Getting my business "off the rocks"

Morning Dusk

I don't come onto Grin much, just mainly browse around and read a few posts. However i do need general input on how to get my photography business "off the rocks". I've been taking photos mostly for the joy of it and on some occasions i do get asked if i sell my photos. I have sold two CDs, for starters, to a few people here and there, but that was about a year ago. Now that I am graduating High School, yes i'm 18 years old, and i really want to make a good profit that will go towards savings for college for next year.

What I mainly photograph is horses and riders so i will be sticking in that general area, but still try to expand by doing portraits of people. So what i am asking is what is the best, and most professional, way that i can present my photography business? I was thinking about putting flyers up and getting permission to do so in other local barns in my area as well as in tack stores and so forth.
Would this be the best way to go?

if i did go through with the flyers, what would be the main things that would be able to attract people to my business? Should I list the summer deals including the prices?

I would greatly appreciate peoples opinions and advice on this

ChatKat

A few things
First - it really depends on the area you are in. Everyone has a market and they are all different.

The thing to do is to find a business person - they don't have to be a photographer - who can mentor you on the basics of business in your area. Use it to learn all about general business. It will take you places with new skills you aren't even thinking you need to know. Learn about marketing, people, budgeting and finance.

Cygnus Studios

Chatkat is correct. Look for some business networking groups, chamber of commerce, or something similar where business people gather.
The business end of photography is quite different than the image taking end.
There are certain conditions that should be met when charging for your images or services.

johng

You say you want to save money for college for next year. Are you going locally or somewhere else? Will your business continue in college or is it just for the summer? The reality is, photography takes time to get profitable in the best of circumstances. And it's VERY time consuming because so much of your time will be marketing and not just shooting. So you have to do some serious evaluation of your goal in this. If the goal is - you need money - this may be a very poor way to achieve that goal. If you don't need the money, but want it then there is no better way to make money than doing what you love to do. But if you're counting on the money come college time, it's going to be very difficult in a summer to make as much money from a self-started photography business as you could getting a summer job. Not saying it's impossible - but the risk is, by the time you find out it might be too late to get that summer job.

If the business is going to continue into college, are you going to have time to do both?

I'm not trying to discourage you - but there's a big difference between making enough money from a hobby to self-support the hobby and making enough money from it to replace a full-time job - even a full time summer job.

Now, if you don't need money to pay for any of your real expenses at college and just want some extra spending money and the schedule of your likely shoots at barns vs. class work can be balance then a little side business can be enjoyable and get you that extra spending money. But if you are going to need the money to pay for bills, a photography business would not be my first suggestion since it isn't a steady or guaranteed paycheck.

Just some things to consider.