The Winning Equation!
Thursday, Jul 31, 2008
Happy Thursday everyone, Josh here. My dad has a wedding viewing tonight so he asked if I would fill in for him, hope you don’t mind! My dad came up with an equation that sums up what it takes to be successful in the business. It is: Education + Inspiration X Implimentation = Success! I was reminded of this today as sat in our wounderful Seattle traffic for a few hours. One of our Platinum Members Denise Jane called me from Aiken, SC to chat about some up-coming marketing campaigns she is working on. I just love Denise! Her energy, passion, and positive attitude is infectious. She has only been in business a few years but is absolutely on fire! The last few months she has sold countless 40 and 50 inch prints along with posting 2 record sales well over $10,000 each! As her and I discussed her success these past few months, I point blank asked her, “Why do you think this is happening?” She replied, “That’s easy, I did everything you and your dad told me to! You said I should project, so I did. Instantly I saw my sales double and triple. You told me to do consultations, so I did. My clients love them and this combined with the projection is an un-stoppable combination. A photographer once told me when I was in college to not expect much from the business, there’s no money in it and people don’t appreciate photography. I always viewed that as very negative statement, I always knew that if I just stayed positive, educated myself to what has work for others before me, came to work inspired everyday, and actually implement the ideas learned, it would all work out. I had to believe!” Denise is a text book example of what can be accomplished if you apply this equation to your business. It is also important to see the positive in everything. So get out there, learn new ideas, get yourself inspired, and then implement it IMMEDIATELY! Trust me everyone, you can do this! J.H.
Momentum is a GOOD Thing!
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2008
I love to play golf. I’m not very good but it is one of my favorite past times. On Monday, I finally beat my son Josh after 3 rounds of him spanking me. He has been on fire the last couple of rounds we’ve played, but I got the better of him on the back nine. The day was perfect, no humidity, sunny, and 75 degrees! There is a term in golf know as “ready golf” which means to always keep moving. You do this by basically being ready to hit the ball when it is your turn. This strategy keeps your momentum moving forward and at least with me, makes for a better round of golf. It is that way each and every day at the studio too. I move through the studio with a sense of playing “ready golf.” From session, to consultation, to projection sales, to working on our latest marketing strategies, I am always moving, writing, doing something. Even on the slow days with maybe one appointment, that doesn’t mean I have the day off. Those are the days where I get the real work done. Whether it is writing copy for an upcoming marketing piece, following up on orders that are still on the shelf, booking projection appointments, brainstorming ideas for future marketing pieces and then instantly starting to implement them, the list goes on and on. Always keep the momentum going!
“Take it up a level!”
Tuesday, Jul 29, 2008
Today was a day of organization, a day to “plan my attack.” I had a sale in the morning, then my monthly marketing Inner Circle meeting at lunch, and the rest of the afternoon was spent returning phone calls and getting ready for the hectic week (and weekend) to come. The projection sale I had was for one of my premiere clients for some shots I did of her son during his graduation from Washington State University, which is 5 hours away from Seattle in Pullman, WA. I was there any way to watch my daughter graduate and decided to take a few minutes to give them something truly special to mark the historic occasion. I actually advertise this as a Portrait Safari since both my kids were going to college there. I figure it was an excuse to visit Josh, Mckenna and pay for their tuition at the same time! Anyway, the little extra effort paid off, she ordered a 24x30 and a handful of smaller ones for the family. Not bad for 10 minutes of work! At Hudson’s Designer Portraits we take care of our clients, especially our Premiere Portrait Club Members. They make up about 350 people in our database, but I would say that I see most of them every few years and some of them a couple times a year! I have found over the years that the more I include my best clients in my life and treat them like family, the more they reward me. For instance, Josh and I are working on a Premiere Portrait Club newsletter that our top clients will receive every other month (if not every month) in addition to our general database newsletter that goes out twice a year. With one of our Premieres in the office today, what better way to find out if this is a good idea or not. When I explained to my client what the newsletter is and showed here a proof, she gave me a hug and was so thankful! “Bruce, you are like family to us. You pretty much share the most important parts of our lives with us. I love getting the newsletter, your marketing pieces, everything you send. Sending a newsletter just for me every month will really take it up a level!” So do you think Josh and I going to get this out ASAP…You bet! Moral of this story, the clients that have rewarded you for your services in past ARE the life blood of your company, take care of them. If it came down to buying a new camera, the latest version of PhotoShop, or sending a newsletter to my clients…I choose my clients hands down! Tomorrow morning I want you to go through your database, pick 10 of your best clients, and send a personal card thanking them for their business. Treat them like family and they will reward you! Take it up a level! B.H.
