“You may be shoveling horse manure, but at least you’re in the parade.”
Everything makes sense when we put it onto perspective.
Every step of the way counts, as long as you’re in the parade.
The guy bringing water to the players will never play in the game. But he’s “in it”.
The third string player may get on the field and play, some day, or not, as he sits there, waiting for his opportunity.
Both are the envy of every fan out there since they have some of the best front row seats in the game.
Perspective.
My sister would tell her three kids, when they started whining…. “hey, we’re not driving you to chemo and I’m not in a wheel chair….”
Having a sense of gratitude takes on many, many faces. Just being grateful to have health and freedom is a great starting point.
In work, being able to work in your chosen field and feeling so grateful to be able to serve others with our talents and skills, even if at that time we’re shoveling manure, counts for a lot. (don’t confuse this with working for free and giving away your pearls).
In photography business, this matters at all stages of the game, young and old. When I was young, I was glad to be working in my field. Still am to this day.
Some old farts like me (I’m 59) start showing their age. For some reason they feel that they’ve “earned” the right to certain privileges.
Sorry. That’s not the way the game is played.
Remember, it’s a business. Always.
And we have to constantly take it as such in order to keep the momentum going.
Let me clarify.
If StarBucks started taking the attitude with their product and service that they didn’t need to deliver a certain level anymore because they have had so many years in the game, well, would coffee drinkers seriously care?
That’s for people who work in unions and where seniority counts.
In business, it doesn’t.
One thing I love about photography is the fact that we are always learning, changing, challenging the status quo.
Why? Because our clients love it. And demand it.
I know another photographer, successful and been around a long, long time who didn’t want to embrace digital. He figured they’d been around for so long that that counted for something.
Not. I explained why.
He got it. So he packed it in and retired. Not willing to make the changes.
Making changes, rolling with the punches and staying innovative is much easier when we have the right attitude.
The same one I had when I was so young, so long ago. Where I took on every job I could. Didn’t matter if I was shovelling manure. I was in the parade.
That mattered to me more than ANYTHING. And still does to this day.
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”
Beware the guru…
Easy is a dead end.
The norm, the BIG attraction is the easy road. The fastest, easiest and less painful method.
Sure, we can and should work smart.
But in reality, when things are easy, it can and will cause you pain.
There’s a trend in the way we raise our kids these days. We want to make sure the child doesn’t suffer too much. No pain.
Sure, some pain. An “acceptable” amount. And it kills us to see them in any pain, even small “acceptable” amounts.
We’ve become a society of pansie-assed, soft spined weaklings.
You’re robbing them.
But your business won’t turn out okay. Not at all….
There is no wiggle room when it comes to running a business. There are no exceptions.
The market place has no feelings. The playing field is level and the weak are quickly devoured and sent home running to mommy to kiss the booboo.
Kids, when you make it easy for them you rob them of life’s lessons.
Business…easy sets the pace. In a destructive way. And you think, “gee, that was easy. I must be so good at business and photography, everything just falls into place.”
What happens when things get, uh uh, gulp, hard? Because they will. I guarantee it.
Ask anyone who’s been in business for ten years or more.
Here’s a few tips:
- It’s through struggle that we learn innovation, creativity.
- We build a sense of adventure. Self esteem. Confidence. Gratitude and appreciation
- Awareness.
- Winning a big lottery is not strategy. (Research shows that the vast majority of lottery winners end up right back where they were. Broke. And often worse off for winning.)
- It’s through pain and struggle that we build character.
- Never pursue “things” through your business. Don’t go for the money and success because of what it will give you. Do it for who you will become.
- Every time you stub your toe along the way and feel the pain of failure, don’t let it get you down. This is very, very important. Always learn from your “failures”. They aren’t failures in reality. They are tuition fees. Keep moving.
- Watch your ego. Keep it in check. Don’t let it fool you into believing it’s as easy as you thought. Keep an open mind and a grateful heart when it does appear easy.
- Plan well and visualize the outcomes you desire. This is an inside job, not something you get from your peers, a class or the “gurus”. Own it. Master it. Make it yours.
- Big budgets are dangerous. Unless you really know what you’re doing. Money is like a narcotic. We think, and delude ourselves into believing that we can spend our way to success….cameras, lights, locations, ads or expensive marketing systems from the gurus.
