reason to project your photos at proof time

[alwoodruff]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

Maybe. Keep an eye on our blog.




If I may be blunt - that was your biggest mistake in all this. Add up the total while she's sitting there. Once they leave, you shoot your sale in the head.

Payment OPTIONS are good. It doesnt have to be a plan - it could be something simple as layaway. Plans are tricky b/c stuff comes up and people might not pay you, then you waste time trying to get paid. I wouldnt release products until the bill is paid in full either. Credit cards are a less costly item imho. If you offer credit cards, the bank fees associated with accepting them become part of your overhead, so you should pad it into your prices.

I appreciate your bluntness. That's what I need to hear. I'd love to know if there's anything else you would you have done different.

Do you (or anyone) have an order form they'd mind sharing that helps organize the order as you go so everything's not a chicken scratched mess at the end?

I'm want to start offering credit card options. Any suggestions from anyone who they've used and been pleased with (service and fee amount)?

Curious how Holly (or anyone ftm) present/structure a payment option. Do you require each payment in layaway each month be at least $xxx or do you ask them how many months do they need to pay it off? Curious to hear from others' successes/failures to prevent having to learn from my own failures (as I've already begun doing:)

Holly, would you mind sharing the projector brand you use?

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by alwoodruff

I appreciate your bluntness. That's what I need to hear. I'd love to know if there's anything else you would you have done different.

Do you (or anyone) have an order form they'd mind sharing that helps organize the order as you go so everything's not a chicken scratched mess at the end?

I'm want to start offering credit card options. Any suggestions from anyone who they've used and been pleased with (service and fee amount)?

Curious how Holly (or anyone ftm) present/structure a payment option. Do you require each payment in layaway each month be at least $xxx or do you ask them how many months do they need to pay it off? Curious to hear from others' successes/failures to prevent having to learn from my own failures (as I've already begun doing:)

Holly, would you mind sharing the projector brand you use?

I PMed you most of this info on payments, etc.

Chicken scratch on order forms doesnt matter. Have them mangle the form all they want so long as they are writing up their order. You can rewrite a pretty one at the end.

I have no idea what kind of projector we have. Mike bought it on Woot.com. They sell them on there a lot. I can look for you, but its not a top of the line model, I know that. We are too cheap. I spend all my money on the boutique poshness and backdrops and props that are luxurious for the boudoir studio.

[alwoodruff]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

I have no idea what kind of projector we have. Mike bought it on Woot.com. They sell them on there a lot. I can look for you, but its not a top of the line model, I know that.

If you don't mind, that would be helpful. I also posted, though, a new thread in the equipment section asking others what they use...

[jprechel]

I am in the market for a projector and I found this article that I thought others might find helpful: http://www.shootsmarter.com/content/view/288/

[doctahjones]

Originally Posted by Mindy H

Hurdle #2 is....I *know* I am not good at sales. It's something that I am going to have to force myself to learn.

here's what i learned (ymmv) when i was thrown into the used..ahem, preowned car sales biz a long time ago.

people already know if they are or are not going to buy a car (or pictures) that day. you don't go to a car lot (or get pictures taken) if you have no intention of buying anything.

they just have to decide -who- they're going to buy from. so, sell -yourself-, build raport and the pictures will sell themselves. the more they like you, the more they'll buy because they -trust- you.

i followed that line of thinking and in my first solo month on the floor i sold 16 cars (tieing for salesman of the month out of about 9 people, which goes to who sold the most that month) and grossed $6k. while that might not be -that- much $, that's a pretty good chunk of change for someone's first month at sales, ever.

[ramiro]

Since reading this thread I have been researching into which projectors are better for our application as photographers doing projection for sales. The short of it is that for us, projectors with a higher contrast ratio would be better, since they reproduce richer blacks, shadow tonality, and truer whites. A 2000:1 contrast is considered entry level, 5000:1 is considered midrange, and 10,000:1 or more is considered high end. In planning the projector expense for my business, the following is the best I found at around the price I was planning on paying. I think that since we are going to be doing projection of our images for the purpose of selling prints, the best quality image we can project the better. Hope this helps those looking for a good projector.

Optoma HD806 - DLP projector - 2000 Lumens; 8000:1 contrast ratio - going for a little over $2K at Amazon.com

If you can afford it, the Optoma HD8200 has a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, but that thing is closer to $5K.

