Sending "Elle Woods Style" Welcome Videos to Photography Clients

It was 2am. I was sitting like a mouse in my in-laws kitchen — gross computer light glowing on my face. I saw the ad for a "Social Media Assistant" at creativeLIVE and I was sold. What would set me apart? I HAD TO GET THIS JOB! It was kinda scary but I made a video. I did one take and told myself that even though it wasn't very professional or polished, it would show my personality and hopefully win them over. Well, I had the job in less than 48hrs.

Two years later, I applied for another job with a video. Less than 48hrs, I had the job. 10 months later (i.e. yesterday), I applied for yet another job with yet another video and boom, they liked me and I'm hired.

When it comes to applying for jobs, sending a video with the application is valuable because 1) it does make you stand out and 2) it's basically an interview — they get to see your face, listen to you speak, hear a little about you etc... before they even ask for an interview, you hand (a.k.a. send) it to them. Now you're already at the next stage of the application process — leaps ahead of anyone else who has applied. It worked for Elle Woods after all. ;)

With "normal" jobs, you're usually the one that approaches the business and you hope they hire you. With photography jobs, your clients are approaching you and you hope they hire you.

Either way, you're trying to sell yourself and win people over and get them to say, "You're hired."

I send little 2min "hello, i'm Chamonix" videos to almost all my potential clients (sometimes it's hard to produce if the computer isn't behaving). They usually love it and make some comment about how they "loved the personal response." These videos are my way of creating that personal connection quickly before they move on and hire someone else.

When I started making videos it was awkward and embarrassing. But with practice came comfort and with comfort came fun. Now I love making these little videos and I would encourage everyone to try it. Maybe one day someone will send me a video... ;) I can't wait.

xoxo

Chamonix

Blogging Tips for Photographers 101 (Pt. 6): Finding Time to Blog

When it comes to blogging, most photographers really struggle to find the time. They are already swamped juggling 1001 other things and blogging gets pushed aside and sometimes skipped for weeks on end. When you believe blogging is going to eat up all your time, I totally understand why you are feeling so frustrated, uninspired, and intimidated. I really struggled with creating consistent blog posts when I was working full time for someone else. Even now when I'm self-employed again, I have been falling behind. At the best of times, when my blogging is regular and on a roll, these are the tips that help me keep momentum...

Perfection is the Enemy of Good

We don't have the time to sit down and write Pulitzer Prize winning material. Well good news folks, nobody is expecting that from you. There is no harm in checking your grammar but don't sabotage your blog's success by an obsession with perfection. I repeat this mantra, "It's good enough." I imagine reading my blog as an outsider - if it's good enough as someone else's blog, then it's going to work just fine. I'm the only one who wants it to look perfect. A good blog that's regular is more effective for your business than a perfect blog that hardly even exists. 

Change Your Blogging Mentality  

Instead of searching for a block of peaceful time in a quaint cafe to write your perfect blog essays, welcome the art of blogging into your entire life. I "blog" when I'm in line at the grocery store. I'll be thinking of a subject, develop the idea, think of the picture I'm going to include and when I get home it's practically written itself. 

Blog on the Go!

You don't have to be logging into your blogging website to create your blog posts. I have a document on my computer and iPhone that I use for drafting blog posts. I write ideas there, create lists, jot down funny moments etc… Sometimes I write entire blog posts. I do all of this offline so when I do log on, all I have to do is copy and paste. Sometimes writing in Notepad, Textedit or Word is a lot less intimidating then in that little white square on the blogging website because there's no chance you'll accidentally click publish. haha No seriously though, that little inch of separation from the internet can really help ideas flow.

Blog in Bulk

Of course you don’t have time to blog if you’re sitting down everyday trying to come up with new genius content, clever words and relevant photos. Stop trying to blog everyday in a panic and start running “blog marathons”. On a Saturday afternoon or a Monday lunch-break (a.k.a. whenever I feel like it) I stretch out my fingers and type out 3-4 blog posts in one sitting.

If you need help managing your time, I highly recommend reading this book: 

"168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think" by Laura Vanderkam

Part 1: Challenges of Blogging for Photographers
Part 2: SEO
Part 3: 10 Ways to Come Up with Interesting Blog Content
Part 4: The Pretty Journal Syndrome
Part 5: But I Don't Like to Write

Blogging Tips for Photographers 101 (Pt. 2): SEO

"Keywords and SEO stuff is so boring! I want my blog to be #1 on Google but I don't want to waste time researching."

Check out Part 1: Challenges of Blogging

Learning about SEO is one of the biggest challenges for photography business owners who are using blogging as a way to market their business. SEO has been a mystery to me for years and I'm absolutely no expert at it. I'm a total SEO rookie and I wish there were a shortcut but sadly, as far as I can tell, there is no magic SEO shortcut.

Here's the fact of the matter… 

-If you want people to find you online, you gotta appear in their Google searches.

-If you want to rank high in Google searches, you gotta optimize your blog for search engines.

