In my last post I shared Going Pro lesson #2 on Photography Marketing and how to create a funnel to attract, communicate and engage with prospects and clients. If you only do a small percentage of what I’m teaching in these lessons…you will still be further ahead than most business owners out there.

Photography Marketing Mind Map

In The Going Pro Lesson #3 I’ll show you the (2) pillars that can help you connect and spread the word about your business without it costing you hundreds of dollars in advertising. Yes…it will take some work to get things set up, but once they are created you just need to post content for people to consume. You just have to be a real person who shares their passion. We are Photographers and we take pictures…right? These 2 pillars will allow you to share your talent and have others do the same with hundreds if not thousands of people.

The TOOLS

I mention some tools in the video, some free and some paid…but you need to look at these as tools to help your business grow. It’s like being a photographer…but you don’t have a camera. You need a camera to take pictures and you need a website or blog to market your business. You need an Email Auto-Responder to communicate with your list of prospects and clients. It’s the same thing. They are tools to help with a certain part of your business.

The Marketing Flow

This video will lay everything out for you to follow, so you understand how to create a community that will help promote your business. It will show you how to create content and syndicate it out to various platforms (The 2 Pillars).

Watch the video below that shows the entire outline and concept that anyone can follow.

The…Going Pro Marketing Systems

The Photography Marketing Funnel

OK..this post is going to pick up were we left off in Video #1 of this Photography Marketing Mini Series. I’m going to reveal 2 Pro Marketing Systems that are not being used by 80% of businesses. If you understand this process and how powerful it is…you will stand out from any other business in your area. You will have the ability to connect and build relationships with your prospects and clients. This Is HUGE!

Most Business Owners Are Lazy

Sorry…but it’s the truth. They don’t want to put the extra work in to set things up properly. I can’t tell you how important it is to build relationships first and then make the sale. Think about it for a minute. Isn’t it easier to be sold to by a friend or take their recommendation vs being sold to by a stranger?

Your Prospects Will (Know…Like and Trust) YOU!

I know women always develop a relationship with their hairdresser and trust that person with their hair. Then they continue to come back for future appointments and refer their friends automatically.

What I show you in this lesson will allow you to communicate whenever you want and start to build that relationship over time. This stuff REALLY WORKS!

Watch the video and you’ll see what I mean. The next lesson will build off of this and take it to the next level.

Note: If you missed Video #1 in this Photography Marketing Pro Series…Check It Out!

Click “Like” and leave a comment below!

In this first video I will be covering Photography Marketing and some principles that you need to be focusing on. This will be a video series that will build off of each lesson.

These Photography Marketing lessons were originally released when we opened our private NPB Pro Inner Circle. It was said to be 3 of my best lessons on marketing photography and opened the eyes of many photographers. I really want you to watch each lesson and Take Action! Apply this techniques and strategies and you will get results. I promise!

Video #2 -Coming Soon!

Stay tuned for Video #2 where I go into great detail about how to take your Photography Marketing to the next level. These techniques and strategies are not being used by 80% off the market and you can easily dominate in your local town. But…like I said in the video, you will need to Take Action!

Until Next Time

Click “Like” and leave a comment below!

Hey Everyone, It’s Lisa,

I wanted to share some portrait ideas for Mother’s Day. Believe it or not, Mother’s day is right around the corner and choosing the perfect gift can be extremely difficult.  I always tell people to plan ahead and you should be planning this at least a few weeks before. If you can plan a couple of months ahead….that’s even better. I know where talking about Mother’s Day here, but this applies to any Holiday or special occasion.

Let’s be clear about something here.

Your job as a photographer and a marketer, is to help your clients find that special gift by offering them a unique portrait session and with Mother’s day near as I wrote this…we’ll use this as our example.  Always remind them that this is guaranteed to be the most favorite gift she’ll receive and it will  last longer than a bouquet of flowers!

They can choose from a generation portrait, a family portrait,  a Mommy and me session or simply just photograph the children by themselves. A beautiful portrait that captures a moment in time is a gift from the heart and  will be  treasured forever.  But…you already know that.

Here’s  a couple of unique portrait ideas for inspiration!

Take a photograph of the Mother and child’s shoes or capture a close-up of them holding hands.  Find a meaningful quote and personalize the portrait using Photoshop or create a unique personalized collage.

Photograph a little girl playing dress-up in her mother’s or her grandmother’s clothing or wedding gown.  The client can help you create  this family heirloom portrait by bringing along their mother or  grandmother’s wedding gown.  If they don’t have a gown, they can bring a  favorite dress or outfit and shoes. You can also ask them to bring any  vintage hats,  old family photographs  or other special mementos to personalize their portrait.

