Here are ten basic steps to start and grow profitable, debt-free and commercial photography.
1 Practice! You have a camera with you all the time. Study other photographers and try to picture that you love to emulate. Spend some time learning the basic image processing and advanced. Check out the camera and off, and practice with the settings and modes that do not normally use. Take advantage of blogs and low-cost photography and websites. Consider PPAWPPI, SEP or a photograph of the local group or club. Make a list of 50 things you do with your photography and trying to cross from one point to week.
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2 Define your business. Create a company and a little 'cards printed. You can get hundreds of tickets for less than $ 20. Make your web search to be sure not to choose a name that is already in use.
3 Define your finances. Get a separate business bank account. They all wantseparate your business from the financial assets of your personal finances. Get online banking so you can check your balance. Track a table, at home or a program like Quicken and record your expenses.
4 Get on-line themselves. Hosting a website is not expensive. You can picture the great web templates for sale under $ 100. Create a blog and feed. Download on Facebook and create a company website. Search and are equipped with web-based business locatorsMerchant Circle like ads and Google Local. Create good and make special offers to customers.
5 Define your target audience, both geographically and demographically. What kind of job you want to be known? Elderly? Weddings? Landscape? What other jobs would you? Draw three columns on a sheet of paper. In the first, note the type of work you like to do, in seconds, what would you do, OK, and third, whatBut no. It will help you formulate your mission and marketing messages.
6 Set your price. Define your value proposition to your customers. You can not give away the work below, or all, or you're going out of business. When you take into account the duration and cost of everything so that your business once you are established, it is understandable why the cost of printing, what to do from other professionals. Benchmark the competition and understand theirPrices and promotions. It 'best in their field, but not the highest or lowest, as are the first steps. If cheap price, people underestimate your contributions will be more difficult and increasing the prices that you need to be profitable under his command. All right change and the expected price.
7 Spread the word. Read "Guerilla Marketing" books by Jay Levinson, and "Purple Cow" by Seth Godin. Blog like crazy. Study "Search engine optimization" to makeThe web page rank higher. Look for opportunities to generate publicity. Approach to family, friends, colleagues and people in the church special "starter" sessions. Offer your customers rewards for referrals.
8 Development of partnerships. Create partnerships with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, schools, churches and other organizations. Being the "go-to" person for event photography and advertising photography. Donation sessions, and giftsCertified fund-raising auction and gala evenings. Knowing the leader in your community and find ways around them successful and visible through your work.
9 Build your business debt free. Make a list of services, hardware, software and related that you want. Price out and arrange them so that you need. Buy only if your business bank account allows. Be sure to take into account to cover the samples, upcomingFees and taxes and insurance. To stay when you devote a percentage of the profits in the first years of growth the company's resources, you will be able to maintain debt free company and growing, while still under profit-taking every year.
10 Pay your bills. Be sure to collect and pay sales tax and use. Hold and pay quarterly federal and state tax authorities, if necessary. You have the right amount of liability insurance. Keep records of mileage, deliveries,Prints, office expenses, education, advertising and other expenses category, which counts as business expenses.
What about equipment? Of course you need a camera and other devices that do not assume, however, you must run out and get the latest and best cameras and lighting systems. Start small, grew up with the current or an older model camera on craigslist or other source of gear. It starts to add some cheap reflectors and / or home-grown Lightwith. As you earn money, you can work your way through the list and appreciate each new piece of equipment even more. The same goes for software. Free, open source image editing software such as The GIMP is a good way to start. Corel Paint Shop Pro is also very good and very cheap. And you do not have a printer, in addition to the usual business correspondence to the press. Connect with a good local laboratory or national professional and you canprints of great and great support. One idea that I found useful is your Amazon wishlist, and put a couple of tips around the holidays and other occasions. Your family will appreciate the fact that what they buy, you will be taken for a good cause!
That's it! Following these ten steps, you can the vision of becoming a professional photographer and make it a reality! What are you waiting for?
Getting Started in Photography - 10 steps to kick-start your photography business
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