-You need to either A) take the time to learn and do the SEO yourself or B) pay someone else to do it for you. 

-If you are going to learn about SEO yourself, it's way too much to learn in one afternoon. Slow and steady is the only way to win this race. SEO is a never ending process that will be evolving & improving FOREVER. So learn a new SEO trick each week, apply it, and get on with business. 

Here are some basic SEO tips to help get you started on your long slog towards achieving your destiny as #1 on Google….

Keywords 

Learn about keywords. It's a challenge to really figure out your perfect keywords. Use Google keywords to help you brainstorm. Think about what your ideal clients are searching for online. Once you have your keywords, you've got to put them into action. For each blog post, choose an appropriate keyword and put it everywhere, at every level: in the title, in the first sentence, hyperlink it, in the tags, in the picture descriptions etc... The same keyword repeated over and over so Google knows that this page really is all about that keyword. 

Social Media BackLinks

You want to have your blog's URL splattered around other websites. You've probably heard that your back links on social media sites like Facebook & Twitter don't count. However, your links WILL be acknowledged on these social media sites: LinkedIn, Google Places, Google Profiles, Digg, Reddit

Getting Published on Other Blogs

When you write guest posts or submit your photos to other blogs, consider how those blogs rank. You may be excited to get published on another blog, but getting published on a blog with a low Google ranking probably won't do anything for your traffic or SEO. Focus on sharing your content with high ranking blogs. Use the Google PageRank Checker: http://www.prchecker.info/check_page_rank.php

These website are your new best friends:

http://searchengineland.com/

http://moz.com/blog

I totally know how it feels when you're drowning in a world of SEO research. It all seems like too much to learn. It feels like a waste of time. You don't want to sit there behind your computer all day. I get it. But I'm starting to think that if you really rely on online marketing and you're wanting people to find your business through Google, you're just going to have to put in the hours (or shell out the moola & hire somebody else to do it). 

The hardcore little voice in my head is saying.... "I'm sorry you find SEO research boring but it's probably going to have a bigger payoff for your business than however many hours a day you're spending redesigning your website or logo (for the 200th time)." 

So good luck my friends. I'm sorry for delivering the depressing news but at least now the delusion is broken and you can start to make real progress. Grit your teeth and DO. This SEO learning curve is the "not fun part" of running your photography business. But ya know, things are only NOT fun when you don't understand them or you feel overwhelmed. The good news is that the more you learn about SEO, the more intriguing it becomes. Just researching for this blog series has got me all SEO excited. ha! 

I'd LOVE to hear your SEO tips. 

Please share them in the comments below so other readers can learn from your wise words! ;)

Check out Part 3: 10 Ways to Come Up with Interesting Blog Content

Check out Blogging Tips for Photographers 101 (Part 1): Challenges of Blogging
Check out Blogging Tips for Photographers 101 (Part 3): 10 Ways to Come Up with Interesting Blog Content

Blogging Tips for Photographers 101: Challenges of Blogging (Part 1)

At the end of 2013, I told you I was going to be writing a "Blogging Tips for Photographers 101" series. I surveyed all of wonderful social media followers and asked you questions like, "What is the most difficult thing about blogging?" I analyzed your responses and created a series of blog posts designed to answer all your questions directly! This blog series is for you, my dear friends in the blogosphere, to help you improve your blogging strategies. I promised to deliver the series in January 2014 and it looks like that age old saying "better late than never" is going to jump out of my back pocket today. Lately, I'm in need of my own blogging advice haha. I've been terrible at blogging recently. I'm finding it so difficult to keep up simply because I'm working 40 hours at someone else's photography studio and when I get home I don't have internet and often the last thing I was to do is spend more time on the computer. I'm starting to appreciate why lots of people feel like they don't have time to blog. So, enough chit chat, are you ready to dive into 'Blogging Tips for Photographers 101"? Woopwoop!! 

During my market research, I asked people:

"What are the biggest challenge of blogging?" 

"What would make blogging easier for you?" 

"What do like/dislike about blogging?"

I saw the same questions/answers popping up again and again. 

So, I divided them into three categories:

MARKETING questions

How do I get people to follow my blog?

Keywords & SEO Stuff — It's so Boring, How do I Learn All About It?

How do I turn readers into clients?

CONTENT questions

How do I write interesting content?

How do I come up with new blog ideas & content?

How to find the balance between professional & personal?

How to choose which photos to include?

ADMIN questions

How do I find the time to blog?

How often should I blog?

How do I create a blogging schedule?

How do I design a blog I love?

My answers to these questions and more blogging tips are headed your way.
New episodes of "Blogging Tips for Photographers 101" will publish every other Tuesday (starting now).
Next time, we'll be tackling the big boy... SEO!! See you in two weeks!

Check out Part 2: SEO

Check out Part 3: 10 Ways to Come Up with Interesting Blog Content

Check out Blogging Tips for Photographers 101 (Part 2): SEO

Check out Blogging Tips for Photographers 101 (Part 3): 10 Ways to Come Up with Interesting Blog Content