Come on down--oh, we mean come on up!--and learn the answer to the age-old question: Should you go up or down in your pricing? Should you throw in the kitchen sink? At 2:00pm ET today, Alisha and Brook Todd will delve into the mysterious world of pricing weddings, engagements and marketing yourself effectively. Learn more here.
Recently in Education Category
Would you open a boat dealership in an area with no water? Not likely...it just wouldn't make sense. That's why Blair Phillips says a business concept is a must for any emerging or existing business. And that's why he's teaching a PPA online course on bringing your business ideas to fruition ("It's YOUR Turn," January 24, 2:00pm EST).When starting and growing his own business, Blair studied his market and made sure the demographic was "conducive for the type of photography [he] wanted to shoot." As he says, "You need to have a grasp on your target demographic before you jump into anything."
And Blair will help you prepare for the "jump" into a stronger business by explaining how to develop concepts, find and remain true to a brand, create your own sets (virtually for free) and even light better (with outdoor lighting broken down into easy steps).
One of the keys to this presentation's power is that Blair will be using his own studio as an example all the way through--sharing what he's done to build toward success and how you can too. His studio became one of North Carolina's premier portrait studios in a few short years, so pay attention!
"After hearing where I came from to get to this point, you will have all the confidence in the world, knowing you can achieve anything," Blair says.
So, tune in and listen up...because now it's YOUR turn!
What does it take to succeed in portrait photography? Let's ask someone in business for 20 years now: Ed Pedi, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, one of your Imaging USA instructors! Ed had his first taste of photography when he started capturing nature images as a hobby. But it wasn't until he took a course (on posing and lighting people) at a local college that Ed knew he had to pursue a career as a portrait photographer.
"I was hooked and fell in love with the concept of photographing families and preserving their family portrait history," Ed remembers.
Having lost his own mother to cancer at a young age, Ed has always regretted not having a professional family portrait of his parents and siblings. That regret motivates him to capture other families. "I feel very strongly that every family should have a beautiful family portrait to preserve their history, and my goal is to educate potential clients on the value of such portraits," he adds.
How to Succeed in the Industry
It's a worthy goal, but it's not that alone that helped Ed get to this twentieth year in business.
Succeeding in the photography industry requires, as he says, four main steps: smart marketing, great photography, strong sales skills, and superior customer service. By strengthening all four of those areas, Ed's studio has become one of the most successful family/children portrait studios in New England. However, like many pro photographers, he's been challenged by amateurs entering the market and "touting themselves as professional photographers while giving away their images for practically no cost."
To overcome this challenge, Ed says you just need to make a little effort educating the consumer.
"SHOW them the huge difference there is in a well-lit, beautifully posed portrait that captures real expressions and personalities," he explains. "By creating a demand for you and your style of photography, you can easily help your clients understand the professional difference and why we are worth what we charge." Learn How at Imaging USA
Want to learn more how to create such demand? Want more details about how Ed achieved success in the portrait market...and how you can too? Don't miss his "Four Steps to Portrait Success" class, sponsored by Miller's Professional Imaging, on January 16 at Imaging USA!
You'll leave this class with a great understanding of what it takes to succeed in portrait photography. And there's still time to register!
Read more about Ed Pedi here.
Read more about Imaging USA here.
ALL IMAGES © ED PEDI
One of the great things in this industry--especially in PPA--is photographers' willingness to share ideas and advice. Have you found an especially effective technique? Know a great marketing or business strategy? Are you a whiz at photo manipulation? Want to share what you've learned (and earn merits toward your PPA degree)? Be a Super Monday Instructor!
The next Super Monday event will be held on May 14. (February 29 is your deadline to volunteer!) Learn more here and get ready to build networks and rack up speaking experience.
The next Super Monday event will be held on May 14. (February 29 is your deadline to volunteer!) Learn more here and get ready to build networks and rack up speaking experience.
PPA's got what you need to help make sense (and more than cents) out of your photography business, thanks to 12 business workshops coming in 2012. Need guidance with essential business and marketing questions? Want to increase your sales, keep more money and take back your life? Want to become financially stronger and more profitable? See the entire 2012 schedule to find the perfect class for you.
What separates a professional photographer from an amateur? Knowledge and Skill. One of the biggest marks of professionalism is continuing your education. Keeping up with the latest technologies, trends and techniques will help you stay competitive in your market. PPA is the authority on education for the photography industry. PPA offers a variety of educational resources and programs as part of your membership, which will give you the business and artistic knowledge you need to succeed in this industry.
Online Education
PPA's collection of business and artistic education courses includes topics from advertising to workflow and continues to grow every week. Live, online courses can be purchased individually ($39 per) or through an Online Learning Pass ($99). "PPA's Online Learning Pass is like having a membership to the PPA webinar library."1 With an Online Learning Pass you will have access to the full webinar archive and to all live webinars, for six months. Read more about the online courses here.
