 by Skip Cohen It's Throwback Thursday, and while I shared this many years ago, the timing is perfect for including it in today's post. But I'm not sharing it to show my images or video skills... I'm sharing it to remind you of the power your own video will have on your website and social media. I've written extensively over the years about your "About" page. Well, take everything I've written and apply it to your own marketing video. Include your images, short video clips, and a narrative about your passion for your clients and the craft. The video above was created for a Panasonic dealer meeting in 2015, at which I was the MC. It's a collection of two years of images captured with various LUMIX cameras. While a lot of the creative was done by me, it was thanks to the team at Photodex that gave it the presentation quality it needed.
I used to joke with the Photodex team that I should be their spokesman with a tagline: "If Skip Cohen can use Photodex, anybody can!" I'm the low-tech poster child of this industry because my passion is on the marketing and business side. I know more than I let on, and could capture stunning portraits, but it would take me ten hours, while friends like Tony Corbell or Bobbi Lane would be done in ten minutes! Here's my point: Today, most of you have the skill set to put together videos for your clients and especially your own marketing. Yet the Internet is jam-packed with websites and "About" pages that would put a rock to sleep! March is rapidly coming to a close, and around the corner, seasonality is about to explode. Take the time to put together your own marketing piece mixing still images, video, and great music. Make your message habit-forming and remind your clients why you're their best choice for capturing their stories!
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 by Skip Cohen
During a business crisis, we all do things differently. Often, the things we do are things that should have been done all along, but business was so good. Who cared if the expenses were out of line, you were overstaffed, etc. Well, the pandemic, business-wise, is behind us. The potential for 2023 to be a strong year is looking good for most photographers. So what would happen if you made some of those reactionary things you did a few years ago part of your standard operating procedures? Whether you've got an active blog or just a Facebook page where you're sharing ideas - see if this list makes sense:
This list is hardly all-inclusive, but each idea has the potential to blossom into other aspects of the business. They all center around your expertise as an artist in the community. Successful marketing is all about building relationships. Nothing builds relationships faster than being helpful to your readers!  It's NOT Rocket Science! by Skip Cohen It's Marketing Monday, and wandering through my archives, I found this short post I shared many years ago. I found it helpful for a couple of challenges I'm working with currently. I love it when an article has content without an expiration date. Most of you are focused on what you can do to make 2023 your best year in business to date. That means you've got to focus on understanding your target audience, your skill set, branding, and the list goes on and on. I found the following gem from Charles Chic Thompson. While he added some humor to the concept, think about each of his ten points. More than likely, you'll agree he's dead on and might even be worth tracking down one of his books. Top 10 Creative Rules of Thumb 1. The best way to get great ideas is to get lots of ideas and throw the bad ones away. 2. Create ideas that are 15 minutes ahead of their time…not light years ahead. 3. Always look for a second right answer. 4. If at first you don’t succeed, take a break. 5. Write down your ideas before you forget them. 6. If everyone says you are wrong, you’re one step ahead. If everyone laughs at you, you’re two steps ahead. 7. The answer to your problem “pre-exists.” You need to ask the right question to reveal the answer. 8. When you ask a dumb question, you get a smart answer. 9. Never solve a problem from its original perspective. 10. Visualize your problem as solved before solving it. Years ago, in my Polaroid days, I put together some great little programs for the camera stores. Several people were surprised at my creativity - but I did nothing except talk to the sales reps and the dealers. I asked the camera store owners, "What would it take for you to double your sales with us next year?" With the sales reps, the question was, "If we doubled your quota, what would you need to make the number?"
All the answers were out there - all I had to do was listen! And it's the same for building a more substantial business for you in 2023. Pay attention to your target audience. Take the time to brainstorm and just write down each idea. Remember not to work in a vacuum - whether a business employee, family member, friend, or associate, you need a fresh pair of ears and eyes on key projects. Most important of all, I love number four - take a break when you need it. Walk away from the problem you're trying to solve and come back fresh!  by Skip Cohen
This certainly isn't a new topic, but lately, I've visited some websites where the artists go on and on about everything except what their target audience needs to hear! The first tab you want to "hook" your clients with is your galleries - then comes your About page. Your About page should focus on building trust with your potential clients. I've written so much about this over the years, but many of you still don't get it! This is a short post today, but hopefully, well worth your time.
