Hey Girl, Nice Shot

Email Marketing: Setting Up MailChimp

I've been a big fan of email marketing for a long time.  Yes, our in-boxes are crammed with offers and promotions but it continues to be an effective method for connecting with clients past and future who may be interested in booking a session with you.  I believe that when used appropriately, email "blasts" are a pro-active way to direct your market - as long as you don't over-email.

Setting Up Mailing List
First, you must set-up your email list.  You have the option of just sending from your email program but that seems unmanagable at best.  I recommend going with a service - there are a bunch of them out there.  I've been using the industry standard, Constant Contact, for years but recently I've switched over to MailChimp and I've been very happy with them.  Why the switch?  First, MailChimp is free if you are not a high volume emailer.  I've been paying about $32/month for Constant Contact so that is a savings of close to $400 a year!

Once you have completed your basic setup, you will have the option to create a form that you can place on your website to allow visitors to sign up.  You can create a page on your website where your visitors complete the form - MailChimp will give you the code to put on the page (look for the “create embeded code” link.  It will give you the HTML code to add to your site, or if you prefer, a link you can embed into your site to direct people to a form hosted by MailChimp.

With MailChimp, they send an email to confirm the email address then there is a “Confirmation Thank You Page”. Rather than sticking with the standard "thank you" from MailChimp, you have the option of creating your own thank you page on your site that the visitor will be redirected to after they sign up.  This is a great opportunity to not only thank them for joining your list, but giving them some action to take...maybe suggest they visit your portfolio, or some favorite blog posts.

So, here’s what you do...first, create the Thank You page on your site. Then you will need to the create forms page on MailChimp and choose Confirmation “Thank You” Page from the drop down box.  You will see that you have the option to put in the URL of your Thank You page.

What this means is when someone completes the sign up process (including confirming their email address) they will come back to this page.  This will give you more options in the future to present additional information to visitors when they first sign up plus it sends them back to your site, which is always a good thing.

What system are you using to manage your email list?

Featured Sponsor: Go {4} Pro

A few years ago I received an email from a fan of Hey Girl, Nice Shot letting me know she was inspired to create her own blog about the trials and tribulations of starting a photography business.  We all have different journeys, different approaches, and try different products so it seemed like a great addition to the sharing that I think is essential to building a better photography community.  That email came from Leah, and that blog turned into Go {4} Pro. 

Leah has since grown her blog beyond documenting her personal journey and into something much bigger with lots of great content, contests, and tutorials.   And she looks great doing it!

About Go {4} Pro
"We picked up our camera's to create, but have you created your business to thrive? Leah Remillet created Go{4}Pro three years ago when she decided to go for pro. Pulling from her background in marketing and sales, Leah was able to create a  profitable business with a 4 to 6 week wait list in the first year. Leah openly shares her knowledge about marketing, branding and sales freely with the photography industry through her site Go4ProPhotos.com. Go{4}Pro is a place to come for daily inspiration, business tools, marketing design and personal business coaching. " 

If you have not already been over to Go {4} Pro I definintely recommend visiting and getting your daily inspriation and advice.  Plus, she's in the know about what is new in the portrait photography world!   And if you want Leah to help you look good - check out the Go {4} Pro Shop.

Go {4} Pro is a sponsor of The Photographer's Kickstart and has included a goodie in the virtual swag bag for our new advanced training or training bundle release coming Thursday April 7th!!!

Featured Sponsor: Photography Web Marketing Guide

I know it can be overwhelming to work in this web 2.0 world and know where to put your time and effort.  Blogging, Facebook, Twitter - how can you use these tools and more to put your best face forward, build your rank, and earn more customers?  What techniques should you use to clear out the electronic clutter and stand out online?  Zach Prez is back and has a new ebook developed to help you know where to concentrate your efforts in your online marketing.

