What's working what's not
Well, for starters, I'm working. And working hard with getting this business off the ground. I'm mustering all the stamina & resources & cash I possibly can to get started up. So far, so good. As good as can be expected for it still being January & the whole-hearted effort of this venture being fairly new still (though it's been a plan in my head for a long, long time!)
Last weekend after a fury of working like mad for 2 weeks straight and staying up until 1 & 2 in the morning every night, I decided to take a break and just stayed inside during the snow & ice. I got my website mostly done, all except for finishing the "Places" gallery, got my online listings activated, got 4 events posted online in Pictage, got my first 10x10 WillowBook sample album designed and ordered (it'll be here in 4-6 weeks!), ordered sample Art Proof prints, spread around my pretty (so everyone says) new business cards around mid-town thanks to Chris's excellent hard work, and lastly am now working on a flyer to post up in several places and will attach more business cards to the flyers for people to take. I sure hope all this work starts paying off soon!
I have to stay confident that it will, but after 2 weeks of getting no responses from my online directory listings I was beginning to feel like all was a lost cause (not to be overly dramatic or anything). All the established photographers say they get the majority of their business from referrals, but getting jobs to get referrals from in the first place will just take some time, I know. I keep telling myself this, but I'm not a patient person.
This leads me to yesterday when Chris did that wonderful foot work for me by traveling all over our local area from Crown Center to the Plaza, from Unity Temple to a little florist shop on State Line. He passed out business cards where they'd take them, and at some places I never would have thought of like a salon/day spa on the Plaza (someone there had 2 friends with weddings coming up) and the Three Dog Bakery (they had a BB where he posted a card-will replace it soon w/ a bigger flyer & b cards attached).
By the time he got home at 3:30, in much need of something to eat at that point (other than the pretzel he bought at Crown Center just to get his parking validated), there was a message on our machine already. The catering manager at the Hyatt at Crown Center was calling for a quote to do an awards ceremony event on the 30th from 6-9:30 pm. Yes, the 30th of this month. Now, before you all get too excited, I don't actually have the job (yet! stay optimistic w/ me here!) the catering manager said he was getting 2 or 3 quotes from photographers for the event because the woman who's in charge of this shin dig doesn't have a clue apparently even what they need out of a photographer and her boss has been gone all week. She's only got one week to find someone though and it would be a really great & easy job for me (it would be a great op to get more exposure & business from the 110 people attending). So I called the catering manager back yesterday before 5 & gave him my hourly rate and I said from there any other costs would pertain to whatever they want to use the images for; if she wants a CD, a collection of the images, rights, etc. would then be priced accordingly. He sounded satisfied with the info I gave him and said he'd call me back if he needed me. I think I'll call him back Monday though just to check in & see what the story is. I don't want to be caught off-guard at the last minute with anything since it's already pretty last minute. But this was a great boost to my confidence getting a referral the same day. :o)
Other than this there are a few things that have been trickling in over the last month or so and I love logging in to Pictage and seeing "Stacey & Justin Wedding" scheduled on my calendar of events. ::wink, wink::
This weekend we're heading to Lexington, MO for a day trip and will head home again before the 6" of snow hits us tomorrow afternoon. I will put Afton's snow suit on him Sunday & get some pictures!!
Last weekend after a fury of working like mad for 2 weeks straight and staying up until 1 & 2 in the morning every night, I decided to take a break and just stayed inside during the snow & ice. I got my website mostly done, all except for finishing the "Places" gallery, got my online listings activated, got 4 events posted online in Pictage, got my first 10x10 WillowBook sample album designed and ordered (it'll be here in 4-6 weeks!), ordered sample Art Proof prints, spread around my pretty (so everyone says) new business cards around mid-town thanks to Chris's excellent hard work, and lastly am now working on a flyer to post up in several places and will attach more business cards to the flyers for people to take. I sure hope all this work starts paying off soon!
I have to stay confident that it will, but after 2 weeks of getting no responses from my online directory listings I was beginning to feel like all was a lost cause (not to be overly dramatic or anything). All the established photographers say they get the majority of their business from referrals, but getting jobs to get referrals from in the first place will just take some time, I know. I keep telling myself this, but I'm not a patient person.
This leads me to yesterday when Chris did that wonderful foot work for me by traveling all over our local area from Crown Center to the Plaza, from Unity Temple to a little florist shop on State Line. He passed out business cards where they'd take them, and at some places I never would have thought of like a salon/day spa on the Plaza (someone there had 2 friends with weddings coming up) and the Three Dog Bakery (they had a BB where he posted a card-will replace it soon w/ a bigger flyer & b cards attached).
By the time he got home at 3:30, in much need of something to eat at that point (other than the pretzel he bought at Crown Center just to get his parking validated), there was a message on our machine already. The catering manager at the Hyatt at Crown Center was calling for a quote to do an awards ceremony event on the 30th from 6-9:30 pm. Yes, the 30th of this month. Now, before you all get too excited, I don't actually have the job (yet! stay optimistic w/ me here!) the catering manager said he was getting 2 or 3 quotes from photographers for the event because the woman who's in charge of this shin dig doesn't have a clue apparently even what they need out of a photographer and her boss has been gone all week. She's only got one week to find someone though and it would be a really great & easy job for me (it would be a great op to get more exposure & business from the 110 people attending). So I called the catering manager back yesterday before 5 & gave him my hourly rate and I said from there any other costs would pertain to whatever they want to use the images for; if she wants a CD, a collection of the images, rights, etc. would then be priced accordingly. He sounded satisfied with the info I gave him and said he'd call me back if he needed me. I think I'll call him back Monday though just to check in & see what the story is. I don't want to be caught off-guard at the last minute with anything since it's already pretty last minute. But this was a great boost to my confidence getting a referral the same day. :o)
Other than this there are a few things that have been trickling in over the last month or so and I love logging in to Pictage and seeing "Stacey & Justin Wedding" scheduled on my calendar of events. ::wink, wink::
This weekend we're heading to Lexington, MO for a day trip and will head home again before the 6" of snow hits us tomorrow afternoon. I will put Afton's snow suit on him Sunday & get some pictures!!
Labels: business, Lexington, photography, pictures, start-up
posted by Studio P Photography at 3:43 PM
2 Comments:
I seen where the snow was falling in KC on Sat. Did you guys get snowed in? And more importantly, how's Afton likin' the snow?
Sorry I didn't see your comment sooner! No we didn't really get snowed in. Afton hasn't had a chance to really get out & play in the snow yet though. Our apt is not conducive to this as everyone lets their dogs doo doo all over the place & nobody picks up after their pets. We even have a neighbor that lets their dog poop right on the sidewalk outside the door! I have noticed tell-tale "tracks" in the snow before as evidence that someone has stepped in it. I'm sure they weren't happy about that! We're supposed to get 2-5 inches of snow tonight, but rain right now that will freeze w/ a cold front. Fun stuff!
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