Some business tips for the photographer

by Stanley Learybusiness / Photography

ASMP Atlanta Chapter Meeting

IRS Updated the 1099 form

IRS UPDATED THE FORM LAST OCTOBER Click here to update your 1099 to send to clients

Pricing & Negotiating

With new clients, I always give three prices. Low, medium, and high prices. Each has variables such as time, quantity, and usage. I also always spell out payment time. Once I have worked with a client, they usually have the exact requests. I use the three price options when giving a quote if they have a new and different request. By having three prices, you also are spelling out the negotiables.

Here are some other negotiables for the freelancer:

  • Payment time table
    • Deposits before job are started – Often to cover expenses
    • Pay on the day of the shoot
    • Pay upon delivering of the product
    • 30, 45, or 60 days
    • AVOID – Payment upon publication. What if they never publish?
  • Bartering
    • Instead of money, you trade services. My suggestion is to sell at retail values.
    • If you get a good number of extra printed pieces, like a magazine, then you can use these as marketing pieces to your clients or potential clients.
  • Sliding Scale – You offer to do the work for a lower price if they agree to future work. The trick is to have them pay the standard rate up front, and as they give you more work, you discount the volume. If they cancel after the first job, you don’t get screwed.
  • Usage – I highly recommend FotoQuote, which is a stand-alone software. which also comes bundled with FotoBiz
    • Unlimited
    • Number of years
    • Types of usage
      • Editorial
      • Advertising
      • Web
      • TV
      • Quote packs of combinations of usage
http://www.cradocfotosoftware.com/store/#oid=1030_1

Find a professional group to join

I am finding that many of my “Secret” Facebook Groups are more helpful than the professional associations. First, there is someone almost always on the Facebook group; second, because these are secret groups, they only invite people to those groups who can help each other.

Don’t post into public groups anything where a client or potential client could see your content.

Closed and secret Facebook groups seem like they should be pretty similar. The difference is that the public can see closed groups while private groups can’t. If you create a closed group, the name of it, its members, and its description can be seen by the public—basically everything but the posts in the group.

Buy Camera/Business Insurance

I have been using Tom C. Pickard & Co. for years and recommend them.

I will think of some other tips to share in the future. If you have topics, let me know.