This presentation was created for the NYC UberPug with Joe Buissink. It wasn't originally created to be seen without being presented, but lots of folks asked for it so here it is... Questions? Don't hesitate to contact me either here or directly at Pictage.

1. Jim’s Top 10’s
A Big Boy Pants Update on Competing in 2010

2. Top 10 Ways Not to Market
✤ “I will get all of my new business from internet advertising.”
✤ “Who cares about my website. My good stuff is on my blog.”
✤ “I’ll only meet with you if you sign my ’10 commandments of having me as your photographer’ document”
✤ “I’ll only meet with you if you’ve already made a deposit.”
✤ “I have no pricing. I just make it up based on what the person I’m meeting with is wearing.”
✤ “My new hook? A star field background.”
✤ “I have this great video of me crying while I talk about how much I love taking pictures. All of my friends say
they love it!”
✤ “All Pink. All the time.”
✤ “I hired a photographer who is a consultant who is hooking me up with an agency to create my new branding.
Oh, I’m soooo excited!”
✤ “I remade my website to look exactly like Jasmine Starr!” (this is effective only if you actually ARE Jasmine Starr)

3. Top 10 Ways to Market
✤
Think in terms of touch points.
✤
Your brand is who YOU are.
✤
Your website is your entry and your living room.
✤
Your blog is your family room.
✤
Client raves
✤
Clear and present pricing
✤
All Internet sites and materials completely up to date
✤
Content rich blog posts featuring local venues
✤
Referrals, Referrals, Referrals ...
✤
You never stop marketing. No matter where you are.

4. Top 10 Bad Photographer Habits
✤ I am a natural light photographer! Translation: I don’t know how my flash works.
✤ I only take pictures when I’m paid. Translation: I don’t actually like photography.
✤ I’m a night owl. Translation: I spend a lot of time online.
✤ This is my method of organization. Translation: I need all of these piles. Without them, I can’t live.
✤ I hate (insert name here). Translation: I’m generally frustrated and want to bitch about something.
✤ I am a social media expert! Translation: I’m a social creature in an isolated world.
✤ Someone else is taking all my business. Translation: I think someone is taking all my business.
✤ If I have the 200 2.0, I can make better pictures. Translation: I have a high balance on my credit cards.
✤ If I wait until tomorrow to edit this shoot I will be fresh and ready. Translation: I heart procrastination.
✤ I’m the best person I know at everything I need to do. Translation: I’m a control freak.

5. Develop some better habits
✤ Practice, Practice, Practice. The better you are in camera, the less time you will spend on everything else.
✤ Take a risk. Constantly expanding the environments and scenarios in which you are shooting will make you better at everything
you do.
✤ Rent 3 times, then buy. Don’t just run out and buy a new lens because you don’t have it or tried it once and liked a result. Rent
it.
✤ Separate your funds. Have an operating account (this is the account you use to pay for things), a savings account (for rainy days)
and a receipts account (where your deposits come to).
✤ Think in terms of your net. How much money you get paid isn’t important. It’s how much are you keeping each month? Is that
number going up or down over time.
✤ Monitor your subscriptions. Don’t let the burn rate get too high.
✤ Don’t pay for marketing. All of your best leads will come from people you already either know or can know.
✤ Start early. Get up early - start work early. You will get more done every day.
✤ Be disciplined. Develop a routine. TAT matters to you and to your clients. The faster you get things off your desk the faster you
are free and the sooner your clients have your stuff to rave about with their buddies.
✤ Seek Help. There are people who are better than you at the things you think you are great at. Pick a few, get others to do the rest.