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Business
Cards
simply2card sent us this tip for marketing using personalised business
cards at weddings
Like many photographers, I use an online gallery to sell reprints for
weddings, portraits and events. To be successful I have to encourage potential
purchasers to visit the site.
I started by just handing out my standard business card with the web address of the online gallery. Whilst it resulted in some sales I knew I could do better.
The next step was to create a personalised business card for each wedding or event with a picture of the couple on the card. I did this by printing them out on photographic paper and trimming them by hand. This led to an immediate increase in sales, but preparing the cards was time consuming and they felt a bit flimsy.
All I had to do now was to find a supplier who could give me a professional job at a reasonable price. I searched the net and tried a few and the best one was simply2card. The overall package of good printing on a quality card, speed of service and price was simply outstanding. I supply a quality service and I felt the cards reflected that. They definitely gave the right impression.
I now get more orders from my online gallery and because the cards are such good quality, guests keep them and I find I get enquiries for new work months after the wedding. As a cost effective marketing tool I don’t think it can be beaten.
As photographers we are all searching for new ways to advertise our services
– well I think this is one of the best ways I have discovered!”
Price is not
a Benefit
When I worked on cruise ships as a photographer, we would take hundreds
of photographs each cruise. And hundreds would go unsold. Many passengers
would say to me, ‘ If you charged half the price, you would sell
them all’. Sadly, it doesn’t work like that. Not everyone
wants the product anyway, so why cut your profit because you are trying
to sell to an uninterested market?
Clate Mask from Infusionsoft gives us his own view on Prices - PRICE IS NOT A BENEFIT One of the greatest concerns of business owners is how to price their products or services.
Often, consumers say, "Well I would buy it if it were in my price range." And, that idea tempts many business owners to lower their prices--just to sell more products. However, as you already know, price reductions sometimes create more problems than they solve.For example, price reductions: Decrease net profitsLead to the purchase of lower quality productsIncrease customer demands to drop the price even lower! Require even more sales to make up the difference in revenueNeed a larger quantity of products and, in the end, as John Jantsch (author of Duct Tape Marketing) says, "There will always be someone willing to go out of business faster than you."
Remember this: price is not a benefit.
Selling is not determined on the cost of your product. If you truly "sell" your customers and prospects, they will purchase your products/services no matter what price you determine.If a customer or prospect doesn't buy...and they claim the cost had something to do with it...you can guess they probably wouldn't have purchased anyway.
As a marketer, your job is to sell your products and services. The actual art of selling has nothing to do with the price of the product. By the time your contacts find out about the price, they should be determined to purchase no matter what the cost.
So, find "real" benefits (value) to sell to your customers and prospects. Help them to see how great their life is with your product, and you've got a customer. Point out their current pain, and your contact will do anything to get rid of it.Set your prices and hold fast.
If you've marketed correctly, you will still have customers anxious to do business with you!
Sincerely, Clate MaskPresident, Infusionsoft
Remember – with selling and marketing skills, you
can turn any hobby into a business!
New Offer
From National Pages Online Directory
Nigel finch from the National Pages has contacted us regarding their offer
of a Free upgrade to Bronze listing, and says that, based on feedback
they received from Guild members they have reworded the upgrade email
to make it clearer that it's free. Look out for the email from Nigel.
Photo driving licence renewal
An interesting bit of information - you may find it worthwhile to check
your photo driving licence.
Unwitting motorists face £1,000 fines as thousands of photo card
driving licences expire Thousands of motorists are at risk of being fined
up to £1,000 because they are unwittingly driving without a valid
licence.
They risk prosecution after failing to spot the extremely small print
on their photo card licence which says it automatically expires after
10 years and has to be renewed - even though drivers are licensed to drive
until the age of 70.
The fiasco has come to light a decade after the first batch of photo licences
was issued in July 1998, just as the they start to expire.
Motoring organisations blamed the Government and said 'most' drivers believed
their licences were for life. Enlarged, a mock-up driving licence from
1998 when the photo cards were launched shows the imminent expiry date
as item '4b'
They said officials had failed to publicise sufficiently the fact that
new-style licences - unlike the old paper ones - expire after a set period
and have to be renewed.
To rub salt into wounds, drivers will have to pay £17.50 to renew
their card - a charge which critics have condemned as a 'stealth tax'
and which will earn the Treasury an estimated £437million over 25
years. Official DVLA figures reveal that while 16,136 expired this summer,
so far only 11,566 drivers have renewed, leaving 4,570 outstanding.
With another 300,000 photo card licences due to expire over the coming
year, experts fear the number of invalid licences will soar, putting thousands
more drivers in breach of the law and at risk of a fine.
At the heart of the confusion is the small print on the tiny credit- card-size
photo licence, which is used in conjunction with the paper version.
Just below the driver name on the front of the photo card licence is a
series of dates and details - each one numbered.
Number 4b features a date in tiny writing, but no explicit explanation
as to what it means.
The date's significance is only explained if the driver turns over the
card and reads the key on the back which states that '4b' means 'licence
valid to'.
Even more confusingly, an adjacent table on the rear of the card sets
out how long the driver is registered to hold a licence - that is until
his or her 70th birthday.
