In Search of the Wild Mountain Huckleberry… and the Perfect Client! Part One
Monday, Aug 31, 2009

Terri and I decided to go on a little “adventure” yesterday in search of the wild huckleberry. The last time I picked HB’s I was in 9th grade! The season is short and finding these elusive berries can be very challenging, unless you know where to find them. Long story short, Terri and I spent all day driving around on logging roads following maps to the recommended areas. Of course, during our hours of searching, we were treated to some amazing views of Mt. Rainer, which was literally only a few miles away. Bottom-line though, we struck out yesterday. By the time we started back home, it was already dark; we decided to stay in a little town near our search. This morning we woke up and decided to try again before heading home. We followed a forestry road for about 9 miles that took us to the 4,000 foot level. When we reached our destination we ran into a couple of ladies who were very experienced at huckleberry picking. They said, “You’re in the right spot! These little guys are easy to find if you’re in the right place! They’ll be everywhere!” Terri and I continued down the rut filled mountain road a little further, hitting what seemed a pot hole every second! We bottomed out several times, good thing I got the “off-road” package for Terri’s Prius! But, just like the ladies said, the berries would be everywhere once we found the right spot. Huckleberries like to hang out around alder trees, hemlock trees, and damp ground. Once we found that combination of trees and mushy soil, guess what? SCORE! The little buggers where everywhere! So, what does this have to do with anything, mainly running a photography business? Driving home from our adventure I started to think about how this whole scenario relates to our “perfect client” and how we market or find them. That “perfect client” is elusive and hard to find, much like the huckleberry. But, if you know exactly where to look, you can find hoards of them! The PC lives in certain areas that have specific characteristics, much like the tree and soil example of the HB. As for the PC, the trees and soil are replaced with the certain lifestyle component. For instance, some of our perfect clients live on lakes, golf courses, etc. Once you discover where to find these PC’s (and this is different all over the country) you have an area that is ready to harvest every year for you! This is what I learned today about HB’s. I know it sounds pretty juvenile, but marketing to the right type of client is not much different, it’s all about learning about them, educating yourself on how to locate them, and getting out there to try. The last 27 years has been a constant learning process for finding PC’s, I’m happy to share with you, much like those 2 ladies, how to find these PC’s for yourself! Tomorrow I will discuss in detail what the characteristics are for finding these PC’s, under what “trees” do these elusive clients like to root? See you tomorrow! -BH

Luck or Hard Work?
Sunday, Aug 30, 2009

Have you ever wanted to bite your tongue from a comment said by someone, especially a relative? This happened to me yesterday at a social gathering at our house. I hadn’t seen this person in almost a year and she wanted to catch up. No problem. The conversation ended up being a pity party that I listened to for a half and hour or so. At the end of this negative conversation, this person mentioned how lucky I’ve been in my life and how lucky I am to have this house on the lake. “Lucky…lucky”, I thought to myself? Some people will never get it. Success in business and in life is never about “luck”, it’s about hard work, taking a risk, and having the determination to make your goals a reality, whatever the situation. One of my favorite quotes is, “The harder you work, the luckier you get!” Some people are content to sit around and wait for their “luck” to change. Others roll up their sleeves and get to work. Tomorrow morning, look yourself in the mirror and decide what type person you are. The studios that survive and thrive in the future will not be reliant on luck, but hard work and dedication to our craft! I hope everyone had a great weekend and I’ll see you Monday with a new blog and image of the week! -Bruce

It’s ALL About Relationships! Part Two: Your Marketing Partner!
Thursday, Aug 27, 2009

In part one I mentioned our wonderful marriage to H&H Color Lab. I hope you took the time to check them out! They are the REAL deal and are innovating, changing, growing, and even keeping their prices low while other labs are going out business like crazy. Today I want to share with you another relationship that has given us some incredible tools over the years for our marketing efforts. I’m sure you have heard of Marathon Press before, who hasn’t? If not, they are a company that resides in Norfolk, NE, only about 2 hours from Omaha. Marathon has a mid-west feel about it and employees a world class team of customer service reps, designers, and products to help professional photographers market their studios. Marathon has been an amazing partner of ours for over 20 years. Whether it is branding logos for us, printing our brochures and mailers, even helping us reach our clients through email marketing, their staff is 100% dedicated to our success! How many companies can you say that about these days? The staff, management, and ownership of Marathon Press have done more for our profession than any other company out there! Once again, I know I sound like a commercial, but I’m telling you from my heart and soul, before we partnered with Marathon many years ago, our marketing pieces looked like everyone else’s…boring! Take a few minutes and explore all they have to offer this great profession of ours. They can help you take your business to the level you want to be at, trust me! www.marathonpress.com To contact our personal account rep, call 800-228-0629 and ask for the beautiful Tina! Remember, whether it’s your clients or vendors (partners), it’s all about relationships in this business! Never go it alone! –Bruce -PS. Here’s a shout out to all of the FREE webinar attendees this morning, sponsored by Marathon Press! Hope you guys had a great time!

