What Filter was that?!?

a post on post ettiquette.

So we've all seen it, right? That post where you thought "Oh my Gosh, they did not seriously write that on facebook?!"

Or the image that something just looks ... off... and someone has posted a comment about it, telling the photographer (or worse, the client) what is wrong with the image and that they could have done better. 

Or my absolute favorite "well, you can get better pics if you come to me, the sitting plus all pix on disk is only $25."

We, as an industry, and even as clients, need an intervention. When common courtesy and even common sense have gone out the window, we need a Manners Movement. 

I've asked photographers all over the US to add to this list of things that are "Do's and Don'ts for posting and commenting on Facebook." If you are a photographer, or a client of a photographer, this list is for you. 

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Ready? Then lets just do this!

1. DO remember that when posting something online it can be very hard to convey sarcasm, inside jokes, etc. 
Be very careful, because things often look about ten times "ruder" in a comment than they do anywhere else. 

2. DON'T comment or post with any CC (critique) unless it's asked for.
If you're seeing a photo posted anywhere other than a closed group, it's probably best to NOT post CC. If you have something to say, private message it to the photographer - but don't expect it to be taken well. 

3. DO remember that every photograph that includes a person, that person will probably see that image - and every single comment. 
Is your opinion worth hurting them over?

4. DON'T post anything you wouldn't say to someone's face - client or photographer. 
That person has real feelings. The old adage "If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all" applies here.  Anything you write, the actual client and their family may see it. Just because you can write whatever you want to, doesn't mean you should. 

5. DO Remember, art is subjective. 
People hire photographers based on what they have seen them do. Some people are very traditional, and some people are not. And just because you don't like something does NOT mean you have to post that opinion.

6. DO think about writing an encouraging comment on a photo or share a photo whenever you can - not just click the "like" button. 
Commenting on photos can really make the day of the client, possibly even change their self image, and they always make a photographer feel great (even better than a simple "like"). 

7. DON'T be afraid to delete negative comments and block the person from your page. 
You have the right and responsibility to protect your clients. 

8. DO thank your commenters for their kind words. 
It's never a good idea to post and run.

9. Clients, DO tag and mention your photographer when you share an image or use a photo as a profile or cover image. 
It's a wonderful courtesy to your photographer, who will probably look at that photo often to see what your friends have said about it. 

10. DO think before you post anything - a status, an image, a comment. 
Is it beneficial, true, something you'll be ok with a search engine finding in a year? Err on the side of caution.

How's Your Merchandising?

There is something about walking past a storefront that is beautiful that just hits us and makes go "WOW". Even if you don't like to shop, you can't stop but to admire it. As long as it's not overpowering you with a million bottles of over-sprayed teen cologne (*cough cough*) or jammed with too many racks of disorganized clothes once you get inside, that visual merchandising can make you stop for a moment and really fall in love.

What makes the merchandising of a retail store so effective? 

Think about the sensory effect when you walk past the store in the mall. This is a 15 second marketing message in which a company introduces a prospect to the brand, its message and it's product and knows that they are about to make a choice. They invest in this 15 second impression more than almost any other part of their process because this impacts every other experience that client will then have with their brand. Merchandising is key because they have taken the time to invest in their brand and the presentation of it to their clients - not just the ones that they are trying to get, but the ones that they already have as well.

They impale your senses from every direction and take no chances on that "call to action". They want to make sure that there was nothing they could have done better or said in a different way that could have changed your decision, if you are their target market, right? When you walk past that store, it shines with their message. You can see plainly what their brand is, what the current trend or sale is. You see, smell, touch, hear, and sometimes even taste it. They've researched this, they make sure they get it right.

Merchandising elicits emotion. It creates connection, reaction, and interaction with a brand. I know that with the recent changes in our beloved {hated} social media, it's become harder and harder to do so - but I challenge you that maybe it's just that we need to get more involved in our merchandising strategies. Did you know that most (read: pretty much ALL) retailers have look books in which they outline their specific merchandising all the way down so that it is unified all the way across the board for every campaign they run?

I'm here to tell you, you can do this, but merchandising over social media needs to be strategic and cannot be accomplished with a one and done mentality. It is complex, planned, and integral to an actual marketing tactic. You need to put a strong marketing message in place, and then create ways to deliver the message to appeal to the range of senses over the course of a week at a time. Focus on a sensory appeal for the day, and make sure to hit it with strength.

