inFOCUS APPO’S MAGAZINE FOR PHOTO ORGANIZERS
WINTER 2016
Hello | WINTER 2015
Welcome! Let’s face it, it’s winter. Depending on where you live, the cold dreary weather of January and February can cause you to just hunker down and hide. Movie rentals soar and comfy fleece jackets replace dressing up. But take heart, spring will come and we have an amazing winter edition of inFOCUS to help inspire you. In this edition, renowned professional photographer Nick Kelsh shares his winter scenes with us. Nick is also an excellent and in-demand teacher. He will be teaching a three-hour workshop, entitled Click with Nick, on March 3rd in Anaheim, CA. This course is just one of four short courses we are offering prior to the APPO Conference, Picture Perfect Profits. Register here: Click with Nick Photo Discovery Workshop. It isn’t too late to register and join us for either the conference or a short course. We would love to see you in Anaheim, March 2nd to 5th! I believe everyone has a story to tell and Stacy Curtis has made it her mission to help people with tough life situations tell their stories. She has a podcast called Write of Your Life and shares with us tips and ideas on how you can get started. Beth Gibson Lilja of Getting Organized Now reveals her best marketing strategies and Gary Pageau, a multi-faceted professional with a wide range of print and digital photography marketing experience, gives his insights on where the photo industry is today. In addition, Rita Norton and Sherra Humphreys of My Work Flow Studio discuss pricing and profitability for photo organizers and Jessie Read, APPO’s new Community Manager, shares her expertise on networking. Last but not least, I have included my own personal “APPO State of the Union” report - looking back at what we have accomplished in 2015 and where we plan to go in 2016. Warm Regards,
Cathi Nelson founded APPO as an answer to the growing need of our digital age – assistance for organizing an influx of digital photo memories, printed photos, media and memorabilia. APPO supports its hundreds of members by offering ongoing training, a supportive community, professional credibility and an annual educational national conference. You can learn more about the growing profession by downloading our ebook: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Photo Organizer.
inFOCUS
APPO’S MAGAZINE FOR PHOTO ORGANIZERS
Lisa Kurtz PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Janet Blunt CREATIVE DIRECTOR CONTRIBUTORS Stacy Curtis, Beth Gibson Lilja, Sherra Humphreys, Nick Kelsh, Cathi Nelson, Rita Norton, Gary Pageau, Jessie Read.
Cathi Nelson
Cover photograph by Nick Kelsh
Lisa Kurtz
FOR INQUIRIES, please visit www.appo.org or call (860) 904-5365 ext. 101
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FOUNDER DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
“It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam.
THIS CRISP WINTER AIR IS FULL OF IT.” - John Burroughs
Photograph by Nick Kelsh
inFOCUS WINTER 2016 3
Contents 28
06 18
22
Issue 06 Winter 2016
FEATURE 06_“State of the Union” Report A look back and a look ahead. By Cathi Nelson
TIPS & TECHNIQUES
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18_ Now Trending Examing current trends in the photo industry landscape. By Gary Pageau 22_ Give Wings to Your Story Top 10 tips for telling your story. By Stacy Curtis 26 _Networking Basics How to use networking to build new business connections. By Jessie Read 28_Inspired Marketing Promoting your business through excellent client service. By Beth Gibson Lilja 30_ Insider Tips Addressing the pricing issues with confidence. By Sherra Humphreys & Rita Norton
IN EVERY ISSUE 32_Winter’s Return A reflective look at the gifts winter brings. By Photographer Nick Kelsh
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“St ate of t he Union” Rep
6 inFOCUS WINTER 2016
January 2016
eport
The
Association of Personal Photo Organizers is now six years old and each year represents another milestone of growth. What started as a response to a handful of people’s request for training has transformed into a vibrant, growing community. Each year, I use the quiet week between Christmas and the New Year to look back at what we have achieved and to dream about what we would like to accomplish in the New Year. I find this especially important because I am the type of person who sets high personal standards and often wonders if I could have done more. I admit to falling into the trap of self-doubt on occasion, so when I complete this exercise, I am usually extremely proud of everything we accomplished. This year is no different and I am pleased to share my “State of the Union” report - looking back at the progress we’ve made in 2015 and looking ahead to our plans for 2016.
