The best of all worlds is to have a product you can give away
free and still make money. That world exists. The product need
not be expensive or elaborate. It can be something simple - a
sticker with a happy face, a pen with a logo, or some other
intriguing item.
This marketing approach is excellent because you can give the
product away, charging the recipients only a nominal fee for
postage and handling. If you price your shipping fees correctly,
you can make thousands of dollars a month.
So how do you let people know about the gifts you have waiting
for them? The best way is by placing classified ads in national
magazines, an enormously successful method. Small classified
advertisements in such national publications as Popular Mechanix,
and The National Enquirer produce excellent returns on such
items, National publications such as these sell millions of
copies each week or month. Even a tiny return from this kind of
large readership means thousands of dollars in your pocket. One
advertiser noted his ads have generated returns of seven times
the cost of the classified ad. Other advertisers have done even
better.
To put together your own ad, begin by studying the classified ads
in these national publications. Study every issue you can find..
Note the ads that show up issue after issue. These marketers have
created a money-generating format, and they're taking full
advantage of it.
Study the long-running ads. Note that they're short, but they
contain a nugget of appeal that makes you want to send your money
immediately.
Now try drafting your own ads. write several versions that you
can try in different national publications. The ad should be
simple but hard-hitting. You want the reader to respond
immediately. Use the words that create an attractive picture of
your product for the reader.
You don't have to charge much for your giveaway product. Aim for
high sales volumes at low prices, a proven technique in this
market. If you come up with an ad that grabs reader's interest,
the money will flow your way.
The technique of advertising giveaway products that people can
receive for the cost of postage and handling has proved so
successful that there's even a magazine devoted to showing off
the free items that are given away by companies throughout the
country. This 32-page bimonthly magazine is called Freebies. It
is chock full of these free-for-postage-and-handling items. For a
copy of the magazine, information about listing your product, and
a rate card, write to Freebies, 407 State St.,Santa Barbara, CA
93120. (805) 962-9135.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
How To Profit In Flea Marketing!
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
On the outskirts of nearly every town across the U.S.,
especially in The spring, summer and fall, you will see a Flea
Market set-up. Often there will be hundreds of trailers, booths
and tables in a large field just off a major thoroughfare. How
do these people operate? Where do they get their merchandise?
Do they make any money?
Whether they make any money or not depends on the way each
individual merchant operates, what type of merchandise is
offered and how much time is devoted to the business.
Most of them set up their wares on weekends an spend the rest of
the week searching for goods to sell. Good antique dealers who
know their product generally make very good profits. Clothing
dealers, in the right location, can often bring in up to $600 on
a typical weekend.
Jewelry, including rings, various kinds of necklaces, and silver
and gold are bIg sellers.
Large, heavy and bulky items are not generally favorable for
flea markets.
The secret to making a profit in Flea Marketing is not what or
how you sell. It's what you buy and how you buy it! You must
find items which will sell for 8 to 10 times more than cost,
unless you have really favorable products that will sell in
large quantity. The products should be unusual; things which
can't be obtained locally, unless the price is substantially
below market.
You can get seconds and damaged goods direct from many factories
across the country, often at very little cost just to get them
out of their warehouse where they are taking up room and
gathering dust. Call on the managers in person or send letters
offering to purchase factory closeouts, etc. Hand out your
business cards letting people know that you are in the business
of purchasing various kinds of merchandise.
Auctions, garage sales and yard sales are other good sources.
Don't overlook the classifieds in the paper.
Offer to clean out attics and garages and haul "junk" away.
Many times the "junk" turns into the most lucrative profit
items. You will have to learn to "bargain" with the people on
all your purchases in order to get them to sell for a low
figure.
On the outskirts of nearly every town across the U.S.,
especially in The spring, summer and fall, you will see a Flea
Market set-up. Often there will be hundreds of trailers, booths
and tables in a large field just off a major thoroughfare. How
do these people operate? Where do they get their merchandise?
Do they make any money?
Whether they make any money or not depends on the way each
individual merchant operates, what type of merchandise is
offered and how much time is devoted to the business.
Most of them set up their wares on weekends an spend the rest of
the week searching for goods to sell. Good antique dealers who
know their product generally make very good profits. Clothing
dealers, in the right location, can often bring in up to $600 on
a typical weekend.
Jewelry, including rings, various kinds of necklaces, and silver
and gold are bIg sellers.
Large, heavy and bulky items are not generally favorable for
flea markets.
The secret to making a profit in Flea Marketing is not what or
how you sell. It's what you buy and how you buy it! You must
find items which will sell for 8 to 10 times more than cost,
unless you have really favorable products that will sell in
large quantity. The products should be unusual; things which
can't be obtained locally, unless the price is substantially
below market.
You can get seconds and damaged goods direct from many factories
across the country, often at very little cost just to get them
out of their warehouse where they are taking up room and
gathering dust. Call on the managers in person or send letters
offering to purchase factory closeouts, etc. Hand out your
business cards letting people know that you are in the business
of purchasing various kinds of merchandise.
Auctions, garage sales and yard sales are other good sources.
Don't overlook the classifieds in the paper.
Offer to clean out attics and garages and haul "junk" away.
Many times the "junk" turns into the most lucrative profit
items. You will have to learn to "bargain" with the people on
all your purchases in order to get them to sell for a low
figure.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
How To Turn Photography Into Dollars
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
HOW TO TURN THE HOBBY OF PHOTOGRAPHY INTO THOUSANDS
OF EXTRA DOLLARS FOR YOU
FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHY AND YOU
Do you enjoy taking photographs? Are you the kind of
person who brings the camera everywhere with you? Do you
never miss an opportunity to take a picture? How good are
your photographs?
If you possess some skill at camera work and love
doing it, then you have a marvelous opportunity in front of
you if you wish to take it. There are many people who have
taken an enjoyable hobby and turned it into a thriving
business. There are others who have simply made a lot of
extra cash doing something they would have been doing
anyway, pay or not. What about you? If photography is
your hobby, your passion, what about exploring the numerous
openings out there for good photographic work? People love
pictures and virtually any occasion for picture taking is
an opportunity for the photographer to earn some extra
money.
Cameras are so sophisticated today, you don't even
have to be an expert at picture taking, just able to read
and follow directions. If you have the motivation, this is
an area that has plenty of room for new blood.
Your advantage over professional photographers is
that you can charge a lot less and still produce some
quality pictures your client will love. At the same time,
you can save that individual a considerable amount of money
for a fabulous result. What could be better than that?
If you organize your time well, you can spend some
nights and especially weekends seeing a lengthy number of
clients. It would not be unusual to earn more in your
spare time with photography than you do in your regular
job. That could be the indication you are in the wrong
profession!
Whether it's weddings, portraits, models, greeting
cards, newspapers, aerial photography or some other form of
photography, the opportunities abound for the person
willing to give it a try.
Photography is here to stay. Even as people cut back
during tougher financial times, the desire for photos
reasonably priced is, and always will, be there. Yes,
there is competition, but if you expand your natural market
of family and friends, there are plenty of jobs to go
around.
You'll probably even find a certain type of
photography that you like best and gravitate towards that
almost exclusively. Who knows what could happen once you
launch your business?
Books are published annually in the thousands, many
of which have a demand for photographs, even if it's only
of the author on the back cover. There are specialty books
that are produced consisting almost exclusively of
photographs and designed for the coffee table.
How about local businesses? They may be doing a
sales Photography piece which requires a photograph. An
insurance plan that's intended to be used as a savings
vehicle for a child's college education likely needs a
photo of a child or a teen in a cap and gown for its cover.
These type of possibilities are limitless.
The more versatile your photography exhibits, the
better chance you have of making a good living. A lot of
photography is seasonal, thus your ability and willingness
to do all aspects of photography gives you year-round
possibilities. While you may have no weddings to shoot in
November and December, you could be filming portraits for
holiday gifts and cards.
The important thing for you is to set a goal and stay
with it. You might want to start out small and work your
way up to more and more types of photography and longer and
longer hours.
You don't need very expensive equipment to get
started. Some great shots can be achieved by a regular
camera you can purchase in a retail store. Add to that a
tripod and maybe a spotlight for certain shots and you're
in business.
A camera is one of the best ways to earn some extra
money for yourself or to transport you from active hobbyist
to legitimate businessperson. The key is your desire to
get the job done.
SHOULD YOU BE IN BUSINESS FOR YOURSELF?
This is a question you must ask yourself and give an
honest and accurate answer to before you can begin your
journey towards part-time work or complete self-employment.
There is a lot to building your own business and you need
to be committed to this action from the start to make a go
of it.
Beginning your business is as simple as establishing
an objective for your work. Is it to do occasional
portraits only? A few weddings on the side? Photography
contests now and then? Or is to do all three in increasing
numbers of hours per week?
Only you can answer this question. Your success
doesn't depend on whether you do this work part or full-
time. The success will come from identifying your end-goal
and working towards it, no matter what it is.
You must believe that you have the ability to
accomplish the end objective you've laid out. If you lack
this self- confidence, there is a better than even chance
you won't make your goal. Positive motivation is the stuff
of winners. Winners can create successful business ventures
on any scale they choose. If it's to earn a couple of
hundred dollars extra per week, great! Go for it! If it's
to earn six figures and working at it full-time and
expanding to a couple of studio locations, then aim for the
goal, think positively and set the wheels in motion. Map
out a game plan that includes daily, weekly and monthly
objectives. The smaller your ambition, the shorter the
list. But it doesn't matter. Strive to achieve the level
of success you know you want. That's the bottom line.
Establish your limits early. Are you willing to work
weekends? Are you able to travel? Do you want to
specialize? These are the types of questions you need to
ask and answer in order to develop a proper game plan.
Without this information, you will be operating without
really knowing where you're headed and what track you're
on.
Do you need any additional training? Do you know how
to photograph a wedding? Are you familiar with light
ranges? Should you take a couple of photography classes
from the local community schools or programs?
Make this assessment carefully, because you may not
yet be ready to proceed if you still feel that you need
some schooling. Build this into your initial game plan.
You may still be able to practice your photography on the
weekends, taking shots which you can submit to newspapers
(perhaps) and photography contests. Knowing what you need
is as important as knowing where you ultimately want to go.
There are a wide range of photography magazines that
you can review at the local library or subscribe to on a
regular basis. Education is as important as anything else
in running a business and you'll need to keep abreast of
the latest developments. Some of these magazines can give
you job ideas as well as important details on new camera
types and techniques. Here are a few of these magazines:
American Cinematographer
A.S.C. Holding Company
P.O. Box 2230
Hollywood, CA. 90078
American Photographer
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
Collector's Photography
9021 Melrose Ave. #301
Los Angeles, CA. 90069
Darkroom Techniques
7800 Merrimac Avenue
Niles, IL 60648
Modern Photography
825 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10019
News Photographer
1446 Conneaut Avenue
Bowling Green, OH 43402
Outdoor Photography
16000 Ventura Blvd. #800
Encino, CA. 91436
Photo Lab Management
1312 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Photo Marketing
3000 Picture Place
Jackson, MI. 49201
Photoletter
Photosource International
Pine Lake Farm
Osceola, WI 54020
Popular Photography
One Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Professional Photographer
1090 Executive Way
Des Plaines, IL 60018
PTN
445 Broadhollow Rd. #21
Melville, NY 11747
The Rangefinder
1312 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90406
Shooter's Rag
Havelin Communications
P.O. Box 8509
Asheville, NC 28814
Shutterbug
5211 S. Washington Ave.
Titusville, FL 32780
You have identified your market, set your objectives,
analyzed your educational needs, checked your equipment,
selected the areas of photography that you could start out
with and established daily, weekly and monthly objectives
for a specific time frame, like 6 or 12 months. It sounds
like you're ready to go!
WEDDINGS
A wedding is the most important day in the lives of
several people. For that reason, it is an occasion they
wish to remember forever. What better way than with
pictures to look back on this favored day?
Part of the wedding preparation is the selection of a
photographer. While all couples want to remember this day
in pictures, a number of families cannot afford the
services of a top-notch professional photographer. They
are willing to spend some money, however, which makes it a
good opportunity for the photographer willing to work a
wedding.
The first thing to establish is what the bride and
groom and their families want in the way of pictures. One
would assume they'll want before, during and after
pictures, all dressed out in a memorable album or two when
it's over.
You should know what your costs will be for the film
and albums you'll need to process the photos and complete
your task. You should then add to that an hourly rate
($50, $75, $100?) based on the estimated number of hours
you'll be working. This will help you arrive at your total
costs to charge the family.
They should know this number ahead of time and you
should prepare and sign a contract so that everyone is
aware of what you are charging and what they have to do.
Sample types of contracts should be in your local library
to review. Once you set up a standard contract for your
business, you can use it for most occasions.
Make sure you identify all of the various people who
will be at the wedding. The couple and their parents may
have specific people they want you to take numerous shots
of during the affair. Be sure you ask all the right
questions to find this information out. This album is
important to them and you want to be sure they are getting
what they want to the best of your ability.
Other contract features should include a disclaimer
for photographs that don't come out due to equipment
failure through no fault of your own. In addition, you
should keep the negatives and the contract should contain a
release allowing you to use those photographs in
advertising for other wedding business.
Get as many photographs taken before it all begins.
This way you avoid competing with other "photographers" who
are snapping pictures at the same time. Walk around the
church ahead of time and find out where you can stand and
where you can't to get the pictures you need during the
actual ceremony. Some churches restrict your photographing
area, so know this in advance and plan accordingly.
You should construct a standard list of pictures the
bride and groom would want you to take. This will make it
easier for them to select the pictures they want.
Here's a standard list, put together by various
wedding photographers:
PRE-CEREMONY:
- Bride with her mother
- Bride with her father
- Bride with both parents
- Groom with both parents
- Bride with her immediate family
- Bride with grandparents
- Groom with grandparents
- Bride with maid of honor
- Groom with best man
- Bride with flower girls, etc.
- Groom with ushers
JUST PRIOR TO CEREMONY
- Groom's mother entering church with usher
- Bride's mother entering church with usher
- Groom's father entering the church
- Bride with father, about to walk down the aisle
CEREMONY
- Bride's and groom's attendants as they walk down
aisle
- Bride with father walking down the aisle
- Bride with father approaching groom at altar
- Shots of wedding party at the altar
- Shots (if permitted) of bride and groom at altar
- Bride and groom kissing
- Bride and groom leaving altar
POST-CEREMONY
- Bride alone at altar
- Bride and groom at altar
- Bride and groom with bride's family
- Bride and groom with groom's family
- Bride and groom with minister, priest, rabbi, etc.
- Bride and groom with wedding party
- Bride and groom kissing - Bride's
attendants (all) alone
- Ushers alone
RECEPTION
- Entry of wedding party
- Different shots of guests (table to table)
- Different shots of guests not at tables
- Bride and groom dancing
- Parents of bride and groom dancing
- The wedding cake
- Bride and groom cutting the cake
- Bride feeding groom
- Groom feeding bride
- Best man's toast
- Bride and groom kissing
- Bride tossing the bouquet
- Groom removing bride's garter
- Groom tossing the garter
- The band
- The servers
- The "getaway" car, especially if decorated
- Bride and groom driving away in car
These are the essential choices that usually comprise
a wedding album. Couples and their families will modify
these standard pieces to suit their needs. In addition to
these standard shots, you should try and take as many
unusual pictures as you can, especially those that will add
some humor and/or sentiment to the day. Remember it is a
memorable occasion for the participants and your ability to
capture the moments as naturally as possible will get you
many recommendations and referrals.
You should collect a deposit before you begin work.
This should cover the cost of the supplies plus at least an
hour of your time. The balance can be collected when you
deliver the album(s). You might want to split the payments
up into two even amounts. If the total bill is $750,
collect $375 before you begin and the balance when you've
completed the album.
Speaking of weddings, don't forget wedding
anniversaries. Oftentimes, the couple will come back for
shots on their anniversary, especially the 5th, 10th, 15th,
20th and so forth.
The 25th and 50th anniversaries are often marked by
parties and celebration that may include your services.
Don't overlook the wedding anniversary market as it is a
natural extension of the wedding market for you.
Keep an eye out for anniversary announcements and
contact the couple to see of they’d like a professional
touch to the festivities. They probably will!
