Getting it Done!
Thursday, Feb 28, 2008
One of the concepts that I share as a part of the tour program involves creating your daily Action List. We all have used a To-Do List from time to time. My late wife Sue (who was extremely organized) preferred to call it an Action List rather than a To-Do List. Her philosophy was that you don’t just do it, you need to take action on it! Sue was the master of getting a lot of THINGS done in a very short period of time. What was her secret? Here are 3 of them! (1) Create your Action List at the end of the day for the next day. That way all the important items are still fresh on your mind. (2) After writing down each item, go back and prioritize them from the most urgent (most important and usually the hardest) to the least urgent. (3) Take action on the most urgent items first, Not Last! On a personal note, Josh and I would like to thank the wonderful group of photographers last night in Charlotte, NC. It was a great evening before, during, and after the program. Thanks again! B.H.
“Can’t you just center it?”
Wednesday, Feb 27, 2008
We had an absolutely delightful crowd last night in Charleston, SC. When I was discussing composition I had a question from the audience. “Bruce, do your clients ever say- can’t you just center it or crop it in?” “Not really,” I answered. The point I was trying to make was in order to sell large portraits you need to use more space in your composition. This in turn makes your subjects smaller. With your subjects smaller the overall portrait size needs to be larger in order to maintain the integrity and impact of the image. Just adding space for space sake does not work. The space needs to have a purpose and add to the composition of the image. The space should also contain elements that have meaning to your clients. A great example of this is demonstrated in this week’s Image of the Week. “Can’t you just center it or crop it on our faces?” No Way! If you crop in to close you won’t see Safe Co Field where they’re beloved Seattle Mariners play! So long from Charlotte, NC! B.H.
Never Stop Learning!
Tuesday, Feb 26, 2008
Last night we completed our 36th city in Atlanta, GA. This leg of the tour takes us through the South with us in Charleston, SC tonight, Charlotte and Raleigh, NC the next two nights, and finishing up in Richmond, VA on Friday. This is Josh’s first time to these states and he is excited to experience all the famous Southern hospitality! During the program last night one of the attendees enlightened us to what “grits” really means. In his words, “Girls Raised In The South!” Josh and I have not tried any grits yet on this trip but we were told that you put sugar on them when you are younger and salt on them when you are older. So what’s Yankee supposed to put on them? It is amazing what we have learned on this trip thus far. I guess it goes to show you that you never stop learning. Speaking of learning, I just finished a new book, “The StarBucks Experience” that will be featured in this month’s Monthly Mentor Success Guide and Audio CD Program. It is one of the first time and only times that StarBucks has allowed an independent writer inside to analyze the success of their machine. As I have said many times before, explore and learn new ideas from outside the photography profession and then apply those concepts to your own business. Our featured book is a great example of that! So long from Charleston! B.H.
Never Judge a Taxi by its Driver!
Friday, Feb 22, 2008
My morning today was spent hanging out at our new home waiting for the Cable Guy and my client Marty who was installing all the glass shower doors. I photographed Marty and his wife Julie’s wedding some 24 years ago and they have been awesome clients ever since! As Marty was ready to leave we struck up a conversation about customer service- good and bad. He related to a story that one of his customers shared with him about a trip to the Phoenix airport. His customer (Bob) had just finished a grueling business meeting in the Phoenix area and was dreading the 25 minute cab ride to the airport. Bob was hot, tired, and cranky. He was not looking forward to a non-air conditioned, smelly cab ride. It took all his strength to hail a cab at his hotel. As he entered the cab he was greeted by a pleasant cabbie, an air conditioned environment, a cooler with assorted sodas and bottled water, and even a daily paper. This was not a normal cab ride. As Bob’s attitude instantly changed to the positive side of the ledger, the cabbie asked when his flight was scheduled? Bob now relaxed and shared with his driver that he had left a little early just to get out of the hotel and business environment. The cabbie then suggested that if he hadn’t experienced a particular tourist site on the way to the airport he would be happy to stop by and show him. Bob was a little skeptical- “How much more will this cost me over the traditional $22.50,” he thought to himself? “Sure, why not,” Bob replied. Everything else had been great up to this point; Bob decided to take a chance! In the final minute or so before they arrived at the airport Bob asked the cabbie point blank, “What does the average cabbie make in this town a year?” His driver responded, “About 12,000 to $18,000 a year.” Bob then asked, “How much did you make last year?” The cabbie responded with a sense of pride, “Over $100,000!” “Wow, I can see why! How much do I owe you for the extra stop” Asked Bob? “$22.50 as I told you earlier sir,” said the cabbie. As Bob left the cab his driver asked for a business card and thanked him for the opportunity to serve him. 3 days later, Bob received a personal thank you card from his cabbie in Phoenix once again thanking him for the business and that he would be honored to be his driver the next time he is in town. WOW! You just never know. High levels of customer service can come in all shapes and sizes. Can we all relate to this story? Yes we can! See ya tomorrow! B.H.
