Time to Help the Community and Give Up Some Gear?

by Skip Cohen
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It's Friday, and I'm doing my best to stay true to one new suggestion each week to help you build a stronger business. Here's one that will seem a little off the wall, but it's so on point.

ALL of you have gear you don't use anymore. It could be an older camera body, a lens, a tripod, studio lights, on-camera flashes, a point-and-shoot, or even a camera bag. And look around your support equipment - many of you have printers, scanners, and even older computers you no longer use.

Now think about brand awareness for your business. At the top of the list of things you should be doing is being active in your community. People like buying products from companies they perceive as giving back to the community. You're looking for the community to be good to you, so you better make sure you're good to your community.

Well, there isn't a school system on the planet that isn't hurting for funding. And what are the first programs to get cut when money's in short supply? It's always the arts, and photography is right at the top of the hit list. That means all that gear you no longer use has so much value to kids interested in imaging.

A few years ago, I wanted to help a teacher just south of me here in Florida. He taught photography in a school with minimal funding and just about no camera gear. I contacted a friend at one of the major camera companies and got him 20+ point-and-shoot digital cameras, memory cards, and chargers. The cameras were older models, mostly samples from trade shows, but would give his students a greater experience than using their phones.

There's one more way you can help - schools are often looking for guest speakers, especially when it's part of a career day event. If you're a working professional photographer, then you're qualified to speak to a class about what a career in imaging is like.

And here's the best part of all this - use your blog and social media to share what you're doing. Publish pictures of you with the kids in the school or the instructor. Help to spread the word in the community and help rally more help, and in turn, more equipment for the students.

Here's my point - you're sitting on a mini-goldmine of support for your community and establishing yourself as the expert in photography! It's great branding and also cause-related marketing with minimal time but maximum relationship-building potential!

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