Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook I would not sabotage my long-term business in order to survive a panic attack or a short-term crisis. Panic attacks — we all have them “My bookings are down.” “I’ve gotta cut my prices.” “I’ve gotta slash my costs.” We all have anxiety attacks, so maybe this chapter’s for you. Anxiety is worrying in advance, worrying without a plan, psychological rather than rational. And the actions you take while you’ve got the cold sweats could affect your business for a long, long To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook Social media platforms encourage you to feed them constantly. Fair enough, they have the audience. But you need to feed yourself!  You’re lucky Photographers are fortunate in that their work generates rivers of desirable online content. You need to avoid giving away the Crown Jewels, and you need your clients’ permission to share, but your photography is a wonderful online resource. The ideal Things aren’t always ideal in the real world, but nevertheless… — Real friends are better than Facebook friends. To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next  Download the eBook You can divide the people who contact you into two groups, those who know how much you charge and those who don’t. Those who know are the perfect prospects. Don’t assume Back in the ’90s Heather and I backpacked around Vietnam. It was a rewarding and emotional experience from end to end, but one of the highlights, after weeks sweating our way around the country, was heading to the Metropole Hotel in Hanoi for a high end lunch. The wait staff weren’t particularly keen to see us, dusty and unkempt with To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook Our brand isn’t a look but a promise kept — not what we say but what we do. Value Imagine if you said, “I want you to pay me what you think I’m worth.” Most people would imagine themselves out of business. We need to tell our clients what we’re worth, and live up to our rhetoric. What is the value of your work to people who don’t know you, or how much they should be paying? The value of a compelling and authentic brand is that it tells people the price of entry and helps them see it’s worth To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook Model yourselves on people who’ve built long, profitable careers — those who get as much fun out of making a sale as taking a picture. Predictions Here are some predictions for you: Over the course of your career new cameras and technology will continue to make it ever easier for anyone to take a half-decent picture and share it with their friends and family. Even so, many people will continue to make a good living using skills that they share with most people on the planet (not just photography — writing, cooking, To View More >>

There are two types of photographers — those who love the sales process, and the rest of us! Yes, most of us really are shy about sales. We don't want to come across like car salesmen or slick real estate people. But we run businesses, and it's sales that make the business world go round. So here are some ideas to boost your album sales without being pushy or sales-y. To sell but stay true to yourself. To leave your clients feeling they've been listened to while consistently delivering beautiful wedding albums to them.  By the way, these ideas will work with all product sales — To View More >>

If you're thinking about adding spice to your packages, consider Designable Q Books. Great for portraits, pets, engagement and much more. Here are a few reasons why your clients will love them as much as we do, and how to encourage profitable product sales from your next shoot! Personalisation at every point All Queensberry products can be personalised, but add a Designable cover and thinner pages, and the options are endless. With their image on the cover, their book will be one of a kind. And you have five standard templates to choose from. More photos To View More >>

A long post but full of insights! Andy Fountain explains how he and Lewis developed their unique style of wedding photography, how almost every coverage includes an album, and the pay-off for both their clients and the studio. There are two photographers at Fountain Photography. How do you and Lewis work together to capture the big day? Lewis is now my business partner, rather than simply an employee and second shooter. Mid-photography degree, we brought Lewis in to the business with the idea of eventually shooting two weddings a day, and making twice the profit. But while To View More >>

Continuing on from Katherine’s first post, 'Why Albums?', Katherine has a few more tips about how she educates her clients about printing, and some advice for photographers who might just be starting to offer albums in their packages. How do you educate your clients about the importance of printing, rather than leaving photographs on a USB? An album really is a personal preference, so I try not to push them on my clients, but now I have over 50% of my couples order albums, I love to know they will treasure these for 30, 40 maybe even 50 years! I talk about and share my albums as To View More >>

The festive season is a great time to promote yourself and let your clients know how much you appreciate them. There's no doubt that photographs make fabulous personal gifts, especially in a nice mat, frame or canvas.  Personal touches, and adding value to packages, are good ways to have an impact without breaking the bank. 1. Give something away! Everyone loves a freebie. This could be a loose or matted print, or even a Canvas. These items have relatively short turn-around times, so as long as you hold the giveaway far enough in advance, they will have them by Christmas To View More >>