Author: Leslie

And here is why (click for larger version)…

(I’m not talking about the crappy photography here but rather the site itself)

(note: I meant to post this about a month ago, but it never made it to the live blog for some reason…whoops!)

I love books and magazines and anything with words and images, but the economics of print are starting to fail big time. That doesn’t mean print is dead though…it’s just evolving.

So buck up, people. There will always be a need for images, even when they no longer appear on paper.

Tony Blei is one amazing person. He’s been hit by the economic downturn like so many photographers, but rather than get fearful he is doing something wonderful. Tony is donating 25% of his creative fees for the rest of 2009 to a local food bank (or a food bank of the client’s choosing).

I asked him before sharing this with you all because it was clear that he wasn’t doing this for show (yes, even though he has it on his blog). What he said when I asked for permission to share this with the world was that, even though he could use more business, “I know there are others less fortunate.  It breaks my heart to think that there are children sleeping tonight with an empty stomach.  Despite the economy, we are still the wealthiest nation on the planet.  We need to share (ideas as well as proceeds). ”

I am incredibly honored that he shared this idea with me. I hope it inspires you the way it has me.

PhotoShelter has done an important survey of buyer attitudes and preferences when it comes to your website. They have very kindly offered to share the results with everyone. You can get them here (yes, you have to enter your email address, but it is worth whatever marketing they may do).

One small think to keep in mind as you read the report is that PhotoShelter asked buyers who were generally more stock buyers than assignment buyers. Overall, I think their data matches up very much with what I have learned in my own surveys of assignment buyers, but the two notable exceptions are that a page full of thumbnails is not very well liked for assignment buyers, and you shouldn’t (generally) put your assignment prices on your site.

The “Fair Use” Obama Hope poster debate gets some good airtime on Fresh Air today. You can listen to it online (but note that this URL will probably be inaccurate after Thursday–just find Thursday’s show at npr.org/freshair).

One big thing, when you listen, listen to both sides. Try not to judge (hard, I know!!), but instead learn what the opposition is thinking and trying to assert. This will help you to understand why so many people don’t see any problem with the things they do appropriation-wise. 

When you learn what the others are thinking, when you can see it from their side, then you can figure out better ways to lead them in the right direction.

Pay particular attention to what the law professor says. It is a complex issue in the courts and the better we understand that (and get away from saying things like “it should be…” and instead see things as they are) the better we can fight.

Okay…this is some creative thinking and Maxwell Smart would be proud.

🙂

 

Don’t just watch the video…there are instructions on this site to make your own!

Interesting study on consumer email marketing. Yes, it’s consumer and not B-to-B, but I think that human behavior will tend to trend similarly regardless of category. In other words, it seems that when consumers opt-in to receive emails, they act on them and appreciate them and we can extrapolate that business targets probably feel similarly.

The big thing to note is that these are opt-in targets. Also, the emails sent offer additional action–coupon, see new products, something. So how to make that work for your business? Give people the option to opt-in to your emails (on your site and any social media you use, and print promos) and when you send email, give them something more than just an old photo and a link to your site.  Make it new/fresh work and how about linking to a new “portfolio” of similar work? Or offer a link to an article that will help your targets. Or connect them with your stock images so that they can license directly from you if they want to use your kind of work but don’t have the budget to shoot. 

Think about what your targets need–I bet you can come up with other ideas!

This morning I received a wonderful email from a photographer thanking me for something I wrote. In it he mentioned how he had been struggling mentally with The Big Question: should I keep at this or bag it?

His timing couldn’t have been better as I had been struggling a bit myself lately. Between school and trying to keep up with the industry not to mention any personal life and, well, I had been a bit melancholy. Not that I was about to quit or anything, but the work has not been easy lately.

But his thanks reminded me of why I’m going through all this–because I want to help creatives and get no greater satisfaction than when someone says “thanks.” I’m totally revitalized now and excited about my long day of classes today. Yea!

Enough about me, though, and back to The Big Question. We all face it. Everyone, from CEOs to stars to the parent trying to get her/his kid to do homework (etc.), hits that wall. It’s normal to question “why am I putting myself through this hell?!” especially when things are tough. 

And for many people, they are mighty tough these days.

But don’t let that wall stop you. Don’t let the wall win. Look inside and see if you still love something about what it is you are trying to do–my guess is that there is still that passion there. Just like the frazzled mom/dad who feels like throttling the kids while they misbehave in public, or the photographer who gets another “offer” to shoot a job for practically nothing–at that moment it is hard to remember the love that brought you to this place in your life. 

Take a moment and find it again. When you do, that wall won’t seem so impossibly high anymore. It’s still something you have to get past, and that will require work, but now, I bet, you’ll find your way to finding a way over, under, around, or even through it (as Judy Herrmann says so well).

Okay, most of you who know me know I’m not a big fan of the “easy cute” of kids. This guy, however, has really found a great twist on the meme. Enjoy.

Oh, and this kind of original thinking is what breaks through the clutter. I got this from a tweet from an advertising friend. 

(Thanks Jane!)

So what can you do to break through?