If you’re an event photographer, there’s no better opportunity to reach your target market than at an actual event. No matter what kind of event it is — a wedding, mitzvah or birthday party — most of your client’s guests are potential NEW clients for you! Traditionally, client communities consist of similar socioeconomic classes and aesthetic preferences. So, the guests at that event this weekend are prime examples of your target market! And if your client liked you enough to hire you, then many of their guests might too. Don’t pass up an opportunity to market directly to them. Spread the word at the event – use event cards! Not only will you give them a take-away with your contact information, but you’ll also give them
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Learning How To Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick
Running a small business is hard. When you hear people talk about a “work life balance,” you probably laugh. As small business owners it seems there is a lot more work than life! Over 11 years in business, I have been there too. New Year’s resolutions are great but too often they are left behind to die. Learning how to make your New Year’s Resolutions stick is the real challenge. Have you ever been to a seminar and left with pages and pages of ideas just waiting to be implemented? You’re fired up, inspired, and then you get home. Back to life and back to work and your inspiration list dies. It’s okay to say “yes,” we have all been there. Here are a Few Goals that I’ve
Best Business Practices – Part 7
Spring is here, so we’re sharing a series of Best Business Practice posts featuring the team of ACEs and select photographers who have integrated ShootQ and Pictage into their studios. Get to know these fantastic folks and learn tips and tricks that will streamline your studio and help you conquer busy season! Today’s profile is Ashley Davis, above, owner and principal photographer at Ashley Davis Photography. As a professional photographer, Ashley seeks the human experience – authentic, organic, fresh – and a real connection with her subject. She photographs weddings and portraits across the country. When not shooting, you can find her hiking, gardening, or doing yoga in the foothills of Boulder, Colorado with her husband and dog. Q. How long have you been using ShootQ? A. Five months. Q. What were you using to manage
Best Business Practices – Part 6
Spring is here, so we’re sharing a series of Best Business Practice posts featuring the team of ACEs and select photographers who have integrated ShootQ and Pictage into their studios. Get to know these fantastic folks and learn tips and tricks that will streamline your studio and help you conquer busy season! Today’s profile is Denise Birdsong, above, owner and principal photographer at Modern Love Photography. Denise’s studio specializes in weddings, beauty and boudoir with the goal of creating gorgeous evocative imagery. Q. How long have you been using ShootQ? A. I’ve been using ShootQ for about two years. Q. What were you using to manage your business before ShootQ? A. Shoe strings and some band aids. Really, nothing and it was a mess! Q. What prompted you to move over to ShootQ? A. Being the most disorganized person on the planet, when
Best Business Practices – Part 5
Spring is here, so we’re sharing a series of Best Business Practice posts featuring the team of ACEs. Get to know them and learn tips and tricks that will streamline your studio this season! As any ACE will tell you, you can’t do it all. Successful photographers understand this, which is why they partner with advisors and trainers who help them stay organized! This week’s featured ACE is Will Jacks, a guy who grew up wanting to play centerfield for the St. Louis Cardinals, but wound up preserving wonderful moments as a photographer. As he says, “I deal in happiness, and I couldn’t be more grateful.” Q. What’s your primary area of photography and when did you start shooting full-time? Will: I began my career as a photographer in 1997. I didn’t know what
Best Business Practices – Part 4
Spring is here, so we’re sharing a series of Best Business Practice posts featuring the team of ACEs. Get to know them and learn tips and tricks that will streamline your studio this season! As any ACE will tell you, you can’t do it all. Successful photographers understand this, which is why they are masters of time management. When building your business systems, use these time management tips: 1) Automate: Don’t waste time on monotonous tasks! Automation is as simple as creating template email responses to FAQs, automating invoice reminders, or setting up a standard workflow that you follow for each shoot. If you’re wondering how to start automating your studio, ShootQ is a great tool to help! It automates client correspondence, aspects of your workflow, and your other administrative processes. 2) Create a
What Every Professional Photographer Should Know about Business
A few weeks ago, I was in a strategy meeting for a project I’m working on, and the question was asked, “which of these two buildings are we building?” The difference is pretty clear. On the left – the leaning tower of Pisa. It’s famous for one reason: it’s falling over! Sure, structural engineers are slowing down the inevitable, but because of its poor foundation, the tower is falling after just a few hundred years. On the right – the Pyramid of Giza. For most of modern history, this was the tallest man-made structure on earth. It has lasted thousands of years and has withstood earthquakes. We don’t know know exactly who built it but it stands firm. Its foundation is solid, even as it
Best Business Practices: Part 2
Since Spring is here, we’re sharing a series of Best Business Practice posts featuring the team of ACEs. Get to know them and learn how their tips and tricks will streamline your studio this season! As any ACE will tell you, the reality is you can’t do it all. Successful photographers understand this, which is why they begin with a clear vision for their business. Start by asking “Why?” The most valuable question you’ll ask throughout the lifetime of your business is “Why?” When you’ve established a clear purpose and goals for your business, frequently asking yourself why you do what you do will hold you accountable to your overall vision and keep your business on track for success! So, why do you do what you do? First identify
Best Business Practices for Busy Season: Part 1
Since Spring is in the air, we’re sharing a series of Best Business Practice posts featuring the team of ACEs. Get to know them and learn how their tips and tricks will streamline your studio this season! As any ACE will tell you, the reality is you can’t do it all. Successful photographers understand this, which is why they begin with a clear vision for their business. This vision guides them to set specific goals. From there, they set up systems to accomplish their goals. This week, ACE Kate Passaro shares her tips for running a streamlined business. Q. What’s your primary area of photography and when did you start shooting full-time? ACE Kate: My primary area of photography is people – littles, bigs, at a wedding or at