Tracking your marketing efforts closely is a great way to understand what is working for you and what isn’t.

For each mailing campaign, I record the recipients, the type of campaign (4×6  postcard, mini-portfolio, etc), size of the mailing, date and the cost.  For broader endeavors, such as a yearly subscription to a list service or, in my case, attending a trade show, I record the full cost for the year.  If a marketing endeavor is essentially free, such as a LinkedIn account, I make note of how much time I spend setting it up, updating my portfolio and resume, etc.

Finally, I monitor responses & booked jobs.  For example, if I received 50 responses from a mailer but only booked one small job, that’s information I can use.  If I spent X dollars on a trade show and had a 0% rate of return within the following year, that tells me something too.

It’s important to remember that marketing campaigns are typically effective over time.  I still want to monitor my efforts in detail, so I can look for patterns and adjust accordingly.  An easy way to start is by asking every potential client a very simple question: “Where did you find me?”  Sometimes the answers are surprising.

Jenna Close spends a lot of time marketing.  So far, it’s been time well spent.  She can be found at www.p2photography.net.   

It’s hard to part with the money needed to launch a marketing campaign, especially when you are just starting out or business is slow.  When I’m sweating the expense I look at the total cost of the campaign and compare that with how many average sized jobs I need in order to break even.  This puts my output and input into perspective.

Jenna Close tries to break everything down into manageable bits.  You can find her examining the pieces at www.p2photography.net.

I am going to market the heck out of 2012.
I am going to adhere to a schedule that I set at the beginning of the year.
I am going to target clients of value, focusing on quality and not quantity.
I will make more follow-up phone calls.
I will not be afraid to make these follow-up phone calls.
I will request more face-to-face meetings, and this won’t scare me either.
I will learn how to make better use of social media.
I will create personal projects that exemplify my style.
I will think outside of the box.

I will make 2012 the best year of my career.

Jenna Close is looking forward to another year as a photographer.  As always, she is at www.p2photography.net.

In early 2011 my partner and I started offering aerial services with our remotely controlled helicopter.  It was the culmination of a year of research, development, training and considerable financial investment.  We believed that the RC Heli would be a new and useful tool for our clientele.  The endeavor was a big risk.  A calculated risk, but a risk all the same.

Fast forward one year: the RC Heli has lifted our business into a completely new tax bracket and helped solidify our brand within our targeted market (solar energy).  Our expectations have been exceeded in a huge way.

On the other hand, in early 2009 we took another risk.  We rented a booth at a wind power trade show in Chicago.  This too was a significant financial investment.  Unexpectedly, we had a 0% return.  It was an epic failure, but it still taught us a lot about our business and how we approach potential clients.  We picked up the pieces and squeezed them for every ounce of good we could find.

My lesson from 2011 is this: risk is important.  If you don’t take it, you’ll never know the level you could have reached.  Plan well and minimize potential pitfalls.  Be willing to step away from your comfort zone.  Be willing to fail.  Be willing to succeed.  Take 2012 by the horns and go for it.

Jenna Close is currently cooking up her next caluclated risk.  She can be found at www.p2photography.net.

My friend Kat has a large collection of images, paintings and postcards tacked above her office computer.  I like the fact that her workspace is a constantly changing collage of things that inspire her.  I also like that the collage is not on a computer.  I know that the very process of collecting these items is beneficial, now that I’m starting something similar at my place.

Jenna Close collects books, passport stamps and DVDs of TV shows with good acting (this is harder than it sounds).  You can find her at www.p2photography.net.

Recently my partner and I headed out to a job very similar to many we are hired to shoot.  Mere hours into the trip the new marketing director called in a panic because he had just found out we needed safety gear to be onsite.  ‘No problem’, we said, ‘our goggles, safety vests, steel-toed boots and hard hats are already with us’.

If you routinely shoot a certain type of job, invest in the non-camera gear you will need.  It increases your value and makes you look like a pro.

When not advancing the world of haute couture safetywear, Jenna can be found at www.p2photography.net.

I have a ridiculously potent aversion to talking on the phone.  I’m pretty sure it’s some kind of neurosis, but here’s the thing…

Communication is the most important business aspect of what we do.  Furthermore, live conversation (versus texting or email) is a powerful tool that can be used to great advantage.  There were many things about communication that I discovered while struggling with the telephone.  Sadly, they were not second nature to me.  Maybe they are to you, but awareness never hurts.

1) Make eye contact, smile and use a firm handshake.  If the person you are talking with is not in front of you, use your voice to convey confidence and friendliness.

2) Be conscious of how many times the words ‘umm’, ‘uhhh’ or ‘like’ come out of your mouth.  Note if you repeatedly giggle, sigh or engage in other vocal tics.  Watch your body language if you are communicating in person.  Nail-biting, hair-tossing and outfit-fiddling are common.  I have a bad habit of chewing on my bottom lip, which pretty much rules out a career in poker.

3) Leave the telemarketing to others.  Honesty, clarity and sincerity are paramount.  I can detect when someone is trying to force-feed me something from the minute they say ‘hello’, even if all I have to go on is their voice.  You can bet others will as well.  Yes, you are selling something, but aim to do it with class.

4) Pause before replying.  Silence is OK, whether in person or on the phone.  Remember to think.  Especially when negotiating, this will work in your favor.

5) Lastly, people who chew gum while talking are unforgettable.  And not in a good way.

Jenna Close is happy to converse with you by email, text, Morse Code, carrier pigeon or Pony Express.  You can find her at www.p2photography.net.

Corporate photography….often when non-photographers find out this is what I do, they ask why I did not pick a more ‘glamorous’ genre in which to ply my trade.

I imagine they are thinking of Ansel Adams or Annie Leibovitz.  I do not make my living shooting celebrities or landscapes.  It’s not me.  I shoot things like construction sites, solar panels, CEOs and factories.  I LOVE this type of work, and that’s what really counts.

To me, the joy comes from taking something like a substation (which I consider one of the ugliest structures ever built by humans) and turning it into a work of art.  I love having conversations with laborers and learning about how things are made.  I love that when something is being built there are so many angles and lines with which to frame a photograph: steel beams, circular rebar, the way the arm of a drilling machine makes an arc across the sky…

Whatever you are shooting, the main ingredient must be love.  Combine that with skill and you will be on your way.

Jenna Close used to ‘build things’ with her dad in the shop.  Her favorite part was the marks the hammer made when she missed the nail.  That’s why she’s now at www.p2photography.net.

“I challenge you to make your life a masterpiece.  I challenge you to join the ranks of those people who live what they teach, who walk their talk.”   – Tony Robbins

Over the years I have been given many gifts of inspiration, support and friendship.  Without fail, these lessons have come from people who make it a point to teach by example.  Some have been mentors without consciously trying, while others have actively stepped into a leadership role so that I (among others) might have a better chance at success.  Life does not flourish when existing in a void.  Grace is not gained from keeping secrets.  Masterpieces were never meant to be hidden, so paint your life with true and brilliant colors, then step into the open and inspire others to do the same.

Jenna Close spent the summer mentoring 3 students from the Young Photographers Alliance.  The experience was just plain awesome.  Jenna can be found at www.p2photography.net.

When a new client calls, make sure and ask how they found you.  If they answer with ‘online’, ask what search engine they used and what their search terms were.  This information is valuable for a few reasons: one, if they found you online you will begin to see a trend in keywords.  Two, if they were referred to you by someone, you will know who deserves a thank-you card (which can also serve as a reminder that you’re out there and you’re great to work with).

Questions?  You can find Jenna Close at www.p2photography.net.