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Hair Wars Review

Okay. Um yesterday we had quite a busy day some of it was photographing and some of it was talking and introducing you to some of the people that I collaborate with on a regular basis. Teo create ah more interesting perspective with my business now some people were wondering well, baby, all the photography that you did you this is a marketing class, you know? Why are you doing that? It's? Because it's all one it's part of the steps that you take to create your brand and see the thing is is that if you do not have something exciting to show people, then you might as well just go get a day job and do something else because you're going to be just one of the many thousands excuse me, the millions of people out there who are saying hey, I think I want to be a photographer today I have a good camera and I think if you think about it, if you just have a good camera and you can take pictures just like the amateur does, then what are you just an amateur with a good camera? And I really believe...

that while camera equipment is important and I do use the best, I used nikon d force, I do believe that the most important thing that I have to share that I have that that that works is what's on paper. In other words, it's, the image that is captured. And so my goal is to create a variety of images for any client so that when people look at my website when they go there, that they see some things that are a bit wacky, like yesterday, one of the girls was, you know, dress up in this like ice cream column saying on her head, and that is really important, because I want people to talk about that. There may have been some of the folks out there in the office got holy cow that's crazy, nobody I know. Whatever do none of my clients would ever do that that's? Not the point. We don't care if they want it for themselves, but I can promise you that if you do that, somebody is so going to talk even especially if you live in a small town like springfield, missouri. Oh, hello. I'm telling you, girlfriend, they're going to be all over that. Oh, did you see that, kara? She did these crazy pictures, you know, but the good thing is, is that it starts getting people talking about you and that's. What we want is for them to talk, so yesterday I introduced you to a concept that I developed called hair wars. My dear friend lori lopez this is her she was here yesterday for us to interview her on dh she is actually the first person that I ever did hear wars with and we basically just get together and we get to try all the stuff that we never get a chance to do because we're working professionals and we're busy and so this is a day that we close the studio to clients and that we just say what if I did this what if I dressed her up in rapture and barbed wire or in you know you know in cellophane or whatever you know and and what does she have blue hair you know, just whatever you think of its whatever your dream is but we're not just playing barbies here kids don't mis understand the reason for this session sure it's a lot of fun and if it's fun guess what you'll remember it and then you'll translate that into something that has practical application tomorrow when you're doing another session, I can't even tell you how many times I've done here wars and the experience was so crazy and so over the top and then I was photographing a wedding and the girl had like this she had this beautiful head piece but I had this little bit of like like like frayed edge on the headpiece and it reminded me of something really crazy I did that involved barbwire with a model and it drew me to a creative thought which by the way translates into hey I created something that's unique which makes people talk about you and what's been makes people want to hire you in spite of what you charge in spite of that not because of what you charge and that's my goal for all of you I want to make it really clear this morning that that I'm not telling you all that you have to charge thousands of dollars and that you have to only appeal to the wealthy don't buy into that lie the lie is that on ly wealthy people will spend good amounts of money on pictures that is not true people who love photography who have a respect for it and to love pictures will buy pictures so don't buy into this lie that only the wealthy will do that and that if you're not well theory for clients aren't wealthy then well they won't be able to they won't buy my pictures because they'll be too much no, that is a lie and if you are saying that, then you know what you don't have you don't value your own work and that's the biggest problem with us today is that many of us we think oh my goodness way pay like oh is it a three dollars and twenty five cents for an eight by ten print right, we all pay the same amount roughly for a print, right? The difference is it's what's on the paper you're not buying the paper that's what you're buying is three dollars, twenty five cents is for the paper, your creative talent goes far beyond that and so that's. One of the things that we talked about yesterday, in addition to that, I thought I showed you this little a piece that I developed and it's called a photographic opportunity, a special offer for selected studio one client's studio one this is one of the salons we did in cattle portrait design are working together to bring you an exciting opportunity to be photographed by world renowned photographer bambi cantrell. Now, while I am, you know, I probably have a little bit of people that remember me from around the world maybe five people in alaska or something, but that doesn't mean that you can't say the same thing or that maybe you're not world renown, but maybe you're well known in your town and but you're, you know, you have maybe have a big family, okay, so maybe they know all know who you are. The fact of the matter is, if you're not good at copy it, writing copy about yourself and many of us or not, we don't like, you know, we don't think of ourselves aziz good as we are you know, people quite often will think better of you than you think of yourself am I right about that? I know myself I always curse myself and I'm ready to slit my wrist want to see my pictures and then I'm really surprised when somebody else goes well baby, I love that picture I'm thinking are you crazy? Do