Walking the Talk!
Monday, Jul 28, 2008
Happy Monday everyone! I hope all of you had a great weekend! Terri’s son, daughter, and son in law are all in town right now. What better time for a family portrait, right? I think sometimes all of us get so busy with life and business that we forget what we are really creating for our clients. They aren’t just pictures; they are captured moments in time, memories, for generations to come. How many of us in the profession take the time to do the same? Being consistent and updating your family’s portrait art should be a priority for two reasons: (1) It is the right thing to do for you and your family! Our time on earth is precious and it should be remembered. (2) It is great for your business! What do I mean by that? It’s simple; you have to walk the talk with your clients. How can you sell someone a 40 inch portrait if you yourself do not have one hanging in your home? You have to believe in this stuff or else your clients will see right through you. It is also a great opportunity for you to display your own family portraits in the studio and have them in your presentation slide show. It shows people personal sides of you which will help you build that relationship with them. It makes it easier to relate to them and the process they are going through…because YOU have been there! Check out this week’s image to see our updated family portrait that will be a 50 inch in my new home. Get out there and Walk the Talk! B.H.
Educating Yourself!
Saturday, Jul 26, 2008
Happy Saturday everyone! This is Josh; my dad is entertaining family from out of town today, so I thought I would fill in. Today’s thought is on educating yourself. I don’t care if you have been in business for 30 years or are just getting started; there is always something you can learn about business. We had dinner at one of our favorite restaurants tonight and had the opportunity to sit down with the owner, client, and family friend for a few minutes as we finished our meal. Armondo (the owner) started his first business when he was only 19! Today he has two very successful restaurants and a number of commercial buildings. My dad and he were chatting away and I had the opportunity to just sit and listen to two great business minds throw ideas off one another. Here are two highly successful businessmen with established businesses for more than 20 years brainstorming ideas and concepts on how to continue to grow their companies and maintain a constant state of cash flow. Both of these guys have made it in life, they’re there! Why do they continue to work so hard and try to learn? Because you have to always be educating yourself and constantly tweaking your business in order to stay on top. It is like a treadmill, if you stop moving forward, you start moving back. It’s as simple as that. I have had the incredible opportunity in my young life to learn these lesions from my dad and best friend. Growing up watching my parents start and grow a business was the best education I could have ever had, but there is always more to learn and implement. On my way home I popped in a Monthly Mentor featuring Kirk Voclain to listen to his take on the senior market. I helped produce it and have probably listened to it 20 times before, but I am still learning from it. For those of you members out there, make sure you are doing yourself and your business a favor, never stop learning. Study with other successful people and don’t fear change, embrace it in your business and life. Never stop educating yourself! J.H.
Relationships: New and Old!