I used Zach's SEO tools on my photography website to improved my page rank for the critical keywords to me.  Close to 50% of the traffic on my photography site is from search engines and directly from the keywords I have targeted.   While I do occasionally use paid ads, most of the traffic I get to my site is free traffic and free is good! I had over 31,000 unique visitors to my photography website over the last year.   Here's a crazy number....my traffic on my photography site from Google went up 2,425.00% when comparing March 2010 to March 2011.    How awesome is that?!

Now I'm getting ready to do my next pass at web marketing and I'm looking forward to having Zach's guide to assist me.  I won't be floundering on what to do because this eBook includes a checklist so I simply have to follow his suggestions and I'll be all caught up.   At $29 this book is a steal and will certainly pay for itself in rank and bookings.

BUT WHY NOT GET IT FOR FREE?  As part of the launch of our new Photographer's Kick Start: Advanced Training launch on Thursday April 7th, we'll be including the Photography Web Marketing Guide by Zach Prez for the first 30 people that purchase the Advanced materials or the Beginners and Advanced Bundle.

Need more help that an eBook can provide?  Check out the option to have a coaching call with Zach where he can help you develop your SEO strategy and recommendations.

A Different Kind of Summer Job

Here in Houston, summer means high temperatures, high humidity, and hurricane season.  It is also the quiet season for photographers who specialize in outdoor natural light photography.  Honestly, I like to stay fresh and cool in the air conditioning and after four years know that summer is going to be a slow time of year.  I know some lucky southern photographers take the summer off but that wouldn't work for me (waving at you though).

So I thought about something I could do to make money this summer to fill in the time I usually reserve for portrait sessions.  Then the perfect opportunity came across my path. I'm now the part time Internet Specialist for Bernardo Footwear.  And the best part is that because it is part time I can keep doing it after this summer too.

 

It may seem like a strange choice for a photographer but it actually plays off my background really well.  Before I had kids I was a web developer and project manager.  Over the last 4 years I've been building my knowledge of blogging, search engine optimization, running online ads, and social media.  So guess what I'll be doing?  

• Helping them get their new ecommerce website up and running.
• Setting up the blog and creating blog posts.
• Setting up and managing their twitter stream and facebook.
• Managing online advertising campaigns.
• PHOTOGRAPHING THE FALL LINE!!!!

 

I am beyond excited about this.  I actually have more ideas than hours in the day for ways I can help build this brand online.  I'm working part-time out of their headquarters and warehouse in Houston so I get to also document some of the behind the scenes.  The photos above show some of the boxes of shoes pulled to be shipped from online orders, and the second picture shows some samples of the Fall 2010 line which has some great clogs, boots, and ballet shoes.  I cannot wait to get my own pair of those clogs!

 

Bernardo Footwear has been around since 1947 and specializes in leather footwear.  Their sandals and flip flops are a favorite of celebrities dating back to Jackie O and current celebs such as Reese Witherspoon and Marcia Cross are frequently photographed in their sandals.  They are super comfortable and well made so they are actually a good investment.  I'm thrilled to be involved with such a high quality product!

What does this mean for my photography?  Nothing!  I'm doing this job part time (three days a week) which gives me plenty of time to work on my photography and training the other days of the week.  And photography is actually part of my job with them too! 

   

Now, I would not be a good blogger if I didn't ask for a discount for my readers and they said okay.  So if you need a new pair of summer sandals or beach flip flops, use the code "heygirl10" in the customer code field during checkout for 10% off your purchase until June 30th, 2010 and there is free shipping on orders over $59.   My personal favs are the Milly and Miami (our best selling item) leather flat sandals, and the Delray jelly flip flops in the beach category.

I'm curious, what do you do during your off seasons?  Down here where it is supposed to be 96 degrees tomorrow we are "off" for the summer.  I know in NY in the winter when it is below 0 I assume it is a quiet.  Do you look for extra work, offer promotions, or just enjoy a little down time?

Thank You to Our Sponsors!!

