In this issue
Image credit: Shutterstock 6 The Great Debate: Kids at Work, Yay or No Way?
17 Green with Envy When Suzy Q Makes More Than You
7 Product Reviews plus our pick for Best Business Tool of 2014
19 Passion Sucks and Here’s Why Our thoughts on what’s easily the most over-used word in the photography industry
10 Social Media Etiquette Don’t get caught committing these blunders! 13 What Makes Your Photography Business Any Different? When Angela Pointon asks us to Dream Bigger, we listen
24 Let’s Talk Insurance How covered are you?
Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! This first edition of Up Next has been a labor of love, and by labor I mean slow, painful and filled with all kinds of obstacles. But now that it’s here, I’m already forgetting all the curse words uttered and the tears shed. My hope for this magazine is to provide strong content that can help you as a photographer run a better business. It breaks my heart to see so many studios closing shop and if anything we write here can make you tweak the way you run your shop so it can become more profitable, our job is done. I have to thank a few amazing people who have helped keep me sane throughout this creative process: Amanda Wilson, you’re the bomb! Stacie Jensen, you’re the sassiest most kickass business woman I’ve ever met. I can’t wait for March to arrive! Jodie Otte, thank you for fiercely defending what is good about our industry. Kevin, Sam, Eric, Susannah, Celine, Heather, Vicki, Collette, Scott, Tim, Corey, Brian, Christine, Danielle, Ken L., Ken C., Chris and Cheri, thank you for cracking me up on a daily basis. I adore all of you. To Jamie Swanson, thank you for everything you’ve done to help me and others in my place. Since this is our first issue, I ask that you kindly tell us what you love and what doesn’t work for you. We’re on Facebook, Twitter and Google+ or you can send us an email at hello@forcoco.com. This first issue is a gift to you. We want you to share it with every photographer you know. If you really love it and want to continue reading it, you can receive future issues delivered straight to your inbox by simply being vetted by Forcoco or joining us as a non-vetted member.
Until next time,
Sandy
_______________________ You Should Know That…
The 2014 Photocrati Fund Competition Is Now Open Now in its fifth year, the Photocrati Fund will grant $5,000 to a photographer to realize a humanitarian or environmental photography project. Past winners include Alex Masi, Peter DiCampo and Paul Colangelo. The deadline for submissions is April 18, 2014. For more information visit www.photocrati.com/photocrati-fund
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“I don’t understand why would anyone want to bring a child to a photo shoot. You’re running a business! Be professional!” -John, CA
“It depends on the client. Some of my clients are like family to me. I would scolded if I don’t bring my kids along.” -Mary Sue, SC
“I don’t have children. If I did, I think I would bring them every once in a while, but not all the time.” -Alana, CT
“When my daughter was a baby, I would take her with me to outdoor sessions if the weather was nice. I would shoot and then we would go exploring the area. I miss those days!” -Alicia, KY
“You don’t see cops or teachers or factory workers taking their kids to work. Only in photography! Ugh.” -Julie, IL
“I don’t think it’s appropriate to bring your kids. Your clients want your undivided attention. Sooner or later, your kid will interrupt you. There’s no escaping that!” -Sean, IL
“I setup a small room in my studio for my sons to do homework and play while I work. Occasionally I have to remind them that they’re not at home, but for the most part, they behave pretty well. If I worked on location, I would never bring them. It’s not something I’d feel comfortable doing.” -Chenise, GA
“Uh…nope. Never. I can’t think of anything less professional than playing the parent card at work. I rather cancel the appointment if my sitter bailed out or something. It’s not a good business practice.” -Dana, ND
“Sure! Why not?” -Carmen, FL
“No, no, no, NO!” -Janice, RI
“Oh goodness! That would be waaaay too distracting! Definitely no. -Katie, MA
Our Opinion? Unless there’s a massive emergency and no one is able to watch your children, we think it’s best if you leave them behind while you photograph your clients. If you MUST bring them, be sure to pack plenty of snacks and activities to keep them entertained while you work.
“My kids are old enough now to come to sessions with me. They help me with props, carry equipment and are there to learn how hard their mom works to buy them the things they want.” -Kim, TX
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Stuff You Should Own The Easy Peasy Master Disaster (Oh S**T) Kit Kim and Charo- the spunky ladies behind A Camera and A Dream- have created what’s quite possibly the most useful we-hope-we-never-need-to-use business tool for photographers. This kit has all the spreadsheets and forms you will need to keep track of every vital piece of information in your business: clients’ contact info, passwords, file management, orders… all of it in one place. Imagine you’re knocked unconscious tomorrow, and you have client orders to deliver. Your assistant, significant other or granny can easily find all the info they need to service your clients while you recover. Yeah, we bought two of them, just in case!
