The Daily Mentor Minute Blog | Bruce Hudson

Client appreciation dinner!
Thursday, Oct 29, 2009

For you Platinum Monthly Mentor Members out there, you may remember getting a copy of our Premiere Portrait Club Newsletter this summer. We create a hard copy newsletter for our Premiere clients (the top 10% of our database) every few months. It features one of our clients, what’s going on at the studio, a featured recipe, wine of the month, etc. This summer we had an email contest, “send us your email address and you’ll be entered to win a gourmet dinner at Bruce’s new house on Lake Sawyer!” Well, tonight is the night! The Peterson Family won the contest and they just happened to have a new family portrait created this summer! We actually featured it as one of our images of the week. Do you remember the family on the 70ft yacht? That’s the one! Why go to the trouble and do this for one client? Well, my clients are the lifeblood of my studio! It’s not my camera, my computer, my Photoshop skills, it’s the people who call me their personal family photographer, they’re the ones who pay the bills and allow me to have my lifestyle. Sometimes just saying thank you isn’t enough! We have fun events like this all year round; they’re a great way to get to know your clients on a more personal level. It also creates a little buzz within their inner circle of friends. Above all though, I consider my clients to be family, and they deserve to be treated as such. So, what am I making for dinner? Stay tuned, I’ll let you know tomorrow! I’ll also post the recipe on www.facebook.com/mystudiomentor! Become a fan and copy the recipe, its awesome! -Bruce

A day in the life!
Wednesday, Oct 28, 2009

The love the fact that every day presents a new challenge! Owning a photography studio yields you something different every day. I thought I would share with you a little bit of a day in the life! I started the day around 7am at a local elementary school, I did some filming for a DVD I am producing for my Rotary club. The shoot was of the elementary school band playing. One of our fundraisers is getting new instruments for the schools; they’ve cut back because of budgets and we want to step in and help. Then, I had a studio session for a woman that has cancer and is starting her treatment next week. This was her second session; the first was on her favorite hiking trail! From the studio we went out to her horse stables and did some artsy stuff with her and her horse, I’ll feature one of the images on the site next week. From there it was back to the studio for a 30 minute break. We charged our batteries and grabbed some new flash cards; we were off to photograph a family in their home. It was a couple and their new 6 month old. We did some stuff inside their home then moved to a local park. After that session, it was back to the studio for a high school senior consultation. After that I had a high school senior projection sale. I finished the day photographing 2 high school senior twin boys! Now I’m heading home to grab some dinner and some sleep! LOL! Be thankful for having the type of job that changes daily. It could be worse; we could all be digging ditches! Bruce

Give YOUR Photography Clients a Reason!
Tuesday, Oct 27, 2009

This weekend we finished our annual Portraits in the Leaves Safari. If you follow us at all you know that we do these portrait safaris throughout the year in various locations. I don’t want to go into too much detail on how we do these, there’s plenty of DVD’s and webinars we’ve done that explain them. Our Studio Support Materials also have all of our marketing campaigns for these as well. Today I just want to focus on why we do these. Quite frankly, it’s to give our clients a reason to have a portrait created! When you are dealing with a luxury item, like a family portrait, you need a reason to buy. You and I know the importance of a beautiful family portrait, but the general public could really careless. Human nature allows people to “talk” about getting together “someday” without ever actively pursuing the possibility…until it’s too late. Grandma gets cancer, Johnny is shipping off to Afghanistan, these are some of the unfortunate reasons families rush to get it done. It’s up to us, the professional photographer, to give our clients more opportunities.. For us, we do portrait safaris! These are special locations and special times of the year. The best part about this concept is that you don’t have to discount your prices! The motivation to book isn’t because of the pricing; it’s because of the special event! People don’t go to concerts because the ticket prices are discounted; they go because the artist only goes on tour once a year! See what I mean? We have been doing portrait safaris for over 20 years now and our clients have formed family traditions around them. Imagine updating your clients 30x40 every 3 years or creating a new family portrait every fall! Many of our clients fall into this type of repeat client, all because we give them a reason to. Can you think of any portrait safari opportunities in your area? Marketing + Implementation = Studio Success! –B.H.

