by Skip Cohen
 
Every day, something comes along that reminds me how much the pandemic has changed our lives. It's especially true with imaging. The post about JP Elario doing Facetime portraits for clients works through a small part of the challenge with physical distancing. In contrast, Steven Gotz's idea of converting family portraits to coloring book pages for young children provides an easy way to keep in touch with clients while utilizing archived images from your files.
 
Well, here's a new one and the need is enormous - outdoor seating at restaurants!

Every restaurant is working hard to reopen. One ingredient to bring back business is outdoor seating, but most restaurants, especially those that haven't typically offered table service outside, could use a little help in the decorating department.

It's a perfect application for Bay Photo's Performance EXT Metal prints. I wrote about my own experience almost two years ago, and the print I shared is as beautiful today as it was when I took it out of the box. While under a microscope, there might be some deterioration - there's nothing visible with the naked eye. It's been outside the entire time in the sun, heat, and rain of South Florida.

Now, let's take the idea of outdoor prints one step further, and instead of thinking outside the box, let's think like there's no box. Just about every client you've photographed over the years has a back porch or patio, some area outside their home or apartment. And because of the pandemic, everyone is home-bound. Let's get people to think about artwork outside their home. 

Here's an opportunity to offer something new to your existing audience and start to plant a few marketing seeds with a new audience. The concept is also perfect for developing some great content for your blog. So, from restaurants needing a stronger presence outdoors to helping clients bring photography to a new location of their home - it's time to look at Performance EXT Metal!

​Click on my metal print of Nokomis Beach at sunset for a closer look then read about Bay Photo's metal prints below. 

by Skip Cohen

​If you follow me regularly, you've probably noticed a change in my suggestions on dealing with marketing challenges. It's the pandemic result, which has shifted so many things we simply took for granted. But it's not all negative. There are some unique opportunities to explore new and different paths to being a professional photographer.

As you expand your skill set to meet the new demand better, you need to modify your website. You may even need to build a second website that focuses on the new directions you're taking in your business if your target audience has changed.

Your blog also has to change. Done right, it can become even more valuable. Your website is about what you sell, but your blog is about what's in your heart. It's often your heart for your audience that can open just as many doors as your skill set.

Here are some suggestions to consider as you take on the challenges of the new norm:
​

• Your Skill Set: Keep building your skill set so you can handle the majority of needs from your clients. Keep learning how to do EVERYTHING. I'm not suggesting you dilute your skills to become a master of mediocrity, but at least have some level of knowledge in the how-to elements of different specialties. For example, a wedding photographer who learns more about macro is likely to be more creative when it comes to ring shots, the detail in the wedding gown and the flowers. Weddings aren't going to disappear, but how you tell the story is going to change. Your skill set needs to expand, capturing images with more emotion between the couple, not just pictures that document an event. 
• Diversity: Just because your skill set is diverse doesn't mean you need to show everything you can do on your website. Keep your galleries relatable. For example, in the people category are weddings, maternity, babies, children, family and seniors. They all fit together and are logical spokes off a specific core specialty. Even in the pandemic, you can capture images that comply with physical distancing while still telling your client's story. I'm a huge fan of environmental portraiture. Doing individual portraits on location that tell the story of the subject's interests will be more cherished than just the traditional headshot.
• Headed Towards Fine Art? Fine art and commercial photography have different buyers. They will be better served if you either have a completely different site or a landing page sending visitors in two different directions. I'm a fan of different websites.
• Value In Your Archives: Don't forget your archives. You have so many images in your files of past clients and events. Now is the time to remind your audience of your skill set and the elements of the story you've already captured, available for reprints.
• Personal Work: If you insist on showing a different specialty that doesn't seem to fit your core business, do a tab under "Personal Work" or a facsimile. There's nothing wrong with diversity until it confuses your target audience. You can also use your blog with an occasional post about other types of photography.
• Post-Processing: Diversity in capture and post-processing is important to share. My issue is with the specialties you want to represent, not with your technique. Diversity in your technique is essential to show. Including black and white images, special effects, albums with double-page spreads, framing and printing techniques, just to name a few, are necessary to share.

Remember - What you show is what you want to sell. Now is the time to clean up your galleries and prioritize the categories of your skill set.

Shakespeare said it best:

​Stay true to your skill set and whatever new direction you've decided to take your business. Diversity is essential, but going with what your heart's telling you will give you the most satisfaction, not just another element rebuilding your business. Most importantly, be flexible, and if something isn't working or just doesn't feel right, then make the changes you need and keep putting energy into moving on!

And, you know where to find me if you just need an objective sounding board! ​

You can't be the kid standing at the top of the waterslide, overthinking it.
You have to go down the chute.
Tina Fey

by Skip Cohen

​We're living with a new normal in communication. Face to face meetings are minimal, but phone calls, Skype, Zoom, Facetime, etc. are critical in how we talk to each other. And even though a phone conversation allows two people to hear the inflections and emotion in their voices, there's still no visual anchor.