we see the same thing you know, but I hope that stays like that for me because I use use that as a tool I use that that negativity and you know, I I just person use it as a tool for growth and I hope that I never get to the top because easy to get to the top ten you can only go down and I don't want that. So basically what this we do is for hair wars is we'll take captivating images that are really interesting, and yesterday one of the viewers was talking about, well, baby, you know, I don't know any of these studio owners and and I don't know howto you know, how do I go in and talk to them? And you know, the first thing that you need to do is shoot something, create some sort of beautiful brochure so that you can send it to them and they see this really captivating picture and remember hair people are interested in hair have you been in a broader beauty salon lately? I mean they have hair magazines all over the place they've got fashion magazines all over so if you send them a brochure that has has a big dynamic picture on the front that's going to grab their attention that's the first step so for those of you that maybe don't know a lot of people like that goto a beauty school go to a beauty school first and and go talk to the manager of the beauty school and say, hey, look, I'm looking for some of your stylist that are possibly you are about to graduate you obviously don't want someone who is like, you know been there for a week maybe but you want to someone who's a little bit more seasons say I'd like to be able to create some images for their portfolio and I'm working on a few concepts for mine as well work with somebody like that maybe your first attempt is to do something a little bit maybe you don't have to get the girl with the ice cream cone on her head maybe it's just something that's just beauty makeup, beauty, hair then go to mac if you have to find out when they hear the makeup artist that mac they're great or you know there's a lot of fabulous makeup artist in fact in springfield, ill tell you there are some of the best make up artist I've ever worked with in my life they're amazing amazing makeup artists and then do some collaboration and then create your promo piece the real key to your promo pieces don't put a brazilian little tiny pictures in it because they can't see them you say you want something really big and impacting so that when they open that brochure it's oh whoa hoo that looks awesome! In fact, when I created mine here is the peace that we sent for hair wars I'll see if I got here this is what we sent them we sent them a beautiful envelope like you see here they opened it and that's what they saw so it captivated their attention wouldn't you agree? And so and you notice how pretty it is it's very lovely I will tell you these aren't super inexpensive they're probably two dollars apiece, but the way that I look at a t the financials, I think okay, where is it important for me to spend my money? Where is it important for me to spend a few extra bucks? It is really important to me to spend money on promotional literature because this is the first thing you don't get a second chance to make a first impression, so I want the first thing that people see for me to be really nice I would rather spend money on this then maybe on a new lens right away if as I said, if I have to uh borrow lens I'll rent one you know from bar borrowed lenses dot com or something because that is this to me is more important because it's going to get people in my door now the great thing is you know, we had a little with this piece we had our little seal that closed it right here so it's tactile it's female oriented because women like to touch the whole things it's a very nice heavyweight paper once we they opened it up here's the brochure here's the brochure itself and you opened it up and then they had a couple of different photographs ahead. You know some of the range of our work and then in the middle of it here's the backside and then this one I did for the robert jensen salon and this one says that we invite you take advantage of an exclusive photographic opportunity and then when you purchase a portrait package from bambi can't from cattle portrait design will give a gift card. This is the gift card I was telling you about yesterday that we left with all the hair stylist so that when they do someone's hearing they say oh, you have to get beyond the control to do your portrait your family portrait you know christmas coming you need to do some beautiful portrait they'll write the name of their client right in here and it is always from like this is from robert jensen and then the client brings this little card into us hands this card to me they pay for their portrait session a painful price for normal portrait session and then I call robert jensen say hey guess what we've got I'd like to purchase a gift card in love of law it's lion's name from this hairstylist so it brings that client from their door to my door and back to the client to their door and so I think that's a really powerful way to cross promote and I really, really believe you want to talk about inexpensive marketing it doesn't get any cheaper than that I mean that's really inexpensive and I think the difference between photographers who are successful and those that aren't struggling and not having success is that the ones that are struggling to do two things wrong number one they do not network and promote with other people I don't they don't they're not part of a family our group it's it's all about my art you see in their mind they're thinking, well, you know I'm an artist and this is all about me I'm sorry it is not what you know it's who you know that is so important I'm not saying that you don't need to know in f stop from a bus stop trust me, you do and you need to understand and learn good photographic skill, which is why in this marketing program I incorporate photographic experiences with it because you must know how to technically execute beautiful imagery you need to do that, but at the same time it is absolutely who you know it's that hairstylist or that that hair salon that everybody has to go to it's that great beauty. So excuse me that that fabulous bridal salon in town that is where they have all the great beautiful gowns and you want to become friends with the owner of that of that salon it's