Take & Talk Pics

Earn While You Learn

Photo World, there are many occasions throughout a career where you feel a down slump in your business. You work hard and things are going well but for some reason you see the work thin out, the funds slow down, and your "style" just isn't making the cut any more...

Many photographers out there use this as their reason to get out of the biz. Especially those new photographers who couldn't get past it the first tie it happened to them. I can recall 2, maybe even 3, times when this happened for me and my business. However, as many photographers who fall apart from this issue there are many more who push past it. Education is a great way to re-invigorate your business or your "style" and put a fresh face on what you are already skilled at.

This episode speaks to this specific dilemma and hopefully reminds us to persevere. They key is openness to the future and looking ahead to see how you and your business will fit in. Making the money while adapting to the unstoppable changes that are always on the horizon. In short - how to  Earn While You Learn.

Happy Shooting!

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Oversell 2

The topic is sales strategies. Not in their definition sense but their practical sense.

I see three main sales strategies: (1) Oversell, (2) Undersell, and (3) Even Sell. This episode I want to speak more about Oversell…

Photo World, I walked through some basic thoughts on overselling more than you need to for your clients. In some cases I have signals that work for me that let me feel comfortable trying to up-sell in certain areas of my services. True “Oversell” is to over promise and under deliver – that is the real definition of overselling. Where you say you can do something just to make the sale and then it turns out you can’t deliver on that. I knew I had to make this a 2 part episode because of how long a topic it was with the first portion but I should clear up that part 1 of this was oversell… when and where to up-sell your business. Rather, up-sell you to your clients. After all it doesn’t matter much what it is you’re selling… They are still buying into you.

Happy Shooting!

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Oversell

Photo World, I see much as I continually learn about business, especially my own, and the businesses around me. So many things like: marketing strategies, sales techniques, skill techniques, social media strategies, etc. Well one area of my learning has been on my mind and I think it is more of a 3 part kind of topic so I will have two more episodes devoted to this topic. I have not planned when the other two will take place but over the next few weeks I think we will have all this info out there.

The topic is sales strategies. Not in their definition sense but their practical sense.

I see three main sales strategies: (1) Oversell, (2) Undersell, and (3) Even Sell. This episode I want to talk about Oversell… Now after recording this episode a slew of ideas and thoughts came rushing back into mind and my notepad filled up so I will tell you that Wednesday will be part two of this 1 sales strategies. Today I speak to the idea that overselling can be damaging toward your relationship with your clients and your longevity as a business. Again, Wednesday I will expand upon this episode because I went on much longer than I thought I should have and needed to split some ideas.

Happy Shooting!

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Romanticize Your Business   F.O.C.U.S. Follow One Course Until Success. If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything. When you constantly focus on one thing you are romanticizing that thing. You need to romanticize your business because what we romanticize grows.   I feel we all know how to go after our passions and really push to get through to our goals but I see so many of us small business owners, photographers, and artists fearing the wrong turn or not knowing quite how to move forward in any one direction. We need to stay the course because you never know what that next door may be opening too. Like my national speaking for podcasting and photography... I had no idea how to move in that direction nor did I even know it was something I felt passionate about but once I saw an opportunity I took it and that experience blew me away. I can't help but feel driven to seek out more. Same thing with those first few weddings I photographed. It was like I found why photography was for me; even though I already had the passion and career was the direction, wedding photography was the destination. So on and so forth... I just love looking back on how I got where I am even though I didn't know where I was always headed. It's like driving at night... You can't see more than the 200 feet in front of you but somehow we can go a great distance just moving 200 feet at a time. Not to get too deep here but life works the same way. Just keep going Photo World!

Happy Shooting!

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Act Your Wage

Photo World, Your income follows your personal development. That is a nice food for thought, especially if you have been overly stressed out. It's like: "thanks Rob now I have more to worry about." The great thing is we always have that small worry but we also have the power to change any time any where in life. I used to leave my part time job telling those I worked with "I'm going to go home and change my life." It would give them a chuckle but I can honestly say I no longer have a need for that part time job as my photography and teaching is what I get to do for a living. All the while many of them are still there at the same job. There is nothing wrong with that but we get stuck because many of us go Broke trying to look Rich when we should act our Wage. The real quote is: Don’t go Broke trying to look Rich act your Wage.

Take it a step further and learn through the bord game by Dave Ramsey called: Act Your Wage

Happy Shooting!

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Listen Don't Speak

As a man I am all too familiar with the fact that women assume I do not know how to listen... okay not just women, my assistance always tell me I never listen. My parents have said I don't listen as well. There is no time like the present to change for the better. See, I thought I was doing fine listening, but hearing and listening are very different. I have found through my listen don't speak exercises I have booked more clients, turned out more work, gained more followers, and accomplished more work than I have in recent years where I couldn't listen. There are countless ways to speak on how helpful this can be for things like sales. Sitting with a possible client and listening before trying to push a sale.

Happy Shooting!

