It’s 3am, and I’m awake. I can’t sleep. I’m so keyed up over nothing. No, it’s more the prospect of nothing. Yep, that’s right. I have no new shoots and I’m a whiner. Today’s issue: where to meet moms if you’re not a mom yourself. I’m starting to feel like a creep at th elocal playground. I go with my camera and no kids. I’m sure at least one person has thought that I am some pedophile just waiting t snatch a child and drive off with it. I can’t show up at the local mother’s clubs with no kid to bring. Same goes for mailing lists and other mother-only things. So… what can I do that puts me into contact with lots of moms but doesn’t require me being one? John suggested offering my services to the boy scouts. I need to replenish the local kids boutiques with cards. I’m even considering going to church out of sheer desperation. Not to meet God, mind you.. to meet moms. Arg.
John and I are going to see his family in Mississippi for Thanksgiving. We’ll be one from Wed to Friday night. I may or may not have net connection. Hopefully the family crazy will keep my mind off of the lack of business.
On the bright side, my first newborn was just born a few hours ago. That session will be a LOT of fun, and very interesting. I have a big basket and some fur, also some creative things like a huge stocking and some baby blocks. Have to bring trashbags to tote the peed-on things home in. Hah hah.
While grabbing a coffee I had a quick think and came up with this list of ideas, always simple to find work for other to do. Not sure if you are looking for ideas, but here goes;
o Christmas is coming how about;
 High “value†family pictures (not the 100’s of dollars versions)
 Personalized Christmas cards
 2007 calendars (an all time favourite with Grand parents, aunts etc)
o WEB sites, pictures, scanning, simple authoring, site, domain … one price, one stop solution.
o If you are taking pictures, can you find a way of printing and giving a free-be then and there? Give Mum a free-be to show the family, with the contact details and the deal on the back. May be this is what you do already.
o In the UK around now there are a lot of Church Christmas fates, may be these are a good place to set up a temporary studio? Again good price and quick turn around.
o How about writing an article on how to take good family Christmas pictures for the local paper, web site or Church paper. It may not directly get you a customer, but it will get your name in front of a lot of people.
I only mention the Church because when I was in Atlanta a few years ago the size and number of Church’s struck me.
Just a note on cold calling, the hit rate for cold calling can be as low as 1 in 400, so you will need to talk to 400 mums on the play ground to get ONE to buy, even when people are interested normally only 10% of sales leads turn into business, however referrals are THE most successful way to get customers. Sadly referrals need sales, just keep going, you are a natural and WILL get there.