Let's Analyze! How are your displays? When you're building your posts on social media, are you considering the senses? The 5 seconds (if that - your time is shorter on social) that you have of their attention to give them an introduction to your brand and message? How will you hit them hard and make them WANT to know more, to do more, to share more about you? This is about the click, the like, the share, the post. We need to generate movement. This is something you need to take the time and invest in. Your clients want to be invested in - they want to be important enough to you to be invested in.

First, create your action plan. Think about the stores your target market shops at. Research online and look at their visual merchandising, their window displays. Do Google image searches, look at their websites. Read the words they use, look at their social media campaigns, see what their Facebook pages look like, how they tweet. How do they interact with their clients? Take notes. Write down things that appeal to you. Can you make this work for your brand? Do you know how to do this for your business? What are they doing that is so different from you? Better yet - go shopping! Go to the mall and check it out (the store fronts, not the merchandise!)

Now, how to translate it. This is something you'll want to plan out as a campaign for things like Facebook and Twitter. With the Blog and Website it can take on more of an actual floor-set mode. I'll explain that in a minute. Let's get to starting your "look books".

Facebook and Twitter Campaigning/Merchandising Style: 

• With Facebook and Twitter you'll want to identify a message to communicate for an entire week, but spread it out incrementally over the full week. Make a daily plan. Write out your message for that day and what elements you'll use to share it (photos, video, blog, etc). Choose the time of day, and then share it throughout the day. 
• You're giving out pieces, sneak peeks, parts of the design throughout the whole week so that the audience needs to interact the full week to get the full experience. Build excitement, let them know there is more.
• The point of a campaign is to get reach across the brand. It could stretch into photos, videos, your blog, a tab, questions, your website, an event, a download - as long as it's something in it for them in the end and not just a win for you. 
• Ask people to share your posts/photos, etc with their friends. You don't get what you don't ask for.
• Another key is do not cross post from FB to Twitter. Yes, its easier, but people on Twitter want different information. Give them different tidbits. Shorter info, different links. Take them to different photos, different tabs, different exclusive content. Make them feel a different kind of special. Ask them to RT (retweet it), and use hashtags (#). 
• Use a different medium each day. Don't just hit a single sensory contact each day, try for a mix - and don't miss a day. Try vision/hearing, etc. 

Website and Blog/Floorset Mode:
First, I'll explain what a floor-set is. A floor-set is kind of like a map that retail managers are given when they need to lay out the design of a store's merchandising displays to maximize the sales and the displays of merchandise. It helps plan where the merchandise should go based on sales projections, planning, goals, basic merchandising structures, store layouts, marketing plans, and business structure. It's built around the brand and helps guide the business to make the right decisions about how to plan the layout of their marketing and sales decisions from the design on up to really maximize their profit for the upcoming season. Obviously, this is used in stores with actual space, but for right now, your space is your website and your blog and you need to make sure you maximize it wisely!

This is a lot about basic branding, but it's also about content and making sure that your merchandising is well thought out and all of the elements are in line with the impression of your brand and your experience. When you look back on the research you did or even through the images on this post, what was the impression you had of these brands? Would you shop there? What would people think of your photography business if they saw your website or your blog? What would they think if they read your blog posts? Is there a lot of fluff and junk that isn't selling you? Are you hiding your message or not showing the best of the best?

You've only got a few moments of your clients time when they first enter your site to hit them with your Visual Merchandising to make that impact decision of "do I stay, or do I go?" This is why you do not want to skimp on this. Focus on your visual merchandising of your blog and website just as much as you do your Facebook and other social media.

Are your blog posts engaging, well written, and not overwhelming? Do they show only the best few images? Are you being selective and speaking to both your current clients and prospects or are you posting just to post? This is your voice to your clients (past, present and future), how does it sound?

And just like the outside, the inside (offline) interactions are dripping with merchandising as well.

• Email
• Welcome Packets
• Phone
• Consults
• Session
• Sales

 How do yours stack up? If you need to revisit your merchandising, do it now! It's all about the first impression.

Personally Professional: Online

A couple of weeks ago, a photographer friend of mine contacted me and asked me to write up something about this very heated (and slightly controversial) topic. This will also be a series of posts (I've got a lot to say about this).

Now that our world is strongly social with its media base, there are lines that are blurred, crossed and created every day. Somewhere in the midst of all of this, we've forgotten about professionalism, respect, and common sense.

Don't think this applies to you? Keep reading. 

