Your Behind-the-Lens Marketing Guide
There’s the “photo business” and then there is the “business of photography.”
Are you trying to make a living as a photographer in today’s radically-changed industry?
I can help. I’ve spent pretty much my whole life connecting photographers to the people who want to hire them and pay them well for their photo skills. Landing the business for photographers was my business.
I was a successful photographers’ rep. Now I teach photographers how to do for themselves what I used to do for them.
Do you want to shoot assignments that inspire you for prices that won’t put you out of business? Are you wondering what you need to do in order to stay alive in this new era of declining assignments and declining prices?
Does this sound like you?
You realize you need to have a good web site and other online promotional strategies but you feel increasingly overwhelmed by how many other non-photography business skills you seem to need in order to keep up.
Are you wondering how to prioritize all of the areas you know you need to learn but don’t know which things are going to get you “the biggest bang for your promotional buck?”
Are you wondering “Should I do a new mailer? Get a better web site? Take an ad in a source book? Create a whole new portfolio? Try to get a rep?”
How can you keep up when it’s all changing so fast?!
You can’t be expected to learn it all–it changes at a dizzying rate. That’s why the most successful photographers keep learning new tricks and hire experts to keep them up-to-date with the non-photo skills they need. These days, when clients can find a photographer anywhere in the world with a few keywords typed into an internet search engine, you need more than photography skills to stay alive.
Once upon a time, there was enough work to go around. If you had a good eye and didn’t have a personality that turned clients off, you could get enough work to make a living. Sadly, that is no longer true. In fact, many photographers who’ve been in business for many years will not be around by the end of this year because they aren’t ready to accept some of the increased demands that are being made of them. But many will survive and they–like their art director clients– are the ones who have adapted and learned new skills. The art director who refused to learn how to use a computer to do layouts is now gone. The photographer that cannot–or will not– learn to use digital technology, is following in his footsteps. It’s not fair that things are changing so quickly, but it’s the reality we face.
” I’ve been tracking the results of my investing in consulting/coaching sessions with Carolyn. I’m thrilled to report that my billing is up 10-22% over last year at this time. ….”
-Jon Silla, photographer with 18 years experience
In addition to acquiring digital skills, the surviving photographers will have to know a lot more about sales, marketing, and general business practices than ever before. Your clients have learned to be multi-skilled to survive and so must you. The current economic conditions mean you probably have less money to do those things that you used to pay others to do for you.
“I started working with Carolyn in the 2nd quarter of 2004, my year-to-date billings are TRIPLE what they were before she started helping me…..”
-Mark Segal, photographer with 20 years experience
The good news is that if you’re willing to invest just a few hours of your time, you can gain valuable insights as to what marketing skills you CAN add to your skill set- even if you never felt comfortable doing that aspect of the business before.
Huzzah! There is a painless and productive way to get the answers you need.
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As a Chicago-based marketing consultant/business development strategist, I help professional photographers who suspect that what’s in their portfolios is “missing that certain something” both land the jobs they really want and keep ahead of the competition with new ways to get new business and strengthen existing client relationships.
Drawing on my experience of over 20 years as a successful artists’ representative, I help committed, professional photographers who are ready to invest in themselves, get more business by creating more marketable portfolios. My clients have shot for some of the most prestigious accounts in the country (see client list on “About Carolyn” page) and I can help you do the same.
If you’re a seasoned professional struggling with all the changes since the business turned digital, there are many resources available to help you. If you’ve reached this page, you’ve already found one of them.
I’d be happy to help you not only survive, but thrive.
Call: 312-560-6400 or
Email: carolyn [at] cpotts[dot]com
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