PORTRAITS
With so many young families today placing a renewed
emphasis on family gatherings, the art of portrait-taking
is as in vogue as ever. With virtually every household in
your area a potential portrait customer, this portion of
the photography business is too large to overlook.
Families keep portraits forever. Parents use them to
watch their kids grow up and then remember those days years
later. Not only is every household a prospect, but a well-
done first portrait can bring you repeat business from the
same family for years.
You don't need a studio to do portraits. You can
rearrange one of the rooms in your house and accomplish the
same thing for no overhead! Earlier, we suggested a tripod
and a floodlight or two. The only addition to those items
to set up a portrait studio at home would be some kind of
colored background material you can tape up on the walls.
Presto! A home studio!
This is not only a home studio, it can serve as a
traveling one, too! Bring your background material, your
lights and your camera and tripod and you can do your
portrait almost anywhere: a client's house, an office, a
school building. You have to be prepared to hide any
"alien" elements like other lights, tables, pictures,
whatever might distract from the centerpiece: the picture
of the family members/individual.
In portraits, it's important to have everyone doing
the right things. With several people, be sure they are
arranged properly so that no one is blocking anyone else.
Ask the kids to smile, not to make faces. You can take a
serious shot or two as well. You're in charge, although
you must do it in a manner that is pleasant, controlled,
but firm. After taking a few portraits, you will know what
works best, not only in photography, but how to make the
discreet suggestions to clients to better ensure a portrait
the people will be pleased with for years to come.
There are thousands of memories stored away in
pictures and that's a lot of responsibility on you to get
it right. But you can do it! Work with a child to make him
or her happy, even if you know (or it's obvious) they would
like to be somewhere else. Years later, these precocious
young clients will be pleased with the effort you made to
get the portrait right, as they pull down an old album.
If you're in the position of trying to build up a
portrait (or photography) business, you can try an idea
many photographers use to get started. They advertise a
free or low-cost $1.00 portrait special for a family
member. You sign up as many as you can take and then, as
they sit, snap a few different shots of the person. You
then do your free or low cost portrait framed (their choice
of photo) and then you offer the additional shots and sizes
that good pictures are likely to encourage. Not many
people can pass up wallet- sizes, for example, of a good
portrait. Your add-on sales should make up for the
giveaway, generate your own portfolio of portraits you've
done to show other potential clients and get your name
about town as a competent portrait photographer.
Children also have their pictures taken at school.
The school photos are often done by a portrait photographer
-- like yourself! Get down to each of the schools, put a
bid in to do the portraits and leave samples of your past
portrait work. Large towns have several schools as
prospects. In addition, drive out to schools that are off
the beaten track, but within a comfortable driving distance
from you. They may not have someone they use regularly and
your professional approach may attract a few offers to do
the school portraits.
It may come as a surprise, but portraits don't have
to be only of people. Families keep a lot of valuable
items and heirlooms in their homes. Unfortunately, crime
being what it is today, these luxury pieces are often the
target of thieves.
To assist with a potential insurance claim if any of
these precious items is stolen, a good picture with the
current date on it can be critical evidence in not only
identifying the object for the police but in appraising it
for the insurance company. Be sure you get a complete
shot, brand name (if appropriate) and any specific
identifying marks that can help recover the good.
In addition to material things, people often like
pictures of their pets. Humans' obsession with their pets
certainly extends to photography. If people will dress up
a pet or have a special burial plot as if the animal were a
family member, you can assume that a portrait is part of
the process of pet ownership, too. If you're particularly
fond of animals, then it makes sense to pursue this part of
the photography business for yourself.
Along with your normal advertising, you can leave
your card and a sample pet shot or two at pet stores,
grooming places, veterinary clinics, kennels, any place
where a pet owner is bound to turn up. People that have
show-dogs are good candidates for portraits as our breeders
looking to show off their pet, too.
Getting pets to sit for their portrait may require a
special touch. If you have a toy for the animal to play
with or some proper food, that can usually put the animal
into positions from which you can get a good portrait.
If you get some good shots, don't forget to get a
release here, too, from the owners as you can use those
shots in advertising or there are a number of pet magazines
that may be interested in paying you for the photo. Here
are a few:
American Farriers Journal
P.O. Box 624
Brookfield, WI. 53008
America’s Equestrian
PO Box 249
Huntington Sta., NY 11746
Appaloosa Journal
P.O. Box 8403
Moscow, ID. 83843
Aquarium Fish Magazine
Box 6050
Mission Viejo, CA 92690
Cat Companion
Quarton Group Publishers
2155 Butterfield #200
Troy, MI. 48084
Cat Fancy
Fancy Publications
Box 6050
Mission Viejo, CA 92690
Cats Magazine
P.O. Box 290037
Port Orange, FL. 32129
Dog Fancy
Box 6050
Mission Viejo, CA 92690
The Greyhound Review
P.O. Box 543
Abilene, KS. 67410
Horse Illustrated
Box 6050
Mission Viejo, CA 92690
Horseplay
Box 130
Gaithersburg, MD. 20877
I Love Cats
Grass Roots Publishing
950 3rd Avenue, 16th FL.
New York, NY 10022
Lone Star Horse Report
P.O. Box 14767
Fort Worth, TX. 76117
Pets Magazine
790 Don Mills Road
Don Mills, Ontario
M3C 3S5 CANADA
Pure Bred Dogs
American Kennel Club
51 Madison Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10010
Reptile & Amphibian
RD3, Box 3709A
Pottsville, PA 17901
Tropical Fish Hobbyist
TFH Publications, Inc.
211 W. Sylvania Avenue
Neptune City, NJ 07753
The Western Horseman
Western Horseman, Inc.
PO Box 7980
Colorado Springs, CO 80933
As with all publications, you should contact them
first with a letter and self-addressed, stamped envelope
requesting writer's/photo guidelines. This will get you
information about their submission procedures and what they
are likely to be currently interested in receiving. You
should also check the library or bookstore (or request a
back issue from the publisher) to see what kind of
photography is typical in that particular magazine.
Understanding the style of the particular publication can
increase your chances of having your photographs accepted
for publication and earn you a decent royalty!
For more listings of potential magazines, check "The
Writer's Market 1995" or "The Literary Marketplace" down at
your local library.
You may reach a point in your portrait photography
career where it makes sense to open your own studio. Many
photographers have progressed beyond their own home studios
to a building in which they can set up a specific portrait
studio.
You would have a foyer with the walls decorated with
previous portraits and maybe one or two rooms used for
portrait photography, complete with a number of varying
backgrounds. You should locate in an area that is
convenient for your customers to come to. Moreover, you
should always maintain your ability to bring your portrait
"show" on the road with you. Flexibility is often the key
to success in any business. Photography is no exception.
CARDS
The holidays are great occasions for pictures, not
only portraits but for cards that are mailed out by the
millions. Whether it's Christmas, Mother's Day, Valentine's
Day or another holiday, photos and photo-cards are very
much in the mix of holiday mail.
You must be well organized to be sure your card
assignments are completed on time. Pictures must be taken,
developed and converted into "cards" (a photo lab can help
with this) well before the holiday to leave the client
plenty of discretionary time to mail them out.
Here is an approximate time table in which to prepare
your "card" business:
Holiday Month Pictures Should Be Taken By
Christmas August
Easter November
Mother's Day January
Father's Day February
Valentine's Day October
Birthdays/Anniversaries 4 months prior
In addition to the cards, you should encourage
portraits or other pictures as a holiday gift. There are
many memorable moments when a picture arrives of a
grandchild, a nephew, a niece, a cousin. You can earn
substantially more by processing picture and portrait
orders in addition to the card work.
The other card opportunity is with new babies. Most
of the time, the new parents like to notify their relatives
and friends of the new addition to their family. What
better way then with a birth announcement card, complete
with picture?
This is all part of working with and staying with
families over the years. There are so many special picture
moments in the lives of people that a good photographer can
almost be like a member of the family, having participated
in all of the special memories that dot the landscape for
all of us. Don't ever underestimate this! Remember your
clients on their special days. Sending out cards is
entirely appropriate to commemorate the holidays or a
birthday or anniversary. If you took the wedding photos,
you will know when an anniversary is coming. If you took a
birthday picture, you will have that date. Get as much
information about your clients that you can. Not only will
they appreciate the remembrance, the opportunity to keep
your name in front of them will work to your advantage the
next time an important picture moment arrives.
So, cards have two meanings here. First, you can
build a nice business creating holiday picture cards.
Second, a card and a note to honor special occasions in the
lives of clients can remind them that you truly care about
them. Both are important!
NEWSPAPERS
Think about it. You buy the newspaper regularly,
don't you? As a photographer, the photos in the paper are
probably of special interest to you. While others linger
over the headline or perhaps even the story, you are
studying the picture to look for technique or maybe how you
would have taken the shot.
Small towns have publications that go beyond the
scope of normal news reporting, preferring to concentrate
instead on the events that affect the local community. It
might be a Friday night or Saturday afternoon football
game, a charity ball, a church bazaar, a historical
commemoration event, these are all local news stories that
weekly publications will have an interest in covering.
This means pictures! Smaller publications, especially of
the free variety, are not likely to retain a full-time
photographer, so freelance work is relatively easy to come
by. Good pictures often sell these publications,
especially with locals who like seeing their faces in the
local tabloid. Keeping track of school events, whether
it's sports activities, talent shows, plays, dances,
contests and, of course, graduations can keep you busy from
week to week. There are also important community meetings
which are held such as council or school board events.
Someone will be there with a pen to record the proceedings,
but a photograph to accompany the story is always welcome.
Many writers would prefer to write and leave the picture
taking to someone who is professional and reliable rather
than have to worry about both story and pictures.
Many editors of small publications don't necessarily
have the time to get to every event to shoot the necessary
Photography film, either. They are usually a one-person
band and need any and all help they can. They probably
have a small budget for pictures and once you develop a
reputation for being there with your camera and getting
good shots, you'll have regular work.
Start by taking a few shots of events and bringing
them in to the editor. An editor will want to see examples
of the types of pictures the paper is most likely to want,
hence the importance of attending events and snapping
shots. The editor may well be interested in what you've
already taken and you can discuss fees at that point. You
may want to even give a couple of the shots away in
exchange for ongoing work. If you live in a small town, you
will be familiar about where to get information about
events of interest to the paper. The editor may give you
assignments, but you can often come up with your own ideas.
Visiting the local businesses regularly can get you both
the town gossip and news about potential photo
opportunities. You may even find potential advertisers
for the paper!
Awards ceremonies, neighbors' hobbies, church youth
programs, library-sponsored readings, almost anything you
can think of has the possibility of being a photo-worthy
event. All you need is your camera. Low overhead. Great
potential. What could be better than that?
SPECIALTY PHOTOGRAPHY
Have enough ideas yet? No? You'd like a few more?
There are many other specialty opportunities for ambitious
photographers.
ATTORNEYS: There is a series of detective novels out that
features the adventures of a private detective who can't
pay his bills, so he moonlights for a liability attorney.
His job: to photograph accident victims and locales to
return to the barrister to see if there is sufficient
evidence for a lawsuit.
These novels may be fiction, but most writing is
grounded in reality. Certainly that is the case here. How
many trials revolved around photographs of evidence or
victims?
Attorneys need this kind of photography. In many
cases, it isn't for the weak stomach. There are car
crashes, fires and other difficult situations into which
you'll be thrust. You have to want to do this type of work.
If you do, there's plenty of it out there for you.
Start by contacting attorneys in town and send them a
resume and samples of your work. While they're not looking
for great art with these photos, they want reliable
pictures Photography and photographers who will know what
angles to shoot and who can make snap judgments at a scene.
Scheduling flexibility will be important here. If
you hold down a regular job and are running your
photography- based business part-time, this may not be a
practical area of specialty. Lawyers can't necessarily
predict when these photos will be needed any more than you
can forecast the weekend horse races. An accident will
occur and you'll be needed. Expect late night calls and
the need to drop what you're doing (within reason) and rush
to a scene.
Since this information, may well be used as evidence,
you will need to be accurate in your written description of
the photograph as well as precise in noting exact time and
date for the record. Sign the back of your photos so that
you can easily identify them if called on to testify in a
court of law. It also prevents other pictures from being
slipped in and misidentified by you as you'll only swear to
the authenticity of the photos you signed.
You'll probably be paid (as the detective in the
novels was) on a per scene basis plus mileage expenses.
You might also work out an hourly rate instead as it could
be time consuming work in some cases.
Either way, there is a substantial amount of legal
photography business. It's another area to explore.
COMMERCIAL: If you've set up a portrait studio in your
home or otherwise, you can likely find work in shooting
products for businesses to use in advertising and sales
brochures. Almost any type of written work published by a
company has some type of artwork to it, at least on the
cover. Often, this artwork takes the form of a photograph.
Unlike people and animals, products will sit still.
No need to get the product to smile. Consider it a "still-
life" shot and arrange the product or subject to photograph
in the most appealing manner.
The shots could be for a catalogue, or a brochure, a
manual, a trade show layout, inventory, I.D. pictures.
There are endless possibilities with businesses.
You probably know the larger sized businesses in the
area. Call on them first, armed with your portfolio. They
are usually utilizers of commercial photography. While
they may have a photographer as an employee, there could
well be too much work for one person to handle. It's not
enough extra work to justify hiring a second employee, but
sufficient to hire a freelancer - you!
Your local Chamber of Commerce can give you a listing
of area companies ranked by size. Work your way down that
list. The need for pictures are there and it's merely a
question of who's going to shoot it.
CHURCHES: Just as school graduations are an excellent
time for photos, so, too are "graduations" in church.
Confirmations, bar mitzvahs (in the Jewish faith) are all
important life events for the participants.
If you belong to a church or synagogue, let the
minister, priest or rabbi know that you are available to do
photographing. In addition to the "graduations", there are
youth activities, prayer meetings, bake sales and other
special events that these religious institutions hold that
are meaningful to them to be remembered in pictures.
These institutions also honor their own memories in
anniversary celebrations. Picture books are often sold as
a means of fund-raising. There is a substantial amount of
photography involved with a commemorative edition type of
project.
As you photograph these events for the church, try
and think about how you might use the photos otherwise.
Remember, local newspaper publications may publicize a
church or synagogue event. This means you can be hired by
both the institution and the newspaper to get the same
photo. Twice the pay for a single work!
You'd be surprised at the number of photographers and
writers who "double up" on their work; in other words, get
paid twice for the same job. It's called using your time
and talent well. There's nothing wrong with this unless
one of the entities has an objection. But, usually with a
public event, this is not the case.
AERIAL: A real specialized area is the taking of aerial
photographs. If you're not someone who likes hanging out
of a plane or helicopter, this isn't the right idea for
you. For those that don't mind the high-wire stunt-like
activity of aerial photography, it can be a well-paid area
of endeavor.
Who needs aerial photographs? Cities and towns, for
one, for land development planning. Engineers, for the
same reason. Real estate agents, to advertise a property.
Newspapers, on occasion, for a story.
If the pilot is unfamiliar with the landscape, you
should have the client accompany you to identify the
correct object for photograph. It's not easy to pick out
your subject from the air. It's definitely not the same as
looking at it from the ground.
You'll probably hover some 800-1200 feet above the
ground and you'll be moving. Practicing this type of
photography first can ensure the desired results. It's not
easy, but if you work at it, you'll make a good living at
it as the pay scales are high.
You may have to pay your pilot and a rental fee for
the vehicle, but you build that into your rates. If you
build a rapport with a particular pilot, all the better.
There is a lot of trust and instinct in this specialty
photography area, so it helps to be working with a familiar
face.
The picture postcard business can be a source for
these aerial photographs. Even if you are on another
assignment, there's no reason not to shoot all the film you
have up there. If you get a couple of good shots out of
it, you can get paid twice again: once for the assignment
and secondly if you sell a second shot to a postcard
company or magazine or newspaper. Try to maximize your
time in the air. If you have several assignments, try and
do them all on one trip. That way you only pay the pilot
and rental fee once for several paying jobs. Arrange your
schedule accordingly and work out the flight plans in
advance with the pilot.
Aerial photography can be a financially rewarding and
exciting business -- especially if you like to fly!
There are probably other specialty areas you can work
in, but these are the most common. Almost anything you can
think of has a need at some time or another for a picture.
The possibilities are both endless and lucrative.
MODELS
Fashions may go in and out of style, but fashion
photography never will. The demand is always there for a
fashion photographer, whether it's a catalogue advertising
clothes or a magazine doing a layout.
