 Lisa Carpenter |
Getting Started in Business I have decided to go into the business and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed. I am having a graphic logo worked on, a Web site and business cards. I am not ready to get a location as of yet, I have a very small studio in my house, but will do most on location. Do I offer framing, table books, cards, etc? Do people like to have a place where they can have the pictures ready to hang? How do I go about offering framing if I do? Do I buy wholesale? How do I price? Has anyone out there who decided to make the jump and go into business felt overwhelmed?
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Pete H |
Lisa, What you are describing and asking is called a "business plan". When you begin to offer more and more, your overhead and start up costs will go up significantly. Most new startup businesses usually fail for this one reason: under-capitalization ... not enough money or running out of money too soon. This fact is from data posted by the Small Business Administration. Part of your biz plan needs to include research. What do your customers want? Interview them and find out. My best advice based on what you wrote is this: Start small, since you are just beginning to venture into this field. If portraiture is your primary shooting, come up with a few basic packages. Two 8x10's, four 5x7's, ten 4x6's, etc. ... as one pkg. As for pricing, call a few studios and see what they charge. You'll have to undercut them at first unless your work is as good or better. I'm sorry I don't have any specific advice for you concerning frames, table books etc. Please take no offense at this: I think you might be getting the cart a little before the horse. Get a few basic shoots under your belt first. Charge what you think is fair and reasonable ... look at your cash flow and profit. Get referrals from the people you do photograph. If you are a good shooter, many more people will walk thru your doors.
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Hans Abplanalp |
Lisa, Creating a graphic logo, a Website and business cards is proably the first thing we think of when starting out in business. BUT the logo has to be seen, the Website has to be found, amongst the other billions, and you have to hand out your business cards. Unless you have a huge advertising budget these things don't help much. Pete's advice is sound - start small. Keep at it and you'll win. Good luck Hans
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cj patterson |
I have recently started my business. Yes, Lisa, it can be overwhelming. I started with friends and family and they referred me. I have been practicing on my children for a couple of years, honing my skills. I established a website, portfolio, and ordered some samples of my best work for displays. I placed some buisness cards and displays of my work in a friend's salon. I received alot of referrals from that. I do not offer framing etc. I agree with Hans, the BEST form of advertising is word of mouth. My clients are now telling everyone they know about me. I have not advertised formally at all. I have a full time job so this is something I do in my spare time. Referrals will probably be enough for me for advertising. Good luck. I would just concentrate on creating packages before introducing all the other elements. As time goes by and you are making money, then you could add some specialty items. When you have the free cashflow to put towards items like that. I always talk my business up as well. Never pass up an opportunity to tell someone what you are doing. I was having some portraits of my own framed and some ladies asked who do those portraits and I happily told them I did and gave them my business cards. Always be prepared. All it takes is a few clients and the snowball effect will happen...
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Lisa Carpenter |
Hey, thanks so much. I think after reading this and Pete mentioning starting small and everyone agreeing is something I need to stick with. I think this is part of my personality. I jump in with both feet and quickly...I guess it is excitement. Is it ok to only have a very small home based studio and do the rest on location? I have done all my paid work by referral so far, no advertising, simply b/c I didn't even have a real price sheet yet! ugh. I have been using ProLabExpress.com and MPIX.com and am looking to also give WHCC.com a try...any thoughts or advice on labs? Thanks a bunch all, I think I just need to take a breath and step back a bit eh?
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Pete H |
Lisa, Allow me to add to my earlier response.. Starting your own business? Go For It! One thing continues to remain true, hard work still pays off. Pete
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cj patterson |
Lisa, I do all my work on location at outdoor settings or with a portable indoor studio. So far, my clients have been super pleased with their portraits. And it works for me, relatively low overhead costs. I agree with Pete, Go For It! You have to start somewhere. Just don't add too much at the beginning that you overwhelm yourself. Find you a good lab that you are comfortable with and stick with them and set your prices. You need your price list and always put a disclaimer that prices are subject to change. As you grow and get more business and experience, you can and should increase your prices. Once you are in the routine of things, then start adding the additional specialty items. Again, referrals will do wonders and before you know it, you'll be like me wondering where you are going to fit all of this into your already busy life! :O)
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Kathy C. Tugwell |
Lisa, I started a business last year and what I did was the same as Hans. I have displays of my work with brochures and my business cards. I think advertising is the hardest thing when it comes to a business. Getting yourself out there. I kept my studio in my garage because of cost. We just converted the garage. I have a website and WORD OF MOUTH is wonderful. Good luck. Kathy
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RoxAnne E. Franklin |
Hi Lisa, I'm in the same boat as you, having recently moved to a new town and starting over with my photo business. Word of mouth is great, I offered fairly inexpensive on location photo shoots and resonable prices for prints and have gotten more and more business. I cant afford the radio and paper advertising costs, so when I go to the grocery store, I put cards and home made brochures with "special" in people's windshield wipers. LOL it's gotten me quite a bit of business and no complaints. I also recruit friends for location shoots so I can display them in area buisnesses. It's coming along slow, but it's hard work to promote yourself. I dont know if you shoot digital or film, but whatever you shoot, I've found the best place to get quality prints at the best prices and best delievery time (most times overnight) is mpix.com They also have great prices on mounting and frames, and they are very high quality frames. I'm able to increase the prices of the prints and make resonable amounts of profit. Give t hem a try! They also have postcards, books, etc. All very resonably priced. RoxAnne
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Kathy C. Tugwell |
Hi Lisa, One more thing, I use winkflash.com and they do a great job. You can also have your name put on the back of the pictures with copyrights on it. So no stamping each photo. I say stay with the home studio and do on location shots and weddings. Good luck. Kathy PS its worth it!!!!!
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Amanda Baker |
Congratulations on your efforts to start a business. I am also fairly new. I have only been professionally shooting for two years and still have so much to learn. I looked at your gallary and your a great photographer. You have such talent! I also have been able to find success by simply handing out business cards. Hand them out to everyone you talk to. The cashier in the store, your neighbor, the mailman and so forth.
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Jerry Frazier |
Best advice I could give you is sell high. Do not undercut in your area to get business. It is so hard to climb out of that trap. Start at or above your market rates in your area, and go from there. Undercutting leads to so many problems years later and you have to start all over again when you want to start making real money. It's a fallacy that you can bring clients up with you. The people you shoot for cheap will not pay your rates 3 years from now. So, 3 years from now, you will be in exactly the same position trying to find a whole new level of clients. Don't do that. Start out at the top.
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