12 Ingredients For A Magic Pill In Your Photography Business (II)
#7: They zoom in and out, and in and out, and in and out…
Summary: "12 Ingredients For A Magic Pill In Your Photography Business (II)"
Part 2 of creating a "Magic Pill" for the success of your photography business, with the remaining seven ingredients explained...
Yesterday, in part 1 of this two-part post, we looked at the first 5 ingredients for creating your magic pill for success in business:
- Eliminate negativity
- Remove your mental boundaries
- Identify your core beliefs and values
- Embrace your true value
- Identify your personal calling
Today, I would like to reveal the remaining seven, and take a look at those in more detail:
- Invest in your mind
- Set tangible and realistic goals
- Desist in the sole pursuit of money
- Give first
- Protect yourself from becoming a commodity
- Work from your heart
- Be true to yourself
#6 – Invest In Your Mind
Knowledge and information are major keys to success, and we are a product of what goes into our minds. I worked in the computer industry for a long time, and was very familiar with the acronym “GIGO” – garbage in, garbage out. Our minds work the same way. If we expect to have the output of good ideas that are geared toward our success, then we need to feed our mind with information that is aligned with that purpose. Be selective who you learn from, and what you learn, and avoid the opinions of those who simply think they know better because their own negative thinking limits their beliefs.
#7 – Set Tangible And Realistic Goals
Have you committed any goals to paper? Do you revisit your goals on a daily basis? Are your goals emblazoned in your mind as clearly as a plane’s destination in flight? What are your goals? “To be happy” or “to have more money” are not goals; those are desires that result from the achievement of our goals. An example of a tangible goal might be, “I am going to generate $300,000 in revenue before 31st December 2011 through the sale of wedding photography services to couples who love and value my photography.” This is a real goal, clearly defined, and with a deadline that makes us accountable to it.
#8 – Desist In The Sole Pursuit Of Money
“Show me the money!” is a famous quote from a movie, of course, but is not something we should aspire to if we truly want to be successful. Why not? The reason is that the pursuit of money by itself is not self-sustaining. When things get difficult, or we suffer setbacks, it’s easy to give up, and many do.
However, if we pursue a passion, and attack it with desire, authenticity and a genuine wish to help others, the money just follows almost as a side effect. When the going does get difficult, as it no doubt will, our passion and belief in what we’re aiming for will sustain us through those hardships.
#9 – Give First
It’s true that, in life and business alike, what we give will come back to us multiplied many times over – but only if we give joyously and without expectation of reward. If we give from a perspective of obligation, or with the motive of expecting something in return, we set ourselves up for a rough time ahead. I’m not talking about financial giving, by the way, even though we need to do that too; I’m speaking about giving of ourselves to those who can benefit from our experience and knowledge. This is especially true in the circles of networking, where so many people expect everyone to hire them just because they “gave” a business card. It just doesn’t work that way!
#10 – Protect Yourself From Becoming A Commodity
In order to be successful and truly profitable in the photography business, you need to differentiate yourself from your competitors. If you find yourself competing on price in order to win a client, then you’ve stepped onto the slippery slope toward failure, and you need to get back on solid ground as fast as possible! Competing on price means that your photography has become a commodity in the eyes of the consumer. Your services are no different, and therefore interchangeable, with any other photographer they could choose. The only logical reason to buy from you then becomes the price. Fall into this trap, and your business is as good as dead.
#11 – Work From Your Heart
How passionate are you about the photography business? Actually, let me rephrase that: How passionate are you about serving those who can benefit from your photography services? If you work from a position of passion, from your heart, then you will work harder and longer than anyone who works for the money or any other logical reason. Not only that, but your passion is also contagious. Your clients cannot even become immune to it, unless your passion is diminished in some way or another.
When you communicate with your clients, do so in such a way that they can clearly see your emotions and your passion for what you do. So what if it makes you feel a little vulnerable or exposed? That only means you are human and a real person, just like they are.
#12 – Be True To Yourself
This is the glue that holds all the other ingredients of your personal magic pill together. Without integrity and an honest dedication to your true self, the whole thing falls apart so fast it will make your head spin off. For example, if you think that you could earn good money being a wedding photographer, but you don’t enjoy the romance and excitement of weddings, then it’s probably not for you. Don’t do it just because you can go through the motions. On the other hand, if you can really identify and relate with high school seniors, and you see the world the same way they do, then go for it and make the absolute best you can out of it.
The Ironic Conclusion
The irony of all this is that, at the end of the day, your “magic pill” is really a very effective placebo. Sure, it has a set of “active ingredients” but the only reason it works is because you have faith in it and you believe it will work.
Also, you just can’t hand someone else your personal magic pill and have them expect it to be as effective for them as it was for you, especially if they are not in the same place in their business life as you are, or have the same values.
Final Thoughts – Dosage and Directions
Take one magic pill at least three times a day, with or without a meal – However, you may exceed the stated dose – in fact, this is recommended. Do not stop taking your magic pill, even though you may feel better – this medication is intended to be taken for life.
Warning: May cause extreme feelings of euphoria with repeated use. Do not engage in negative thinking or self-doubt when taking this medication, as these may reduce its effectiveness…
Wishing you all the very best of success, wherever you are.
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Excellent advice and worth posting in front of your computer on the wall to keep you focused.