Modeling the latest fashions to simply posing near a
featured landmark all present photographic opportunities.
Once you contact local department stores and catalogue
publishers (there are thousands), you should have a lengthy
list of prospects.
Since a multiple of shots are requested, the time
spent and the money earned can be sizable. Moreover, you
will meet models who may have portfolio needs of their own.
You may even have a modeling studio in your town. Visit
it! Chances are there are subjects needing photographs
there right now!
If you do a good job on a model's portfolio, he or
she will obtain work and chances increase they'll meet
other models to whom they can refer you for business.
Modeling is a whole network of its own and you can work
full-time in this phase of photography and make an
excellent living.
If you've done portraits, you will have some
experience in posing models. It's somewhat different with
models, but if you keep them moving and keep the camera
snapping, you are very likely to get the photographs you
and the subject both want.
COPYRIGHTING YOUR WORK
When you take a picture, you own the rights to it
unless you have made other arrangements via a contract.
Since you own it, no one else is authorized to use the
photo without your approval. You are also entitled to a
royalty on subsequent usage, unless you waive that right.
A copyright signifies an original work. You own what
you create, namely your photographs. You took them,
they're yours to own, distribute and sell. To receive the
full rights of copyright protection, you will need to file
the work with the Copyright Office at the Library of
Congress in Washington, D.C.
The copyright protection lasts for the originator's
lifetime. A work is considered protected from the moment
of creation.
The process begins by obtaining an application from
the Copyrights Office (phone number is 202-707-3000). You
then complete the application and make a $20.00 check out
to the Register of Copyrights. Send that back to the
Copyrights Office.
You will then receive notification of copyright
approval. From that point, you will have three months to
supply two copies of the registered work, one for
registration and the other for the Library of Congress.
The major forms are:
TX: covers non-dramatic literary works such as
fiction, nonfiction, textbooks, reference works,
directories, catalogues, advertising copy and computer
programs.
PA: material to be performed, including music and
lyrics, choreography, motion pictures and audio-visuals
VA: visual arts including "pictorial, graphic or
sculptural works, graphic arts, photographs, prints and art
reproductions, maps, globes, charts, technical drawings,
diagrams and models
SR: sound recordings
Formal copyright protection is a good idea for you as
you create more and more works and get paid for it. It is
the only way to ensure full protection under the law.
There are many opportunities for misuse of other works and
this happens. For further reference, check:
Copyrights, Patents & Trademarks
Liberty Press, McGraw Hill
1-800-262-4729
ESTABLISHING YOUR BUSINESS
Are you convinced that there's enough here for you to
make a part or full-time living as a photographer? There
are certainly scores of chances to take photographs and get
paid for it. With this much variety, you're bound to have
an interest in one or more of the various areas of
specialty.
How do you get going?
As mentioned earlier, overhead can initially be quite
low for you. Other than film, a camera, a tripod and a
floodlight or two, and perhaps some material to use as a
background, you're in business. The camera itself can be a
regular everyday camera as people would buy in a store.
The models are so good and do so much without your
intricate involvement, you can easily get by with a store-
bought camera for starters.
You have equipment. Now you need clients. We've
made several suggestions already, but it comes down
primarily to networking. You have to let people know what
you do and concentrate on getting the word around to as
many individuals as possible.
Networking is often a reciprocal arrangement. You
leave your business cards at a modeling studio and you
refer models to the studio. You take "food" pictures for a
restaurant and you patronize it. That's the simplicity of
it. You build up a group of customers and they do the same
through people like yourself. Many towns have "Referral
Clubs" for this express purpose. It works well for all
concerned.
Networking is an ongoing job. You are always on the
lookout for new clients. Rare is the individual freelancer
that isn't taking on a new client or two whenever possible.
New work is critical to success and can be financially
rewarding when coupled with your repeat business. New
clients are future repeaters, as some of the earlier
clients inevitably drop off for various reasons.
Sending cards to your clients, an earlier idea, is a
form of networking. Anything done in the quest for new
clients can be considered networking.
You can encourage existing clients to bring you new
ones by offering a discount on their next service or
additional copies of photographs you've already taken. New
people are the lifeblood of any business and rewarding your
clients with freebies or discounts is well worth the cost
since it will be more than made up by the new work. It
also encourages continual referrals due to ongoing
discounts you may offer. Keep those clients coming!
You can work part-time of full-time under your own
name for the business, or you can create a "company" name
for yourself such as "Picture Perfect". If you do decide
to name your business, you will need to acquire a business
license (usually a simple process). Once you have the
license, establish a new bank account in that name and
"Picture Perfect" is ready to operate.
If you use your home as your studio/darkroom, you'll
need to check with your local city and/or county council to
be sure you aren't violating any zoning ordinances by
running a business out of the house. Don't ignore the
codes, especially as you'll be having clients come to the
house.
If your city/county prohibits your home-based
business, you can either open up your own studio in a
commercially zoned site or you can do photography which is
done away from home like aerial, weddings, etc.
If you do run a home-based business, be sure you
acquire liability insurance for the home in the event a
customer has an incident there. Make sure your home/studio
is safe and free of any objects which a client could
stumble over or otherwise come in contact with and incur an
injury.
You can advertise your business in a number of ways
from leaving business cards at area stores to taking out a
full page advertisement in a local paper. You may be able
to "trade-out" advertising space for photographs and not
have to spend any money other than on film and development,
which you would have done anyway. This gets your name out
at the lowest possible price.
Keep accurate business records. If you have an
accountant, meet with that professional to set up the
record keeping for your business. You will need to
accurately record all of your expenses as many of them will
be deductible. This will offset your tax liability on the
earnings you receive for your photography.
Set up separate statements per client. Write down
all the work you do for that individual or company
especially if you are on an hourly rate. This is the best
and most accurate way to keep track of your time since
depending on your memory recall can be unreliable.
You're ready to open your own photography business.
What was once an interesting hobby can be the way you make
your living. What could be better than that?
HOW TO TURN THE HOBBY OF PHOTOGRAPHY INTO THOUSANDS
OF EXTRA DOLLARS FOR YOU
FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHY AND YOU
Do you enjoy taking photographs? Are you the kind of
person who brings the camera everywhere with you? Do you
never miss an opportunity to take a picture? How good are
your photographs?
If you possess some skill at camera work and love
doing it, then you have a marvelous opportunity in front of
you if you wish to take it. There are many people who have
taken an enjoyable hobby and turned it into a thriving
business. There are others who have simply made a lot of
extra cash doing something they would have been doing
anyway, pay or not. What about you? If photography is
your hobby, your passion, what about exploring the numerous
openings out there for good photographic work? People love
pictures and virtually any occasion for picture taking is
an opportunity for the photographer to earn some extra
money.
Cameras are so sophisticated today, you don't even
have to be an expert at picture taking, just able to read
and follow directions. If you have the motivation, this is
an area that has plenty of room for new blood.
Your advantage over professional photographers is
that you can charge a lot less and still produce some
quality pictures your client will love. At the same time,
you can save that individual a considerable amount of money
for a fabulous result. What could be better than that?
If you organize your time well, you can spend some
nights and especially weekends seeing a lengthy number of
clients. It would not be unusual to earn more in your
spare time with photography than you do in your regular
job. That could be the indication you are in the wrong
profession!
Whether it's weddings, portraits, models, greeting
cards, newspapers, aerial photography or some other form of
photography, the opportunities abound for the person
willing to give it a try.
Photography is here to stay. Even as people cut back
during tougher financial times, the desire for photos
reasonably priced is, and always will, be there. Yes,
there is competition, but if you expand your natural market
of family and friends, there are plenty of jobs to go
around.
You'll probably even find a certain type of
photography that you like best and gravitate towards that
almost exclusively. Who knows what could happen once you
launch your business?
Books are published annually in the thousands, many
of which have a demand for photographs, even if it's only
of the author on the back cover. There are specialty books
that are produced consisting almost exclusively of
photographs and designed for the coffee table.
How about local businesses? They may be doing a
sales Photography piece which requires a photograph. An
insurance plan that's intended to be used as a savings
vehicle for a child's college education likely needs a
photo of a child or a teen in a cap and gown for its cover.
These type of possibilities are limitless.
The more versatile your photography exhibits, the
better chance you have of making a good living. A lot of
photography is seasonal, thus your ability and willingness
to do all aspects of photography gives you year-round
possibilities. While you may have no weddings to shoot in
November and December, you could be filming portraits for
holiday gifts and cards.
The important thing for you is to set a goal and stay
with it. You might want to start out small and work your
way up to more and more types of photography and longer and
longer hours.
You don't need very expensive equipment to get
started. Some great shots can be achieved by a regular
camera you can purchase in a retail store. Add to that a
tripod and maybe a spotlight for certain shots and you're
in business.
A camera is one of the best ways to earn some extra
money for yourself or to transport you from active hobbyist
to legitimate businessperson. The key is your desire to
get the job done.
SHOULD YOU BE IN BUSINESS FOR YOURSELF?
This is a question you must ask yourself and give an
honest and accurate answer to before you can begin your
journey towards part-time work or complete self-employment.
There is a lot to building your own business and you need
to be committed to this action from the start to make a go
of it.
Beginning your business is as simple as establishing
an objective for your work. Is it to do occasional
portraits only? A few weddings on the side? Photography
contests now and then? Or is to do all three in increasing
numbers of hours per week?
Only you can answer this question. Your success
doesn't depend on whether you do this work part or full-
time. The success will come from identifying your end-goal
and working towards it, no matter what it is.
You must believe that you have the ability to
accomplish the end objective you've laid out. If you lack
this self- confidence, there is a better than even chance
you won't make your goal. Positive motivation is the stuff
of winners. Winners can create successful business ventures
on any scale they choose. If it's to earn a couple of
hundred dollars extra per week, great! Go for it! If it's
to earn six figures and working at it full-time and
expanding to a couple of studio locations, then aim for the
goal, think positively and set the wheels in motion. Map
out a game plan that includes daily, weekly and monthly
objectives. The smaller your ambition, the shorter the
list. But it doesn't matter. Strive to achieve the level
of success you know you want. That's the bottom line.
Establish your limits early. Are you willing to work
weekends? Are you able to travel? Do you want to
specialize? These are the types of questions you need to
ask and answer in order to develop a proper game plan.
Without this information, you will be operating without
really knowing where you're headed and what track you're
on.
Do you need any additional training? Do you know how
to photograph a wedding? Are you familiar with light
ranges? Should you take a couple of photography classes
from the local community schools or programs?
Make this assessment carefully, because you may not
yet be ready to proceed if you still feel that you need
some schooling. Build this into your initial game plan.
You may still be able to practice your photography on the
weekends, taking shots which you can submit to newspapers
(perhaps) and photography contests. Knowing what you need
is as important as knowing where you ultimately want to go.
There are a wide range of photography magazines that
you can review at the local library or subscribe to on a
regular basis. Education is as important as anything else
in running a business and you'll need to keep abreast of
the latest developments. Some of these magazines can give
you job ideas as well as important details on new camera
types and techniques. Here are a few of these magazines:
American Cinematographer
A.S.C. Holding Company
P.O. Box 2230
Hollywood, CA. 90078
American Photographer
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
Collector's Photography
9021 Melrose Ave. #301
Los Angeles, CA. 90069
Darkroom Techniques
7800 Merrimac Avenue
Niles, IL 60648
Modern Photography
825 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10019
News Photographer
1446 Conneaut Avenue
Bowling Green, OH 43402
Outdoor Photography
16000 Ventura Blvd. #800
Encino, CA. 91436
Photo Lab Management
1312 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Photo Marketing
3000 Picture Place
Jackson, MI. 49201
Photoletter
Photosource International
Pine Lake Farm
Osceola, WI 54020
Popular Photography
One Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Professional Photographer
1090 Executive Way
Des Plaines, IL 60018
PTN
445 Broadhollow Rd. #21
Melville, NY 11747
The Rangefinder
1312 Lincoln Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90406
Shooter's Rag
Havelin Communications
P.O. Box 8509
Asheville, NC 28814
Shutterbug
5211 S. Washington Ave.
Titusville, FL 32780
You have identified your market, set your objectives,
analyzed your educational needs, checked your equipment,
selected the areas of photography that you could start out
with and established daily, weekly and monthly objectives
for a specific time frame, like 6 or 12 months. It sounds
like you're ready to go!
WEDDINGS
A wedding is the most important day in the lives of
several people. For that reason, it is an occasion they
wish to remember forever. What better way than with
pictures to look back on this favored day?
Part of the wedding preparation is the selection of a
photographer. While all couples want to remember this day
in pictures, a number of families cannot afford the
services of a top-notch professional photographer. They
are willing to spend some money, however, which makes it a
good opportunity for the photographer willing to work a
wedding.
The first thing to establish is what the bride and
groom and their families want in the way of pictures. One
would assume they'll want before, during and after
pictures, all dressed out in a memorable album or two when
it's over.
You should know what your costs will be for the film
and albums you'll need to process the photos and complete
your task. You should then add to that an hourly rate
($50, $75, $100?) based on the estimated number of hours
you'll be working. This will help you arrive at your total
costs to charge the family.
They should know this number ahead of time and you
should prepare and sign a contract so that everyone is
aware of what you are charging and what they have to do.
Sample types of contracts should be in your local library
to review. Once you set up a standard contract for your
business, you can use it for most occasions.
Make sure you identify all of the various people who
will be at the wedding. The couple and their parents may
have specific people they want you to take numerous shots
of during the affair. Be sure you ask all the right
questions to find this information out. This album is
important to them and you want to be sure they are getting
what they want to the best of your ability.
Other contract features should include a disclaimer
for photographs that don't come out due to equipment
failure through no fault of your own. In addition, you
should keep the negatives and the contract should contain a
release allowing you to use those photographs in
advertising for other wedding business.
Get as many photographs taken before it all begins.
This way you avoid competing with other "photographers" who
are snapping pictures at the same time. Walk around the
church ahead of time and find out where you can stand and
where you can't to get the pictures you need during the
actual ceremony. Some churches restrict your photographing
area, so know this in advance and plan accordingly.
You should construct a standard list of pictures the
bride and groom would want you to take. This will make it
easier for them to select the pictures they want.
Here's a standard list, put together by various
wedding photographers:
PRE-CEREMONY:
- Bride with her mother
- Bride with her father
- Bride with both parents
- Groom with both parents
- Bride with her immediate family
- Bride with grandparents
- Groom with grandparents
- Bride with maid of honor
- Groom with best man
- Bride with flower girls, etc.
- Groom with ushers
JUST PRIOR TO CEREMONY
- Groom's mother entering church with usher
- Bride's mother entering church with usher
- Groom's father entering the church
- Bride with father, about to walk down the aisle
CEREMONY
- Bride's and groom's attendants as they walk down
aisle
- Bride with father walking down the aisle
- Bride with father approaching groom at altar
- Shots of wedding party at the altar
- Shots (if permitted) of bride and groom at altar
- Bride and groom kissing
- Bride and groom leaving altar
POST-CEREMONY
- Bride alone at altar
- Bride and groom at altar
- Bride and groom with bride's family
- Bride and groom with groom's family
- Bride and groom with minister, priest, rabbi, etc.
- Bride and groom with wedding party
- Bride and groom kissing - Bride's
attendants (all) alone
- Ushers alone
RECEPTION
- Entry of wedding party
- Different shots of guests (table to table)
- Different shots of guests not at tables
- Bride and groom dancing
- Parents of bride and groom dancing
- The wedding cake
- Bride and groom cutting the cake
- Bride feeding groom
- Groom feeding bride
- Best man's toast
- Bride and groom kissing
- Bride tossing the bouquet
- Groom removing bride's garter
- Groom tossing the garter
- The band
- The servers
- The "getaway" car, especially if decorated
- Bride and groom driving away in car
These are the essential choices that usually comprise
a wedding album. Couples and their families will modify
these standard pieces to suit their needs. In addition to
these standard shots, you should try and take as many
unusual pictures as you can, especially those that will add
some humor and/or sentiment to the day. Remember it is a
memorable occasion for the participants and your ability to
capture the moments as naturally as possible will get you
many recommendations and referrals.
You should collect a deposit before you begin work.
This should cover the cost of the supplies plus at least an
hour of your time. The balance can be collected when you
deliver the album(s). You might want to split the payments
up into two even amounts. If the total bill is $750,
collect $375 before you begin and the balance when you've
completed the album.
