It’s New Years Eve and quite often at this time of year we get quite philosophical. We review the year just gone by … the highs and the lows … sure were surrounded by it on TV and Radio with everything from the top news stories of the year on sky news … to the top sporting moments of the year … to the top 40 music hits of the year. Then we quickly turn to the plans for 2010 and the speculation as to what might happen in the coming year … This ranges from everything from the Macro level of “in Q3 2010 the economy will come out of recession” to personal goals and speculation of “I’m going to lose 1 stone (14 pounds) by my summer holidays”. We also think about our personnel expectations and fears.

So when I started to think about my expectations and fears I think about … who am I reliant on? … In sales & marketing training you are often thought not just to think about your customer but your customer’s customer … It is claimed that thinking this way enables you to better understand your customer’s present and future needs.

So in my present job I am dependent on Photographers for my living. Is this a good place to be? I think it is … Why? Well to me Photographers do something really special. They capture special moments in time … probably never to happen again… and preserve these special memories for the owners to view at any time they choose … which help bring them back to visualise that very special memory. Will people continue to want this service … I think so … So what other profession can do this for people? I can’t think of any sure quite often a brain surgeon cannot help people recall that special memory. 

Do people want help in capturing those special memories in life? Absolutely … will they always do so? … I think so … so never underestimate the importance of the job you do. As far as I am concerned helping to preserve people’s memories of events … that will probably never be repeated … is a very special and important job…so I urge you to portray this in everything you do… make sure you do everything possible to be the best pro you can be… Enough for now … it’s time to celebrate the year gone by and the new one that starts at midnight.

That’s all for now as we approach 2010…I leave you with my thought for 2010 … that Photographers are in fact memory doctors.

Everything going well I will be back in 2010 with more sales and marketing tips but before I go I wish my sponsor Photovalue.com a very happy and prosperous new year. Photovalue.com provides photographers across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland with wedding albums, photographic slip in folders and strut mounts. Check them out at photovalue.com or talk to my colleagues Hannah or Ronan or better still if you are going to the SWPP conference in January go visit them at stand 196/197.

 

Bye for now … but once again I wish you a Healthy & Prosperous New Year.  

Happy Snapping in 2010

PV Photoman