A total of 25million new-style licences have been issued but - motoring
experts say - drivers were never sufficiently warned they would expire
within or after 10 years.
Motorists who fail to renew their licences in time are allowed to continue
driving. But the DVLA says they could be charged with 'failing to surrender
their licence', an offence carrying a £1,000 fine.
AA president, Edmund King said: 'It is not generally known that photo
card licences expire: there appears to be a lack of information that people
will have to renew these licences.
'People think they have already paid them for once over and that is it.
'It will come as a surprise to motorists and a shock that they have to
pay an extra £17.50.'
The AA called on the Government to use the annual £450million from
traffic enforcement fines to offset the renewal charge.
Clate Mask Tips - Business Building
WE receive regular business building tips from Clate Mask, President of Infusionsoft, and his latest email gives the following advice:
When asked about his outstanding performance on the ice, Wayne Gretzky replied, "A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be."
Where is your business focusing? I've found that one of the most powerful practices as an entrepreneur is to spend a day away from the office, dream a little, and envision my company 1, 3, 5 years into the future.
When I occasionally "fly into the future" it makes it easier to come back to the present, push through obstacles, and chart my course to the future I have envisioned.
Spend some time in the future and you'll be able to "skate to where the puck is going to be!"
For more information on Infusionsoft, go to www.infusionsoft.com.
(Don’t spend too much time daydreaming! – Joan)
A Marketing Opportunity for our Members
We are pleased to announce that national wedding magazine, ‘Wedding
Ideas’, has agreed to work with us to announce this year’s
competition aimed at directing brides to the Guild Website to find their
photographer from amongst our members.
Details of the competition are - win £1000 towards your photography
provided your wedding is in 2010 and that your photographer is a Guild
member.
The competition will feature in the magazine’s April or May issue
(firm dates will be available later) and will direct brides to the website
to place their entry.
Why not make it part of your marketing?
New Help for Businesses Facing the Credit Crunch January 2009
Business Link provides an extensive range of help for businesses facing
the credit crunch or wanting to recession proof their performance. This
includes:
• Free information pack
• A Business health check with an experienced adviser
• Local credit crunch events and clinics
• Links to national support
In addition the Government is launching a new package of measures under
the Real Help For Businesses Now initiative. These measures
are in the form of three funds and are designed to ensure that businesses
can access working capital, trade and investment finance and that banks
can guarantee certain loan activity.
Enterprise Finance Guarantee - for Businesses: Government will
guarantee bank loans to Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) to 75%
of loan value. This will enable lending to those viable businesses who,
in these current economic times, are unable to get a loan. This measure
will also include the ability to consolidate part or all of an existing
loan or overdraft with their existing bank. The Enterprise Finance Guarantee
is part of the Solutions for Business portfolio. Businesses can find out
more from the website and can apply direct through the main banks and,
in the near future, other smaller lending organisations. For more information
visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/realhelp/finance
Capital For Enterprise Fund - for Businesses: A scheme
targeted at economically viable SMEs (plcs) who have exhausted normal
sources of finance and would benefit from an equity injection and/or mezzanine
loan to enable them to restructure their balance sheets and continue their
growth. The Capital for Enterprise Fund is part of the Finance for Business
product in the Solutions for Business portfolio. Businesses will be able
to access the fund through a dedicated BERR helpline 0845 459 9780 or
by visiting www.businesslink.gov.uk/realhelp/finance
If you have any questions about how you could minimise the impact of the
recession on your business then please call Business Link on 0845
600 9966.
DON’T WORRY ABOUT INCOME TAX - SPREAD IT!
If you find yourself with a large tax bill to pay, HM Revenue Collectors
are helping businesses by enabling them to ‘spread the tax'.
It can be straightforward to spread payment by direct debit with 5.5%
interest and you can make an early repayment to avoid further interest
charges on the remaining balance if the cash flow situation improves
Provided you contact HMRC BEFORE the due date, late payment under these
arrangements will not count as a black mark for Gross Payment Status review
purposes.
However, as this is a new service we strongly recommend you mention to
them to note in their records that you understand there will be no black
mark against you for CIS purposes.
As always, make a note of the name of the person you speak to, the time
and date of the call.
The Tax man says:
If you're worried about being able to meet tax, National Insurance, VAT
or other payments owed to HM Revenue & Customs, or you anticipate
that payments coming due will cause you problems, you can call the Business
Payment Support Line seven days a week.
HMRC staff will review your circumstances and discuss temporary options
tailored to your business needs, such as arranging for you to make payments
over a longer period. They will not charge additional late payment surcharges
on payments included in the arrangement, although interest will continue
to be payable on those taxes where it applies.
Please note: The Business Payment Support Line is for new enquiries only.
Tel 0845 302 1435
Open Monday - Friday 8.00am to 8.00 pm, Saturday and Sunday 8.00 am –
4.00 pm.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/pbr2008/business-payment.htm
The Guild of Photographers chooses LogBuy!
Today we announce LogBuy as a key provider of our Member Benefits. The Guild is dedicated to helping our members and now, through LogBuy – Member Benefits, you are enabled to make huge savings on a range of products and services for your business.