Speaking of weddings, don't forget wedding
anniversaries. Oftentimes, the couple will come back for
shots on their anniversary, especially the 5th, 10th, 15th,
20th and so forth.
The 25th and 50th anniversaries are often marked by
parties and celebration that may include your services.
Don't overlook the wedding anniversary market as it is a
natural extension of the wedding market for you.
Keep an eye out for anniversary announcements and
contact the couple to see of they’d like a professional
touch to the festivities. They probably will!
PORTRAITS
With so many young families today placing a renewed
emphasis on family gatherings, the art of portrait-taking
is as in vogue as ever. With virtually every household in
your area a potential portrait customer, this portion of
the photography business is too large to overlook.
Families keep portraits forever. Parents use them to
watch their kids grow up and then remember those days years
later. Not only is every household a prospect, but a well-
done first portrait can bring you repeat business from the
same family for years.
You don't need a studio to do portraits. You can
rearrange one of the rooms in your house and accomplish the
same thing for no overhead! Earlier, we suggested a tripod
and a floodlight or two. The only addition to those items
to set up a portrait studio at home would be some kind of
colored background material you can tape up on the walls.
Presto! A home studio!
This is not only a home studio, it can serve as a
traveling one, too! Bring your background material, your
lights and your camera and tripod and you can do your
portrait almost anywhere: a client's house, an office, a
school building. You have to be prepared to hide any
"alien" elements like other lights, tables, pictures,
whatever might distract from the centerpiece: the picture
of the family members/individual.
In portraits, it's important to have everyone doing
the right things. With several people, be sure they are
arranged properly so that no one is blocking anyone else.
Ask the kids to smile, not to make faces. You can take a
serious shot or two as well. You're in charge, although
you must do it in a manner that is pleasant, controlled,
but firm. After taking a few portraits, you will know what
works best, not only in photography, but how to make the
discreet suggestions to clients to better ensure a portrait
the people will be pleased with for years to come.
There are thousands of memories stored away in
pictures and that's a lot of responsibility on you to get
it right. But you can do it! Work with a child to make him
or her happy, even if you know (or it's obvious) they would
like to be somewhere else. Years later, these precocious
young clients will be pleased with the effort you made to
get the portrait right, as they pull down an old album.
If you're in the position of trying to build up a
portrait (or photography) business, you can try an idea
many photographers use to get started. They advertise a
free or low-cost $1.00 portrait special for a family
member. You sign up as many as you can take and then, as
they sit, snap a few different shots of the person. You
then do your free or low cost portrait framed (their choice
of photo) and then you offer the additional shots and sizes
that good pictures are likely to encourage. Not many
people can pass up wallet- sizes, for example, of a good
portrait. Your add-on sales should make up for the
giveaway, generate your own portfolio of portraits you've
done to show other potential clients and get your name
about town as a competent portrait photographer.
Children also have their pictures taken at school.
The school photos are often done by a portrait photographer
-- like yourself! Get down to each of the schools, put a
bid in to do the portraits and leave samples of your past
portrait work. Large towns have several schools as
prospects. In addition, drive out to schools that are off
the beaten track, but within a comfortable driving distance
from you. They may not have someone they use regularly and
your professional approach may attract a few offers to do
the school portraits.
It may come as a surprise, but portraits don't have
to be only of people. Families keep a lot of valuable
items and heirlooms in their homes. Unfortunately, crime
being what it is today, these luxury pieces are often the
target of thieves.
To assist with a potential insurance claim if any of
these precious items is stolen, a good picture with the
current date on it can be critical evidence in not only
identifying the object for the police but in appraising it
for the insurance company. Be sure you get a complete
shot, brand name (if appropriate) and any specific
identifying marks that can help recover the good.
In addition to material things, people often like
pictures of their pets. Humans' obsession with their pets
certainly extends to photography. If people will dress up
a pet or have a special burial plot as if the animal were a
family member, you can assume that a portrait is part of
the process of pet ownership, too. If you're particularly
fond of animals, then it makes sense to pursue this part of
the photography business for yourself.
Along with your normal advertising, you can leave
your card and a sample pet shot or two at pet stores,
grooming places, veterinary clinics, kennels, any place
where a pet owner is bound to turn up. People that have
show-dogs are good candidates for portraits as our breeders
looking to show off their pet, too.
Getting pets to sit for their portrait may require a
special touch. If you have a toy for the animal to play
with or some proper food, that can usually put the animal
into positions from which you can get a good portrait.
If you get some good shots, don't forget to get a
release here, too, from the owners as you can use those
shots in advertising or there are a number of pet magazines
that may be interested in paying you for the photo. Here
are a few:
American Farriers Journal
P.O. Box 624
Brookfield, WI. 53008
America’s Equestrian
PO Box 249
Huntington Sta., NY 11746
Appaloosa Journal
P.O. Box 8403
Moscow, ID. 83843
Aquarium Fish Magazine
Box 6050
Mission Viejo, CA 92690
Cat Companion
Quarton Group Publishers
2155 Butterfield #200
Troy, MI. 48084
Cat Fancy
Fancy Publications
Box 6050
Mission Viejo, CA 92690
Cats Magazine
P.O. Box 290037
Port Orange, FL. 32129
Dog Fancy
Box 6050
Mission Viejo, CA 92690
The Greyhound Review
P.O. Box 543
Abilene, KS. 67410
Horse Illustrated
Box 6050
Mission Viejo, CA 92690
Horseplay
Box 130
Gaithersburg, MD. 20877
I Love Cats
Grass Roots Publishing
950 3rd Avenue, 16th FL.
New York, NY 10022
Lone Star Horse Report
P.O. Box 14767
Fort Worth, TX. 76117
Pets Magazine
790 Don Mills Road
Don Mills, Ontario
M3C 3S5 CANADA
Pure Bred Dogs
American Kennel Club
51 Madison Avenue
New York, N.Y. 10010
Reptile & Amphibian
RD3, Box 3709A
Pottsville, PA 17901
Tropical Fish Hobbyist
TFH Publications, Inc.
211 W. Sylvania Avenue
Neptune City, NJ 07753
The Western Horseman
Western Horseman, Inc.
PO Box 7980
Colorado Springs, CO 80933
As with all publications, you should contact them
first with a letter and self-addressed, stamped envelope
requesting writer's/photo guidelines. This will get you
information about their submission procedures and what they
are likely to be currently interested in receiving. You
should also check the library or bookstore (or request a
back issue from the publisher) to see what kind of
photography is typical in that particular magazine.
Understanding the style of the particular publication can
increase your chances of having your photographs accepted
for publication and earn you a decent royalty!
For more listings of potential magazines, check "The
Writer's Market 1995" or "The Literary Marketplace" down at
your local library.
You may reach a point in your portrait photography
career where it makes sense to open your own studio. Many
photographers have progressed beyond their own home studios
to a building in which they can set up a specific portrait
studio.
You would have a foyer with the walls decorated with
previous portraits and maybe one or two rooms used for
portrait photography, complete with a number of varying
backgrounds. You should locate in an area that is
convenient for your customers to come to. Moreover, you
should always maintain your ability to bring your portrait
"show" on the road with you. Flexibility is often the key
to success in any business. Photography is no exception.
CARDS
The holidays are great occasions for pictures, not
only portraits but for cards that are mailed out by the
millions. Whether it's Christmas, Mother's Day, Valentine's
Day or another holiday, photos and photo-cards are very
much in the mix of holiday mail.
You must be well organized to be sure your card
assignments are completed on time. Pictures must be taken,
developed and converted into "cards" (a photo lab can help
with this) well before the holiday to leave the client
plenty of discretionary time to mail them out.
Here is an approximate time table in which to prepare
your "card" business:
Holiday Month Pictures Should Be Taken By
Christmas August
Easter November
Mother's Day January
Father's Day February
Valentine's Day October
Birthdays/Anniversaries 4 months prior
In addition to the cards, you should encourage
portraits or other pictures as a holiday gift. There are
many memorable moments when a picture arrives of a
grandchild, a nephew, a niece, a cousin. You can earn
substantially more by processing picture and portrait
orders in addition to the card work.
The other card opportunity is with new babies. Most
of the time, the new parents like to notify their relatives
and friends of the new addition to their family. What
better way then with a birth announcement card, complete
with picture?
This is all part of working with and staying with
families over the years. There are so many special picture
moments in the lives of people that a good photographer can
almost be like a member of the family, having participated
in all of the special memories that dot the landscape for
all of us. Don't ever underestimate this! Remember your
clients on their special days. Sending out cards is
entirely appropriate to commemorate the holidays or a
birthday or anniversary. If you took the wedding photos,
you will know when an anniversary is coming. If you took a
birthday picture, you will have that date. Get as much
information about your clients that you can. Not only will
they appreciate the remembrance, the opportunity to keep
your name in front of them will work to your advantage the
next time an important picture moment arrives.
So, cards have two meanings here. First, you can
build a nice business creating holiday picture cards.
Second, a card and a note to honor special occasions in the
lives of clients can remind them that you truly care about
them. Both are important!
NEWSPAPERS
Think about it. You buy the newspaper regularly,
don't you? As a photographer, the photos in the paper are
probably of special interest to you. While others linger
over the headline or perhaps even the story, you are
studying the picture to look for technique or maybe how you
would have taken the shot.
Small towns have publications that go beyond the
scope of normal news reporting, preferring to concentrate
instead on the events that affect the local community. It
might be a Friday night or Saturday afternoon football
game, a charity ball, a church bazaar, a historical
commemoration event, these are all local news stories that
weekly publications will have an interest in covering.
This means pictures! Smaller publications, especially of
the free variety, are not likely to retain a full-time
photographer, so freelance work is relatively easy to come
by. Good pictures often sell these publications,
especially with locals who like seeing their faces in the
local tabloid. Keeping track of school events, whether
it's sports activities, talent shows, plays, dances,
contests and, of course, graduations can keep you busy from
week to week. There are also important community meetings
which are held such as council or school board events.
Someone will be there with a pen to record the proceedings,
but a photograph to accompany the story is always welcome.
Many writers would prefer to write and leave the picture
taking to someone who is professional and reliable rather
than have to worry about both story and pictures.
Many editors of small publications don't necessarily
have the time to get to every event to shoot the necessary
Photography film, either. They are usually a one-person
band and need any and all help they can. They probably
have a small budget for pictures and once you develop a
reputation for being there with your camera and getting
good shots, you'll have regular work.
Start by taking a few shots of events and bringing
them in to the editor. An editor will want to see examples
of the types of pictures the paper is most likely to want,
hence the importance of attending events and snapping
shots. The editor may well be interested in what you've
already taken and you can discuss fees at that point. You
may want to even give a couple of the shots away in
exchange for ongoing work. If you live in a small town, you
will be familiar about where to get information about
events of interest to the paper. The editor may give you
assignments, but you can often come up with your own ideas.
Visiting the local businesses regularly can get you both
the town gossip and news about potential photo
opportunities. You may even find potential advertisers
for the paper!
Awards ceremonies, neighbors' hobbies, church youth
programs, library-sponsored readings, almost anything you
can think of has the possibility of being a photo-worthy
event. All you need is your camera. Low overhead. Great
potential. What could be better than that?
SPECIALTY PHOTOGRAPHY
Have enough ideas yet? No? You'd like a few more?
There are many other specialty opportunities for ambitious
photographers.
ATTORNEYS: There is a series of detective novels out that
features the adventures of a private detective who can't
pay his bills, so he moonlights for a liability attorney.
His job: to photograph accident victims and locales to
return to the barrister to see if there is sufficient
evidence for a lawsuit.
These novels may be fiction, but most writing is
grounded in reality. Certainly that is the case here. How
many trials revolved around photographs of evidence or
victims?
Attorneys need this kind of photography. In many
cases, it isn't for the weak stomach. There are car
crashes, fires and other difficult situations into which
you'll be thrust. You have to want to do this type of work.
If you do, there's plenty of it out there for you.
Start by contacting attorneys in town and send them a
resume and samples of your work. While they're not looking
for great art with these photos, they want reliable
pictures Photography and photographers who will know what
angles to shoot and who can make snap judgments at a scene.
Scheduling flexibility will be important here. If
you hold down a regular job and are running your
photography- based business part-time, this may not be a
practical area of specialty. Lawyers can't necessarily
predict when these photos will be needed any more than you
can forecast the weekend horse races. An accident will
occur and you'll be needed. Expect late night calls and
the need to drop what you're doing (within reason) and rush
to a scene.
Since this information, may well be used as evidence,
you will need to be accurate in your written description of
the photograph as well as precise in noting exact time and
date for the record. Sign the back of your photos so that
you can easily identify them if called on to testify in a
court of law. It also prevents other pictures from being
slipped in and misidentified by you as you'll only swear to
the authenticity of the photos you signed.
You'll probably be paid (as the detective in the
novels was) on a per scene basis plus mileage expenses.
You might also work out an hourly rate instead as it could
be time consuming work in some cases.
Either way, there is a substantial amount of legal
photography business. It's another area to explore.
COMMERCIAL: If you've set up a portrait studio in your
home or otherwise, you can likely find work in shooting
products for businesses to use in advertising and sales
brochures. Almost any type of written work published by a
company has some type of artwork to it, at least on the
cover. Often, this artwork takes the form of a photograph.
Unlike people and animals, products will sit still.
No need to get the product to smile. Consider it a "still-
life" shot and arrange the product or subject to photograph
in the most appealing manner.
The shots could be for a catalogue, or a brochure, a
manual, a trade show layout, inventory, I.D. pictures.
There are endless possibilities with businesses.
You probably know the larger sized businesses in the
area. Call on them first, armed with your portfolio. They
are usually utilizers of commercial photography. While
they may have a photographer as an employee, there could
well be too much work for one person to handle. It's not
enough extra work to justify hiring a second employee, but
sufficient to hire a freelancer - you!
Your local Chamber of Commerce can give you a listing
of area companies ranked by size. Work your way down that
list. The need for pictures are there and it's merely a
question of who's going to shoot it.
CHURCHES: Just as school graduations are an excellent
time for photos, so, too are "graduations" in church.
Confirmations, bar mitzvahs (in the Jewish faith) are all
important life events for the participants.
If you belong to a church or synagogue, let the
minister, priest or rabbi know that you are available to do
photographing. In addition to the "graduations", there are
youth activities, prayer meetings, bake sales and other
special events that these religious institutions hold that
are meaningful to them to be remembered in pictures.
These institutions also honor their own memories in
anniversary celebrations. Picture books are often sold as
a means of fund-raising. There is a substantial amount of
photography involved with a commemorative edition type of
project.
As you photograph these events for the church, try
and think about how you might use the photos otherwise.
Remember, local newspaper publications may publicize a
church or synagogue event. This means you can be hired by
both the institution and the newspaper to get the same
photo. Twice the pay for a single work!
You'd be surprised at the number of photographers and
writers who "double up" on their work; in other words, get
paid twice for the same job. It's called using your time
and talent well. There's nothing wrong with this unless
one of the entities has an objection. But, usually with a
public event, this is not the case.
AERIAL: A real specialized area is the taking of aerial
photographs. If you're not someone who likes hanging out
of a plane or helicopter, this isn't the right idea for
you. For those that don't mind the high-wire stunt-like
activity of aerial photography, it can be a well-paid area
of endeavor.
Who needs aerial photographs? Cities and towns, for
one, for land development planning. Engineers, for the
same reason. Real estate agents, to advertise a property.
Newspapers, on occasion, for a story.
If the pilot is unfamiliar with the landscape, you
should have the client accompany you to identify the
correct object for photograph. It's not easy to pick out
your subject from the air. It's definitely not the same as
looking at it from the ground.
You'll probably hover some 800-1200 feet above the
ground and you'll be moving. Practicing this type of
photography first can ensure the desired results. It's not
easy, but if you work at it, you'll make a good living at
it as the pay scales are high.
You may have to pay your pilot and a rental fee for
the vehicle, but you build that into your rates. If you
build a rapport with a particular pilot, all the better.
There is a lot of trust and instinct in this specialty
photography area, so it helps to be working with a familiar
face.