Remember, women make 98% of the purchase decisions to hire most of you. That means "Mom" and brides are the ones looking at your work. So remember your target audience when you write about your background for your About page. Here's what they want to hear:
The biggest question new clients have is whether or not you can be trusted to capture the images they want. Will you be able to meet their mindset? Last but not least - write it all in the first person and include a signature. (With security issues these days, a facsimile of your signature is fine.) Write your About section as more of an artist's statement and stay relevant to what your target audience needs to hear. Every visit to your website is a potential opportunity to start a new relationship or expand an old one. Exceed consumer expectations right out of the block with extraordinary images in your galleries, followed by a strong About section! And, if you're doing a marketing video for your About page, follow the same rules and let your personality shine through. But keep it short - my suggestion is 1-3 minutes and use the time to accompany your narrative with your very best images, along with a short clip or two of you working with a client. Technically, we're still in the "slow season," so take the time to review your About page - is it saying everything you need it to?   By Skip Cohen Imaging, whether you're on the photography or video side, only has a couple of truly strong points of seasonality. While business is typically stronger in the spring and summer, especially with weddings, four significant opportunities exist to "open the floodgates." It starts with Mother's Day, then rolls into proms, graduations, and finishes with Father's Day. We're in the first week of March, and yes, I'm about to hit some of the same ideas one more time. But the ideas have no value if you're not actively planting those idea seeds with your target audience. That means you need to use every vehicle you've got to get the word out - email, direct mail, social media, your blog, press releases, phone calls, and community involvement, just to name a few. I've shared the illustration on the right in the past - you need to weave a web around your target audience. Remember, you have the reach today that, years ago, only a newspaper might have had. Each spoke represents one more way for you to create top-of-mind awareness with your audience. As far as actual products... A New Family Portrait is the obvious choice, but you must plant the seed so Mom will think of it in time. You've got so many great options. For the family, especially grandparents - it's time for a new family portrait. For Father's Day, it's as easy as a portrait of Mom and the kids for Dad or a full family sitting with Dad in the shot. Legacy Programs - Every artist in business today can record and produce a family video with older family members. It's up to you to capture those stories that only the true seniors in a family can tell. And when they pass, those stories are lost forever. And while everybody with a phone can capture video stories like this, they don't. That puts your skill set in the spotlight with all your clients, and it should be an addition to your Mother's Day and Father's Day packages! It's Not Just a Photograph - This is where a call to your lab comes into play. You're not just planting the seed to get a new portrait done. Instead, find out what they've got that's new. You've got metal prints, canvas wraps, and a long list of other materials, not to mention frames, multiple sizes, etc. Even novelty items like mouse pads, coffee mugs, and barbecue aprons can come into play with a great image. What About an Album? A Day in the Life session isn't just about photographing kids. What about an album that's a day in the life of a family? You've got an opportunity to plant an incredible seed with this one - spending a half day and documenting the life of a family, which is then presented in an album that tells their story. Whether for Mother's Day or Father's day - It's a great idea to have in your product line, regardless of when it gets delivered. Hybrid - Hybrid - Hybrid: Whether it's called hybrid, fusion, or mixed media, it's a classic gift - a 60-90 second video card of still images combined with short clips from the shoot with a "Happy Mother's or Father's Day" video message from the kids. It doesn't get much better, and it's a unique product. Date Night: I've written about this before, but here's where you get a chance to remind Mom of how long it's been since she and Dad got out to dinner without the kids! She's got to get the sitter, but it's another idea you've got to promote. It all starts with a portrait session for 15-30 minutes at the start of the evening, and then you're going to send the couple off to dinner. Talk to the owner of a favorite romantic restaurant in your community and see if they'll work with you on a discounted gift certificate. Build the cost of the certificate into your price for the sitting and print. Make it a package deal that essentially becomes a "no-brainer."  Don't Forget the Pets: Pet photography is number three in the hierarchy of why people hire a professional photographer. If you're a pet owner yourself, you already understand. If not, you'll just have to trust me. Lucy and Belle, captured by good friend, Michele Celentano are members of the family. Seasonality doesn't just apply to people, but their pets as well.