LogBuy who specializes in negotiating benefits in the form of discounts and deals on products and services now negotiate benefits for 250,000 businesses in total. The company will now assist Guild members to boost their purchasing power further.
Members of The Guild will now be empowered to full unlimited access to the already strong portfolio of leading brands available through LogBuy, who maintain a dedicated commitment to benefiting businesses by equipping them with the purchasing power of a large corporate. By promoting many market-leading suppliers deals such as Apple Store, Europcar and Viking Direct; there is a product or service present to enable savings to be made for any type of business, regardless of industry.
David Wall, Managing Director of LogBuy comments:
I am pleased to announce the Guild of Photographers as the latest trade
association to choose LogBuy’s unique concept of offering the best
deals and discounts to their members throughout the UK. Through The Guild,
many small to medium sized businesses will be enabled to benefit from
making huge savings from an increasingly strong portfolio of leading brands”.
About LogBuy
Founded in Denmark in 2002, LogBuy is a very fast growing business specialising
in the management and negotiation of Benefits within the Business and
Loyalty markets. In March 2005 LogBuy was launched in the UK and since
launch has grown to provide Benefits for Small Businesses, Trade Associations
& Membership Organisations nationwide, as well as developing a number
of unique loyalty solutions for leading companies inc. Viking Direct and
Premierline Direct. Today, LogBuy provides Benefits for over 250,000 businesses
across the UK.
Dave Porter Website
Hi Ya, hope you are ok,
please excuse this missive but I just had to tell you I have updated my
web site to include "On line Purchasing" mainly on the UK Landscapes
for Sale page. Basically there are loads of high quality UK Landscapes
for sale at different sizes and prices, ideal for Xmas presents or filling
a gap on a wall in your home. They are all available as Photographic or
Artist Quality Canvas prints.
If you would like to view click on www.daveporterphotography.co.uk then
the Landscape Prints for Sale button, scroll through the pages to view
100's of the photos for sale,
by clicking on the More Information button a list of sizes and prices
will be visible (see below)
A4 12 x 8 inches @ £20 each
A3 15 x 10 inches @ £30 each
A2 24 x 16 inches @ £45 each
A1 33 x 24 inches @ £60 each
A0 48 x 33 inches @ £80 each
select a size then Add To Cart, go through to Checkout as normal and pay
by Paypal or Credit Card, I then receive an email telling me what and
who has purchased a print and I post it off to you within a week, it’s
as simple as that.
If you are looking for a particular area or subject of the UK but can’t
find a suitable photo, drop me a line with a few details and I will have
a look through my 100,000 photo library and email you a selection of images
if I have anything suitable.
Thanks for you time.
Dave
33 Coventry Close
Werrington
Peterborough
Cambs
PE4 6NN
TEL 01733 750005
MOB 07752 232425
www.daveporterphotography.co.uk
TheImageFile
Last week, for the first time, theimagefile was storing over 10 million
images on behalf of our photographer customers. An impressive number but
how could this help you?
Well, we would like to think that it says our customers trust us with
their work but as importantly we think it demonstrates that they are also
making lots of sales!
Selling your images is only part of the story though; it is the ease of
use, the time savings, extra bookings and sheer professionalism you demonstrate
to your customers that really makes the system such an essential tool.
You can take a fully functional trial including a free 'phone introduction
to online sales and the system functionality from here for just £1
plus vat.
Free Print Offer
Your orders taken through theimagefile can be handled by any lab you choose.
If however, you select to have orders fulfilled by One Vision Imaging,
one of the UK's leading professional photographic laboratories. You will
receive top quality prints and products along with the option to have
your order dispatched directly to your clients, using your branding, at
no additional cost! Order your free prints here and see for yourself how
this could work for you.
Working in partnership to create the right image for you.
Congratulations
to our latest qualifiers:
John McDermott and William Johns.
Now that the market is getting tougher, you should consider applying for qualifications, if you haven’t already done so!
The added bonus of qualifications can give you a leading edge over your rivals. But please read the Guild Qualifications criteria on our website first! We have specific requirements, and to give yourself the best chance of passing you need to follow our guidelines!
Competition Winner
Congratulations
to Paul Haskins, our member in Whitehaven, Cumbria. Paul was the lucky
winner of a Canvas block from an image file of his choosing, donated by
Redwood Colour labs in Colchester, Essex.
7 Things You Should Know
When I started my portrait business (more than twenty years ago)
taking baby portraits in shopping malls, ‘marketing’ was simple
– stand and wait for customers to pass by and act on the impulse
to have their baby’s portrait taken, very often in order to enter
a competition. My most controversial poster advertised, ‘We shoot
your kids for nothing’. Fortunately, political correctness was in
its infancy and most people took it to be the humorous marketing message
it was meant to be.
The trouble with this type of business was that, once having taken a large
number of sittings (sometimes 300 a week) the selling process was largely
ignored. Customers were shown their photographs, given the options of
packages to purchase, and then left to their own devices to spend as little
as they wanted to. This is not selling at its best!
Now with more difficult trading conditions, we have to make the most of
our selling opportunities, and we have received these pointers to help
1. Age- Everything you say and write, including slang, allusions, word
difficulty, and topics should be adjusted to meet age appropriateness.