The picture postcard business can be a source for
these aerial photographs. Even if you are on another
assignment, there's no reason not to shoot all the film you
have up there. If you get a couple of good shots out of
it, you can get paid twice again: once for the assignment
and secondly if you sell a second shot to a postcard
company or magazine or newspaper. Try to maximize your
time in the air. If you have several assignments, try and
do them all on one trip. That way you only pay the pilot
and rental fee once for several paying jobs. Arrange your
schedule accordingly and work out the flight plans in
advance with the pilot.
Aerial photography can be a financially rewarding and
exciting business -- especially if you like to fly!
There are probably other specialty areas you can work
in, but these are the most common. Almost anything you can
think of has a need at some time or another for a picture.
The possibilities are both endless and lucrative.
MODELS
Fashions may go in and out of style, but fashion
photography never will. The demand is always there for a
fashion photographer, whether it's a catalogue advertising
clothes or a magazine doing a layout.
Modeling the latest fashions to simply posing near a
featured landmark all present photographic opportunities.
Once you contact local department stores and catalogue
publishers (there are thousands), you should have a lengthy
list of prospects.
Since a multiple of shots are requested, the time
spent and the money earned can be sizable. Moreover, you
will meet models who may have portfolio needs of their own.
You may even have a modeling studio in your town. Visit
it! Chances are there are subjects needing photographs
there right now!
If you do a good job on a model's portfolio, he or
she will obtain work and chances increase they'll meet
other models to whom they can refer you for business.
Modeling is a whole network of its own and you can work
full-time in this phase of photography and make an
excellent living.
If you've done portraits, you will have some
experience in posing models. It's somewhat different with
models, but if you keep them moving and keep the camera
snapping, you are very likely to get the photographs you
and the subject both want.
COPYRIGHTING YOUR WORK
When you take a picture, you own the rights to it
unless you have made other arrangements via a contract.
Since you own it, no one else is authorized to use the
photo without your approval. You are also entitled to a
royalty on subsequent usage, unless you waive that right.
A copyright signifies an original work. You own what
you create, namely your photographs. You took them,
they're yours to own, distribute and sell. To receive the
full rights of copyright protection, you will need to file
the work with the Copyright Office at the Library of
Congress in Washington, D.C.
The copyright protection lasts for the originator's
lifetime. A work is considered protected from the moment
of creation.
The process begins by obtaining an application from
the Copyrights Office (phone number is 202-707-3000). You
then complete the application and make a $20.00 check out
to the Register of Copyrights. Send that back to the
Copyrights Office.
You will then receive notification of copyright
approval. From that point, you will have three months to
supply two copies of the registered work, one for
registration and the other for the Library of Congress.
The major forms are:
TX: covers non-dramatic literary works such as
fiction, nonfiction, textbooks, reference works,
directories, catalogues, advertising copy and computer
programs.
PA: material to be performed, including music and
lyrics, choreography, motion pictures and audio-visuals
VA: visual arts including "pictorial, graphic or
sculptural works, graphic arts, photographs, prints and art
reproductions, maps, globes, charts, technical drawings,
diagrams and models
SR: sound recordings
Formal copyright protection is a good idea for you as
you create more and more works and get paid for it. It is
the only way to ensure full protection under the law.
There are many opportunities for misuse of other works and
this happens. For further reference, check:
Copyrights, Patents & Trademarks
Liberty Press, McGraw Hill
1-800-262-4729
ESTABLISHING YOUR BUSINESS
Are you convinced that there's enough here for you to
make a part or full-time living as a photographer? There
are certainly scores of chances to take photographs and get
paid for it. With this much variety, you're bound to have
an interest in one or more of the various areas of
specialty.
How do you get going?
As mentioned earlier, overhead can initially be quite
low for you. Other than film, a camera, a tripod and a
floodlight or two, and perhaps some material to use as a
background, you're in business. The camera itself can be a
regular everyday camera as people would buy in a store.
The models are so good and do so much without your
intricate involvement, you can easily get by with a store-
bought camera for starters.
You have equipment. Now you need clients. We've
made several suggestions already, but it comes down
primarily to networking. You have to let people know what
you do and concentrate on getting the word around to as
many individuals as possible.
Networking is often a reciprocal arrangement. You
leave your business cards at a modeling studio and you
refer models to the studio. You take "food" pictures for a
restaurant and you patronize it. That's the simplicity of
it. You build up a group of customers and they do the same
through people like yourself. Many towns have "Referral
Clubs" for this express purpose. It works well for all
concerned.
Networking is an ongoing job. You are always on the
lookout for new clients. Rare is the individual freelancer
that isn't taking on a new client or two whenever possible.
New work is critical to success and can be financially
rewarding when coupled with your repeat business. New
clients are future repeaters, as some of the earlier
clients inevitably drop off for various reasons.
Sending cards to your clients, an earlier idea, is a
form of networking. Anything done in the quest for new
clients can be considered networking.
You can encourage existing clients to bring you new
ones by offering a discount on their next service or
additional copies of photographs you've already taken. New
people are the lifeblood of any business and rewarding your
clients with freebies or discounts is well worth the cost
since it will be more than made up by the new work. It
also encourages continual referrals due to ongoing
discounts you may offer. Keep those clients coming!
You can work part-time of full-time under your own
name for the business, or you can create a "company" name
for yourself such as "Picture Perfect". If you do decide
to name your business, you will need to acquire a business
license (usually a simple process). Once you have the
license, establish a new bank account in that name and
"Picture Perfect" is ready to operate.
If you use your home as your studio/darkroom, you'll
need to check with your local city and/or county council to
be sure you aren't violating any zoning ordinances by
running a business out of the house. Don't ignore the
codes, especially as you'll be having clients come to the
house.
If your city/county prohibits your home-based
business, you can either open up your own studio in a
commercially zoned site or you can do photography which is
done away from home like aerial, weddings, etc.
If you do run a home-based business, be sure you
acquire liability insurance for the home in the event a
customer has an incident there. Make sure your home/studio
is safe and free of any objects which a client could
stumble over or otherwise come in contact with and incur an
injury.
You can advertise your business in a number of ways
from leaving business cards at area stores to taking out a
full page advertisement in a local paper. You may be able
to "trade-out" advertising space for photographs and not
have to spend any money other than on film and development,
which you would have done anyway. This gets your name out
at the lowest possible price.
Keep accurate business records. If you have an
accountant, meet with that professional to set up the
record keeping for your business. You will need to
accurately record all of your expenses as many of them will
be deductible. This will offset your tax liability on the
earnings you receive for your photography.
Set up separate statements per client. Write down
all the work you do for that individual or company
especially if you are on an hourly rate. This is the best
and most accurate way to keep track of your time since
depending on your memory recall can be unreliable.
You're ready to open your own photography business.
What was once an interesting hobby can be the way you make
your living. What could be better than that?
Monday, August 4, 2008
The Inside Secrets Of Free Publicity For Your Business
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
Product publicity is the "secret pathway" to business success
everyone wants. In simple terms, product publicity is a kind of
advertising that costs you nothing, yet brings in the orders for
you.
Regardless of what kind of business you are operating, you
should want, and strive for, as much publicity for your business
and your products or services, as possible. After all, it's
"free advertising" that is essential to the growth of your
business. However, your publicity efforts should be well
thought out, and pre-planned for maximum results.
The first, and basic form of obtaining publicity is through what
is known as the press or news release. This is generally a one
page story about your business, your product/service or an
event/happening related to your business that is about to, or
has recently occurred. These publicity stories are generally
"shot-gunned" to all the various media: local newspapers, radio
and TV, and trade publications.
Problem number one is getting the people to whom you've sent
these publicity stories, to use them - publish or broadcast
them. And this leads us back to the "right way " of writing
them and sending them in.
In every case, send a short cover letter addressed to the person
you want your material to be considered by... This means that
you send your story to the city editor of the newspapers; the
news directors of the radio and TV stations; and the managing
editors of the various trade publications. It will do you no
good what-so-ever, to send your material to the advertising,
circulation or business managers - describing how you're a
long-time advertiser, subscriber or listener. The most
important thing is that you make contact with the person who has
the final say as to what is to be published or broadcast, and at
the bottom line - this person's use of your material will
somehow make him a "hero" to his or her readers, viewers or
listeners.
The cover letter should be a short note. Go to a paper supplier
- tell him you want a hundred or so sheets of good bond paper -
8 1/2 by 11" preferably in a pastel color such as blue or ivory
- and that you want this paper cut into quarters, giving you a
grand total fo 400 sheets of note paper. "From the desk of..."
note sheets are too elaborate until the people you're contacting
get to know you - first time around, and until they use your
material, don't use these semi-formal note sheets...
On this note sheet, begin with the date across the top - skip a
couple of spaces and then quickly tell the recipient of the
note: the attached material is new and should be of real
interest to his readers, viewers or listeners. We advise our
dealers and distributors of MONEY MAKING MAGIC - our regular
publication for serious wealth builders and extra income seekers
- to send the following note to the editors and news directors
of the media in their areas:
"Here's something that 's new, and for a change, truly helpful,
to people trying to cope with inflation - the soaring costs of
living - and those engaged in building extra income businesses
of their own. Should be of real value - interest - to your
readers. Please take a look - any questions, or if you need
more info, give me a call at: (503) 666-5824..." Then, of
course, you skip about four spaces, type your name, your
business name, and your address - sign your name above where
you've typed it, and staple this note in the upper right hand
corner of your news release. This note should be typed and
double-spaced.
So now, you've got a cover letter, and you know who to send it
to... We type up one such note, and take it to a near-by
quick-print shop. They xerox the note 4 times, past these
4-copies onto one sheet of paper, print 50 to 100 copies, and
cut the paper into individual notes, all for less that $10... Do
not try to save money by photo-copying or xeroxing - a
photo-copy is a photo-copy is a photo-copy, and will not do the
job for you...
Now you need the actual publicity release, which also must be
"properly" written if you expect it to be used by the media.
Above all else, there's a proper form or style to use, plus the
fact that it must be typed, double-spaced, and short - about a
half page in total length.
About an inch from the top of the paper, with an inch and a half
margin on each side of the paper; from the left hand margin,
type in all capital letters: PRESS RELEASE: Then, underline
these words. Immediately following the colon, but not in all
capital letters, put in the date. Always set the date forward
by at least one day after the day you intend to mail the release.
On the same line, but on the right hand side of the page, and in
all capital letters, write the words, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Underline this, and immediately below, but not in all capital
letters, type your name - your phone number - and your address...
Skip a couple of spaces, then in all capital letters - centered
between the margins - type a story headline, and underline it...
Skip a couple of spaces, and from the left hand margin, all in
capital letters, type the words, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: From
there on, it's the news or publicity story itself.
You can write the headline before the story, and then a story to
fit the headline - or the story before the headline, and then a
headline to fit the story - either way, it's basically the same
as writing a space ad or a sales letter... You attract attention
and interest with the headline and fill in the details with your
story.
Here's an example of the headlines we use on publicity blurbs
for MONEY MAKING MAGIC:
HELP IN MAKING ENDS MEET
NEW PUBLICATION FOR EXTRA INCOME SEEKERS
Notice how we continue to sell or involve the editor - His
readers are always looking for better ways to make ends meet,
and he's specifically interested as to what our promise
involves... He wants his readers to "think well" of him for
enlightening them with this source of help, so he reads into the
story to find out who, what and how...
Suffice it to say that your headline, and the story you present
to the editor, must sell him on the benefits of your product or
service to his readers. Unless it specifically does this, he'll
not use it. You must sell the first person receiving your
materials. Keep this fact uppermost in your mind as you write
it. The person you send your press or publicity release to,
must quickly see and understand how your product or service will
benefit his readers - thereby making him a hero to them - and he
must be assured it will do what you promise in your headline.
Come right to the point and say your product is lower in price,
more convenient to use or in what way your product or service is
useful to the people in general. It's also a good idea to
include a complimentary sample of your product or an opportunity
for him to sample your services.
Remember, the editors receiving your information are fully aware
of your purposes - Free Advertising! They are not in the least
interested in you or your credentials - If you've sold them on
the benefits of your business to their readers, and they want
background details, they'll call you. That's why you list your
telephone number and address...
These people are busy people. They have not got the time nor
the interest in reading about your trials and tribulations or
plans for the future. They want only "a flag" that alerts them
to something new and of probable real interest to their readers.
Sell the editor first. Convince him that you've found the
better mousetrap. Show him that your product or service - that
your business - fills a need and/or will interest a large
segment of his readers, his viewers or listeners.
When an editor uses your publicity release, always follow-up
with a short thank you note. Never, but never send a publicity
release to an editor and then call or write demanding to know
why he didn't use it, use it as you wrote it, or only gave you a
quick mention. Do this once, and that particular media will
"round-file" any further material received from you, unopened!
If your first effort is not used, then you should review the
story itself; perhaps write it from a different angle; make
sure you're sending it to the proper person - and try again!
As stated earlier, these people are busy, with hundreds of
publicity releases passing across their desks every day - They
only have so much space or time - therefore, your material has
to stand out and in some way, fit with the information they -
the editors - want to pass along to their readers, viewers or
listeners. Regardless of your business, product, or service,
you must build your press release - write it - around that
particular angle or feature that makes it beneficial or interest
to the readers, viewer or listeners of the media you want to run
your press release. Without this special ingredient, you're
lost before you begin!
The timing of your press release is always important. Try to
associate your press release with current events in the news. A
story on job lay-offs and increased unemployment carried in the
newspapers, on TV and radio would prompt us to get a publicity
release out to all the media on the help and opportunity offered
by MONEY MAKING MAGIC! Say there's a deluge of chain letters
and pyramid schemes making the round - the media picks up on it
and attempts to warn the people to beware... Within 5 days, we
would get a publicity release out, explaining the availability
of our report on chain letters and pyramid schemes - a report
that explains everything from A to Z - who're the winners and
who're the real losers.
There's another kind of timing also to keep in mind...
Publication deadlines... For best results, always try to time it
so your material reaches the editor in time for the Sunday
paper. This is because that's when the papers have their
greatest circulation; the most space is available; and the
people, the most time to read the paper.
For articles you'd like to appear in the Sunday paper, you'll
generally have to get your release in at least nine days prior
to the date of publication. If you're in doubt, call and ask
about the deadline date.
IN SUMMARY:
Choose the media most likely to carry your press release.
Select those that carry similar write-ups on a regular basis.
Always use a cover letter of some kind. It pays to call ahead
to find out the name of the person you should be sending your
press release to.
Use the proper press release form, complete with a headline that
will interest the man deciding whether or not to use your item.
Be sure your press release is letter perfect - no typo's or
misspelled words - and don't photo-copy - always have each
letter or press release individually typed or printed.
When your item is used, send a thank you note or call the editor
on the phone and thank him for using your press release.
Never, but never call or write an editor demanding to know why
he didn't use your press release, why he had it rewritten or cut
it short - just try, and try again!
Product publicity is the "secret pathway" to business success
everyone wants. In simple terms, product publicity is a kind of
advertising that costs you nothing, yet brings in the orders for
you.
Regardless of what kind of business you are operating, you
should want, and strive for, as much publicity for your business
and your products or services, as possible. After all, it's
"free advertising" that is essential to the growth of your
business. However, your publicity efforts should be well
thought out, and pre-planned for maximum results.
The first, and basic form of obtaining publicity is through what
is known as the press or news release. This is generally a one
page story about your business, your product/service or an
event/happening related to your business that is about to, or
has recently occurred. These publicity stories are generally
"shot-gunned" to all the various media: local newspapers, radio
and TV, and trade publications.
Problem number one is getting the people to whom you've sent
these publicity stories, to use them - publish or broadcast
them. And this leads us back to the "right way " of writing
them and sending them in.
In every case, send a short cover letter addressed to the person
you want your material to be considered by... This means that
you send your story to the city editor of the newspapers; the
news directors of the radio and TV stations; and the managing
editors of the various trade publications. It will do you no
good what-so-ever, to send your material to the advertising,
circulation or business managers - describing how you're a
long-time advertiser, subscriber or listener. The most
important thing is that you make contact with the person who has
the final say as to what is to be published or broadcast, and at
the bottom line - this person's use of your material will
somehow make him a "hero" to his or her readers, viewers or
listeners.
The cover letter should be a short note. Go to a paper supplier
- tell him you want a hundred or so sheets of good bond paper -
8 1/2 by 11" preferably in a pastel color such as blue or ivory
- and that you want this paper cut into quarters, giving you a
grand total fo 400 sheets of note paper. "From the desk of..."
note sheets are too elaborate until the people you're contacting
get to know you - first time around, and until they use your
material, don't use these semi-formal note sheets...