This isn't a new topic; in fact, the quote above I've shared numerous times, but with the new normal, everyone needs a reminder about fine-tuning your listening skills. It all starts with slowing down and not being distracted. You've got to listen to the client and ask for clarification if you don't completely understand what they've said. 

Listening these days goes hand in hand with your written skills as well. So let's fine-tune everything in how you communicate.

• Respond to questions quickly. If you get a request for more information from a client, get back to them fast. There's a great line that's contributed to dozens of famous people, " Your customer doesn't care how much you know until they know how much you care." How quickly you respond falls right under the category of showing you care.
• When you do respond, especially in writing, stick to the topic. It's hard to be concise. Years ago, when Howard Baker was Chief of Staff at the White House, he told me a great story at lunch to talk about photography. He once had sent a long letter to another congressman. At the end, he wrote, "I'm sorry this isn't shorter. I didn't have the time."
• You've got two ears and one mouth - listen twice as much as you talk! The original quote is modified from a Greek philosopher, Epictetus, who died almost two thousand years ago. Learning to listen is hardly a new topic! 
• Ask questions with more than one purpose. For example, Bambi Cantrell talks about asking the bride who made her gown. The answer gives her an idea of what she's spending, together with her style - more contemporary vs. traditional.
• Build a relationship. Now more than ever, texting, email, and social media have created a new foundation for communicating. For years we've been losing the art of conversation, but now it's back and couldn't be more critical. Wedding photographers have an easy list of conversation starters: Ask the couple how they met? Encourage them to share some of the funny experiences they've had together. Find out what they love about each other, their families, and friends. Within the needs for photography in every specialty there are key conversation starters - learn to use them.
• Every client needs to see samples of your work, but equally important is the assurance that you're following safe social distancing guidelines. As a wedding photographer, it's important to have a sample album online you can talk about with a client. With other specialties clean up your galleries and make sure your gallery matches its description. Listen to each client's concerns and assure them you've heard.
• Whenever possible, do an engagement session. It's a little tougher today, but again, easy to maintain social distancing. While it provides additional value to your pricing, the real benefit is getting to know the couple. A good engagement shoot helps establish your credibility so that you're a recognized friend during the day of the wedding when "logic doesn't reign as king!"​
• Last but not least, - BE ACCESSIBLE. Twice in the previous week, I've been fighting with contractors for a response to our request for some work done here at the house. There's no excuse for somebody calling a week after a request is submitted when the other companies called on the first day. 

Your most influential marketing tool is about building relationships and trust. It applies to every specialty within photography, including commercial, boudoir, family, children, maternity, and the list goes on and on!

The biggest communication problem is that we do not listen to understand.
We listen to reply.
Anonymous

​by Skip Cohen 

I've written a lot over the years about the importance of maintaining your network. Without care and feeding, like a house plant, it'll just die!

The pandemic has changed how we deal with so many different aspects of communication and support. The result makes it more critical than ever for you to keep in touch with clients, associates, and opinion-leaders in your community. 
 
Your network is one of your most valuable tools for success. That "plant" I mentioned needs water, light, fertilizer, and a pot big enough so it can grow. Your network is no different. Sheltering in place does NOT apply to your business and especially your network.

Building relationships is your greatest marketing tool! And as Scott Stratten says in his book UnMarketing, "Stop marketing and start engaging!" Social distancing changes how you engage, but not the importance of keeping in contact! 

• PICK UP THE PHONE: What a concept - the telephone! Seriously, keeping in touch through social media is excellent, but now there's little that beats a phone call. Look over your network and set a goal for several calls each week...most of us are in the same position right now - stuck at home with minimal contact. You have the power to change that!
• Be active in FB forums/groups: There are so many different forums on Facebook, all focused on photographers keeping in touch. Some of my favorites are ClickCon Social, Quarancon (Mentor.photo), Facebook Wedding Photographers, Advanced Wedding Photographers, AIBP, Jen Rozenbaum's Boudoir Group, Gary Box's Inside the Box, the Lumix Photography Community and the list goes on and on.
• Join PPA National: I'm finding so much support for their various programs, especially in their email blasts. The banner on the right is one that I just got this morning and ties back into information and support available from the US Treasury and Small Business Administration.
• Join the local photographer's guild or PPA affiliate: They may not be meeting as often in the past or meeting online, but being connected to artists in your community is so important.
• Retweet and share each other's tweets and posts: Work with other artists in your network and exchange content.
• Track birthdays, anniversaries, events in each other's lives - I love Facebook for this, and the birthday list is my first stop every morning. Take your top clients and make sure you know key dates in their lives. Don't forget Linkedin, which helps keep track of business anniversaries and job changes - stay involved! 
• Organize a networking luncheon online: I'm a big fan of zoom, but whatever your platform, get friends together for "lunch." You don't need an excuse these days because once again, so many of us are starving for more contact.
• Share content for your blogs: You don't have to write everything yourself, but you do need to be consistent, and if you're not posting at least twice a week, same day, same time, then stop blogging. Sharing content with another member of your network helps you create great content to share with your readers, and both of you benefit.