Friday, Jul 25, 2008
It’s been an amazing 2 days at the studio, with sessions and wedding bookings from past clients as well as some new ones. It’s inspiring to see that all of our hard work in marketing is paying off. A wedding I booked yesterday was a high school senior 10 years ago, and then I did their family portrait 5 years ago at their beautiful family lake house. Over the years they have received every card, newsletter, e-blast, you name it! Everything in our relationship marketing arsenal! Keeping in touch must have worked! Today I had a consultation with a first time client. Her and her husband first saw my work at the Street of Dreams (parade of homes, builders showcase, every city has something like this) 2 summers ago. They filled out a card for a drawing and requested that we contact them with some additional information. From that point on they have been receiving all of our marketing pieces, as well as e-blasts! Last week we sent out an e-newsletter featuring our weekend portrait safari at Lake Chelan and Safe Co. Field, where the Mariners play. We talked about this client during July 16th Mentor Minute, go back and take a look. Anyway, these new clients are going to be fantastic people to work with. I can’t stress enough- Consistent Marketing Works! May it be to your existing clients or prospective clients; it’s about building and maintaining relationships…one marketing piece at a time! Have a great weekend! B.H.
Follow up – Follow through!
Wednesday, Jul 23, 2008
One of the hardest things for me as an artist is staying on task! My mind is in a constant state of flowing from one assignment to another. One technique that I have found to be helpful is to keep all of my follow-up files in one area. That way when I do have time (hopefully once a day) I only have one spot to go and it’s all there. I also make an Action List at the end of the day for the next day, while it is fresh in my mind. One book that I am reading right now is Eliminate Chaos by Laura Leist. She’s got some helpful suggestions to make life less stressful and more organized. For me in the studio, my goal is to be consistent at following up and following through with a client. It’s good for business and cash flow! Sorry for the short Mentor Minute, but I have a wedding viewing to prepare for. Yes, I said a wedding viewing! Believe it or not, we project weddings, and they are very effective. Maybe I’ll write an article dedicated to just this? Huh? Let me know if that would be something you are interested in, email me at bruce@mystudiomentor.com. Also, don’t forget about tomorrow’s webinar on “Win-Win Marketing: Becoming a ROCK STAR in Your Community!” You won’t be disappointed! I have actually added a few examples from this week at the studio, one of which was delivering 9 wall portraits to my city hall. I love marketing that you don’t have to write a check for! Join me tomorrow night and find out how! But hurry, I was just informed by Josh that there are only a few openings left. www.marathonpress.com/education/webinars. B.H.
Every Client is Different!
Monday, Jul 21, 2008
Happy Monday everyone! Today’s Mentor Minute will be a little short; I am in between a family projection sale and a baby plan session at the moment. What I want to touch on today is the fact the no two clients are the same, everyone is different. This is one of the reasons I love this business so much, everyday is always something different! A great example of this is a family session I did 2 weeks ago of the Smith Family. I “shoot” this family a lot, say 4 times a year at least. They love what I do, but they are always looking for fun and different ways to capture their family’s personality. Check out the Image of the Week and see what I mean. I guess my whole point of this blog is that in order to truly capture the essence of your subjects, you have to get to know them. It is hard to gauge a client’s likes, dislikes, and personality if you just show up and “shoot” them. Creating portraits is more of a process. Don’t be afraid to go outside your photographic box and have fun with your clients. It may not be something you would do, but it is up to us to capture and create the type of product each individual client wants. Make sure you are doing consultations and take that extra time to really get to know your subjects. It will pay off! B.H.
I Love What I Do!