Whether it's their own portraits, or making sure they're in the family portrait - remember their role in the family. Pet photography has always been strong, but through the pandemic, pet ownership skyrocketed! Those two knuckleheads on the right helped Sheila and I keep our sanity, and there are so many families like us, who had the same experience! Here's the bottom line - this is about your bottom line. You've got these wonderful little windows of seasonality to help you market your skills as an artist. With each one you've got limited time to make it work, but you've got to get things going now and get the word out. Start with your existing client base and then look at other sources to reach your target audience. The clock is ticking - you snooze you lose!  by Skip Cohen So often, you get tired of some of the best ideas to offer your target audience. You need to remember how many people have never received them as a gift. A great example is slideshows for your clients. Mother's Day and Father's Day are right around the corner. In a way, they mark the start of Spring seasonality in professional photography, especially if you're a family artist. Slideshows are the ideal product to have in your mix of client offerings. Photodex closed its doors several years ago, but the value of the ideas they shared over the years still remains. And they're all still out there for your viewing in the Photodex archives on YouTube. Check out the two videos below from their archives. Being a successful photographer is all about exceeding client expectations. I can't imagine any client not being ecstatic to have a presentation like these loaded with your professional quality images. Don't let 2023 go by without adding slideshows to your list of products and services. With today's technology, you can combine short video clips with still images and great music to create a never-ending stream of "show-stoppers" for your clients. Think about the renewed sense of family in the world today. It came about at an incredible price as everyone hunkered down through the pandemic. And even though things today are far better than they were last year, there are still challenges in travel and often families being together. Now, think about what Grandma has missed the most...her family. If the idea is old school for you because you've been doing it all along, then use the slideshow concept to help you plant a few idea seeds with your audience for this year's Mother's Day and Father's Day offerings. Add in a legacy program offering videos of the most senior family members telling their stories, and you've got a great way to start getting clients excited about working with you. You snooze - you lose! Take the time now and start creating a game plan to capture more sales this spring and make the 2023 busy season begin with the explosion it deserves.  You've got to listen to the voice in your gut. It is individual. It is unique. It is yours. It's called being authentic. Meredith Vieira by Skip Cohen
If only a button on our keyboards reminded us to listen to our inner voice! *sigh* There is no button, but that shouldn't slow you down. We're only five weeks from April, typically the start of spring seasonality. So, regardless of your specialty, what are you planning for your business? Several times over the years, I lacked the confidence to tackle a new project. I'd ask just about everybody I knew for their opinion, afraid to decide on my own. But as I got older, I still needed advice, but I learned to trust my gut and listen to my heart. So, take some time NOW and think through your short-term plans for your business. The clock isn't going to slow down, but there's time to change plans if something just doesn't feel right. You need to focus on the long term too, but for now, with Mother's Day, prom, graduation, and Father's Day all coming up, you need to be ready. Proofread your ideas and plans like you'd spell-check something you're writing. There's something unique that happens when you "proofread" one more time - you catch things you might do better. It's not about fixing things that might be wrong but discovering better ways to tackle a project. As always, you know where to find me if you need a sounding board!  by Skip Cohen
It's Marketing Monday, but the reality is you should be thinking about marketing every day. But I love to start out each week and hopefully plant the seed for things you should be thinking about - besides, Marketing Monday has a nice ring! Here's another thing that has a nice ring - what do you need to do to ramp up your marketing and operations for a great kick-off to spring seasonality? With spring comes Mother's Day, prom season, graduations, and Father's Day. But it's a you-snooze-you-lose scenario - and if you're not prepared, you'll miss so many opportunities. Here's a suggested check-off list to make sure you're ready:
Here's what I love about both this time of year and this time in business history: Business is tough right now, and the more you listen to the politicians, the worse it will seem. Tune out all the negativity, and then focus on what you do best - help people create and capture memories. There are so many leadership opportunities and ways for you to stand out from your competitors! And I write this all the time...if you're stuck for ideas and need a sounding board - you know where to find me.  "Know your competition, but don't copy it." Guy Kawasaki by Skip Cohen