I hate to quote politicians, but Hilary Clinton's line about "It takes a village," is so on point today. But it starts with you giving your village the support it needs. Then, you've got to be there to help people in your network because they're going to be your best resource when you need help! 

by Skip Cohen
 
I first shared this post as part of my Fast Food Friday series last year, but it's even more relevant today. The pandemic and social distancing have changed everything in business today. Now, more than ever, your website and blog are critical components of your business. Sadly, too many of you have websites that could put a rock to sleep!

I've done a lot of website reviews over the years, and so many of you miss an opportunity to make a great first expression. A visit to your website needs to be a great experience. Like shopping at Macy's vs. Nordstroms - you've got a choice to make in the experience you give visitors to your website!

In reviewing websites, photographers will often say to me, "I know it's out of date. I need to fix those images." Well, the days of procrastinating are over, and it's genuinely a you-snooze-you-lose scenario. Here are some ideas, most of them easy fixes and things you can do NOW!
​

• Load Times: Don't just assume your website is loading the way you intend it. Check it on different browsers. The top four are still the same!
• Navigation: Is your site easy to scroll through, or do you need a team of miners to find the most important components and information?
• Mobile Compatible: Your website has to be accessible and easy to view on a phone as well as a computer. So, is it?
• Great Images: It's all about quality, not quantity! Stop showing images that anybody's Uncle Harry could capture. Every image you share, including your own headshot, should scream "PROFESSIONAL!" Stop filling up your galleries with average photos.
• Policies Don't Belong on Your Website: Too many of you have policies that would scare an IRS auditor. Save the policies on cancellations, refunds, etc. for the contract discussion and stop scaring people away before they fall in love with your work.
• Contact Pages: Give people a way to contact you directly! There's no excuse for not listing your phone number! And make your phone a dedicated line for your business.
• Respond Quickly: If you're still wading through traditional contact forms from potential clients, you might as well go back to the "bingo-cards" magazines used twenty years ago. Respond to people quickly. For example: Last week I did a search for roofers in the area. Within an hour, two of my three picks called me. The third called a week later - we'd already found a contractor!
• Continuity: Now and then, I review a website that looks like it was built by different contractors on a house. The home page has a distinct look, but the pages that follow don't seem to fit in. There's no excuse today for a website that's anything but upbeat and great looking! DIY has its limits, and while some of you, have the skillset, too many of you have been building things as you go along and need help.

While somebody will challenge me on this, you can't be in business today without a website. I also feel a blog is essential. Why? Because your site is about what you sell, and your blog is about what's in your heart. Both work together, much like advertising and publicity. Together a great website and blog can open doors, build trust, and help establish your reputation as a professional photographer.

But just like discussions on Facebook forums about what photographers wear when shooting a wedding, you've got to dress the part. You've got to dress for success! ​ Your website is the equivalent of a bricks and mortar store - make a visit, starting with your audience walking through the front door, that's memorable and a fun place to "shop."

Intro by Skip Cohen
 
It's Throwback Thursday, and I usually turn back the clock exclusively to old images or videos. But this morning, wandering through my archives, I found one of my favorite guest posts from my good buddy, Scott Bourne. I've shared it a couple of times over the last few years.

Scott and I go back a lot of years to my Hasselblad days, later to helping me launch Skip's Summer School, then writing a book together and a never-ending stream of projects and new ideas year after year.

In 2012, while at Summer School, Bobbi Lane did her best to get the two of us to be serious for a portrait session. She was successful, but only for a minimal time!

The post below is so relevant today. Life is very different for this year's graduates than it was when Scott first wrote this. However, as much as things change, to his point, the importance of relationship-building NEVER varies.

Most people see the challenges created by the pandemic as a liability, but for this year's graduates, I see opportunities. So many things in our lives have changed, giving this year's grads the ability to indeed be pioneers in virtually every field.

While business may have slowed down over the last few months in photography, we're all part of an industry that itself has never slowed down. More than ever before, your greatest marketing tool is relationship building! 

If you believe business is built on relationships, make building them your business.
Scott Stratten

 

by Skip Cohen

Normally by now, high school graduations would be history, but the pandemic changed all of that. All over the country, graduations have been delayed along with proms and other school-centric events. That's made the photographs you captured of this year's senior class even more valuable and important. The Class of 2020 deserves all the support we can give them, and a great looking grad card is one ingredient.

Marathon Press just recently announced they're extending their BOGO offer on grad cards. That not only allows you to support your senior clients, but the BOGO reduces your costs and increases revenue.

​Just click on the banner below for more information and start the process of designing memory-making cards for your seniors, their families and friends.

"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower."
Steve Jobs

by Skip Cohen
 
There isn't a professional photographer on the planet who isn't struggling with what's become the new normal! Quarantines, social distancing, sheltering in place have all become a way of life, but out of chaos and the pandemic crisis have come some remarkable new extensions for business.