Children will  have a ball playing dress-up!   Using their mother’s or grandmother’s clothing, photos and mementos makes it extra special.  I recommend using a vintage trunk that the child can sit on or they may even want to climb inside.  In this portrait, our daughter is wearing her great-grandmother’s nightgown and is admiring  her old black and white wedding photos.  As you can imagine, her great- grandmother was absolutely thrilled when she received this on Mother’s Day.  This unique gift idea is sure to be a hit and will be cherished for generations to come.

So…I hope this gets you thinking of the possibilities that can be created by using some simple props and classic portraiture. Don’t over complicate things when creating these special portraits. Just keep in mind that the Mother/Grandmothers will be thrilled to have a keepsake from their child or children.

Here’s a few portrait ideas so you can see exactly what I am suggesting you create.

This portrait above was just simply a Mother and Child’s shoes with a nice poem. Simple, but yet very nice.

This portrait was created using the child’s Great Grandmother’s wedding photos on the floor and leaning up against the chest. She’s also looking at one of the pictures to add some connection to the portrait.

This shot was created using one of our Digital Backgrounds and props from our Digital Creation’s Club called “Attic Treasures”. This gives the feel of the past and just an overall happiness with the children smiling. How can you not smile and love that portrait. I know most Mothers would love this as a keepsake.

So…there you have it. There some real examples so you can get a better idea of what you can offer your clients. Like I said, this could be  easily used for any Holiday or Special occasion.

All you have to do now is let people know about your promo and snap the picture

Ok…let me explain how this picture you see right here has caused me a few problems and how I FOOLED the Pros!

Plus…I want you to see that these style portraits are very popular and you should be using these in your portrait business. Your clients will LOVE THEM!

First…I created our “Unique Trench Bowl” Digital Prop and Background set for our Digital Creation’s Club. Then I listed it on Ebay to be sold to professional photographers.

It was selling for $24.95 and people were loving it.

But…not all was good

We started to receive a few refund requests, because they thought it was  a real Wooden Trench Bowl. They said the picture looked real with the baby in the prop. They said they never used Digital Backgrounds or Props before. Some said they wanted to learn more…but some didn’t.

Every time I list something on Ebay or Amazon I’m very careful to be as detailed as possible, so people know what they are getting. You never want refunds on Ebay…especially because it hurts your feedback rating. We don’t want that!

2 Important Lessons HERE!

• 1. Wooden Trench Bowls are very popular right now and you should get one and add this to your prop collection.
• 2. Digital Props and Backgrounds can look real if done correctly and can be added much easier and far less expensive.

Here’s a few Wooden Trench Bowls I found on Ebay to show you that they are available. But…they can be expensive. With that being said…they will pay for themselves over and over again…as anything you invest in for your business. As long as you use it!

I wanted to share this with you, because it proves that people want this stuff and that Digital props can look REAL! Look I Fooled The PROS

I’m probably going to remove our listing on Ebay for a little while and try to create a better description. But…if you want access to our “Unique Wooden Trench bowl” Digital Creation set…I have a special offer for you.

You can download this set for just $19.95.

Click Here to download

or

You can join our Digital Creation’s club and receive this same set for 50% off regular price and over 100 others to choose from. Plus…all the other benefits of becoming a member.

Join the club HERE!

So…I hope I’ve opened your eyes to this huge opportunity…if you’re not already using Digital Props and Backgrounds.  There’s so many options once you learn the process and it will become very exciting for you and your photography.

Talk to ya soon!

Scott

In this short video I wanted to answer a question I received about dealing with being….OVERWHELM! This happens to all of us and sometimes we just need to not over complicate things. Watch the video and make sure you do the exercise I mention. It will give you and your photography business a detailed blueprint to FOLLOW!

Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts!

Enjoy

Hey Gang,

I just shot a quick video to hopefully inspire you and get you ready for 2012. Don’t laugh at the guitar portion…but there’s a point I needed to make

Post Your comments down below and let’s GET IT DONE In 2012!

I noticed this on our Digital Creation’s Private Facebook Group and I needed to share it with all our blog and NPB subscribers. It was submitted by Lori Register Burlew of Forget Me Not Photography and she was asked …Is This A Digital Background?

The answer is YES!

This set is from our Digital Creation’s Club and it is called “Comfy Basket Set”

You Can SWIPE This Idea!

Yes…you could recreate this very easily with a hard wood floor, baseboard molding, solid backdrop or wall, wicker style basket and colorful blanket. But…most people don’t want to spend the money on all these components and would rather we create it for them.

So…just keep in mind that if done properly, Digital Backgrounds and Props can be a HUGE asset to your business and help offer more options.

I also would like to say that not all Digital Backgrounds and Props are created equal and there is some bad stuff out there. I’m not bashing anyone here…just stating the facts.

It’s the old saying…Good Quality In…Good Quality OUT!

I hope this post has helped inspire you and also given you some ideas that you can use in your Photography.

Here’s the original post from our Digital Creation’s Facebook Group.

