The closing keynote at the June 2011 NPPA Business Blitz in Reston, VA.

1. JUNE 2011
PUT MORE BUSINESS IN
YOUR PHOTO BUSINESS
Lessons from an internet entrepreneur

2. Who are you?
• My stock business is declining, what should I do?
• I’d like to start making money from photography
• I’m shooting editorial, and I’d like to do more commercial
work
• I lost my staff job, and need to go freelance
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3. Think about market opportunity
• Instead of freaking out, think about where
growth opportunity exists
• You might be in the wrong geography
• You might photograph the wrong stuff
• Shift your business to seize opportunity
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4. The winds of change
• Change is scary
• e industry won’t cease to exist
• We don’t know where we’ll end up
• Buckle down and focus
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5. Lesson 1: Your business is not scaleable
• Internet companies can scale
• Your business cannot
• So your time is very valuable
• Strive for a better ROI over time
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6. Lesson 1b: You need a budget
• How much money do you want to make?
• What’s your cost of doing business?
• Plan on growing your business because if you don’t, the
competition will eat your lunch
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7. Greg Smith on the CODB
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8. Lesson 2: Marketing drives sales
If only I had ________,
I’d be more successful.
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9. Create a marketing plan
List your marketing activities
• Approximate cost for each initiative (time & money)
• Best guess for return on investment
For example:
• Direct mail, $3000 cost; 100 hours, $10k new business
• iPad portfolio, $1250 cost; 50 hours, $5k new business
• Quarterly coupons, $0; 4 hours, $4k new business
• Facebook, $0; 5 hours per week, $500 new business
• Twitter, $0; 5 hours per week, $300 new business
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10. Lesson 2: Marketing drives sales
Determine your “costs” to objectively determine
whether your marketing initiatives are worth it.
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11. Lesson 3: Stop re-inventing the wheel
Use tried and true marketing techniques
to achieve success
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12. Lesson 3a: Your website is a marketing tool
• Not an online portfolio
• Does it meet the needs of:
• e audience you have
• e audience you want
• Features to consider:
✓ Searchable
✓ E-commerce
✓ Portfolio
✓ Private galleries
✓ High resolution le transfer
✓ Mobile & SEO friendly (i.e. no Flash)
✓ Social Media tools
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13. Lesson 3b: Your website is a marketing tool
Getting people to your website is hard work.
Convert them while you have them captive!
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14. P H O T O S H E LT E R | P U T M O R E B U S I N E S S I N Y O U R P H O T O B U S I N E S S 14

15. Text
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16. Connect
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17. Everyone loves a coupon
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18. Lesson 3b: Test your pricing
Pricing is arbitrary and elastic.
Take advantage of that fact.
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19. Lesson 5: Word of mouth is potent
Engage your audience
where they congregate.
Make an effort
to understand their needs.
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20. P H O T O S H E LT E R | P U T M O R E B U S I N E S S I N Y O U R P H O T O B U S I N E S S 20

21. CPOY 2007: Travis Dove
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22. CPOY 2008: Tim Hussin
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23. To do list
• Are you in the right place doing the right type of
photography?
• Create a nancial forecast
• Create a marketing plan to support growth within your
forecast
• Make sure your website is built for your audience, not you
• Use known techniques for driving growth
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24. Social experiment
• Create a blog entry, tweet or wall post
• megmckinneyphotos.com
Birmingham editorial photographer
• chenxphoto.com
Maryland editorial photographer
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25. Get more info
photoshelter.com/mkt/research
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26. Connect with PhotoShelter
blog.photoshelter.com
facebook.com/photoshelter
@photoshelter
vimeo.com/photoshelter
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27. NPPA Discount on PhotoShelter
• photoshelter.com/signup
• Enter coupon code: NPPABIZ611
• Discounts off Standard & Pro Annual
Plans. Save up to $70/year off our
regular Monthly Pro Account.
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