Business Day Thursday: The Early Business Years - What Are You Thinking?

Good Morning Everybody,

We kicked Photoshop World off with a “bang” yesterday. We had a large group of enthusiastic photogs in my Wedding Shootout yesterday. We did some shooting around Mandalay Bay and I was able to not only explain the compositional elements of the images I was shooting, but I feel like I captured some great images.  Next it was over to the church location where we got some fantastic wedding shots in the direct Las Vegas sun.  Looks like an upcoming blog post to me.

We also had a few VIP visitors come by my workshop as well.  Kevin Ames, fellow PSW instructor, author, and all around great commercial/fashion photographer spent the day hanging out with us.  Be sure to check out his website right here – really nice stuff.

We also had the Kelby Training video team hanging with us all day too.  I hope I didn’t say anything too embarrassing.

I’ll keep you posted on more tomorrow.  I’ve got to get scootin’ let’s get right to today’s post.

Nudge It Up A Notch Sales Contest - Update

Hey gang, just a reminder that we’ve got a contest going on around here.  Last week I posted “Sales – Nudging It Up A Notch.” Here is the link. The topic discussed how we could incrementally raise the sale on the same product  as they did at Parker’s Grill, a restaurant that laDawn and I recently visited, and as I described in my post.

I put out a call to all our DPT readers to contribute to the list I started.  We’ve got some good suggestions so far, but I need to see 20 different suggestions in order to give away the $50 B&H Gift Card.  Also, keep in mind that the “sales nudge” is on the same product.

Come on gang, crank up the voltage on those thinking caps.

Sales – Building Your Business: Where To Start, How To Keep It Moving

A few weeks ago I received a call from my buddy Erik, the marketing director for Animoto about doing an interview for their web site.  They have just started this interview series – I’m #3 – but I think it’s a good thing.  Check out the other two interviews with Vicki Taufer and Kevin Kubota, too. It’s a nice peek into how photographers think.

Anyway, sometimes these interviews can get out of hand.  That means they can take a lot longer than the time budgeted to put together.  That was the case with my interview.  Erik and I discussed several questions, we refined the list, and he forwarded the questions over to me to complete.

That’s where I started getting into a bit of trouble.  I was taking way to long to answer the questions.  Not that, that was a bad thing – it was really a very good thing. 

Here’s why. Many of the questions revolved how I started my business and how I grew it into a successful enterprise over the years. I didn’t  just give the normal terse answers to what I considered important questions. I can easily remember to back the emotions and feelings I felt as I started in the photography profession. I know this is really important information,  especially to those who are facing the same obstacles and challenges today with their businesses.

My answers give you a peek into what was going on in my mind as I built my business in those early years.  There was no holding back on the completeness of the answers – that means some run pretty long, but they needed to to be answered completely.

There were also questions about how I’ve continued to keep my business resonating with today’s clients.  Once again you find solid info, I hope, in my responses.

It took me about 16 hours to complete the entire interview which, by my count went over 5000 words – and I was doing it while traveling down the road and highways and I was blogging too. Whew!

Anyway, the bottom line is this;  If want some insights into how I started my business, continued to grow it over the years, and keep it competitive for over 31 years in the Cincinnati, Ohio area,  I invite you read the interview right here.  I hope you enjoy the read – let me know.

Hey gang, that’s it for me today. We’re heading off to catch of few of the great classes going on here at Photoshop World today. At 2:30 p.m. I’ll be at the B&H booth with a new program. I hope I’ll see you there.   Adios, -David