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.

Your business can actually benefit from this fresh, summery mindset! Sure, summer is a slow period in our industry, so by all means enjoy the downtime. But there are some simple things you can do over the next couple of months that, with some time invested now, will pay dividends down the road. You'll do yourself a favor, and will still have plenty of time to enjoy the traditional laid-back summer pace.

The Beach (or Cottage, or Backyard) is a Great Place to PLAN!

I know, I know...we are ALWAYS talking about planning. But in all seriousness, your business is on the road to nowhere without one. I can't think of a better time to create your marketing and/or promotional plan than right now. I recommend breaking it up into bite-sized chunks and setting aside a certain amount of time per week to work through each stage; this should prevent you from getting overwhelmed and giving up altogether. Think about how much easier the fall marketing season will be when all you have to do is execute your plan.

Not sure how to start building your plan? We've got a free white paper written exclusively for photographers and illustrators that can guide you, step-by-step. Download Plan For Profit Now

Direct your Creativity Towards YOU

Do you have a personal project in mind? Get started creating something just for you - and get your creative juices flowing. Juliette Wolf-Robin from PrintBrat has a summer assignment up her sleeve here, that's designed to do just that. Shrug off the clients...and reconnect with why you are a photographer or illustrator! That could be just what you need to start creating fresh new work. Plus, you can start collecting images to use in your fall marketing campaigns. Or your personal project may even inspire a brand new direction for your marketing! Set your creativity free this summer - you never know what could happen.

Think Forward for the Rest of the Year

Do you already have a marketing plan? If so, I recommend you get a jump-start on your competition by taking time now to put together your campaigns for the rest of the year. When you plan campaigns in advance, you end up creating just that: an actual campaign! Not a series of emails that look different from each other and have inconsistent messaging and unrelated images. Come fall, you can concentrate on your client projects, as you'll have everything ready to go. (Plus, that smug-but-satisfying sense that you achieved something your competition probably didn't get around to!)

Here are some campaign ideas you can work on this summer break:

  1. Create separate emails or postcards for each of your work specialties. Focus on images that best represent what you can offer creatively in these niches - and showcase only those.
  2. Create a campaign targeting those you have already worked with. These types of communications should be different from those targeting prospective clients: your tone can be more personal and your content more closely aligned with the personalities involved. Make sure you let them know what's been going on with you since you last worked together and show them your new work. It's easier to keep a client than to win a new one - as well as a fun summertime twist on marketing - so don't forget this important part of your marketing mix.
  3. Target your top potential clients. In reality, these are people who have already responded to your marketing in some way in the past (email click-through, had you bid on a job, phone call etc) and are therefore more likely to respond to you. If you are using Emailerv2, you can build a list of these people from your MyADBASE page. Create an email with images similar to those that inspired the initial response, since those have already connected with your audience.
  4. Think about how you want to grow your business, and design a campaign to expand your current marketing reach. This is something you should do just semi-annually or quarterly, as it's best to focus on your core clients and prospects for the best return. But if you're ready to branch out, start thinking about that now.
  5. Create a higher-end print piece to send to interested prospects. This could be a large-format postcard, poster, desk calendar, signed print or anything else you can think of. Just make sure it's something a buyer would want to keep around AND that it has your name and website address on it!

Photobooks=Photofun!

Why not use the summertime to create a truly unique piece...your own custom photobook. This is a great "leave-behind" for portfolio showings, a "remember-me" piece for your existing clients or a "hire-me" mailing for the clients you covet the most. And they aren't too expensive, so you can easily create different ones for your varied specialties or clients.

Before you blaze ahead with my suggestion (is my enthusiasm catching?), make sure you fully investigate the company you choose for your book. Keep in mind that production is going to be key if you want the book to have a lasting impact. You want to make sure the images are properly color-managed so they look their very best and your client can truly visualize what your work would look like in their ad or magazine.

I've seen photobooks that are amazing (and still reside on my bookshelf here at ADBASE headquarters) and I've seen ones that looked washed out and amateurish. Remember that some photobook companies cater to non-pro consumers, so make sure yours has the printing capability necessary to show your work in the best possible light. If you are a photographer, you can check out some great peer discussions on the APAnet message board. Info on how to join can be found here: http://www.apanational.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3279.

Create a Loyalty/Thank You Program

The best thing you can do for your business is to stay connected with your best clients. These are people you have worked with repeatedly, who are good clients (no work-for-hire, pay appropriate fees, respect your contribution etc.), and more than likely, represent your highest billings. You want to do everything you can to keep them coming back with more work. I highly recommend creating a loyalty program that goes beyond sending Christmas/Holiday gifts. Take some time off from enjoying the rays and think about how you can show your appreciation for their business. Then execute! Have fun deciding how you want to thank your best customers; decide on who's going to be on your list...and be budget-conscious.

Here are some gift suggestions your clients might really enjoy:

  • Starbucks card (what creative do you know who isn't fuelled by caffeine?)
  • Bottle of wine/champagne
  • Special prints of your work
  • Amazon gift cards (to stock up on art books)
  • Spa treatment gift certificates

Final Word

I hope I have given you some ideas on some things you can do for your business while still taking full advantage of that special sense of freedom that comes with the summer. There are great benefits to working for yourself and running your own business, but you do need to keep a minimal work schedule over the silly season, to keep that business flowing. If the pace of client work has slackened this gives you a great opportunity to pour some TLC into your business and help it grow and thrive. Once the days start to shorten again, you'll thank me...!