]]> http://newportraitbiz.com/blog/1215/was-this-a-digital-background-and-prop-or-not/feed/ 2 http://newportraitbiz.com/blog/1149/3-powerful-words-to-live-by/ http://newportraitbiz.com/blog/1149/3-powerful-words-to-live-by/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:17:45 +0000 NewPortraitBiz http://newportraitbiz.com/blog/?p=1149

OK…it’s now a brand new year and most people set goals and make resolutions and I think everyone should.

But…it doesn’t matter what time of year it is…we all need to check in with our goals and stay focused.

One of the hardest things in life and in business is being disciplined so you can achieve what you set out to do.

I know this is a photography blog, but most of what I teach and share are life lessons that can be used 365 days of the year.

The other day I logged into my Facebook account and checked my Facebook News Feed and this picture immediately caught my eye.

It was very clever and very TRUE!

I immediately posted it to my FB wall and wanted to share this image by Ty Bellitti…who is also one of our Digital Creation Club Members.

So…here’s what I want you to do.

• 1. Print or write down these 3 powerful words.
• 2. Post these so you can see it and be reminded every single day.
• 3. Grab a pen and notebook and relax somewhere other than your computer.
• 4. Write out your goals for 2012 in great detail.
• 5. In the next day or so…take another hour or two and write out a plan to Take Action and move towards your goals.

I truly believe that if you write down your goals…you are much more accountable, because they are down on paper. There’s something mentally that happens that now makes this something our brain thinks has to been done and it will work really hard on finding a solution.

TRUE STORY

I remember just over 3 years ago now…I was sitting at my dining room table writing down my goals. I wanted to help people online and have a blog that people could go to for advice. Well…now we have over 20,000 subscribers that I can communicate with and help in this business.

Let me just say…I never would have thought this could have happened. But…I wrote what down on paper what I wanted and I then wrote a plan to Take Action. I posted my first video on Youtube (which was awful by the way), I set up a blog and then I found a way to build an email subscriber list.

Well…The rest is history and I continue to set new goals all the time and review and revise them every few months.

Always Reach for MORE!

Remember to always set your goals higher than you think you can actually achieve. You will try much harder and if you fall short…you will be further ahead.

Let’s do something just for fun to get you to Take Action NOW!

Write a short comment below this post of what you want to achieve in 2012.

Here’s to your success

Scott

I received an email the other day that I wanted to share with you from one of our Digital Creation’s Club Members. She is starting to have portrait parties and needed some advice.

So…I thought I’d share it with you, because most people…including myself have fallen into this trap.

Here’s the email she wrote and the advice I gave her.

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Hi Scott, my name is Bec,

I have bought and am using many of your backgrounds and am about to begin a party plan business using them. I will purchase many more from you in the future for this business.

Scott, I need some very quick advice please. I am currently charging $60 for a creation fee and in that the customer was getting 6 photos onto 6 different backgrounds of there choice + 6 small photos.

The problem I had with my first party was that everyone took the 6 free photos with the intention to scan them, so therefor I had not even 1 sale, an in fact was in debt from that party.

Do you have any suggestions please?

Bec
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Hi Bec,

First let me say…congrats on Taking Action! That’s the very first step and most people don’t even get that far.

Now…I would suggest tweaking and testing different ways to present your portraits. You could have a follow up party or meet with each person again to show them their portraits. Then you could sell additional items and possibly set up a future private session.

***It’s Not Always About Making The Sale!***

The other thing you need to keep in mind is that the portrait party is not all about making the sale. Yes…you can make some money, but it’s all about getting your name out there and setting up appointments for your full sessions.

You should be collecting their email, mailing address and phone numbers. That’s The TRUE Gold Here!

Then you can follow up with them to let them know of your upcoming Specials, Facebook updates, Blog updates….and Build The Relationship!

***Building Relationships….Is HUGE***

I can’t stress this enough. Building a relationship is HUGE for long business success. These people will become fans and promote you and your business for YEARS!

I know you said this may have cost you money…but it’s a much better way to spend money on advertising than just throwing an Ad in the newspaper. You actually met with people who are in your targeted market. You should have received their contact information for future follow ups.

So…if it cost you $25 to create these images, I would say that’s money well spent. Yes…you spent your time, but that’s business. If you want to be successful, you need to put in the work and the time.

I hope this helps to show how it’s not always about getting the sale. It goes much deeper and the price on a potential client and their contact information….is HUGE!

Keep your chin up and focus on creating beautiful images that Make People Happy and you’ll do FINE!

It’s all part of the journey. But…if you have a passion for photography and love making people happy by creating portraits, you have to keep pushing. The only one that can get in the way of your success…is you.

Here’s to your success!

Scott

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I hope you can see there’s that there’s so much more than just the initial sale and just because you didn’t get the sale today…you may receive one tomorrow.

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Resources:

Create Unique portraits month after month – Digital Creation’s Club

NPB Pro The Inner Circle – Photography Business Community