Offering products in your photography business doesn’t mean turning into a pushy salesperson. (Oh, I've said that before!) Done well, selling is just another form of great service. Here’s how to make it feel effortless and truly valuable — for both you and your clients :) 1. Start with the why Don’t jump straight into product talk. In your interactions with clients, help them understand why printing matters. Share stories, examples, and your own philosophy. Be the person who loves their products! Explain how an album becomes a family heirloom. How a framed To View More >>

Your clients were eager to get their album, maybe they even pre-paid for it, but after the wedding you don't hear from them. Maybe they don't reply to your calls. What can you do? Here are some suggestions to keep things moving along! Don't be surprised After the big day, real life sets in. No wonder you slip down the to-do list. There's work to catch up on, and everything else they've put on hold, maybe for weeks. Make sure they know you understand. Set deadlines People need structure, so give them a timeline before the big day. For example, their images will be online To View More >>

Studios who want to offer "everything Queensberry" have found our starter kits and treasure boxes very useful in the past, but increasingly the data tells us that • Sample Albums are far more effective sales tools, and • not everyone wants to offer all our materials or colours! In fact many studios show nothing but their samples, and offer alternatives only if they're asked.  Which is why we’ve redesigned our cover swatches and paper samplers to make them more affordable, and also more flexible — so you can show what you want To View More >>

Don't you love the ENTER PROMO CODE box when you're shopping online? Everyone loves a bargain! Workspace coupons allow you to offer discounts in your shopping cart … but why give money away? A few suggestions to think about: – Offer free shipping or a discount if clients spend over a certain amount.  – Throw in something extra. Something that doesn't cost you much time or money, that adds value to their experience without reducing yours! - Offer package deals — maybe digital files with their studio box, or a set of canvases from their To View More >>

Why are some photographers more successful than others? In part it's their level of confidence. Or anxiety. Picture the anxious photographer preparing for a pre-wedding consult. Setting out coffee and cakes in the studio. Grateful someone got past the email stage. Anxious to finalise the booking … And not wanting to push their luck! They know the bride's looking for a cheap photographer and a cheap album … or a good photographer and a DVD! The most important thing to her is her BUDGET. The confident photographer starts by assuming the most important thing to the bride is her WEDDING. She sets To View More >>

Yesterday Johannes asked if you could send PJ Support some interesting design questions, and I think you'd better. Methinks his mind's started wandering - Ed. The first time you have sex there are so many things that could go wrong. The second time you know a bit more about what happens, but that doesn't mean that things are any easier. If, the first time you had sex, you focused on having fun over getting it right, the experience would probably be 100 times more enjoyable. 100 times more enjoyable because you would be free to get it wrong, or right, without the judgement. If you watched all the To View More >>

Cover layout design in PJ Remix Here are the first steps in preparing a perfect, hassle-free print-and-bind order, really fast. 1. First, upgrade to PJ Remix. If you have already, thank you. 2. Use Remix to design your cover as well as your page layouts. You'll get to frame and crop the cover image yourself, see exactly what it looks like and be sure that it looks good. For example, here you can see how much of the image in the photo front cover layout above has been cropped away. No problem in this case, but many images won't be suitable: 3. Export your cover AND page layouts using Remix's Export To View More >>

I just participated in a panel discussion on management accounting for professional photographers. Well I was invited, but my contribution was zero (I'll explain in a minute). However the experience brought something to mind that I think is important, so here goes. Having an accountant (and keeping regular management accounts) is like having one leg. A damn sight better than none. But two is much better. The first leg is the data, keeping score. The second leg is analysis: strategising, playing what-if with the numbers, thinking through your options and how they might impact your bottom line. To View More >>

I like to think I am a power user for Photojunction. Every now and then, however, I feel like I get smacked in the face with "How did I never know this before?!" One of my favorite things about Photojunction might be the seemingly endless possibilities. Properly trained in Graphic Design, I despise having to use a mouse. I prefer using a tablet whenever available, but I also work on a laptop quite a bit, so I have adjusted to my trackpad as well. Not quite as accurate as my stylus, I still find I am better with a trackpad than a mouse. If you haven't seen it yet, Apple recently release the Magic To View More >>

I’m dropping my prices … people aren’t spending as much … my bookings are down … I need to go to cheaper albums … I’ve started doing shoot-and-burn … I’m worried about my income. You’ve heard the talk. Are you struggling in the face of competition, recession and demanding clients? Or do you just want to hear someone else’s take on things? As well as our usual Photojunction webinars, we’re hosting two new ones on the most critical issue facing professional photographers: how to survive and thrive in today’s demanding market. Webinar 1: How to sell albums (and why) Thurs To View More >>