Photo Success

Tools for growing a photography business

Do this one thing and your sales will flow…

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It seems selling photography is getting tougher and tougher all the time. I know, I see it, experience it and witness some strange behaviors.

Questions from clients are revealing. For example, two recent scenarios from our studio and one from another studio who shall remain nameless.

“Can I come over take a cell phone picture of so and so’s family photo so I can run to Walmart and get some prints?”

Serious. This happened last week. My wife was stunned.

Another client contacts a studio and asks…..“The $150.00 credit we have towards the family session, does everyone in the family get the same $150.00 credit.”

Really?

Really.

Imagine if you will a crappy cell phone photo. Now, imagine a finely crafted portrait of the same subject. Fine, as in, ….“whoa..wish I shot that! I love that style! It’s stunning…” fine.

It seems many people don’t know the difference anymore between quality and crap.

To be fair, I am not gripping and running down grievance road. It’s important to know what’s going on in society so we can best “fix the problem”, assuming it is fixable.

So, on that note, here’s my best advice in three parts. Do this and sales will flow in your favor like water down a hill.

  • get in front of the right clients. Yes, they’re out there. Sell to them. It’s called a hungry crowd. It’s your job to find them, not assume because you’re all that and more they will find you. And manage their expectations.
  • make marketing your mission. Become a marketing maven. It’s your responsibility as a business owner. Many photographers don’t get this. It’s scares them, truth be told.
  • deliver products that they want, not work that satisfies your ego.

This is one reason I never was crazy about print competitions. Yes, yes, they help you grow and become a better photographer. But will it help you create products they want?

Know the difference. Is it ego based or strategy?

I was at one of our 3 day events a few years ago, during the night owl mastermind (everyone loved these!) and one lady was complaining about her lack of clients.

I asked her the obvious, how big is your town? About 2,000 she replied.
My advice? Move.

Get in front of the right clients. If they’re not there, you need to move to where they are, or, adjust your offerings to get the limited amount in your area to respond.

Know your market. This is the FIRST step in marketing. If you have a great product, and no one wants it, you don’t have a product. It’s that simple.

Kristi Elias is a great example. I interviewed her last year. She’s flowing in work and has an endless amount of clients because she delivers and is in the right area for her work.

I interview a lot of photographers every year because I am a student of marketing. Always will be.

And tomorrow night I am bringing in Stacey Fox. And you’re welcome to join us.

CHECK OUT her resume and the list of things she does to remain relevant in her industry.

Of course all members have access to the replay and download.

Thu, Nov 8, 2018 8:00 PM – 9:00 PM EST REGISTER HERE

Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

You don’t really need a studio….but….7 reasons why it’s really cool to have one

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It’s true, you don’t really need a studio to be successful in your own photography business.

But it sure is nice to have one. Here’s 7 reasons why it’s really cool to have one:

  1. You have control…lighting, drops, looks you want to create. To me, it’s like a chef in his own kitchen. I feel at home, and I feel creative
  2. I can offer way, way more photography promotions and offers….fairies, cross promotions (like the one I’m doing with Montessori School this and every fall..)
  3. It pushes my brand…I stand out
  4. It impresses clients and potential clients. Having them in my studio, for whatever reason, is an opportunity to make an impression. Of course, you don’t want to be a slob and have the place smell like pastrami
  5. Sales….yes, sales. You will make more sales in your own studio. It’s your battlefield and you get to create the sales room for maximum impact
  6. Bricks and mortar….location of course. If you have a legit commercial location you get the added benefit of having people see your place, and your work. This adds a level of credibility.
  7. Compliance. Yes, you are committed and feel way more compelled to make it work. There are no guarantees but if you’re going to ramp up your photographic game and run a bricks and mortar business you’ll get way more serious about marketing and all things business related.

No, you don’t absolutely need a studio to make money in photography. Some markets in photography are strictly on location. And with good marketing, branding and networking you can be successful.

But I’m a studio guy. I like having my place, where I can create, connect, impress and call it “home”.

Because having a studio to me always felt like home. A base. World headquarters. Mi casa. My cave.

Ascension marketing, selling, busting out into many more different markets within my market and more, so much more, are possible with a studio.

Next Wednesday I am running the August 2018 Marketing Mastermind where I’ll go over some of the essentials and basics including actual promotions I’m running in my studio.

Join us! Your questions in advance are welcome…rob@wizardoflight.com

REPLAYS FOR ALL MASTERMIND HERE
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

How to get a free full page ad for your photography studio…

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This is not the first time I scored free advertising in bigger media outlets in our city. I’ve acquired full page ads in magazines, newspapers and most recently a full page 8.5″ x11″ ad in  a local real estate mag. This ads are typically very expensive, sometimes running into thousands of dollars for a full page version.