Being Proactive is the key!
Wednesday, Feb 20, 2008
This time of the year is always tough in almost any business- not just photography! I had the wonderful opportunity to spend the entire day with my beautiful wife of 4 ½ months Terri. She is a realtor and today was a great day to catch up with some of her latest marketing strategies. When it comes to selling real state, you must be proactive. The competition is fierce. Terri has taken over a new construction neighborhood where the houses haven’t been selling. As the listing agent, it’s her sole responsibility to market and create desire for the builder’s homes. Just imagine having a dozen big name studios around you in 1/8 of a mile radius. I don’t care how amazing a photographer or builder you are, you must be proactive and go after your prospect clients.
Looking for ideas? Here’s a few to try tomorrow.
(1) Write a personal letter to 5 of your clients you haven’t heard from in a while.
(2) Call one of your top clients and invite them to lunch next week.
(3) Take two of your oldest studio samples and sell or give them to your clients. Then order two new samples and update your look. Many color labs have Large Print specials going on this time of the year!
Make tomorrow a marketing day! Being proactive is the key! BH
Success!
Monday, Feb 18, 2008
“Success is one thing you can’t purchase outright. You buy it on the installment plan and pay for it every day!” – Zig Zigler Everyone’s level of success is different and thus the daily payments vary in price. What does it take each day to pay for your level of success? Think about it today and I’ll share my thoughts tomorrow! Happy President’s Day! B.H.
Changing the Rules
Sunday, Feb 17, 2008
Yesterday I wrote about starting a new chapter in my life and business. Part of that change also includes Changing the Rules! What rules? One of the most important concepts I have implemented the past 25 years in business has been the 80/20 Rule. I learned this from one of my mentors, the great Charles Lewis! The 80/20 Rule states that 80% of your business will be generated by 20% of your clients. This has been the driving force of my studio since I learned the concept from Chuck in the early 1980’s. Build and maintain the relationship with the top 20% of your client database because they will in turn bring in 80% of your business! I feel that we have done this very effectively for more than 2 decades and is the focus of my book The Relationographer. Check it out at www.relationographer.com. So why change the rule that has been so successful? Actually I am not really changing the rule, but taking it to a new level by moving the studio to my new home and lowering some overhead expenses. This will also allow the studio to slow down a bit by moving from a medium volume to a low volume business model. This doesn’t necessarily mean a smaller a bottom line (net profit). On the contrary I see the potential for a healthier profit margin with fewer clients. The 80/20 rule will transform into the 95/5 rule. 95% of sales will be derived from 5% of our clients. An additional benefit to this new rule is the extra attention and pampering my top 5% clients will receive. They deserve it! So, what can you do to improve an already successful principal or concept at your studio? It just might take “Changing the Rules!” Till tomorrow, B.H.
A New Chapter Begins!
Friday, Feb 15, 2008
Two nights ago Josh and I finished our 35th city of the tour in Minneapolis, MN. Josh and I would like to thank all of the passionate photographers we met in all of the cities for tour legs 7 and 8. Everyone that attended braved the famous Mid-west February weather. We stared in snowy Green Bay and ended in Minneapolis. Today begins a new chapter in my life, as Terri and I finally move into our new home on the lake. We could not be more excited! Not only will this residence be our new home but also the location of my new studio. In the coming months we will begin to make the transition from a commercial location of 20 years to a resident location. This is truly a new chapter in Terri’s and my life. Not to mention the evolution of Hudson Designer Portraits! One of the most exciting business elements of the move will be the re-branding of the studio. The business model will be changing as well as the Hudson’s brand and identity. I am looking forward to sharing the step by step process as it unfolds with such things as new logos, websites, and marketing and sales materials. So, a new chapter begins and an old chapter closes. Yes, a lot of work ahead of us but also a sense of moving forward, embracing change, and just living life to its fullest! I could not be happier than I am right now! Till tomorrow, Happy Belated Valentines Day! B.H.
Tools Are Tools!