It's Friday, and I always hit on a topic you might find time over the weekend to think about. Here's a perfect project for a weekend during the "slow season;" Do you know your competitors? I'm a big fan of Guy Kawasaki, and that quote got me thinking about how I see so many of you competing. I've written about the topic several times, but like lighting, there are multiple ways to discuss the same subject. The challenge these days is to make yourself stand out from the other artists in your community. You can only make yourself different if you know what you're being compared to! So many photographers need to take the time to get to know their competition, especially when they first get started. For example, if you were opening a new studio, wouldn't you want to know how many other photographers there were in the area? Wouldn't it be essential to understand what they sell so that you can position your skill set and products in the strongest possible way? You need to know what your competitors do best and where their weak spots are, allowing you to reinforce your own skill set, products, and services. And, when you market yourself, stay away from negative selling – all you need to do is focus on your strengths, which you're already hopefully working to make stronger than your competition. To take it one step further, it's important to know your competitors because, at some point, you'll be fully booked and have to turn down a possible client. By knowing your competitors and identifying those photographers whose quality and integrity you hold in high regard, you now have an ally, as well as a competitor. Instead of saying, "Sorry, I'm booked," you can say, "Sorry, I'm booked, but I have an associate whose work you'll love who might be available!" Don't be afraid to refer a client to another photographer. Cross-promoting each other is a terrific way to build your business. Also, don't be afraid to share the cost of marketing with another photographer. Working together, you can provide twice the stimulus to your market at half the cost. Jay Leno made the comment below many years ago... "Bill Maher and I are on against each other, and we're friends. He can do my show any time he wants, and I've done Politically Incorrect several times. There's no reason to think competition has to be adversarial."  Intro by Skip Cohen I posted the short post below a few years back. It was written by my good buddy, Scott Bourne, and initially, it was one of the first posts when we launched the SCU blog. What l love about his posts over the years is there's rarely any spoilage. They're not like a carton of milk with an expiration date! But along with the wisdom in the post below, he once referred to photography as the "great equalizer." It doesn't matter who you are, your gender, race, financial status, or where you're from - your images are judged on their own merit. As you start ramping up for spring seasonality, are your images the very best they can be? Every client deserves the best you can capture. The only way you get to that level is never to stop learning, experimenting, and keep taking those photographic leaps, Scott refers to! PS: Since I'm betting many of you don't know who Garry Winogrand was, enjoy the article from 2011. Again, there's no expiration date on inspiration! by Scott Bourne
The great and prolific photographer Garry Winogrand used to say you should be risking failure every time you raise your camera to your eye. By that he meant if the scene looks familiar to you, you’ve probably already taken a similar photograph, so try something new. It may not work, but when it does it can take you to the next level. I find that I have to push myself all the time because I lapse into familiar habits: shooting from eye level, same lens to subject distance or comfort zone, don’t move around enough or shoot enough variety. We have no excuse for not taking photographic chances with digital, it doesn’t cost extra and there’s nothing to lose and extraordinary pictures to gain. So take a look at your stuff, if you’re seeing a lack of variety and similar photographs, grab your camera and take a photographic leap….  At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. Albert Schweitzer by Skip Cohen
It's Marketing Monday, and I'm taking a different route than usual on marketing, but hopefully, you'll see the connection. While searching for some great quotes for my tweet stream this week, I ran across the one above. It got me thinking about my appreciation for so many people who have contributed to keeping my "spark" alive for our industry over the years. Then, as I mined through the layers of so many different business challenges, I started thinking about my human sounding boards. You know, those people you bounce ideas off and contribute to whatever you're doing down the road. Sadly, the days go by much too quickly, and we forget all those people behind the scenes who have influenced the paths we've chosen - even in decisions regarding marketing and growing our business. That brings me right to today's short post. As you're creating your plans for 2023 and how you're going to build a stronger business and increase revenue, pick out a few of those key people in your network. Use their ability as sounding boards to bounce ideas around. They know you, as well as your short and long suits. Plus, you'd be surprised at the ideas they might have to rekindle and ignite the spark you need to tackle something new. Great marketing plans are rarely if ever, developed in a vacuum. They need to be viewed from different perspectives, and most of us already wear too many hats. You need other viewpoints, and none are better than those you respect the most in your network. When developing new ideas, you never need to fly solo!  A business without a path to profit isn't a business - it's a hobby! Jason Fried by Skip Cohen