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Feature |
A YEAR IN REVIEW
A look back and a look ahead
BY CATHI NELSON
Discussing photo management technology at Books of LIfe in Chicago
First things first. I am excited to introduce a new member of the APPO Team! We have hired Jessie Read as the APPO Community Manager. Jessie will be assisting us in completing many of our initiatives for 2016. She is a charismatic, positive relationship-builder with a diverse background in customer service and networking. Jessie has a keen desire to foster a sense of community and belonging among our members and is eager to help business owners connect and grow. One of my goals in the early years of APPO was to establish our credibility with other professional organizations and 8 inFOCUS WINTER 2016
business leaders. I knew the best way to do this was to be visible, network and speak. We certainly logged our share of air miles in 2015! Here is a summary of our activities over the past twelve months: January: Lisa Kurtz and I had the opportunity to present a whitepaper we co-wrote, How the Emerging Profession of Photo Organizing is Reconnecting People with Their Photos, for the Society for Imaging Science and Technology at the PMA @ CES Conference in Las Vegas.
Learning about best practices in association management at the ASAE Conference in Detroit inFOCUS WINTER 2016 9
Feature |
A YEAR IN REVIEW
“Oh the roads
WE HAVE TRAVELLED the [air]miles we have seen!”
“Happy Roads” at the ASAE meeting in Detroit
February: I attended Roots Tech, the largest family history event in the world, as an exhibitor and guest of EZ Photo Scan. While in Salt Lake City, I also spoke to the local NAPO chapter and was a guest on the CBS affiliate KUTV sharing about the latest in photo technology. March: “Bombarded with Client Photos? Collaborate to Conquer!” was the title of the breakout session I taught with Rick Lippert at the annual NASMM (Senior Move Managers) Conference in Orlando. April: Over 180 APPO members, speakers and exhibitors gathered for our 3rd Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. 10 inFOCUS WINTER 2016
May: “Tackling Your Client’s Digital Photo Collection” was my topic at the NAPO conference in Los Angeles. June: This was the beginning of a great partnership with Unique Photo in New Jersey. I spoke on becoming a photo organizer and exhibited at their store with local APPO members. July: I traveled to Canada where Lisa and I, along with local member Janet Blunt, recorded a video training series that will be rolled out in the coming months.
Brainstorming at the Unique Photo APPO meeting in New Jersey inFOCUS WINTER 2016 11
Feature |
A YEAR IN REVIEW
From top left (clockwise): Mylio training meetings for APPO members in Berkely, Chicago and Toronto.
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Feature |
A YEAR IN REVIEW
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Partnering with Unique Photo and local APPO members to promote the photo organizing industry.
August: Lisa and I traveled to Detroit to attend the ASAE Conference, joining over 6000 Association Executives to learn about best practices in association management. August- September: Our industry partner Mylio sponsored a series of training meetings throughout North America. San Francisco was the first stop, followed by Chicago, and Maryland. Lisa joined our APPO members in Toronto. It was a lot of fun and we enjoyed spending the day with many photo organizers and guests. I also spoke at the first FOREVER Live event in Atlanta. October: Photo Plus Expo at the Jarvis Center in New York City is a gathering of thousands of photo enthusiasts. Thanks to Unique Photo, I was able to share their booth and spread the word about APPO. I also attended Tory Johnson’s Spark and Hustle event in Boston. November: I traveled back to Los Angeles as a consultant for Epson North America and Lisa spoke at the Professional Organizers Conference in Toronto. December: Lisa and I traveled to Cleveland to visit two area hotels for our 2017 APPO Conference. While there, we spent two days preparing our strategic plan for 2016. inFOCUS WINTER 2016 15
Feature |
A YEAR IN REVIEW