So…how’d we do at the high school vendor fair?
Friday, Oct 23, 2009

What a fun event! There were businesses from all over the community, even a Mexican restaurant giving out chips and salsa! The student rep who sat at the booth for us said our booth was swamped. All of our postcards and flyers were given out before one o’clock! When you do vendor fairs like this, it is so important to capture the kid’s attention; you need to show them something unique. We had 2 images on display; one was a 24x30 of a kid, his car, and his base guitar. It’s a black and white image, very dramatic and hip. The other image on display was a 20x24 canvas wrap on pearl paper. The girl in the image is at Kerry Park in Seattle with the Space Needle behind her. It’s fun and shows that we go on-location. We also had the front of our SR post card printed 30x40 on metallic paper, sort of a sign for us. This blew the kids away! We also had a few complete albums on display as well. To keep their attention, we had our senior slideshow playing throughout the vendor fair, which is about 5 minutes long. We also had the music cranked up with some mini Bose speakers! We also played our senior video trailer, which is like an movie style video that shows me photographing actual seniors. The video also contains testimonials from the seniors. This was a great opportunity for us to show the kids what we can do, which is creating something unique and different. The only drawback was not having a way to capture names, phone numbers, and emails. Usually we would have a drawing of some sorts. Why didn’t we do it? Well, we ran out of time I guess! It’s been a busy a few weeks and I was sick, it just didn’t get done. But, we noticed a spike in website hits from the Renton, WA area (where the HS is located), which means a lot of those kids have been checking us out. Even if we book one student it will more than pay for the cost of the booth, definitely worth the investment! I posted a short clip of our booth on our Facebook Fan page; you’ll see what I’m talking about here. Have a great weekend everyone, wish Bruce and I luck; we have our Portraits in the Leaves Safari this weekend! 20 sessions on Saturday and Sunday, should be a wild weekend! -Josh

Getting Ready for the Fair!
Wednesday, Oct 21, 2009

Tomorrow Bruce and I are taking part in a local area high school’s vendor fair! For only $75 we can have a booth manned by a member of the school’s DECCA club for the entire day! Talk about targeting your senior market! But doing these vendor fairs, whether it’s at a high school or a home show, there are something’s you need to do in order to make your marketing time worthwhile. Here are something’s we are bringing to enhance our booth: Large banner with images and studio’s logo on it (printed at H&H Color Lab on metallic paper), 3 wall portraits on easels (not just 16x20’s, I’m talking big ones), tablecloth, 6x9 high school senior cards with more studio information on them, materials for parents (parent’s survival guide), flyers promoting our Facebook page and our $25 off incentive, DVD player, screen, projector, and a copy of our high school senior DVD promo. Sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? Well, it is! But we are trying to make a statement to these kids. Now days, anyone with a digital camera is claiming to be a professional photographer, it’s up to us to show the kids the difference. I’ll be filming some of the vendor fair and posting the video on Facebook, watch for it! Tomorrow I’ll go over how it went and how we will be following up with our leads! -

Breaking Through!
Sunday, Oct 18, 2009

One of the hardest things to go through as an artist is breaking through to the next artistic level. I don’t know about you, but I get bored doing the same things day after day. How do you break through that artistic barrier? Yesterday I had a nice break through with each of my senior sessions. How did I achieve the break through? 1. On the drive to the studio, I made a conscious effort to have a creative mind set. 2. I worked to make 50% of each session different in lighting, posing and location. 3. Sometimes it is easier to do the same thing. Forcing yourself to be creative can be counterproductive. It’s like trying too hard on a math exam. The harder you try, the more your mind locks up. 4. Seek out other artists to become inspired. Last week at our Professional Photographer of WA fall workshop, I had the opportunity to see Seattle’s own Art Wolfe. His work was very inspiring. I bought his book and have been enjoying his work. Seeing things from a fresh new perspective helps to motivate you to new heights artistically. Why is all this important? As an artist, if you don’t grow, you have a chance to burn out due to boredom. You should always strive to grow artistically not just for yourself, but for your clients. After 27 years in this profession, breaking through that creative barrier gets harder and harder, but it’s possible! I hope these few tips are helpful when you are in need of some creative inspiration. Good luck in your quest to grow and better yourself as an artist!