Local Education
PPA members can also register for Super Monday classes, a peer-led educational initiative organized by PPA. Twice a year in the spring and fall, studios from coast to coast offer photography education on a variety of subjects. It's a great chance for you to receive face-to-face education from a photographer in your area...and build up your networks! Plus, if you're working toward a PPA degree, teaching a Super Monday class can earn you two speaking merits toward it. Read more about Super Monday here.
Business Education Tools (via the Benchmark)
On top of these great educational offerings, PPA also publishes the Financial Benchmark Survey, Analysis and Toolset (or, simply, the Benchmark) exclusively for members. To develop the Benchmark, PPA surveyed hundreds of studios (like yours) across the country. The end result is a unique set of tools to help you set goals and measure your studio against many others in key financial areas (cost of sales, revenue, expenses, net profit, and so on). Read more about the Benchmark here.
And don't forget...PPA members have access to all the educational articles in the Resources section of PPA.com and receive discounts to other educational events like Imaging USA, our convention and trade show for pro photographers. So as we head into 2012, don't let these opportunities go to waste. Use these PPA benefits to keep learning and growing!
PPA members also can sign up for business workshops and consultations from PPA's Studio Management Services. Find more information on Studio Management Services in this article.
1 McDowell, TJ. "PPA Online Learning Pass Review." Larissa Photography Blog. December 13, 2011. <www.larissaphotography.com/blog/2011/12/ppa-online-learning-pass-review>
Want to tap an underserved market? How about building relationships with future senior portrait clients early on...and increasing your profits in the interim? Jen Basford figured out a way to do just that by focusing on the 'tween years: Learn how via her online class today at 2:00pm EST, "The 'Tween Years: Creating a New Market." While many studios regularly photograph newborns, toddlers, small children, seniors and families, there is a huge gap that exists between the years of photographing small children and high school seniors. Jen sought out and is building an entirely new market for this group of 'tweens, using a lot of the same techniques that helped her build her thriving senior portrait business. Come learn how to break into this market, including ideas for shooting, marketing, relationships, and events that can help build and grow a completely new area for your portrait business.
Everyone needs a business plan. It's your road map to success, helping you clearly state your goals and the steps you will take to get there. In fact, running a business without such a plan is like trying to get to a destination without knowing where you are, or in which direction to start!
Now, that's all well and good...but what's included in such business plans? How do you follow them? And why? Join Tracy on Thursday (Dec. 15 at 2:00pm EST) as she guides you through what a business plan really is AND how you use it in your business on a daily basis to keep on the right track.
Now, that's all well and good...but what's included in such business plans? How do you follow them? And why? Join Tracy on Thursday (Dec. 15 at 2:00pm EST) as she guides you through what a business plan really is AND how you use it in your business on a daily basis to keep on the right track.
How do you build great client loyalty? "The most important thing is to honestly and whole-heartedly care," advises Lisa Crayford, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, ABI. "Your clients will know if you do."
Of course, it helps to have a few strategies up your sleeve to go with that caring! So, tune in December 13 to learn some of the tactics that have helped Lisa build up to 1,000 sessions annually (with many, many returning clients)--via her PPA online class, "The Building Blocks of Client Relationships."
It all starts with prospecting for new clients. For example, one thing Lisa has done since Day One of her business is to be at her four local county fairs (all within a half-hour from her studio). She has fair attendees fill out a survey to win a session and 16x20 portrait. On the survey, they fill in their names, addresses, emails and phone number.
But prospecting can be kind of tricky, as Lisa says. "You want to get good, paying clients in your door, not the bottom feeders if you know what I mean!" That's why--to bring the best prospects to the top--she also has those who fill out her survey indicate their level of interest in her studio (1-5, with 5 being the most interested). She even offers them a choice of winning the portrait or the cash equivalent--"that rules out a lot of people," she explains.
Ready for more detailed tips, advice and techniques on prospecting and what really works to build those client relationships (like charity, sales incentives and customer service)? Join Lisa online December 13 and start building!
You've probably been there. The point where you realize you either have to price for profit or go back to doing photography for fun. But it's not an easy change to make, as Lori Nordstrom, M.Photog.Cr., CPP, knows."We all go through the same stage--starting with friends and family to 'build our portfolios," she says. "But there comes a time when we have to take ourselves out of the equation and look at the numbers. We have to evaluate our costs of sales, overhead and other expenses to determine our pricing, instead of pricing by how good we think we are or are worth."
But it's an easy spot to get stuck in, and that's why she's presenting a new PPA online class November 29, "Philosophy of Pricing" (at 2:00pm EST). Join her to learn how to...
- Raise your prices when the time comes.
- Sell to your clients (at those higher prices).
- Prepare clients for the order appointment.
- Walk clients through the process (making suggestions and ensuring they are happy with their decisions in the end).