2. Gender- Despite the dual roles men and women tend to fill, most individuals can be segmented (and sold to) based on gender-specific interests or needs.
3. Location- Values and culture tend to vary based on demographics. Having a clear understanding of regional difference will improve your targeted messages.
4. Education Level- Similar to age appropriateness, education levels should determine how you address your prospects and what benefits they will find in your product or service.
5. Income- The needs and wants from one social class to another should be a guide to the types of products and services you should be selling them.
6. Marital Status- The values, needs, and desires of married persons greatly differ from those that are single. Marketing family messages to single persons (and vice versa) can lose the deal for you.
7. What Keeps Them Up At Night- This is the most important one. You've
got to know your prospect's fears, worries, concerns, excitements, hopes
and dreams. When you know the conversation inside your prospect's head,
you can enter it, speak to it, and build a relationship that leads to
a customer.
The National Pages
Fast growing Online Directory, the National Pages, has some special offers for Guild Members:
The National Pages is a powerful, easy to use and comprehensive Business Search Engine offering fantastic value. They have three levels of entry – Bronze, giving a listing of your business, Bronze plus, giving a link to your website, and Gold, which gives you a glossy self-managed microsite.
Gold Membership gives you:
• A self managed microsite with a description of your company (5-10
paragraphs)
• Two links to your website
• Logo and five expandable images or video
• A Google map and route finder to your business location
• A free advert in one of their regional newsletters
• Your listing in up to 6 searchable categories
• A secure dynamic form to allow visitors to contact you online.
The National Pages is a great complementary search engine to the Guild’s own Directory – whilst the Guild’s directory is based on county searches, the National Pages searches within a specified radius of a selected town. For a short time, the cost of Gold is just £45, reduced to £35 for Guild members, while Bronze Plus (usual cost £15) is free to Guild members.
And if you haven’t got a website – they will build you one
for just £80 (usual cost currently £90), which will include
Gold Membership. If you would like to discuss this, send us an email here
at the Guild and National Pages will do the rest. Don’t forget to
check your listing at www.thenationalpages.co.uk
Corinne Mansfield
from SamsTax (Self Assessment Made Simple) has contacted us with news
of their new self assessment software service to help people overcome
their self assessment concerns, and to submit their return in time and
accurately.
Keeping track of your expenditure is vital to understand how well your
business is performing, so this sounds like a brilliant idea to me!
SamsTax have donated one package as a prize for our monthly competition
– it’s worth £100, so once you’ve taken a look
at www.samstax.co.uk why not go to our competition page and enter. This
month there’s a second prize too!
Click to enter
SamsTAx will help you:
- Track income and expenditure over time
- Generate and submit your self assessment paperwork
- Save time and money by eliminating the need for expensive accountants
- Be safe and secure with all your personal details
Seminars and Workshops
A small selection of events you may wish to attend! These dates are given for your information.
The Flash Centre,
Birmingham
12th November 2008
Morning session: 10am
Afternoon session: 2pm
The Flash Centre Birmingham has teamed up with Colour Confidence for this
unique free event:
• See the ColorMunki Photo in action
• Free colour management seminar
• Quiz the Colour Confidence technical team
• Special ColorMunki pricing for all attendees
How can a munki help you control your colour?
Find out when you visit the Munki House.
Save time for all those “special jobs” with the new Capture
One Pro 4 workflow software from Phase One....
We will be running full in-depth training days of the new long awaited
Capture One Pro 4.5 on the
13th/14th November 2008 at TFC Birmingham
£60p/p. Ring Kev or Jim for availability: 01213279220
SEO Seminar - January 16th 2009
Our popular seminar is being held on January 16th 2009 at Hatfield House,
Hertfordshire. Special early Booking Discounts currently apply. Hatfield
House is easy to get to by Rail or Car. The day includes great SEO techniques
and a great lunch.
Marc P Summers Search Engine Optimisation Consultant
Trainer & Author Monkey Design House
Trainer & Author
Monkey Design House
D-I-Y
PR Part 2
(Or to the uninitiated – Do-it-yourself Public Relations)
Distributing your Press Release
Getting your release into the right hands can make all the difference
to whether or not it is used. Try the following tactics:
• Call your local media (newspapers, radio and TV) and find out
the name of the news editor
• Speak to them and let them know that you will be sending them
a story for possible use. (This way your release will be recognised when
it comes in and may receive a higher priority – try to be polite
and enthusiastic on the phone to give it an even better chance).
• There are more places to distribute your release than just the
local media. If your story has national appeal, look for a news agency
who could sell it for you to newspapers and magazines. You may not receive
any payment for this (although the agency will) but national coverage
will more than make up for that. Your story needs to be extremely funny,
unusual or involve a celebrity to have any chance of succeeding.
• Don’t forget – if you are a member of a trade association,
send your news to your in-house magazine – just as Jane de Weck
has done to us here at the Guild.
The hardest part of getting publicity is making the time and putting in the effort to generate your news stories – time that will take you away from taking pictures. But then, most photographers will tell you that they spend a minority of their time behind the camera! However, it’s time well spent. Once you get a reputation for always being in the news, word of mouth advertising will certainly work for you!