It's Marketing Monday and the end of January. Your ideas for building your brand and marketing in your community should already be in full swing, but there's one topic nobody ever talks about enough - PRICING! But for today's episode of Brain Dump - I want to hit on your costs. Most photographers only know if they made money for the year once they do their taxes! And while it's sad to be in that position, I get it; you're right-brain artists, not left-brain accountants. However, the point of left-brain and right-brain analysis is to recognize that you need support from both to build your business. Where so many artists miss the correct numbers is not looking at ALL their costs. Today's short podcast hits on the list of most things you need to consider to accurately get to price points for your products and services that get you beyond eating macaroni and cheese every night!  by Skip Cohen Field of Dreams is one of my favorite all-time feel-good movies. Being at IUSA this past week, I was thinking about the incredible spirit and excitement of the crowd. People were pumped to be there - all looking for ideas for the new year and answers to the big questions, "What do I need to grow my business? What do I need to build?" Well, that took me to both sides of my title above. There is no reason not to follow your heart. Steve Jobs First, you've got to get the fear of failure out of your system and go for it. Follow your heart to start, and you can modify the journey as you go along. But sadly, too many of you live in a state of fear. You're dominated by overthinking the challenges with a side order of worrying about the outcome. So, you procrastinate your next steps and ponder the meaning of life until you've missed window after window of opportunities. Second, what if you build it and they don't come? When I left Rangefinder/WPPI in 2009 to go out on my own, Sheila said to me, "What are you afraid of?" My answer was instant, "Failing!" Her response was, "So what?" The more we talked, the more I realized that if things didn't work out going in one direction, nothing was cast in concrete. I'd rethink things and take a different route. Ironically, what I wanted was what I respected in so many of you - your passion as entrepreneurs. It was easy for most of my career to work for other companies, but when it's your own business, it's a true test of your focus and dedication. It's Friday, and perfect to leave you with one more thought: "The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; the brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They're there to stop the other people." Randy Pausch The bottom line - Build your dreams, and if they don't come, take a closer look. Figure out what you missed and then stay focused on the next "turn in the road." And if you hit a wall - build a door, knock it down, or climb over it!
  by Skip Cohen Near the end of 2012, my good buddy Scott Bourne asked me a simple question, "What do you think you could accomplish if you were working on just one thing?" At the time, I was working on two different blogs, writing for two magazines, speaking at a convention or two each year, consulting for one large client, and running Skip's Summer School. So I was spread pretty thin, especially when it came to writing. My first blog, the Photo Resource Hub, was doing okay but needed more traction. It morphed into Skip's Photo Network, although I hadn't done a very good job promoting it. But at a time when blogging was the next big thing - I at least had a presence.  I took Scott's question to heart and started thinking about consolidating everything I was writing. I wanted to give it a generic title, but Scott argued, "Through most of your career, you've been known for your support of education - It needs to have your name on it!" SkipCohenUniversity.com was born with the first post ten years ago today, on January 19, 2013.
But Scott's encouragement didn't end there: "Just trust me before you publish your first post!" He wouldn't reveal his game plan, but a week or so later, I was blown away by his approach. He published one single tweet to his then 100,000 followers, "Skip Cohen is back!" The response was remarkable, even filled with a bit of humor here and there. I remember one friend, I think it was Scott Kelby, tweeting in reply, "Where's he been? I just talked to him yesterday." Well, here I am ten years later, with thousands of original posts, guest posts, videos, and podcasts. After four summer programs, we ran one last Skip's Summer School in 2013 in Chicago. We decided to discontinue it only because there was so much going on in education at that point, and it had become so labor-intensive. But through all of these years, I never anticipated the support from all of you and the community. It's thanks to all of you that I wake up every morning smiling. It's a ten-year celebration in business, but more important is the gratitude I feel for so many people who have played a role. From sponsors to guest writers to so many friends in the industry and at the various associations to my muse, my wife Sheila - I could never have done it alone! Whether "It takes a village" or "I get by with a little help from my friends," no matter how you cut it, my last ten years have all been thanks to all of you!  Murphy's Second Law "Murphy was an optimist!" by Skip Cohen
It's Marketing Monday, and with IUSA kicking off at the end of the week, it's the perfect time to ensure you've got things covered when you're out of town. But we're going to go even deeper into the topic - what happens to your business when something unexpected interrupts? Before today is over, whether you're joining so many of us in Nashville or not, set things up, so you've got coverage for your business when you're not available.
Emergency Backup If we've learned nothing else from Covid, we all should recognize that it can strike anytime. That can be devastating for a photography business with commitments to weddings, events, and client sittings. And while every consumer understands, if there's an event you were hired to cover, then you need to find somebody to fill in.
