Get a Second Opinion!

Getting a second opinion in any situation is always prudent.
 For this segment I will be referring to the solicitation of another's fresh eye and perspective concerning any aspect of your marketing or advertising.
Every year I spend the month of December updating my web presence by purchasing a new template, putting up new images and refining my content and message. Since this involves me ( my ideas, vision, and massive ego) I am very capable of missing simple spelling and grammatical errors. While I pride myself on being thorough in my research and planning I am human and,therefore fallable, and do some silly things that seemed like a good idea at the time but in reality could potentially diminish the positive experience I intend for anyone viewing my website or direct mail marketing pieces. 
An Act of Humility- Putting oneself  "out there" artistically or creatively is a very scary proposition at best and you can find yourself in an extremely vulnerable position because by its very nature it opens up the door to criticism. My massive and fragile ego does not like criticism. I accept it is a part of life,  a part of what I do and view it as a learning tool and not an assault on me personally. Nothing pains me more than
seeing the menu for a new restaurant or any business marketing that is peppered with misspellings. You  took the time to research and design the marketing piece, then spent hard earned money to have it printed and delivered but did not take the precautionary measure of having someone else proof read it and now you are representing yourself as sloppy,  someone who does not take pride in their work and lacks attention to detail. I am this person at times.
I recently asked someone whose opinion I value to take a look at my new web presence and give me some honest feedback on it. I opened the proverbial can of worms. I got a list of suggestions, which made sense to me, and I made immediate corrections. The bonus is that I forgot this person actually has a marketing degree and is a professional proofreader. I am grateful because I cannot see every error I make and my friend had some great insight and I feel my website is stronger as a result.
In short: work diligently, pour yourself into whatever your passion is, and then let someone else review your work. It is a humbling experience, an opportunity to learn and progress, and just might make the difference in keeping a potential client's attention and making a sale. Thanks Kathy!!!

Happy New Year 2010!!!! Great Things on the Horizon

Hi there and Happy New Year to all! I managed to eke out some relaxtion time over the holidays and read some fantastic books by David duChemin and got caught up on Zack Arias's blog and I feel inspired and energized to hit the ground running this year. I feel it is important to constantly be reading and studying the works and thoughts of others as it pertains to Photography to keep the creative juices flowing and to maintain my enthusiasm which could be negatively effected by a slow economy and cold weather. I have nothing but realistic yet high hopes for this year. I have already had a session with my exuberant model Cindy and we got alot of great images captured in my small basement studio. She really brings it everytime she shows up and its hard not to be enthused and inspired. I have posted those images on Facebook and my PhotoReflect storefront. I have also set up a consultation for an April wedding and I hope it is the first of several. I really like small weddings as they are more intimate and a photographer can bond more with the clients and it shows in the resulting images.
Patty, my fearless assistant and right hand, has taken on various marketing and advertising ideas and is in the process of making them happen. She brings so much enthusiasm and energy to the table it is contagious. Not too say I am any kind of slouch. We are looking at doing some varied exhibiting around Fairfield County and we are outlining some new concepts(for us) this new year such as Portrait Parties, Canvas Gallery Wraps, Metal Prints, Storyboards, and an array of other image display options in addition to the traditional matting and framing which we extend a nice discount on. We look forward to working with all our former clients and all the new ones we haven't met yet in 2010!-john