Next month – getting yourself in the news
MONKEY DESIGN HOUSE
Monkey
Design House specialise in Search Engine Optimisation Seminars and Coaching.
Using well developed Internet Systems such as Content Management Systems,
Online Store Software, and Search Engine Optimisation Tools we develop
a working solution to match your requirements.
Monkey Design House provide Training Seminars in Search Engine Optimisation
across the UK and USA as well as 1-2-1 SEO Coaching for more tailored
requirements. We have successfully increased our customers’ businesses
using proven techniques that are honest SEO tips and not those used by
'SEO Sharks'.
Experience - Over 14 years of experience in house. Our head Internet Consultant
has been working on Internet Projects more or less since the Internet
came to the UK and before that in Houston, Texas.
Systems - We use and have developed many systems that streamline the day
to day running of your Online Marketing Strategy. From editing your website
to dealing with sales - our systems are constantly being developed to
make your life easier.
Dedication - We like nothing more than receiving emails from happy clients
telling us how their business has improved. We will ensure that you are
told about the latest products and systems available to keep you on the
right track.
Cost Effective - All of our proposals have Return of Investment (ROI)
in mind. When you are looking at an online store we will ensure you are
offered everything you need to be successful. These solutions can be taken
all at the beginning or gradually bolted on during the year.
Support - Customer Satisfaction is important to us. In most cases you
will be given a mobile number of a technician to call whenever you need
that helping hand. We can even provide remote access support.
Progress & Success - Your success is our success - we will ensure
that when you have reached your current goals we help you move the goal
posts even further to reach some more..
marc@monkeydesignhouse.com
www.monkeydesignhouse.com
0870 042 1295 / 077930 55565 / 0870 288 7311
Enter this month’s competition to win one of Marc’s SEO Knowledge Packs worth £75!
MYEBOOK
We have received news from Sy Whitehall about a new application –
totally free of charge – which will help you compose e books, and
will soon have the facility to allow printing of your compilation. Originally
produced for authors who are having a hard time finding a publisher who
doesn’t want to charge a fortune, Sy is now finding that photographers
are suing the programme to compile albums. This is what he says:
Over the last couple of weeks we’ve had a number of professional
photographers register accounts and create photography ebooks, hence the
reason for me bringing myebook to your attention.
Myebook allows everyone to create and publish online content and material
in a new and completely unique way.
It combines a ‘viewer’ to launch and see the ebooks created
in the library, the ‘builder’ where you easily prepare, design
and publish your ebooks, and a comprehensive social networking and emailing
system.
The books you create can be embedded in to any web-site or social site,
and they function just like a book in that you turn the pages. Myebook
is multi media rich, meaning you can add video, audio, flash animation
and lots more.
In the coming weeks the option to print on demand will be live, and in
publishing terms this represents a huge leap forward in the savings of
production and distribution.
When you publish your ebook you decide who has access to them.
Have a look at myebook.com to see how the system has already been used
by photographers. Just go to:
http://www.myebook.com/index.php?option=ebook&id=1100
and
http://www.myebook.com/index.php?option=ebook&id=1460
All of this is completely free to use, and will remain free forever. Myebook
is a wonderful tool for photographers wanting to show their skills. I
hope you like what I have created, and if you have any questions please
make contact on any of the details below. What will you make?
Sy Whitehall
Head of communications
07939 137799
sy@myebook.com
Registered Office:
Myebook Limited
134 Percival Road
Enfield, Middlesex EN1 1QU
Company No. 06222914
Design your own e commerce site
John Newton at Photomemory has informed us of his new product – he says:
Photomemory.net
has been providing professional photographers with an integrated e-commerce/on-line
proofing system for 8 years. They have now enhanced the system to optionally
include a fully self configurable template website system that allows
the design or content to be easily changed.
After choosing a template you are able to quickly input text and upload images with the system automatically resizing them to the correct specification.
The system is so powerful you can change the entire colour scheme, including previously uploaded albums and the e-commerce system, with just one click.
The system has been designed to be non technical and new template designs will be added on a regular basis, enabling updates and style changes to your website as frequently as you like, at no additional cost.
All this is available for only £99/€135 per year including hosting and a starter e-commerce upload allowance of 250 images which may be increased to any quantity at any time from as little as £19.99. Also, for a short time, we are offering a FREE 30 day trial so you can ensure it’s the right product for you.
Interested? Please go to www.photomemory.net,
for further details or telephone
0845 868 2739 where they will be pleased to discuss your requirements
further.
'From Chris Noble we had this email’
Subject: Suspicious Wedding
Yesterday I was asked to quote for a wedding which I did and the quote
was accepted. However, the have asked me pay by credit card and to take
the additional cost of the florist and then pass it on to them by money
transfer. This is supposedly because the florist cannot take credit card
payments. I found this to be very suspicious and decided to decline the
wedding. I’ve decided to advise you in case other members of the
Guild are approached. The details are as follows:
Name: Maxwells Brown
E-mail: 0A
Venue: London Danbar,
198 Cranbrook Road,
Ilford, Essex, IG1 4LU
Date: 22nd September 2008 at 10:00am
Regards
Chris Noble
Noble Multimedia Services
‘This is quite an old scam now and I think most people know about it - I've featured similar ones in the past in the Journal. It's not just photographers who get targeted! Thanks for letting us know. Joan.