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Business Overdrive

This day and age our businesses really are a 24 hours a day - 7 days a week - 365 days a year job. We have little to no excuse as to why we can't get back to an email, return a phone call, or at the very least text someone. I know we all prefer different forms of communication but we are to connected for excuses. What does this have to do with our business? Well, our business is connected 24/7 to everyone and anyone who could be directly or indirectly a possible or current client. That means we have the pressure of our business weighing on our shoulders and looming over our every move. In short... We are working all the time. If you remember my Better Branded Business episode I went into how your business should be working for you and not you for your business. Especially during those times when you can't or shouldn't be working. Like while you are asleep or when you're on vacation. (Thank you "out of the office" automated email). So how do we combat this habit to be working all the time or 24/7? I go over it in this rather short episode... Short because I have too much work to do to be bothered by this other work. :)

Happy Shooting!

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NEVER SCOUT A LOCATION

To scout or not to scout a location for a photo shoot? That is a common question with 2 solid answer, one transitional option, and a few way to handle how you let your clients know your thought on the subject. You know Rob didn't hold back and he is fine telling you what he thinks as well as how he explains it to his clients.

"I find honesty is the best policy when it comes to your clients." Rob shares, "If you want clients than be a real person first with all the same positive and negative aspects. There is nothing worse than a sales pitch from someone telling you how amazing the whole experience is going to be and then you find out it was all sunshine and rainbows. There is comfort in real."

Rob Talking Here: Okay so that was fun to try with this post... act like someone important is really asking my opinion on the subject. The whole episode (like most) are my opinion. What I would like to hear is who disagrees with me. At this stage in my wedding photography career I say NEVER SCOUT A LOCATION! EVER! Just listen to find out why.

Happy Shooting!

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BBB (Better Branded Business)

We hear about branding your business all the time, but what about your web brand? The one that 80% of your possible clientele is seeing first. Rob talk’s first impressions when you’re not even there and how to offer a more friendly hand shake that gives your clients a comfortable feeling to want to do business with you. If you can find a way to get possible clients to see your skill and personality while you are busy sleeping than wouldn't that be a better way to go for gaining more business. Setting aside time to meet with every possible client is a tall order but those first impressions can be mad through a better branded business online.

Tradition is out the window!

Business cards, posting flyers, and going door to door. What are the 3 new ways to be in front of more potential clients and gain business without the old sales techniques?

• Network posts
• Progress posts
• Target marketing within a niche in a specified target group within a small narrowed market. (How do I say Niche Down as many times as possible)

Happy Shooting!

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Dixie Dixon - Nikon Ambassador

Dixie is a US Nikon Ambassador based out of Dallas Texas. To fill you in on how selective that group is… She is one of the sixteen original Nikon Ambassador for the US. She is a commercial, fashion, and editorial photographer who travels from Vancouver to Barcelona down to Miami and everywhere in between. She shoots for tv shows, commercial campaigns, editorial projects, and major brands such as: Nikon, Disney, Inside Edition, Profoto, and MAC Group just to name a few. Her works is seen in Rangefinder, PDN, Professional Photographers Magazine, Nikon World, and many more.

Full Bio:

Dixie Dixon is a Texas born and bred commercial fashion photographer. Just a few years out of college, this 20-something’s career is unfolding one adventure after another.

She was given her first Nikon Camera, the Nikon FG, at just 12 years old, which peaked her curiosity in the field and served as her sidekick in exploring the world. She would continually clock seven to ten hours in the darkroom without even realizing it. While in college she studied in London with a world-renowned fashion photographer and became deeply inspired by the beautiful illusion of fashion and commercial photography.

It has been said that her idealistic vision of the world is reflected into every single frame- full of life, beautiful energy, and most of all, Soul. Her passion has lead her to shoot internationally in places such as Cannes, Toronto, Vancouver, New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Ibiza, and Barcelona recently for various brands, tv shows, commercial campaigns and editorial projects.  She is one of the sixteen original Nikon Ambassadors of the United States.

Sensuous and polished, her images create a dream world in which romance is always alive. Her fresh vision has attracted clients such as Nikon, Disney, Virgin, Advanced Beauty, Florsheim Shoes, Ultherapy, Woodland Worldwide, Inside Edition, Gaylord Hotels, Spencer Fine Jewelry, G-Technology, Profoto, Eprouvage, MAC Group, Magpul, Billy Jealousy, Nha Khanh, Pipers Perfumery, and Macadamia Professional to name a few. Her work has been published in publications such as Rangefinder, PDN, Professional Photographers Magazine, Dapper Magazine, Living Magazine, Beverly Drive Magazine, Nikon World and many more.

Dixie's PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS:

2007 Fujifilm Award

2008 Hy Sheanin Photographic Award

2012 Graphistudio Award

2014 Addy Award for Ogle School Commercial

 

Dixie's SPONSORS/PARTNERS:

NIKON

G-TECHNOLOGY

BLACK RIVER IMAGING

LEXAR

MANFROTTO

TIFFEN

PROFOTO

X-RITE COLORATTI

GRAPHISTUDIO

Happy Shooting!

Recommended Resource: rggedu.com/

W: .dixiedixon.com

Blog: dixiedixonphotography.wordpress.com

Workshops: dixiedixon.com/forphotographers

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