Between now and January 1st 2010...

I have a three prong attack for this blog between now and January 1st:

1. If you are a pro photographer (translation = if you make money with your camera either full or part time) I want to make you more successful next year. It's actually something I am going to do for myself and hope you will come along for the ride.

It's a jump start on my new years resolution. In 2009 I have worked too inefficiently and left way too much money on the table either because of poor implementation or worse, no implementation (another translation = laziness).

It's been like driving a car in need of a tune-up, it still works, but with a little effort it could work sooo much better.

My plan is to take the things I have learned this year and incorporate them into my studio workflow to increase efficiencies while presenting my work in the best way possible, this will serve my studio and my clients better - win/win.

To give you an example of one thing I do poorly is product presentation, when I finish processing the images from a shoot I upload them to an online gallery where the client can view and order if (and when) they want. No input, no direction, no assistance from me.

That's it - that's the extent of my sales process.

I have learned from other photographers who do online sales and those who do in studio projection presentations and my plan is to incorporate both.

Bringing each client into the studio to present their images in a relaxed and fun atmosphere will not only be a better sales tool, it it will also help develop a better relationship, a stronger bond with my clients.

If an in studio presentation isn't possible I have learned from Joyce Smith how to present images online in such a way that it maximizes sales.

Where I host my images needs to change as well. I currently use SmugMug Pro and there is nothing I dislike about them, they do a great job and I was perfectly happy with the arrangement until I was asked a question that made realize I needed to change what I was doing. "What do you say to folks when they ask why they can order images directly from SmugMug at a much lower price than they can from you?" It was a good question and one I still don't have an answer for.

I can tell them until I am blue in the face all the time and expense (studio, software, etc.) that goes into producing their image but all they hear is "blah, blah, blah" as the look at their SmugMug print price for an image uploaded from their point and shoot camera and wonder why my image that is the same size is 3 times more.

I need to remove that obstacle, I need to find a lab that does not sell to the public.

So for the rest of the year I will be sharing/reviewing products that have helped me (and hopefully you too) run a better studio in 2010.

2. If your only interested in photography as a hobby I am going to share with you products that will help make you a better photographer or at the very least make it easier and more fun. So there will be stuff here for you too.

3. Re-invigorate our Flickr group. It has languished as other things positioned itself for my time. If there are things you would like to see, or happen at our Flickr group PLEASE let me know by posting a comment here or drop me an email.

So, there you have it, the Weekly Photo Tips plan for the rest of the year.