Photo Success

Tools for growing a photography business

The Swiss Army Knife of photography studios….

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I always said my photography studio was like a swiss army knife. A “multi-purpose” studio for lack of a better term.

Instead of specializing in a major niche, I specialize in many niches. Families, fairies, babies, commercial, weddings, boudoir, ice fairies, medieval sessions, headshots, theatre photography, seniors and more….much more.

And now pop-up weddings. (More on that in my marketing mastermind replay mentioned below)

I need to take this approach. It keeps me profitable, relevant and busy.

I could specialize and carve out a profitable niche. You know the saying, it’s true: “There are riches in niches.”

But I would need to move to a larger area where the population base would support a niche.

For now, and likely for a long time, I’ll stick around my blue collar mining community.
I’m happy here. Everyone knows me. And loves me. I know, they tell me, and they pay me.

I talked about this in the yesterday’s recorded Marketing Mastermind presentation, where I showed many of the on going marketing adventures from my own little studio in my own little community.

For members the replay is in the forum HERE

Every month I have a mastermind marketing and a mastermind lighting presentation.

It’s like nutrition for the soul and for success. I need it. I hope you do too.

See you on the inside.
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

Stupid questions…Part Two

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“There are no stupid questions, only stupid people who ask questions.”
~anonymous~

I got an email from a photographer friend…it reads:

“I started using Rob Provencher’s pricing model about a year ago. Instead of getting a sitting fee then hoping people would buy I use Rob’s idea, in this case I collect $250 at the time of the shoot. $150 of that is used as a credit towards their purchase.

I get an email yesterday from the daughter in law of a recent family portrait client. She wanted to know if everyone got a $150 credit towards their orders of it was just the mother in law. Yes really.

On a completely unrelated note, marijuana became legal in Canada yesterday.”

Ha ha….yea.

Some people ask stupid questions. It’s part of the job, the industry. It happens….

Some tell me the industry is dumbing down. Maybe. Maybe not.

Asking questions is a smart thing. Even though some questions are dumber than others.

Either way, we get to answer our clients deepest darkest desires and educate them. Not get all offended and hopeless.

I never seem to have lost the desire for asking questions. I think it’s in my DNA.

A few days ago I asked Dave Junion a ton of questions. I hope they were smart.

Smart questions get smart answers.

I like answers from real, legit photographers who have real, genuine stories, struggles and successes.

It gives me hope, inspiration and information. It’s real.

That presentation with Dave, and the recent Marketing Mastermind with international famous photographer James Hodgins is HERE for members of the club.

It was good. Very, very good. Dave is not typical in so many ways.

But one thing he is, is, he’s an amazing photographer and has crafted a very successful niche, after a few existential crisis’.

Hey, we all need a good existential crisis once in a while.

Enjoy.
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

Three photographers at the top of their game…JOIN US!

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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

Why stealing is essential to your success…

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My first decade in the business of photography saw me in awe of others who, in my mind, had made it in photography. Heroes they were.

They were successful. They created amazing images. To be fair I am still in awe, but those formative years were essential since I was getting established and building.

Some made tons of cash, yet their work was ok. Others were really, really good at photography itself, and also made a decent living. All were my heroes. All inspired me to be like them or better even.

I noticed and valued it all.

As a matter of fact, I can honestly say my success can easily be attributed to watching, learning, being inspired by and “swiping” ideas, both in marketing and in photography, from others.

I don’t think there’s an area where those who sky-rocketed to success didn’t at one time start by copying another.

Musicians, authors, artists….all of them, at one time, asked themselves the question: “How can I be like that?”

If it wasn’t for that process, me thinks most grand achievements would have fizzled.

Swiping is real, legit and essential. You see someone who creates something you like. You copy, and you make it your own. It inspires you to grow into your own.

It becomes your brand, so to speak.

The worse thing you can do (and I see this all the time, within the ranks of the most amateurs who are starting out) is to let your ego get in the way, because you think you got it, you’re all that and more.

Big mistake.

Becoming a student of success in marketing and in photography is an essential step. Take it out and it’s like taking out the foundation on a building.

I’m still a student. Luckily for me I always remained somewhat naive and childlike. Ask my wife and mother-in-law. They’ll tell you how immature I really am.

It’s why I have so many videos, presentations, interviews, mastermind meetings…..every single month, year after year.

I’m looking for ideas….so I can steal.
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

“Organic is the way to grow my photography business…”

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We had Danny Rabalais on last night in our October Marketing Mastermind meet up.

He’s retired, 57, married, a grandpa and is CRUSHING IT.
Go figure. His photography business is booming, he has a staff of over 25 worker bees and his main struggle now is: “How Big Do We Want To Grow This?”

This presentation was loaded with ideas shared by Danny.

Members login GO HERE for replay and download.

Danny will be at SPAC next January.

A must attend convention for photographers digging deep and profiting from volume photography.

Yours in photography and success,
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer

“If you want to be a profitable and suc

Paninis with my favorite photographers…

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“Where should we go for lunch with John?” I asked James.

“That panini place downtown…”

“Ok, see you there..”

Had lunch last week with James and John. I’ve known them both for at least two decades, both still full time photographers.

Not just dudes with cameras and tech. But real, legit photographers still making a living, hard cold cash, in their respective fields photographers.