It’s all about relationships! Part One: Are you married to your color lab?
Tuesday, Aug 25, 2009

Whether you have followed Josh or me for 6 months or for many years, you know that we’ve built the studio business based on relationships. It’s all about the relationships you have with your clients. But the area I want to stress today is the importance of having a relationship with your vendors, particularly your color lab. I see all of our vendors as partners in our business. Some are more important than others and some provide a more crucial product or service. When it comes to your color lab, I feel they’re not just a partner, but more of a spouse that you’re married too! They mean that much to our business. The quality of service, products, and most importantly, the quality of the relationship you have with yours can make or break your business. When we first started in 1982 we used one of the local labs here in Seattle. When Sue and I started lecturing in the early 1990’s all over the country, we kept hearing about this “urban legend” of a lab in the Kansas City area called H&H. The stories we heard were remarkable. Just imagine a lab where customer service was matched with an exceptional, consistent product. Not to mention, they were extremely affordable priced. Well, the rumors were true and our marriage to H&H Color Lab happened in 1994. From the owners of the lab Wayne and Shirley Haub down to the custodians, it’s one of the most thoughtful and best run companies I have ever worked with. Their goal is the same as ours here at the studio, create the best experience and product possible while building and maintaining a long-lasting relationship with your clients. If you’re happy with your current lab, by all means continue to use them. But, if you’re looking for a lab where you are appreciated just like one of your customers, please take a look at what I consider to be the best lab on the planet, H&H Color Lab! For more information about H&H Color Lab, contact their customer service team at 800-821-1305. You may also contact our personal rep Michelle at extension 127 or email her at mgabbert@hhcolorlab.com. I know I sound like a walking- talking billboard for them, but they truly excite me! My clients have the same enthusiasm for my work. You know you must be doing something right when your customers become your biggest fans!

Garage Sale Marketing
Monday, Aug 24, 2009

When I left my home Friday morning, there were 40 or so people in my garage going crazy for items that we had planned to donate to the Goodwill. I’ve never been one to do a garage sale, but I found out today my wife Terri is a master at it! This morning I was in charge of balloons and placing signage throughout the community. I ended up directly competing with other garage sales and placed our signs near theirs. Unlike the other signs, which were hand done on cardboard, ours where created in Publisher and where laminated on “A” boards. I placed them at all the major routes through Maple Valley and Black Diamond. I also placed balloons (left over from Terri’s realtor days) to add a little extra pizzazz! It’s all about making you stand out from everyone else, whether it’s running a photography business or marketing a garage sale! The balloon colors where purple and green. The purple balloons had green ribbon, and the green balloons had purple ribbon. The signs looked great and definitely stood out from the rest of the signs. Where I am going with this? When you are competing or marketing head to head with your competition, you have to be different and stand out to the consumer. I learned this many years ago when we started to participate in bridal shows. You need to do whatever it takes to be seen as someone who is different and rises above everyone else. More recently we’ve done this with our new senior website. We are due for a full update on all of our websites, so we decided to start by niching a senior only site and go head to head with the expanded competition in the market place. Seniors by Hudson’s has been rebranded as an independent division of Hudson’s. Check out the site at www.seniorsbyhudsons.com. The response the last 2 weeks of this site going live has been amazing! Bottom-line: Market yourself as someone different, someone who stands out, and someone who is coordinated! The result of the first few hours of our garage sale was literally hundreds of people showing up! I drove around to some of the other garage sales on my way to work; they had a fraction of our traffic. I hope all of you had a great weekend, watch for a brand new image of the week to be updated today. It’s from a session I did yesterday on my client’s boat in the Puget Sound. Cool stuff! -Bruce

It’s Been Working- Part Two
Tuesday, Aug 18, 2009

Another reason for our summer surge is that we have been executing the basics better. Here’s what I mean: (1) The Phone- We have focused on the basics of the phone call again. We’re asking more questions and making more of an effort to relate to our prospects. How did you hear about us, why are deciding to do this now, etc. Sometimes we all need to slow down and listen to what our clients are saying. Remember, there is only one goal with every phone call, that’s to get them in for a consultation. (2) Follow Up- This is difficult for any artist type to do in a timely and consistent manor. We have been working hard to follow-up with emails, phone calls, Facebook pings, and personal sales leads with as much enthusiasm and passion as possible. (3) The Plan- If you have planted the marketing seeds long enough, you must trust in the plan you have laid forth. For us right now, the plan is working and has created this summer surge we are experiencing. Trust me, I don’t claim to know everything, but I know that even in these tough times it is still possible to have a profitable business. We just need to work harder, smarter, and get back to the basics. Make sure to plant those seeds and cultivate this year’s harvest! Hang in there! –Bruce -PS. New image of the will be up tomorrow!