who you know because people refer people that they like, they don't refer the very just someone who is just the very best they refer people that they like, you know how I know that's true because many times when you go to talk tio some of the event planners for weddings, they have a list of preferred list of vendors that they use and I've asked myself, you know, why is someone so why? Why would you? What is your criteria for putting people on your list? And you know what it is? Number one is that they make their life easy it's not all about them because think about this if you're an event planner and you have the photographer that's that's coming in it's like okay, this is my show and I need five hours to do this photo shoot, you know? And they've got food sitting on the table or they're the reception and they've got food that's ready to go out, and the photographers know we have to do pictures right now because we have perfect sunset lighting, and we'll be back in an hour, you know, when he finishes doing it or hear she finishes doing all her favorite stuff. Well, let me tell you, that is the fastest way to get you in nowheresville with those event planner. So, do you see how it's not what? You know, it's who, you know, does that make sense? So any rate here is the letter that we sent, and this comes with anyone who purchases the dvd or the product. Rather the download. Sorry. Don't dvd our client, cissy dear salon owner. Our clients have something in common. They all want to look their absolute best. As one of the foremost studios in the bay area, we strive to create images that celebrate the beauty of our client's individuality. With this in mind, I'd love to propose across marketing business plan with little to no expense for either of us. It is simply too small business owners deeply rooted in art and business of beauty, helping one another out doesn't that give you chills? I mean, it actually makes you feel like, hey, I'm a team player I want to help out something else and that's what it's all about marketing begins with with that those that friendly connection with people that people wanted to help one another out it really does yes love percentage of your business would you say you get from collaborations and referrals from the salon's oh that's a tough question to answer I'd have to say my business I would have to say that ninety percent of my business is by either the collaborative effort from our are networking with salons and charity events those those I mean absolutely that's where we get a ton of our business not maybe ninety maybe let's say seventy five percent and then the others are referrals just from normal like clients and jake it's huge it's very huge so don't so and just I'm just shooting off the top of my head michael's probably standing in the back somewhere going holy cow girl you're totally wrong because he would know more about that than I would. But I will tell you that a large chunk of our businesses is by is the referral program regardless it's rib eye referrals and then a large chunk of our businesses through the auction so we're going to talk about that today so anyway, this goes on to say well, here's, how it will work, we will provide, we will provide you and each of your stylist with a complimentary full service portrait session. Children, spouses and other family members may also be included in the portrait session. Web ready digital files of each stylists for your website and social media. Ah beautiful photographic album featuring images from the photo session to display in your salon. We will purchase a gift certificate from your salon for each new client that you send our way as a thank you from the client here's what we ask from you that you provide us with a gift certificate from your salon in exchange for each of the portrait sessions we do for you and your stylist will give those certificates to select cantrell portrait design clients that will encourage them to come to your salon. We'll provide you with brochures from our studio to hand out to your salon clients with information on cancel portrait design, including our unique portrait services and pricing. So this kind of gives you a nice it's, a nice little welcoming letter that this is what we give out client that's a really powerful, powerful tool. Do we have a few questions before I move on? Wei have one here in the first year I have a question. I love what you have written in that letter but um I was thinking about how I could take that back home with me and I haven't really great hair silence that I see personally so do you think it's appropriate for me just to talk to her about that next time I go in or would you suggest sending a letter is well well for your personal hairstyles oh hello yes absolutely that would be I would be saying girlfriend let's talk while she's doing your hair you know you're going to say just say take your time because we're going to chat about ways that we can work together and I would do that I would do just that but she's an island she's only one person so I would I'd love to see you send that letter to her salon hey, could you go with this beast who is the owner of your salon? You know because a lot of the stylist are are self employed working in a salon say you know who is the one who runs the building or commute tonight? Can I send something to all of your other style of food that okay with you it's a great great tool? I mean I'm not kidding you want to be every one of those stylists is the their personal hero and it just works beautifully I'll tell you it's just on mary's experience again it's not about that you get great business from necessarily one stylish you want to spread the love and as you see, laurie was here yesterday and I had three other stylist here from different salons that I've worked with on dh they're okay with that? I mean, I don't you know, they're from different parts of the bay area, so it's not like, oh, well, you know, baby, you're not you should you have we want exclusivity, I'm not going to give them exclusively, nor would they give me exclusivity. They're goingto work with a variety of different clients and maybe other photographers in their town as well. So great question any other we do the big one states of jacob, nina scots and others are wondering where you got those who made those for you what company? Oh, you mean the