Tools for growing a photography business
I swear I’ll never pay full price for a shirt, or suit, again. Why?
Two reasons. One, when I shoot weddings I am hard on my clothes (see image above for proof). So, I buy cheaper suits, shirts and vests that tend to last a year, maybe two.
You know, throwaway. When on a wedding I’ll roll around on the road, grass or climb overpasses to create fun cool images with cool angles.
My clothes suffer.
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And she proceeded to explain how she markets and shoots high priced sessions in her studio, and sells, and shows the value of ONE SINGLE IMAGE. One single file.
Maggie is one of the most prolific and successful photography business success stories. Her passion, her drive and ambition are all testament to the success she so richly deserves.
[Read more…]Erol Tosh Marketing meeting replay
Erol had a lot to say. Yes, we had some temporary tech glitches but we got on track. Some good info and lessons including:
I love Mondays.
I always have. Go figure….
Except when I drank heavily, since Mondays I was still suffering from a hard weekend of shooting (photos), partying, smoking and drinking.
But those days are long gone. Now I love Mondays. I must be doing something right.
I feel exhilarated, refreshed and ready to take on another productive week. Doing my own thing, feeling free and alive. Ain’t nothing like it and worth every effort to get there and get my own photography studio going.
I believe this puts me in the minority. Being self-employed also places me in the minority.
It seems there is a lot of ill feelings about Mondays. Wise cracks, bumper stickers and a general malaise.
Most folks dread going back to work for another week of drudgery. Go figure.
Of course with the gain comes the pain of uncertainty. As if there is in fact any certainty in life.
I know I’d rather be the captain of my own ship. Even if I am occasionally sailing through troubled waters.
I don’t think we evolved to hate Mondays. Days of the week are an abstract idea created to measure time.
Like I said, I feel energized.
I bounce out of bed eager to get back to the studio. If you don’t feel jazzed and eager to create in business, in art, in marketing and in photography, maybe you’re not doing something right.
There’s no day of the week that’s designed to be filled with hate. Makes no sense to me.
The key, the secret is to have a purpose, a vision, something you really believe in. Something that reflects your innermost passion and love.
You will be criticized and shamed. The worst critic of all will be the inner voice that tries to shoot you down. Second to that is your closest “allies”….friends and family.
Many, many will be envious. And they won’t even realize what they’re up to.
But you know what’s going on. The solution, the actions you need to take are simple.
Yet they require some self-discipline. Discipline to create your very own reality, and shut out the naysayers from within and from without.
I’m up for the challenge.
You?
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”
This ever happen to you? You dream of walking to a bridge, and chucking it all overboard, into the flowing torrent of water below?
You know, a box full of cameras, lenses and dreams.
Poof! Gone….
What a relief it would be. Get rid of the whole fucking mess.
You imagine what a relief it would be to quit the struggle. The whole shit-show.
The constant barrage of flippant stupid questions from ungrateful clients. Questions like:: “Can’t I just get all the files on a DVD??”
For peanuts. You work for peanuts.
You imagine how good it would feel to close the book on your empty calendar with few to no sessions.
Ugh. What a pain running a photography business. After you poured every last dime on gear and education, you think “Maybe it was all a lie.”
As artists, we tend to over-estimate the pleasure to be gained from quitting and UNDER-estimate the pain.
WE ALL DO IT! Be honest.
When you look in the mirror of honesty we don’t want to admit how hollowed out we became.
You think you can quit it all, turn and head the other way. But you can’t. Here’s why:
Your ambitions, your hopes, your dreams, even if somewhat delusional, were still YOURS. If you walk, you bleed.
A long slow deadening bleed.
The struggle is real. So we think. And we delude ourselves into believing it’s the photography industry.
When the truth is even uglier. Running a business is hard grueling work.
SO many don’t understand what I’m saying. Those who do have a chance at success.
DO I have to spell it out?
The biggest lie in making it in photography is simple. It’s not about the work you create. It’s all about the marketing you implement.
Get that and you have a chance. We’ve had it too good for too long.
The easy days, and the big lie that came with them, are over.
I don’t consider myself one of the lucky ones, still in business, still churning out profits and sessions even though many would consider me “over the hill” at 60.
I consider myself, still, to this day, a student of marketing. I avoid as best I can the delusion.
School is never out.
Robert N. Provencher – Your Master Coach Marketer
“If you want to be a profitable and successful photographer, then study profitable and successful photographers.”
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.”