At the convention there was a lot of talk about why we are here and what we do. Are we here being photographers so someday we can become that famous one? Sometimes we get really wrapped up in photography being all about ourselves and we forget that it’s about our clients.

One of the speakers at United, >Mary Marantz<, talked about why she was a photographer. She talked about ‘personality marketing,’ something I’ve been pushing and teaching to you guys about for a long time. She talked about how personality marketing has become the new commodity – how we’re all putting ourselves out there and marketing our personalities. Personality is the new commodity – we’re all doing it. She said even she herself does it. I know I do it too. I use my personality to attract the type of brides that I want in my business and that’s okay. But it’s also important to know that the personality of a photographer is not enduring over time. The photos are enduring. We can all push and market ourselves and our personalities, but we need to remember why we are here – to produce beautiful images and memories for our clients. That is what is enduring.

After her speech about personality marketing it made me realize that I may be going about marketing myself and making it all about me. I’m not enduring. After my client’s wedding is done I’m no longer in the picture and my photos are. It reminded me that I can’t make my business about me, myself and I. I want to bring it back to my clients. Sure…I can use my personality to ensure that I’m a good match for my clients. I can be funny and charming on social media, but I need to make sure it’s about my clients and that I’m providing them with a wonderful experience and the best photos possible of their weddings, babies and any other major life events. The photos we create are the most important part of our job. Our clients are the most important part, not us. I left the speech feeling selfish and different and wanting to focus on different things in my business.

She asked the crowd what the most important photo was to us and took some answers from others. It was weird because I thought the most important and memorable photo to me would be a wedding photo of my husband and I, but the very first photo that showed up in my brain was a photo of my grandparents. It’s this funny photo.

My mom has albums of photos of my brother and I growing up and the photos are not the most professional, they’re fun memories of our lives. When I first moved out of the house at 19 I remember I wanted to take a photo of my grandma and grandpa with me. My grandpa passed away years before. I remember that my mom wasn’t home when I went through the photo album and snagged a funny photo of the two of them. I never really paid much attention to what was happening in the photo, but I loved it because my grandpa – a rather quiet man was laughing with my grandma at the kitchen table. It’s the same kitchen table my grandma still has today and I love that kitchen, their house, and the smell of it all. I have so many fond memories of summers there.

It’s a small 4×6 photo and I put it in a glittery star and moon frame that I’ve had since middle school. I was that stylish when I moved out. The frame is kind of stupid and the photo in it is funny and yellowed. Like I said, I never really knew why they were laughing in the photo and I didn’t pay much attention.

It wasn’t until years later when my mom was over at my house that I learned what this photo was all about. I can’t remember where I was living at the time that she told me the story behind that photo. Apparently a button on my grandma’s blouse had come undone or she was really hot, I can’t quite remember, but her undergarments were peeking out the top and my grandparents were laughing about it at the kitchen table. Someone took a photo of that because it was so funny at the time. I’m glad I know the story behind that photo.

I’ve questioned for the last couple weeks why that was the photo that came to my mind when Mary Marantz asked us what the most important photo was to us. I mean, I have no control over my brain, why is that photo the one that popped up the minute she asked that question? I took that photo on a whim because it was one candid photo of my grandparents both smiling. She asked us why the photos we thought were the most important were the ones that made us want to be a photographer.

That photo of my grandparents and that memory of them laughing in the kitchen is something that has gone and passed. I don’t even know if I was in the kitchen when that happened, or if I was old enough at the time the photo was taken to know why they were laughing. My grandma will be 94 years old this year and my grandpa has been gone for a very long time. My grandma, the healthiest person I know, is now finally starting to have health issues and these years are some of the most important that I be a part of her life before it’s too late. Even though I was young when my grandpa passed I know what he looked like and sounded like when he did laugh. As I write these words, sitting in the back row of an airplane I can hear my grandma laughing and saying “oh go on.”

