I wrote this list of tips 5 years ago, and my friend recently pulled it out and showed me her dogeared printed copy saying, “I’ve kept this all these years in an important folder! I refer to to it often, and pass along this advice to my coworkers.” Today, I might add a few tips, but otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing about it!  🙂

 

22 Common Sense Business Tips

Written in 2010 by Anita Buzzy Prentiss of Buzzy Photography

These are some lessons I’ve learned from 15 years in business. Pass them on!

1. “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” -John Weikert

-Arrive on time, smile, shake hands, make eye contact, be nice. When in doubt, overdress. Spit out your gum. Don’t carry around yucky coffee mugs. Stay off your cell phone.   Say please and thank you.

2. Anything you hand to someone – make it beautiful.

-From your marketing materials to the delivery of your product. Make people feel glad to do business with you. When choosing images or samples, choose quality over quantity. Don’t overwhelm people. Only show your best work. Ask them questions and let them talk about what they are looking for.

3. Be quick!

-Return phone calls and emails within 24 hours. Underpromise and overdeliver! Keep excuses and your personal life out of it. Exceed your customer’s expectations.

4. At first, don’t say no to any assignment. Later, find your niche.

-Try anything once! If you are clueless about how to shoot it or price it, do some research, then get back to the client. You will quickly find out what you like and don’t like to do and learn a lot in the process.

-“Do what you fear and the fear disappears.” -David Schwartz

5. People buy on emotion.

-Focus on how your customer will benefit, not on how awesome you are.

-Don’t price anything based on what you would personally pay. If they really want something, they will figure out a way to pay for it. (Pricing can be challenging so turn to a mentor for advice.)

6. Keep learning.

-Spend time doing activities you love and your creativity and energy will be stimulated. Attend every seminar and convention related to your business as possible. Read, observe, ask questions. Constantly. If this sounds like a pain, maybe you’re in the wrong business.

7. Network, network, network. Befriend other business owners, movers and shakers.

-You never know who your next best referrer will be so take your business cards with you everywhere!

-Refer the people you meet. Play matchmaker. It will come back to you!

8. Write down your goals.

-Surround yourself with reminders of those goals. Make a treasure map. Focus on what you want.

9. Know your niche market.

-Who is your perfect client? Study her. Know where she shops. Visit her favorite stores, look at her favorite catalogs and web sites, and design your material to appeal to her.

10. ” When you do mess up, fix the problem immediately and spectacularly.” -Michael Redford

– Good customer service is crucial. If you aren’t making your customers happy, someone else will.

11. What you think, what you say, and what you act on is your reality.

-You have a choice of what enters your world. Surround yourself with          people, information and activities that affect you positively.

“Promise yourself to be so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. Look at the sunny side of everything and make your optimism come true. Think only of the best, work only for the best, and expect only the best. Forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future. Give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others. Live in the faith that the whole world is on your side so long as you are true to the best that is in you!”   – Christian D. Larson

12. Find a mentor. Be a mentor.

– Be kind to interns.

13. Business is business and Christmas is Christmas

-Don’t give things away unless you really want to but… sometimes working for free leads to more business, and one project inspires another.

– Volunteer for causes you believe in.

14. Keep your overhead costs as low as possible.

-Bartering is beautiful.

15. Always carry backup equipment.

-Then carry backup equipment for your backup equipment.

-And get insurance!

16. “Eat that frog.” -Brian Tracy

-Get stuff done that you don’t feel like doing as early in the day as possible.

– Don’t trick yourself into thinking that you’re working when you’re just doing piddly busy things. Are you getting something done? If not, get to it!

17. Do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.

          – “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” -Maya Angelou

          -Treat your clients money like a treasure.

          -Know your tools so you can focus on your subject.

          -Make people feel special!

18. Figure out what your priorities are and then manage your time effectively.

-Read Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

20. Make sure you are passionate about what you do.

-“Do what you love and the money will follow. -Marsha Sinetar

-“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -Howard Thurman

21. Ask for help when you need it from people you look up to.
22. Be yourself!

          -“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer      than You.” -Dr. Seuss

 

Anita Buzzy Prentiss is a professional photographer from Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She owns Buzzy Photography and creates artistic portraits of people that document the most important moments of their lives. Her specialties are weddings, pregnancy portraits, babies, children, families, high school seniors, and business headshots.

www.buzzyphoto.com 412.371.5212