Getting paid work

[laurar90]

Hi all. I have been doing TFP work and am wondering how do i transition from that into real, paid work? What should I charge once I start charging? How do I attract the people willing to pay me for my photography work?
Thanks - any advice will help.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

How do I attract the people willing to pay me for my photography work?

Be excellent.

The End.

 

[shootermcgavin]

I'd like to add to be excellent because that is important. But also work hard and run it like a business. We have some places local to me that don't return calls or emails and take a couple months to get the photos edited and back to you. You can be excellent and still run your business into the hole. Even if it's a part time thing give it the respect it deserves otherwise just keep it a hobby.

 

[tirediron]

Create a business plan, know your costs, and charge accordingly. From that, know how much you can afford to spend on advertising and SPEND EVERY PENNY OF IT! Almost never is advertising money wasted. In photography, especially if you're doing family photography, YOU are a LOT more important than your images. Being on time, acting and sounding professional, returning calls promptly and doing those little extras are what will get you the word of mouth references and repeat business. ALWAYS have a stack of cards in your pocket bag, and hand them out at every opportunity. Make sure your website (a REAL website, not just a Facebook 'site) has a clean, simple, professional approach.

Have the right gear; nothing will lose you a client faster than, "Oh, I'm sorry about that, I could have done a better job, but I don't have a ....", which leads into, IMO, the #1 most important thing, NEVER MAKE EXCUSES!!! If you cock up, admit it and correct it promptly.

 

[KmH]

You can't successfully start/run/sustain a business if you have no business/marketing knowledge/experience/training.

Tirediron alluded to the most basic business fundamental - what you charge has to be directly related to your costs. Part of business knowledge is knowing that there are many costs that have to be accounted for.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail

 

[shootermcgavin]

You can't successfully start/run/sustain a business if you have no business/marketing knowledge/experience/training.

Tirediron alluded to the most basic business fundamental - what you charge has to be directly related to your costs. Part of business knowledge is knowing that there are many costs that have to be accounted for.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail

I kind of disagree with this, hard work is more important than business knowledge. I only say that because my wife has a company that makes well over six figures and she didn't even go to middle school let along high school or college... but she works her ass off. Obviously you can't price yourself to lose profit but you can usually price yourself less than competition and make up with quantity. I have a lot of respect for full time professional photographers, that is not an easy job and the upside is not that great either. But as a part time gig I think it rocks and is a way to do something you enjoy and pay for more toys.

 

[Patrice]

I kind of disagree.......... my wife has a company that makes well over six figures and she didn't even go to middle school let along high school or college...

That is an extraordinary example and does not reflect the majority of cases, not even close. Business studies show that a rather large percentage of new businesses fail inside of 5 years, the leading cause being lack of knowledge of rudimentary, but essential, business management.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

price yourself less than competition and make up with quantity.

If you have the quality you can price yourself at the same level or above others, and make more money, working less.
Why under value quality?
Quality drives the price higher, or you're doing it wrong.

The saying is, "sell low and make up for it in QUANTITY."

 

[bentcountershaft]

Working cheap and often only means you'll be losing more money faster.

 

[KmH]

I kind of disagree with this, hard work is more important than business knowledge. I only say that because my wife has a company that makes well over six figures and she didn't even go to middle school let along high school or college... but she works her ass off.

I bet she does work her ass off, and as mentioned, she is an extraordinary exception to the rule.

If she had had business knowledge at the beginning, perhaps the company could be earning 7 figures, and she would not have had to work so hard. The distinction is also not made regarding "a company that makes well over six figures" and personal income after company costs are paid.

Lastly, how long did it take for your wife to have "a company that makes well over six figures".

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Don't you worry about the naysayers. I learned business from my local library. If I did, just about anybody else can.

I am more worried about the TFP thing. How do you transition from photos of pseudo models to photography where the model is just an accessory? Without seeing some photos I can't tell anything about what you've learned from this TFP but I can tell you there is not a whole lot of work that pays shooting pseudo models.

Can you shoot anything else?

 

[shootermcgavin]

I kind of disagree with this, hard work is more important than business knowledge. I only say that because my wife has a company that makes well over six figures and she didn't even go to middle school let along high school or college... but she works her ass off.

I bet she does work her ass off, and as mentioned, she is an extraordinary exception to the rule.

If she had had business knowledge at the beginning, perhaps the company could be earning 7 figures, and she would not have had to work so hard. The distinction is also not made regarding "a company that makes well over six figures" and personal income after company costs are paid.

Lastly, how long did it take for your wife to have "a company that makes well over six figures".

It took her about 2.5 years and the money I'm talking is after paying employees and expenses before that it is getting on the 7 figure side. She works hard but not more than 40 hours a week hard. She also is far from fluent in English. I totally agree that you can make more money with quality but if you think like that in the beginning your business has a much higher fail rate. If you just focus on getting tons of customers then those people will tell friends and you can slowly raise your rate and your quality should follow. Personally I would not price any service the same as someone else if I was just starting out, but everyone has their own way of skinning a cat. Hard work and follow up will beat out salesmanship and business knowledge any day of the week from everything I have seen and learned. It's great to have both!