I guess that photo is the most important photo to be because it defines why photos are important. It’s a little blurry, aged, yellow, and slightly over exposed. But it is PERFECT.

I’m a photographer because I want to celebrate life, which is too short. I hope that even my imperfect images can remind my clients of the same things this one photo reminds me of. Thanks Mary Marantz for putting my mind and business back on the right track and reminding me of the most important things in life.

So, why are you a photographer?

Awesomesauce Store & Carrie Swails Photography

1. Know your own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to your business. What is your weakness? What are you not good at? Whatever your weaknesses are find a way to change them (or delegate) so they’re no longer your weakness.

2. A lot of business owners forget to look at their business through their customer’s eyes. Sometimes as photographers we set up our business model the way we think our customers should want it, even if our customers don’t want it that way. Step out of the mindset of what we think our customers should want and pay attention to what they do actually want.

3. Time is everything. Time is money, time is life, time is freedom, time is what being an entrepreneur is all about. Figuring out how to balance your business time so you can maximize profits by making more and working less is crucial.

4. If you don’t like the industry standards for your business – change them and make your own rules.

5. Define yourself by what you are going to say ‘no’ to.

6. Be an official business and do things the right way. Don’t cut corners, ignore taxes and ignore business licenses. You’ll pay for it later.

7. Surround yourself with colleagues who can inspire you to do better and bigger things.

8. Find a niche for your photography type and stick to it!

9. Customers like clear and simple information. Complex policies, rules, strategies, pricing and information will be a turn off.

10. Answer email once a day. Answering your emails as they come in will distract you from being truly focused on your work, will make you less productive, and will give your customers the impression that you are always available and always working.

11. To start getting the kind of quality clients you desire, make sure your brand reflects the type of people you want to photograph. Only share work in your portfolio of the types of people, situations, and styles of photography that you want to do most. Putting that out there will attract clients who are interested in the same things you are.

12. At some point in your business you have to stop preparing to start a business. You can read and train as much as you want, but you need to just get out there and do it.

13. Keep educating yourself as trends change, customers change, and technology changes. A well-educated business owner in tune with the latest information will be able to harness their new knowledge and use it to their advantage.

14. There are going to be lots of mistakes and failures along the way. Accept them, learn from them, and move on.

15. Thank your clients.

16. Everything takes time. Don’t expect to always see an immediate response to a new marketing strategy.

17. Remember that not everyone checks and answers their emails as often as you do, give them some time.

18. Always exceed your clients’ expectations of you.

19. Let go of the things that aren’t working for you. Even if they work for someone else or it sounds like a fantastic idea – not everything works for everyone.

20. Spend time on the business – not just in it.

If you’re interested in doing a one-on-one photography business mentoring session with me please click >here< I only have a limited amount of spots per month and they do fill up!

Awesomesauce Store & Carrie Swails Photography

What what? You want to hear me be a dork and tell you how I became a photographer? It’s not that special, but here goes…

Awesomesauce Store & Carrie Swails Photography

All new Winter photography class schedule is up. You can view all the classes new and old >here< Any old classes are still available via recording to watch and learn.

Photography Awesomesauce also started a recent affiliate program which will allow you to earn up to 50% of my sales for referring your photographer friends here. >Read about becoming an Affiliate<

Awesomesauce Business Revamp for 2013
Learn about pricing strategies, re-branding, behind the scenes, and organizational techniques that can help you revamp and boost your business for 2013.
Wednesday, December 5th
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

Setting Realistic Business Goals & Expectations
Just in time for the new year! Sometimes photographers like to hide behind a veil of success and it’s hard to see what’s really going on behind the scenes. We’re going to break down those barriers and get down and dirty talking about what really happens, how to know when you’re successful and how to set business goals and expectations that work for your business instead of comparing yourself to everyone else!
Wednesday, December 12th
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