In addition to traveling and speaking, Lisa and I continue to focus on five key initiatives to help drive the success and growth of APPO and it’s members. Membership Growth We are still in the early years of establishing the profession of photo organizing as a recognized career opportunity. Our credibility is growing as more and more professionals and partners join APPO. In 2015, we added an average of twenty members each month which represents a 10% increase in growth compared to 2014. To assist us in attracting new members we created a public video series entitled, Earn an Income Scanning Photos and published two consumer ebooks, The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Photo Organizer and The Insiders Guide to Photo Organizing. Our efforts in this area will continue in 2016 when we launch a consumer-based online course called Photo Organizing Basics, which will also serve as the final component of APPO Certification. In addition, I offer a bi-weekly conference call entitled, Conversations with Cathi where we often have 5-10 participants in attendance. Promote Hiring a Photo Organizer Our goal is to increase awareness of the services personal photo organizers offer resulting in increased opportunities for everyone. This year we hired an SEO expert to analyze our website and update our keywords and metadata to ensure the highest ranking possible in Google searches. We also published four editions of our quarterly magazine InFocus utilizing the design talents of APPO member Janet Blunt. We hired Caroline Gunther to update our blog, The Photo Organizers, and will be blogging more consistently in 2016. We are aligning our social media strategy across all our social platforms including APPO’s Facebook page, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and our blog. If you aren’t following us yet , please do and join the conversation. Later this quarter, our website at appo.org will be mobile optimized, an important investment so we stay current with changing technology. In addition to our social media updates, over 55 APPO members participated in our 2nd annual Save Your Photos Day and, with the help of APPO member Mary Mosely, we have begun to rebrand and refocus our efforts on this annual event. Members Engagement Our members are the foundation of our community and our most important resource. This year many volunteered their expertise to help us meet our goals. They wrote blogs,
taught breakout sessions, shared their expertise on webinars, were mentors, attended expos as volunteers on behalf of APPO, answered questions on the Facebook page and more. They are the pulse of this industry and we recognize we are stronger through the generous contributions of our amazing community. In April, we established and introduced our first member advisory board who represent the collective voice of our member community by providing input on various initiatives. This summer we beta-tested a mentoring program and will roll out a more formal program in the months to come. As mentioned earlier, we jumped into the New Year by adding a Community Manager, Jessie Read, whose primary role will be to further develop member initiatives like our mentor program and neighborhood ‘meetup’ groups. Professional Development A core value of APPO is to provide our members with relevant and timely training, resources, and education. In addition to our annual conference, we added twelve new training webinars to our library. We introduced APPO Connects which are shorter training videos with expert members and speakers. We created our new APPO Chats blog where we deliver tips, training, communication and inspiration that is easily searched and encourages comments, questions, and feedback. We reorganized our backend member resources area for easier navigation and we added a new section called Industry Essentials. In this section, we’ve curated all our resources into like-minded categories making it easier for our members to find what they need. We launched Open Mic Mondays and have had an average of 40-50 members participating on these calls every other week. We also welcomed our newest authorized trainer, Sylvia Cuillo of Digital Photo Life Academy. And last, but not least, we’re putting the finishing touches on our new member onboarding and orientation that will begin later this month. Industry Partners We continue to seek quality companies to partner with. In 2015, we renewed our partnerships with many companies and welcomed the following new partners to our APPO community: ZquaredAway, Photo Solutions Group, Family Arc, Bay Photo, Unique Photo, Pictli and Apresfoto. We couldn’t be more excited about the growth of APPO and the opportunities for photo organizers to impact hundreds of clients around the world in 2016. The work we do is important and meaningful and I am proud to be apart of this amazing community. Here’s to your success in 2016!
Now Trending Examining current trends in the photo industry landscape BY GARY PAGEAU In the photo industry the year 2015 came down to two words: bigger and smaller. In terms of ‘photos captured’, it was the biggest year yet, with an estimated 1 trillion pictures taken worldwide, according to InfoTrends, an industry research firm. That includes not only photos taken for typical activities, like babies, family, holidays and travel, but the growing expansion of photos for social purposes, such as Instagram and Snapchat. These services, which now include short videos, are popular among young people for sharing quick moments of their lives , as well as becoming increasingly popular for marketers and big brands.