Guru’s make it sound easy too. Beware the guru who makes it sound easy.
Beware the inner voice in YOU that likes what they say when they make it sound easy.
Blueprints are cool. I love them and use them all the time. They save some time. But they do not make anything easy.
Easy is an illusion.
I know, I know. I sound the debbie downer. But it’s reality.
And when you’re realistic, and sensible and are willing to grow your photography business over time, not over night, and grow it one brick at a time, your success, through the tough lessons learned, AND applied, will serve you well.
Easy? Not.
Possible. YES!
Some of the wisest words I ever read were from Napoleon Hill:
“Each and every adversity has within it the seeds of equal or greater opportunity.”
The seeds of greatness are in you and in you alone. The greatest asset you have is your conviction to keep moving, keep learning. And to keep growing.
No matter how much it hurts.
Pain is your friend-embrace it-….easy is your enemy.
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
Join us…Content, Coaching & Community
“I messaged you, I will take a spot please!!! My daughters are 3 and 6…”
My wife gets mad. “Why are they sending us messages through facebook?”
I tell her it’s one of the ways people reach out. One of the ways they let us know they want to spend money with us.
I too was annoyed. A bit. For a while. Then I realized this is the way it is.
Roll with it. Like a ninja.
And take their money. A client is a client is a client. A sale is still a sale.
What’s more important is the THREE exclamation marks after the word PLEASE!!!
See it? See the passion? The desire? It’s one of the reasons I love shooting fairy sessions.
There’s a ton of passion and a big market that is endlessly flowing along like a huge parade.
All we gotta do is pitch em. I don’t care if they respond via phone, facebook, twitter, instagram, linkedIn, email or in person.
It’s the way we all roll nowadays. In the old days, phone. That was it.
Ultimately, the only thing that matters in the end is whether I have a jam packed schedule, and a happy bank account.
More HERE on my fairy days bookings.
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
The Psychology of Persuasion and How to Use It In Your Photography Business For Maximum Profits
My biggest collection of books are on marketing.
I have always said I have the heart of a photographer and the soul of a marketer.
I attribute this to a long and (so far) continued success running my own photography business shooting weddings, babies, children and families. Life is good.
One book that always stood out for me was from Robert Cialdini. He studied influence and wrote the definitive guide on that topic titled: “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion.”
It is a must read for any serious student of marketing.
Here in a nutshell are the key elements of influence and some quick ideas how they may apply to running a photography studio…..
1. Reciprocity
As humans, we generally aim to return favors, pay back debts, and treat others as they treat us. In our photography studios we can use this in many ways. A free gift, excellent service when they arrive at your studio. It’s a very simple idea, and easily implemented if we pay attention and put it into action.
2. Commitment (and Consistency)
Cialdini says that we have a deep desire to be consistent. For this reason, once we’ve committed to something, we’re then more inclined to go through with it.
This is very easy to implement in our photography marketing. I call it jumping through hoops. Get your clients to jump over one, and then the next, next, next is easy.
Getting your clients to come to the studio for a no obligation portrait planning session is one way to get them to “commit” to the simple action of showing up at your studio.
On fairy day, when we promo mini sessions for only $97.00, pre-paid, we are in effect asking them for a payment commitment. A commitment to showing up and a commitment to paying us. It’s one of the best steps to a larger sale.
3. Social Proof
This principle relies on people’s sense of “safety in numbers.”
This one is easy for photographers. One of the best ways to “sneak” this principle into your marketing and sales could be to show a large wall portrait, and say something like: “We find when most families come in for family portrait session, they…..bla bla…” Talk about whatever….print finish, canvas, clothing ideas….it doesn’t matter. The idea is you are using social proof and showing them an example of what “most families” do….It creates a social proof effect.
4. Liking
Cialdini says that we’re more likely to be influenced by people we like. Likability comes in many forms – people might be similar or familiar to us, they might give us compliments, or we may just simply trust them.
D-uh….does this one get any simpler?
Be someone they like. This doesn’t mean be a pushover or a mushy people pleaser. Don’t get this confused. You create likability by asking questions and listening.
