Optimize Your WorkflowFor Maximum Profits

Class Outline

• Introductions

• Setting yourself up for success

• Digital workflow

• Lead management

• Job management

• Finance management

• Smart marketing

• Any other topics that you want to discuss…

Introduction

Twitter:@AdamSLoweInstagram:AdamShawnLoweEmail:Adam@AdamLoweCreative.comWeb:www.AdamLoweCreative.comAddress:12276WilkinsAve,Studio209,Rockville,MD20852

Photography|Videography|Education|ArtDirection

Background

• Background in management consulting, business process optimization

• Started my photography business part-time in 2010

• Went full-time in early 2013

• Re-branded in Summer of 2016

Enough about me…

• Name

• Background on your business

• Focus of your business

• What do you do well?

• Where do you struggle?

A few notes

• Do what works best for you!

• Eat the elephant one bite at a time

• Systems don’t have to be complicated or expensive

• Remember: No debt is better than debt!

Stuff I love(No, I don’t get paid by any of these companies)

• Google apps for workhttps://gsuite.google.com/

• Office 360http://office.microsoft.com

• Pixifi Studio Management Software www.Pixifi.com

• Quickbooks Onlinehttps://quickbooks.intuit.com

• Wordpresshttps://wordpress.org/

• Sytisthttps://www.picturespro.com/sytist

• Zapierhttp://www.zapier.com

• Evernotehttp://www.evernote.com

• OmniFocushttps://www.omnigroup.com/omnifocus

• Dropboxhttp://www.dropbox.com

• Lightroom & Capture One (yes, both!)http://lightroom.adobe.comhttps://www.phaseone.com

• Photo Mechanichttp://www.camerabits.com/

• ProSelecthttp://timeexposure.com/

• ProShow Producer (or web)http://www.photodex.com/

• Fundy Designerhttp://fundydesigner.com/

• Resilio Synchttps://getsync.com

• CrashPlanhttps://www.crashplan.com

• FullContacthttp://www.fullcontact.com

• Mvelopeshttp://www.mvelopes.com

Why are we in business?

• To make money, of course!

• Time is money

• Time is a finite resource

• We waste time on unimportant things

• How do you regain time and make more money?

Productivity Survey• Collected from 20 portrait and event photographers over 1 month

• Split into two categories, high performing and low performing

Travel8%

Shooting10%

Processing42%

Sales5%

Fulfillment11%

Client Communication

11%

Marketing1%

Administrative12%

Low Performing - 70 Hours Per WeekTravel11%

Shooting21%

Processing18%Sales

7%

Fulfillment11%

Client Communication

7%

Marketing16%

Administrative9%

High Performing - 50 Hours Per Week

The bottom line

• Activities that add to the bottom line:• Shooting

• Marketing

• We need to focus on those activities and streamline everything else!

Setting Yourself Up For Success

• What are your financial, business, and life goals?

• Get your pricing in order and written down

• Charge appropriately!

• Budget your business and personal finances

• Stop Multitasking

• Switch to in-person sales

• Manage your time and calendar• Schedule time for tasks and projects

• Stop multitasking

• Being busy doesn’t mean you are productive or profitable!

Digital Workflow

• Image management• Storage management

• Image organization

• Backup Systems

• Culling Images

• Color and tone correction

• Final retouching

Smart Marketing

• Who is your client?

• Choose your marketing channels

• Three forms of media – Paid media, owned media, earned media• Paid media – Facebook advertising, google adwords, print media, direct mail

• Owned media – Website, blog, social media (ish), email marketing

• Earned media – Forums, word of mouth, referrals

Lead Management

• Lead intake• Web forms

• Email responses• Answer the damn phone!

• Tracking leads• How did they find you? Information for marketing!

• Consultations

• Pre-made FAQs

• Proposals and contracts

• Questionnaires

• Templates, templates, templates!

Job Management

• Job board / workflow board

• Confirmations

• “What to expect” message

• Client reminders

• Pre-visualization

• Gear prep

• “On the job”

