Goal setting for 2013

Okay, I am SO fired up to shift my business into high gear this year , cuz you know, life is too short not to fabulous every day :)
So I went straight to the fountain of information (google) and typed in live photography business seminars and up popped Wedding Photography Course with Jasmine Star | creativeLIVE
I watched just a few minutes of the introductory video and was hooked, this woman is a firecracker and a helluva photographer and I wanted to know more! I have enrolled in several of the seminars... looking forward to hearing what she has to say! In addition to the creativeLIVE seminars, I have been reading/listening to as many pro photographers as I can to get the skinny on just how to do that! It's hard to be honest with myself sometime, and harder still to take a risk and change it ...... (oh and it's harder still to be honest with you, reader!)
But here goes!



Chapter One - Goal Setting

What are your goals?
- book 5 weddings in 2013
- book 20 portraits in 2013
- volunteer for 5 photography related service positions in 2013 (ie greyhound supporters, wiggle waggle walkathon...)
- upgrade to a new canon body and bigger/better monitor
- be ME 100%
- book clients that want to hire ME as their portrait photographer, not just anyone
- ask for and charge appropriately for portraits and weddings
- make a difference in my community ( ie shoots for food bank .... )
- creating the sum of the client experience
- build my confidence
- know the value of my work
- train my assistant for weddings
- be awesome at the wedding detail shots
- get comfortable with turning down jobs that don't suit me
- learn to set expectations
- gift 5x7 cards or blab books to clients or industry colleagues
- shoot like it's for vogue
- create business presence on social media
- network on Equine Photographer Network
- listen longer before speaking
- put something good out into the world
- learn to direct people to the website FAQ

What didn’t work in 2012?
- slacking on blogging consistently
- being caught without business cards
- selective procrastinating
- out of date website
- too much time working while watching tv
- constantly re-branding
- crumbling under pressure
- slacking on building client relationship (cards, emails, newsletters)
- client consults
- studio lighting on the road
- abandoning personal projects
- staying up until 2 am working
- answering emails all hours of the night and day (set false expectations)

What gets me revved up?
- re-designing my website and graphics
- reading business advice / blogs
- mentoring other photographers or being mentored
- photographing styled shoots
- brides and bridal fashion
- equine photography
- lens and equipment upgrades

What are you afraid of?
- incompetence
- embarrassment
- rejection
- asking for money

What is your brand?
aCUBED studio is an Ottawa based portrait photographer. Alissa Albert specializes in pet (dog/equine) photography and family, newborn, maternity, family, engagement, wedding and couple portraits. For parents and couples who want/need a memorable and fun photo session, aCUBED studio is a portrait photographer that provides outstanding images with a creative flair and most importantly exceptional customer service. Unlike other photographers in this space, Alissa's key differentiator is how she uniquely addresses the desire of her clients to have an enjoyable day that meets the requirement of planning, scheduling and communicating before a shoot, professionalism (humor/efficiency) during the project, the timeliness of delivery of the final images, and follow through after the fact.

Your challenge: don't be a creeper!! Leave me a comment or tell me one of your own goals ;)