How to Avoid Social Media Homework

Tips on how-to-avoid social media as homework…

One of the things I am finding interesting lately is how professional photographers view social media in terms of marketing, community building and growing their businesses.

It seems that the old-time, established photographers (35 yrs and older…sorry to whoever I just offended...deepest apologies) look at social media as another thing added to the ever-expanding To-Do-list. While the younger generation (Gen-Y) looks at social media as the only thing to do.

Digital-life-business-culture is here, support it, do not avoid it. (But there is no need to be overwhelmed by it either.)

Part 1: Social media is not something added to your workload…it's a tool to cut your workload in half.

This is why social medial is a tool & not homework. It is one of the few (if not only) business tools that allows to you accomplish many things with one action (a.k.a. timesaver)

I have yet to meet one photographer who misses the brick and mortar studio. The overhead itself has created many studios to fail. With the brick and mortar studio gone so is the traditional marketing and advertising that used to work.

Majority of photographers do not want to market or advertise; they want to create great photographs

Then do that, let photography be your marketing and advertising.

In the brick and mortar studio days we had storefront sidewalks. Nobody understood the value of those sidewalks until they went away.

What did the sidewalk provide that is lost in today’s digital-storefront?

Walk-by traffic
Drive-by traffic
Community
Storefront windows
Neighboring businesses
Conversation

Reasons why to think of social media as a tool

Findability
Shows that you are authentic
Conversation starter

The #1 reason is…Social media, if used correctly, will cut through the clutter of adverting and marketing that you don’t want to do anyway.

Part 2 - How-to-tips on social media as a tool

Create, Connect & Grow - Do one thing with multiple outcomes.

Create something new, and share it – This is the formula to success: “create & share”. Those who work constantly work, well...constantly. And those who do not constantly work go out of business, forever.

Deliver it, ship it, constantly – Show up for work, daily. There is no longer a brick and mortar store or a sidewalk to let people know that you showed up today. Social media gives you the opportunity to unlock your store, turn on the lights and flip over the Open for Business sign on your door front.

Decommoditize – you’re the only thing that cannot be copied. People buy from people they know. Let them know about YOU!

Learn to love “Feeds” “RSS” & “Ping.fm” (be sure to click on the hyper links if these words mean nothing to you)

Set the rules you want – You now have the tools to build whatever future you want, enjoy.

Build your portfolio and grow your business with the same actions…and its FREE.

I'd like to hear from you. So what do you think?