What was your best business move of 2011?

[rub]

I attended a photographer Christmas party on Friday night, and I asked everyone what their best business move of 2011 was. There were some very interesting answers, and some great ideas for how to improve in the new year.

So, I put the same question out to all of you. What were the BEST business moves you made in 2011?

For me:

1) When new clients asked what I charged, I proudly stated my rates, without floundering, without offering a deal or break or special
2) When friends asked what I charged, I proudly stated my rates, without floundering, without offering a deal or break or special

 

[shootermcgavin]

I stopped worrying. Lawsuits, problems, mistakes... they all happen so I stopped dwelling on them and giving them more attention than they deserve. Worst business move was joining TPF, what a time suck.

 

[MLeeK]

I went to 100% in person proofing for portraits and weddings. My sales went thru the roof.

 

[Destin]

My best business move of the year was to take all my prices off of my website, and turn it into nothing but a portfolio. Also to stop advertising, and stop booking weddings and portraits. Finally realized that even though the clients like my work, I'm going to stick myself in the bottom end of the market unless I wait until I have more experience and better equiptment to promote myself as a business. So for now I just shoot for fun and do the occasional paid gig for the local online newspaper, or event coverage (church christmas plays, etc). The pressure of paid portraits and weddings just zapped the fun out of photography for me.

 

[spacefuzz]

Not start my landscape photography business without a high paying day job.

 

[KmH]

What was your best business move of 2011?

I closed the studio and sold the business.

 

[mishele]

I never started one!!!!!!

 

[Robin Usagani]

my best business move in 2010 was buy a DSLR
my best business move in 2011 learn how to use it .

 

[Destin]

my best business move in 2010 was buy a DSLR
my best business move in 2011 learn how to use it .

Did you create a facebook account advertising $100 weddings too?!?!?!?!

 

[picturephotos]

My best profittable decision was to include sublimation in my business. I started with 15oz mugs. Then moved to license plates, coozies and slates. The customers went wild over the different selections and our sales were great.

 

[MissyMoMo]

I went to 100% in person proofing for portraits and weddings. My sales went thru the roof.

Haha - me again, I swear Im not following you around, ok?

Excuse my complete ignorance, but what do you mean by "in person proofing"?



My best business move would have to be like Rub and that is that I realised that even if my friends were hiring me, they were STILL getting a good deal with my prices, so sticking to my prices no matter what. I remember at the start of last year I got bargained down from a couple that did a maternity shoot and they hadn't paid until after I'd edited all the photos (silly newby mistake that has been recified since), they sat there taking up about 2 hours of my time haggling over the price of my photos like I was some Balinese DVD pusher or something. When they left I felt so used and trashy and completely walked on... so I promised myself that would be my learning curve and it has. Payment up front and prices are PRICES!

Oh and getting better prepared for this December (it was my second year in a row doing Santa photos at a large shopping centre - sounds easy work but it's *beeping* NOT! Staying Christmas cheery all month for little rascals who dont even like Santa, let alone want a photo with him, and especially dont want to SMILE, while their pushy mothers want you to perform a small miracle turning their screaming monster into a smiling angel for the $10 picture... *sigh* but it's good money. ANYWAAAAY, I was a lot better prepared this year and I could tell it ran a lot smoother. So good preparation is another one for me.

That's about it.

 

[jake337]

I never started one!!!!!!

Ditto!

 

[MissyMoMo]

I never started one!!!!!!

Ditto!

Hey Jake - just had a look at your flickr account. I love the photo of the flower and the black one on the first page - looks like a close up of some sort of dripping water, but not sure if it is... what is it?? Amazing! I really have to get a macro lens!!

 

[DannyD]

My best "business" in 2011 : I stopped the "french way of work" !

What I call "French way of work" is this.

When you have a problem, find someone else to take the responsibility and then, complain !

 

[jaykilgore]

My best move was moved away from doing so many workshops and started to really really focus on me. I took about six months off to see if I would miss photography. If I missed it and came back, what could I do differently?

I missed it and came back the second half of 2011 and created some images that I'm proud of. My goal for 2012 is to do my last three workshops and focus more on my portrait business that I let go years ago.