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MARKET RESEARCH
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There were also big problems in the photo printing business, as some of the biggest names in retail - Walmart Canada, CVS, Costco, and Rite Aid - experienced extensive downtime as a third-party vendor experienced a security breach. As a result, online photo and gift printing were offline for weeks and, in some cases, months. In the case of Walmart Canada, this site is still down nearly six months later! In the world of pure online photo, big changes were afoot, too. Snapfish changed hands again, returning to it’s on-time parent company, District Photo, as HP continued to distance itself from the photo printing business (to focus on cloud services). Market-leader Shutterfly had problems of its own, fending off a board takeover attempt by activist shareholders Marathon Partners. Shutterfly won a pyrrhic victory, as longtime CEO Jeffrey Housenbold chose to leave the company after leading it for a decade of solid growth. Meanwhile, boutique brands like Artifact Uprising and Mixbook carved out profitable niches by providing limited selection of products with a specifically tasteful approach. This illustrates the trend, as the mass market becomes more and more expansive, distinct businesses can arise to fill the gaps. The “Kodak” moment may be history, but the Minted moment lives on (as does the Impressed moment, and so on). A bright future for the cloud The cloud was also big photo news in 2015, as major players like Google and Amazon began photo-specific storage services. In less than six months, 50 billion images from 100 million active users were uploaded to Google Photos! In addition to storage, Google Photos adds some built-in convenience, like automatic facial recognition, organization and rudimentary story-building. While it can’t build a complex photo book - yet - Google has shown how machinelearning can enhance the photo experience. These services also bring to the forefront the importance of preserving family images, as well as being able to access them from many platforms. The photo storage business wasn’t without its casualties, though, as Dropbox dropped its Carousel organization app and Adobe discontinued its Revel service. This showed how difficult it is to monetize a storage business, even with content with high personal value like photos. Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Yahoo/Flickr are able to offer generous photo storage options because, in part, they are monetizing these services in other ways (like advertising and subscription fees). Directly paying for online storage, however, has not yet turned into a blockbuster business.
There is some evidence greater access to online photos will increase printing. According to Suite 48a analysis Photos at Your Fingertips nearly half of respondents said they would “do more” with their photos, if they could access them conveniently and reliably. “For many respondents organizing photos into folders on their computer is the ingrained method of choice,” notes Hans Hartman, the study’s author. “They might hate it or they might think they don’t have enough time to do it, but that’s where they are coming from. Developers should keep this in mind and be creative in building solutions that don’t assume everyone is familiar with tags, let alone auto-generated tags.” Since last year, there have been many changes to the retail scene. The Polaroid Fotobar, describe in this publication in detail last year, was rebooted as Photo & Go. After several attempts at various size and locations, Photo & Go is down to just two stores. Among mainstream camera stores, it was also a rough year, as big players like Los Angeles’ Bel Air Camera, Portland’s CameraWorld and Chicago’s Calumet closed shop. On the other hand, hundreds of independent photo labs and camera stores still trade, adapting to their local markets. inFOCUS WINTER 2016 19
MARKET RESEARCH
| Tips & Techniques
Source: Suite 48A Analytics
In terms of camera hardware, the word “smaller” applies. System cameras - that is, cameras with interchangeable lenses - are becoming more popular as smartphones replace compact point-and-shoots. Mirrorless cameras are smaller than DSLRs, which require a moving mirror that adds considerable size. Today, mirrorless cameras from Fujifilm, Olympus, Panasonic and Sony offer the power of large camera system - complete with numerous lens
options - in a pocketable size. Going further, a start-up called The Light Co. announced a compact camera - the size of a large smartphone - called the L16. Using computational photography, the camera’s 16 lenses work together to provide a true optical zoom from 35mm to 150mm. This multi-lens approach seems to be gaining steam, as rumors abound the next Apple iPhone will also have at least two back-facing cameras.
GARY PAGEAU, a veteran marketing communications and publishing executive, is principal of InfoCircle LLC, a content-marketing company serving local and national clients. Prior to starting InfoCircle, he was Publisher, Content Development and Strategic Initiatives, of PMA – The Worldwide Community of Imaging Associations. His primary responsibilities include overseeing the Association’s editorial department, marketing research unit, education and corporate relations department. He is a multi-faceted professional with a wide range of print and digital marketing experience.
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Top 10 Tips for Telling Your Story
BY STACY CURTIS
Give Wings to 22 inFOCUS WINTER 2016
STORYTELLING
| Tips & Techniques
Did you know that expressive writing dates back to 10th century Japan? Telling stories about our lives brings meaning and puts the things we learn into context. It’s actually how we gain wisdom from the events that happen in our lives. Humans learn about the world through stories. “Those who tell the stories, rule the world.” – Plato Your story is important…whether you are writing your family history, journaling through your life, scrapbooking, or expressing yourself in the myriad forms of life story telling. Writing your life stories may be the most valuable activity you do all year, this decade, or in your lifetime.
o Your Story inFOCUS WINTER 2016 23
Our passion is in the beauty of our families, in the joy and laughter of every celebration, and in the blurry edges of each precious moment. Our passion is changing the way the world remembers.
