Photoshop Tips and Tools Website

Learning the tools of Photoshop can be a huge undertaking for novice and a seasoned pro. We have found a site with easy to follow Photoshop Tip Tutorials. You can click on many of the tools and instantly view a Photoshop Tutorial for the particular tool. Tips for how tool the Photoshop Slice Tool of how to use the Photoshop Pen Tool can be found at 925PhotoshopTips.com

7 Ways To Make Your Photography Studio’s Website More Sellable

7 Ways To Make Your Studio’s Website More Sellable

“I put up my website a few months ago,
and I’m still not at the top of the search engines.”

“Why isn’t my website working?

I’m still not making money online.”

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard these phrases! Unfortunately many people still believe putting up a website will be the answer to their marketing problems. If you’re having trouble getting people in to your business using traditional marketing methods, chances are you’re problems will carry through to your online marketing methods as well.

Thousands of websites are being added to the Internet everyday. By doing a recent search on Google I discovered:

66,900,000 pages exist with the word “photography”

9,270,000 pages exist with the words “photography studio”

1,450,000 pages exist with the words “wedding photography studio”

991,000 pages exist with the words “professional wedding photography studio”

196,000 pages exist with the words “California professional wedding photography studio”

And if you’re beyond the top 20-30 pages, chances are you’re never getting in front of your potential customer. So where do you go from here? How do you use your website to get in front of a good, qualifying potential customer?

A successful website is not something you build over night. It is a work in progress, something that you should work on week after week. To start you off, here are 7 ideas to help grow your website and the potential it has to market your business.

Create a professional site. This is probably the first thing you see in any list talking about how to build up an Internet presence. Yet it’s amazing how many sites are out there that still have a homemade appearance.Your website is an extension of your business. Not only should it be informative, it should be entertaining, and provide people with exactly what they are looking for. You are a photographer. Show people your work. Make them feel the emotion of your photography, and the service you provide to your customers. A gallery of a dozen images that each take seconds to load is not emotional. Professionalism comes from knowing what your customers want, and giving them more than they expect.

If you can’t create a professional website by yourself, hire it done. Because you earn your money through photography, don’t expect yourself to be good at all forms of creative graphics. Websites are a marketing tool, not a creative extension of your business. Foremost, your website is a sales tool that can bring in unimaginable profits to your business – but only if you use it as such.

Pricing on your website. The biggest debate on the Internet for photographers is whether to list pricing information. On one hand, listing your pricing will guarantee only truly motivated people will contact your studio. On the other hand, every customer you have will be calling you solely based on your pricing.I myself prefer to not list pricing, or do it in a very discreet way. I want my customers calling me because they love my work. I want them to feel the passion of my art, and call me because they can see themselves in my photographs. Price is secondary.

If you still feel pricing is something you have to list on your website, list it only once on your services page. After you describe what services you offer your customers, list a phrase like “starting from $3900”. This gives your potential customer a basis for your services, yet doesn’t make the main goal of your website price.

Photography Business

Creating a purpose. What is the overall purpose of your website? Is it to get a potential customer to contact you? Is it to drive your existing customers to a place to purchase your photographs? Before your website can be successful, you have to discover your number one purpose. Then use every page to motivate people towards your purpose.Again, your website is more than a brochure. It is a member of your sales team that ‘talks’ to your potential customer. When you talk with a person in person, or on the phone, your ultimate goal is to get them to make some type of commitment. Your website should have the same goal.

Showcase your work. You’re a photographer. Showing a dozen images doesn’t show a potential client what you do. Pull your customer in by providing them with a wealth of information on your website. Clients come to you for photographs; show them photographs! Photography is one of those rare industries in which you can’t have too many graphics on your website, providing they are small files that load quickly.

Use motivating text. Are you writing to your customer in a professional manner? Does your website use the same language you use when meeting with a person face to face? Your website is your sales tool. Treat it as if it were a 24/7 sales person, and let your website do the talking for you.On the Internet, the one thing you can’t do is hide. Depending on how a person searches, every website is a potential find. Because someone from New York, or California, or even India may pull up your site, how are you talking to him or her? Instead of writing your text from your perspective, write as if you are a person in a far away country that knows nothing about your industry. Her sole purpose is to find out more information on wedding photography. Are you educating her? Are you telling her what she wants to know AND what she cares about? (Most people don’t care what type of cameras you use; they only want to know how they benefit.)

Create links to other sites. Is your site a useful resource? Think of yourself as a mini-wedding coordinator or parent advisor. Depending on the type of photography you specialize in, provide your customer useful information to go beyond just hiring your services.A wedding photographer can provide links to caterers, florists, and reception halls. A family or children’s photographer can provide links to schools, clothing and sports stores, and community events.

Tip: When you’re linking to other websites, have them link back to you as well. This boosts up your ratings in the search engines!

Get your site listed on other sites. There are hundreds of ways of getting your site listed on other websites. Linking is one of the easiest methods. But beyond linking, you may try other means.Purchase banner ads. Many sites offer paid advertising, usually at very reasonable prices.