Sunday, Jul 20, 2008
I love what I do. I love to work hard. Some people would consider a workaholic. When I do have a day or a rare full weekend off, my goal is to take time to “smell the roses” that I work so hard for. Yesterday and today I did just that! Saturday morning I started out watching the 3rd round of the British Open and made pancakes with my daughter McKenna. She just started her first “real” job after graduating from Washington State University in May. I have never seen her more happy or confident in herself! Very cool! I also spent time putting the finishing touches for Thursday’s webinar. I think the topic of Win-Win Marketing will help everyone who is looking for a comprehensive and cost effective way to market their studio. The day continued by playing a quick 9 at my golf club with my son Josh (who shot a 41 and beat me by one) and my new stepson Austin. It was a perfect summer day here in Seattle, 75 degrees with no humidity and a slight breeze. Josh started out on fire, going one under after 2. I tried to catch up but he still beat me by one. Way to go! After golf the 3 of us went home and jumped into the lake to cool off. We swam to a floating swim dock about 150 yards out to lay in the sun. Once on the raft we had a breathtaking view of Mt. Rainer at the end of the lake. Could it get any better! Today I did some house work, took my family to breakfast, and just spent the day on the lake. To top it all off we have some of my clients and friends coming over for dinner. I feel so blessed! You are probably thinking, “Bruce, what does telling me about your weekend off have to do with photography?” EVERYTHING! I work my butt off and I am sure you do to. This was our first full weekend since April. If you don’t take time to enjoy the fruit of your labor, you will burn out. And when you burn out, your artistic talent will decrease. This would be a disservice to your clients and yourself. Tomorrow it is back to work and I have a long week ahead of me. But, this weekend really recharged my batteries. In this world of instant this and instant that, please take a moment or two for yourself. It will help you refocus and reenergize. I hope everyone had a great weekend, see you tomorrow in the trenches! B.H.
Win-Win Marketing Rocks!
Friday, Jul 18, 2008
I’m putting the finishing touches on my next webinar that will be broadcasted live next Thursday. It’s entitled “Becoming a Rock Star in your community” and it addresses what I call “Win-Win” Marketing. One Major aspect on win-win marketing is belonging to a service group. I have been a proud Rotarian since 1984. Our club does some amazing things for our local community. Yesterday at our weekly meeting we were informed of the final number (net total) of dollars raised at our major funderaiser last month. It was over $137,000 dollars! As a club, we now have the pleasure of giving those funds back the community. Is that cool or what? I’ll be sharing some great examples on Thursday of how you can untilize win-win marketing in your business. There are a lot of ways! I neglected to mention that virtually ever major mover and shaker for the city of Renton (Mayor, council members, business owners, etc) are in my club. Not a bad pool of people hang out with. Many of them are also my clients. But just being a part of such a special organization where I can donate my artistic talent to better the community is the real reward. Join me Thursday, July 24th @ 7pm CST as I give you a Step-By-Step guide on how to put a “Face” to your business and become a Rock Star in YOUR community! Have a great weekend! Josh and I have our first full weekend off in almost 2 months! If you need us, we’ll be on the golf course! B.H. –To register for Thursdays Webinar go to www.marathonpress.com/education/webinars. Remember, all Monthly Mentor Subscribers will receive $10 in Bruce Bucks for attending. Just a little extra thank you! Hope to see you there!
The Power of Instant Response Marketing!
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2008