I love when marketing works…Zach Morris style!
Thursday, Oct 15, 2009

Ok, so I know I started a blog a few days ago about all inclusive resorts and what we as studio owners can learn from them. I was going to post the conclusion today, but my dad decided to write an article on the subject, it was featured in October’s E-Studio Success Tip. It was actually emailed today. If you did not receive it, email me at Josh@mystudiomentor.com and I’ll get you on the list. So with that, I decided to blog about a phone call I had today at the studio. We do a lot of charity auctions and they work great for us. About 95% of the auction certificates result in a sale. That is a HUGE ROI. We have a pretty fool-proof system in place, thanks to my dad and his 27 years of experience. One of the complaints I hear from photographers and our monthly mentor members a lot is that hardly anybody comes in to redeem the certificates. How then are we able to have a 95% return rate resulting in some pretty great family sales? One reason is that we insist on collecting the name, address, phone number, and email of the auction winners from the organizers. We also include with the auction box that the winner takes home a form with instructions and a self-addressed stamped envelope. Basically, they fill it out, answer some questions, and mail it in. The reason why other photographers are not booking as many sessions is simple, they are not following up. I checked the mail today and received a form from an auction a few weeks ago. As soon as I read the form I called the family. Within 5 minutes I had a consultation on the books and a potential client excited about the possibilities. I know this technique is not groundbreaking by any means, but it is effective. Picking up the phone is a little old school with texting, twitter, and email out there, but it is by far the most effective thing you can do to book appointments! Next time you donate to an auction, take the initiative and follow up yourself via phone. As my mom used to say, “Go on offense!” Till tomorrow boys and girls! -Josh

Getting back into the game! Tips for getting refocused after some time off from your photography studio!
Tuesday, Oct 13, 2009

Wow, it’s been a busy couple of weeks getting ready for Josh’s wedding, Terri and me’s anniversary, and taking a few days off to recoup! It’s hard sometimes to get your “head” back into the game. Both Josh and I have written about this on several occasions, but it doesn’t hurt cover it again from a different perspective. Here’s how my brain works and how I try to get back into the game a little bit. (1) I prepare myself the night before that tomorrow will hectic and I won’t get everything done. (2) With that said, mellow out a bit when working with your staff. In most cases, they are in “working mode”, no need to add any addition stress on them. (3) Prioritize! What needs to get done 1st (like…right now) and what can wait a bit. We had a mailing that didn’t get finished, that was priority one today. Before doing anything else, my staff and I sat down and finished it so it would go out today. Use an “Action List” to give yourself a visual of what needs to get done. Then of course…do it! (4) Stay focused to your set priorities; get the things done that will make an impact on cash-flow first. Emails, Facebook, and Twitter can wait. (5) Remember that owning and running a photography business is supposed to be fun even though it’s a lot of work! Well, I’m feeling like I am back in the game now with a new blog up. I’m off to scout a location for our pumpkin patch portraits this Sunday, then off to finalize a sale my clients home this evening! Josh will complete his blog from yesterday tomorrow. Hope my thoughts are helpful; post any comments on Facebook or my twitter account- Twitter.com/brucehudson or Twitter.com/mystudiomentor. Thanks! –B.H.

Home from the honeymoon and “all inclusive” marketing experience!
Monday, Oct 12, 2009

