A huge crowd turned up last week to the first of our two-part webinar series focused on the most critical issue facing professional photographers: how to survive and thrive in today's demanding market. But plenty more people missed it and asked us to post a recording online. So here's part one: How to sell albums (and why) Or click here to watch it full screen on our vimeo channel. Ian (Director and co-founder), Stephen Baugh (Managing Director) and Jo Newman (UK Account Manager) answer some important questions... What can my competitors teach me? How should I choose my sample albums? To View More >>

Yes our circumstance is unique (our studio was wiped out in an earthquake), but what a great motivator to get a new sample album or two. Very seldom do we get a blank canvas opportunity where we get to look at what we do and ask, "If my past no longer dragged down my future what would my future be?" On February the 22nd  everything changed. We went from a plan, to a nightmare, to a dream. But this post isn't about us. This is about you. We as a studio would often leave updating our samples until there was a specific need, which most often was a bridal show. This always put pressure on us and the To View More >>

Three quick tips to simplify album design. 1. Avoid unnecessary repetition (eg this is the bride looking slightly left, straight ahead, and slightly right) unless you make your profits from the number of images you sell. 2. Embrace open space (especially in sample albums - lead by example). 3. Offer a two album option that allows people to have lots of images without overcrowding. While I'm mentioning 'leading by example': If you don't make a sample album from each order, at least make each design into a slideshow you can show prospective clients. This library of slideshows allows you to show them To View More >>

My clients would not dream of paying me $4000 for an empty photo album. Nor would they pay that for a book with somebody else’s photographs in it. They wouldn’t pay me that much even if I supplied them the files to print the images themselves. My clients would pay me $5000 for a book that told a story about themselves that was beautiful, personal, and emotional. The tooth fairy only pays up on the real thing. What is a sample album? Sample albums have several jobs. The main one is to set up an expectation. An expectation of quality, style, and professionalism. Our sample album(s) are what To View More >>

Michael and Anna Costa have been touring the US over the past few months sharing their secrets at PUG conferences and events. We're their preferred album supplier so we designed an 18x12 Duo for them to take on tour. The objective was to demonstrate the value of differentiation: how great presentation can help you stand out and build your studio profile. So how did it go? We received this note from them: "I wanted to tell you the album is drop dead gorgeous. The hundreds of people that saw it absolutely loved it! It couldn't have got a better response.   "There’s just nothing quite like a Queensberry To View More >>

I’m dropping my prices … people aren’t spending as much … my bookings are down … I need to go to cheaper albums … I’ve started doing shoot-and-burn … I’m worried about my income. You’ve heard the talk. Are you struggling in the face of competition, recession and demanding clients? Or do you just want to hear someone else’s take on things? As well as our usual Photojunction webinars, we’re hosting two new ones on the most critical issue facing professional photographers: how to survive and thrive in today’s demanding market. Webinar 1: How to sell albums (and why) Thurs To View More >>

I’m dropping my prices … people aren’t spending as much … my bookings are down … I need to go to cheaper albums … I’ve started doing shoot-and-burn … I’m worried about my income. You’ve heard the talk. Are you struggling in the face of competition, recession and demanding clients? Or do you just want to hear someone else’s take on things? As well as our usual Photojunction webinars, we’re hosting two with Queensberry on the most critical issue facing professional photographers: how to survive and thrive in today’s demanding market. Webinar 1: How to sell albums (and why) To View More >>

Meet Chris MacKenzie. He's new to the industry. He's working hard to build his business. He's doing it in the tough UK market. And, he's just set up a promotion with an exclusive venue in his area. A real 'corker' to use his words. "The first day I was there, I met the Executive Vice President at Pebble Beach Golf Resort. The next day I met a billionaire. On my third visit, I met an Australian couple who'd just returned from a luxury six week tour of Europe. They were so taken by my sample albums that the chap started asking about using Queensberry to display his holiday snaps." Now some might To View More >>

Listen to people talk and you'd think only two people are involved in buying an album—the bride and her mother. But what happens if the person making the decisions is the guy? How do you sell to him? Well it's been a while since I got married but I'm a guy … let me think: If the first time you think about me is when you finally realise that I'm blocking your sale, too late! You needed to start paying attention a lot earlier. But let's start at that point anyway, and work backwards… 1. If you ignore me while doing that sales job on my girl I'm probably not going to be happy. There's been a To View More >>

Yesterday we packed for a tradeshow we're about to attend in Australia. One of the things I enjoy about packing is browsing through our sample albums as we work. Not often are there so many in one place. Looking through them all yesterday got me pretty excited about my own album. I was reminded that there's something quite special about seeing something you're buying in the flesh. Just as you may use a crafted slideshow online, to show off your work to prospective clients in the hope they'll come in to book, a (real) sample album has some serious pull when you're face to face. Sending clients To View More >>