Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook I would not sabotage my long-term business in order to survive a panic attack or a short-term crisis. Panic attacks — we all have them “My bookings are down.” “I’ve gotta cut my prices.” “I’ve gotta slash my costs.” We all have anxiety attacks, so maybe this chapter’s for you. Anxiety is worrying in advance, worrying without a plan, psychological rather than rational. And the actions you take while you’ve got the cold sweats could affect your business for a long, long To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook There are so many reasons why the printed image matters, but long term accessibility to your most treasured photos is surely a deal breaker. Why printed images matter Back in the ’90s I remember walking back to our trade show booth behind two people from a neighbouring stand. They were into IT. As they approached our booth I heard one say to the other, “I feel sorry for these guys. How long can they last in the modern world?” It’s so long ago I feel like they must have been visionaries — how did they know To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook Social media platforms encourage you to feed them constantly. Fair enough, they have the audience. But you need to feed yourself!  You’re lucky Photographers are fortunate in that their work generates rivers of desirable online content. You need to avoid giving away the Crown Jewels, and you need your clients’ permission to share, but your photography is a wonderful online resource. The ideal Things aren’t always ideal in the real world, but nevertheless… — Real friends are better than Facebook friends. To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook Bad taste takes a while to show up, but as soon as it does it’s embarrassing. How to avoid it? Start by keeping it simple. If in doubt, leave it out. The half life of crap In her book The Mesh, Lisa Gansky talks about “the half life of crap” – about cheap manufactured products and how long they last. Or rather don’t last. Her point is that the half life of crap products is way too short. They get boring or they break. They end up at the back of your garage or as land fill. Our poor planet can’t afford To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next  Download the eBook You can divide the people who contact you into two groups, those who know how much you charge and those who don’t. Those who know are the perfect prospects. Don’t assume Back in the ’90s Heather and I backpacked around Vietnam. It was a rewarding and emotional experience from end to end, but one of the highlights, after weeks sweating our way around the country, was heading to the Metropole Hotel in Hanoi for a high end lunch. The wait staff weren’t particularly keen to see us, dusty and unkempt with To View More >>

Previous |  Contents | Next Download the eBook Our brand isn’t a look but a promise kept — not what we say but what we do. Value Imagine if you said, “I want you to pay me what you think I’m worth.” Most people would imagine themselves out of business. We need to tell our clients what we’re worth, and live up to our rhetoric. What is the value of your work to people who don’t know you, or how much they should be paying? The value of a compelling and authentic brand is that it tells people the price of entry and helps them see it’s worth To View More >>

“Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” –  Oscar Wilde   In this series we shine a light on artists expressing their individuality, documenting what they love, working hard on their craft, and sharing it with the world.   We spoke to Jinal Govind, a landscape and wedding photographer who grew up in windy Wellington, and still calls the city his home – all about pursuing a career as a photographer and staying inspired.    Photography is something Jinal has had a passion for, ever since he was a young boy who picked To View More >>

Art is the most intense mode of individualism that the world has known.” –  Oscar Wilde   In this series we shine a light on artists expressing their individuality, documenting what they love, working hard on their craft, and sharing it with the world.   We spoke to Jinal Govind, a landscape and wedding photographer who grew up in windy Wellington, and still calls the city his home – all about pursuing a career as a photographer and staying inspired.    Photography is something Jinal has had a passion for since he was a young boy - who picked up a Kodak To View More >>

Life can be frantic.  We spend much of our working day on low value tasks — constantly checking our email, picking up our phones for every notification or call — and filling the gaps with our real work, whatever that is. Then we wonder why we're not making progress. We feel burnt out, unsuccessful and overwhelmed — never have enough time, "never get things done". But there's a solution, and I believe that if you start applying it to your own life — by becoming more disciplined about how you structure your days — you'll be more productive, and feel like you have To View More >>

This is the first of four posts sharing Megan DiPiero’s advice about how to build a stronger brand and brand message— to add purpose to your marketing, draw attention to your service, and ultimately increase sales. “I could be successful if only I knew how to get more people in the door.” “I could be successful if only I could reach the RIGHT people.” “I could be successful if only I knew the magic marketing formula. I know it’s out there. I just need to find it!” Have you said those words to yourself before? Is  marketing the To View More >>