Owning a business today is a continual fire drill. Like those fire drills, we did in school as kids, or the active shooter drills in today's schools, don't wait until you're in crisis mode to start planning what to do next. It's so easy to take the time now and have a plan in place...just in case. And there's one more side benefit - if you're headed to IUSA for example, you can be more relaxed and enjoy the convention if you know your business is in good hands when you're gone.   by Skip Cohen Michele Celentano and her husband, Paul, were here in early December. We haven't all been together since before the pandemic, but that didn't stop the laughs. We've been friends for a lot of years, and with great friends, even a one-night stay-over is time to cherish. So, what happens when one of the industry's finest family photographers falls in love with your dogs? First, she threatens to steal them! When Michele wanted to photograph our girls, I figured a couple of grab shots, not a complete series. But the fun of it all was watching her work with the puppies. There's are reasons she's one of the best - her love for the craft and her ability to communicate with her subjects, whether they've got two legs or four. For all of you younger artists, there's a lesson here. Michele's skill set is extensive. While she's not a pet photographer, she understands every aspect of composition and lighting. Moreover, she's never stopped learning and fine-tuning her skill set. Lucy and Belle responded to the love they were being shown, the same as Michele's clients. When you wander through her galleries and look at her work, you can tell from the natural expressions of her subjects. It's a story of trust in the photographer combined with fun during the sitting. Here's my point: As photographers, you've got an enormous responsibility to consistently deliver the best to your clients. They're trusting you to exceed their expectations. And when that happens you become habit-forming. If you're at a convention and Michele is speaking or doing a demo on the trade show floor, run, don't walk to get a seat. She never disappoints and never compromises on the quality of what she delivers! Click on any of the images in today's post to link to her Facebook page, and then put her on your radar!  In the hierarchy of why consumers hire a professional photographer, it goes to brides, babies, and pets. That's the top three from a Kodak study at least twenty-five years ago, and I don't believe it's moved a bit. The pandemic changed the ranking slightly, but not the top three. Now, add to that the incredible growth in households with pets worldwide! Take it a step further and look at the size of the pet industry. I took a quick stroll through cyberspace, and PetKeen.com had one the most thorough sets of statistics. Click on the banner below to link to the complete article. It's the top line you need to appreciate - the global market for pets is worth $261 billion, and pet owners in the US are spending over $100 billion on the furry members of the household. But one more statistic made me smile: Americans spent an estimated $490 million on Halloween costumes for their pets! Here's the bottom line - pet photography can be an incredibly lucrative business, but don't underestimate the need for a great skill set. The standards for a great portrait and the experience of a fun sitting don't change just because the subject's got four legs!    by Skip Cohen
Most of you have taken advantage of the typical business slowness in the first couple weeks of the new year, and if you need more time to recharge, go for it. But, it's only the "slow season" for regular customer purchases - NOT for business owners who need to fine-tune their presence, marketing, and brand awareness. I'm going to start this new series by hitting on three easy projects that are no-brainers in terms of raising the bar on your Internet presence:
Remember, today's post is just the beginning of your "house-cleaning" for the new year. It might be the slow season, but that's not for you. Now is the time to do everything you can to ensure the new year is one of growth, and your website is a great place to start. Over the next few weeks, I'll share a few more "homework assignments" to help you stay focused on the task at hand - strengthening your business and making your website the very best it can be!  Intro by Skip Cohen I ran the post below in 2013, so like many of your favorite shows, it's a "repeat." But it's a repeat so many of you need to read!!! Success in your business for the new year will be about relationship building. That's your very best marketing tool - keeping in touch with your clients, communicating with them, and staying in touch: NOT texting, but actually talking to them. While you might think some of Scott's comments from 2013 are a little dated, the overall concept has no expiration date. It's about keeping in touch with people, especially your past clients, who are your best ambassadors. I still find so many of you have websites with template email systems and not phone numbers. That might be fine, but you don't answer the email requests! There's no such thing as giving people too much contact information. A phone call separates you from the competition when people want an answer to a question. One of the hats I wear is CMO for Platypod. So often, when I've got a customer service question, it's so easy to pick up the phone and call. In a day when we've all accepted boilerplate email responses from companies we contact, people truly appreciate getting a personal call. I also learn a lot about who they are and how they photograph and use our products. Just remember we're a word-of-mouth business, not word-of-Internet. As Scott Stratten wrote many years ago in his book Unmarketing: Stop marketing and start engaging! by Scott Bourne