• Sales session

• Order fulfillment

• Vendor follow-up

• Client follow-up / thank you

Finance Management

• Budgeting

• Make it easy to get paid

• Payment terms

• Invoice reminders

• Accounting and bookkeeping

• Taxes…

Budget Template

10/3/16 Page 1 of 1

Category BudgetAuto Auto: Fuel Auto: Maintenance Bills Bills: Alarm Bills: CellularBills: Electricity Bills: Internet Bills: Mortgage Bills: Pest Control Bills: Water Entertainment Entertainment: Electronics Entertainment: Media Entertainment: Miscellaneous FitnessFitness: Athletic Fees Fitness: Athletic Gear Fitness: Gym MembershipFood Food: AlcoholFood: Dining Out Food: Groceries Gifts Gifts: Birthday Gifts: Holiday Gifts: Other Home Home: Cleaning Home: FlooringHome: Furnishings Home: Maintenance Home: Misc Home: Yard Service InsuranceInsurance: ID TheftInsurance: Life Insurance: Property Insurance: Termite Job Expenses Job Expenses : CommutingJob Expenses : Non-ReimbursableJob Expenses : ReimbursableMedical Medical: Doctors Medical: Physical TherapyMedical: Prescriptions MembershipsMemberships: Amazon PrimeMemberships: PMI MembershipMiscMisc: Bank Charges Misc: Clothing Misc: Donations Misc: EducationMisc: Her Spending Misc: His Spending Misc: Personal CareMisc: TaxesMisc: TempleMisc: Travel PetsPets: InsurancePets: MedicalPets: ServicesPets: SuppliesSavings Savings: Computer FundSavings: Emergency Savings Savings: General SavingsSavings: New Car FundSavings: Special SavingsSavings: Vacation ServicesServices: Apple iCloudServices: Audible.comServices: CBSServices: HuluServices: Netflix Services: Spotify TotalRemainder

EducationConferences 100Continuing Education 100Lynda.com 31.25EquipmentComputer Gear 50Consumables 50New Computer Fund 100Office Supplies 25Photography Gear 200Software 100Technology Misc 50InsuranceBusiness Insurance 119.25MarketingAdvertising 400Agency Access 105.17Promotional Activities 100Studio Samples 100MiscellaneousCopyright Registration 35Cost of Goods Sold 0Current Liabilities 0Mailbox Rental 25Meals 150Other Misc 50Postage and Shipping 50RentStudio Rental Fees 0Travel 75Professional MembershipsAmerican Society of Media Photographers 27.61Business Networking International 105.84Greater Bethesda Chamber of Commerce 42MD PPA 20.84PPSGW 6.25Professional Photographers of America 26.92Silver Spring Chamber of Commerce 29.17Professional ServicesAccounting 50Graphic Design 25Legal Fess 50ServicesAcuity 10Adobe Cloud 49.99Dropbox 8.25Evernote 3.75Google Apps 4.17Image Hosting 5Mvelopes 7.92Office 365 15Online Backup 16.59

Other Subscriptions 0Quickbooks 29.99Remote Control 5Studio Management 50Web Hosting 50Zapier 15Taxes 270.66Business Tax Savings 0MD Sales Tax Payable 0

TotalExpenses 2940.62

Adam S . Lowe Photography1 2 2 7 6 W i l k i n s A v e , R o c k v i l l e , M D 2 0 8 5 2h t t p : / / w w w . A S L p h o t o . c o m / / i n f o @ A S L p h o t o . c o m

A la Carte ProductsWALL PORTRAITSMounted & Lustre Coated11x14 | $295 20x20 | $545 24x36 | $99510x20 | $395 20x30 | $695 30x40 | $119516x24 | $495 24x30 | $745 40x60 | $1395 FINISHING ADD-ONSLuxe Frames (up to 24”) | $195 + cost of printLuxe Frames (up to 36“) | $295 + cost of printCanvas Wrap (up to 24”) | $245 + cost of printCanvas Wrap (up to 60”) | $345 + cost of printMetal Prints (up to 24”) | $295 + cost of printMetal Prints (up to 60”) | $395 + cost of printAcrylic Prints (up to 20”) | $395 + cost of print

CUSTOM DESIGNED COLLAGES10x20 Three Image Collage | $39516x24 Four Image Collage | $595

Albums & Books (20 Pages)Size Books Albums8x8 $595 $79510x10 $695 $99512x12 $795 $1195

GIFT PORTRAITSMounted & Lustre Coated4x6 or 5x7 or 8x10 | $95

Digital Files Print-Size up to 8x10 | $150 Each (or 10 for $750)Web-Size | included with any purchase

Price Breaks5% discount over $1,00010% discount over $2,50015% discount over $5,000

Create a CollectionStep 1: Select a wall portrait and finishing add-on11x14 | $195 20x20 | $445 24x36 | $79510x20 | $295 20x30 | $595 30x40 | $99516x24 | $395 24x30 | $645 40x60 | $1145

Luxe Frames (up to 24”) | $145 + cost of printLuxe Frames (up to 36“) | $245 + cost of printCanvas Wrap (up to 24”) | $195 + cost of printCanvas Wrap (up to 60”) | $295 + cost of printMetal Prints (up to 24”) | $245 + cost of printMetal Prints (up to 60”) | $295 + cost of printAcrylic Prints (up to 20”) | $345 + cost of print

Step 2: Select an album or bookSize Books Albums8x8 $395 $69510x10 $495 $79512x12 $595 $895

Step 3:Select your digital filesAll print-size up to 8x10 | $750All full size | $1250

Step 4: (Optional)Select your gift portraitsMounted & Lustre Coated4x6 or 5x7 or 8x10 | $25