I did get lucky, but I’ll take it. I believe in getting out in the community and giving. A lot. As much as you can. I find many photogs get pigheaded over this one.

What happened for me recently is a guy started a ballroom dance event. You know, chacha, waltz, foxtrot and such. (For the record, my wife and I are dance school dropouts.)

This even was a fund raiser, for kids with cancer. I think it was more a showcase for the dancers, which it was. It appears dancers are very passionate, and love dancing. Especially when in a crowd.

So Len, the guy who started it, contacted me to see if I wanted to set up a drop, lights etc and shoot on spec. I thought about it, and came back with a better idea. “Why not give me an area to display at, feed me and my wife, and I’ll shoot all the dancers in action, and give everyone the files.”

Done. It was  huge success. Why didn’t I go with his suggestion? Think about it. There were 16 dancers. I’ll go in, bring all my lights, a huge drop, and see if anyone wants to pay me for pics. Ugh. I’d rather go back to dance school.

My ultimate suggestion was, in my oh so humble yet accurate opinion, was a much better solution. Win win all the way, and we got a great meal out of it. Not to mention all that publicity.

I love helping out in our community too. Meeting so many people, getting face time, and displaying my work. That, and Len was so grateful, he gave me a full page ad in his real estate magazine. (yes, that’s his full time, day time job and business.)

You can see some of the images I shot from this event. And the actual ad I ran….
I spoke in greater detail on this subject in the December Mastermind presentation…. replay available HERE for members.

 

Next year will be even better…..just watch.

Yours in success and in photography,

Rob

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

Learning to “see” the light and create portrait style lighting on location.

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Light is ridiculously simple and infinitely complex all at once. It’s like music, take  a few notes and you can create a masterpiece. But you need to know where you’re going, what you want to create. In other words, mastery. Learning to “see” the light.

Just like learning to play the piano, or the guitar, or the sax, learning light isn’t about buying lights or throwing a flash on camera. When you get to a scene, it’s about seeing what is available and using it, like any tool, and create a masterpiece. Even if it’s a portrait of a two year old. (which also requires an extra dash of timing, luck and patience)

Check it out, from the summer time….two scenes, very similar, where I maximized the lighting available.

We were facing north, and there were some soft streaks of light coming in from behind this scene, creating some “kicker” light:

The final results, almost near perfect studio type lighting. Yes, I did get lucky to some degree, since this was an active two year old. But I had an idea where I was going, what I hoping to achieve, and a willingness to act crazy to get her attention for a nano second. (you won’t have much luck with two year olds unless you’re willing get a little nutty. They “get” nutty…):

Same area, different scene, a younger boy. Arrow on the left indicated where I was standing during the shot. Notice that behind me is the north sky.

Arrow on the right is where the boy is standing. The light coming in from his left, our right, makes for near perfect portrait lighting on location.

80-200 2.8  lens at 200mm, 2.8

Working with lighting on location and “seeing the light” takes time and practice. Force  yourself to see the light, the light source, the possible kicker lights and stop, think, analyze for best results during your on location portrait sessions.

I used to really struggle with this, especially when working with people. I’d get flustered, nervous and couldn’t focus on the job at hand. With time and persistence I feel very confident when working with light.

Yours in success in photography,

Robert Provencher

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

Beware the guru…

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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

“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

How you find the time to do so much writing?

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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.”

Join us…Content, Coaching & Community

How to create sales with your photography in the 4 figure+ range…

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Been perusing the information shared last Thursday in the webinar with Maria Sampaio.

This happens to me when I attend a great event or a really good movie with a great story or even when indulging in a great meal….yummmmm.

It percolates, resonates and stays with me. I get ideas, flashbacks, creative insights….all stemming from the original source.

I can taste it days later.

Maria was with us to discuss her selling strategies used in her studio. And she has a winning system. one of the BEST I’ve seen.

And system is the key word. When you hit upon a structure that works, it becomes the go to “system”.

Selling is not immune. Systems are valuable. I’ve been using them for decades.

She shared with us the key steps used and the dialogue spoken, step-by-step.
That, plus she showed us her price list book (part of her sales process), which I thought genius.

PLUS, a whole bunch more. Including one of the coolest, most effective SEO strategies for ranking high in google searches.

Nothing, was held back. I’ve posted the replay and included the script, samples of her menu and more in the forum.

HERE for members.

Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

P.S. Not a member? JOIN US HERE