A month ago, I shared a short video of JP Elario at his computer doing FaceTime portraits. Channel 13 in Albany, NY, picked up the story, and I have to share it here. I wish there was a way to make every artist watch this short clip.

JP's part of a father/son business and Joe, his Dad, and I go back to my early Hasselblad days. They're both remarkable artists specializing in wedding and portraiture, and exceptional service is part of their signature. Keeping in line with their never-ending quest to meet their clients' needs, JP starting doing online headshots. 

​These are challenging times, but who knows what other new ideas will come out of the pandemic crisis?

"Do what you do so well that they will want to see it again and bring their friend."
Walt Disney

​ by Skip Cohen

I woke up this morning, energized and aggravated, which is a dangerous combination! 

I'm tired of the new normal, along with politicians and people who just don't get it. The way we're living now is the new normal for at least the next few months, maybe longer. There's no wizard behind the curtain who's going to flip a switch and change things. 

But...there is a wizard inside of each of you screaming to come out! It's like Rudy shouting, "Come on, Coach, send me in!" So, what are you going to start doing differently to reach your audience and build your brand?

For years I've talked and written about the importance of partnerships. Long before the word pandemic was in our vocabulary, I was pushing all of you to build a more substantial presence with strategic alliances. 

Over the years, I've been involved in a long list of partnerships. 
 
At Hasselblad, we launched an ad campaign with Kodak and Polaroid. Featuring the work of Nick Vedros, the image used was shot with Hasselblad on Kodak film, but there was no digital technology then. A Polaroid back was an essential component to check exposure and composition for many commercial and portrait artists. The costs for the complete campaign, including production and media placement was split three ways between us.
 
Then came other campaigns, each one similar in structure that included Kodak, L.L. Bean, and Bogen (today Manfrotto.) Each time all of us not only reduced our costs, but each company became an ambassador for the others.

Here are a few ideas to help you start thinking about partnerships.

Your Online Presence: Cyberspace has never been more important in our lives than RIGHT NOW! It's the way we're staying in contact and sharing information. It's also the foundation of education at virtually every level. It's time to clean up your website, blog and any other places in social media where you target your client audience.

Be a Community Leader: A couple of months ago I caught up to Lori Nordstrom one day. Just before we talked, she had been involved in a Zoom meeting with business women from the community, all sharing ideas together on how they could help more during the pandemic. You've got the ability to be a leader in your community and bring other vendors together to help build a new standard of support.

Blogging: There's plenty of advice on developing a stronger blog, from me and dozen's of other writers but my point today is the importance of maintaining your blog with good solid content. Think about your target audience and your readership. How can you help them the most?

Developing a strong blog in your community is also going to help you find new partners. Guest posts from other vendors; informative Zoom meetings; tips on photography, cooking, flower arranging, DIY projects all have a foundation is developing great content.

by Skip Cohen

​The pandemic has changed everything in our lives, especially the way we communicate. On a fairly regular basis, many of you are appearing live on Zoom, Skype, and the list goes on and on. But, just like the rules in creating a great image for print competition, there are some definite rules you need to follow when meeting in cyberspace.  Your goal is to be just as professional in an online meeting as you would be in person at a conference or workshop.

And for those of you rolling your eyes, because you already know this stuff, just consider it a reminder. Like meeting with a new client, you've got a minimal amount of time to make a great impression. I'm not an expert in any of this stuff, but thanks to some great friends, I'm work in progress and there are a lot of you who could use a little help.

Let's start with the obvious - lighting. You don't need much. Ironically, none of you would light a basic headshot with a flashlight, but when it comes to your online presence, you do nothing. Yet, all of you understand lighting - so put a little light on the subject - YOU! While I've got a couple of softboxes in my office, my preference is thanks to Litra. I've got two LitraTorch 2.0s on goosenecks on either side of my laptop, which has become my leading computer when I've got to be on camera. When I'm on the iMac, I use the softboxes.

Here are a few more suggestions to consider:

​1. Get a location without backlighting. When you've got something bright behind you, it fools the computer or your phone into thinking the scene is brighter than it really is. I have to remember myself to close the blinds in my office behind me.

2. Remove distractions: We don't all have the advantage of a movie set background. Often, I've forgotten turn the ceiling fan off in my office and have had people bothered by the distraction over my head.

3. Camera and your face on the same plane: Get your camera (computer or phone) on about the same plane as your face. Not only does it cut out chin and nostril shots, but it gives the audience your eye contact and more facial expression. When I'm using my phone, I have a Square Jellyfish adapter on a ball head with a Platypod Ultra. While there are plenty of phone holders out there, this little adapter gives my Platypod Ultra another useful application. 

4. Make eye contact. Remember when talking, if you want to make eye contact, looking at your screen won't do it...you've got to look at the camera.

5. Cut down on the background noise. Mute your microphone when not talking. It's especially bad in a group of more than 3-4 people.