Hey everyone, I’m back! The wedding was great and the 7 days in Antigua was just the thing Melissa and I needed to start out our new life together! It was relaxing and nice to be able to reflect on the last 9 months of our engagement. It’s also liberating not having email, cell phones, twitter, and facebook for a week. But, I wouldn’t be a Hudson if I didn’t analyze my trip and look for some marketing opportunities! We stayed at the new Sandals Grand Antigua Resort. If you’re not familiar with Sandals, they are the “Luxury Included” resort. Everything from top shelf liquors, gourmet food, all water sports, even personal concierges are included. The experience was well worth the investment. Is it for everyone? Probably not. But, are there enough people willing to spend top dollar for the all inclusive experience to sustain an entire industry? Absolutely! It was fun meeting couples from all over the world and asking them why they choose to spend their dollars with Sandals. Here are a few of the reasons: (1) 5 star service! From the time you meet your Sandals representative at the airport, you are greeted with a cold wet towel and a glass of Champaign! Next, you are taken to a check in lounge. As you sip Champaign, the staff comes to you, no waiting in line. By the time you are escorted to your room, your bags are already waiting there along with a fully stocked personal bar and drawn bath. After flying 13 hours to get there, it was a welcome surprise! (2) It’s all about you! The staff bends over backwards to make sure you are having a good time. Their goal is to make sure you have the time of your life. Who ever does the training needs to write a book, amazing! (3) All inclusive means you never have to worry about money! Everything is taken care of at all of the bars, restaurants, and the resort activities. I literally didn’t carry my wallet for 7 days; there is something to be said for having everything paid for ahead of time. I’ll cover some more of my amazing trip with you all tomorrow. For now, I’ll leave you with this thought: What can us as photographers learn from a place like Sandals? Is your studio luxury included or luxury extra? I met a lot of perfect client profile people at this resort! Think about it and post a comment on facebook or twitter if you want, I’ll discuss this concept further tomorrow. -Josh

Time to turn on the furnace!
Tuesday, Oct 06, 2009

One of the signals that the summer is over and fall is in the air is when I turn on the furnace for the first time! Traditionally, this also signals the beginning of the “busy time” at the studio. This wasn’t the case, last year, for us and many photographers throughout the country. This year, even though the economy appears not to be in a “free fall”, I’m not taking any chances. I’m turning the furnace on when it comes to our marketing. Nothing fancy, nothing earth shattering, just implementing the basics and doing in a timely manner. As you turn on your furnace in your home, remember it’s also time to turn your marketing furnace, even in this traditional “busy time”! In the next few days, I will be giving you some of the basics that we are implementing. Tomorrow we will discuss sending a direct mail piece to your best clients.

Father of the Groom – Part2
Sunday, Oct 04, 2009

Well, as the dust settles on Josh’s wedding on Friday, I’ve been able to reflect on a number of things. Here are some of my thoughts that I think we can all pass along to friends, family and clients. First, the day is going to be over before you know it so make sure that you enjoy it! Take time to smell the Roses! In Josh and Melissa’s Wedding that’s exactly what they had, Roses! Second, go with the flow, Yes it’s good to have a schedule, but don’t rush or force the timing-especially during the reception. Three, mingle, mingle, mingle! The bride, groom and parents should be mingling to visit with as many guests as possible. Fourth, make sure to inform the wedding party that it’s their goal to make the event as stress free as possible! This means be on time for pictures, put any drama in their life on hold. (This worked pretty well-we had a groomsman late for pictures and one groomsman that got slapped by his girlfriend! Luckily the best man made sure to diffuse the situation and asked them to take it outside! Drama, yes, but it didn’t effect Josh and Melissa!) Fifth, cherish the memories! You will always have strong memories of the day, but it’s our photographs that will consistently reinforce those memories for a life-time! Anytime we can share our personal experience with our clients, it’s a good thing! I feel it shows that you’re more than just a photographer collecting a check for a few snaps. You’re a real person that truly cares about the couple in front of your camera. Well, I have 9 months to prepare for the next wedding of my daughter McKenna and being the father of the Bride! Stay Tuned!

Father of the Groom!
Friday, Oct 02, 2009

For nearly 30 years I’ve photographed weddings, close to 1200 of them! During each of those blessed events, I’ve asked myself what its gong to be like when it’s my son or daughter is up there taking their vows? Well, today at 6 pm PST, I will be finding out. My son and managing partner of My Studio Mentor, Josh, is marring an incredible lady, Melissa. Together, they will be an unbeatable combination. So, who’s shooting this event? ME! Well, at least all the artsy stuff of the bride and groom and wedding party. After that, I get to be a dad, a very proud dad that has waited 30 years to find out what it’s like to be the Father of the Groom! It won’t be long before I get to experience the father of the bride. My daughter McKenna and Dustin are getting married in July! Many thanks to all of your emails and calls wishing Josh and Melissa well on their journey. A big Thank you to Denise and Kyle today for covering the rest of the shooting so I can be a dad and Father of the Groom!