Intro by Skip Cohen
 
My buddy at Marathon, Mark Weber, published the post below in November 2013. While I agree with just about everything he's talking about, I disagree on the timing. NOW is the time to start thinking about and planning next year.

For example, having just returned from Marathon's MAP Getaway, I was blown away by how much they offer. Most of you are a "one man band" with limited staff support. With MAP, you have a facilitator who becomes your marketing team and provides one on one support, along with guidance with branding, graphic design, client acquisition, goal setting, pricing, selling, promotions, networking and even social media.  So, if you know you need help, why not start to look into a program like MAP today so you get a head start on the new year?

Start thinking about 2016 now and look at things you've done this year. Plan your trips for 2016 now with conventions like IUSA, WPPI and ShutterFest as well as your state and regional conventions. Get those dates locked in on your calendar and in your budget. Start thinking about promotional offers, community involvement and things you can do to strengthen your brand. Think about how you can utilize the busiest quarter of the year coming up to align yourself with strong partnerships and increased brand awareness for 2016.

Time is your most valuable commodity, and it's something you'll never have enough of.  Make an investment in 2016 by looking at what you've been doing over the last few years. Think about the fourth quarter, not as the end of the year, but the gateway to a great new year.

by Mark Weber, M.Photog.Cr, M.Artist, CPP

Now is an important time of year to start planning your marketing strategies for the new year. I know how hard it is to think beyond Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year, but it is imperative that you have a strategy heading into the first 90 days of the new year.

Chances are you’re wondering where to start and if it’s worth even planning for anything in January and February right? Everyone says it’s so dead and people don’t have money to spend after the holidays, so why bother?

First, since more money is spent at Christmas time than any other time of year, January is actually a very opportune time as far as budgets go. That’s why you see those Winter White sales and President’s Day sales. You just have to motivate your potential clients to purchase something you offer. That’s why you need to put some thought into it now.

Great studios manage their profits daily and weekly. They have financial goals set well in advance and  keep careful tabs on their progress!

Intro by Skip Cohen

In June of 2014, my pal, Mark Weber wrote the following post about branding. Branding is so much more than your logo and business card. It's everything you stand for in the community. It's what people think about you, your business and skill set. Just like our favorite places to shop you have an opportunity to be Kmart or Nordstrom's. I'm not talking about pricing, but customer service and quality.

Mark's message is timeless, and the video couldn't be better timed than right now. Summer is winding down, and you'll soon be in the strongest seasonality of the year for photography, that last quarter. So, what are doing to build a stronger brand?

Marathon's got a terrific program on right now to help you with the tangible elements, but you're the only one who can establish yourself as the leader in the community. You've got a choice to make - you can stand on the sidelines and watch the parade go by or, you can jump right in and lead the way. Just click on the Marathon banner for some outstanding special programs going on right now to help you be the stand-out "duck on the pond".

by Mark Weber, M.Photog.Cr, M.Artist, CPP

Summer is just about upon us and it’s hard to believe there’s only 6 months left in the year. It seems like there is never enough hours in a day to get everything done, so for many people that means some things get neglected including marketing.

That is where I can help. My goal is to provide tidbits of information to help you chip away at the marketing items you’ve been putting off and put them in perspective so you can get a handle on things.

Last month’s message was about the importance of inspiration. Without inspiration you’d have no ambition. But what do you need to go with inspiration?  How about creativity? When you apply creativity to an idea you’re inspired by, you become unique. When you’re unique, you stand out. When you stand out, you make more money!

So how do we apply creativity to our branding? That’s what this month’s animation message is about. I invite you to download the free PDF I created called “The Branding Difference”. I think you’ll find it helpful if you are planning on or thinking of rebranding in the future.