morning Quarterback" our disappointments. Although every promotion can be done better, it accomplishes nothing to "should" on yourself.

We'll never completely get away from realizing things that were missed and playing "Monday Morning QB," but let's see if today's "blue plate special" can help you become a little more proactive on the front end. I'm hoping by thinking about what you might miss before you even do the promotion it'll help you create a stronger concept, right from the start.

Did the program have value? Recently I got a direct mail piece from one company offering a $5 off coupon and another with 10% off. Does $5 or 10% off anything these days get you excited?  Think about the value of what you're going to offer. Within photography, I've seen photographers offer something free from their lab. The concept would be fine, except the target audience doesn't know the product. You have to create promotions that get people excited, and they have to recognize the value of your offer.  

If you're thinking about offering free goods, then spend a few months in advance with the product in your price list. Use your blog to talk about what it is and show examples. Establish value on the promotional product BEFORE you share it as part of a campaign.

Did people understand the concept? One of the most difficult challenges we all have is explaining/describing something. Here's a good example. I took a speech class in college, and the assignment was to explain to somebody how to put on a coat. We had to assume they knew nothing about what it was, what sleeves or a collar were or what was the inside or outside. It was almost impossible.

Sadly, that's the way many of you write up a promotional offer. You assume your clients understand what you're talking about. The best way to resolve a challenge like this is to write up your offer and then read it out loud. Next, have somebody else read it. Then, read it again and last on the list, get another person to read it. Most effective of all, get your "proof-readers" from outside the business.  

Did you price it right? There are sensitive pricing thresholds throughout the consumer world. There is no specific formula in photography because every market is different. You need to pay attention to the demographics of your audience and then price things accordingly. Do a little research before you launch and as I once heard Denis Reggie say, "Don't price things on what you can afford. It was years before I could afford myself!" You've got to look at your target audience.

Pricing in itself is a challenge, and you might want to read this post from my buddy Bryan Caporicci several years ago. He did a great job of talking about pricing in general, but the same principles apply to promotional offers.

Did people know about it? This is one of the most common problems. You created a promotion but did a horrible job of getting the word out. Remember you have to keep getting your message out there again and again. Utilize every vehicle at your disposal including email, direct mail, advertising, your blog, partnership marketing and publicity, just to name a few. You have to use all of them at the same time to get your message out to your target audience and get through the noise.

What were your competitors doing at the same time? You can't avoid this because you don't have control over your competitor's business, but look at the community when you launched your promotion. Then, do your best to find windows unique to your reach with minimal noise. Check out this guest post from Bruce Berg on the Lane County Children's Contest. It's five years old and still completely valid! Here are three studios working together during the first quarter to create excitement at a time when the market couldn't be slower.

How did you present the idea? It's a combination of design, timing and with printed material, being a wordsmith. Think about things from the perspective of your target audience. Did your presentation get their attention?

There's a great line I heard thirty years ago from Ed Foreman, a motivational business speaker from Texas. I've shared it many times in previous posts.

               "if I can see the world through my client's eyes, then I can sell my client what my client buys!"

I guarantee somebody out there just rolled their eyes and said, "put yourself in their shoes." You don't need to be in their shoes - it's only going to make your feet hurt.

For most of you, your target audience is "mom" - that means you need to see the world through her eyes. You need to understand what's important to her; where she needs help; and the things she worries about regarding her family, children growing up, etc. "Moms" wear multiple hats and it's your job to understand the importance of each one.

Successful promotions don't happen overnight. It's a process, often of trial and error. The days of just putting together a great two-for-one offer and then sitting back and waiting for consumers to charge through your doors are long gone. You have to create excitement, have value and above all have a product people want!
 
Be patient - keep trying new combinations of offers with value - pay attention to how your message is received and keep fine-tuning your process.

Fast Food Fridays are brought to you by:

This is the 29th Fast Food Friday feature and just about everything on the menu has been about components for a stronger business. There are so many things you can fine-tune to establish a more powerful brand and create a better business model.

However, today's "blue plate special" is a little different cuisine than what we usually offer. Indirectly it's about better utilizing your time, but directly it's about staying out of time-wasting discussions that drain your creativity and take you away from your core goal - building your business.

The idea was influenced by a series of stupid, inflammatory comments on a Facebook Forum where I'm an administrator. Dozens of artists got into a series of senseless battles accomplishing nothing. Then, as I was scrolling through the SCU archives, I found a rant from four years ago on a similar topic. Like any good diner from my days living in New Jersey, I brought back a favorite, but with some new ingredients. 

Next week we officially hit the fourth quarter and if you're going to capitalize on seasonality, you can't be wasting your time-fighting battles and dealing with trolls.