Every day, I see posts from small business owners. On their profiles, on their pages, in their twitter feed. I get to see everything from what they had for breakfast to the sessions they've photographed, to quotes that inspire them. And I also get to see when they're out drinking, what their religious beliefs are, if they have any prejudices (yes, I will call them out as such). I get to see their drama, their negative attitudes, and their posts about other businesses. Basically, I get to watch them harm the brand that they've worked so hard to build. 

Yes, there is something to be said about being authentic. I would hope that we are all authentic every day with every piece of our life. However, being authentic doesn't mean that you should post something or share something that isn't friendly to the public. You can be equally authentic with a filter.

What I'm saying is ... your profile may not be your business, but you are your business. You never know if your friends know people who may be your target market.

Are all of your clients exactly like you, with the same beliefs, the same sense of humor, the same prejudices? If so, your client list must be TINY - or you are disillusioned. Don't ever assume that those who view your business page cannot see your personal page, or your tweets, or anything you post on the web with your name attached to it (gotta love Google search). If you're putting it out there, it's fair game for ANYONE.

Your profile, your posts, anything you share is a part of your campaign. Much as a politician campaigns for votes into office, you're campaigning for likes that turn into clients. Politicians have to be very careful with what they say, where they're seen, what they do ... as a small business owner, you have that same responsibility to your business. You owe your business and your clients to put your best, most professional foot forward, personally. Your campaign for your business is a reflection of your clients and your brand (you are who you hang out with, after all).

Imagine this conversation: 

        Possible Prospect: "Hey, do you know any great photographers? I don't want someone cheap, I'm really looking for nice quality photographs. I want something for above the fireplace in our new house."

        Your Facebook Friend: "Oh, well I would recommend this awesome photographer, but she just posted about ________ on her profile, so I don't think you guys would work well together."

       Possible Prospect: "Was that that photographer on your friends list? Yeah, I looked at her work. I figured I'd ask you first since you know her. Too bad, her work is what I was looking for."

or ....

         Your Facebook Friend: "No, sorry." (as she thinks about how you just tweeted about something offensive and is embarrassed to recommend you)

Oh wow, right?

Think about it (and before you post) --

• Has there been anything you posted lately that could be offensive? 
• Anything that could bring negative light on you or your business?
• Anything that could push prospects away? 
• Is there anything that could be keeping you from growing your client base?
• Would I be embarrassed if someone saw this post in a year?
• Did it build up you or your business or your clients to post this?
• Am I posting out of emotion?
• Does my boss/grandma/the world need to know this?

Just because you CAN post it, doesn't mean you should. If you really have to write it out somewhere, create a private blog, or write it out by hand, and throw it away!

... Wait, what if I'm new to photography, and I hardly have any clients let alone fans. Does it really matter what I'm posting?

Oh my goodness, yes! The one thing about the online world is nothing ever goes away!

In 2 years, when business is picking up and prospects are contacting you, do you want them to see what you're posting? You should run your business now for the business you plan on having in 10 years. Being "new" or few in fans doesn't give you any less responsibility towards your client base - whether that client base is past, present or future.

Your posts online become your brand. They're the "living/breathing" parts of who you are in this digital world. Prospects can see you wherever you put yourself on the web, so unless you create an alias to post these things to, think twice before you post. If you're strongly opinionated, have any prejudices, or tend to be a realist/negative this would be where you want to work on your filter.

Just as a guide, things to avoid posting about would be:

• Religion
• Politics
• Negativity or Judgement of Other Photographers 
• Womens Rights
• Sexuality
• Sports (yes, sports - diehard fans are people you don't want to upset)
• Alcohol/Drugs
• Sex
• Prejudices of ANY kind

UNLESS of course, the topic - and your stance on it - is a strong part of your brand.

I wish I could say this is uncommon. That people think of their brand and their clients and other people in general before they post. If that was the case, I wouldn't have been asked to write this post. I implore you, small business owner, be more conscientious, respectful, and personally professional in your social media.

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I want to know what you think about this. Have you seen it? What are your reactions when you see a business or business owner post something strongly opinionated, prejudiced or negative?

I Raised My Prices ... Now What?

You made the leap and raised your prices. Like, really raised them.

Can I just say, YES!!! Congratulations. When you raise your prices to a respectable rate, you'll be amazed how much respect you get not only from your peers, but clients and potential clients as well.

                       Insider tip: Add a new piece/product or two to your line when you raise your prices. It gives clients something to be excited about (and you too) and can take some of the sting out of the adjusted prices.

