Eye On Marketing: 41 Days From Struggle and Confusion to Clarity & Profits

Eye On Marketing: 41 Days From Struggle And Confusion To Clarity & Profits

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Book Preview – Welcome to my preview of my new book: Eye On Marketing: 41 Days From Struggle And Confusion To Clarity & Profits - 5-Day Action Guide. In this Special Report I Am Revealing 5 Lessons That You Can Implement In Your Photography Business Immediately. As a matter of fact this special report is a preview to my new book that I’ll tell you more about at the end of this special report. Also don’t miss my special tip sheet: 50+ Quick Marketing Ideas to Get Clients Fast © Rodney Washington


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Day 1: 2 Simple Tools to Promote Your Photography Service Using Social Media

Day 2: Build Your Photography Business Through Referrals

Day 4: Blogging For Photographers 101 - How to Set Up Profit Generating Blog

Day 16: Does Your Website Chase Away Prospects? 3 Quick Ways to Fix It

Day 24: Are You Sabotaging Your Own Success? 5 Ways You Could Be Sabotaging Yourself & 5 Ways to Stop It

Bonus Materials:

50+ Unique Marketing Ideas

About the Author


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There is one thing stronger than all the armies in the world, and that is an

idea whose time has come. ~ Victor Hugo


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Day 1: 2 Simple Tools to Promote Your Photography

Business Using Social Media

Put Your Best Face Forward On Facebook - Facebook has become one of the most popular destinations for social networking on the web. When I first signed up for Facebook I'll admit I didn't do anything with my account for several months. Then I started hanging out on the site and wasn't long before I realized the potential networking possibilities that existed for connecting with other photographers and business professionals.

4 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Facebook:

1. Set up albums within your Facebook account to display your photography.

2. Provide links to your website, blog, links to your articles, classes you teach and other media coverage you receive.

3. Find and join groups, within Facebook offers tons of special interest groups that you can join and network directly with other like minded or like interest individuals

4. Register a custom URL (web address) for your Facebook page, think of it like a personalized license plate. You or your web designer can set this up through a domain registration service like Godaddy.com. Your benefit to implementing this short cut? It allows you branding capability for your business and makes it easier for visitors to find you. If you'd like to see an example in action you can send me a friends request at RodneyonFacebook.info

Follow Up With Twitter - Twitter is another social networking site that took me a while to get. Quite honestly I'm still learning more about Twitter and it's potential influence on my online marketing efforts. Basically Twitter is a "micro blog" where your text posts are limited to 140 characters.


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Now I realize that 140 characters doesn't seem like much but think of this way, when you're limited to how much you can say you'll find yourself getting to the point quickly.

When you 'Tweet' (their term not mine) you share a quick post about your current activities. So for example, if you teach photography workshops you can tweet about that, if you've just published an article to your blog or in print you can tweet about that and create an html link to the direct location where your content is stored.

Don't underestimate the power of Twitter; I'm already realizing the impact of this powerful site. You can follow me on Twitter by visiting the site and entering my screen name in the 'search for' PhotoMktMentor to follow my efforts as I connect with photographers, artists & other business professionals globally.

3 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Twitter:

1. Post frequently. Twitter's true power comes from the frequency of your communication. Basically the more you Tweet, the more the prospects you'll connect with.

2. Tie your Twitter feed to your Facebook account. Within Facebook you can have your Twitter posts display on your Facebook page without you having to log in manually to add your posts.

3. Tweet back. When you receive a new follow (another term for someone subscribing to your feed) send a short message in return. It's essentially the same as replying to an email. Whether online or off it's all about forming and maintaining relationships.

Remember no matter what you think of social networking, marketing your photography services online is fast becoming one of the most effective as well extremely affordable methods of prospecting and establishing new contacts. In addition if you tie your offline with your online marketing efforts your reach will grow even larger and become more effective.


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Day 1: Get Into Action Worksheet

1. Setting Up Your Twitter Profile

Twitter check list:

• Select a name for your twitter profile

• Design the background for your profile (must haves - a nice headshot, your web URL as well as URL’s for your other social media outlets, contact info i.e. email address

• Locate groups of people who share your interest and who fit your target audience profile and start a connection

2. Set up a Facebook Profile

Facebook check list:

• Select your the name for your Facebook Fan Page

• Craft your bio

• Design your avatar (either a professional headshot, logo or other graphic i.e. book cover etc.