This may come as a shock to some of you, but in the old days, not one single professional photographer on the planet had a Facebook account. Nor did they have a Flickr account, a blog, a website, an e-mail address or anything else that involved being "on line." Yep I know, I know, hard to conceive. But it's absolutely true. And in keeping with my status as "older than dirt" I know this is true because I was actually there! Truth be told, I've spent more of my life operating without the Internet than WITH the Internet. I've sold more photographs, licensed more images, booked more shoots using the telephone than the Internet. Now here's the good news. The telephone still exists. Oh you don't hear about it very often, but yep, I checked. It's still there. You can get one just about anywhere. And you no longer need to rely on a lady named "Ma Bell" to pick one up. Yes, the magical telephone still works and in my opinion, still has great value. So today's Marketing Monday tip is short and sweet. Get a telephone number, plaster that puppy everywhere. Use it. Share it. Actually answer it. Talk to people. It's an amazing thing. You can hear the happiness or sadness or joy or suspicion or whatever in the other person's voice. You don't have to rely on emoticons! You can just ask people how they are feeling, what they need, and they will tell you! Crazy right? You should put your telephone number on every single piece of marketing material you hand out. And you should put it on your website, your blog, your social media accounts (at least the ones you use for business) and you should do so today! People still use the telephone. They really do. Maybe not ALL people. But enough to warrant you investing in one, promoting the number and responding promptly to every single call, period. I know what you're thinking. "But Scott if I put a telephone number on my website people will call me!" Yes! Isn't it wonderful? Clients and prospects will call and try to give you money. It's like magic. Give it a try. Really. As always, Skip and I are rooting for you.  by Skip Cohen
Please note - this list gets better and better every year, thanks to some great friends. Glen Clark commented on Facebook and I've added his two additional points below! With IUSA and WPPI coming up in the first quarter of the new year, it's time to share my annual check-off list of things to remember to get the most bang for your buck. This year's conferences are more precious than ever because most of you haven't been to a big convention since before the pandemic. Sure, you've hit the online programs, but nothing beats a live convention for education, networking, and recharging your battery. It's time to plan ahead so you're not hitting Nashville or Las Vegas like a deer in the headlights! It's so easy if you just put in an hour and think through my suggestions.
And from Glen Clark...
Here's the bottom line - you can't afford to NOT go to as many conferences a year as you can work into your schedule. It's all about education, networking, and growing your business. So, if you're headed to any convention in the next few months, don't miss all the opportunities to raise the bar on your business. Plus, it's the perfect way to recharge your battery! See you in Nashville!  Yellowstone pine cone captured by Z9 / Z24-120f4 by Skip Cohen In between the holidays, I always have a hard time figuring out what to write about. The year is closing fast, and there's not a lot of marketing ideas to share that I haven't covered numerous times already. But then, along came Moose Peterson yesterday. On his blog he shared the post below and the idea is perfect for this time of year - capturing winter images for next year's holiday blog post - although I'm expanding his idea to your holiday card! I'm old school and still love a printed card that people can hold, as well as appreciate a hand-written message on the inside for special friends and associates. I've written so many posts about photographers and the importance of a holiday card. Here's the short version:
And there you have it - to Moose's point - start building your stash for next year's use NOW. And to pick up on more of Moose's wisdom - follow his blog. (Click on either image in today's post to link directly). Success in photography is about passion and love for the craft, and nobody does it better than Moose! A big thanks to Moose for permission to share the two images and his post. Happy Holidays! by Moose Peterson I know I know, the wrapping paper from this year has barely hit the floor and I'm talking about Christmas 2023! This is an old editorial photographer habit, taking photographs this season in preparation for photographic needs for next. If your client asks for fall themed photos from you right now, being winter, you can't go out and take them. This means that if you didn't take them the last fall, you don't get the opportunity for a payday. That kind of thought process runs through my own photographic needs, and one I have every year is the photo for my Christmas greeting blog post. This years was taken last year so now I'm working on next years. These are the two runner ups for this year's post. There are a couple of tricks I used in the process to pass along. Most important is to create the message the year, that you want to use next year. What does it look like, say and what type font? This is needed to determine in part the elements in the photograph. And it's a lot easier to create this now while you're still in the Holiday mood, than next fall. With that, I take the photos and this trick is really important. Photos I take this year for next year: I make a copy of the finished photo and change the file name to Xmas '23#1, #2, etc. I do this so I can FIND the photos a year from now. All I have to do next Christmas is to select the photo I like best, maybe make some tweaks and post. The panic is on in my mind, I only have 364 days left!  Yellowstone Grand Canyon grove captured by Z9 / Z70-200f2.8 |
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