James Hodgins (many of you know him- one of the best lighting masterminds with James is in the forum for members HERE) is a niche photographer well known and respected in the industrial and mining niche.

John, a grad photographer, who is loved and respected so much at the local university they are building him a studio to shoot out of. No more temporary class room studios for this guy.

How cool is that?

Yes, they do need him to shoot the occasional gig for the school. But he always gets paid. Sweet deal.

Can you still make a living running a professional photography business? Granted, it’s not as easy as it used to be, with everyone a photographer nowadays.

But possible, yes. More than ever marketing plays a key role. And choosing the right market. (which is really a marketing thing when you think about it)

You create a market that is virtually impenetrable by outside competition, you end up working in a vacuum.

Choose wisely and cherish, nurture and work your niche.

It’s too valuable to take chances on.

Whenever we get together we have a blast. The conversation centers around friendly gossip, local happenings, how awesome our wives are and mainly on making money.

Me likey.

Truth be told, John is a bit of a recluse. He may hurt me for talking about him in this email. He keeps to himself, his business and his wife & two adult kids.

But he’s a good guy, successful and we are simpatico.

It’s a rare thing these days to hang with real photographers. Not to disrespect photographers who are into the craft for the passion and love. I get that. Totally.

But for guys like me, it’s refreshing to hang with those whose lives depend on bringing home the proverbial bacon with our cameras and our skills.

It’s why I love hosting marketing masterminds online. I think it’s the coolest thing ever to be able to login, and chat with other successful photographers from all over the world.

Sharing and brainstorming quality marketing and success strategies.

Couldn’t do that 20 years ago. You had to fly, drive or crawl to an event.

Pay a ton of dough and sit through the crowded convention hall with hundreds of other sweaty photographers.

🙂

Last week I had a meeting, sans panini, with Ohio photographer Paul Floyd. Paul talked many ideas and also about his recent 16 page senior mailed to 3,000 homes. Crazy, I know. Old school.

But it works. Paul’s presentation is HERE for members. (Among hundreds of other replays.)

Join us, won’t you? The paninis are warm and tasty.
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

Is being a critic the lowest form of expression?

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There are critics everywhere.

Not a job I would want. Good thing there are more creators than critics.

I’d rather be a creator truth be told.

Maybe there’s a legit reason we have critics. Maybe not.

Maybe they keep us on our toes. Maybe it weeds out the weak and infirm.
‘Thins the herd’ so to speak.

Who knows. I look at my years of print competition and all the critiques I personally gave out and received, maybe it all had a purpose.

Who knows. Maybe we’d all be fine without them. Maybe in fact we’d create even more? Even better?

Who knows.

But critics will always be with us to darken our souls and cast a shadow.

Some are legit and serve a solid purpose.

Or do they?

If something is crap, and it’s fairly obvious, then, we’d know. Because, well, it’s obvious.

We don’t need someone to point it out, do we?

I always felt the ultimate ‘critic’ so to speak is my client. Her vote counts the most.

She votes with her wallet and her heart.

If something is a work of art, whether it’s a photo or a person, and another person, say a critic, has something negative to say, maybe, just maybe that’s there opinion.

Nothing more. We need to ignore them and listen to the only critic that matters.

Is being a critic the lowest form of expression?

Let the critics do what the critics do best. Meanwhile, my job is to create.

One final point. Don’t confuse coaching, positive feedback and old fashioned kick-in-the butt mentoring on the same plane as what a typical critic doles out.

Ain’t the same. Know the difference.
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

The secrets to making money in niche photography…

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Think of your photography business as a Swiss Army Knife. Many tools, each one doing a specific job.

A versatile tool that comes in handy.

Your photography business can be like a Swiss Army Knife too. In other words, it has many tools, each one with a specific niche purpose, each one unique onto themselves.

Having a photography business that is multipurpose and versatile is the very best way to create a successful business that will sustain you and your family and constantly be profitable.

Dan Kennedy always said that the worse number in business is one. Never be dependent on one market. If it goes away, you’re doomed.

In other words, create as many niches as you possible can.

Here’s a short list of some key essentials when picking a niche market:

  • Have a market you can get your arms around. If it’s too broad and big, then you can’t really target them. Likewise if it’s too small.
  • Make sure the market is hungry. If they don’t want what you have, it isn’t a market.
  • Create offers and promos. And make them irresistible. This is one of the keys to good marketing. I sometimes call it widgetizing. It’s re-defining a product that makes it easier to “get” so your market can understand it and act on your offer.
  • Have as many “niches” as you possibly can. Make sure you can deliver a quality service on each one. Often, your clients won’t even know about the others areas you specialize in. Doesn’t matter. They perceive you as the expert in that specific area.

This plays out in many ways. You can be branded as a wedding photographer who shoots with a specific look or style that brides love.

You could offer cool programs like the babies first year wall panel, kreative kids klub, toddler panel, five year family plan, and variations or levels on each one.

Slicing and dicing your offers to ascension marketing strategies helps too.

Families, fairies, theatre, headshots, real estate, editorial photography are all possible areas.

The real secret to niche photography is versatility and and marketing. You never want to market on “sameness” either. Stand out above the crowd.

You never want to market on price either. Yes, offer good value. But never make price your main value driven message. This will weaken you and eventually make you broke.

And we don’t want that, do we?
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