Intro by Skip Cohen
Every Tuesday Bev Walden sends out a “Tuesday Tidbit,” and each time she’s been inspirational.
We’re all feeling the same stress. The pandemic has had a dramatic impact on the business of being a photographer. For that matter, it’s effecting EVERY small-business owner, but this is where faith comes into play.
My wife has this quote framed on a wall in our home:
“Faith…is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.”
I’m not sure I’ve ever found a better time for faith in mankind than right now. In terms of you and your business, most important of all is keeping in touch with your clients. You don’t have to pitch them on buying anything – just be there to be helpful. Relationship building is the key to maintaining brand awareness.
Business will come back, just don’t give up!
By Beverly Walden
We have been in this business a long time and seen many things come and go, but one thing that remains the same is that diligence always wins the race!
Like the tale of the tortoise and the hare, we must be consistent and diligent, putting one foot in front of the other, knowing that we can make it to the finish line if we don’t quit.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.” Actually, I believe we learn more from our failures than our successes. It causes us to think at a deeper level as we assess the “why.”
Even before this unprecedented economic time, professional photographers have had many reasons to give up. With the digital revolution came an influx of amateur photographers who put out their “shingles” for business and it was a move, unlike anything we have ever seen.
Today, everyone is a “photographer.” After all, it only takes a camera and a customer to call yourself a photographer!
Cameras on phones have taken a toll on studios everywhere as moms and dads take so many pictures of their kids that they lose the urgency to have professional portraits done. Mediocrity has become acceptable.
This is why you must create GAPS between others and yourself in order to give clients a reason to choose you over others. What are your GAPS? What distinguishes you from others? Why should anyone choose you?
On top of our foundation of faith in God, we continue to add skill, experience, integrity, wisdom gleaned through our years in the business, sound business practices and the strength of our friends in this profession.
And don’t forget that continuing to learn is a HUGE key to succeeding. We are part of a small group of photographers on the same road we are on and we have learned so much from them…and from a different perspective, we may never have thought of by ourselves. It helps to get outside of ourselves and see through other’s eyes.
In addition, with Zoom and the extra time we have had while quarantining, we took advantage of the many classes that were available online to increase our skills and learn new ones.
We fully expect to be standing, year after year, stronger than ever.
I leave you with this quote, “Between you and every goal that you wish to achieve, there is a series of obstacles, and the bigger the goal, the bigger the obstacles. Your decision to be, have and do something out of the ordinary entails facing difficulties and challenges that are out of the ordinary as well. Sometimes your greatest asset is simply your ability to stay with it longer than anyone else.”
~ Brian Tracy
