"Once upon a time there was a computer company who wanted to build amazing computers. They started a huge multi million dollar marketing campaign that garnered millions of followers. They had one hundred million Facebook followers, 50 million Instagram followers and even the president of the United States would re-tweet them. The next day the went out of business. In all the hoopla they forgot to make computers. "
Do you get the moral of the story?
This is what I call Branding before Business.
There is natural order of progression in life.. We are born, we become the teenagers our mothers warned about, we grow up, we find love, get have kids, they become teenagers, We pull our hair out just like our parents did. We get a little older, we have some grand kids, we die. "Crap!
No one that I know in Real life has ever found a way out of this scenario.
What I am saying here is that in Business there is a “Natural order of progression” too. You can’t just skip steps if you want to be an adult someday.
You have to have products. Do you have your photography packages set up? Do you have your pricing figured out? Do you have your business in order? If you do Awesome! You’re on the right track!
If not then STOP!
You need to think about a few things. You might need to do some market research and analysis. You have to get organize!
Remember a few posts back? The biggest problem most photographers have it they are un-organized!
Business first, marketing second. That is the natural order.
Truth: Successful Photographers didn't skip this. Successful Photographer are also Successful at Business.
By now you are starting to see that the road between surviving and thriving run close to each other.
Sometimes all it takes is a step onto the other path.
"To design is to plan and to organize, to order, to relate and to control. In short it embraces all means of opposing disorder and accident. Therefore it signifies a human need and qualifies man’s thinking and doing."
— Josef Albers
Having a plan and doing things in the correct order will save you time, frustration, and money and is the key to a successful business and life!
Real Life Action Steps: I want you to lock yourself in your room. I want to you sit down for one our today. Think about what you offer. Think about what you can charge. Do some research. Stop and do not pass go until you have these problems solved. Lock yourself in your room for one hour everyday until you have the beginning of your plan. It might take a week. It might take a month. Don't skip this step. Go!
This is me! Ikon
Ikon lives by a highway and this evening there was construction and all the noise made it so there was not sleep to be had. He decided to stay up and write the next post so lucky you! He also decided he needs to move soon. Hey,
I teach classes at Salt Lake City School of Photography. Check out my website and take a class or workshop or even better, join me on a trip! I'll be adding a Iceland trip, A European trip and workshops soon! Hey. If you want more cool information follow me on Facebook!