On this note sheet, begin with the date across the top - skip a
couple of spaces and then quickly tell the recipient of the
note: the attached material is new and should be of real
interest to his readers, viewers or listeners. We advise our
dealers and distributors of MONEY MAKING MAGIC - our regular
publication for serious wealth builders and extra income seekers
- to send the following note to the editors and news directors
of the media in their areas:
"Here's something that 's new, and for a change, truly helpful,
to people trying to cope with inflation - the soaring costs of
living - and those engaged in building extra income businesses
of their own. Should be of real value - interest - to your
readers. Please take a look - any questions, or if you need
more info, give me a call at: (503) 666-5824..." Then, of
course, you skip about four spaces, type your name, your
business name, and your address - sign your name above where
you've typed it, and staple this note in the upper right hand
corner of your news release. This note should be typed and
double-spaced.
So now, you've got a cover letter, and you know who to send it
to... We type up one such note, and take it to a near-by
quick-print shop. They xerox the note 4 times, past these
4-copies onto one sheet of paper, print 50 to 100 copies, and
cut the paper into individual notes, all for less that $10... Do
not try to save money by photo-copying or xeroxing - a
photo-copy is a photo-copy is a photo-copy, and will not do the
job for you...
Now you need the actual publicity release, which also must be
"properly" written if you expect it to be used by the media.
Above all else, there's a proper form or style to use, plus the
fact that it must be typed, double-spaced, and short - about a
half page in total length.
About an inch from the top of the paper, with an inch and a half
margin on each side of the paper; from the left hand margin,
type in all capital letters: PRESS RELEASE: Then, underline
these words. Immediately following the colon, but not in all
capital letters, put in the date. Always set the date forward
by at least one day after the day you intend to mail the release.
On the same line, but on the right hand side of the page, and in
all capital letters, write the words, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
Underline this, and immediately below, but not in all capital
letters, type your name - your phone number - and your address...
Skip a couple of spaces, then in all capital letters - centered
between the margins - type a story headline, and underline it...
Skip a couple of spaces, and from the left hand margin, all in
capital letters, type the words, FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: From
there on, it's the news or publicity story itself.
You can write the headline before the story, and then a story to
fit the headline - or the story before the headline, and then a
headline to fit the story - either way, it's basically the same
as writing a space ad or a sales letter... You attract attention
and interest with the headline and fill in the details with your
story.
Here's an example of the headlines we use on publicity blurbs
for MONEY MAKING MAGIC:
HELP IN MAKING ENDS MEET
NEW PUBLICATION FOR EXTRA INCOME SEEKERS
Notice how we continue to sell or involve the editor - His
readers are always looking for better ways to make ends meet,
and he's specifically interested as to what our promise
involves... He wants his readers to "think well" of him for
enlightening them with this source of help, so he reads into the
story to find out who, what and how...
Suffice it to say that your headline, and the story you present
to the editor, must sell him on the benefits of your product or
service to his readers. Unless it specifically does this, he'll
not use it. You must sell the first person receiving your
materials. Keep this fact uppermost in your mind as you write
it. The person you send your press or publicity release to,
must quickly see and understand how your product or service will
benefit his readers - thereby making him a hero to them - and he
must be assured it will do what you promise in your headline.
Come right to the point and say your product is lower in price,
more convenient to use or in what way your product or service is
useful to the people in general. It's also a good idea to
include a complimentary sample of your product or an opportunity
for him to sample your services.
Remember, the editors receiving your information are fully aware
of your purposes - Free Advertising! They are not in the least
interested in you or your credentials - If you've sold them on
the benefits of your business to their readers, and they want
background details, they'll call you. That's why you list your
telephone number and address...
These people are busy people. They have not got the time nor
the interest in reading about your trials and tribulations or
plans for the future. They want only "a flag" that alerts them
to something new and of probable real interest to their readers.
Sell the editor first. Convince him that you've found the
better mousetrap. Show him that your product or service - that
your business - fills a need and/or will interest a large
segment of his readers, his viewers or listeners.
When an editor uses your publicity release, always follow-up
with a short thank you note. Never, but never send a publicity
release to an editor and then call or write demanding to know
why he didn't use it, use it as you wrote it, or only gave you a
quick mention. Do this once, and that particular media will
"round-file" any further material received from you, unopened!
If your first effort is not used, then you should review the
story itself; perhaps write it from a different angle; make
sure you're sending it to the proper person - and try again!
As stated earlier, these people are busy, with hundreds of
publicity releases passing across their desks every day - They
only have so much space or time - therefore, your material has
to stand out and in some way, fit with the information they -
the editors - want to pass along to their readers, viewers or
listeners. Regardless of your business, product, or service,
you must build your press release - write it - around that
particular angle or feature that makes it beneficial or interest
to the readers, viewer or listeners of the media you want to run
your press release. Without this special ingredient, you're
lost before you begin!
The timing of your press release is always important. Try to
associate your press release with current events in the news. A
story on job lay-offs and increased unemployment carried in the
newspapers, on TV and radio would prompt us to get a publicity
release out to all the media on the help and opportunity offered
by MONEY MAKING MAGIC! Say there's a deluge of chain letters
and pyramid schemes making the round - the media picks up on it
and attempts to warn the people to beware... Within 5 days, we
would get a publicity release out, explaining the availability
of our report on chain letters and pyramid schemes - a report
that explains everything from A to Z - who're the winners and
who're the real losers.
There's another kind of timing also to keep in mind...
Publication deadlines... For best results, always try to time it
so your material reaches the editor in time for the Sunday
paper. This is because that's when the papers have their
greatest circulation; the most space is available; and the
people, the most time to read the paper.
For articles you'd like to appear in the Sunday paper, you'll
generally have to get your release in at least nine days prior
to the date of publication. If you're in doubt, call and ask
about the deadline date.
IN SUMMARY:
Choose the media most likely to carry your press release.
Select those that carry similar write-ups on a regular basis.
Always use a cover letter of some kind. It pays to call ahead
to find out the name of the person you should be sending your
press release to.
Use the proper press release form, complete with a headline that
will interest the man deciding whether or not to use your item.
Be sure your press release is letter perfect - no typo's or
misspelled words - and don't photo-copy - always have each
letter or press release individually typed or printed.
When your item is used, send a thank you note or call the editor
on the phone and thank him for using your press release.
Never, but never call or write an editor demanding to know why
he didn't use your press release, why he had it rewritten or cut
it short - just try, and try again!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
How To Start Your Own Highly Profitable Catering Service
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
People with money seem to be on a binge to prove their status and
flaunt their wealth by staging large, catered parties. As a
matter of fact, in some circle of affluency, a party or social
get-together isn't considered an event of any significance unless
it's a catered affair.
With the same kind of reasoning, businesses of all sizes are
using catered lunches, cocktail parties and dinner meetings to
build their images and increase company sales. It's a matter of
keeping up with the competition in promoting a company and/or
product.
On a smaller, but just as busy marketing scale, more and more
working mothers are paying to have catered birthday and
graduation parties, as well as wedding receptions handled by
caterers. The reasons are simple to understand--if she's working
outside the home, today's mother just doesn't have the time or
the energy to do all the planning and staging of a memorable
party.
Besides those reasons for turning everything over to a caterer,
working mothers feel a little guilty about the time away from
their children they lose because of their jobs. Thus, they're
ready and willing to make it all to them by paying for a lavish
party the child will remember for years to come.
Caterers handle everything from birthday parties for children, to
breakfast in bed and intimate candlelight dinners for two, to
company dinner parties for 50 and wedding receptions involving a
thousand or more guests. This kind of entreprenuerial business is
definitely growing and becoming more popular with people of all
income levels.
An imaginative caterer in a large metropolitan area can easily
gross $150,000 per year, while a small part-time caterer in a
small town can count on at least $10,000 to $15,000 per year. One
small, but very ambitious caterer is reported to have grossed
$250,000 after only 2-years in the business!
You don't need special education or training to become a
successful caterer. You do need a affinity for people and a kind
of intuition as to what people enjoy in different environmental
settings.
A quick survey of successful caterers across the nation shows
that began with zero capital by working out of their homes. The
basic starting up investment would appear to be around $500, with
some big spenders capitalizing their idea with as much as $15,000
in order to get off to a fast start.
This seems to be an ideal business for an ambitious couple to
start and operate with very little capital investment required.
One person can spend his time hustling up business while the
other would do the planning, organizing and actual catering.
As with any business, your success will be directly related to
the soundness of planning and the working of that plan.
Understand exactly what your client wants, and give him what he
wants in the way of service that reflects upon the client in a
complimentary manner.
Basically, you can start with an advertisement in your local
newspapers. This advertisement need not be much more than a
simple announcement: Creative Catering-Specializing in personal
service- We can handle any party or special event from start to
finish-no idea to small or too large- Your satisfaction is always
guaranteed! We can handle everything for you.. Call us, and let
us make your parties worth remembering...
Naturally, the first thing you want from anyone calling to ask
about your services, is that anyone calling to ask about your
services, is that person's name, address and phone number. Then
you want to know what kind of party or event they have in mind.
As soon as you have this information, relax a little bit and
inquire to find out about the person or the company--the
people--sponsoring the party and their ultimate goals or reasons
for the party.
If it's to celebrate birthday, graduation, anniversary or a
wedding reception--finding out about the interests, background
and ambitious of the guest of honor will be of value to you in
your planning. Taking a few minutes to learn everything you can
about whoever the party is for, and the people giving the party,
will also make it much easire to close the sale than any sales
pitch or special persuasive tactics.
People like to talk about themselves, and they especially like to
tell everyone why they're honoring someone, even when they
pretend to keep it a secret who initiated the idea. So, it's
important that you be a good listener, that you have the ability
to get people to talk about themselves, and that you take notes
on the things they tell you.
This same principle applies to business people, regardless of
who's talking to you or the purpose of the catered affair. The
more polished and adept you can become in getting your prospects
to talk about themselves, the more information relative to their
background you can elicit, and the more you listen; the better
your parties will be, and the greater success you'll attain in
the catering business.
You take the information you glean from this first interview and
plan/organize the event on paper. This means you're going to have
to have contacts or at least working relationships with
innumerable service businesses.
If your client wants to stage a birthday party for a 12-year
old---he or she greets the guests as they arrive, makes sure
everybody knows who he is---then what about party favors---a soft
drink and a conversation leader until all the guests arrive--the
opening of presents--icecream and cake--and games to play, a
thank you gift for coming, and a reason to end the party at a
pre-determined time...
Do you greet the guests, does the mother or father, or the little
boy or girl? Where do you come up with the party favors at less
than regular retail prices? Where are you going to get the soft
drinks-your cost and the glasses or paper cups to serve them in?
What about ice? What kind of games to play? Who'll be the
conservation leader? Will there be a clown or someone special to
keep everything moving according to plan? Where do you get the
ice cream and cake? What games to play? How to get everyone
involved? And finally, a feasible and polite reason for ending
the party and sending everyone home...
All this takes planning, organization, and if you're going to
make a profit, a definite awareness of cost control. Get it all
down on paper as a proposal to the people who want to pay you to
carry it off. Figure out your costs, the time involved in putting
it all together, and then get back to your prospect.
Always leave room for changes in your proposal. In fact, expect
them--invite input and suggestions from the client--and always
have an alternate idea in your mind for each of those on your
written proposals. Discuss your proposal with the client just as
you would a script for a television show, make the suggested
changes and ask for a 50-percent advance deposit. From there,
it's just a matter of following your plan.
Regardless of size or type of party--whether your client is a
working mother or a giant corporation--the format is always the
same: initial inquiry, interview, your proposal, 2nd interview
for any changes, agreement, deposit, staging the party itself,
and your final payment. As mentioned earlier, success in this
business comes from your planning--having a lot of contacts--and
working your plan.
An important word of caution: Try not to get "boxed in" to
setting or even revealing a tentative price until you've had a
chance to listen to what the prospect wants, to study your own
capabilities, and to make a formal written proposal. If a
customer wants to know how much you charge--and if you feel it
necessary in order to eventually close the sale--you can tell him
50 to 100 dollars per hour, plus expenses, and of course,
depending on the type of event the customer wants.
As for how much the average party costs, again tell him that it
varies anywhere from 50 to 5,000 dollars.
Always keep in mind that you are a professional, and that if the
ordinary person had your knowledge, contacts and ambition to do
it himself, he wouldn't be calling you on the phone. He needs
your help for any number of reasons. You specialize in this kind
of work or service just as a doctor specializes in medicine and a
lawyer in legal matters. Therefore, you should, and do expect to
be paid accordingly.
Something else--this business thrives on word-of-mouth
advertising--referrals--and thus, is direct "freeway' to the kind
of customers where money is of no concern. However, on order to
gain access to this market, your business emphasis has to be on
service.
This means the capability of handling everything for the
customer, from having the invitations printed and sent out to
cleaning up after the last guest has left. Businesses and people
in the upper income brackets, like to pick up the phone--tell
someone they want a party on a certain date--and then forget
about it, knowing everything will be taken care of without
further worry or time involvement from them. Once you've
developed your expertise and clientele to this level, you'll have
a business in the $200,000 to $250,00 per year range.
Definitely arrange for a display ad in the yellow pages of your
telephone directory. You'll probably get 40% of your inquires
from this source alone. Generally speaking, radio and/or
television advertising will be too expensive when compared with
the immediate results. However, it is recommended that you
consider these media prior to special holidays.
Working with restaurants, supper clubs, bridal shops and
entertainment business in general. can bring in hundreds of
referrals for you. Rubbing shoulders with, and circulating as a
part of your area's civic and service clubs, should also result
in more business for you.
Keep your eyes and ears on the alert. Where ever you go, and with
whomever you associate, always be ready to promote and sell your
services, if not on the spot, at least make a note to follow up
when conditions are more in your favor. Promoting and selling
your services will require at least half your time, and that's
why two people operating catering services are so successful from
the start.
The actual selling is quite simple so long as you emphasize the
service and time-saving aspects. The more time-consuming work you
can handle for the client, the easier it's going to be for you to
close the sale.
Handing out business cards is one of the least expensive ways to
advertise, promote and sell your services. One enterprising
caterer makes arrangements with the sponsors of all his parties,
to see that each of the guests gets one of his business cards.
Another gives each of his clients a stack of his business cards,
and tells them he'll pay them $25 for each prospect they refer to
him. He tells them to write their name on the backs of the cards,
and to hand them out to their friends. And then, whenever a
person tells him that John or Jane suggested he call, and he
presents the card with John or Jane's name on the back, this very
successful caterer sends John or Jane a $25 check.
Another very successful caterer pays commissions to a group of
housewives and college students who solicit--via their home
phones--interviews for him with brides-to-be. They get their
leads from announcements, and pictures of brides-to-be in the
local papers.
Many caterers pay sales people a commission for letting them know
when they hear about a party or special event being planned by
one of their business customers.
The possibilities go on and on, and are seemingly un limited.
Time is becoming more valuable to a lot more people every day,
which means there are more and more opportunities for great
wealth and personal independence as a professional caterer. In
reality the success for just about any person entering this
field, will be limited only by his or her own imagination and
energy.
There is definite opportunity for great wealth within the
catering field. Anyone with a sense of service to others can
succeed. Very little "readycash" is needed to begin. Therefore,
the only thing standing between you and the realization of your
dreams, is the action it takes on your part to get started...
People with money seem to be on a binge to prove their status and
flaunt their wealth by staging large, catered parties. As a
matter of fact, in some circle of affluency, a party or social
get-together isn't considered an event of any significance unless
it's a catered affair.
With the same kind of reasoning, businesses of all sizes are
using catered lunches, cocktail parties and dinner meetings to
build their images and increase company sales. It's a matter of
keeping up with the competition in promoting a company and/or
product.
On a smaller, but just as busy marketing scale, more and more
working mothers are paying to have catered birthday and
graduation parties, as well as wedding receptions handled by
caterers. The reasons are simple to understand--if she's working
outside the home, today's mother just doesn't have the time or
the energy to do all the planning and staging of a memorable
party.
Besides those reasons for turning everything over to a caterer,
working mothers feel a little guilty about the time away from
their children they lose because of their jobs. Thus, they're
ready and willing to make it all to them by paying for a lavish
party the child will remember for years to come.