Help us change the world. Email retail@mylio.com today to receive your complimentary advanced subscription through our partnership with APPO. To learn more about Mylio, visit www.mylio.com
STORYTELLING
If you think you have a life story that’s meant to be shared, but don’t consider yourself a writer, consider these top 10 tips for telling your story:
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Start now. Like now. Go ahead, get a piece of paper or open up a document on your computer and write a few sentences about a memorable moment in your life. Done? Now you’re further ahead than millions of people who want to start writing…you actually started!
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Be real. Your life isn’t perfect and therefore perfection shouldn’t be reflected in your stories. Perfection is actually boring! Don’t let imposter syndrome run away with your courage. Write your fears and failures along with life’s sweetness and success. That’s what people want to hear about.
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Forget perfection. If you think your first draft is going to look like Hemingway you can forget it. Your first draft of anything is going to be really crappy. Even Hemingway’s first draft was crappy. Just start a timer, write for 10 or 20 minutes solid without pausing – even if its drivel and you want to give up. Once you get the junk out of your head and onto paper, then you can have the privilege of crafting it into a beautiful story. Besides, you can only write so much junk before the good stuff starts to come out.
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Discover your theme. One of the most valuable ways to write your story is to pick out your life theme and tell stories of memorable moments that theme has shown up in your life. Think back through your life to discover your theme and follow that thread in your stories. Consider the end game. Before you get too far into your story, you’ve got to consider the end game. What do you want your reader to think and feel when they’re done reading your story? What do you want them to learn? That will guide you as you write, edit, and re-write your stories. Create a scene. Pick a moment in time that represents one of your life milestones and make it real. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve learned is to write as if you have a body – so write in the senses. What do you smell, see, touch, hear, and taste? What are you feeling? Rich details will draw your reader in.
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Have a story arc. This is a stroy that shows a transformation from a single impetus. Your story arc will have an opening, a climax that creates tension and escalates the issue, and a resolution. Think about your scenes as dramas and you’ll soon be able to write with story arc in mind.
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Provide wisdom. The challenges, triumphs, and laughter you’ve experienced in your life are the places to start looking for inspiration. What wisdom would you share with someone just about to go through some of the things you’ve gone through? Remove cliché’s. Cliché’s are overused expressions, ones that have lost their meaning over time and don’t provide details needed for great writing. When you eliminate clichés, you are in a better position to provide original and unique stories. Share it. Once your story is written, don’t be shy about it. The world needs your story.
You don’t have to be a “writer” to tell a compelling story. Many people are now choosing to set their life story to paper without ever having written before. Every story has the potential to change the person writing it…and the person reading it. As Donald Miller, best-selling author, once said, “What will the world miss if you don’t tell your story?” You’ll never know unless you release your story out into the world. And no one is more qualified to tell your story than you are.
“Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart.” - William Wordsworth
STACY CURTIS is a storyteller and a podcaster. She wants to live in a world where everyone feels free to share their stories...and listeners gain wisdom from them. She interviews fascinating people on the WriteOfYourLife.com podcast. Her latest project - LifeStoryTelling.com - is taking off. It’s a life story and memoir writing course which is the culmination of years working to understand the psychology and the art of lifestory writing. For her free download “5 Myths of Lifestory Writing” go to: http://www. writeofyourlife.com/5myths
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Tips & Techniques |
NETWORKING
NETWORKING BASICS How to use networking to build new business connections BY JESSIE READ
You’ve heard the word. Networking. You know you’re supposed to do it. But what is it, how are you supposed to do it and how the heck do you get started? First, don’t be too intimidated. Many people get hung up on the idea that it can be nerve wracking to be in front of strangers and try to sell. Great! You’re not going to sell! You’re going to make some new friends in a setting designed to do just that. When going to a networking event, be it a networking breakfast or a Business After Hours, everyone is there to build up their network and ultimately help their clients have the best experience possible. If this is all new to you, we’re going to cover the following topics very lightly: finding events, your introduction, and a trick to feeling more comfortable in the setting.
MEET JESSIE APPO’s new Community Manager, Jessie Read, is a charismatic, positive relationship builder with a diverse background in customer service and networking. She has a keen desire to foster a sense of community and belonging within our membership base and she is eager to help business owners connect and grow.
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Seek out the the right events. Finding events can be a fun scavenger hunt and doesn’t require a ton of money or knowing anyone right away. Try to do one networking meeting a week and figure out what settings and what geographic area might work best for you. There are quite a few events that cost nothing and even more groups that let you come 1-3 times without joining. You can look at your local Chamber of Commerce, they are a great place to start and will always want you to come check out an event because they’re hoping you’ll be a member. In many cases a Chamber is a great opportunity and well worth the money.
