Index

A

accountants, 12

advertising, 60, 91

Facebook, 99–101

Google AdWords, 101

magazine, 98

television, 94–95

See also marketing

AdWords, Google, 101

a la carte pricing, 133

album offerings, 85, 141

apprenticeships, 175

B

baby photography, 169–170

behindtheshutter.com, ix, 50

blogs, 122–124

branding via, 77–78

Facebook links to, 123

images added to, 124

marketing through, 98–99

posting frequently on, 123

professionalism of, 123–124

SEO considerations for, 124

See also social media; websites

bookkeeping, 12

branding, 67–87

colors for, 76–77

definition of, 68

dress related to, 81–82

editing techniques and, 83–84

focus group discussion on, 87

graphic elements used for, 76

lighting techniques and, 84

logos used for, 75–76

marketing pieces for, 78–79

names chosen for, 74–75

packaging as part of, 79, 81

personality related to, 82

posing styles and, 83

pricing related to, 86, 136–139

product lines and, 84–85

social media and, 77–78

sounds used for, 77

strategy consideration, 68–70

tagline used for, 76

three-words exercise, 73

websites used for, 77–78, 111

X-factor determination, 86

breach of contract, 151

bundling products/services, 135

business entities, 27–42

corporations, 40–42

DBAs (doing business as), 34–35

LLCs (limited liability companies), 38–39

partnerships, 35–36

sole proprietorships, 30–33

business plan, 48, 54–65

company description, 58

creation process, 46–47, 65

executive summary, 55

financial projections, 63–64

management profile, 59

market analysis, 57

marketing strategy, 60

organizational structure, 58

ownership information, 58

product/service description, 63

sales strategy, 60–61

C

C corporations, 40

career considerations, 4–22

center of operations, 7–8

clients

changing the experience of, 145

dealing with expectations of, 15–16

Coca-Cola examples, 50, 52

COGS (cost of goods sold), 128–130

colors for brand, 76

communication strategy, 60

company description, 58

competition issues, 8–9

competitive analysis, 57

consumer perspective, 8

contracts, 147–163

copyright releases, 158–159

model releases, 157–158

second shooter agreements, 160–162

wedding contracts, 151–157

copyright

release forms for, 158–159

second shooter agreements and, 162

stipulating in contracts, 154

corporations, 40–42

definition of, 40

legal implications of, 40, 149

pros and cons of, 41–42

summary thoughts about, 42

tax issues for, 40, 41

costs/expenses, 11–12, 128–130

creativity, 16–17, 143–144

credit-based pricing, 133–134

critical success factors, 49

customer service

client expectations and, 15–16

value of, 140–141, 145

D

DBAs (doing business as), 34–35

definition of, 34

summary thoughts about, 34–35

tax implications of, 34

defining your brand, 68–70

deposits, nonrefundable, 153

digital revolution, 13–14

direct mail, 95–96

dress, importance of, 81–82

E

editing techniques, 83–84

entrepreneurial risks, 6–7

event photography, 167

exclusive photographer clause, 155–157

executive summary, 55

expenses/costs, 11–12, 128–130

experience, 144

expertise, 102

F

Facebook, 119–122

advertising on, 99–101

branding through, 77–78

business pages on, 119–120

friend requests on, 121–122

importance of using, 14, 119

posting frequently on, 120–121

See also social media

family photography, 169–170

fictitious names, 30, 34

file-naming process, 116

financial projections, 63–64

finding your niche, 165–179

fine art portraiture, 172–173

focus groups, 87

friend requests, 121–122

G

general partnerships, 35

generalists vs. specialists, 177–178

glamour/boudoir photography, 168

Google AdWords, 101

governing laws, 157

graphics for brand, 76

growth strategy, 60

guerilla marketing, 92

H

happy, business of, 18–20

high school seniors, 168–169

I

impact images, 114–115

inbound links, 118

income, 4, 21

incorporation, 12

industry description, 57

inspiration, 25

Internet. See social media; websites

internships, 25

K

keywords

Google AdWords, 101

search engine optimization, 116

L

landscape photography, 166–167

lawsuits, 30, 148–149, 154

legal/liability issues

contracts and, 154, 163

corporations and, 40, 149

LLCs and, 38, 39

partnerships and, 35

sole proprietorships and, 31–32

legal/professional services, 12

lighting techniques, 84

