YOUR FAMILY
BUSINESS AND FAMILY PLANNING:
In this circle of life, we, the full time or part time photographer enlists the aid of family.
In the most successful cases photography becomes a family-owned business. In unsuccessful efforts, it’s time wasted and money could be spent on better things.
Many of my clients enlist their spouse’s help or their siblings if the business is doing well. This business’s either just developed with success, or through generational continuance, or a merging of smaller tribes, the delegation of responsibility becomes the highest order in planning.
It doesn’t mean the whole family are shooters, there are simple things kids can do like stuffing envelopes, helping with the setups, and most learn to solve computer problems faster than we do. Spouses can do the bookkeeping, letter writing and so forth. Make them part of the plan. It will always be a tossup as some families are teams and some are dysfunctional in nature and you might be better off yourself. Dysfunctional families don't make it.
If you wish this to become or sustain a family based image in your work, understanding, implementing simple, efficient and sound strategies for all to participate in and a cooperative environment is essential for the legacy to continue.
And the key to family participation is based on growth. You get bigger, you need help. You have two choices, keep it in the family or enlist outside help. If your bookings and business are not on the increase, if you don't know look at your calendar, if its empty, it’s a mote point and look for a day job. If they refuse to help, explain the next family vacation or spring break festivities depends on them. You'll be perfectly happy to let them all stay home and go on that safari you promised yourself after watching Marlin Perkins Mutual of Omaha every sunday night forty years ago.
I know more than a few part time shooters, (I hate that "weekend warrior" label), who had fifteen bookings last year and then the economy hit bottom and nothing this year. It's depressing yet some have innovated, acclimated,restructured and expanded in other agendas. Some had to settle for less. Why? Blame it on the economy.afraid not. Because I have customers doing better this year.
"SOUL-UTIONS"
Take a good look inside, No planning, and worst "no planting" and you find yourself without a crop.
Strategic Planning means the establishment of goals and includes the pathways and time lines to achieve success. Timelines create focus and focus means sticking to the task. Tasking on times means not wasting resources. It’s your responsibility, as a family business owner, and if this is your day job much of that money goes to feeding those folks you live with. If this is a job you use to support your “habit” and photography is very habit forming, then it doesn’t matter. You’ll work when you feel the pressure of the bills you get each month.
Growth may be achieved in a number of ways. One of the simplest is by developing new products, or expanding existing territories. The latter initiating travel expansion, or to work with others in other states or territories and feeding each other leads. Start your own circle of referrals.
OK, here is reality. You might have noticed that Bobs Photo Wedding bookings have slowed down. OK, blame the economy, nope, blame the idiots that sent the jobs overseas. Again that empty calendar is usually the first sign. Maybe there is a similar product using similar skills to Wedding Photography that would either fill in the gaps or perhaps even expand the business.
Think out of the box using your tools.
QUINCEAN~ERAS, BAR MITZVAHS and BAT MITZVAHS
Here’s one we’ll discuss. Latin American people celebrate the 15th birthday of a young lady. It’s her coming of age. Similar to Jewish tradition when a young man of 13 enters into the community thorough a ceremony called a Bar Mitzvah. For young Jewish girls it’s called a Bat Mitzvah.
Like Weddings, both societies celebrate from the old days the entry of the young man or lady into the circle of adults in their society with expectations of them performing as adults and leaving childhood behind. And the extreme to which they will go is about as diverse as a Wedding depending on their financial plateau.
I know of two photographers who have covered twenty-four thousand dollar Quinceañera parties and I have seen and attending Bat Mitzvahs which have exceeded that. And they got into them because they're Wedding business dropped off. One in particular spent a year learning the Spanish Language on Rosetta Stone and has a Spanish speaking second shooter who helped build a year round business. Not just wedding seasons, last time I checked there is no baby season, like June weddings, kids pop out 24/7/365.
Now think of the opportunities here in photographing a Quinceañera. Let’s explore what it is and how we adapt.
To avoid confusion another similar term is "Quinceaños". This refers to the birthday of the celebrant. Break it up into Quince (15) Anos (Years). Quinceañera’s refers to the celebrant.
PROS:
Gap filler - Adding Quinceañera’s to your Wedding days that are open or on days you normally don’t do Weddings like Friday evenings and Sundays.
No stranger in Church - The services at the Church generally are short and sweet, sometimes without a Mass and less restrictive on flash. Priests generally keep it that way, similar to a Baptismal. Of course we do have exceptions and you know you are in trouble when he starts off with the The Reading of the Gospels of Everybody and Last year’s Unabridged Version of the Phone book.
New Territory - Another critical point is opening new territory. Kids have friends at other schools both public and secular. Kids have cousins and they will be at the party. In some ways there are more opportunities here than at a Wedding and less hassles.
No Time Limits - The young lady has friends and guaranteed they might have a birthday coming up within a two year span for several reasons such as age difference. Girls are more flexible than the guys as to friends age and some of the girls may or may not be Latino. That’s another point, if they don’t have Quince Anos Party then they sure will have a Sweet Sixteen, so that adds a year and more possibilities and or Bar(T) Mitzvahs.
Again there is no season based on the sexual habits of 350,000,000 people in the US. We have deducted that kids are born year round and there is no season. No rushes during June and November.
Whereas the Spanish ceremony is rooted in the Church, the Sweet Sixteen is rooted in popularity and usually that can work for you. The popular gal has a lot of friends and followers, and the not so popular gal is trying to break into the scheme of things.
DIVERSIFICATION IS THE KEY
I know I will be doing additional sections on Seniors, Quinceañera's, Bar Mitzvahs, and Confirmations. Then we will delve into Corporate and Business Photography. In conclusion, alternate choices using the tools you have, survival in this day and age means simply put: be diverse, think out of the box, look for new territory, expand your horizons and start wearing boxer shorts with patterns and color.
Think about it. All the above topics are about either “coming out” or "going into" a community or for communication with a community in the case of business photography. There is business there for the smart one. And it's not surprising when I wrote to be successful in this business you need a split personality. Not just a shooter but a business person.