Wednesday, Feb 13, 2008
One of my mentors in this business is Ken Whitmire from Yakima, WA. I had the opportunity to interview this 50 year veteran a few months ago for The Monthly Mentor. In fact HE will be our featured photographer for the month of March and April. Ken has a profound insight on our profession. One of my favorite quotes from this genus is “Anyone can use a typewriter- But how many Hemmingway’s are out there in the world!” A camera is like a typewriter, it is only a tool to convey a message. When you purchase a hammer, do you then become a master craftsman? Never forget you are the creative force behind the lens. Tools are tools! What you do with those tools determine if you are Hemmingway or not. So long from Minneapolis! Back to Seattle tomorrow! B.H.
Best of the Best
Tuesday, Feb 12, 2008
Last night in Omaha we completed our 33rd city of the tour. The hotel staff was the best we have experienced to date. What made this Embassy Suites so amazing? (1) “No” was not part of their vocabulary- They never said no to any of our requests! That’s huge! (2) There was always a sense of urgency- They got into our meeting room and completed our request to rearrange the tables and chairs very quickly. (3) Rolling up their sleeves!- The staff that normally does the room arranging work had left for the day already. The manager “types” with their nice suits and name tags jumped in there, rolled up their sleeves and got the job done. At some hotels the managers usually do not do manual labor. Not at THIS Embassy Suites! (4) Attitude- The level of enthusiasm was off the charts! It was almost “party” like. I got a hint of some of the hotel staff’s training on the back of the “Team Members Only” area behind the meeting rooms. There were tips on service and courtesy that was painted all over walls. They preached such things as using eye contact, acknowledging hotel guests, and never pointing your finger! Instead, escort the guest in the right direction. So what is the moral of this story and how can you apply this to your own business? Bottom Line- Develop positive policies and then put them into practice on a daily basis. We are off to Sioux Falls, SD tonight and we are actually staying at another hotel managed by the John Q. Hammons Hotel Company. This is the management firm from our hotel last night. I can’t wait to experience the service again! B.H. PS- Is it always this cold in the Mid-West? Brrrrr…
Craftsmanship Takes Time!
Saturday, Feb 09, 2008
Josh and I took advantage of our day off to explore downtown Chicago. Our main goal was to experience the famous deep dish pizza! We found a little place that did not disappoint us in the least. It did take a while to bake though. Most pizzas usually take 10 or so minutes; this one took close to 45 minutes. Our server apologized in advanced, explaining that each pizza is hand made from scratch. He also mentioned that it is not uncommon for tourists to walk out of the restaurant because they are not willing to wait 45 minutes. As he put it, “Craftsmanship takes time, doesn’t it?” I said, “That is a good way to put it!” The pizza was absolutely amazing! It was worth the wait and was the best pizza Josh and I had ever had! We can apply this same concept to the photography business. Just because we can receive finished prints a few days after a session doesn’t mean we have to get those prints into the client’s hands so quickly. It is all about perceived value. May it be pizza or photography, “Craftsmanship Takes Time!” B.H.
It’s a Blizzard Out There!
Thursday, Feb 07, 2008
A warm felt thanks to all our Milwaukee attendees last night! If you haven’t heard, Southern Wisconsin had the worst snow storm since 1979. Traveling through Wisconsin in February has been everything we heard it could be- challenging! There have been some rewards though. Josh got to see the home of the Green Bay Packers for the first time and we both experienced Brett Farve’s Steak House. It was awesome! Tonight we are in Chicago ready to once again share the message of the many “New Directions” our profession is taking. Some good- Some bad. Almost like a blizzard- Nasty yesterday, beautiful this morning! Time to plow through it! B.H.
It’s All in a Brand! PART II The Super Bowl!
Monday, Feb 04, 2008
Did you see the big game yesterday? Pretty amazing finish, wasn’t it? What was your favorite part of the day? I enjoyed the pageantry of the event but I guess the marketing geek in me really looks forward to the commercials! I love to analyze and dissect what makes one commercial stand out from the rest. Many brands have been launched to millions of consumers during the Super Bowl broadcast. Remember the controversial ad from GoDaddy.com that made them a household name? They did it again by teasing us, the consumer, to log on to their website…again! Remember to always set yourself or your business apart. It takes developing a brand that people will recognize and are curious to explore. GoDaddy.com is a perfect example of creating a brand and then driving consumers to find out more. How can we do this in our own business? More to come in the near future! Tomorrow we start our 7th leg of the tour in Green Bay, WI, city #29. Hope to see you in one of the 21 remaining cities! B.H.