Branding/Blogging and watermelons...

You can see that I'm still not getting my fancy new blog anytime soon, right?! I was at a conference this past week and one of my fellow photographer friends said that she consistently blogs everyday and how much of an effect it has had on the traffic of her blog. I so agree! The blogs that I follow are defiantly ones that post nearly everyday. Something I look forward to checking out because there is fresh new stuff to sift through... so still... the internet waits for me:-)

To branding...

Throughout the years... okay that sounds like I have been in the industry for years... ( it's been like three) that I have worked in the photography industry I have had the importance of branding ingrained in my head. Branding "you." Making your business not only about pretty pictures you take and hopefully sell, but about the person you are and what makes you different, special, unique. And how that important fact will set you apart from the competition.

I have thought about this long and hard and how I can make myself stand out. Maybe taking different types of photos, marketing to a niche group of people, shooting film (okay well not shooting film, but it's a nice thought) and even photographing pets! I don't have any magical ideas but a strange comparison really resonated with me this past weekend. It's something that my dad was talking about... A little back story... my dad is a farmer. He grows corn, beans, wheat and watermelon (our family's claim to fame.) For years people have come to our farm that is tucked into the middle of nowhere to purchase these melons, I would guess that some have come from a 3 - 4 hour radius and maybe even farther.

Sometimes this gets taxing on my parents. I asked my dad why he doesn't just hire someone to do all the sales. He his reply was, "because they want to see me." Wow! I have realized the success of my dad's operation all these years isn't necessarily the watermelons, though they really are fantastic, but him. It's my dad. It's his willingness to grow a good crop, provide excellent customer service and sit and talk to people for at least two hours that sometimes only spend $10.

The heart of the business isn't the melons but my dad. His incredible ability to connect with people, remember their names, details about their lives, and even make them laugh, has had people coming back for years.

I hope someday that people will be coming back to me not only for my pretty pictures but because they like me. They like my customer service, my ability to connect with them and just because I care. The market is saturated with photographers, even very talented photographers. I don't know how I will do it... maybe just like my dad? The connector that he is. Time will tell, I still have a few years to catch up to the amount of time he has been working in the people business.

For now... thanks dad for being a great example on how to run a successful business and most importantly connect with people.