what has really improved your business?

[christinalouvierre]

I thought it would be great to see what has really improved your company this year.but I am lways looking for ways to improve

Mine are
1.website
2. wpja membership

[lscottpht]

Originally Posted by christinalouvierre

I thought it would be great to see what has really improved your company this year.but I am lways looking for ways to improve

Mine are
1.website
2. wpja membership

Mine are the exact same thing, plus a few ads I placed. One company was nice enough to do an article on me on their website's main page, plus their brides' blog, plus they used my images for another article the following month.

[brad]

Having a studio.

[Roy]

Having paying clients.

[fivegrand]

Everybody pop-poos it, but believe it or not, MySpace.

I've gotten more paying clients from myspace alone in one year than from most of the other "modeling and photography" sites in four years, combined.

[movingex]

Originally Posted by fivegrand

Everybody pop-poos it, but believe it or not, MySpace.

I've gotten more paying clients from myspace alone in one year than from most of the other "modeling and photography" sites in four years, combined.

This may be a dumb question, but how to you use myspace to promote your business? I've never actually been on that site.

[fivegrand]

Originally Posted by movingex

This may be a dumb question, but how to you use myspace to promote your business? I've never actually been on that site.

If you've never been on the site, let alone have a page there, you won't understand most of the following:

Bulletins, bulletins, bulletins. Kick ass images. Throw out the sexy stuff and post images in comments. I have a bunch of what I call promo images that I post in comments that have several images in a collage and some kind of snob appeal text, and the image is linked to my site. Between the site link and the profile image I get tons of traffic and response from people that I have no clue who they are.

I also encourage models that I shoot with to advertise for me. "OMYGAWD! Like, that totally cool guy that did my pics last spring is coming BACK! You should TOTALLY shoot with him if you can get a time with him!" One girl actually posted that in one of her friends' comments last year, hahaha. Many do, some don't.

There are also a surprising number of very large companies that have myspace pages - as well as nightclubs and bars.

[HotHolly]

The biggest thing that helped me in business in general was to break away from traditional photography and shoot in my own style. I read all this stuff about how important light was and that shadows were bad. That completely conflicted with my art training, what I saw, and what I felt. I've obviously done a 180 and have rather shadowy images. No one thought my type of photography would sell in these parts - turns out it does.

[fivegrand]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

I read all this stuff about how important light was and that shadows were bad.

I hear ya there.

When I bought my first big strobe kit I thought I was all hot ****e, I had all these lights and by god I was gonna use em all everytime. And the images looked like crap. Now I shoot for the shadows, more than the light.

[LadyShutterBug]

being the best photographer i can be, and treating my clients as i wish to be treated.

seriously. all about the referrals and continued relationships with my wedding clients.

[HeatherLou]

The best thing that has helped my business so far this year has been quiting my day job.........not having back up income really motivates you to get your booty out there:)

[brad]

Originally Posted by fivegrand

Now I shoot for the shadows, more than the light.

Can I have a Hallelujah?