6. Earbuds or a headset cut down on feedback.  

7. Consider a better microphone! The impact of the pandemic is here to stay for a long time. While we all wish there was a switch that could be flipped to end the crisis, it's not going to happen overnight. That means we're all going to be communicating differently for some time. My personal favorite is a Rode Podcast mic, but I also have a Yeti. Both are good, but the Rode seems to give my voice more clarity.

8. Smile more! It's a great tip from a photographer, author, and my good buddy, Larry Becker. He recently joined Chamira Young and me in a Mind Your Own Business podcast, which is now online. And check out his new book: Great on Camera. Written before the pandemic when we had no idea we were going to be on camera a lot more, Larry's approach couldn't be easier to follow, with great tips to raise the bar on your skill set as a podcaster, presenter and participant online.

And that brings me full circle to where I started. We're dealing with a new normal. While we all hope the good old days of just three months ago will come back, that doesn't change the need for looking good and professional online NOW. 
​
From meetings with clients to edu-type presentations to meet-ups with other photographers, you're part of the imaging community. That means the expression "looking good" has a lot more meaning in cyberspace these days because it's often going to be all you have to start.

P.S. And if I missed any tips feel free to let me know and we'll do a post of add-ons!

by Skip Cohen

​For most of us lately, every day is the same, and today is a good example. I rarely post on Saturdays, but something came up yesterday, and it's perfect for many of you during Downtime 2020.

Looking through my emails, I read the online newsletter from my high school, Riverside H.S. in Painesville, Ohio. One of the bullet points they shared was this one:

"Instead of the Prom: In past years, the alumni association has always donated some funds to help support the RHS prom. This year, the prom is uncertain. Instead, the association is donating those funds to a project to give each graduating senior a lawn sign to celebrate his or her graduation. The signs will be handed out to the seniors as they drive through a set- up that will pass out their cap and gown for graduation. This is still in the planning stages but certainly will help the graduating seniors celebrate their success in this unusual year."

That got me thinking about things we can all do to support not only the Class of 2020 but high schools across the country. There isn't a school in America, even before the pandemic, that had all the funding they needed, especially for art programs, including photography. So, here are some ideas to consider:

• Donate gear: Most of you have cleaned out at least one area of your home, studio, or office during the last two months. How about donating equipment you no longer use to the high school? They're always short on gear, and so many of you have cameras, lenses, and lighting equipment you no longer use. Donate it to the high school and help the next generation of photographers.
• Teach a class: Online education has never been stronger. Set yourself up to teach a photography class to kids interested in expanding their skill set. 
• Photographs: The "Instead of the Prom" piece they're doing at my old high school is perfect for a photographer to step in and supply senior portraits for the signs. It's one more way to help make this year's graduating class feel special.
• Tied to Prom: One of the LUMIX Ambassadors recently wrote: "Hey, I just did an entire series of prom porch-traits for the seniors where I live. Since their prom was canceled, the Project Graduation team reached out to me about doing photos of the kids at their homes with their dresses on."
• Provide Content: If your high school has a newsletter they publish, look for opportunities to provide content. For example, I saw they were looking for stories from alumni going back to elementary schools in the area. Even though Sheila and I were never close through elementary, junior, and high school, we still met in second grade. I've got some great pictures and stories. So, I offered to write something for the January story they have schedule about our elementary school. 
• Get Involved: Even though most schools are closed, take the time now and get involved in helping with next year's yearbook. Most schools need all the help they can get, and now's the time to show your willingness to join the team and your expertise as a photographer can help make the 2021 yearbook even better.

I'll be the first to admit there's very little I've done in regards to my high school once I left Ohio so many years ago, but right now, the schools need our help. Even if you've got no connection to the community you grew up in, the one you live in now has the same needs for support.

Basketball season, spring sports, prom, graduation - all the programs that created memories for your high school days have been put on the back-burner. But you can help find ways to bring photography into the mix, and many of you have senior portraits captured long before the pandemic. Even Marathon Press has a special BOGO on grad cards.

You owe it to your community and your clients to get off the sidelines and support the schools and the Class of 2020. And if any of you are doing something special, let me know in the comment section below, and we'll add it to the list above.

by Skip Cohen

I don't want to start this post with a rant, but it's so hard not to react to photographers who are all doom and gloom, but unwilling to take the time to change things. This is a tough time for everyone, but there are so many opportunities for artists to expand and strengthen their skill sets.

It's the hardest it's ever been to find business. So, I get it...but I'm not giving up on spreading the word on different programs going on to help you get things back in focus.

Coming up this morning at 11:00 am EST Scott Kelby and his team:

Yesterday I shared a link to Joe Elario's Facebook post from last week and was surprised at how few people checked it out... it's only fifty-two seconds of your time.

J.P. Elario is doing online portraits, and the idea is brilliant. His Dad Joe and partner in Elario Photography wrote: "New twist on J.P.'s Pop up Portraits & they're waiting in (virtual) line both U.S. & Canada ."

