Building your Business

Not sure what to charge? How to stop treating your fee structure like a dartboard.

How still photographers can add motion to their storytelling skills.

Building an effective plan for business starts by defining where you want to go, strategizing how to get there, and prioritizing and scheduling activities.

More still photographers are embracing the art of telling stories with sound and motion. Read Gail Mooney’s advice on how to add video to your skill set.

Social media was the topic of conversation at the PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo this year. ADBASE made the trek to the Big Apple to connect with industry influencers and talk about the latest trends and innovations.

If you're anything like me, reading contracts ranks far down on your list of favorite things—somewhere between cleaning the kitty litter and gouging out your eyes with a grapefruit spoon. In fact, I once re-shingled my roof just to put off reading a book contract.

At the risk of stating the obvious, the Internet is the place to go for information—on anything. The amount of knowledge being shared is infinite, especially on photography and illustration. You’ll find lots of information here in Insight, but there are also other online resources like blogs and forums.

Whether you are an established veteran or just starting out in the business, how do you know if your career can benefit from hiring a professional representative? What are some of the benefits and potential drawbacks of having a representative? And if you do make the decision to go for it, what should you be looking for in a representative and what results should you realistically expect?"

Real-World, First Hand Success Strategies to get you Through the Recession. Did you know that independents and freelancers like you have the best chance of surviving (and perhaps even thriving) this recession?

As an artist, how do you know when it is time to call in outside business help? Maybe you are concerned that your portfolio doesn't have the right flow, and you lack the objectivity to edit it effectively...

One of the biggest problems I see as a consultant to creative professionals is the way resistance to talking about money with clients obstructs growth and successful relationships with clients. But here's the reality: whether you are a photographer, an illustrator, a designer or any other creative, you are also a business owner, and you can't do business without dealing with money.

Do you have the sneaking suspicion that perhaps the contract presented to you by the huge multinational corporation might not have your best interests at heart? When you attempt to read that contract, do you feel overwhelmed? Does the kryptonite-like mass of clauses, sub clauses and riders, dense with arcane language, drain the very life force from you, so you weaken and sign?

This isn't some Barbra Walters parody but a serious question you should ask yourself. Why a car? Because car makers have devoted more resources to researching, crafting and promoting their brands than any other industry.

When estimating a job, many photographers focus on presenting their work as a bargain: coming in well under budget and being the low bidder. Wrong move! (Although a temptation, especially in a slow economy.)

Negotiating is something many creative professionals have some anxiety about. In addition to the anxiety, everything you do and say at the beginning of your pricing relationship with a client will be very difficult to change later.

Summer's finally here, with its prospect of long weekends, long evenings and vacation time. I'm sure you are all thinking about long-awaited opportunities to enjoy the beautiful weather. Many of you will spend time on patios, in the pool, at a cottage, traveling or being with friends and family. Everyone needs some time away from work to give their minds a rest and to release the stress that can be such a creativity killer.

According to dictionary.com the last (6th) line item in the definition of estimate is, "a statement of the approximate charge for work to be done, submitted by a person or business firm ready to undertake the work." Of course, there are five preceding definitions. That should give you some idea about the clarity of the word. It should also tell you that estimates are not as simple as they sound. Bids, RFPs, estimates, and requests for pricing "just off the top of your head" are some of the phrases we all encounter when dealing with prospective clients. Wouldn't it be nice to know exactly how to respond to each?

In our first edition of ADBASE Insight, we introduced the idea of branding your business. We promised that we would come back with an article more specifically addressing how to develop your brand strategy, and here we are. Now is the perfect time to develop your brand strategy before you start your 2008 marketing campaign process.

When I was a photography student at RIT there was a nearby highway interchange designed by a transportation-engineering sadist known affectionately as the "can of worms." To navigate this short stretch of road was considered hazardous, at best. Such are discussions of photographers' fees, a path delicately traversed by ASMP, APA, PPA and other photographic organizations. Fear of antitrust issues, underestimating, overestimating and just plain being wrong are all reasons that those far wiser than I am have avoided this issue. But, as the saying goes, fools run where angels fear to tread. So here goes...

Your brand is the net result of every interaction, experience and perception your customers and prospects have when dealing with you and your service. You are responsible for shaping these perceptions...