• Start posting content to your page (idea starters web links to pages on your blog or website, post links to your image galleries, link to articles, interviews you’ve done in the media (including things that are coming up)

• If you currently have a list Facebook friends invite them to join your fan page

• Grab your Facebook Badge html code on Facebook and post it to your blog


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Day 2 Building Your Photography Business Through

Referrals

The fastest path to new business is start with people who already know, like and trust you. Referrals by far are the simplest and fastest way to achieve this. Think about it the last movie you saw or the decision you made to try this restaurant over that one. Typically someone you knew, liked and trusted most likely raved about the film or the restaurant and their enthusiasm influenced your decision, right? So in today’s lesson I will show you one of the simplest and low-cost ways you can learn-to-earn from your passion for photography.

Start with the people who already know, like and trust you and then ask them for referrals. For example, shoot your nephews birthday party, portraits of your neighbor's kids or pets, even your favorite neighborhood restaurant dishes if food photography is your passion.

Gently hit up everyone you know, siblings, parents, coworkers and friends and when you exhaust those resources (but don't be a pest) ask them for referrals and remember everyone is a potential source.

You could build your business solely on referrals and word-of-mouth if you exercise this approach properly. Don't ever forget that photography is a people business and people like to work with others that they enjoy being around period, so it never hurts to ask. If you want to sweeten the pot offer even further offer a referral fee. Money can be a tremendous motivator! If funds are tight or you don't wish to offer cash in exchange for referrals you could offer more of your services, read the next section for more suggestions.

Quick Tip: People don't like to be sold too, but they love to buy from people they know, like and trust. Once you start receiving


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new business this way and if you keep your customers happy all you need to do is rinse and repeat. In other words ask your referrals for referrals.

Want another bonus tip? To keep the referrals coming offer your current customers an ethical bribe. For example you could offer extra prints if they refer you to two or three new sources of contacts. Give them a gift certificate for a free session if they refer you to five or more. In other words the more referrals they provide the more you sweeten the pot. See how this works? If those referrals generate paying customers you could even go so far as to offer a gift card to their favorite restaurant or day spa.

Want one more tip? Find people with a good Rolodex. "How do I find someone with a good Rolodex?" you may be asking. Think about it; are you or someone you know in direct contact with potential paying customers you want to attract?

I'll give you some examples: if you shoot portraits of women, hairdressers or makeup artists may a great source of contacts for you.

If you photograph dogs or cats perhaps a doggie day care, pet spa or vet's office could refer you. If you photograph individuals who have recently experienced a major change in their physical appearance i.e. weight loss, facelift or other cosmetic alteration consider contacting plastic surgeons, personal trainers or health and sports clubs.

Do you desire to break into the lucrative wedding market? Don't go out directly soliciting brides-to-be especially if you don't have a book or a lot of experience. No, connect with the people who serve them.

Target florists, caterers, printers, bridal gown vendors, bands and musicians. If you have to as a gesture of good will offer to shoot their goods for free in the beginning to build your reputation. More importantly do good work, prove yourself and give them something that they need and they in turn can give you something you need. In this case paying customers. The possibilities are endless.


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Just remember: Take care of those who take care of you and you should have no problem attracting new business.


Building Your Photography Business Through Referrals

Check list:

• Make a list of people who know like and trust you

• Schedule a date for coffee or lunch to talk about your business and what you’re looking for with at least 3 people on your list

• Design a referral card that you can hand out to your referral partners

• Decide how you want to compensate your top producing referral partners

• Draft a “warm letter” that you can send to supportive friends, family members or colleagues telling them about your business and that you appreciate referrals

• Send your letter to a couple of friends to proof read make suggestions

• Select some stationary that you could print your warm letter

• You can also use the stationary to send thank you notes to those who send you referrals.


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Day 4: Blogging For Photographers 101 - How to Set Up Profit Generating Blog

The Benefits To Blogging For Photographers:

1. Hosting your own blog will help to establish your expert status in the eyes of your readers and fans because you can offer many more ways to share your expertise.

2. You become more accessible. Artists already carry a certain mystique, so when you freely share not only what you do but how you do it with your blog visitors the veil is lifted and your readers will begin to connect you on a personal level.

3. You'll have a platform where you can demonstrate your expertise through a series of short tips articles just by posting them on your blog.

4. You can share photographs or even video clips from a recent shoot, highlighting some of the behind-the-scenes footage -or- images with your readers.

5. You can promote your other services like workshops and seminars you teach.

6. You'll over time begin to create a relationship with the "fans" of your blog who will gladly become subscribers to your list. Collecting the names and email addresses of your readers is as simple as adding a form to your blog that will collect this data.

7. Blogging regularly will help establish your credibility with readers and will help you create a list of interested prospects. Your list will lead to sales for your paid photography services because you now have permission to contact them over and over again with your information and offerings.