So now what?

First, throw away EVERY piece of anything that had your old pricing on it.

 Everything. Really. Don't just toss it. Shred it, burn it, just destroy it.

      ... Ok, you can keep one thing. Keep one copy of the price list, but write in big letters across the front of it "Retired on ____________ (the date)". Heck, you can even frame it.

Why am I telling to you to toss it all? Because you will, inevitably start to second guess yourself. You will think "Oh no, no one is going to book with me now because I raised my prices." You will think these things. I will be surprised if you don't.

Guess what? That's not true at all.

UNLESS you do some horrible thing like making it seem like a negative for your customers.

I am amazed how many times I see a photographer post something (on their Facebook wall even!!) like "We're so sorry, but we've raised our prices." or "Good news, we have new products. Bad news? Our prices are higher." Or, "We're undergoing changes, like our prices." ACK!!

Tell me this: when Macys, Nordstrom or Dillards raise prices do they post a huge note on their wall announcing it? And not only announcing it, but making it negative.

It is NOT a negative. Not for you, not for your clients. When you don't believe you're worth the prices you charge, that is when you won't be able to sell your work at that price. Why are you apologizing about what your skill, art, talent and time is worth?

When you present a negative feeling about your prices or changes, your clients and prospects will feed off of that negativity. They will gain perceptions about your business based on the way you're communicating your own belief in your personal value.

Am I saying you're damaging your ability to get clients? In a way, yes.

A basic rule in marketing and selling anything is to Point Out Benefits. :) Ok, so you have new prices. Big deal. You don't want people to get a "price" feeling from your business, you're not in the market of prices. You're in the market of memories, creativity, moments that they can't get back. You're in the business of THEM.

Of course, you still want to give your clients a heads up.

Before you send anyone anything (or post anything anywhere), ask yourself who needs to know the info, what info they need to know, is it relevant right this moment, and why they need to know it. 

Then do this:

1. Send an email out to current clients (new ones and prospects won't know any better anyways, so why tell them. It will only make them worry that maybe you do this sort of thing all the time.). Tell them that the pieces and options have been expanded, and you'd love to tell them all the cool changes when they call to book their next session. You're so excited to share this with them, so you hope they'll call soon. (Excitement, positive, and call to action - woot!!)

2. If you feel like you have to make an announcement on your page (which I don't recommend), talk about your new products/pieces ONLY. Maybe make a one-liner about loving the "exciting changes to our offerings". Glaze over it.

Facebook is the image of your business in a social setting -- don't be the "over-share".

Next, present your new prices with confidence and act like they've always just been this way.

I cannot say it enough, don't apologize for what you charge, and don't feel that you need to justify it to anyone. If someone asks about the value of a print (rude or not), state facts that make it worth it. Use your knowledge. Explain longevity, quality, papers, processes (but not in too much detail) and don't over-simplify it.

And last, CELEBRATE.

 You're about to be amazed at where your business can grow to.

A Social Brand

There are two things about social media that a lot of people don't realize --

1. You cannot rely on it as the "way to go" in and of itself. (it needs to be a part of a strong marketing strategy)

UNLESS ...

2. You have created a strongly social brand OFFLINE.

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Think about the photogs we love because of the social feel of their brand -- (J* anyone??) ... they have built a social brand.

This means their clients have been "trained" to interact with them on a higher level because that is how their brand works. If we want "conversations" in our social media, then we need to inspire them with EVERY way we interact with our public.

Teach them that their input will receive real responses, that their voices will not only be heard but listened to. Create a link between every piece of your marketing, build response from your videos to your pages, your emails to your pages, your print pieces to your pages.

Call them to action to interact, to share, to respond.  This means more than just putting your URL on a piece or linking a post to your page. Give them a REAL reason to come check it out. You need feedback on a new product or there's a new program you're launching. You NEED their input, because they're your trusted clientele and prospects, and no one knows better than they do about what they like ;)

It takes a high amount of energy to be a social brand. It can't be sporadic. It has to be consistent, authentic, informational, funny, different, inspiring. It takes the most energy to create this part of your brand, but if it's real, it will be the easiest to maintain once it's in place. 

What We Believe at The Studio Trainer

1. Every photographer can be successful.
2. Photography is about life, vision, passion, art, skill and love. Photographers should be able to focus on that.
3. Photography is also about business. Understanding business, marketing and copyright are must-haves.


This is the Studio Trainer.


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