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The 14 Big Mistakes Being Made While Trying To Start A Photography Business RIGHT NOW!
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 FREE E-BOOK - Instant Digital Delivery ($99.00 Value!) - Limited Time ONLY
Includes Photography
Business Building Secrets You Can Use IMMEDIATELY To Improve Your Profits FAST & Make More Money From Your Photography Than You Ever Thought Possible!
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by: Charles J. Lewis
In my opinion, here is a quick overview of the 14 biggest mistakes being made by people trying to start a photography business today:
1. "The better my photography is, the better my success" - This is the single biggest "wrong
belief" that almost everyone starting a photography business has. We honestly, sincerely believe this
until something happens to prove to us that it is completely wrong.
But this is "normal" thinking. (But remember, Success Is Not Normal!) We think we are
"photographers" so we think that if we make our product really, really great, we will automatically be successful financially.
Yes, you want to do everything you humanly can to make your product the very best it can be. Yes,
you want to be proud of your product and service. Yes, you want your clients to love your work.
But that, by itself, will not assure you of success. You must have an ORGANIZED PLAN OF ATTACK when you're starting a photography business, and this webpage is the start of that plan.
2. "If my photography is good enough, it will sell itself." - This is almost a part of #1 above, but
slightly different. This is were you honestly think that if you can make this most incredible photograph ever seen, that it will not be necessary for you or your staff to "sell" it.
You probably already know what I'm going to say
here. But let's make sure. Selling is not pressure. Selling is not bad. It's not trickery. You're never going to trick someone into buying something they
don't want.
Selling, is "Finding Out What People Want, And Helping Them To Get It." It's NOT a bad thing. It's a good thing!
It's vital to your success and happiness. Who cares how good a photographer you are, if no one buys (invests in ) what you do?!
3. "I'm an artist, and I refuse to learn how to market and sell. That's pressure and trickery, and I'll have no part of it." -
It's understandable to feel this way - for a minute or two. Yes, you are an artist. But who cares how good you are if no one knows you exist? Marketing and selling photography are two of the most critical requirements for
your success. If you're wanting to start a photography business, and you don't have a solid idea of how to best market and sell your work, you will have trouble being successful.
4. "If I'm good enough, they will tell all their friends, and I'll have all the business I need." -
This is another very common wrong belief. We honestly believe that all our clients will be so thrilled with what we do, that they will tell
everyone, and we'll be swamped with business, and never have to do any real marketing.
But you and I realize that an important part of your success is to create a huge demand for your limited supply, then
control the volume of work you do with your price. Most photographers have no idea about this. They've never heard this, and certainly don't want to do any real marketing.
And that's terrific! They'll continue to complain about how bad business is, while you continue to get those exhibits and create that HUGE DEMAND! As you're starting your photography business, be sure to create a huge demand
for your work through simple marketing secrets...
5. "The more photography I do, the more successful I will be."
- This is the classic "More Syndrome." We all are trapped in this one! (Unless someone helps us to become aware of it!) Since we were little, we automatically
think and believe that the more photos we do, the more successful we will be. This is so incorrect, it's scary! The
"secret" to success is to do less - much less - and carefully pick those clients you WANT to work with, and earn maximum profits from each one of them!
6. "If I just keep my prices a little lower than my competition, I'll have plenty of business. I'll make my profits with the large volume of business I'll do."
- This is another one of those horrible mistakes most photographers make when starting a photography business! We just don't have the training in business to realize
how wrong this is! The "secret" is to charge more for your work than most all of your competitors, and discover how
to sell it (without pressure or trickery!) This way, you can spend more time with each client, and make sure the work
you do is the very finest that money can buy! You'll have more profit with each client, and you'll be more proud of the work you are delivering.
7. "All I want to do is take photos!"
- This was one of the sayings I used to cry out all the time in the "old days"
when I was working myself to death, and not making any real money! I didn't want to have to deal with marketing,
selling, pricing, merchandising, management, record keeping, etc. So I starved! On this site, you'll discover the photo marketing and sales secrets that will help you start a photography business without wasting years of trial and error.
8. "The one with the most equipment and toys wins. Anyway, a craftsman is only as good as his or her
tools." - We are naturally interested in the equipment end of this business. We like cameras and all the other gadgets! But the honest fact is that we need to put way more time and money into discovering how to be more
profitable, and run our studio so it doesn't run us, than we need to put more money into equipment. In our deepest, depths of our souls, we know this is true!
9. "The ideas and techniques Chuck teaches won't work in my area. He doesn't understand my market
area and my clients!" - It's "normal" to feel this way. But let me honestly tell you that the principles of "HUMAN
PSYCHOLOGY" that my methods use, are true for almost everyone, and almost every place on the planet! No kidding. This stuff really works.
10. "The ideas and techniques Chuck Lewis teaches may work for others, but they won't work for me. I
could never do that." - This is a simple self confidence problem. You can do this stuff. I used to be so afraid and
insecure, and I learned how to market, sell, and price my work, so I absolutely KNOW you can, too! You simply have
to FORCE yourself to learn the things that the failures don't want to learn! (I know you've heard this from me before, but it's SO IMPORTANT, that I wanted to sneak it in again!)
11. "I want everything to be easier. This seems like too much work."
- All "average" photographers think like this! They're always looking for the simple way. Plus, if something requires even a little work, they will tend to shy
away from it! This is a HUGE killer of studios! Yes, we want the easiest way, but those who are successful realize
that it does require some effort! When you're starting a photography business, it's all about finding the easiest and
most effective ways to get things started quickly. How to bring in customers FAST - how to sell easily, etc.
12. "If I let my clients take their "proofs" home, or post them online, they'll show them to all their friends,
and I'll get lots more business. It's free advertising!" - This is a classic example of "cross thinking." The
photographer who suffers from "cross thinking" confuses the sales aspects of the business with the marketing
aspects! Once you have photographed someone, your responsibility is to do a wonderful presentation, on an
emotional level (because people invest in photography for emotional reasons!) Be careful not to "cross think" and try to make your originals or "proofs" do your photo marketing for you. Marketing is marketing! Selling is selling! Don't mix them up!
13. The "Average" photographer tends to take advice from people who are NOT where he or she wants to be!
- The great Donald Jack taught me to NEVER TAKE ADVICE FROM ANYONE WHO IS NOT WHERE YOU
WANT TO BE! Before I learned that, I was allowing all sorts of people, who definitely were NOT where I wanted to be
, to influence me! You must be extremely careful of this yourself! Never, ever, allow someone who is not where you want to be to influence your decisions!
So there you have 'em. The 13 Giant Mistakes and Wrong Thoughts that the "Average" photographer makes when starting a photography business! Now what you want to do is NOT THINK LIKE THAT!
Instead - take a look through the rest of this site, and devour the information I have here for you. With the right model,
starting a photography business can be very easy, very fun, and VERY VERY profitable.
Go For It!
Chuck Lewis
m.photog., cr.
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FREE E-BOOK - Instant Digital Delivery ($99.00 Value!) - Limited Time ONLY
Includes Photography
Business Building Secrets You Can Use IMMEDIATELY To Improve Your Profits FAST & Make More Money From Your Photography Than You Ever Thought Possible!
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