Caterers handle everything from birthday parties for children, to
breakfast in bed and intimate candlelight dinners for two, to
company dinner parties for 50 and wedding receptions involving a
thousand or more guests. This kind of entreprenuerial business is
definitely growing and becoming more popular with people of all
income levels.
An imaginative caterer in a large metropolitan area can easily
gross $150,000 per year, while a small part-time caterer in a
small town can count on at least $10,000 to $15,000 per year. One
small, but very ambitious caterer is reported to have grossed
$250,000 after only 2-years in the business!
You don't need special education or training to become a
successful caterer. You do need a affinity for people and a kind
of intuition as to what people enjoy in different environmental
settings.
A quick survey of successful caterers across the nation shows
that began with zero capital by working out of their homes. The
basic starting up investment would appear to be around $500, with
some big spenders capitalizing their idea with as much as $15,000
in order to get off to a fast start.
This seems to be an ideal business for an ambitious couple to
start and operate with very little capital investment required.
One person can spend his time hustling up business while the
other would do the planning, organizing and actual catering.
As with any business, your success will be directly related to
the soundness of planning and the working of that plan.
Understand exactly what your client wants, and give him what he
wants in the way of service that reflects upon the client in a
complimentary manner.
Basically, you can start with an advertisement in your local
newspapers. This advertisement need not be much more than a
simple announcement: Creative Catering-Specializing in personal
service- We can handle any party or special event from start to
finish-no idea to small or too large- Your satisfaction is always
guaranteed! We can handle everything for you.. Call us, and let
us make your parties worth remembering...
Naturally, the first thing you want from anyone calling to ask
about your services, is that anyone calling to ask about your
services, is that person's name, address and phone number. Then
you want to know what kind of party or event they have in mind.
As soon as you have this information, relax a little bit and
inquire to find out about the person or the company--the
people--sponsoring the party and their ultimate goals or reasons
for the party.
If it's to celebrate birthday, graduation, anniversary or a
wedding reception--finding out about the interests, background
and ambitious of the guest of honor will be of value to you in
your planning. Taking a few minutes to learn everything you can
about whoever the party is for, and the people giving the party,
will also make it much easire to close the sale than any sales
pitch or special persuasive tactics.
People like to talk about themselves, and they especially like to
tell everyone why they're honoring someone, even when they
pretend to keep it a secret who initiated the idea. So, it's
important that you be a good listener, that you have the ability
to get people to talk about themselves, and that you take notes
on the things they tell you.
This same principle applies to business people, regardless of
who's talking to you or the purpose of the catered affair. The
more polished and adept you can become in getting your prospects
to talk about themselves, the more information relative to their
background you can elicit, and the more you listen; the better
your parties will be, and the greater success you'll attain in
the catering business.
You take the information you glean from this first interview and
plan/organize the event on paper. This means you're going to have
to have contacts or at least working relationships with
innumerable service businesses.
If your client wants to stage a birthday party for a 12-year
old---he or she greets the guests as they arrive, makes sure
everybody knows who he is---then what about party favors---a soft
drink and a conversation leader until all the guests arrive--the
opening of presents--icecream and cake--and games to play, a
thank you gift for coming, and a reason to end the party at a
pre-determined time...
Do you greet the guests, does the mother or father, or the little
boy or girl? Where do you come up with the party favors at less
than regular retail prices? Where are you going to get the soft
drinks-your cost and the glasses or paper cups to serve them in?
What about ice? What kind of games to play? Who'll be the
conservation leader? Will there be a clown or someone special to
keep everything moving according to plan? Where do you get the
ice cream and cake? What games to play? How to get everyone
involved? And finally, a feasible and polite reason for ending
the party and sending everyone home...
All this takes planning, organization, and if you're going to
make a profit, a definite awareness of cost control. Get it all
down on paper as a proposal to the people who want to pay you to
carry it off. Figure out your costs, the time involved in putting
it all together, and then get back to your prospect.
Always leave room for changes in your proposal. In fact, expect
them--invite input and suggestions from the client--and always
have an alternate idea in your mind for each of those on your
written proposals. Discuss your proposal with the client just as
you would a script for a television show, make the suggested
changes and ask for a 50-percent advance deposit. From there,
it's just a matter of following your plan.
Regardless of size or type of party--whether your client is a
working mother or a giant corporation--the format is always the
same: initial inquiry, interview, your proposal, 2nd interview
for any changes, agreement, deposit, staging the party itself,
and your final payment. As mentioned earlier, success in this
business comes from your planning--having a lot of contacts--and
working your plan.
An important word of caution: Try not to get "boxed in" to
setting or even revealing a tentative price until you've had a
chance to listen to what the prospect wants, to study your own
capabilities, and to make a formal written proposal. If a
customer wants to know how much you charge--and if you feel it
necessary in order to eventually close the sale--you can tell him
50 to 100 dollars per hour, plus expenses, and of course,
depending on the type of event the customer wants.
As for how much the average party costs, again tell him that it
varies anywhere from 50 to 5,000 dollars.
Always keep in mind that you are a professional, and that if the
ordinary person had your knowledge, contacts and ambition to do
it himself, he wouldn't be calling you on the phone. He needs
your help for any number of reasons. You specialize in this kind
of work or service just as a doctor specializes in medicine and a
lawyer in legal matters. Therefore, you should, and do expect to
be paid accordingly.
Something else--this business thrives on word-of-mouth
advertising--referrals--and thus, is direct "freeway' to the kind
of customers where money is of no concern. However, on order to
gain access to this market, your business emphasis has to be on
service.
This means the capability of handling everything for the
customer, from having the invitations printed and sent out to
cleaning up after the last guest has left. Businesses and people
in the upper income brackets, like to pick up the phone--tell
someone they want a party on a certain date--and then forget
about it, knowing everything will be taken care of without
further worry or time involvement from them. Once you've
developed your expertise and clientele to this level, you'll have
a business in the $200,000 to $250,00 per year range.
Definitely arrange for a display ad in the yellow pages of your
telephone directory. You'll probably get 40% of your inquires
from this source alone. Generally speaking, radio and/or
television advertising will be too expensive when compared with
the immediate results. However, it is recommended that you
consider these media prior to special holidays.
Working with restaurants, supper clubs, bridal shops and
entertainment business in general. can bring in hundreds of
referrals for you. Rubbing shoulders with, and circulating as a
part of your area's civic and service clubs, should also result
in more business for you.
Keep your eyes and ears on the alert. Where ever you go, and with
whomever you associate, always be ready to promote and sell your
services, if not on the spot, at least make a note to follow up
when conditions are more in your favor. Promoting and selling
your services will require at least half your time, and that's
why two people operating catering services are so successful from
the start.
The actual selling is quite simple so long as you emphasize the
service and time-saving aspects. The more time-consuming work you
can handle for the client, the easier it's going to be for you to
close the sale.
Handing out business cards is one of the least expensive ways to
advertise, promote and sell your services. One enterprising
caterer makes arrangements with the sponsors of all his parties,
to see that each of the guests gets one of his business cards.
Another gives each of his clients a stack of his business cards,
and tells them he'll pay them $25 for each prospect they refer to
him. He tells them to write their name on the backs of the cards,
and to hand them out to their friends. And then, whenever a
person tells him that John or Jane suggested he call, and he
presents the card with John or Jane's name on the back, this very
successful caterer sends John or Jane a $25 check.
Another very successful caterer pays commissions to a group of
housewives and college students who solicit--via their home
phones--interviews for him with brides-to-be. They get their
leads from announcements, and pictures of brides-to-be in the
local papers.
Many caterers pay sales people a commission for letting them know
when they hear about a party or special event being planned by
one of their business customers.
The possibilities go on and on, and are seemingly un limited.
Time is becoming more valuable to a lot more people every day,
which means there are more and more opportunities for great
wealth and personal independence as a professional caterer. In
reality the success for just about any person entering this
field, will be limited only by his or her own imagination and
energy.
There is definite opportunity for great wealth within the
catering field. Anyone with a sense of service to others can
succeed. Very little "readycash" is needed to begin. Therefore,
the only thing standing between you and the realization of your
dreams, is the action it takes on your part to get started...
Saturday, August 2, 2008
How To Make Your Fortune With Self-Improvement Seminars
Raise Capital in 90 Days Online - Now!
Ever since the beginning of time, ambitious people of the world
have attributed some "indescribable secret" to the success of
those people with wealth. These people have spent, and will
continue to spend, millions of dollars to cultivate these
"secrets" within themselves.
Particularly since the early seventies, there has been a growing
demand by the public to attend classes, workshops, and
self-improvement seminars that will enable them to align their
thinking as well as their actions, with those of people who have
already achieved success.
The popularity of such best-selling how-to books as WINNING IS
BELIEVING...THINK AND GROW RICH...HOW TO DEVELOP A WINNING
PERSONALITY...OVERCOMING SHYNESS... IMAGINEERING... NEW LIFE
OPTIONS... WINNING BY NEGOTIATION... SUCCESSFUL VISUAL-VERBAL
COMMUNICATIONS... CONVERSATIONALLY SPEAKING... and countless
others lends reinforcement to the "need" for self-improvement
seminars.
You can promote and stage these seminars either as a generalists
or as a specialist in a specific area of expertise--and attain
wealth for yourself almost beyond your current imagination! The
market potential has only barely been scratched, affording a real
ground-floor opportunity for those with the gumption to take
action.
Dale Carnegie--the author of the book, How To Win Friends and
Influence People--was certainly one of the first, if not "the
first" self-improvement seminar market/teacher. Back in the Great
Depression of the thirties, he recognized this need in people to
improve themselves--he worked out a deal with the local
management of his hometown YMCA-- got the word around that he was
holding classes on self-improvement--and the rest is one of the
truly classic unemployed-to-multi-million-dollar success stories
of our time.
A self-improvement seminar is conducted much the same as a
Toastmaster's Club meeting...It can be held just about anywhere,
from the informal atmosphere of someone's living room to the
formalities of the Hilton Convention Center.
Basically, a self-improvement seminar is a gathering of people
where one or more speakers talk on a specific subject. More often
than not, only a certain aspect of self-improvement, such as How
To develop A Positive Mental Attitude--is the thrust of the
seminar. In other words, the more successful seminars deal with
"specialized areas" of self-improvement.
These speakers usually wind up their talks with audience
involvement questions and answer sessions. Most of them "wind
down" with the speaker circulating thru the audience, plus lots
of opportunity for the purchase of self-help books and tapes by
the people wanting on-going motivation and reinforcement to what
they've just heard. Always-sometimes even as the featured subject
of the seminar--there's a great deal of motivation projected
during these meetings. At the bottom line, motivation is more the
purpose of these seminars than the attendees learning something
they don't already know. The favorite words of most seminar
speakers is usually, "It's the difference between having a dream
and taking action--a matter of saying I can, believing it, and
then doing it--because you can!
Successful seminars are generally based upon the concept of
giving you the power to believe you can. The speakers usually
speaks from insights and expertise gained from their own life
experiences. Self-improvements seminars give the attendees the
tools--and the motivation--to succeed. Thus, a well-organized and
well presented seminar that helps people up the ladder of success
can't help but succeed because we are a success oriented
society--it's an easy sell with an income potential limited only
by your ability to express yourself.
You won't need an office to make it big with self-improvement
seminars. The public doesn't visit you--you take your programs to
them. Self-improvement seminars appeal to almost everybody--from
blue-collar workers to top executives.
The average cost per person to attend a seminar is very close to
$300--so your basic audience will be from the upper-income
brackets--but if you handle the promotional aspects properly,
you'll pull them in from lesser income brackets as well.
Many seminar promoters employ sales teams to call upon top
company executives and either get the to partially pay the cost
of several employees to attend as educational or business
improvement investments--or to foot the bill for the sponsorship
of a "group seminar" for all of that company's middle management
personnel. Many specialty speakers make in excess of $100,000 per
year with regular motivational and/or self-improvement seminars
in this fashion.
In the beginning though, you'll get your start by staging
seminars for the general public in restaurant banquet rooms,
hotel ballrooms, and convention centers. These will entail
advertising costs, plus the charges for the rented space, and an
"on hand" inventory of the materials you want to sell to the
people who attend your seminars.
Generally, you'll do best with an intensive radio advertising
campaign during the week preceding your seminar date. In a
metropolitan area of half a million population, you should spend
a couple of thousand dollars on radio advertising, plus half as
much for flamboyant newspaper advertising. Some seminar promoters
invest a quarter of their budget in newspapers, then a half going
into radio. Of course, the allocation of your advertising budget
should be related to the previous proven pulling power of each
media within that particular market. Not too much concern is
given to television advertising, excepting for guest appearances
of the community service talk shows.
Most promoters spend all of this effort and money to promote a
series of free seminars. These free seminars usually draw huge
crowds, during which special "front men" turn everybody on with
super-motivational stories designed to wet the appetite of those
in attendance for more. These free seminars generally last only
45 minutes to an hour, and are strictly motivational in purpose.
Each person in attendance is handed a brochure describing the
up-coming "main event" as they leave these free seminars. An
attempt is made to get an commitment---at least a deposit for the
cost of the "real thing" which is usually set for the week
following. Those who do commit themselves to attending the big
one are then contacted by professional telephone sales people and
given the complete sales presentation between the time of the
free seminar ad the date of the real thing. With good
advertising, up-front motivational speakers, attractive program
brochures and experienced telephone sales people--you can count
on closing about 30 to 35% of those who attend your free
seminars.
If you don't have the confidence or inclination to
participate--be the principal speaker--at your seminars you can
hire local sales training people, professional people from the
medical specialties, local "experts" known thru your area
newspapers or broadcast media, and or/ nationally known speakers
wiling to travel and operating thru speakers' bureaus. You might
want to contact Burt Dubin of Personal Achievement Institute--225
Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 305--Santa Monica, CA 90401...or Dottie
Walters of The National Speakers' Bureau--400 W Foothill Blvd.,
--Glendora, CA 91740.
Finally, a reiteration of the fact that there are literally
millions of people in all parts of the country willing and able
to pay you for helping them to improve themselves. You can start
with meetings in your living room, or your local restaurant. All
it takes is action on your part to get it set up, and a push from
yourself to start making it happen. Best of luck, and now get
going with it.
Ever since the beginning of time, ambitious people of the world
have attributed some "indescribable secret" to the success of
those people with wealth. These people have spent, and will
continue to spend, millions of dollars to cultivate these
"secrets" within themselves.
Particularly since the early seventies, there has been a growing
demand by the public to attend classes, workshops, and
self-improvement seminars that will enable them to align their
thinking as well as their actions, with those of people who have
already achieved success.
The popularity of such best-selling how-to books as WINNING IS
BELIEVING...THINK AND GROW RICH...HOW TO DEVELOP A WINNING
PERSONALITY...OVERCOMING SHYNESS... IMAGINEERING... NEW LIFE
OPTIONS... WINNING BY NEGOTIATION... SUCCESSFUL VISUAL-VERBAL
COMMUNICATIONS... CONVERSATIONALLY SPEAKING... and countless
others lends reinforcement to the "need" for self-improvement
seminars.
You can promote and stage these seminars either as a generalists
or as a specialist in a specific area of expertise--and attain
wealth for yourself almost beyond your current imagination! The
market potential has only barely been scratched, affording a real
ground-floor opportunity for those with the gumption to take
action.
Dale Carnegie--the author of the book, How To Win Friends and
Influence People--was certainly one of the first, if not "the
first" self-improvement seminar market/teacher. Back in the Great
Depression of the thirties, he recognized this need in people to
improve themselves--he worked out a deal with the local
management of his hometown YMCA-- got the word around that he was
holding classes on self-improvement--and the rest is one of the
truly classic unemployed-to-multi-million-dollar success stories
of our time.
A self-improvement seminar is conducted much the same as a
Toastmaster's Club meeting...It can be held just about anywhere,
from the informal atmosphere of someone's living room to the
formalities of the Hilton Convention Center.
Basically, a self-improvement seminar is a gathering of people
where one or more speakers talk on a specific subject. More often
than not, only a certain aspect of self-improvement, such as How
To develop A Positive Mental Attitude--is the thrust of the
seminar. In other words, the more successful seminars deal with
"specialized areas" of self-improvement.