Planting Seeds! - It’s Been Working! Part One
Sunday, Aug 16, 2009

We have had a super busy summer, despite weddings being down. Our family business has been amazing and has really carried the ball. I think one of the primary reasons for our success is the fact that we have, in the past and now, continue to plant seeds. What do I mean, planting seeds? If you follow my teachings at all, you know that seed planting is the simplest form of marketing. Last night I did a Private Party which had no less than 2 dozen of my clients scattered among the 150 guests. I tried my best to work “the room” backyard, to visit and plant seeds. Many of my clients are now divorced with “new friends” in their lives. Some were families that I had not seen in awhile and commented on how they need to update their portrait. A few have kids that now are in high school, which I photographed when they were little younger. All in All, the seeds were planted and ready to sprout in the future. That’s the good news, the bad news is that there is no guarantee that they will sprout. Keeping in touch with your clients over the days, months, or years, helps to “hedge your bet” and speed up the growing process. Once again, I feel this is why we have been so busy this summer despite the fact our traditional wedding business is down. You need to plant and continue to plant all the time! Tomorrow, I’ll be giving you another reason for our summer surge in business! Till next time! Keep planting your seeds! BH

Where to find the right family portrait clients!
Tuesday, Aug 11, 2009

First off, sorry for not posting a blog the last few days, I was in Cannon Beach and Josh’s fiancée’s grandfather passed away. Needless to say, it was a busy weekend. We’re back now, so here’s the conclusion for last Friday’s blog! One of the best places to find these types of clients is at private schools. We do a lot of auctions at private schools and some of our most successful family clients we have came from these types of auctions. I guess the investment in a child’s education is a pretty good indication of their family priorities. Time and time again we see these families purchasing our products as a way of investing in their family, much like they do with a child in private school. Even if you don’t have a child that goes to these types of schools, you can still get involved in their auctions. Here are a few tips for getting you into the fold: (1) Make a list of your clients that have children in private schools. (2) Call, write them a letter, or send them a card from SendOutCards to see if their school has an auction fundraiser. (3) If they do, tell them how happy you would be to donate to their cause! (4) As a display print for the auction, use one of their beautiful large wall portraits that you’ve created for them in the past. This helps build up your creditability! (5) This is also a great way to make a connection to them (a part of the school community) and you (a business giving a donation to a worthy cause)! No matter how bad our economy is at the moment, there are still clients that have financial means and put family above everything else. It’s a matter of recognizing who they are and where they are in the marketplace. I hope I’ve giving you some clues, now go out there and find YOUR goldmine! -Bruce

So, what’s the secret to finding the right type of family portrait clients?
Thursday, Aug 06, 2009

Well, I’ll tell you what it’s not, it’s not the amount of money a client has. Nor is it the material things a client owns. These 2 factors are nice for qualifying a prospect and can sometimes contribute to the size of a sale, but these are not the secrets to finding the right client. Ok Bruce, enough teasing, what’s the secret? It comes down to family taking priority in your client’s lifestyle! The closer the family is the more likely they are to invest in portraiture from time to time. Simple having kids is not enough, not every family lives for each other. I guess it is an attitude thing! But even if you get the right kid of family through your doors, it still doesn’t guarantee a “big” sale, that’s your job entirely. It’s up to you to educate, execute, and create that desire for portraiture. However, when you combine both the means and the emphasis on family togetherness, you have a winning combination! Try to find clients that are into their family, they are more likely to celebrate it though high end portrait art. Like I said before, it’s not just people with kids. Find the people who put family above all else and then watch your business flourish! Tomorrow I’ll give some of the best places to find these types of clients. They’re just gold mines waiting to be discovered! -Bruce

I found the secret to family portraits! Now, what do I do with it?
Wednesday, Aug 05, 2009

Josh and I just returned from Lake Chelan, WA (in the middle of the state, about a 3 ½ hour drive from Seattle) a popular vacation spot for my clients. Many of them also have summer homes there, much like the clients above! This is one image we created last night during our trip. Our mission was to photograph their entire family. The last time I photographed them was 10 years ago. This time there were 13 new grandchildren! Check out an up-coming image of the week for that portrait! As you know, photographing large families is tough, but even tougher is finding families who see the value of investing in quality portraits. These clients spent a good amount of money 10 years ago, why do they see the value in what we do versus others? I believe I’ve found the one of the secrets for where to find and how to find these types of clients. I think it comes down to one major thing. Can you guess what it is? Check out the blog tomorrow and I’ll share what I’ve discovered after 27 years of business! Also, feel free to post your guess on our Facebook fan page wall! Who ever guesses the answer will win a signed copy of my book The Relationographer! Good luck! -Bruce

Being on the other side of the camera…Bambi Cantrell’s camera!
Monday, Aug 03, 2009

Terri and I had a super busy weekend! On Saturday we photographed a wedding in San Francisco (see the new image of the week) and yesterday we flew into LA to be a guest at a wedding in Hollywood. It was really a lot of fun watching someone else working instead of us! In this case, that someone was Bambi Cantrell! Man, what a pro! In fact, we will probably have her featured on an up-coming Monthly Mentor Issue very soon! I’ve known and taught with Bambi for many years, it was fun to see her in action in the real world! After the wedding she invited us back to her hotel to freshen up and hang out until our 10:30pm flight back to Seattle. She ended up photographing Terri and I around the hotel, what a hoot! Terri and I had an awesome time being in front of the camera, what a role reversal! This is something we all need to experience as much as possible. The more we understand how our clients feel during a shoot, the better photographers and communicators we will become. Thanks Bambi for the experience! We can’t wait to see the images! -Bruce

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