The Saatchi Gallery
'if
you are a Guild member who has submitted work to exhibit in the Saatchi
online gallery, this is for you'. Please let us know if you would like
to attend.
THE SAATCHI GALLERY
invites you to a Saatchi Online Artists preview
of the inaugural show and opening of
THE REVOLUTION CONTINUES:
NEW ART FROM CHINA
8th October 2008 10am - 4pm
Gallery Sponsor
Exhibition Sponsor
Media Partner
If you would like to attend please RSVP here:
Your acceptance has to be registered
in order to gain entry.
SAATCHI GALLERY,
Duke of York's HQ,
King's Road,
London,
SW3 4SQ
Marine Photo Service Reunion October 2008
From Mark Winterbottom at Redwood Pro Lab
Marine Photo Service based in Colchester (Britain’s oldest recorded
town) was involved in putting young photographers on cruise liners to
take photographs of the passengers having a good time.
The company started in 1920 and was the first of its kind, in the last
88 years MPS photographers have photographed the world and have an unrivalled
legacy of images.
There
was a book published about MPS and its photographers by John Graves of
the National Maritime Museum, we are in the process of organising a reunion,
we have had old photog’s contact us from all over the world about
our reunion, the stories of ships ports and the way the world has changed
in the last 88 years is simply amazing.
The images are from the book Waterline – if there are any ex MPS
photographers out there, please get in contact and let us have your reminiscences.
Kind Regards
Mark
Redwood Pro Lab & Wholesaler
Tel: 01206 751241
Fax: 01206 855134
Mob: 07887 796635
www.redwoodphoto.com
Click on any MPS photo below to view it enlarged
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Writing Your Own Press Release
'This press release was created by the Guild for Paul, who kindly sent this copy from his local newspaper. We hope it has brought him local fame!
Don't forget that the Guild will help you with Press Releases - just let us know the details. If you have no news, try to create some!'
Writing Your Own Press Release - The Seven Golden Rules
There are a few basic rules which you need to abide by. Don’t worry too much if you don’t get it just right, because journalists will be keen to re-write your story anyway and perhaps put their own slant on it. However, it doesn’t hurt to present them with something usable in the first place.
Rule 1
Summarise the whole story in the first paragraph. Get straight to the point. Most journalists will read no further than this before deciding whether or not it is newsworthy. Don’t start this paragraph with anything other than a catchy headline…’local photographer wins top award’, ‘Joe Bloggs snaps his way into the record books,’ etc.
Rule 2
Keep it brief and concise. The journalist will probably want to speak to you to get further details or expand on any particular point.
Rule 3
Check your spelling and grammar – with someone else if you don’t feel confident. And make sure the release is presented in a tidy manner. There’s nothing more unprofessional than a release full of spelling mistakes and literals. The journalist may assume that this lack of attention is followed through into the rest of your business.
Rule 4
Leave plenty of space between each line of text (double spacing is fine). This helps when subediting, so that the journalist can make corrections to your copy and use it ‘as is’, without having to completely re-type the story. This is especially important for free-sheet and weekly newspapers where they are often run on a skeleton staff.
Rule 5
Make sure you place the word ‘ENDS’ at the end of the text you would like to see in print and anything else for the attention only of the journalists should be written after that.
Rule 6
Include all your contact details so the journalist can get in touch with you easily to get further information.
Rule 7
Include a photograph! No matter how trivial it may seem, you have a much better chance of getting your story used if you include an image or two. For example, if you have won an award include a print of the winning picture itself and then one of either yourself being presented with the award, or a shot of you with the client and the winning picture, together with the trophy/certificate.
'Next month - Distributing Your Release'
Damien Lovegrove Consulting Blog
Those of you who have attended a Damien Lovegrove Seminar will remember his enthusiasm, creativity and love of his subject. His skill encompasses marketing as well as creating highly acclaimed photographs and he has now created the Lovegrove Consulting blog for all to become involved.
Our
new resource is now live. The Lovegrove Consulting blog is up and running.
Be a part of this venture from the start and contribute comments or articles.
You can keep up to date on news stories, get business advice, tap into inspirational photography and the lighter side of picture making.
We have set up the blog to be RSS compatible so you can spot new content without having to visit the site. Among the many new posts I've written is a whole series on shooting digital colour infrared pictures using a converted DSLR.
IMAGENUT WEBSITE - By Michael Upstone
Former Craftsman member of the Guild, Michael Upstone, has informed us of a new website he has helped to create which gives free instruction in digital photography techniques.
More than just a tutorial site, it includes links to news items (e.g. the current debate on police clampdowns on photographers working in public places) with the facility to post your comments, submit articles and create links. and much more! Take a look at
Kevin Roberts for Guild of Photographers info@photoguild.co.uk
Customer Service Photography With A Difference
MAGNUM COURSE DEVELOPS ALAN’S PHOTO TECHNIQUES
Norwich photographer Alan Bennett was recently chosen to attend a prestigious workshop run by Magnum photographers Chris Steele-Perkins and Simon Wheatley. Only the best photographers, who can demonstrate a mix of reporter and artist, are chosen to work for the Magnum agency. Alan, who is a Qualified Member of the Guild of Photographers, was one of only 14 picked from 130 who submitted portfolios. Chosen photographers came from Switzerland, Germany and Ireland as well as the United Kingdom.