Get involved with your connections. In addition to showing up regularly at events you’ve decided to attend, its important for you to get out there and get involved and take it further than just the once-a-month Business After Hours gathering. You need to make an effort to meet the people you connect with outside of these meetings. (Keep in mind, this is all networking! ) If you have a local friend or vendor who depends on sales as a business person, ask them where they might go for networking opportunities. You can check out Meetup.com - a great place to find events, as well. Go ahead try it out! You’ve got this!
Be prepared to introduce yourself. Introducing yourself and your business can feel really intimidating and many people are concerned they will come off as arrogant and then end up doing the opposite and coming off as unsure and unclear in their business direction. Go in with the goal to speak to three new people. You don’t need to swoop in like a blackjack dealer passing out cards to everyone you see! Go in with a nametag, a whole lot of business cards, and prepared to say your name, your business name and your tagline (if you have one) and just a sentence about what you do and your ideal client.
Focus on building the relationship. Even if you aren’t prepared with a “60-second commercial” most people are understanding of networking beginners. The “commercial” is something that does require more preparation and we can discuss those later. Remember, people who smile are perceived as kinder, warmer, and more trustworthy, so smile when you meet someone! Show an interest in their business and start building your relationship by listening and asking questions about the work they do. You’ll quickly discover that most people will return the favor and ask you about your business, too.
Be confident in your ability. If you’re like most of the world, public speaking is a terrifying prospect and can bring even the extroverted to queasy butterflies (myself included). I like to think of it like this: most of us don’t want to be out at a 7:30am meeting where we had to get up, put clothes on, drink coffee to wake ourselves up enough to interact with other human beings and be genuinely interested in other people. However, I go to these events to see old friends, meet new ones, and ultimately get to know how I can help other people and their businesses. I put on my ‘Charisma Sweater’ (it’s a beautiful [insert favorite color here, mine is purple] cardigan). Whether you’re a business suit or a hoodie kinda person, whatever your preference, put it on and feel your body language wake up, shoulders back, chin up and a smile on your face- You got this, you can do this! Own you, who you are and what you do! And if all else fails, ‘Fake it til you make it!’. inFOCUS WINTER 2016 27
Inspired Marketing
PROMOTING YOUR BUSINESS THROUGH EXCELLENT CLIENT SERVICE
BY BETH GIBSON LILJA
One of my favorite college courses at St Cloud State University was Marketing 101 with Dr. James Johnson. Prior to walking into Dr. Johnson’s class, I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do after I graduated from college. Upon finishing this class, I knew that no matter what I chose to do with my Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing, it would involve guiding people to purchase the best possible product(s) and receive the most outstanding service in the process.
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MARKETING
F
or those of you not familiar with “marketing” per se, the American Marketing Association has approved the following definition: “Marketing is the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers [clients], partners, and society at large”. (Approved July 2013) Simply put, there are four P’s to marketing – product, price, place and promotion. All of these components are important for a successful business. However, based on my own personal and professional experience, the promotion component is what will make or break your business. Promotion of a product or service is accomplished in many ways, but where I focus my promotion dollars is through excellent client service. During my presentation at the 2016 APPO National Conference, we will review and discuss how your clients will be your most important marketing (promotion) partners. I will guide you through my C.L.I.E.N.T. service program. Each letter will offer insight on how to work with your existing and new clients to insure your best rate of return on your “marketing” dollars. Let’s take a little glimpse into the C.L.I.E.N.T. program now: C = Client Relationship versus Customer Relationship. Is there a difference? What is that difference? Strictly defined, a customer is someone who buys goods or services from a store or business. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, the word “client” can also mean
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“customer”; however, it has a separate definition as “someone who receives professional services”. Do you think of yourself as providing professional services? You should! L= Little Things. What are the “little things” that you are doing in your business to keep your existing clients and, better yet, to receive referrals from these new clients. I = Investment in Your Business. You actually are working on this component by simply attending this conference. We will discuss additional investment opportunities. E = Existing Relationship Workflow. Many of my clients and friends refer to me as the ‘Checklist | Tasklist | Workflow Queen’. I cannot survive personally and professional without these documents. We will discuss what should be on everyone’s workflow documents. N = New Relationships Workflow. You have just been hired by a new client with the assistance of your existing client marketing partner – now what? T = Technology. We will explore the ways technology is good and bad for your promotion efforts. We are truly blessed to be business owners, but even more so when we work with clients who support us personally and market for us professionally. I look forward to sharing my C.L.I.E.N.T program in more detail with you in Anaheim!