________________________________________________________________ Back to the Drawing Board: The Lost Art of Getting Great Images on Camera
Full disclaimer: Jodie Otte is a dear friend of Forcoco. Full disclaimer, Part 2: We have lots of great friends who sell crappy stuff that we would never endorse. Best-known for her Similac® ad campaign and having successfully sold several editions of her Studio Lighting Naturally book, Jodie brings us a beautifully illustrated book that shows every single lighting technique a professional photographer will ever need. From setup to settings, Jodie explains in great detail her thought process behind every lighting decision she makes. If you want to learn how to manipulate light to convey emotion the way great photographers do, you need to own this book. It is great content and the priced is perfect. You’d have to pay five-times as much money for one college class in the same topic!
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Image credit: Sutterstock
Social Media Etiquette What you don’t know could kill your business Have you heard the story about the very successful photographer who ranted about a client on social media and lost 95% of his clients? If your answer to that question is “Which one?” that’s because sadly, this happens way too often. There are many reasons why broadcasting anything negative about a client is a terrible idea. Even if your client is not your Facebook friend or doesn’t follow you on Twitter, speaking negatively about the very same people who help put a roof over your head is at the very least distasteful. Think about this: Did you get outraged when Abercrombie and Fitch’s CEO Mike Jeffries made his public statement wanting his clothing to be worn “only by thin and beautiful people”? How is that any different than you publicly ranting about only getting “the ugly brides”, “the f#$%in brats” and “the cheapo moms”? Would you be turned off if you were looking to hire a photographer and learned that s/he made those kinds of statements? By the way, two of those statements were on Facebook; the other one on Twitter. Here’s the deal: everything you type will be broadcasted to the world, even if you rant in one of those secret online groups. Trust us, screen caps are a wonderfully terrible thing.
11 So what’s the proper online etiquette? Follow that ages-old adage: “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” That’s right. If you’re angry at a client, keep your mouth shut and stay away from the keyboard. Sleep on it. Give it a day or two. Speak privately with a business mentor who can help you sort out your feelings. When you’ve calmed down, contact your client privately, via email or, better yet, on the phone. Address the situation in a calm and respectful manner. Prepare a script beforehand if you must! Practice in front of the mirror or role-play with your spouse to address any potential comebacks your client may have. When you speak to your client, actively listen to what s/he has to say. You may discover that s/he was having a rough day or actually loves your pictures and is upset s/he can’t afford to buy more of them. Or you may find out that s/he really thinks you suck, but even in that case, if you handle the issue privately and professionally, s/he (and everyone else) will see you as someone who takes her business seriously. ______________________________________________________________________________________________
Sound Off! We want to hear from you. Tell us how we’re doing. You can find us on Facebook (facebook.com/forcocopage), Google + (google.com/+Forcoco) and Twitter (@forcocosandy), or email us at hello@forcoco.com
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Image Credit: Sheila Mohan | freedigitalpictures.net
What Makes Your Photography Business Any Different? By Angela Pointon
Being unique in your own market space can be really scary stuff. It takes someone within the competitive mix to take a dare--the "triple dog dare ya" kind--and run with it. The faster they sprint to the land of never-been-done-before, the more the competitors left behind become competitors no longer. Why is differentiation so petrifying? Whenever you venture into unchartered territory, you grow a sense of angst and uncertainty. That very feeling is what keeps the average photographer in a state of trying to be everything to everybody. It simply feels safer that way. The rationalization that may scurry through your head probably goes a little like this: “If I serve a wider array of clients, I give myself the opportunity to book more business. It's less risky and I'll earn more revenue this way."