Based at Simon Wheatley’s studio in East London the course aimed to develop the students’ observational and technical skills and encourage the development of ideas. Taking advantage of the wealth of markets in East London, Alan ventured daily into various locations throughout the week including Billingsgate Fish Markets, New Spitalfields Market, Brick Lane and Ridley Road . From his portfolio of images three were chosen for inclusion in a group exhibition of the students’ work at the Calumet Gallery in London.
Alan, who only recently moved to Norfolk with his wife from Australia, is a commercial and wedding photographer.
‘It was great studying with top photographers’, Alan said, ‘especially from the legendary Magnum Agency.’ He added, ‘I have learnt so much in a week. When I see a pictorial idea developing on location, I stay there until I get the shot.’
The Guild, which is based in Somerset, is run by experienced photographer Joan Roberts. The body offers members professional, friendly support, giving them guidance and companionship, and a helping hand when necessary.
Joan said: “I am very pleased for Alan. He has shown that he can produce very high quality images, which will give his customers confidence. No doubt his photographs will reflect the extra special training he has received!”
For more information about Alan’s photography, please visit www.mediaimagingsolutions.com
Colourful reflections on life in the East End of London
Why not let the Guild have your story, so that we can produce a Press Release for you?
Wedding Tips – think before you take
Groom and Best Man in Front of the Church
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A number of choices present themselves with this shot
• Distances – camera to subject and subject to background
• Light direction
• Relation of subjects to church
• Composition of subjects (posing)
The photographs illustrate the following points:
1. A full length picture is not satisfactory as a portrait – this is a picture of the church with a man in the foreground.
2. An improvement on 1. – this is now a portrait of the bridegroom with the church as a setting.
3. This hand shaking picture has been reasonably accomplished, but it means that one face is in sunlight, the other in shade.
4. Stand both men with their backs to the sun and use a reflector to give a touch of fill to their faces. The composition is also improved with relation to the church in the background.
Don’t use the same picture ideas on every wedding without thought! Allow the combination of lighting and background to suggest the actual content and design of the photograph.
How to combine mailshots and press for stronger marketing
Marketing has got to be one of the most important elements of your business operation. If you are trying to decide between mailshots and advertising, here are research results which suggest you should consider both.
It appears that mailshots make press advertising 120% more effective when used together. The two methods have clear separate benefits -
Press |
Mailshots |
Raises Awareness |
Helps to convert interest into action |
Is for 'going shopping' |
Are for 'buying something' |
41% likely to look at newspaper ads |
69% likely to open mail shots |
Must fight for attention in a busy environment |
65% say they are more likely to remember an ad if also communicated by post. |
58% of people questioned said they are more likely to respond to an advert if it is communicated by both post and newspapers, and consumers buying in response to mail shots spend on average 21% more than those buying in response to press adverts.
Figures speak for themselves, but we all know how numbers can be crunched, so beware of rushing headlong into an expensive ad and mailshot campaign without due consideration!
Ask yourself some key questions -
• Who are your target audience?
• Where will you find them? - which newspapers/magazines do they read? Can you buy a targeted mailing list of prospects?
• What message do you want to communicate?
• How will you persuade them to respond positively?
• Which medium will work best - press, mail or email?
TIMING
An awareness campaign for a new product or service could be run over weeks or months, using selected publications and highly targeted mailings. Marketing for a special event or a sale will have a shorter time scale.
Be aware of advertising copy deadlines - shorter for weekly publications than monthly. Leave enough time for checking mailing list data, design, copywriting, printing and delivery of a mail shot.
COST
Determine your budget and then make the best use of it. Press advert costs will depend on the size and position of the ad, and the type of publication. Circulation figures can look good, but is the publication read by your target audience? When considering leaflets, get quotes from several printers, but make sure you see their work before going ahead.
COULD YOU BENEFIT FROM PROFESSIONAL ADVICE?
Depending on your budget, an agency could implement the whole campaign for you - design, placing ads, printing and dispatch of mail shot. A creative agency will help to ensure that messaging and design is consistent for both advert and mailshot. Some newspapers will offer the press artwork as part of the cost of placing the advert.
THE PRESS MESSAGE
Remember that press creates awareness - your advert must make the reader want to know more about your product, but keep the message simple. Keep the product information to a minimum and include web address or contact details so the reader can find out more.
THE MAILSHOT MESSAGE
This is the Desire and Action medium - give a greater explanation of your product here. Connect the mailshot to the ad by using some of the same images used in the press. Make sure it is easy for people to contact you, e.g., with a freephone number, an email address or a reply paid card. Responses are usually improved if an incentive is offered. Keep the message consistent; e.g., don't advertise quality and then send a cheap mailshot.
MEASURE THE RESULTS
Follow up all campaigns in order to evaluate and understand what has worked well. Build a feedback into the mailer, record the number and dates of adverts and mailers, and the replies received. Once you have found your customers, take time and effort to retain them - it can cost 10 times more to win a new customer than to keep an existing one!