Blogging Platforms: There are a variety of platforms that you can use to set up your own Blog; two of the most popular is Blogger located at Blogger.com and Word Press, located at WordPress.com. The difference. Blogger is a totally free service


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provided by Google. You can literally have a blog up and running in less than 10 minutes.

Wordpress on the other hand offers a relatively easy self-install software program that you host on a paid web hosting service. The only bill will be your monthly hosting fee; those typically run under $10 dollars a month.

Pros and Cons: While Blogger is a free service you are sort-of stuck using dot blogspot in your URL. Some experts feel that having the word blogspot in your URL is not considered professional enough for a business blog (I don't happen to agree) or that it suggests that you're not taking blogging seriously. Again I don't agree. Where I do agree is that Blogger doesn't offer as much flexibility in the design, look or feel of your blog.

Blogger provides you with a variety of pre-designed templates for you to select from, but the "risk" you run into is in your blog looking like someone's else's Blogger, blog. On the contrary Wordpress does offer you a multitude of choices in how your blog works, looks and feels.

In my opinion you may need to hire a professional designer to at least help you with the template design & set up. You can create your Wordpress blog to look like an extension of your website. But honestly I suggest that you select whatever platform your budget and time will allow. *Remember you are a photographer who blogs for your business, not a Blogger who happens to be a photographer.

If you are intimidated by the process of setting up your own blog or you just don't have access to a web tech that can set this up for you Blogger may be the best solution for you.

Whatever platform you select just make sure you commit to blogging regularly, communicate with you audience frequently and be generous with your knowledge, talent and expertise and you'll go a long way towards turning your blog into profit generating machine.


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Set Up Profit Generating Blog

Checklist:

1. Select a platform for your blog

- Blogger – http://www.blogspot.com

- Wordpress – http://www.wordpress.org

2. Pick a template

- Blogger offers pre-designed templates

- Wordpress offer tons of options for templates – “type word press themes” in the Google search will give literally tons of options.

- Check out http://www.WPThemes.com - for ideas to jumpstart the process.

- For a customized look consider hiring a designer

3. Register your blogs domain name and setup hosting

- I recommend either Godaddy.com or Bluehost.com

4. Have either you or your web designer add the appropriate plug-ins so you can easily share your blog posts

- www.shar-it.com

5. Be sure to add your email registration form for your subscriber list.

- You or web tech can grab the html form code from your email management service

6. Determine your publishing schedule

- Daily, once a week, a few times a week

7. Decide what your editorial style

- Editorial, Diary or Journal


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Day 16: Does Your Website Chase Away Prospects? And 3 Quick Ways to Fix It

As a professional photographer you must have a website if you intend to be taken seriously by your prospects, clients and customers. But are you aware that your website could be literally chasing away your prospects?

Three ways to check if your website is working against you:

Mistake #1 - Is your website slow to load your content? If your website is over loaded with large image files, audio files, videos clips and animations it could take longer than customary to load your web pages. Typically in our speed demon oriented society site visitors are not very patient, so if your site is slow to load you may lose interested prospects before they ever get a chance to view your presentation.

Mistake #2 - Is your websites navigation confusing? When you don't display clear navigational links to the various departments within your site visitors tend to become frustrated. Some may opt not to continue clicking through your site there by missing a golden opportunity for you to share your photographic products and services with them.

Mistake #3 - Do you make it difficult for visitors to contact you? What I mean is, is your contact information buried in the back of your website? When you have a prospect visiting your website especially for the first time you need to make it easy for them to find a place to get into contact with you.

Three quick fixes to assure that your website becomes an inviting and user friendly destination.

Solution #1 - Simplify your content: You don't need to display every image you've ever shot in your portfolio. Of course you'll want to make a good showing to entice and intrigue your prospects but you don't want to overwhelm them either. Like


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your hardbound portfolio you'll want to present only the best of the best of your work.

*Remember people are viewing your website the same way they look at your physical portfolio to determine whether or not they wish to pursue a relationship with you. One way to make certain of this is to display only the work that best represents they type of client you want to attract now.

Solution #2 - Provide clear navigation: Make certain that your navigational links are clearly marked so visitors know where they're going. In addition provide clear return or back links so your visitors can easily return to the starting point of your site if they wish, don't make your visitors hunt for things or rely solely on the back button.

Solution #3 - Provide an email registration sign up box on the front page of your website: There are many affordable email management services that allow you to easily and quickly install a sign up form designed to collect the email addresses of your prospects and customers.

The advantage of providing this service assures that you'll have an opportunity to develop and maintain an ongoing relationship with your prospects and customers.