 Social Media Marketing Techniques
Learn how to use Pinterest, Twitter and especially Facebook to your advantage to bring in referrals and build your business. We’re going t break each of these social media trends down and go step-by-step into how you can use them to boost your business. 50% of my business comes straight through Facebook and we can take yours to that level too!
Wednesday, December 19th
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

FREE Photography Q&A Session – December 2012
You ask all and I tell all. Bring your business and photography related questions and I’ll do my best to answer them!
Friday, December 28th
6-7pm Mountain Time
FREE >REGISTER<

Learn to Network with Other Professionals and Get Referrals
Networking with wedding planners, wedding venues, hospitals, family centers, recreation centers, doctors offices, and midwives can all be great ways to build a client base through referrals. You can also market for free. This class is going to dive right into the tools and techniques of working with these professionals and how to set up a relationship that’s mutually beneficial for both parties and really take your business to the next level!
Wednesday, January 2nd
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

Business Contracts, Licenses, and Other Legal Forms
Everything you want to know about getting legit with your business. We’re going to talk about important parts of a photography contract, the business licenses you need to get, sales taxes, income taxes, and other legal forms you  may need. We’ll also talk about business insurance and other liabilities that are important for you to know as a business owner. If you’ve been avoiding these ‘official’ things because they seem too overwhelming we’re going to learn about these in a way that will help you absorb the information and not feel so overwhelmed as you ‘get legit.’
Monday, January 7th
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

Prints, Canvases, and other Products – Setup and Package Creation
If you’re just starting to look into selling prints this is the class for you. We’re going to discuss all about professional print labs, sales techniques, prepping your photos for a print lab and most importantly, pricing your products and building them into packages.
Wednesday, January 23rd
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

FREE Photography Q&A Session – January 2013
You ask all and I tell all. Bring your photography and business related questions and I’ll do my best to answer them!
Friday, January 25th
6-7pm Mountain Time
FREE >REGISTER<

Lightroom Basics
We’re going to break down all the tools in Lightroom and learn how to use these tools. We’re also going to talk about editing techniques that can save you time, learn how to develop a workflow, and then we’ll learn how to do a big batch edit too!
Wednesday, January 30th
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

Blogging to Boost Your Business
In this class about blogging we’re going to talk about writing techniques to make writing easier. We’ll discuss blogging schedules, what kinds of topics to post about – especially when you have no recent photo sessions to share. Finally, we’re also going to take some time to learn about search engine rankings and we’ll talk about how to use your blog to boost your search engine rank so when local clients are searching for a photographer in your area, your business and website shows up higher in search results.
Wednesday, February 6th
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

Camera Flash Class
During this class we’re going to learn about all the modes your flash has and how and when to use them to your advantage. We’ll talk about diffusing techniques for flash, and we’ll spend time learning how to set up and use off-camera flash too.
Wednesday, February 13th
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

All About Boudoir
Everything you need to know to become a boudoir photographer. We’ll talk about how to start doing boudoir photography, marketing boudoir, posing, avoiding awkward situations and helping your clients feel comfortable during their session.
Wednesday, February 20th
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

FREE Photography Q&A Session – February 2013
You ask all, I tell all! Bring your photography and business questions and I’ll do my best to answer them all!
Friday, February 22nd
6-7pm Mountain Time
FREE >REGISTER<

Taking Photography from a Hobby to a Successful Business
This class is all about the steps it takes to take your photography to the next level. If you’re just starting your business this class is going to cover it all. All the things you need to know behind the scenes, great marketing tips, and tons of information on setting up your business!
Friday, March 1st
6-7pm Mountain Time
$15 >REGISTER<

2. Rubber back floor mat – I have a rubber backed mat so that any floor drops I use won’t slip and slide around with everyone walking on them. Safety!

3. Backdrop Stand Kit – These look very similar to light stands with a pole in between that you can clip your backdrops too. They are easy and portable so if for some reason you have to pack up the studio it can all be broken down and put into a lightweight bag.

