A New Path

[by Suzanne Sease and Amanda Sosa-Stone]

Starting out in any new business is filled with excitement and the unknown.  Here are some tips we recommend to finding your path.

1.    Know where you want to go in your business (consumer: portraits, weddings, commercial: still life, architecture, fashion, editorial: portraits, etc…)
2.    Make sure you have images to support this direction (minimum of 15-20  strong images)
3.     Find someone to guide you on along this path: a seasoned photographer, a potential person who works in that industry (i.e. if you were architectural photographer – find an architect to possibly guide you)
4.    Pull together your personal resources – who do you know and how can you ask them to personally invest in your business (ask them to make referrals for you).
5.    Make sure you have the website and portfolio available to show someone if asked.
6.    Present yourself and your work in the best light.

Your life and work go hand and hand – so merge what you know from both and ask for help for what you don’t.  This industry is not an easy path to take – but if you find the right road for you, it can be a really interesting and fulfilled career – filled with lots of stories to share and hopefully some great imagery.

Amanda Sosa Stone and Suzanne Sease consult with photographers around the world assisting in marketing and presentation efforts.

Road Trip

[by Suzanne Sease and Amanda Sosa Stone]

Summer time in an assignment world is thought of as the quietest time in the year, when in fact it could be some of the busiest. We think that since the European markets take a sabbatical, the American market does too – but we should all know better – we are Americans and we WORK ALL THE TIME. Remember June and July are spent gearing for the Back to School circulars, the automotive world is shooting the upcoming models , the Fashion world is preparing for September , the Government run programs are in a new fiscal year that starts in July, So why should you market this summer?   You should market because this is the time people are looking and working!

Emails should still be going out as your base marketing. Emails are the easy way out (meaning not much effort on your part), but we still recommend it…but here is our BIG PUSH for the SUMMER….

TAKE A ROAD TRIP – either down the street or to the closest city near you.  Get your book in for a face-to-face showing. We know these can be hard to get, but you should at least try.  It is easier to visit places out of town than your own town, so plan on a road trip.  The general rule of thumb is for every 10 calls you make, you should be able to get 1 meeting.  When you call the buyer (and most likely leave a message) make sure you tell them that you are going to send them an e-mail with designated times you would like to visit.  When you give them a few options, they are more likely to pick one.  Make sure you have their e-mail address before you call.   Do not make appointments on Fridays as a lot of agencies work half days or not at all in the summer.

So the reality is that summer time may be a time for vacations, but it is also a time for gearing up for a very busy shooting time.  Make your road trip a mini vacation – that you can WRITE OFF.

ENJOY and DRIVE SAFELY!

Amanda Sosa Stone and Suzanne Sease consult with photographers around the world assisting in marketing and presentation efforts.