If you are not sending e-newsletters to your clients, please, drop whatever you are doing (probably PhotoShoping) and start working on your first one right now! The power of these things is amazing! During the New Directions Reality Check Tour I told a story about one of the first times we sent an e-newsletter to our clients about 5 years ago. We had two spots open for an up-coming portrait safari and decided to send an e-newsletter to try and fill the last two openings. It was about a week before. Literally 1 hour after sending it out, both sessions were booked! This happens every time we send an e-news out. Basically, we send it out, sit back, and within a few hours the phone rings, all for 1.5 cents an email to your clients. So anyway, today we had two sessions at Safe Co. Field where the Seattle Mariners play. It is our annual Safe Co. Field Portrait Safari! Both sessions went extremely well. Then last weekend we had our annual Lake Chelan, WA Portrait Safari. So, needless to say, it has been a few good days of shooting. We wanted to share some of these spectacular images with our clients and also let them know that we only have one spot open for our Cannon Beach, OR Portrait Safari in August. It took me about an hour to compose it and we sent it out around 5pm today. I was still at the studio working on another project when I received an email regarding the e-news. “Wow, I thought, only 15 minutes and I already got a response!” I read the email and decided to call the person directly right then and there. I didn’t just leave it in the In-Box or say to myself, “I am working on something right, I’ll get back to them tomorrow.” You have to be proactive when it comes to marketing. So I left a message on the potential client’s voicemail and also sent a follow-up email. About 5 minutes later the studio phone rang, it was the potential client! She explained that she had seen my work at the Street of Dreams in Seattle a few years ago (that’s how we captured her email) and just loved what she saw there. She said that after seeing the images and reading about the families we had photographed the past few days, it was time for her to do the same for her family! I, of course, asked what she had in mind and she responded by telling me that she wants a large wall portrait, just like she saw at the Street of Dreams, and she knows exactly where to hang it. I booked the consultation and we will be doing the session in a few weeks. WOW! It cost 1.5 cents! It also took only 5 minutes out of the end of my day to follow up and guarantee myself a wall portrait sale. E-mail marketing is the most cost effective way to stay in touch with your clients…and market to potential clients as well! For those of you who are Gold and Platinum Members, you just got a copy of the e-newsletter. One of their benefits is that they are placed on our Actual Client Database. For those of you who are Silver or Non-Members, email Josh at josh@mystudiomentor.com and he will send you a copy of our current e-news. Trust me guys, this stuff really works! I am so happy to have medium like www.mystudiomentor.com to be able to share with you, in real time, what is working for us at the studio. I hope you take my advice! B.H.
Amazing Weekend- Amazing Images!
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008
Our apologies for missing yesterdays Mentor Minute, we were in the middle of our 2 day Portrait Safari in Lake Chelan, WA. The weekend started out with 2 family sessions Friday night at Alki Beach in Seattle, then an incredible wedding on Saturday with the most cooperative and beautiful clients to photograph in the world (I actually blogged about their DJ and MC on Sunday’s Mentor Minute)! If that wasn’t enough for one weekend, on Sunday Josh and I traveled to the center of the state to a 55 mile long glacier fed lake called Chelan, which is a vacation destination for many of my clients. On Sunday I photographed one of my long time clients, The McNeely Family. I photograph them every 5 years and this was the 4 installment of our journey together! I was honored to once again capture all 24 of them this time. Every 5 years Mrs. McNeely (grandma and matriarch of the family) likes to update her 40x60. Why does she do it every 5 years? Because the first time I photographed them she asked me, “How often should we do this?” I said, “Every 5 years!” I should have said every month! Anyway, it was a challenging session with babies, 95 degree heat, and at 5:00pm in FULL sun. It turned out great! Then yesterday we had the opportunity to work with a first time client, The Miller Family, at their cabin right on the lake! One of the things that made this session so much fun was that we were able to stay with them the night before and really got to know their personalities. They really showed in the portraits! In fact, our new Image of the Week is featuring an image from that session, check it out! Moral of this story is- The more time you spend with a client, truly getting to know them, the better you are equipped to capture the true essence of your subjects! Enjoy The Miller Family! B.H.
Personality is Power!