Purchase classified advertising. Many newspapers and magazines offer a deal where you purchase an ad in their print edition, and you get a website listing for free. For example, we have a Colorado Parent magazine in our community. By purchasing an ad in the classified section, you also get a listing on the website.

Find community directories to list your services in. Larger communities have at least one directory online that makes it easy to find resources within your area. Join at least one, and always be on the lookout for others that may benefit your business.

Keep your eyes open for opportunities to advertise your website, both online and in traditional marketing methods.

Photography Business - Dreaming Big

Dreaming Big

Wouldn't it be nice to take the family to the Caribbean, and have your business write off the entire trip?

What about skiing in some of the best snow around (pick your place - The Rocky Mountains, The Swiss Alps) knowing your business is paying you to be there?

For many people, these dreams sound wonderful. They talk about doing it. They may even read a few things on how to do it. But when Monday rolls around, it's back to the same old job, working with the same old tasks.

It doesn't have to be that way. But you do have to put some effort into it. After all, dreams can't come true if you don't set goals to achieve your dreams.

Imagine you love traveling, and want to travel several months out of the year. Why not become a travel photographer? There are many sources that will pay you good money for images of destination locations. Every magazine needs quality images. Stock houses will pay well, once you become an excepted photographer.

Imagine you love weddings, and want to photograph weddings anywhere in the world. You can't just put up a sentence on your website that says, "I'm a destination wedding photographer" and expect it to happen. You need to choose several destinations, and work at getting known in those locations. The more you're "known", the bigger you'll become - and not just in your choice destinations.

Imagine you love fashion, and would love to photograph for magazines and catalogs. Take your first step, and find a small company to work with. Every business started out small, and needed just a few images for their first catalog (or magazine). I know the founders of two start-up magazines right here in Colorado - I'm sure you can find similar contacts in your area.

Make Money With Photography

Take a few minutes and think about exactly what you would like to do. In your dreams, what would you like to be doing a year from now? Write it down! (Email me - I'd love to hear your dreams!)

Then take the next step, and do one thing that will help you make your dream a reality. It may be to choose a destination for your wedding photography services. It may be to book a trip to a resort in your community. It may be to join an association to get closer to catalog producers.

Remember the saying, "Rome wasn't built in a day." Neither is your business. But you do need to take action towards your goal every day. When you complete one task, start in on another. When one task fails, try something new. Never give up!

[If you're dream is to start in a new field of photography, check out my step by step plans. There are 26 guides to help you along the way.]

Photography with a different angle

Have you every looked at you images and wonder how can I update the style? One quick way is to change your angle. Next wedding that you photograph, see if you can shoot some images from a higher viewpoint; a balcony or up on an elevated area can alter the look of any image and provide a fresh viewpoint. Lets look at a dance floor during the reception, if you have an elevated viewpoint; the subject is instantly separated from the other on the dance floor. By modifying simple points of interest, your photography will always keep updating itself.

Providing new ideas to your photography business and information on how to start a photography business. Stay up to date with our photography newsletter which provides tips on your photography studio.

Video adds consumer awareness to your photography business website

Does your photography business website use video? The next web surf, see how many times video is displayed for you to watch.

Share with your visitors an inside view of a portrait session. Explain to them what you're doing in a portrait session. This allows your future client to feel more comfortable with your photography studio, prior to visiting. One item that you can have on a video is clothing awareness and how it affects the final framed enlarged prints. Show them what it would be like to be in a plaid, flowery print or polka dot shirts versus a solid color By showing them the difference it creates a confident awareness and importance of correct clothing selection. This would allow or your portrait client to arrive at the portrait session ready to be photographed in the proper attire. That would only enhance their photograph further.

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

Modernize your photography studio’s website without the expenditure

Time passes quickly and what was new is now aged and dated. How is your photography business website? Keeping your site updated is an important process in running your photography studio. While it is nice to have a photography site up showing off your work, if not updated, this site becomes stale. Website face-lifts are a great way to provide an easy update. If you want a rapid way to modernize without a huge expenditure, photography business template websites and photography studio template websites are quick to modify and very inexpensive.

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.

Take advantage of today’s technology using online sales with your photography business.

Is technology missing in your photography sales? Do you have a way to create photographic print sales 24/7? Time to take a look at ways that increase your print sales from each portrait or wedding your studio photographs.

Online sales are not new, they have been around for many years, but the ease of using photography print systems have changed. With a quick upload of your prints files, you could have your clients, family members and friends purchasing prints and enlargements today.

Several systems are in place today for great photographic print and enlargement sales experiences. Pictage and Collages.net are easy to understand and simple for your clients to navigate. Some systems even send out reminder emails about prints and specials. Some labs like Millers and Burrell offer systems that enhance your current photography studio business. Take a few moments and see if adding online photography print sales could increase profit to your bottom line quickly.

Helping your photography business, how to start a digital wedding photography business and wedding photography business visit virtualphotographystudio.com and keep up-to-date with all of the photography happenings via our free newsletter.