Top 5 Little or No Cost Photography Marketing Tools

1. Free blog page at Blogspot.com or WordPress.org
2. 250 Free Business Cards at VistaPrint.com
3.  Free Facebook Business Page
4. Cheap Domain Name at:  go-danny.com
5. Business Networking Events

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Top 10 Undeniable Photography Truths

Image by www.robertorey.es via Flickr10. The more beautiful the subject, the harder they will be to please.
 9.  Photographers are like gamblers, they overstate their earnings and understate their losses.
  8. You don't have to take perfect photos to make money in photography.
  7. If the baby doesn't smile for the photo, mom will not be happy.
  6. In the family photo, mom needs to look the best for it to be a successful sale.
  5. Senior citizens will always show up 30 to 45 minutes early for their photo session.
  4. Regardless of the photographer, posed rock band photos always look the same.
  3. Wrestlers will never smile for their photos.
  2. If you need assistance with team photos, always go to the "team mom."
  1. The two things needed to be a successful wedding photographer are a good assistant and a sturdy step stool.

TOP 10 GOAL SETTING TIPS FOR 2012

1. Be decisive
2. Stay focused-first things first
3. Welcome failure-sometimes you have to go through a lot of "Nos" to get to "Yes"
4. Write down goals-if it's not written down it's a wish not a goal
5. Plan thoroughly
6. Get others involved-find a mentor-don't be afraid to ask for help
7. Take purposeful action-always be moving forward
8. Enjoy the journey-you gotta have fun
9. Reward  yourself
10. Review your goals often

Two other notes that I've come believe.

• Always have a dream, no matter what
• To avoid discouragement, forgive yourself for past failures

Just had a great seminar.

Image via WikipediaI do monthly Photography Business Builder seminars the third Thursday of the Month at the Keller Graduate School of Management in Phoenix.  Yesterday's topic was creating your 2012 Photography Business Marketing Plan. We had a great seminar. More to follow. I'll post updates here.

A Photography Success Story in Arlington, Minnesota

Image via WikipediaRealtors always talk about marketing to their "farm" which is their designated marketing area they are willing to cover.  Photographers should have their "farm" figured out as well. A friend of mine is doing very well in an area you might not expect. Angela Archer with Angela Archer Photography is working her farm in farm country, Arlington, Minnesota population 2500.

It used to be that every small town had it's own professional photographer. With the advent of regional shopping centers came the big box studios and the one hour photo stores that effectively put most of these mom and pop studios out of business. Angela has taken the advice of an old mentor of mine who used to say, "bloom where you are planted."  Angela owns her "farm."  She has worked hard to cultivate new business and bring back the "home town photographer."

So what does she do?  First off, she's a great photographer who knows the names of her clients and treats them with tender loving care.  Secondly she works her studio as if it were located in the middle of a big city. She has special studio theme days for family and children's portraits. She does all the work for the local high school so she pretty much does the lion's share of the senior portraits. She also has a growing wedding business. She has forged strategic alliances with vendors and made use of social media, especially Facebook.

As someone who is from a small town, I can tell  you this, you do good work and you'll have a customer for life. Small town people support each other big time. But they do not like being taken for granted either. They are not fools and they are savvy buyers who will go elsewhere if their business is not respected.

In short, Angela has does a lot of things right. Did it happen overnight?  No, but she kept moving forward because growing up in Arlington,  she knew the value of her "farm" better than anyone else.

DO YOU KNOW THE VALUE OF YOUR FARM?

A new market nitche?

Image via WikipediaI saw an ad in one of the job search sites today that was a totally different type of photography. I knew that a hospital would certainly have a photographer in their PR or Communication Dept.  I also assumed that someone was taking photos of the various injuries etc.  But here they are advertising for something very specific.  A Photographer for their Burn Unit!  Now that would gross and difficult for me, so I passed it on to some friends who might be interested in Medical Photography. I'm pointing it out because it's just another example of how, as a photographer, you are only limited by your imagination.