Time is your most valuable commodity, so let's stop wasting it on things that don't matter! Let's start with the way, so many of you get involved in battles on Facebook:

Read the complete thread before you comment. By the time there are 20-30 comments, more than likely whatever you're going to add has already been said. So, why bother?

Don't respond to the most recent comment, but to the request from the person who did the original post.  Somebody says something that's less than politically correct, and all hell breaks loose as one blowhard after another decides to show he/she can enter the battle of wits to see whose sarcasm can take the trophy...the truth is, most of you are terrible at this game anyway. In the end, you just make a fool of yourself.

"There are no erasers on the Internet!"
Unknown

"Act as if your grandmother's watching!" It's from my buddy Levi Sim, and I've used the quote at least a dozen times over the last few years. You don't need to shred people when you don't like an image. You also don't need to sugar coat your criticism, just be honest, but do it under the umbrella of being helpful.

Get a thicker skin! The problems on Facebook go both ways. A few of you love to play the bully and crush people because they're just not as smart as you. On the other side of the coin, some of you get offended over somebody's "tone" when they've told you your image is bad. Seriously, everyone knows when they post an image whether it's a "wow" print or simply sucks! Let's get a thicker skin and accept that nobody matters except your clients. 

                                                        "Beauty is in the eyes of the checkbook holder."
                                                                                        Dean Collins

Learn to communicate! The hardest vehicle for communicating is the printed word. It shows no emotion. You can't hear the inflection in anybody's voice. It's just what you wrote, and a lot of you are not very good writers - you don't express yourself the same way you would if you were face to face with somebody. You write what you feel, and what's in your heart never makes it to the printed words.

Stop reporting posts just because the topic offended you. Not everybody likes the same things you do. It's important to report posts that truly are offensive, and they range from the porn mongers to sunglasses ads.  However, there's nothing worse for an administrator than one of you deciding a comment about a bride's ugly dress was off topic, and you choose to defend her "say yes to the dress" choice. It doesn't mean the thread wasn't appropriate.

Don't believe everything you read! Just because it's on the Internet doesn't mean it's true. Yet, every day somebody posts something that sets off hundreds of photographers. I'm not talking about the challenges we all deal with in hearing things from Washington, but about changes in technology, rumors about new and old products, information about our favorite photographers and educators, just to name a few. Check the sources before you react.

"The problem with quotes on the Internet is that no one can confirm their authenticity!"
Abraham Lincoln

Need help better utilizing your time? Click on the banner above to visit the Excire website.  Take Excire Search Pro for Lightroom Classic CC for your own FREE 15 day test drive. And follow us on Facebook for the latest information on this exciting software and time-saver. ​​​

Check out the special Photokina promotion just launched on September 26 - Excire Search is just $49 and Excire Search Pro is $99.

I started Fast Food Friday to help more of you think about those things you need to do to build a stronger business. With the seasonality of the fourth quarter right around the corner now is the time to be fine-tuning your business to be proactive rather than reactive!

Today's special isn't fast food at all. I'm sticking with bigger entrees, giving you more to work on. While these new lunches are more extensive, they also have the potential to provide you with bigger and better results.

We've got a guest "chef" today. My good buddy Scott Bourne is sharing an archived recipe for building traffic on your blog, but we're "cooking" today's special together! He's got the entree, and I'm throwing in dessert!

Remember, this is only one "meal" - building a successful blog is about great content, consistency and paying attention to your target audience. Too many of you have let your blogs become nothing more than an extension of your galleries with image after image from client shoots!

by Skip Cohen
​
Scott's shared five outstanding tried and true tips, but I want to add to his list.

1. "Mom" Appeal: For most of you, your target audience is "Mom." Women make 98% of the purchase decisions to hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social categories. That means your content needs to have appeal to Mom, but so does the look and feel of your blog. Your content needs to be relatable to your readership.
2. Gift Ideas: It's holiday season, so share ideas on things to do with photographs. From frames to albums to canvas and prints, technology has made the choices to suggest virtually unlimited.
3. Making "Mom" a Better Artist: There are things you do every day as a photographer that you take for granted, but can help Mom do a better job of capturing images of her family and event - even if it's just with her cell phone. Share ideas on composition, lighting, fill-flash, and storytelling and help her get better results.
4. Throwback Thursday: Use your own throwback images to help remind your audience how fast the kids are growing up, and their family is changing. It's like the old "Subliminal Man" on Saturday Night Live - you've got to plant the seed for an updated family portrait this holiday season.
5. Be Consistent: Scott already hit on the point above, but I want to hit it again. Consistency is crucial in building readership, and if you find yourself blogging every full moon, then you're better off to shut off the blog entirely and come back when you can make the commitment it deserves.
6. Build a Stash: Every post doesn't have to be done in real time. If you look back at a previous Fast Food Friday special on blog ideas, they can all be written in advance. Build a stash of posts you can use and then don't relaunch your blog until you've got 12-15 posts all ready to go and in the pipeline. Then alternate between posts in your stash and something fresh each week. 
7. Guest Posts: Sharing and exchanging content with other blogs help you build stronger awareness. Look for partnerships where you swap material with other photographers and groups within your community.
8. Support Your Community: Writing about upcoming community events gives you more traction in terms of giving back. It also helps define your role better as somebody who's helpful. You're likely to find the sponsoring associations for each event you help publicize sharing your information and helping you build more awareness.