The best read on this topic is How To Win Friends And Influence People
5. Authority
We feel a sense of duty or obligation to people in positions of authority. This is why advertisers of pharmaceutical products employ doctors to front their campaigns.
In our studio we play good cop, bad cop. I get to play artist. My wife gets to play manager. She’s no nonsense and she’s very, very good at it.
Easy for me since I get to be exactly who I am. Fun, childish, creative, outlandish, crazy…..on and on. When it comes to closing the sale, I bring her in. They all respect her authority.
6. Scarcity
This principle says that things are more attractive when their availability is limited, or when we stand to lose the opportunity to acquire them on favorable terms.
We use this all the time on marketing our Fairy Day, babies first year and any studio promotion. All promotions and offer need to have a deadline and a sense of scarcity. Otherwise, your offer will die.
It’s that simple.
I feel that every photographer should and would benefit by learning as much as they can about marketing.
Read something everyday. Keep feeding your mind and watch your photography grow, your profits, your confidence and your creativity.
Many feel the same way I do:
Marketing is EVERYTHING.
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
Rise and become the dominant star in your industry…
Yesterday I attended a webinar with Sandy Puc. It was on publicity and gaining market dominance.
Something like that.
And Sandy did not let us down. One thing I always loved about her is her value for the marketing game. She’s one of the few, and one of the only few in my oh so humble opinion that really gets it.
And she plays the game like a star. And shares so many valuable strategies.
If you’re not thinking and acting like the dominant star of your industry,
your performance will never rise to match that expectation.
If you do not have goals, a vision and the DESIRE to truly rise above and beyond the norm, there is a very high likely hood that you won’t.
Your photography skills, your success in your photography marketing and ultimately your overall financial and prosperity are, for the most part, dependent on your ability to THINK and on how you ACT.
This is NOT an ego trip. It’s much more. No matter what level you shoot at, high end, low volume…high volume, mass produced…or somewhere in between. It’s best to stand out and simply be the best in YOUR category. Or shoot for dominance.
Too many photographers get distracted do achieve success for the wrong reasons. And they stay stuck in those reasons. The key is to keep growing, keep thinking, keep expanding and challenging yourself.
NO matter your age or station in your photographic adventure.
History is littered with has-beens and almost made-its.
If you’re not convinced that you can achieve massive dreams, your behavior will never be sufficient to get giant goals done.
It’s that simple really. And it all starts with YOU.
I somehow always knew and understood this at some level. If even in a vague subconscious way.
(must have been all those self-help business books I read over the years…)
Yet, we have to dream the impossible. Or else the impossible will never, ever become possible.
If you’re not thinking like someone who’s the rockstar in his or her field, financially free, healthy as an athlete and happier than you could ever imagine, then there’s no way you’ll get there.
Why? Because your outcomes always reflect your self-identity.
Your psychology.
It’s called: “the power of your self-fulfilling prophecy”.
Bottom line: your psychology and expectations for your performance determine your results.
You absolutely have to learn to think like the very best do to experience the rewards and lifestyle that the VERY best have.
Most photographers won’t do this. Most people in any business won’t do this.
We get trapped in whatever success we may already have.
(I call this the golden handcuffs syndrome)
Or we simply don’t feel we can do it. We stay Stuck.
Want to get “unstuck”? JOIN ME HERE
Whatever the reasons are, it doesn’t MATTER.
The only thing that does matter are your thoughts and your actions
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”
How you find the time to do so much writing?
Peg writes:
“Morning Rob, I just want to send you a quick note of thanks for your
email blasts, which generally arrive just as I need a shot in the arm and are so full of practical advice and common sense.
I don’t know how you find the time to do so much writing, but it is much appreciated. And I love how you promote all kinds of styles and photographers – I found Kirsten Lewis through you, and I find her work so inspiring…..”
Thanks. Your comments are appreciated. I’m blushing.
I get enough positive emails from photographers like you who get it. Yea, sure. I get some hate mail. Not much. I mostly ignore it.
But for those like minded people, I write.
And here’s how I find the “time”.
And how you can, and should find the time to do the things
that are super important in your life.
(Everyone has heard the saying…’when you want something done, ask a busy person’…it’s all about productivity…)
First off, I have the desire. Everything starts there. Desire. Pure and simple.
