[by Kimberly Blom-Roemer]
This touches on the very core of why I am so passionate about ASMP.
Back in the ah-hem… cough… cough… late 80s when I found my passion of photography in College, the coursework was all about theory, creativity, and technique. Which, of course, is vitally important. But something that was never touched on – business basics.
So, there I was, ready to take on the world as a photographer. I had a camera, what else did I need? Terms and Conditions…what’s that? Bookkeeping… eeeeewwww! Estimates… gulp! Marketing…waaa? I was in trouble, I didn’t have a clue how to run a business! Needless to say, I fell flat on my face.
What absolutely kills me, I remember receiving a brochure for ASMP. I looked at the cost and threw it away. That simple action cost me 15 years of being professionally miserable in a non-photography existence.
Hindsight being 20/20 here’s the top three things I wish someone had told me:
1.) Join an organization like ASMP and attend every event possible, both for the information and the interpersonal connections. Attend other organizations’ events too. If you take home even one tid-bit, or make one industry connection, it was worth it.
2.) Go to the SBA /SCORE office and sign up for the free or low cost classes/seminars on topics from accounting to marketing. The SCORE mentor may not be familiar with the specifics of the photography industry, but business basics are the same.
3.) Identify a photographer with the specialty and business model you admire and start a dialog with that person. Make sure this photographer isn’t in your business area and you’re not in his/hers (a.k.a. competition). Not every photographer will be helpful, but most of the ones I talked with were very generous.
BONUS. Ok, this suggestion does take time and commitment, but it has greatly contributed to the success of my business. Don’t just join ASMP, GET INVOLVED in your local chapter. This gives you invaluable connections, opportunities, and resources that you might not realize when you’re just “one of the crowd” at an event once a month.
Kimberly Blom-Roemer is a Gulf Coast-based architectural and aerial photographer that absolutely isn’t receiving a kickback from ASMP for this post and she does NOT have an ASMP cheerleader uniform in her closet.
