Month: August 2007

Do you have a Plan B? If something goes wrong with your important business systems, do you have a back-up of some kind for all your major systems?

I’m facing that myself today–my incoming email is not working. Seems the servers are being overwhelmed by spam which is choking out all the legitimate emails. The ISP/hosting company is working on it, but the result is I’m not receiving emails today to my main account.

I have a back-up. Good thing, too, since I have some time-critical things going on today. The people who need to reach me have been informed of the situation and sent my back-up email info. Ahhhh.

What would you do if your computer died today? Or if your camera did? Or your cellphone? Or your car (especially if you shoot on location)? Think about all your major systems and make a Plan B for each (btw, your Plan A includes backing up all pertinent systems, including cellphones, regularly, right?). Hopefully you’ll never need to use Plan B (for anything) but it’s great to know it’s there.

Sometimes you just need to be reminded that you’re not drowning alone in the sea of business cliches. 🙂

With the advent of the iPhone and its popularity with the creative class, we should take some time to consider its implications in marketing for creatives. If your website is only Flash-based, your iPhone-wielding audience can’t see your site. You need to have an html version for that.

“So what?” you might be thinking, “if they can’t see it on their iPhone they’ll just use the computer later.” Well, I’m not so sure of that. Creatives are often short attention span folk and if they can’t see it now, they may very well forget to look later. Let’s say you send an email promo with a link to your site. The AD gets the email while on a shoot with a different photographer, on location, and carrying his iPhone. He loves the image on the promo and clicks to see your site, but can’t get it because of the Flash issue. There is a missed opportunity.

I think more and more creatives (ADs, etc.) will start carrying iPhones and using them rather than computers, as much as possible. This will mean redesigning emails and sites to maximize how they are seen on an iPhone, if you want to reach these people on their first line of connection. Yes, they will still use the computer and may, eventually, get to looking at your site using that second line of connection, but I think those who get in first will have a better chance at making a great first impression.

CBS2/KCAL9 in LA, like many TV stations, is trying a rights-grab. If someone submits an image to them, they must transfer copyright to CBS. Here are the full “rules” and yes, they leave all the risk to the photographer (most likely not a pro photographer, but still) while taking all the goodies.

Please contact them today and ask them to change their policies. Be polite, but firm.

…but in this case, I’ll make an exception.

(hat tip to Jane)

Truman Capote was famously quoted, when referring to Jacqueline Suzann’s novels, as saying: That’s not writing, that’s typing.

In every discipline, there are those who type. Sometimes, rarely, they get famous and/or rich, but the work they do is always lacking something (think Paris Hilton and acting/singing). All we can do is see these people for what they are, anomalies, and concentrate instead on doing our own best work. For most of you reading this, that means making your own great creative stuff.

Don’t type your way through your creative life.

Just about a year ago, I posted this in its original form. I’ve updated it a smidge for today’s post. It’s one of those things we ALL need to be reminded of occasionally.

When was the last time you…

…shot for yourself?
…turned OFF your cellphone?
…didn’t check your email for more than 24 hours?
…turned off your computer?
…took a vacation?
…took a 7-day+ vacation without bringing work?
…took a break without the kids?
…hugged your kid(s) for no reason?
…shot something in a completely different way than normal (for you)?
…read a novel?
…took a long walk in nature?
…shot film?
…delivered images to a client in person?
…sent a handwritten “thank you” note?
…meditated?
…watched a classic movie like Casablanca?
…danced?
…danced alone just because the music compelled you to shake your thang?
…sang?
…spent more than 30 minutes eating dinner?
…made dinner?
…made dinner from scratch?
…didn’t watch TV for 24 hours (or more)?
…didn’t use the ‘net for 24 hours (or more)?
…went on a picnic?
…told your assistant s/he did a great job?
…told your significant other you love her/him?
…gave your significant other a gift for no reason?
…participated in a group art project?
…wrote a short story or poem?
…ate a real breakfast, sitting down?
…got 30 minutes of exercise, regularly, for more than a week?
…lit candles?
…had great sex?
…went to an art museum/gallery?
…went to a science museum?
…listened to classical music?
…volunteered?
…read a book out loud?
…went to a play/musical?
…let someone else drive while you looked out the window?
…took a train or a boat?
…went to group meditation or church or temple or mosque?
…forgave someone?
…admitted you were wrong?
…taught students of any kind?
…smiled for no apparent reason?
…wore a costume?
…threw a party?
…met someone new (not connected to work)?
…kayaked, canoed, rode a horse, rode a bike, did something outside and unpowered?
…really listened to someone telling you something you didn’t want to hear?
…tried anything “risky”?
…”fired” a crappy client?
…raised your prices?

If you have to think about it, it’s been too long. All of these things will help your business because all of these things are good for your health, physically, mentally, and/or spiritually. Try to do at least a couple of them regularly–some work great every day.

Most of us struggle with making decisions at some point or another. Sometimes it’s “should I buy the generic laundry detergent or the Tide” but usually the struggles come with the bigger, financial choices, like “should I buy a new Mac or just make do with my old one” or even “should I shoot food, which I love, but which would mean completely changing my business?”

Here’s a technique I have found very helpful when I get “stuck” trying to make a choice: the weighted pro/con list.

Take a piece of paper (physically writing helps) and draw a line vertically down the middle. Write the choice at the top of the page (“Should I buy a new Mac?”) and put “pro” or “con” on either side of the line. Now list the items in each column as you think of them. For our Mac-buying example, you might have “faster” in the pro and “$3000” in the con area.

After you’ve listed every reason for and against you can think of, including purely emotional ones like “I love the design” or “It would make me feel good,” go back over each item and rate its importance to you on a scale from 0-100 (least-most). Maybe “faster” is 50 and “$3000” is an 80…whatever you feel is right is right. Try not to think about what others would rate the items–just what you would.

Then, add up the numbers in each column. The column with the higher total “wins.”

Of course this isn’t scientific or anything, but it does help clarify your thoughts and feelings on any issue. I love this technique and use it often myself, though they do look at me funny in the grocery store when I whip out pen and paper in the laundry aisle. 😉

The bridge collapse in Minneapolis is a terrible thing and my heart goes out to all affected. I’m a firm believer, however, in trying to find good in the worst life offers us. By finding that good, our pain is lessened and the sacrifice of others can have more value.

In that spirit, I suggest we use this tragedy to teach ourselves something. Let’s all take a moment today to think about what we would most regret if our own death came upon us so unexpectedly, and, more importantly, to do something to fix it. For example, if you would regret not hugging your kids that fateful morning, make it a new rule in your life that you will hug your kids every morning, no matter what.

If you would regret not doing your best work because “there was never time” to shoot/create for yourself, make the time, no matter what.

If you would regret not having life insurance, buy some now.

If you would regret never having gone to Paris, make a plan today to make it happen.

If you would regret doing crappy work for unappreciative clients, fire those clients today.

Remember that every day you have the chance to choose what you do.