The pre-release of the Photographer's Kick Start: Training materials were an overwhelming success.  We sold over 50% more than our sales goal and we think the great sponsor swag at a little something to do with that.  So we wanted to say a very special THANK YOU to our sponsors who contributed money saving coupons, gift certificates, and free sample products to our "Virtual Swag Bag".

 

So thank you to Big Folio, Clickin Moms, My 4 Hens Photography Actions, MCP Actions, National Association for Professional Child Photographers (NAPCP), Paperie Boutique, Photographer's SEO Book, Pretty Presets, On the Spot Studio, Sassy Designs, The Savvy Photographer.

Featured Sponsor: Sassy Designs

[cross post from Photographer's Kick Start]

{sassy: stylish; chic}

In business for almost 8 years, Sassy Designs is a veteran of the graphic design world and offers a variety of design products to give photographers options for standing out from the crowd including card templates and digital paper pack to customize for your client work.  Her Facebook Fan page is full of notes from happy customers and photos showing samples that have been created using products purchased from Sassy Designs.

A Little About Sassy Designs...

My name is Terry Cutlip and I’m the designer behind Sassy Designs, Ltd in Cleveland, Ohio.

 

I started off as a website designer back in 1997. I was intrigued by the web and I wanted to learn how to create my own website. So I did. I read books and tutorials and I taught myself HTML – and everything else I needed to know.

 

I started Sassy Designs in 2002 after a few years of experience and enough confidence that I could actually make it. I focused on website design but as the years went by I began branching out and doing different types of projects – logo design, print design, and ad design. I even had the opportunity to design the layout and masthead for a local newspaper/tabloid publication devoted to canines.

 

After the birth of my son in 2006 I realized that I didn’t quite have the time to devote to large scale website design projects so I focused more on the smaller ones. When my oldest and dearest friend started her own photography business she hired me on the side to design custom business forms for her so she could get her brand in place. Then she asked for my design help in creating custom birth announcements for her clients. That is ultimately what got me started designing card templates.

 

In June of 2009 I officially re-launched my website and opened up my online shop. I was nervous to make the leap but I must say it is one of the best decisions I ever made! I now offer a variety of card templates designed around WHCC’s print specifications along with digital papers and other design elements for those photographers that want to create their own. I also take custom orders. So if you’re looking for something specific to coordinate with your existing image, or even if you’re looking to create your business image with a logo and branding package, just let me know!

Purchase our Photographer's Kick Start: Training module when it is released April 30th and you'll get a goodie from Sassy Designs in your virtual swag bag!  You can sign up for our email newsletter to get a reminder about our product release and to learn more about future products.  More sponsors will be announced over the next week as we count down to the release!

Featured Sponsor: my four hens

[cross post with Photographer's Kick Start]

{cute: delightfully pretty or dainty}

I came across My Four Hens when I was looking at the samples from On the Spot Studio (OTSS).  OTSS created some SUPER cute social media icons for My Four Hens that I loved.

Check out her cute twitter icon!!!

And when I looked a little more I found that Sarah at My Four Hens Photography had more than just beautiful photography, she had free Photoshop actions, and Photoshop actions for sale (even some actions designed specifically for Photoshop Elements).  Lots and lots of lovely actions.

 

Here's the description from My Four Hens...

My Four Hens Photography actions are an essential photography tool designed and inspired for photographers in every angle and walk of their journey whether they are hobbyist, amateur or professional! Not only are they easy to use but they are designed to be non destructive to your image. I always have something fun and creative up my sleeve so be sure to check
my shop often for new and fresh products!

Purchase our Photographer's Kick Start: Training module when it is released April 30th and you'll get some goodies from My Four Hens Photography Actions in your virtual swag bag!  You can sign up for our email newsletter to get a reminder about our product release and to learn more about future products.  More sponsors will be announced over the next week as we count down to the release!