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That same form of rationalization is what keeps parents, husbands and wives in jobs they hate, too. It creates a false sense of safety. If you find yourself having rationalizations like these, I encourage you to recognize them as simply being fear of the unknown. More times than not, increased success and elevated forms of happiness lie on the other side of fear. What might be causing your current brand's weakness? There's nothing attractive, urgent or unique about a photographer that offers a marketing message to the world that we've all heard before. If you have nothing interesting to say, there's actually no point in marketing at all. If you do decide to spend money on marketing without working on your brand, first, it'll cost a lot in repeat ads to get noticed...and there's an easier, more cost-effective path. Buyers want to connect with the companies they're thinking of spending money with. They want to gain the sense that they are hiring someone that understands them or associates with the things that buyer also wants to be associated with. But when your message to the masses says "I photograph just about everything for just about anyone," doubts begin to form. “A jack of all trades is a master in none." From a more academic marketing perspective, here's why: The Australasian Marketing Journal identifies the textbook articulation of brand differentiation as follows: A brand must be perceived as different in order to win market share (i.e. customers must have a reason to start buying the brand) Brands must be perceived as different in order to attract customers in the face of competition. That is, customers must have a reason to keep preferring the brand in the face of competition from other brands and new entrants. Some brands are much more differentiated than others, meaning that their customer base is more loyal and less sensitive to actions of competitors. This may result in greater profitability. Assuming just about every textbook on marketing is true, why wouldn't you brand your photography business differently from your competition? When you need inspiration on how to brand differently, go get it. I was struck with an idea on how to help other photographers looking for a niche to fill. Over the years of working with other creative entrepreneurs I found that determining what makes you unique, or has the potential to make you unique, is really hard... especially when you're left to try to figure it out on your own.
15 I decided to organize an event that offers photographers and other business owners the opportunity to learn from me and some of the industry's best, called the Dream Bigger Conference. Join the Dream Bigger Conference and get inspired. Listen to my speech at the Dream Bigger Conference telesummit. I'm speaking on the topic of branding and uniqueness in the opening session, titled "How To Never Have To Market Your Business Again". In addition to my topic, you'll hear from eleven other speakers, each offering advice on online marketing, sales, personal projects, social media, pricing and more. Downloadable audio files, plus complimentary lifetime access to a private community of creative entrepreneurs are additional bonuses included for all paying listeners.
{If you are a member of Forcoco, you already have this information} The Dream Bigger Conference was held on February 3-5. All videos and materials are available for purchase at http://steeltoeimages.com/conference
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Five Reasons Why You Need to Become a Vetted Photographer 1. Your clients will value you even more when they learn you run a legal and insured business and take their safety and satisfaction very seriously. 2. We will do a heck of a lot of advertising on your behalf and provide you with client leads to help you grow your business. 3. From pricing to scheduling, to marketing and finances, we have professionals on staff to bring you real tools to run a profitable business. 4. We’re committed to educate the public on the good, bad and ugly of the photography world so they can make better decisions when hiring a professional photographer. 5. We guarantee our services. If you are not satisfied after 90-days with us, we will refund your investment. No questions asked.
Apply today at www.forcoco.com/membership-options
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green with envy when Suzy Q makes more than you by Sandra Armenteros
One of the most frequent complaints I hear sounds something like this: Suzy Q's pictures are nowhere near as good as mine, but she's making tons of money and I'm not. What gives? Well, I'm willing to bet that Suzy Q is a very savvy business woman who has figured out a system to balance her love for photography with her need to pay the bills. We've heard people argue that ours is a declining industry, that it's almost impossible to make ends meet, etc. Meanwhile, thousands of photographers all over the country {myself included} manage to run profitable photography business. So here's how you can make it work for you: 1. Get a refresher on lighting. Memorize the best baseline settings on both your camera and OCF for different lighting situations. This will cut down the technical preparation portion of your session and will save you from having to spend lots of time in post-production. If you want to spend hours processing a particular image, be sure there's a reason for that, such as you knowing your client will buy it (because she already told commissioned this particular piece and prepaid for it). 2. Use social media wisely. Logging on to Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Instagram for a few minutes to check-in or post an update can turn into wasting hours reading funny memes, answering quizzes and sharing great quotes. Fun, right? Guess what you're not doing while you're online... Making money. 3. Review your entire product line. List your top and bottom sellers. Look at each product's price point, production cost and profit. Do you need to make changes? Choose new vendors? Discard some items? 4. Review your pricing. Is it clear, easy to explain and to understand? How does your pricing fit in your market? Is it conducive to a good profit? Do you need to make adjustments?