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Create a website that ‘invites’ not chases away prospects

Checklist:

- Make an appointment with your web designer or hire a new one to go over your existing website.

- Make sure your links work and go where they’re suppose to

- If you’re using Flash, test how long the files are taking to load; patience is not a virtue on the Internet. If the pages are loading slowing have your designer look into correcting that.

- Set up an account with an email management service and post the data collection form to your website.

- Listen to my tele-training on ezine publishing in the EOM Members area

- Updates your galleries – tighten your visual story and eliminate work that doesn’t reflect the kind of work that you want.

- Make sure your contact information is current. If you collect data on your contact page provide an incentive for visitors to give it to you. *Keep this in mind. You’re selling at every step of the client creation process offering an incentive for visitors to provide you with their contact information has become a requirement.

- Outline an incentive for your prospects. It could be a DVD, Audio CD interview of you, or a printed piece. Think of what you would want to experience if you were shopping for someone who offered your service.

- Make sure your website is search engine optimized. Suggestion: Visit Google and type your city and your photographic specialty in the search field and see who comes up. Take that information to your web tech and see how you can get into at the least the first page position.


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Day 24: Are You Sabotaging Your Own Success? 5 Ways To Tell If You Are & 5 Ways to Stop It

Today I am going illustrate 5 ways you could be currently undermining yourself and your success in your photography business and 5 cures to stop it immediately.

Sabotage #1: Believing that your current clients are your only source of revenue. No matter what your current area of photography you have the skills and ability to expand your reach beyond who you are currently serving.

Solution: Look into other markets you could serve. For example if you shoot weddings, look into selling some of your left over images as stock photography. You could apply this to just about any area you shoot. If you have pet portrait, people portrait, food, interiors or travel & location clients you can sell your images as stock for use in calendars, greeting cards, internet downloads etc, you get the idea.

Sabotage #2: Failing to following up with prospects that express interest in hiring you or purchasing your work.

Solution: Do you have a habit of waiting too long to return emails, phone calls even tweets? Listen, when a potential client has expressed interest in working with you, you need to move. If you take away anything from this article let it be this. Money likes speed. Don't miss an opportunity procrastinating.

Sabotage #3: Limiting your scope of prospects to your current contacts.

Solution: In order to keep your pipeline full of new prospects you must get out of your current comfort zone. That means getting out the house and meeting new people regularly. For example if you shoot pet portraits go to events where pet owners hang out. Don't be shy about striking up a conversation; ask your prospect about themselves and their needs. Then give them a card.


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Sabotage #4: Taking too long to make decisions

Solution: How often have you been presented with an idea that could take your business to whole new level and then take days, weeks, months perhaps even years to make a decision? You can't get from where you are to where you want to be by taking too long to make a decision.

Decide now what you want to accomplish in your business in the next six months, one-year, five years and then start taking the steps to make it happen.

Sabotage #5: Thinking too small

Solution: This ties directly to solution #4, if you take too long to make decisions it will take you forever to get where you want to go. But as you're making and setting your goals ask yourself. Is this goal worthy of me? Am I dreaming big enough? I'll give you an exercise to help you expand your thinking.

Sit down with a pad and pen or keyboard and ask yourself this question: If you could create a dream business focusing on your passion for photography what would you want to create? It's important not to limit yourself or your answer.

To get the most from this exercise it's important that you ask for the moon that's key here. Here's the secret to accomplishing big success. When you set your sights on big goals, big dreams and actually go for it, it doesn't matter as much that you achieve your goal as it is that your actions will automatically propel you to higher level of thinking.

Setting big goals and actually going for them means you and your business get to grow.

I'll leave you with this, today more than ever in the competitive business of photography those who succeed are the ones who think outside-the-box. Be willing to go that extra mile to reach those who need what you love to do and you greatly increase your opportunities for success.


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Stop Sabotaging Your Own Success

Checklist:

- Adopt an expansive attitude – meaning, think beyond what’s just in front of you, or what you’ve always done. If a system that once worked in the past is broken stop trying to fix it, perhaps it’s time to upgrade.

- Look beyond your own backyard, there are many ways to serve your target market, consider licensing or private commissions, teaching, writing, start working in a new area, develop a new body of work, arrange for a show.

- Go through your current clients roster and begin a campaign to reconnect. Send handwritten notes to your top tier clients, schedule lunch of coffee dates, host a mixer.

- Stop focusing on how bad things are and what’s not working and get into action on what you can do.

- Stay committed to consistent action

- Let go of the negative people in your life. Consider swapping out the people who only want to stay small with new ones who are in action and playing a bigger game.