Sunday, Jul 13, 2008
The longer I am in this business the more I am convinced that success is directly related to personality. The wedding we had yesterday is an example of my theory. After 1200 or so weddings that I have been apart of for the past 25 years in my career, I have seen my share of DJs and MCs. Most are really bad. Most turn a potentially good reception into a boring mess. The wedding yesterday was a pleasant change. The MC and DJ worked in perfect harmony together. Granted, the bride, groom, friends, and family were all in the mood to party, but the MC and his partner took the reception to a level I have never experienced. What made this guy so successful? (1) He did his homework. He asked the bride and groom questions about each member of the wedding party. The MC was able to incorporate this into the bridal party introductions, making the process fun and highly personal. (2) He got out into the crowd. People could relate to him. He was one of them! And, he was actually enjoying himself. He wasn't just another MC, you could tell he was truly happy for the bride and groom...this was reflected! (3) Very creative. Instead of the same old routine, he mixed it up. When he did the father daughter dance, he invited (after a few minutes) all the father daughters in the room to join them. He did the same with the mother son dance. What a great way to get everyone involved! (4) He and his DJ's timing was impeccable. No gaps, no pauses, just great transitions. This made all of the events during the reception fun and they ran smoothly. (5) He loved what he was doing! As I said before, he was having fun. This guy had a passion for what he was doing. One point during the evening, all the kids were dancing with the bride and some of her bridesmaids. One little girl wanted to have the mic so she could sing along to the song. It turned into a little rock concert with everyone on their feet and clapping, as this 7 year old was rocking out! The MC said afterwards, "That is why I LOVE weddings! How many times in your life are you going to see that!" - So, do you see any parallels to what this master MC was capable of doing with a crowd and what WE can strive for when we are working with the chaos of the wedding day? I sure do! In fact, these are the 5 things I try to accomplish each and every time I shoot a wedding. Yesterdays wedding was yet another example of observing and putting into practice some ideas gained from an outside profession. Want to stand out from your competition, make it a fun and personal experience. It is all about personality...it's power! B.H. PS- Josh and I are off to our Lake Chelan Portrait Safari today and tomorrow. Wish us luck!
What are YOU selling?
Thursday, Jul 10, 2008
Hey everyone! Sorry for missing yesterdays Daily Mentor Minute, Josh and I had an incredible session last night! It was for Nighttime Radio Celebrity Delilah! She lives in Port Orchard, just across Puget Sound from Seattle. The session lasted just under 3 hours. Josh actually documented the entire session on video and we will be making it available sometime in the future. Josh wants to call it, “This is RAW, this is REAL, and this is what I do for a LIVING!” There were 10 kids, 10 adults, 5 or 6 dogs, horses, full sun, basically one of the toughest sessions I have ever done. But if you want to command top dollar for your photography, you have to perform at all times and in all situations! Tonight I have a webinar on Creating and Selling LARGE Wall Décor: We’re Not Talking The BIG 8x10 Here! Join me by going to www.marathonpress.com/education/webinars to register. It will begin at 7pm CST! My question to you is: what are you trying to sell? Do you like pouring your heart and soul into a session only to have your clients buy an 8x10? I sure don’t! When a potential client comes into your studio for a consultation (if you are not doing consultations, you need to start) what size portraits do they see on display? A good rule of thumb is your clients will usually buy one size smaller than what you have on your wall. So, if you have a 20x24 up, you will probably not sell anything larger than a 16x20. And yes, every once in a while you will sell a large portrait, but I am talking about selling large wall décor, 30, 40, 50, 60, or 70inch portraits, each and every time you do a session. Try taking down all the photographs in your lobby and only putting up portraits larger than 30 inches. It will make a difference and first impressions are everything. For some more tips that I guarantee will help you sell larger, go to the webinar! B.H.
The Key to Any Business- Cash Flow!
Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008
Awesome cash flow day! We had 2 wedding design credits paid and a nice $2,500 parents order was picked up. All in all, something to cheer about! Your cash flow is everything in your business. What can you do to maintain a fairly steady cash flow? (1)Diversify your product line. As our senior market has softened the past few years, I have been turning to commercial work to increase cash flow. The key is being a full service studio to generate cash flow year round. We offer weddings, family portraits, HS seniors, babies, children, and now fine art. (2) Stir the pot whenever you can. Make a phone call, write a letter, or drop a card in the mail to a client you haven’t seen in a while. You will discover that when you create momentum, you will also create cash flow. (3) Be consistent with your marketing, especially your relationship marketing. Our newsletter is the most effective marketing tool to create that extra NUDGE for our clients to call and use our services. I have dedicated this month’s issue of The Monthly Mentor Studio Success Guide to this concept. We are giving our members a step-by-step guide to the who, what, where, why, when, and how of newsletters. (4) Get out and put a face to your business in the community. Don’t just join the chamber; make the most of your membership. Go to the luncheons, networking breakfast, and after hours. Yes it is an investment in time and money, but it will create cash flow. (5) Start working an hour earlier. You will be surprised how much more you can get accomplished by almost adding an extra day to your week. Constant cash flow is something that we should all be striving for. Unfortunately it takes being extremely proactive! Stir the pot! B.H.
