Bernie Griffiths MARKETING, photography, SALES, SMALL BUSINESS, Uncategorized

A Friendly Kick Up The Butt.

Interview On Sprouting Photographer

I was thrilled to be invited to do a Podcast for Sprouting Photographer last week.

Check it out HERE.

Summary of Discussion Topics:

Your business, and any business needs customers.

The important difference between marketing strategy and implementation.

It’s okay to make mistakes in marketing – don’t overanalyze.

It all boils down to lead generation and nurturing leads through the buying cycle.

Why you need to learn copywriting, and automate your content through the buying cycle.

Testing and measuring everything about your marketing – and what to keep track of.

Making sure all aspects of your business are realistic, including pricing and expectations.

The power of Facebook as an inexpensive marketing tool.

How to design an effective Facebook marketing ad campaign.

What to do with cold leads to warm them up to buy.

There is no right or wrong with marketing, just keep trying and keep learning.

Maintaining professionalism and avoiding the ‘bait & switch’ style of marketing.

The secret to marketing – get out there and market!

Getting Around To It.

If I say to you…………….

You should put your prices up.

You need some new Marketing ideas.

Your website looks very dated.

You should update your Blog.

You should put an opt-in form on your website.

You should send a newsletter to your database.

You say………

I have been meaning to, I just have to get “around to it”.

So what are you waiting for?

The single biggest excuse I hear from photographers not taking action towards growing their business is time.

We all know that an excuse is your heads way of justifying your lack of action on doing the priorities that you KNOW that you should do.

Do you want to be in exactly the same position that you are in now, this time next year?

I know I don’t.

I have already started implementing some great personal and business challenges for next year.

Will I achieve everything that I am setting out to do?

I cannot see any reason why I will not fulfill my challenges and exceed my own high expectations.

What about you?​

Are you going to get “a round to it”.

This year succeed beyond your expectations.

NO MORE EXCUSES……..IN THE BATTLE BETWEEN THOUGHT AND ACTION……THE ACTION TEAM WINS EVERY TIME.

TEST MY COACHING

 

​www.berniegriffiths.com

photography business coach

photography

photography mentor

 

Bernie Griffiths Uncategorized

Wedding Photographer versus Wedding Guests

I like these comments by U.K. Wedding Photographer Jeff Ascough and I must admit that I do completely agree with him.

“I posted a link to the BBC website yesterday which contained a small piece of film about a photographer who was complaining how smartphones were ruining weddings, particularly in the hands of the guests.

I’m still a little perplexed by the photographer’s stance on this and just wanted to put a point of view across that I think is just as valid. A counter argument if you like.

We all know that couples spend weeks, months or even years preparing for their wedding day. It is an event that brings families together and guests from all over the world.

Now here is the thing – the guests are far more important to the couple than the photographer is.

That’s it. Period. End of argument.

Untitled design (3)

If we look at any wedding day, it has usually been organised around the guests. The pomp and ceremony is as much for the guests as it is for the couple. Most of the budget and time will be spent on the guests. The guests are far more important to the couple than the photographer is!!

So…if the guests want to take pictures – that is part of the wedding day. If the guests want to stand in the aisle and video the wedding – that is part of the wedding day. If the guests want to take the bride and groom aside to take unlimited selfies – that is part of the wedding day. I believe we should embrace that, not get heated about it, or demand that the guests leave their phones at home. We certainly should not get so precious about our job as photographers.

If a couple don’t want their guests to take pictures, then they will tell them. I know this because I have experienced it on many an occasion. A lot of my clients actually encourage guests to take pictures and upload them to Instagram. Some have asked the guests to video everything for them on their phones so they can produce a completely different type of wedding video. It is not a problem to me as a photographer – nor do I make it part of an excuse if I can’t get the pictures I want.

The craze for watching everything from the back of a phone is part of life in the 21st century and it may get worse or it may disappear altogether, but for right now, guests are glued to the back of their phones for parts of the day. Embrace what happens and document it in context because it will eventually become part of our social history.

As an aside, this past week we had an order for three 16×12″ panoramic albums from one of our clients. They were for the bride and groom and both sets of parents. They all chose different pictures to go into their respective albums but each album had this particular photograph in it…so much for guests with smartphones ruining the wedding day”.

Photography Business Coach Bernie Griffiths

Bernie Griffiths Uncategorized

Sprouting Photographer Podcast

Episode #197: Interview with Bernie Griffiths (37 minutes)
Discussion Topics
  1. Marketing Mistakes
  2. Test & Measure
  3. Facebook Marketing
  4. Converting Cold Leads

He was fifteen years old when he began his career working for a local newspaper.

Leaving school with no qualifications, his burning desire to be a business owner, determined his future.
When only 21 years old he worked for a worldwide cruise ship company with a staff, and travelling the world.
His intense passion to run a successful small business led him to open his first small business. His dream had come true.
He thought that by having a shop front, the customers would queue outside the door each morning and hand him their hard earned money. It wasn’t to be. He realized very quickly that he had to become a marketer. He had to get his name out into the marketplace and promote his business.”
Bernie has walked the path as a small business owner, and knows the frustrations and day to day challenges. There are short cuts that can lead you to accelerate your success.
Using his own system, developed over many years, Bernie has turned over millions of dollars in his businesses.

Summary of Discussion Topics:

  • Your business, and any business needs customers.
  • The important difference between marketing strategy and implementation.
  • It’s okay to make mistakes in marketing – don’t overanalyze.
  • It all boils down to lead generation and nurturing leads through the buying cycle.
  • Why you need to learn copywriting, and automate your content through the buying cycle.
  • Testing and measuring everything about your marketing – and what to keep track of.
  • Making sure all aspects of your business are realistic, including pricing and expectations.
  • The power of Facebook as an inexpensive marketing tool.
  • How to design an effective Facebook marketing ad campaign.
  • What to do with cold leads to warm them up to buy.
  • There is no right or wrong with marketing, just keep trying and keep learning.
  • Maintaining professionalism and avoiding the ‘bait & switch’ style of marketing.
  • The secret to marketing – get out there and market!

Links and Resources:

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