Growing Your Business
Fri, Jun 11, 2010
Sadly, one of the most important people in our team is not in the photo, because he’s taking the photo. Mike (head of support and web guru at Fundy SOS and Left Turn Studio) is the man behind the camera here.
We are extremely fortunate to have a great team working with us. Mike is lord of everything tech at the studio and without Essie we wouldn’t even know where anything was. They are essential to our success at the studio and keeping us focused.
One of the issues many photographers, as small business owners have, is proper growth. You work on your marketing, building your brand, making yourself busy. Then it happens and you are busy – so busy that you can’t keep up with all your orders, can’t get out there and market – can’t do anything.
What happens next?
Well, more often than not, we end up finding someone who wants to be a photographer, knows a little bit about Lightroom and Album Design and we hire them. How does this work out? If you have done this, you know. It doesn’t work out. They get quickly board behind the computer, learn all your tricks and open up across town. We blame them, but really it is our own fault. There is no way, someone who wants to be a photographer will be happy doing computer work while YOU do what they love.
So what to do?
I’ve recently talked with two photographers in this very situation and helped them start down the proper path. The answer, is simple. Hire someone right for the job. If you need help answering the phones and organizing orders, hire someone with office experience, who enjoys answering phones and running an office. If you need help with Lightroom and Album Design, hire someone who likes sitting in front of the computer for 8 hours a day. Don’t hire another photographer – or wanna be.
But most importantly, hire someone. If you are bogged down in your orders and never get out to meet people or network, your business will won’t survive, and you probably won’t either.