These speakers usually wind up their talks with audience
involvement questions and answer sessions. Most of them "wind
down" with the speaker circulating thru the audience, plus lots
of opportunity for the purchase of self-help books and tapes by
the people wanting on-going motivation and reinforcement to what
they've just heard. Always-sometimes even as the featured subject
of the seminar--there's a great deal of motivation projected
during these meetings. At the bottom line, motivation is more the
purpose of these seminars than the attendees learning something
they don't already know. The favorite words of most seminar
speakers is usually, "It's the difference between having a dream
and taking action--a matter of saying I can, believing it, and
then doing it--because you can!
Successful seminars are generally based upon the concept of
giving you the power to believe you can. The speakers usually
speaks from insights and expertise gained from their own life
experiences. Self-improvements seminars give the attendees the
tools--and the motivation--to succeed. Thus, a well-organized and
well presented seminar that helps people up the ladder of success
can't help but succeed because we are a success oriented
society--it's an easy sell with an income potential limited only
by your ability to express yourself.
You won't need an office to make it big with self-improvement
seminars. The public doesn't visit you--you take your programs to
them. Self-improvement seminars appeal to almost everybody--from
blue-collar workers to top executives.
The average cost per person to attend a seminar is very close to
$300--so your basic audience will be from the upper-income
brackets--but if you handle the promotional aspects properly,
you'll pull them in from lesser income brackets as well.
Many seminar promoters employ sales teams to call upon top
company executives and either get the to partially pay the cost
of several employees to attend as educational or business
improvement investments--or to foot the bill for the sponsorship
of a "group seminar" for all of that company's middle management
personnel. Many specialty speakers make in excess of $100,000 per
year with regular motivational and/or self-improvement seminars
in this fashion.
In the beginning though, you'll get your start by staging
seminars for the general public in restaurant banquet rooms,
hotel ballrooms, and convention centers. These will entail
advertising costs, plus the charges for the rented space, and an
"on hand" inventory of the materials you want to sell to the
people who attend your seminars.
Generally, you'll do best with an intensive radio advertising
campaign during the week preceding your seminar date. In a
metropolitan area of half a million population, you should spend
a couple of thousand dollars on radio advertising, plus half as
much for flamboyant newspaper advertising. Some seminar promoters
invest a quarter of their budget in newspapers, then a half going
into radio. Of course, the allocation of your advertising budget
should be related to the previous proven pulling power of each
media within that particular market. Not too much concern is
given to television advertising, excepting for guest appearances
of the community service talk shows.
Most promoters spend all of this effort and money to promote a
series of free seminars. These free seminars usually draw huge
crowds, during which special "front men" turn everybody on with
super-motivational stories designed to wet the appetite of those
in attendance for more. These free seminars generally last only
45 minutes to an hour, and are strictly motivational in purpose.
Each person in attendance is handed a brochure describing the
up-coming "main event" as they leave these free seminars. An
attempt is made to get an commitment---at least a deposit for the
cost of the "real thing" which is usually set for the week
following. Those who do commit themselves to attending the big
one are then contacted by professional telephone sales people and
given the complete sales presentation between the time of the
free seminar ad the date of the real thing. With good
advertising, up-front motivational speakers, attractive program
brochures and experienced telephone sales people--you can count
on closing about 30 to 35% of those who attend your free
seminars.
If you don't have the confidence or inclination to
participate--be the principal speaker--at your seminars you can
hire local sales training people, professional people from the
medical specialties, local "experts" known thru your area
newspapers or broadcast media, and or/ nationally known speakers
wiling to travel and operating thru speakers' bureaus. You might
want to contact Burt Dubin of Personal Achievement Institute--225
Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 305--Santa Monica, CA 90401...or Dottie
Walters of The National Speakers' Bureau--400 W Foothill Blvd.,
--Glendora, CA 91740.
Finally, a reiteration of the fact that there are literally
millions of people in all parts of the country willing and able
to pay you for helping them to improve themselves. You can start
with meetings in your living room, or your local restaurant. All
it takes is action on your part to get it set up, and a push from
yourself to start making it happen. Best of luck, and now get
going with it.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Survival Tips For Small Business
You may be in Mail Order, Direct Mail, or you may be a local
merchant with 150 employees; whichever, however or
whatever---you've got to know how to keep your business alive
during economic recessions. Anytime the cash flow in a business,
large or small, starts to tighten up, the money management of
that business has to be run as a "tight ship."
Some of the things you can and should do include protecting
yourself from expenditures made on sudden impulse. We've all
bought merchandise or services we really didn't need simply
because we were in the mood, or perhaps in response to the
flamboyancy of the advertising or the persuasiveness of the
salesperson. Then we sort of "wake up" a couple of days later and
find that we've committed hundreds of dollars of business funds
for an item or service that's not essential to the success of our
own business, when really pressing items had been waiting for
those dollars.
If you are incorporated, you can eliminate these "impulse
purchases" by including in your by-laws a clause that states:
"All purchasing decisions over (a certain amount) are contingent
upon approval by the board of directors." This will force you to
consider any "impulse purchases" of considerable cost, and may
even be a reminder in the case of smaller purchases.
If your business is a partnership, you can state, when faced with
a buying decision, that all purchases are contingent upon the
approval of a third party. In reality, the third party can be
your partner, one of your department heads, or even one of your
suppliers.
If your business is a sole proprietorship, you don't have much to
worry about really, because as an individual you have three days
to think about your purchase, and then to nullify that purchase
if you think you don't really need it or can't afford it.
While you may think you cannot afford it, be sure that you don't
"short-change" yourself on professional services. This would
apply especially during a time of emergency. Anytime you commit
yourself and move ahead without completely investigating all the
angles, and preparing yourself for all the contingencies that may
arise, you're skating on thin ice. Regardless of the costs
involved, it always pays off in the long run to seek out the
advice of experienced professionals before embarking on a plan
that could ruin you.
As an example, an experienced business consultant can fill you in
on the 1244 stock advantages. Getting eligibility for the 1244
stock category is a very simple process, but one with tremendous
benefits to your business.
The 1244 stock encourages investors to put equity capital into
your business because in the event of a loss, amounts up to the
entire sum of the investment can be written off in the current
year. Without the "1244" classification, any losses would have to
be spread over several years, and this, of course, would greatly
lessen the attractiveness of your company's stock. Any business
owner who has not filed the 1244 corporation has in effect cut
himself off from 90 percent of his prospective investors.
Particularly when sales are down, you must be "hard-nosed" with
people trying to sell you luxuries for your business. When
business is booming, you undoubtedly will allow sales people to
show you new models of equipment or a new line of supplies; but
when your business is down, skip the entertaining frills and
concentrate on the basics. Great care must be taken however, to
maintain courtesy and allow these sellers to consider you a
friend and call back at another time.
Your company's books should reflect your way of thinking, and
whoever maintains them should generate information according to
your policies. Thus, you should hire an outside accountant or
accounting firm to figure your return on your investment, as well
as the turnover on your accounts receivable and inventory. Such
an audit or survey should focus in depth on any or every item
within the financial statement that merits special attention. in
this way, you'll probably uncover any potential financial
problems before they become readily apparent, and certainly
before they could get out of hand.
Many small companies set up advisory boards of outside
professional people. These are sometimes known as power Circles,
and once in place, the business always benefits, especially in
times of short operating capital. Such an advisory board or power
circle should include an attorney, a certified public accountant,
civic club leaders, owners or managers of businesses similar to
yours, and retired executives. Setting up such an advisory board
of directors is really quite easy, because most people you ask
will be honored to serve.
Once your board is set up, you should meet once a month and
present material for review. Each meeting should be a discussion
of your business problems and an input from your advisors
relative to possible solutions. These members of your board od
advisors should offer you advice as well as alternatives, and
provide you with objectivity. No formal decisions need to be made
either at your board meeting, or as a result of them, but you
should be able to gain a great deal from the suggestions you
hear.
You will find that most of your customers have the money to pay
at least some of what they owe you immediately. To keep them
current, and the number of accounts receivable in your files to a
minimum, you should call them on the phone and ask for some kind
of explanation why they're falling behind. if you develop such a
habit as part of your operating procedure, you'll find your
invoices will magically be drawn to the front of their piles of
bills to pay. While maintaining a courteous attitude, don't
hesitant, or too much of a "nice guy" when it comes to collecting
money.
Something else that's a very good business practice, but which
few business owners do is to methodically build a credit rating
with their local banks. Particularly when you have a good cash
flow, you should borrow $100 to $1,000 from your banks every 90
days or so. Simply borrow the money, and place it in an interest
bearing account, and then pay it all back at least a month or so
before it's due. By doing this, you will increase the borrowing
power of your signature, and strengthen your ability to obtain
needed financing on short notice. This is a kind of business
leverage that will be of great value to you if or whenever your
cash position becomes less favorable.
By all means, join your industry's local and national trade
associations. Most of these organizations have a wealth of
information available on everything from details on your
competitors to average industry sales figures, new products,
services, and trends.
If you are given a membership certificate or wall plaque, you
should display these conspicuously on your office wall. Customers
like to see such "seals of approval" and feel additional
confidence in your business when they see them.
Still another thing often overlooked: If at all possible, you
should have your spouse work in the business with you for at
least three or four weeks per year. The important thing is that
if for any reason you are not available to run the business, your
spouse will be familiar with certain people and situations about
your business. These people should include your attorney,
accountant, any consultants or advisors, creditors and your major
suppliers. The long-term advantages of having your spouse work
four weeks per year in your business with you will greatly
outweigh the short-term inconvenience. Many couples share
responsibility and time entirely, which is in most cases even
more desirable.
Whenever you can, and as often as you need it, take advantage of
whatever free business counseling is available. The Small
Business Administration published many excellent booklets,
checklist and brochures on quite a large variety of businesses.
these publications are available through the U.S.Government
printing office. Most local universities, and many private
organizations hold seminars at minimal cost, and often without
charge. You should also take advantage of the services offered by
your bank and local library.
The important thing about running a small business is to know the
direction in which you're heading; to know on a day-to-day basis
your progress in that very direction; to be aware of what your
competitors are doing and to practice good money management at
all times. All this will prepare you to recognize potential
problems before they arise.
In order to survive with a small business, regardless of the
economic climate, it is essential to surround yourself with smart
people, and practice sound business management at all times.
merchant with 150 employees; whichever, however or
whatever---you've got to know how to keep your business alive
during economic recessions. Anytime the cash flow in a business,
large or small, starts to tighten up, the money management of
that business has to be run as a "tight ship."
Some of the things you can and should do include protecting
yourself from expenditures made on sudden impulse. We've all
bought merchandise or services we really didn't need simply
because we were in the mood, or perhaps in response to the
flamboyancy of the advertising or the persuasiveness of the
salesperson. Then we sort of "wake up" a couple of days later and
find that we've committed hundreds of dollars of business funds
for an item or service that's not essential to the success of our
own business, when really pressing items had been waiting for
those dollars.
If you are incorporated, you can eliminate these "impulse
purchases" by including in your by-laws a clause that states:
"All purchasing decisions over (a certain amount) are contingent
upon approval by the board of directors." This will force you to
consider any "impulse purchases" of considerable cost, and may
even be a reminder in the case of smaller purchases.
If your business is a partnership, you can state, when faced with
a buying decision, that all purchases are contingent upon the
approval of a third party. In reality, the third party can be
your partner, one of your department heads, or even one of your
suppliers.
If your business is a sole proprietorship, you don't have much to
worry about really, because as an individual you have three days
to think about your purchase, and then to nullify that purchase
if you think you don't really need it or can't afford it.
While you may think you cannot afford it, be sure that you don't
"short-change" yourself on professional services. This would
apply especially during a time of emergency. Anytime you commit
yourself and move ahead without completely investigating all the
angles, and preparing yourself for all the contingencies that may
arise, you're skating on thin ice. Regardless of the costs
involved, it always pays off in the long run to seek out the
advice of experienced professionals before embarking on a plan
that could ruin you.
As an example, an experienced business consultant can fill you in
on the 1244 stock advantages. Getting eligibility for the 1244
stock category is a very simple process, but one with tremendous
benefits to your business.
The 1244 stock encourages investors to put equity capital into
your business because in the event of a loss, amounts up to the
entire sum of the investment can be written off in the current
year. Without the "1244" classification, any losses would have to
be spread over several years, and this, of course, would greatly
lessen the attractiveness of your company's stock. Any business
owner who has not filed the 1244 corporation has in effect cut
himself off from 90 percent of his prospective investors.
Particularly when sales are down, you must be "hard-nosed" with
people trying to sell you luxuries for your business. When
business is booming, you undoubtedly will allow sales people to
show you new models of equipment or a new line of supplies; but
when your business is down, skip the entertaining frills and
concentrate on the basics. Great care must be taken however, to
maintain courtesy and allow these sellers to consider you a
friend and call back at another time.
Your company's books should reflect your way of thinking, and
whoever maintains them should generate information according to
your policies. Thus, you should hire an outside accountant or
accounting firm to figure your return on your investment, as well
as the turnover on your accounts receivable and inventory. Such
an audit or survey should focus in depth on any or every item
within the financial statement that merits special attention. in
this way, you'll probably uncover any potential financial
problems before they become readily apparent, and certainly
before they could get out of hand.
Many small companies set up advisory boards of outside
professional people. These are sometimes known as power Circles,
and once in place, the business always benefits, especially in
times of short operating capital. Such an advisory board or power
circle should include an attorney, a certified public accountant,
civic club leaders, owners or managers of businesses similar to
yours, and retired executives. Setting up such an advisory board
of directors is really quite easy, because most people you ask
will be honored to serve.
Once your board is set up, you should meet once a month and
present material for review. Each meeting should be a discussion
of your business problems and an input from your advisors
relative to possible solutions. These members of your board od
advisors should offer you advice as well as alternatives, and
provide you with objectivity. No formal decisions need to be made
either at your board meeting, or as a result of them, but you
should be able to gain a great deal from the suggestions you
hear.
You will find that most of your customers have the money to pay
at least some of what they owe you immediately. To keep them
current, and the number of accounts receivable in your files to a
minimum, you should call them on the phone and ask for some kind
of explanation why they're falling behind. if you develop such a
habit as part of your operating procedure, you'll find your
invoices will magically be drawn to the front of their piles of
bills to pay. While maintaining a courteous attitude, don't
hesitant, or too much of a "nice guy" when it comes to collecting
money.
Something else that's a very good business practice, but which
few business owners do is to methodically build a credit rating
with their local banks. Particularly when you have a good cash
flow, you should borrow $100 to $1,000 from your banks every 90
days or so. Simply borrow the money, and place it in an interest
bearing account, and then pay it all back at least a month or so
before it's due. By doing this, you will increase the borrowing
power of your signature, and strengthen your ability to obtain
needed financing on short notice. This is a kind of business
leverage that will be of great value to you if or whenever your
cash position becomes less favorable.
By all means, join your industry's local and national trade
associations. Most of these organizations have a wealth of
information available on everything from details on your
competitors to average industry sales figures, new products,
services, and trends.
If you are given a membership certificate or wall plaque, you
should display these conspicuously on your office wall. Customers
like to see such "seals of approval" and feel additional
confidence in your business when they see them.
Still another thing often overlooked: If at all possible, you
should have your spouse work in the business with you for at
least three or four weeks per year. The important thing is that
if for any reason you are not available to run the business, your
spouse will be familiar with certain people and situations about
your business. These people should include your attorney,
accountant, any consultants or advisors, creditors and your major
suppliers. The long-term advantages of having your spouse work
four weeks per year in your business with you will greatly
outweigh the short-term inconvenience. Many couples share
responsibility and time entirely, which is in most cases even
more desirable.
Whenever you can, and as often as you need it, take advantage of
whatever free business counseling is available. The Small
Business Administration published many excellent booklets,
checklist and brochures on quite a large variety of businesses.
these publications are available through the U.S.Government
printing office. Most local universities, and many private
organizations hold seminars at minimal cost, and often without
charge. You should also take advantage of the services offered by
your bank and local library.
The important thing about running a small business is to know the
direction in which you're heading; to know on a day-to-day basis
your progress in that very direction; to be aware of what your
competitors are doing and to practice good money management at
all times. All this will prepare you to recognize potential
problems before they arise.
In order to survive with a small business, regardless of the
economic climate, it is essential to surround yourself with smart
people, and practice sound business management at all times.
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