BETH GIBSON LILJA has specialized in professional organizing and training for nearly 20 years. Through her company, BGL & Associates, LLC, Beth brings order and peace of mind to people and groups with her leadership and organizational skills. Beth organizes homes, offices, photographs and events. As an independent consultant to and adviser for direct-sales photo preservation companies, Beth has helped hundreds of people preserve and showcase their histories. Beth also organizes and hosts countless photo preservation events and retreats throughout Minnesota. Beth has served as president of Minnesota Business Women and in positions at local, state and national levels. Her accomplishments place her in demand as a professional speaker and trainer as well. Beth’s Dare to DREAM training program assists and inspires small businesses and individuals. A graduate of St. Cloud State University, Beth lives in Golden Valley, Minnesota with her husband Patrick and their dog Caribbean (Cari).
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Tips & Techniques |
PRICING & PROFITABILITY
Sherra Humphreys has built a career based on helping women succeed in small business. Her philosophy is to learn the business, do the work, and then help others do the same. Her comprehensive background in business coaching, training and website design means you get real life experience from this business owner. She has been helping women for over 20 years find their passion and turn it into a business that gives them freedom and flexibility. Her life’s work revolves around storytelling through photographs so she is passionate about the photo organization industry. She currently operates two businesses in tandem: Big Picture Coaching and Simple Photo Stories. She and Rita Norton are APPO authorized trainers and they are co-founders of My Workflow Studio, a premium training resource for photo organizers.
Rita Norton has built a career based on helping people share stories with their photos. Her creative talents resulted in a very successful on-line business designing custom photo invitations. Her next adventure took her to the professional photography industry where she primarily photographs youth athletes in both indoor and outdoor sporting events. Keeping the camera in one hand, and staying true to her passion, she expanded her services by working in the photo organization industry. She has 16 years of photo and story-telling experience and operates two businesses, Digital Picture People and Photovation. She is also cofounder of My Workflow Studio, a premium training resource for photo organizers. 30 inFOCUS WINTER 2016
INSIDER TIPS
Addressing the pricing issue with confidence BY RITA NORTON & SHERRA HUMPHREYS
Pricing. It seems like even the mention of the word causes panic. You receive an inquiry and are so excited when they tell you they have photos in a container, in old albums and on the computer. And then the dreaded question “How much do you think that will cost?” That question is usually followed by our favorite: “How long will it take?”. Do you start to sweat? Do you panic? Do you have a plan? These are absolutely legitimate questions that we can expect. With some thoughtful planning and practice, you can get comfortable answering without breaking out in a cold sweat. Here are 3 tips to help you manage the anxiety-ridden pricing question:
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Know who you want to work with and your area of expertise. You have heard the term ideal client, but do you know who yours is? Maybe you do, but as you build your business you feel like you need to take any job to build your credibility or to pay your bills. Even if that’s the case, make sure that you present yourself as offering a premium service.
Know how much money you want to make. Have you used the Income Calculator at MyWorkflowStudio.com? It is free and under the Resource page. Setting a financial goal is mandatory if you want to build a premium business and be confident with your pricing. Remember you are building a business. You are a small business owner.
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Be confident in your expertise. If you have listened to the free mini master training 5 tips to Build a Solid Business Foundation then you know that #1 is organize your own photos. This helps with your expertise and knowledge, not only developing your workflow and problem-solving skils, but showing you how many unknowns and challenges there can be even within your own photo collection. With these tips in mind, let’s look at that “how much do you think that will cost?” question. Before responding remind yourself: • • •
I know what kind of client I want to work with I know what my financial goals are I am the expert
Doesn’t just saying that in your head before responding provide you with a calm energy? These are some basics that everyone can benefit from; however, during our intensive at the upcoming APPO conference, we will be going deep into actual pricing language, scenarios, and providing concrete steps to help you build your confidence and answer pricing questions without all the stress. Our best tip is this:
Take one step at a time. Use a phased approach rather than trying to summarize a huge amount of unknown variables potentially hidden inside of boxes and computer folders. Prioritize the tasks at hand, starting with what you have detemined is most important to your potential new client rather than to you. You can say something like this: “I wish I could give you a quote based on all that you’ve shown me on your dining room table (in your closet, basement, etc.), but I just can’t give you a good faith estimate on a lifetime of photos. There is no magic formula, but I’m here to help you and we can start today. At the end of our session, we can look at our progress and plan our next steps. How does that sound?”