18 5. Go were your clients are. The days when a new client would just walk in to your studio or meeting at bridal fairs are over. Nowadays, you need to go find your dream clients where they are: at bridal gown shops, children boutiques and swim practice. You need to network with the peeps in charge at said places and have them open the doors for you. 6. Provide excellent service all the time. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said it best: "If you build a great experience, customers tell each other about that. Word of mouth is very powerful." 7. Review your policies. Check your cancellation and rescheduling policies. Are they clearly stated and easily understandable to your clients? How about your quality and service guarantee? Does the wording have a nasty tone, making prospect clients squirm in their chairs? 8. Ask your clients for feedback. Be honest in your approach and ready to hear some harsh truths. "The quality of your work is not as good any more" or "You take too long delivering images" are some of the most frequent complaints clients have. 9. Hire an assistant. You'll be surprised what a huge improvement it is to have someone sort through client emails and package print orders. If you don't think you can afford a full-time assistant, start with getting help a few hours per week and work your way up from there. 10. Stop comparing yourself to or imitating others. That what makes your photography unique is what will have your clients come to you. If your products look just like everyone else’s, consumers in your area will go for the cheapest version of the same thing. 11. Be ON all the time. If your brand is built around perky and fresh, you must always portray that image whenever you’re in public. If you’re sweet at your studio and a monster online, your clients will know. They will find out and they will run away.
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Image Credit: Shutterstuck
Passion sucks and here’s why by Sandra Armenteros By far, the most overused word in the photography industry is PASSION. According to “experts”, you must have lots and lots of it in order to run your photography business. You have to shoot with passion, share with passion and sell with passion. Never mind logic. Like a very wise woman once said: “Ain’t nobody got time for that!” The word-ninja in me recently got curious about PASSION and clicked on one of the best online tools a blogger could ever wish for: thesaurus.com. Well, kids, here are the synonyms for PASSION, in strict alphabetical order:
affection, anger, ardor, dedication, devotion, excitement, feeling, fervor, fury, intensity, joy, rage, resentment, sentiment, spirit, temper, warmth, zeal
20 Let’s analyze each one of these words as applied to a photography business… Affection. I love my son. I love my partner. I love my dog and my mom and a well-cooked meal. I love photography. I love my clients. Okay, I love SOME of my clients. I don’t love running a photography business. You read that right. I run a photography business because I want to make an income out of something I’m really good at, but I hate spreadsheets, taxes and comparing the cost of packaging folios. So, I love the art {+1} but hate the work {-1}. So far, we have a draw. Anger. “Make a ton of money from your photography talent” scams piss me off. Content stealing turns me into Drew Barrymore’s character Charlie McGee in Firestarter. Rebel-armed newbies charging money without understanding a lick about lighting and composition… you don’t want to know how much that sets me off. Passion = Anger {+1} Ardor. Had to look this one up. First definition: “great warmth of feeling”. Okay. Second definition: “intense devotion, eagerness or enthusiasm.” I ‘m definitely devoted to my work. So far, so good. One more, to be sure. Third definition: “burning heat”. Holy hell! My mind immediately thinks of an urinary tract infection, NOT my business. Next! {-1} Dedication. I’m very dedicated to profit from my photography business. This is an easy {+1} Devotion. I’m definitely devoted to my business, so I guess this is also an easy {+1} Excitement. This one’s a bit hard. Am I excited about chasing toddlers around a park? Nope. Do I get pumped up about following a bride for 12 hours straight? Definitely not. Do I enjoy the beaming smile on a client’s face after I help her hang up a gorgeous canvas above her fireplace? Absolutely. Let’s say this is also a {+1}. Feeling. Photography is an art. A business is a way to earn a living. Neither of these constitutes a feeling. {-1} Fervor. Also looked this one up. It means “great warmth and earnestness of feeling”, which we already touched on, and “intense heat”, which has nothing to do with running a photography business unless your computer crashes as you’re finishing editing images that were due yesterday. {-1} Fury. See “anger” above. {-1} Intensity. My job is certainly extraneous, and requires great energy and concentration. I guess we have another {+1} Joy. I tried the cubicle life. It isn’t for me. Yes. I do feel happy about using my creative talents to earn a living. I may not get giddy about the many tasks that come with running my business, but every time I learn something new to make me more efficient, I do feel joyful. {+1} Rage. See “anger” and “fury”. Someone needs to chill out. {-1} Resentment. I can see how this one applies to a photography business, but only to failed ones. Those who didn’t price their services correctly, who spent way too much time post-processing images instead of marketing their services to attract quality clients, and those who really believed they could setup shop and make a decent income from shooting pictures without having the technical knowledge to do so. Yeah. Resentment does apply to the industry, but not to my business. {+1/-1}
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Sentiment. Defined as “an attitude toward something; regard; opinion”. I suppose this is a {+1} for those of us who shoot original images, since we’re inserting our own artistic vision on every image we take. For the cookie cutter photographers and copycats, it’s a resounding {-1}. Spirit. Defined as “the principle of conscious life” and “the vital principle in humans”. Not sure either applies to running a photography business. {-1} Temper. Seriously? Again? See “anger”, fury” and “rage” above. Also, see a therapist. {-1} Warmth. Means “the quality of being intimate and attached”. Again, great to describe a certain photography style but not applicable to my particular business. {-1} Zeal. See “fervor” and “intensity”. {0} After doing some really complicated math, our result is… -1, which proves that you should never, ever again use the word PASSION to refer to your photography business. Okay? Good. Now, if these results made your head explode from trying to come up with another word to use to describe your photography business, may I suggest PROFITABLE?