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by ramiro

Optoma HD806 - DLP projector - 2000 Lumens; 8000:1 contrast ratio - going for a little over $2K at Amazon.com

If you can afford it, the Optoma HD8200 has a 20,000:1 contrast ratio, but that thing is closer to $5K.

Whoa Ramiro! Unless you are projecting in a very large room (auditorium) or a very brightly lit room these projectors are over kill in my opinion. My projector is five years old, cost less than $800., is only 1200 lumens and I think the contrast ratio is less than 2000:1. However to make this work my projection room has drapes that cut 95% of the window light and the room light is on a dimmer switch. The images on the wall look so good that I didn't even bother putting up a screen. The second one you lised is the one we use in the sanctuary (800 seats) at church. YMMV

Here is a quote from the shootsmarter link that Jim posted above:

Our Recommendations.
For the best overall projector for the money, for in studio use and maybe a little use outside the studio too, go with the NEC VT series. They range from the VT595 at $725 / 2000 ANSI, up to the VT700 at 3000ANSI and just under $1000. They rock. The NEC VT's zoom lenses do not go really wide, so they will be placed further from the screen than the other brands I recommend - therefore performing a little on the less-bright side. Not a biggie though.

For a step up in portability, a wider zoom lens, and more features, look into the Epson PowerLite 83+ ($900 / 2200 ANSI) to the really terrific Epson PowerLite 1715c that you can connect to wirelessly through your network that is 2700 ANSI at $1700.

and for those of you who want to blow your client's hair back with the primo-est projector quality, you will enjoy the elegant color and amazing clarity of the Canon SX series of projectors (skip the Canon LV series?). They are SXGA resolution (1440x1050) which is more than you need but the overall optical quality of the lens and the image processor makes it worth wasting the added resolution. The downside is the price tag. The Canon SX60 (2500 ANSI) we tested was $2600. Worth it if you can spare the bux BTW.

[danchez]

OK, so do you go to the clients house and project onto their walls or are your presentations taking place at your "studio?"

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by danchez

OK, so do you go to the clients house and project onto their walls or are your presentations taking place at your "studio?"

We have done it both ways. We have an office in our home set up with a comfy couch projector and computer. Or take the laptop and projector to the clients home and project right onto the wall where they plan to hang the portrait. Our experience has been that the in home method will usually sell one size larger than the in studio method. A little more work, a lot more gain.

[syuan]

Interesting read...tagging this one.

1. What would be a good enough projector for presentation that will give you just as good an image resolution and clarity as a 22" monitor? Any suggestion on Brand, technical specs, and why you think its better than the other brands?

2. What will be a good resource to use for learning about the sale side of business using projector method. I am very bad at sales and need to learn how to make it work for my business.

Appreciate the feed back!

[danchez]

after reading a few other posts on projectors, I am once again going with some of Don's advice. I will be buying an Epson PowerLite.

an excerpt from a different thread
Don Barnes says:

Our Recommendations.
For the best overall projector for the money, for in studio use and maybe a little use outside the studio too, go with the NEC VT series. They range from the VT595 at $725 / 2000 ANSI, up to the VT700 at 3000ANSI and just under $1000. They rock. The NEC VT's zoom lenses do not go really wide, so they will be placed further from the screen than the other brands I recommend - therefore performing a little on the less-bright side. Not a biggie though.

For a step up in portability, a wider zoom lens, and more features, look into the Epson PowerLite 83+ ($900 / 2200 ANSI) to the really terrific Epson PowerLite 1715c that you can connect to wirelessly through your network that is 2700 ANSI at $1700.

and for those of you who want to blow your client's hair back with the primo-est projector quality, you will enjoy the elegant color and amazing clarity of the Canon SX series of projectors (skip the Canon LV series?). They are SXGA resolution (1440x1050) which is more than you need but the overall optical quality of the lens and the image processor makes it worth wasting the added resolution. The downside is the price tag. The Canon SX60 (2500 ANSI) we tested was $2600. Worth it if you can spare the bux BTW.

[danchez]

2 more questions about projecting....

1) How far/close does the projector have to be to the wall/screen.

2) When projecting at a clients house, do you take a stand with you to put the projector on?

[bondarnes]

1) depends on the projector lens and how large you want the image to be. Six to eight feet is a good starting place for a large wall portrait. A projector with a wide angle lens will let you be closer.

2) If I had a projector stand I would take it, but since I don't my answer is no. I have seen small table tops that can be attached to a tripod, but have never used one.

[jetblast]

tag, so i can read later.