The famous quote made by Margot Channing (Bette Davis) in All About Eve seems particularly applicable these days:

Fasten your seatbelts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.

The economy in the US (and elsewhere, but I’m just focusing on the US) is not doing well. In fact, it’s probably in a recession and, depending on whom you believe, things may be much worse than we’re being led to believe by the main-stream media and government. Regardless, even the rosiest of prognostications are barely pink these days. And what does that mean for you?

It means business at all levels is very likely to slow down. For some photographers, 2007 was already worse than 2006. 2008 is likely to be hard for everyone.

Take the time now to figure out how you can cut your costs without negatively impacting your business. For example, if you do not need a studio, when your lease is up, get out. Or find a studiomate if you only barely need a studio. Put off buying a new Mac if yours is still expandable–instead max out the RAM or update the motherboard perhaps. Increase your deductible on some insurance policies to lower their cost. There are lots of things you can do–now is the time to do them–preferably before you really need to.

One place where you should not cut back is your marketing. This is a common error with businesses–sales slump and the first department to get cut-backs is the marketing department. For you that means two things: 1) you are probably under-spending on your marketing already and any cuts will significantly decrease your visibility; and 2) there will be fewer opportunities for projects (because of client cuts to their marketing depts.) so it is even more critical to keep in front of your targets’ radar to have a chance at the projects still available.

Not everything is doom and gloom, though. There will be projects–there always are–and, even better, if you have been licensing your work (and if you haven’t, now is the time when you’ll see what a bad idea that was!), don’t be surprised to see an increase in relicensing existing work for the original clients. This is what happened after 9/11 (when new work really did dry up)–clients relicensed work all over the place and that saved a lot of photographers from going under. Remember to price that re-use fairly (there is no reason the Usage Licensing Fee should be any less than the it was in the past) and hold on…

…this downturn too will eventually end.

There are several really talented consultants out there, but a common complaint I hear from photographers is that some of them are too touchy-feely or flaky for their tastes. We are perceived as a mostly hippy-dippy lot who ask our clients to look into their hearts, to be open to new ideas, do affirmations, etc.

Stuart Smalley be praised, so to speak.

I can understand that discomfort–I too get uncomfortable with some of the more spiritual or less “concrete” stuff. I’m big into research and proof. I like to deal with facts and evidence. But at the same time, there is a reason that so many consultants find connections with these areas…because it works.

It works in the real world, for example, to use compassion in your business. This is something that may come to us from Buddhism or other spiritual practices, but when applied in the real world, it simply works. When you deal with a buyer by expressing an understanding of her issues and appreciating her difficult situation (needing to get the best work for the smallest price), she is much more likely to be more forthcoming with you and that leads to finding solutions and getting gigs. (Note: being compassionate doesn’t mean rolling over!)

Another perceived flaky idea is that being positive will help your business. Again, this is not crap, it will. There is all sorts of science to back up this notion–thinking more positively (and yes, that includes doing things like affirmations) builds connections in your brain which improve cognitive functioning, and if you are thinking better, that can only help you in your work!

So, when you are considering working with a consultant, you should expect to hear some common things like that it is vital that you be open to your own creative voice. Yes, even from me with my obnoxious sense of humor (I sell shirts that say “I don’t suck” and “vision = value” after all). We (consultants in general) wouldn’t offer these ideas if we didn’t really believe in the results.