This blog today is about the 'A Day in the Life Of ... a Photographer starting a new photography business.
Outside the temperatures is in the upper 20's and I am sitting here at my laptop working away in the heat instead of being out there, enjoying the sun and the beach! It is so busy outside on our street where we live with people sitting outside in the sun, walking to the park, out walking just to enjoy the sun or on their way to the beach.
The beach has been calling my name the WHOLE day!! GGrrrrrhhhh!!! I can't go! Why you might ask?
Well, It is like this: I am a photographer working away at starting a new photography business. And you guessed it: I have I choice to make: Do I waste my time at the beach enjoying the sun? Or Do I work away at what has to be done to help my business get up and running and on its way.
Sacrifice, sacrifice ... that what it is all about when you start out with your own new business. There are so many things to be done: finding an appropriate name for your business, designing a logo, a slogan, a website, a blog, a Face Book Page, social media presence in instagram, pinterest, flckr, document templates,.....it is just never ending all the things one has to do and think about. And all the while you have to keep in mind what type of image you want to portrait.
Your business name is SO important. You have to research what your domain name/website name will be at the same time. If you pick a business name that is already taken, especially on the domain name side, you will have to go back to the drawing board and come up with a name for which you have a domain name available. You need to make sure through which online company you want to purchase a domain name and how much you will be prepared to pay for the right name.
Then there is the advertising: How are you going to advertise? Where are you going to advertise? Which publications are you going to advertise in? Which electronic directories are you going to advertise in? And the questions here is never ending and hard work to gather all the facts together.
Then you have to start posting on your social platforms on a regular basis. Best way to do this is to diarise a specific time of day to do this.
Then you have to leave marketing material at pet related businesses in your area. You have to gather all this information and figure out a way to approach these businesses.
You have to do some research to find out more about website hosting and website design. Which sites will give you what you want and need? What will the monthly costs be? What type of storage space will you have? And on the questions go. This takes A LOT of time to do properly.
Then you have to start designing your website. Easier said than done. It takes forever. Why? Because you have to page through your libaries to find suitable pictures to use on your website. You need to make decisions on the types of fonts you would like the use, the colours you want to use, the layout... it is just neverending.
And don't think that is all. You have to constantly edit spelling mistakes. You keep on changing your text to be more suitable to what you want to say. It takes days and weeks to get to the point where you will be satisfied.
In between all of this, you have to find new clients and make new connections to get things going.
And don't forget, while doing all of the above, you still have to earn an income to help you build your new business. And there is the dog who needs to be walked every 4 hours because you live in a flat with no garden.
Oh and don't forget all the household chores like cleaning, washing, ironing of clothes...
And I wonder why I am so tired! It is non-stop and has been non-stop for a month of this daily activity! Not that I am complaining, I am just stating the facts.
Thinking of starting your own new photography business? Think VERY hard and long because it does not mean you will be behind the lense all the time. No, you will spent 100% of your time behind your laptop, with a notepad and pen at hand and your cell phone in one hand. There will be no time for taking photographs for a while yet to come.
The sun and beach is calling me and I am tired. Which one will win today? The sun and beach OR resolve to work on the business???
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