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THE IN-PERSON PROOFING APP FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS WWW.YOUPROOFAPP.COM
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Are you Really Covered? by Sandra Armenteros
One of the basic expenses when running a legitimate photography business is insurance. When photography is your primary or only source of income, you must ensure that you will be able to continue to work if your equipment breaks is damaged or stolen, if you or your employee is involved in a car accident while conducting business, if your studio is destroyed by a flood or fire, or if a client sues you for legitimate or frivolous reasons. All of these scenarios are covered under different insurance categories and you should be familiar with all of them in order to purchase the type of policy that better suits your needs. Property Insurance protects your studio, office space, office equipment and other tools deemed essential to your business from damage resulting from storms, fire, vandalism, theft and other unexpected events. It is recommended that you add Loss of Earnings Insurance to your policy in order to protect your income in the event that your business is unable to operate. Equipment Insurance provides you with funds to fix or replace your cameras, lenses, flashes, computers, hard drives and all other gear necessary for you to run your business, should they become damaged, lost or stolen. When buying this type of insurance, you should ask your agent for specific details on recovery time; that is, how long will it take the company to disburse the funds for you to replace equipment. For a policy with a deductible of $500, you should expect to pay on average $2.00 for every $100 in equipment you own. You should keep a specific inventory of all your equipment and update it regularly in case you ever need to file a claim. Some insurance companies combine equipment insurance with property insurance. If you are a member of PPA or any other professional association that provides equipment coverage, you should disclose this to your business insurance agent, as s/he may need to adjust your policy to establish which policy will provide primary coverage. Commercial General Liability Insurance protects your business against lawsuits claiming bodily injury, property damage or personal injury. Coverage includes you and your employees only. Independent contractors or subcontractors (i.e. second shooters or makeup artists not employed by your studio) are not covered by this policy. There is usually a cap for medical expenses, fire damage and damage to non-owned automobiles. Many public parks and event venues require you
25 to have a certificate of insurance for at least $1,000,000 in order to grant you permission to photograph within their premises. If you hire subcontractors on occasion, you can choose to write them under your insurance policy as employees or you can require them to present you with a certificate of insurance. If you choose the latter, you will want your subcontractor to carry a minimum $1,000,000 in liability coverage. Professional Liability/Exclusions and Omissions Insurance covers defense and damages costs outside of the commercial general liability insurance policy, in the event your business is sued for professional mistakes such as incomplete or undelivered products and services. Worker’s Compensation provides wage replacement and medical benefits to workers who are injured on the job. By accepting this coverage, employees give up their right to sue you and your business for the incident. All 50 states plus territories require you to have worker’s compensation insurance if you have employees, with penalties for non-compliance ranging from $1,000 to $100,000 per employee, per occurrence. Commercial Vehicle Insurance will protect any vehicles registered to your business, used to carry employees, equipment or products. If you do not have business-owned vehicles but have employees who drive their vehicles to conduct business, you should add a non-owned auto liability policy to protect your business in the event that your employee doesn’t have enough adequate insurance coverage. Something else to keep in mind: If you travel for assignments, you must disclose this to your insurance agent and s/he must write a clause in your insurance contract. Otherwise, your insurer has the right to deny you coverage in part or in its entirety when you take on an assignment outside your usual location. A good business practice is to notify your insurer of your upcoming travel plans before you leave. It is not a required step but it will save you time and trouble should something happen to you or your business while you’re on assignment. Although we didn’t discuss it in depth in this article, you should consider purchasing Disability and Life Insurance to provide for your loved ones in the event you become too ill to work or if you die unexpectedly.
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Tell Us: How much insurance coverage does your photography business have? Email us at hello@forcoco.com and let us know for a chance to win a seat in Forcoco’s Backdating Workshop.