Recently in Webinar Category

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.

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!

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. 

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!

Considering starting a baby plan at your studio...or are you struggling with the one that you already have? Join Farrah Braniff, Cr.Photog., CPP, next week for an online class on everything you need to know to get a "baby's first year" plan started (or make it even more profitable) at your studio. Over half of Farrah's business is from her own popular baby plan, so tune in to overcome seasonal lulls and keep business flowing into your studio all year long!

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).

This could be just what you need to become more profitable...and raise your prices without scaring off your clients!

Benchmarks. What are they? What do they tell us? And why should you care? "I believe that in every endeavor, it is good to have a method for setting goals," says Jen Roggi, Cr.Photog., ABI, CBM. And that's why you should pay attention to the PPA Benchmarks. They've guided Jen, and she wants to help you learn to use them, too!

"The Benchmarks give averages and top numbers by which you can make decisions about your own company," adds Jen. "For example, I use the Benchmarks to see where the industry is going when I am planning my upcoming year, and it also helps me see how healthy and strong my business is." Once she knows that, she knows what areas she needs to concentrate on.  

Jen's seen the benchmark benefit firsthand, and that's why she wants to help other PPA photographers take advantage of this resource.

"Even seasoned photographers often struggle to make ends meet, or feel that they are working hard with little to show for it. So, use the PPA Benchmarks to analyze your business and find out where you are going wrong!" Jen advises. "Every photographer should know how to use these Benchmarks so that they can build their business to support their financial needs better than ever."

Join Jen Roggi for her online class, "Better Your Business with Benchmarks" (November 15, 2:00pm EST), as she reviews PPA's photographic benchmarks and explains how you can use them to analyze and improve your business.

Learn more about the PPA Benchmark resources here.

As a professional photographer, you deal with a lot of equipment and software in the course of your work. They can save you time and make your end results better than ever...if you know how to use them efficiently. Take Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for example. Did you know that you can use that one program to post and manage images on social networking sites? To create inspiration boards/collages for blogs? To create slideshows and more?

Yes, Lightroom can be used in a myriad of ways, and Michael Corsentino's upcoming PPA online class is just the place to learn more: "Presenting Your Images with Lightroom" (October 18, 2:00pm ET).

Among the many techniques he'll share is one time-saving tip that remains his absolute favorite: presets. "Lightroom was built from the ground up with a framework of preset options in each of its modules," explains Corsentino. "Once created, presets allow you to automate your repetitive tasks and frequently used properties--all you have to know is how to set them up. So, repeat after me: presets, presets, presets!"

And Corsentino isn't stopping at improving your Lightroom abilities. One attendee will be selected to win a studio makeover prize valued at more than $1,000! So, what are you waiting for? Sign up for his October 18 class now!

Looking for a way to create additional streams of income? Who isn't! Well, Laura Moul, M.Photog., CPP, has a few suggestions for you. Try what she did and branch out into the fine art market. (She's even offering a PPA online class on how to do it right!)
 
One thing that's nice about the fine art market is that you can start integrating it almost immediately into your studio. In fact, fine art photography has usurped the place of weddings and outdoor portraiture as the focus of Laura's business.
 
"Now I concentrate on landscape, wildlife, flower and nature photography...and I enjoy it much more," she explains. "I'm also expanding into home décor and photo commissions to better serve my higher end clients (for more profit!)."
 
But the ease of integration doesn't mean that such transitions are without pitfalls. "Without some background and understanding of the fine art market, photographers could spend funds needlessly," says Laura. "It is better to have knowledge before jumping into any new field."
 
That's where her PPA online class comes in. You'll learn about developing and placing the right products in the right locations, surviving art shows and exhibitions, essential networking and more...all proven steps to help you avoid the common pitfalls of entering this market. If this sounds intriguing to you, join Laura for "Transitioning into the Fine Art Market" (October 11, 2:00pm ET).