The Opportunity of a Lifetime!
Monday, Jul 07, 2008
Wow, what a hectic day! This morning I did a favor for one of friends, clients, and new business partners, Paul Bulpoltz! Paul is actually the man in charge of getting the new www.BruceTunez.com website up and running. His wife Cindy is also in the web business and is doing a site for a company that produces teaching aids for autistic children. I offered to film, with our new Canon HD camera, the kids using the tools and also taped some testimonials from the parents to be used on their website. Next I had a meeting with the head of marketing for our local hospital about a Win-Win opportunity. I will have more on this in a second. From there it was back to the studio to sign some checks, then off to a commercial shoot in downtown Renton, WA. Now back to my meeting with the hospital. Years ago I did a display in the newborn section of another hospital, just a few cities away in Auburn, WA. It was amazing! It is something I have wanted to do ever since at our local Valley Medical Center, just down the street from the studio. The key to approaching these types of community displays is making it a true Win-Win opportunity for both parties. Not to mention, it is nice to know someone working on the inside, putting in a word for you. Where do you meet people like this? Easy, at your local chamber meetings, service club meetings, charity auctions, etc. Get involved! Anyway, to make a long story short here, the hospital is expanding and updating their image…and doing a great job of it I might add! They want to do something different to class up the newborn area and the new wing of the hospital. The Win-Win is featuring a local artist (ME!) who has not only been in the community for 25 years, has supported the hospital, and has experienced Valley first hand…both Josh and McKenna (my kids) were born there! We are going to have a wall portrait on display in each of the birthing rooms (all 39…yes, I said 39), down hallways, in the various lobbies, and anywhere else we can come up with! I’ll have my brochures and logo everywhere as well! There will also be a grand unveiling, talk about some good PR. Josh and I will be documenting the entire process via video. This truly is an opportunity of a lifetime! We will keep you posted! B.H. –PS. What have done lately to provide a Win-Win opportunity for your community and your business? You have to get your name and your business out there, especially with the way the current business climate is in photography. I challenge each and every one of you to, by the end of this week, come up with 3 ways your business and creative talent can impact the community in a positive way…and the steps you are taking to implement them immediately! It will not only help your community at large, it will help your bottom-line as well. Email me at bruce@mystudiomentor.com with your ideas. I will choose one winner this Friday! The lucky photographer will receive $10 in “Bruce Bucks”, good towards any educational investment on www.mystudiomentor.com or any product offered from www.marathonpress.com! As an added BONUS, I will feature the winning photographer in an up-coming E-Newsletter as well as some of their best images! If you are having trouble getting your face and name out in the community, join me on July 24th @ 7pm CST www.marathonpress.com/education/webinars! Good Luck!
Just Another Wedding?
Sunday, Jul 06, 2008
I apologize for not posting the last few days of the Mentor Minute, things have been crazy! Between traveling back from Kansas City, getting ready for our annual 4th of July Party on the lake, hosting the party, and having an 11 hour wedding coverage yesterday…Well, I am sure you understand! The alarm rings on Saturday morning, time to get moving. I have a wedding today- Just another wedding. A beautiful bride and groom paying me top dollar to capture their day with images. Is it REALLY just another wedding? I did the brides senior portraits 8 years ago and the family client connection dates back to 1984. From this one family alone, the network of friends, family, and referrals I have worked with has totaled in the hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue over the years. Just another wedding? After photographing well over 1200 (mostly on Saturdays) weddings, is there really such a thing as just another wedding? I say NO! As I roll out of bed and look in the mirror, I remind myself how flattered I am to be chosen to document the most important day in my bride and grooms lives. Today’s wedding is not just another wedding, it’s THEIR wedding! It should be honored as such. I give thanks everyday for the opportunities my clients give me. Having had the ability to turn a hobby I enjoy into a profession I love has been an incredible journey. Remember this the next time you get up for a wedding, a children’s session, family portraits, whatever. Think of your clients and how they have honored you with the task of capturing those special times in their lives! Just another wedding, I think NOT! Till tomorrow, B.H.