I don't have a link for other smart portrait projects, but the word is that "Front Porch Portraits" are gaining momentum everywhere. While not every community has modified its shelter in place policies, many are allowing people out, but requiring that social distancing be maintained. 

Now think about the concept. Families have been in lockdown for weeks, and a "Front Porch Portrait" is a memory of a tough time, but right in line with family values. And for me personally, it would represent a memory of a time we got through it all. ​

And speaking of Bobbi Lane and Tony Corbell:

And check out the Photoshop Rant with Lee Varis:

And that brings me full circle to my point - there's a lot of help out there, and these are just the tip of the iceberg. There's support to help you with marketing, technique, business and it's all being taught by photographers who want to give back to an industry they love dearly.

But the next move is yours!

by Skip Cohen

I've shared a lot of images over the years from various photographers, but this one tops them all! 

Wandering through Facebook a few minutes ago I saw a post by Elizabeth Newton, and loved everything about it. Thirty different artists are featured in the image above, and it's the perfect reminder you can still keep in touch with your audience, even when hunkered down!

With the image Elizabeth wrote:

Thirty local photographers got together to spell out a message for our clients.

Quarantine has been hard on all of us. You miss leaving your home and your children are getting antsy. Or you're terrified to leave your home everyday and work on the front lines of medicine, food service and deliveries.

We miss watching your family grow, capturing your moments and telling your story with our cameras. We are doing our part, staying home, keeping our distance and waiting for you. We will see you soon. And when we do, we'll all be healthier and better for it!

Until we meet again. ​

by Skip Cohen

​It's Marketing Monday, and if you're old enough to remember the Mickey Mouse Club, it's "Anything Can Happen Day." Three things point out where my head is:
​

• Sherry Hagerman announced she was going "off the grid" for a week to take a break. ClickCon is all thanks to Sherry, and I found myself envious of how brilliant it was just to step away and recharge.
• I let politics into my head with a conversation about the nonsense of Trump's comment about injected a disinfectant. THAT'S NOT WHAT HE ASKED. We were watching the briefing live, and honestly, it wasn't a bad idea to explore. What if medicine could use the same principles behind a household disinfectant to kill the virus in our bodies? Isn't that what we do with chemo already? I'm tired of the Democrats and the Republicans battling it out for themselves and not the American people!
• Last but not least, on our morning walk today, we had a conversation with a neighbor about the protest crowds in San Diego who are fighting to open the beaches. I'm amazed at the pockets of pure stupidity that seem to abound in this country. 

​The result of this rollercoaster of thoughts this morning resulted in me yelling at Alexa to play the best of White Snake! LOL So, consider yourselves warned - it's merely going to be a strange morning!

The image above is of our gardenia bush that we've been nursing for over a year. It's finally blooming. It got me thinking about marketing. The flowers are stunning, but not for long. However, as quickly as one dies, another one is opening. Your marketing right now has to follow the same one-after-another pattern. 

Two months ago, our lives changed. Getting back to what used to be the norm is taking longer than anticipated, but that doesn't mean you have to sit back and keep waiting. So, let's hit some tips and start NOW! You've got one goal - jumpstarting your stalled biz. It's nobody's fault business died, but it will be your fault if you bury it now!

It's not whether you get knocked down. It's whether you get up!
​Vince Lombardi

Just like the next gardenia ready to bloom, think about your marketing plans for the rest of the year. Marketing doesn't mean one special offer after another, but a continuous stream to maintain your presence. 

I've shared this illustration numerous times over the years. You've got the greatest collection of marketing tools in the history of business - but nothing happens if you don't get started!

Most important of all, if you're stuck and just bogged down because of the stress and anxiety of the challenges today, pick up a phone and call a friend; find an educator you respect and check out what they're sharing, or give me a shout. I won't always have the answers, but I've got a network of friends who will!

Last night one of my favorite people, Jennifer Maring, shared the perfect quote:

Things are starting to get back to normal, but it's going to be a slow journey back to the "good old days" of two months ago. You can speed up the process by making sure you're maintaining a strong presence. Don't let this time become a stretch of your life where you look back with regrets over things you could have done.

And don't forget -  we really are all in this together. And, there are so many of us willing to help!

by Skip Cohen

​It's Marketing Monday, and there isn't a better topic right now than Spring seasonality!

Just because we're all in various forms of lockdown doesn't mean Mother's Day, graduation and Father's Day are going to go away. You've still got a remarkable opportunity to create a little excitement and sales.

1. Start with a call to your lab and simply ask, "What's new?" Remember, before the pandemic, most of the pro labs were showing new products and ideas at both IUSA and WPPI. Those products didn't disappear.

One of my favorites is Bay Photo's Performance EXT Metal prints. I wrote about one over a year ago. It's outside our home, and it's still stunning. That's twenty months in the hot sun and rain in Florida with no visible change in quality. Think about how everybody has a back porch or patio, and an outdoor print becomes a novel idea, especially when we're spending so much time at home inside these days.