4. A variety of backdrops – I have backdrops that match the various “wood” floor options. I like my backdrops to look a bit like wallpaper. Instead of spending lots of money purchasing these I went to my local fabric store and into the section that has home decor fabrics. These are thick and great for backdrops (and a bit cheaper too). Then I went to Home Depot and got a $5 piece of trim and once it’s all set up it looks like a room in someone’s house.

5. Pose Me Baby Newborn Beanbag Poser – Pose Me Baby is a small company run by Julie who is amazing. You won’t find a better product or better customer service. The beanbag poser is essential for making the newborn comfy and getting them off the floor. Unlike a beanbag, it’s shaped differently to support newborn so they won’t just sink down into the folds. Check out >Pose Me Baby< and tell her I sent you.

6. Space Heater – Sure the studio may get a bit toasty with everyone there, but it’s essential to keep a newborn’s temperature at a safe temp.

7. Electric Blanket – I put an electric blanket over the newborn poser and underneath the blankets when I’m working with newborns, it’s just that extra step that can make coming to the photography studio much more cozy and easy.

8. Hamper – Because there will be poopy and peepee backdrops, towels, props and more. I have a little pop up hamper that I can fill during the session and take home and wash with me when I’m done.

9. Towels and Washcloths – I use towels to help clean up any messes and washcloths are great for helping to prop up the baby underneath your beanbag drops and getting them to sit just right.

10. Spare diapers, wipes, pacifiers, etc. – Need I say more?

11. Refrigerator – Just in case we need to store some breast milk, formula or anything else.

12. Props: Hats, Wraps, Headbands, etc.

13. Baskets and weights – Yes I said weights. Safety first! When you’re putting a baby in a basket of some sort you want to ensure that the basket will stay down and won’t tip over. It’s easy to buy some of the round flat weights and slide them into the bottom of your props.

14. Beanbag backdrops – These are different than your average backdrop. These are the blankets and fabrics that go over your newborn beanbag.

15. Stool – Never know when you’re going to take that cool shot from above.

16. Places for Mom and Dad to sit – A little sitting area and a lamp will help give mom and dad some distance and let you do your job, but still be nearby incase baby needs them.

17. Photo, Canvas, and Baby Announcement Samples for parents to look at – What’s better for mom and dad to do when they get bored watching you pose their little one? Give them some ideas for things they’ll want to buy of course!

18. Water bottles – With that space heater in the room it can get a little hot in the studio. I like to keep water bottles in my mini-fridge for everyone.

19. Access to Sink – It is always, always, always important to wash your hands around a newborn. If you take a break and give baby back to the mom and then you’re changing out props, wash your hands again before you touch the baby. It’s a great way to show your clients that you care and understand.

20. A positive attitude.

We have a class in a couple weeks that’s All About Newborn Photography. You can register >here< If you’re not able to attend when the class is happening live, don’t worry the recording gets sent out after the class for you to watch later!

Sometimes I don’t spell perfect, what can I say? Photoshop doesn’t come with spellcheck.

2. Chose a theme of colors or based off of your logo so everything can tie in together.

3. Keep it simple. Unlike packaging for a retail product sold in a store, your client isn’t ordering their photos through you because of its nice packaging. It’s important to look professional, but you don’t need to overdo it since you’ve already made the sale!

4. Always include a thank you card.

5. Have fun with your packaging and make sure it reflects your personality and your business. If you love bright colors, then do it, if you love beautiful neutrals then use those!

There are so many directions you can go with your packaging for photography items and it will all depend on how you have your clients order, online, in person…and so on. It’s also important to consider the cost. Beautiful custom packaging can be costly for something your clients are going to throw away, but if you’re creative and you put your mind to it you can package affordably and beautifully.

If you need help creating your branding or starting a business try out our >Starting a Photography Business Bundle<. If you need help keeping things organized behind the scenes we have a great set of organizational downloads >Organize Your Business<

Carrie Swails Photography

Photography Awesomesauce