Secondly, I make a commitment. How simple is that?
I have a regiment, a plan, a goal, a purpose….and I commit to it.
Does it get any simpler?
I also have rules. Like, no teevee. None. Nada. Zilch….
Yes, I watch movies. But only on weekends. And not always.
The rest of the time I am committed to my goals and personal growth.
Seriously, that’s all there is to it.
Ain’t no more.
Get serious, get committed, have some rules that you will never break and be ruthlessly committed.
By the way, Peg mentioned Kirsten Lewis, who I had the privilege of running a four part series with a while back….truly epic stuff.
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”
You do NOT have to whack me over the head with a 2-by-4 to see the opportunity…
In the book on Steve Jobs he says: `We can sell this`.
He was talking about his computer idea.
Steve Jobs was known as a noticer. He recognized opportunity.
This, my friend, is a key factor that we can and should be aware of as we grow, expand and innovate our own photography skills either in what and how we market our services or how and what we shoot in our own photographic styles.
Be a `noticer`.
Years ago, as my wife and I were building our studio, a client came in with her order, dropped a pile of cash with a substantial order from her recent baby session.
It was, it seemed, easy money.
I stood there, dumbfounded, turned to my wife and said:
“You do NOT have to whack me over the head with a 2-by-4 to open my eyes to opportunity…“
It was then that I started and created was what to become the hottest selling photography programs and packages I had ever seen. It changed everything.
We made stuff up.
A kids plan….included a small album, X amount of sessions over a five year period with a 5`x7` print for the album from each session. And a small discount on reprints for playing along and becoming a member of what we called the: Kreative Kids Klub.
It sold like hot cakes.
We didn`t make huge sums on each sale, but that`s not the point. The point is, we filled a need. A market….young children, nice images vs their school pics. as a decent price.
And the publicity and spin off was astounding.
Overall, on a year to year basis, the sales were very respectable. On an individual basis, some photographers would criticize this approach and stick to their “high averages only” mindset.
I don`t and didn`t care. The only persons and opinions I cared about was my banker and my wife, who balanced the books.
We also started the hottest of all hot selling programs, the Babies First Year Wall Panel.
I can`t tell you how many we sold, mostly via direct mail, using a photo copied two sided sales letter.
I can tell you we made a ton. And the phone kept ringing. And we became known more and more in our community.
The off-shoot business is hard to measure, but I know it`s there….families, weddings, seniors…commercial even. It all counts. It all added up.
We didn’t stop there. Oh no….let`s keep going. Let`s create a Five Year Family Plan, and a spin off the babies first plan called the Toddler Panel.
What about “one off” specials, say at Xmas time since we were displaying at the local malls. We sold hundreds!
How do you create plans and offers?
Easy….you take notice. Think about what makes sense, what people are going to need, and create something for them.
If they don’t bite, you did something wrong. Keep going. Keep trying. Take responsibility.
Always eyes open…always listening for ideas and opportunities.
Steve Jobs did….So can you.
We can and should all learn in small ways and in big ways from people like Steve.
I created manuals, presentations and templates on all things marketing. To help
you become a “noticer”. It’s all in the forum.
I also created a 35 minute video on Creating Memberships for photography studios.
HERE
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
Three presentations guaranteed to help you market your photography business.
Friends….just finished another amazing Frontline presentation with Charles Gregory from the UK.
Charles is a real go-getter. He started over ten years ago, ran a busy 5,000 sp ft studio, with three photographers and staff. since starting a family he’s downsized, and is primarily shooting schools, events, head shots, commercial.
His new website which is going live in nine days as of this writing is loaded with savvy and strategic marketing strategies. And he shares it all in this presentation.
You won’t be disappointed. WATCH HERE
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Lighting Mastermind with guest host Robin Spencer
Robin showed us his recent executive headshots created on location.
Plus, I showed actual lighting tactics I used in REAL paid sessions from my photography business…weddings, families and a creative John Hartman inspired light painting shoot…
****************************************************************
Marketing Mastermind presentation
I love marketing. In this presentation I did a quick update on our two upcoming fairy day events, our family by the falls event, our Montessori School fundraiser promotion and more, much more….
Secrets to Selling
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