Get out there!
Wednesday, Jul 02, 2008
Hi everybody! I am in Kansas City, MO visiting H&H Color Lab, so my Mentor Minute will be short today. A lot of times Josh doesn’t get a chance to listen The Monthly Mentor audio CD’s until we mail them out to our members. It is fun to watch, he gets just as excited as our members! Anyway, Josh called me today on his way to work to tell me how great June’s interview with Angela Carson was. Angela touches on how to run a successful photography studio in a slumping economy…without discounting your work. She should know her studio is in Detroit, MI! She is an absolute visionary! For you members, you know what I am talking about. At one point she states during the interview some new marketing strategies that have worked extremely well over the past 2 years. One is attending art shows. They bring a tent, some couches, a TV, and a coffee table, everything you would need to recreate a “home” like setting. 2 times a year they are vendors at their local show and she says this has brought her a ton of quality business. We used to do this at the Seattle Wedding Show every year. Our booth just blew everyone’s away! It was carpeted, was professionally built, and even had areas to hang large prints with lights. The wedding market has changed in our area and our types of clients are not attending the wedding shows anymore, they are relying on more coordinators to make decisions like that. But attending an art show is a great idea or a higher end home show is a great idea! I am even thinking about facilitating my own art show in conjunction with my Rotary Club and local artist in Renton, WA. If we want our portraits to be viewed as art and be able to command top dollar like art, why not do an art show! It is a great idea and Josh and I will be implementing it very soon in our area. I hope I got you guys thinking! B.H.
The Way It Should Be!
Tuesday, Jul 01, 2008
Hello everyone, Josh here, my dad is in Kansas City, MO this meeting with our lab, H&H Color Lab. We have been customers of theirs for over 15 years. As my dad will tell you, “They are quite possibly the best lab in the world!” If you are not happy with your lab, please check out www.hhcolorlab.com. This company will make your life easier! Ok, enough about H&H, I could rave about them for hours; let’s talk about the family session that my dad and I did on Sunday! This session was amazing! Everything thus far has been just the way the process should work. This family first saw us at a charity auction, their first impression being a 40 inch print. They purchased the $1300 portrait safari credit at the auction. We then contacted them and got them in for the design consultation. The husband and wife are retired and live outside of Cle Elm, WA, in a resort area called Suncadia. They absolutely loved the entire process of designing large wall décor that is custom to their home and they are willing to invest heavily in it! During the session, they were very into the process and loved when my dad explained what he was doing with lighting, posing, and where he thinks each image will look best throughout their home. The session took about an hour and a half with groups ranging from the whole family of 9 to each family unit as small as the two of them. There is a good chance that they will be purchasing something larger than 40 inches, so my dad shot both film and digital. Everyone was so intrigued by the RZ67. One of the sons asked me if that was really a film camera. I replied, “Yes it is.” He then surprised me with, “Wow, your father is a true craftsman!” Isn’t it funny that shooting film can be a way to set yourself apart from other photographers out there? Anyway, my observations from Sunday are pretty simple: (1) Work your marketing! Target the type of people like this, your perfect client. Get your work into auctions they attend, restaurants they dine at, homes they visit, etc. (2) Walk them through the entire process, from consultation, to go-see, the session, then the projection sale, to the hanging of the final prints. These types of people love this and it will make your product have more perceived value. (3) And be sure to plant future marketing seeds! One of their portraits will be the display print for next year’s auction, and they will be a walking-talking testimonial machine for you! My dad will have the Mentor Minute for tomorrow. Till next time! J.H.