limited copyright releases, 159

limited partnerships, 35

links to website, 118, 123

LLCs (limited liability companies), 38–39

definition of, 38

pros and cons of, 39

summary thoughts about, 39

logos, 75–76

Louis Vuitton, 79–81, 145

M

magazine ads, 98

management profile, 59

market analysis, 57

market penetration strategy, 60

marketing, 89–105

advertising as, 60, 91

blogging used as, 98–99

branding related to, 78–79

charity-based, 96

definition of, 90

direct mail, 95–96

Facebook, 99–101

Google AdWords, 101

magazine, 98

press release, 92–94

television, 94–95

word-of-mouth, 103

writing as, 102

marketing plan, 89–90

how to create, 103–104

reevaluating, 91–92

marketing strategy, 60

mission statement, 48, 49–50

mobile users, 110–111

model releases, 157–158

money considerations, 20–21

N

names

brand, 74–75

image, 116

O

online resources, 25

organizational structure, 58

ownership information, 58

P

package pricing, 135

packaging

branding through, 79, 81

value of, 142–143

partnerships, 35–36

definition of, 35

legal implications of, 35

pros and cons of, 36

summary thoughts about, 36

tax implications of, 35

part-time work, 25

payment terms, 152–153

performance of websites, 109–110

personality considerations, 82

plans

business, 48, 54–65

marketing, 89–90, 103–104

portfolios, 111–112, 176

portrait photography

fine art portraiture, 172

session fee for, 132–133

posing styles, 83

post-event sales, 61

press releases, 92–94

pricing, 132–139

branding and, 86, 136–139

contract expiration date for, 157

models used for, 133–135

psychology of, 135–139

reviewing your info on, 145

session fee, 132–133

website info on, 114

products

branding related to, 84–85

describing in business plan, 63

value of, 141–142

professional photography

business entities for, 27–42

business plan for, 45–65

career considerations for, 4–22

finding your niche in, 165–173

getting started in, 22–24, 175–176

pros and cons of, 6–22

professionalism, 123–124

promotion. See marketing

psychology of pricing, 135–139

R

release forms

copyright releases, 158–159

model releases, 157–158

S

S corporations, 40, 42

salcincotta.com website, 111

sales strategy, 60–61

search engine optimization (SEO), 115–118

Google AdWords vs., 101

importance of, 112–113, 115

inbound links and, 118

keywords for, 116

naming images for, 116

text related to, 115–116

Yoast plug-in for, 118

second shooter agreements, 160–162

service. See customer service

service/product description, 63

session fee, 132–133

shooting and burning, 9

social media

blogs, 77–78, 98–99, 122–124

branding through, 77–78

developing a strategy for, 125

Facebook, 14, 99–101, 119–122

importance of, 119

Twitter, 122

See also websites

sole proprietorships, 30–33

definition of, 30–31

legal implications of, 31–32, 149

pros and cons of, 32–33

summary thoughts about, 33

tax implications of, 31

sounds for brand, 77

specialists vs. generalists, 177–178

staffing events, 153

startup expenses, 11–12

strategic planning, 49

style of photography, 178

success

critical factors for, 49

defining your own, 21–22

T

taglines, 76

target market, 57

tax issues

for corporations, 40, 41

for DBAs, 34

for LLCs, 38

for partnerships, 35

for sole proprietorships, 31

technology issues, 13–14

television ads, 94–95

text for SEO, 115–116

trust rank, 118

Twitter, 122

V

value, 139–144

of creativity, 143–144

of experience, 144

of packaging, 142–143

of products, 141–142

of service, 140–141

vision statement, 48, 52–54

voice, written, 77–78

W

websites, 108–115

blogs on, 122–124

branding via, 77–78, 111

Facebook links to, 123

impact images on, 114–115

importance of, 108–109

inbound links to, 118

mobile access to, 110–111

performance of, 109–110

portfolios on, 111–112

pricing information on, 114

relevant/timely content on, 113

SEO for, 112–113, 115–118

text added to, 115–116

See also social media

wedding photography, 170–172

contracts for, 151–157

sales workflow for, 61

weekend warriors, 4, 39, 128

word-of-mouth marketing, 103

working for yourself, 17–18

work-life balance, 9–11

writing

branding through, 77–78

establishing expertise by, 102

written voice, 77–78

X

X-factor, 86, 143

Y

Yoast plug-in, 118