Photo Sister

Photo Sister LaRae Lobdell, the Queen Mother, has an awesome new blog.

PhotoSister.com

She has videos, advice, giveaways, a facebook page, and more in store.  Check it out and follow, let me know what you think, let her know what you think.  You may be able to help a sister out with your special knowledge.

Opportunities for growth: Boundaries

One of the biggest (and constant) challenges I have faced in business is setting boundaries.  Whether it is between my business and personal life, with friends and family, or with clients it is hard to know where to draw the line.  It can be harder if you have ever been abused physically, emotionally or sexually.  I won't go too deep here, but I have some basic advice for ways to set boundaries.

Not setting boundaries with clients can lead to a decrease in profit margins (giving away products, not being compensated for time) and creates an appearance of unprofessional business practice.  If you let your clients walk on you then they can see you don't respect yourself.  If you don't respect yourself how can you expect others to take you seriously.

I am not saying that a little bit of insecurity will allow you to be eaten alive.   Artist tend to be a bit insecure and you can use it to your advantage.  It will drive you to keep learning and growing.  That insecurity makes it that much more important that you set boundaries.  

• Make some policies, write them down, and let them be seen.  If you have policies that clients can read it becomes very easy to say, "if I let you, then I would have to let everyone."  Example: I have started using a contract that people sign online stating my portrait session policy.  That way they have right there in writing what they can expect, and how I expect to be treated.  I haven't had a no show since I started using this practice.
• Set routine hour of business.  It will make it easier for you to manage your families expectations, and your own.  If you work from 11 to 3, then you know you don't have to process that order you received at 11pm until tomorrow morning. Example: When I do order fulfillment I process and send orders on Wednesday and receive and/or ship them to clients on Friday.  I can tell people that orders placed by Tuesday will ship next week.  They know what to expect and I know what to expect.
• Under promise and over deliver.   Don't promise things to people because that is what they want to hear.  Tell them the truth and give conservative estimates, then blow them away by giving them more than they expect.

Here are a couple of links with more ideas on boundary setting.

Setting Boundaries with Clients

Boundaries vs. Barriers

If you have a great idea or an awesome practice share it here or on the Photograp(her) forum

Check this out

GoBee has a girl bag that is ACTUALLY FUNCTIONAL.  I touched it, I love it, I blogged it on DWF.

Night Blogger

I am blogging in the middle of the night.  It took so long to get going today that my momentum hasn't run out.  Common problem I think amongst the work-at-home mom set.  After the children were nestled all snug in their beds, and had been returned to them after multiple escapes, I settle down in front of the monitor and GO.  I created a forum, registered a domain, created sub-domains (with masked forwarding), communicated with friends, clients, associates, had snacks, watched TV, and now I want to collapse, except that my email address is moving and I won't sleep for all of the potential clients that I am convinced all decided to email me at 1 am.

What's a girl to do?  Get 5 hours of beauty sleep, then dunk her face in a sink full of ice water, that's what.

I also know the habits of many of my cohorts, and wonder what you are all doing at this hour.  Tossing and turning, brewing another pot, or sleeping like 6 month old babies who have finally established a routine?

FORUM! FORUM! FORUM!

FORUM!  We have a forum.  Go discuss something right now.  That's an order.

http://photograp-her.net/

WPPI

I am headed for Vegas this year and the MGM Grand for WPPI!  If you are going don't pass me by.  You can find me at the Táve booth, hanging around with the Fresburg crowd, or chilling in a platform class.  If you haven't been before check out this piece I wrote on the Táve blog.  Maybe in 2011 we'll have cute girl shits with a sexy logo on them so we can identify each other.  I found $36 rooms at Excaliber on Hotels.com, that's catty corner from the MGM.  You can get trade show only passes from many of the exhibitors, which gets you into the trade show only for free, but there are so many speakers in the booths, and new toys to play with that it's worth the trip just for that.

Taking it slow

The facebook group is slowly growing.  Not good enough for me!  I am currently planning a play date for the girls in the Fresno are for after WPPI.  I'll let members know when I set a date and will create a facebook event.  The idea is to have a day when we can get together, bring kids if you've got them, share snacks and coffee, hang out and have fun.  If you are reading this consider hosting something similar in your area.

I'm thinking weekday potluck lunch!

Great Start

Things are getting going, but a network won't serve it's function if it is too small.  Please share the group with your friends, and let's get on that Google group and talk about stuff!

Welcome

I just wanted to put up a quick message and encourage the group members to follow and share on this blog.  You can post links to interesting articles, or contribute articles yourself.  Lets get this party started.