,3. ​Graduation opportunities: The class of 2020 is definitely in transition when it comes to graduation ceremonies and celebrations. While some graduations might be postponed until later in the year, most of this year's seniors are going to miss out. That makes the photographs you took of them before the pandemic even more valuable. So, from grad cards and Marathon's BOGO program to prints and albums, you've got a chance to play a significant role in acknowledging their accomplishments.

4. Slideshows: If you're in any of the portrait/social categories, you've got images in your files of clients and their families. That makes this the perfect time to build slideshows for your clients. Great photos put to music and even short video clips if you have them make, creating a slideshow a remarkably strong product/service.

5. Education: Use your blog to share tips on being a better photographer. Whether Mom and Dad are using their cell phones or a real camera, give them advice on how to make their images better. Share tips on posing, lighting, exposure, and composition - all things you do every day without a second thought. Be helpful and let your blog be the gateway to your readers for ideas about photography.

6. Photo Flash Drive: They are NOT paying me for mentioning their products - I just simply like what they offer, and there's a reason why their booth is always so busy at every convention. Once again, here's a unique gift idea and one that keeps on giving.

One idea involves a series of images from a client shoot, put to music, and on a flash drive together with prints. It's a perfect memory-maker and a reminder of the life every client is looking forward to returning to. And that's just their flash drive presentations. From their classic Playbook video player to gifting presentations with a bottle of wine, the combination of great ideas is virtually endless. Note: watch the short video on their website about the Playbook.

This is a time in history where photography and video have an unprecedented ability to enrich people's lives. The images you've captured have never been more valuable to your target audience than today! Don't miss the opportunity to support the needs of your clients through the seasonality on your doorstep right now!

by Skip Cohen
 
Every imaging artist is feeling the same pain right now - business disappeared with the flip of a switch, and now you're struggling with what to do. Sound familiar?

This is an industry where we all watch each other's backs. It's never been more evident than right now! Just like that lifebuoy being thrown above - you've got access to so many different places for help. 

There's no need for me to write a lot of text today - but I am going to give you the links to six great resources available with a click of your mouse - RIGHT NOW. There's a long list of great programming, and it covers everything from expanding your skillset to changing your marketing strategy!

This is only the beginning - I'll be sharing more places you can find help as I hear/read about them!

I know it's hard to see downtime as an asset when it feels like a monstrous liability. Take advantage of this time to build a stronger brand, skillset and relationships!

​And if you've got questions or need help you sure know where to find me!

Intro by Skip Cohen

Mark Weber and I have been friends for a whole lot of years. As one of Marathon's most versatile senior managers, he's also a photographer, educator, and writer.  He brings so much to the party whenever there's a challenge.  He recently shared the post below on Marathon's blog, and it's packed with great ideas.  

Being in "lockdown" at home is about your health and safety. It does NOT mean step away from your business, customer service, developing your skillset, or marketing. I love the ideas Mark shared this week and decided to share some of them here and the rest are a click away on the Marathon blog. 

Marathon has built its reputation on support for professional photographers. And today, even under the challenges of the pandemic, they're not slowing down on being there to help!

Don't forget, if you're a senior photographer, their BOGO program on grad cards is going on right now. This is an especially tough year for the class of 2020 - more than likely there won't be any big graduations or parties to celebrate. That means the senior portraits you captured a few months ago are even more important to share!

#3. Studio Sample Albums – Albums are one of the most profitable products you can offer in your studio. Chris Fritchie of McKenna, TX photographs with an album in mind with every session he does. Especially his storytelling Santa albums.

​His philosophy is that you can always sell a wall portrait from a session shot with an album story in mind but you can’t always sell an album from a wall portrait session. Now is a great time to think of a creative story theme to promote later in the year like Chris’s Santa theme. Chances are you probably know someone even now who is not ultra paranoid and would be willing to model to help you create a new sample. You could build your set and have it all ready for later in the year.

#5. Family Portraits – Family portraits are going to be even more meaningful after this experience. Now is a good time to start planning your fall family campaign. Direct mail is still effective and thanks to Every Door Direct Mail things are more affordable than ever. Use this time to craft your message, put together your content, your offer and decide where you want to target. Learn more at USPS here – https://www.usps.com/business/every-door-direct-mail.htm

​#6. Photography Technique – Now is the time to experiment with a new lighting and camera technique. It might be the use of constant lighting or making your own light diffusion source or a large reflector? Experiment with creating shadows on the wall with your background light as an interesting touch on an old background. Go scout new on-location backgrounds, etc. You can also get some great free education online and experts like Joel Grimes offer tremendous photography education. Check him out here at – https://www.joelgrimes.com

#7. Photoshop Techniques – Regardless if you are a newbie or experienced, there’s always something to learn or try. Maybe it’s a Photoshop action or a new texture to blend or an unusual graphic look you want to try. It’s a great time to work thru these ideas. There are some great free Youtube tutorials but if you want someone who takes it to the next level is Woody Walters. You can find more information on Woody’s education here: https://woodywaltersdigitalphotocandy.com