International Garden Photographer of the Year, 2008
Winners Announced
(Embargoed until 22 May 2008)
The International Garden Photographer of the Year 2008 awards were announced today, 22nd May 2008, at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Coinciding with the opening of the accompanying outdoor exhibition in the Gardens, the winners were presented with prizes of cash and vouchers worth over £30,000. Awards included the best single image; best portfolio and best single image from the under 16s. The three winners represent the very best in garden photography from across the world, both amateurs and professionals.
The winners were chosen from the finalists' works exhibited at Kew, and were selected by a panel of eleven judges from the thousands of entries received from all around the world. Competitors were invited to enter single images or themed portfolios into any of the five competition categories.
International Garden Photographer of the Year, 2008. The overall winner of the £5,000 prize for the best single image is Australian, professional photographer, Claire Takacs for Kenrokuen Gardens, Japan. This evocative photograph of the famous Japanese gardens in a flurry of snowflakes was selected from the Garden Views category.
Best Portfolio
The Best Portfolio Prize, for £3,000 cash plus £2000 Calumet vouchers, goes to amateur photographer, Henrique Souto from Portugal for Leaves, a collection of six images. These immaculate studio shots of autumn leaves reflects Henrique's passion for the natural world and above all, trees.
Young Garden Photographer of the Year
The Young Garden Photographer of the Year title goes to Fergus Gill for the best single image from an under 16 year old, for Partridge Reflection. Fergus is 15 years old from Perthshire, Scotland. Fergus wins a Canon EOS 40D 17-85 kit plus more that £500 worth of vouchers from Manfrotto, Kata and Visible Dust.
Category Winners
Each category received £700 cash and over £700 of equipment vouchers from Kata, Manfrotto and Visible Dust.
The winners of each category were:
Plant Portraits - Chinch Gryniewicz for Marguerites in Rain.
My Garden - Dennis Frates for Desert Garden.
Garden Views - Claire Takacs for Kenrokuen Gardens.
Life in the Garden - Andrew Bailey for Tug of War.
Trees - Colin Roberts for Ash tree on The Downs.
The 'Trees' category complements Kew's Summer Festival of Trees, which will be celebrated from 24th May - 28th September 2008.
Professor Stephen Hopper, Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew said "We are delighted to be showing the Garden Photographer of the Year exhibition here at Kew Gardens and hope that seeing these wonderful photographs will inspire more people to share the beauty of plants and gardens through photography. We are particularly pleased to see such fantastic international response and are already looking forward to next year when the new "World Botanic Gardens" category will complement Kew's 250th anniversary celebrations."
The prizes were generously donated by Canon, Calumet, Manfrotto, Kata and Visible Dust. The exhibition runs from Saturday 24th May until September 2008 in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. For information about how to get there, go to http://www.kew.org.
All the pictures from the exhibition, plus those commended by the judges can be seen in the book Garden Photographer of the Year, Collection 01, from AA Publishing. Available from 23rd May, price £25, (ISBN: 978 0 7495 5711 9).
2009 competition is now open. For more details, including "early bird" offers go to http://www.igpoty.com
Hi everyone,
just a note to update you on our progress from lands end to john o groats,
sorry its taken a while, tech problems with a dongle i bought, basically
it has n't worked since i left Pboro,
All is well this is day 11 and we have biked 760 miles reasonably unscathed,
I crashed on the first day into a ditch but baring a few scratches all
ok, lee and andy are fine we are all finding it very tough to keep the
miles and enthusiasm up especially in the bloody rain !!!!
the first 7 days were superb hot sunny rain free, then it rained in wales
( shock ) passed through yorks in howling wind and sandblasting rain,
but topped off today from motherwell to inverary in scotland, 2 punctures
1 shredded tyre and 9 hours in the saddle 5 of them in pissing rain !!!!
needless to say i am in need of a comfy cushion and a beer,
the b and b's have been superb and the food and beer a very welcome sight
at the end of gruelling days, sometimes it has been very hard with steep
hills going on and on and aching legs in need of some respite, which there
is none.
it has been great fun with 46 of us in the group some more fun than others
but a good laff,
cornwall and devon the first 2 days were very hilly and all suffered,
you go up a hill at 4 mph then down the other side at 40 mph !!! madness,
bodmin moor and dartmoor were fantastic views but hard climbing, skirted
around bristol through somerset and cheddar gorge, then into wales, chester,
lancashire, yorkshire, cumbria, and at 14.40 monday into scotland,
now on the shoreline of loch fyne watching the rain on the window with
a hot cup of coffee and a roaring log fire,
there are 2 photos enclosed both at the marker post lands end, so you
know im not fibbing !!!!
will try to email again after we finish in john o groats this saturday
afternoon you may just hear the cry of releif and my bike being tossed
into the atlantic !!!!!
thanks for all your support before during and after,
Dave xxxxxxxx
www.daveporterphotography.co.uk
33 Coventry Close,
Werrington, Peterborough, PE46NN
TEL 01733 750005
MOB 07752 232425
Dave Porter for Guild of Photographers info@photoguild.co.uk