Can you survive without a blog? Of course, but here's why I believe it's so important. Your website is about what you sell. Your blog is about what's in your heart. The two work together just like publicity and advertising to help you establish a stronger brand.

And, if you're stuck and need a little help or have questions, then you know where to find me! I may not always have the answers, but I've got a fantastic network, and we're all here to help you thrive, not just survive!

Last week we turned up the volume on Fast Food Friday with a new "menu." Each blue plate special since February has included things photographers need to do to fine tune their business. Now it's time to get into some bigger entrees!

Remember the reason I started this series - there's so much you can be doing to strengthen your business and secure a stronger market share in 2018. 

I'm staying with the new menu, and this week let's put together a time-sensitive list of things you should be doing NOW! Every year many of you do the same thing, you think of great ideas too late. Let's make this the year that none of you should on yourself!

The seasonality of the fourth quarter is right around the corner with great potential for increasing business, but why not be ready? Let's turn 2018 into the year that made you a "showstopper" in your community!

While this has the potential to be one of the SCU Diner's best entrees, it's up to you to make it all work. So, here are some things to be thinking about NOW to capitalize on business during the holiday season.

• Relationship Building: This is the time to hook up with people in your network involved in community events. Hopefully, you've been building relationships all along, but the challenge now is, who's photographing the various holiday events around your community this year? Who's doing portraits at the various dinners/parties around town like Kiwanis, Rotary, etc.?
• Who's on your "thank you" list? Now is the time to start thinking about extra things you want to do for those vendors who helped you earlier in the year. It might be time for a fruit basket for that wedding planner who's been good to you. Or, maybe it's taking your favorite florist out to lunch or dinner. Remember, everybody gets busy over the holidays and the sooner you plan something, the more potential impact it has.
• Holiday Cards: I've written about them a few dozen times over the years, but right now I'm talking about your holiday card featuring one of your images and a holiday message to your clients, vendors and the opinion leaders in your community.
• Products for Your Clients: From holiday cards to prints, frames and novelty items - pick up a phone and call your lab! It's such an easy question, "What's new?" You're looking for ideas to include in a holiday promotion as well as possible thank you gifts for a few exceptional clients.
• Open Houses: The topic has already been covered in two different blog posts, over the last week. But this is a perfect time to host an open house to feature your work and further build your reputation in the community.
• Community Education: Most of you have the experience to do a program for your community to help them raise the bar on the quality of their images over the holidays. Do something through your church, a parent's night through the school or just a couple of evenings in your neighborhood. This is about sharing your expertise as a photographer. There are so many things you do every day that shared, can help people become better photographers - composition, fill flash, exposure, storytelling, printing images, etc. 
• Ramp Up Your Blog: From gift ideas this holiday season to tips on technique, your blog content goes hand in hand with the relationship with the community. Remember "Mom" makes 98% of the purchase decisions to hire a professional photographer in the portrait/social categories - so share posts that target Mom.
• Own Your Zip Code: Now is the time to be knocking on doors and introducing yourself to all the businesses in your community. No matter what your specialty, all of you have the ability to help business owners with their photographic needs. A wedding photographer for example might say, "My specialty is weddings, but if there's anything you ever need help with in photography, I've got a great skill set and other photographers I work with who will be able to help." That's all it takes - throw in a handshake and leave your business card.
• Headshot Campaign: I love the idea of having fun with this one and positioning it as a community cleanup campaign. No matter where you are there are dozens of professionals who need a new headshot. Have some fun with this and do a holiday promotion and get people thinking about how long it's been since they had a new headshot.
• Partnerships: I've written a lot about partners in mailers, online promotions, and live events. You don't have to do everything alone. For example, hosting an open house with two other companies gives you two more ambassadors to get the word out and bring in more guests for the event itself. Plus, splitting the cost three ways reduces your out-of-pocket expense by a third!

Since I'm having fun with the diner analogy, your dessert with today's entree is the added strength to your brand awareness and eventually your bottom line revenue! Most important of all, remember to include your family in discussions about what you're doing to create more excitement this holiday season.

Food tastes better when you eat it with your family!
Anonymous

Click on the banner above to visit the Excire website.  Take Excire Search Pro for Lightroom Classic CC for your own FREE 15 day test drive. And follow us on Facebook for the latest information on this exciting software and time-saver. ​