#8. Workflow – Have you struggled with creating a workflow to manage your image files? Determining the right procedure that saves you time is important. Perhaps a new batch action in Photoshop is in order? Do you use Lightroom? Or maybe you have it but haven’t learned to use it? There’s a lot you can learn in a short time! Here’s a link to learn more – https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-

#9. Camera room improvements – Sometimes your camera room just needs a little reorganizing or remodeling. It’s amazing how a little change can spark your creativity. Get some hangers up on the wall to get those chairs off the floor. Get a background rail hooked up to get all those muslins off the floor for faster use and fewer wrinkles. Get some cubby boxes or drawers installed for better organization.

#10. Studio Facility – Take some candid of your facility starting with the outside of your location and all areas your customer sees. Does it look neat, tidy and professional? Or are there obvious things that need to be cleaned up, repainted or reorganized? Chipped walls or chairs that are starting to look a little too worn can affect your customer’s perception of you. Wires that need to be bundled and hidden will help minimize the look of over technology. Be critical of what you see because your customer is.

#11. Deep Clean – From this point forward cleanliness is going to be a common conversation and message to customers. What will do and promote that going forward?
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#12. Stay in Contact – Contact your customers on a regular basis. Email blasts and newsletters are more apt to be seen and read now more than ever. Interview other vendors and post that to your blog page to add variety and interest to attract potential new customers thanks to that new connection. Consider a printed newsletter as direct mail provides maximum exposure. And you only need to send it to your client base so it’s affordable to do.

For nine more great ideas click on the thumbnail below.

by Skip Cohen

This is an incredibly difficult time for all of us, especially photographers. Sadly, I'm hearing people who are sheltering in place with EVERYTHING, including their business and client relationships. Now is the time that social media can play it's most significant role ever in helping you maintain your presence and brand awareness.
​
As I've written so many times before - your website is about what you sell, but your blog is about what's in your heart. So...USE YOUR BLOG to maintain contact with your clients. We're all in this together, and you've got a unique opportunity to be more helpful than at any time in the past.

The other day during the conversation with the f64 Lunch Bunch I mentioned sharing ideas on blog content. So, here's a starting list of topics, and I'll keep adding to it in the days ahead.
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• From one of the attendees with us at the lunch bunch: Convert your images to line art and send them to your clients for the kids to use as coloring book pages. (I love this one because kids are stuck at home with their parents and little to do. If you're a children and family photographer, then you've got images from past sittings to share with your clients - customized just for them!)
• Build a community calendar - Plenty of events have been canceled, but there are also plenty that have moved to cyberspace. Share the information with your readers.
• Share the Joy! This one came from Anne Geddes in yesterday's Lunch Bunch segment. She started requesting images from people that meant JOY. You've got a chance to do the same in your community and on your blog, Instagram page, and Facebook.
• Photo Tips - there are things you do every day that can help Mom and Dad become better photographers. Share a different idea each post about exposure, composition, posing, fill-flash, etc.
• Great places to photograph - share places in your community you like to photograph. 
• Gift ideas - you might be tired of canvas prints, but your clients aren't. Call your lab and ask, "What's new?" Personally, I love Bay Photo's Performance EXT Metal prints, and I've had a 30x40 sunset shot hanging in the sun and rain, outside by our pool for 18 months, and it's as beautiful as the day I took it out of the box. And check out Marathon's Bella Art Prints - they're knocking it out of the park with a growing selection of papers.
• Technology updates: Be a resource to your readers. What's new they might enjoy hearing about while they're hunkered down.
• Your favorite charity - the events might be postponed but not the need for the services they've been supporting.
• Important camera gear - This is a little more for the advanced reader, but again, you're the expert.
• Profiles in your community - share stories about people in your community.
• Pets of the community - Pets are always a strong subject and people love sharing and talking about them.
• Photo tips for kids - the kids are home - so give kids ideas on things to photograph. You might even want to set up a photo contest.
• Holiday Cards - it's early, but is it really? Now's a good time to get Mom thinking about images for her family cards this year.
• Stationery - images for thank you notes are ideal and something to design now. You've got the background to give them tips.
• How to be a storyteller - share ideas on how to tell a story with images.
• Slideshows - Pick a topic that's current now - it could be something as simple as cooking a family dinner together when everybody is stuck inside. 
• Throwback Thursday - I love Throwback images. Use them to remind your readers not just of better times, but how they'll come back. And this is a great way to remind Mom it's time for an updated family portrait.

This list is hardly all-inclusive, but it should give you a starting point to use some of this downtime to build content for the pipeline. When you've got a dozen posts ready to go...then start posting at least twice a week.

We'll get through this mess, and business and life will come back to some level of normalcy. In the meantime, you can be a leader in your community, and it's really simple - just be helpful!