Or, you could say something like this: “Based on the size of your dining room table and the number of boxes I’m counting without looking inside most of them, I’m pretty sure I can scan, organize, backup and make several family albums for you in 82.5 hours. Oh, and I’ll take those old cell phones and camera cards and get all those digital photos organized for you with tags and facial recognition, too. And I have a vendor who will transfer all those videotapes for you!” Okay, seriously now! We want to help you get out of that estimating rut which is, at best, the wildest guessing game you have ever played - even if you can scan photos in 3.5 seconds with your high speed scanner, have psychic powers and own a magic calculator!
Being honest and upfront will help you earn your client’s trust. Communicating at each phase helps build your client relationship for ongoing business and referrals. We see profitability in your future! This photo organizing business is equal parts fun and meaningful work sprinkled with moments of self-doubt and hard lessons learned especially if we don’t get our pricing right. Learning from professionals who have experience is one of the many benefits of attending Intensives at the APPO conference. Networking with your colleagues and learning together makes the investment in conference one of your best business decisions every year. We’re looking forward to seeing you in California in March! inFOCUS WINTER 2016 31
In Every Issue |
PHOTOGRAPHER NICK KELSH
BY PHOTOGRAPHER NICK KELSH
Winter’s Return
Snow is a gift. If there were only one country in the world with snow it would be the number the world. Nothing changes everything like several inches of snow that come to visit in the mi
n
one tourist attraction in iddle of the night.
“Many human beings say that they enjoy the winter, but what they really enjoy is feeling proof against it.” Richard Adams, Watership Down
Bold color jumps out of a photograph against the neutral background of white snow. And as the sun begins to go down late in the day white snowbanks catch the blue of an overhead clear sky. Snowbanks in shadows appear to be blue when they are reflecting the blue sky – it’s true. AND it makes them feel appropriately cold. inFOCUS WINTER 2016 35
After a snowfall, going on a photo safari all by yourself, whether it’s in the country or the city, will put your heart at ease. It is impossible not to think of the appropriately named Robert Frost as you drive down snow-covered country roads.
“I prefer winter and fall,
when you feel the bone structure of the landscape --the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter.
Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn’t show.” ~ Andrew Wyeth
“Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.
.� - Victor Hugo
“The hard soil and four months of snow make the inhabitants of the northern temperate zone wiser and abler than his fellow who enjoys the fixed smile of the tropics.� -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Using your flash when the snow is coming down will brighten up the out of focus snowflakes that are close to the camera. Cityscapes and country landscapes look especially good when you do this. Even a neighbor dealing with his buried car becomes a potential Christmas card. Well, almost.
“Winter forms our character and brings out our best.” - Tom Allen
If you know how to adjust the exposure on your smartphone, you can make sure that bright white areas of snow are not overexposed. Smartphones do NOT like overexposure. The usual method for doing this is to tap the screen with your finger. That will establish the exposure point on the screen and hopefully you won’t blow out your highlights. Anne, my wife, held the shutter button down on her iPhone and the camera went into burst mode. She was able to shoot 27 photographs in one blast at a rate of 10 frames a second. Make sure you know to do this with your phone; this is the method for getting those hard to get action shots.
inFOCUS WINTER 2016 43
“People don’t notice whether it’s winter or summer when they’re happy.”
- Anton
Chekhov
“How many lessons of faith and beauty we should lose, if there were no winter in our year!� - Thomas Wentworth Higginson
There is a long tradition of shooting snow in black and white. It emphasizes shapes and texture in a way that color does not.
In Every Issue |
PHOTOGRAPHER NICK KELSH
“What good is the WARMTH of summer,
without the cold of winter to give it SWEETNESS?� - John Steinbeck
NICK KELSH is a nationally renowned photographer and the author of nine books, including the bestselling Naked Babies and Siblings. He has appeared numerours times on Oprah and The Today Show. Nick lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Anne, and is the father of three sons. For more information visit www.howtophotographyourlife.com.
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