Featured Sponsor: Paperie Boutique

[cross posted on Photographer's Kick Start]

{design: to plan and fashion artistically or skillfully}

I love love love looking at packaging and design.  I totally wish my brain worked that way!  Every year my husband and I devour the Communication Arts Design Annual pointing out the logo we like, or creative branding and packaging.  So it was a THRILL to me to discover the Paperie Boutique with post after post of packaging and design - even better, from other photographers.  I'm so impressed with the care and attention to detail put into the packaging...and I'm sure their clients are too.

Since July 2009 professional photographers have been submitting their packaging / branding and marketing photographs to Paperie Boutique, along with summaries to help other established and aspiring photographers find the same resources to pull their own 'look' together (or add to it).

We also have frequent vendor guest posts where vendors offer new product information, special offers and discounts, and very often prize merchandise, to the readers.

Purchase our Photographer's Kick Start: Training module when it is released April 30th and you'll get a goodie from paperie boutique in your virtual swag bag!  You can sign up for our email newsletter to get a reminder about our product release and to learn more about future products.  More sponsors will be announced over the next week as we count down to the release!

Photographer's Kick Start: Training | Featured Sponsor

[cross posted on the Photographer's Kick Start site]

{pretty : pleasing to the mind or aesthetic taste}

Adobe Lightroom has become another great tool used by many photographers to manage and edit their photos.  And hot in the market right now are Lightroom Presets, a way to apply adjustments to your images with a single click.

Pretty Presets has come out with Lightroom preset collections designed to streamline your editing process and allow you to send less time in front of the computer, and more time behind the camera.

Looking to streamline your workflow, save time and still be creative with your photographs? Pretty Presets offers Lightroom presets that give you all of that. If you already love Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, you will just have to have these… and if you are new to Lightroom – these might just make you fall head over heels in love with it. Review from Mary Beth and June - Photographer Cafe

And there were lots more great reviews on her site!

Check out these great sample images from Peahead Prints from Collection 1.

 

I LOVE bright colors in pictures so these samples caught my eye!

For the softer sweeter vintage look that is so hot these days...here are some more samples.

Purchase our Photographer's Kick Start: Training module when it is released April 30th and you'll get some goodies from Pretty Presets in your virtual swag bag including a money saving coupon!  You can sign up for our email newsletter to get a reminder about our product release and to learn more about future products.  More sponsors will be announced over the next week and a half as we count down to the release.

Photographer's Kick Start: Training | First Featured Sponsor

[cross posted with with Photographer's Kick Start site]

{tickled: to excite or stir up agreeably}

I'm so excited to kick off our sponsor features for the upcoming release of the Photographer's Kick Start: Training module.  I am tickled by the new social media icons they create for their design customers...what a great idea having social media icons that match your branding!  Not to mention they have Photoshop actions that work both in Photoshop CS and Elements!  Of course, I'm talking about On The Spot Studio....

A Message from OTSS:

On The Spot Studio (OTSS) specializes in Custom Logo Design, Custom Marketing, Photoshop Actions and introducing Custom Social Media buttons to further enhance your branding! Logo Pricing starts at $250.00.

Branding yourself is one of the most important steps in marketing your business. By choosing On The Spot Studio you can bet that I will do my best to help you create the design that will not only convey a message to your clients, but stand out among competitors.

I take the time to get to know my clients individually as well as professionally. I enjoy being able to design with personality in mind!

If you have any questions or concerns  about purchasing a custom logo design from OTSS, please, contact me and I will get back with you as soon as possible!

To get an idea of the actions available from OTSS check out the Flower Power Action Set (which is also photoshop elements compatible).  All actions create a single adjustable layer for your images.  Use alone OR over the top of your normal processing.

 

Purchase our Photographer's Kick Start: Training module when it is released April 30th and you'll get some goodies from OTSS in your virtual swag bag including a money saving coupon!  You can sign up for our email newsletter to get a reminder about our product release and to learn more about future products.  More sponsors will be announced over the next week and a half as we count down to the release.