- Get passionate about something and allow that passion to propel you forward.

- Consult with a good mentor or business coach who can help you expand your thinking and develop turn your passion into new projects

- Collect the information you need to make a decision, and then make a decision quickly.

- Commit to your decision until you get the results you

- Commit to your decision until you get the results you seek, you may adjust your course of action as needed, but


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don’t abandon your decision onc\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\e you’ve made it.

1. Hold a video contest 2. Take a prospect to lunch 3. Host a client appreciation day 4. Make a coffee date with a new referral partner 5. Make an announcement with a press release 6. Create a personal project and blog about it 7. Set up a Facebook Fan Page 8. Host a your Facebook Avatar event 9. Support a cause or charity 10. Publish a blog 11. Mentor a young photographer 12. Teach a class around your specialty 13. Offer to do a free talk to camera club or group

14. Contact a popular Blogger and ask to do a guest post or be interviewed 15. Be guest on an Internet radio show 16. Publish an online newsletter 17. Publish a print newsletter 18. Post a video to YouTube 19. Write an article 20. Record an audio tip and post to your blog 21. Become your current clients "in-house" photographer 22. Write and mail a warm letter to everyone you know 23. Print client attractive business cards 24. Sponsor an organization your believe in 25. Do a "tweet" a day

50 “Quick Marketing Ideas” To Get Clients Fast (+ 1 bonus)


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26. Turn your vehicle into mobile billboard 27. Make a list of potential referral partners (at least 25) and commit to contacting them 28. Update your email signature to be more client attractive 29. Craft a client attractive "elevator speech" 30. Attend at least 2 networking events a month (more if you need clients quickly) 31. Get clear on your Unique Selling Proposition and use it on all of your marketing materials 32. Make a list of at least 5 publications -or- dream clients you want to shoot for, find out the portfolio review or book drop off days and commit to making the appointments 33. Change your out-going voice mail to be more client-attractive 34. Demonstrate your expertise at a live event

35. Work with a marketing mentor or business coach 36. Create a memorable novelty item that you can easily give away 37. Host a community gallery night 38. Do a webinar with your target client 39. Do a teleseminar with your target client 40. Join organizations where your target client hangs out 41. Reach out to sponsors for your blog and/or ezine and print newsletter 42. Tell a visual story using print cards, a blog and video 43. Participate in a group show 44. Showcase your work in a local business 45. Attend a live event where your target client hangs out 46. Publish an e-book and use it as a prospect attractive give away


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47. Write and give away a tip sheet to attract more prospects 48. Do an "interview with the photographer" video or audio recording

49. Host a "tell-me-what- you-think" survey event with your target audience 50. Think of at least 3 prospects outside of your target audience, but who have direct access to your target client and find out what they need in exchange for new leads 51. Turn a portion of your portfolio into an iPod/iPhone application and widely distribute it.

Do you struggle with “Marketing Reluctance”, but need to find a way to attract more clients quickly?

Would you like help to implement these 50+ marketing tips into your business, staying focused, getting organized? Contact me Rodney Washington Creative Marketing Strategist via my website -or- call me 323 915 9741 to schedule a complimentary “End The Struggle Now” Strategy Session.


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I hope you enjoyed the sampler of the forthcoming book Eye On Marketing: 41 Days From Struggle And Confusion To Clarity & Profits. The new book will be publishing July 2010, (the exact date to be announced) and will be released in both digital format (e-book) as well as print. As I mentioned at the beginning of this special report in addition to the book there are going to be several bonuses that’s going to make your decision to add this action guide to your library “a no brainer”. So again be on the lookout to your inbox, trust me the program I’m about to reveal will be a game changer. In the meantime much success and visit my blog: http://www.eyeonmarketingsuccess.com/thebook there you will find updates on the book, bonus tips that I’ll be posting, comments from your fellow readers and much, much more.

To your success,

Rodney


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About The Author: Rodney is the publisher of the bi-weekly online ezine “Eye On Marketing” Marketing Tips & Tools For The Entrepreneurial Minded Photographer. He is also the creator and host of the Internet radio show featured on Blog Talk Radio. To learn more about his various products and coaching programs designed to help photographic professionals create, market and sell their imagery with profit, passion and purpose you can do so by visiting his website located at: http://www.photo-marketing-mentor.com -or- http://www.eyeonmarketingsuccess.com/nextstep - (to schedule a FREE Bonus 15-minute: Clarity To Profits Strategy Session

Rodney Washington Creative Marketing Strategist

Send direct email to: [email protected]

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Eye On Marketing: 41 Days From Struggle and Confusion to Clarity & Profits