big envelope and all those promotions? Okay, the inside let's see? Hang on. I have to think about this, jimmy fair a scooter. Can you ask michael where these came from? I can't remember the name o I know who it is. The outside comes from envelope mints, env elop mints and I think it's env elop mints dot com if you do, a google search will find it if you go to pop iris the store they had these in there and I loved him and that's where I found that I found the resource for them again as I said they're not super cheap there are probably two dollars apiece for the cover thie insert were thes inserts came from I want to say I can't member who printed these but simply color has this they have these in these beautiful trifles the other thing when you're doing these kinds of pieces they if you go to like simply color some of the other color labs they also different textures that you can you know, so it doesn't have to be just regular like like this particular kind it could be they have some that have linen texture and so forth so they're very, very nice and I like the tri fold size I like the square size I think it's a really interesting size but it's a terrific way to get you noticed and as I said, I like having a big face on the front because it's captivating it's right in your face I would not have on the front a little picture like that one because the face is too small for impact to begin with inside it's okay, I want to grab their attention getting to open it and if I don't put in this and captivating on the front, they're not gonna open it I will tell you the color red is a very powerful color and it is a motivating color as well. So think about that when it comes to the image that you put on the cover of that and remember also who your market is, you know, if you're going to send those out to stylists, choose carefully the hair salons that you're going to work with because this you if you work with us of salon that has a lot of of elderly ladies that have blue hair coming to get their hair done that's not going to benefit you that's not going to get that's not your target audience, maybe they have grandchildren, but I'll tell you you're better target market is that younger salon where they have lots of young stylist with families and they may not themselves necessarily be a big client for you, but their clients might so it's a really good thing questions you have one more question that just came in from dream shots. What is your take on including other photographers in the hair wars? Um I don't have a problem with that, you know, I like as you say, I mean, I don't I let other people shoot around me and I don't I mean, obviously I don't have exclusivity with lori or anything with any of the hairstylist that I work with what I would say is if you collaborate with other photographers in this kind of project don't use the same model, make sure that each of you have your own model and that you don't photograph the other models because then it becomes very confusing when you send out a brochure that has a model's picture or this face of this, this person on it, and then someone so down the street uses that same that same person. So I would recommend that you find people, you know, find you know, if you're going to collaborate with other photographers. That's great. Just make sure that that they used different suggestion. Thank you. Way. Have what? See another one sunny day says that you offer this to multiple salons. How do you choose which salons gift certificate to give when you told them about your clients? That's a really great question. Basically, I want to hand them out to people that are that are that either our clients who have done a nice ice portrait order with us or are going to do a nice size portrait session with us? For instance, I'm doing boudoir photography, a lot of good work work these days, and that is a great client for me to pass on brochures to a gift card to because then they can have, you know, have there, you know, have their eyebrows waxed or, you know, whatever done so that's that's? What mean, by criteria I don't really have. We don't have, like, a set standard, but I wouldn't just handem out indiscriminately. I want to hand them out to people who were going appreciate it. And people that would really benefit from that. That would be something that they would like. Okay, so I'm just gonna show you real briefly, some of the photographs that actually went into the salon. This is actually the changes salon in walnut creek. These are two of the photographs that were there. This is also in this along. Basically, they gave me the whole science of baby. You put pictures wherever you want. So I took some of the photographs that I took during herr wars. And as you can see, not all the boat, the hair worst pictures were really wild and crazy and out of control. Some of them were very normal. People like this was a beautiful young lady who had normal hair and there's, no feathers in her eyebrows or anything like that. So so I chose a variety of different kinds of imagery for the salon. The other thing, too, is I make sure that that I shake it up a bit and put other kinds of the images and there a cz well, things that are going to appeal to a variety of different clients may be those that are more fashionable maybe that high school senior that that wants to have a very special portrait done, maybe it is families and such there's one of my family portrait, so that when people come in there that they have, like, wow, you know, I need to have a family portrait done and then because it's a very nice posh salon in a very nice area that gives me credibility right away see that's something you won't think about two is everything that you do. You have the ability to validate people's thinking of you in a positive way, or reinvent their thoughts of you and make them find you and appreciate what you do so well, goodness, this salon recommends him, so they've got to be good, and so it is a great way to start building your reputation. So even if you're that new photographer in town don't feel like it only works for me because I've been shooting for a bazillion years, it can work for you as a young studio owner, a young photographer. But you have to be positive. You need to be able to photograph in a creative way and let the fear go if you take a bad picture of pictures that someone doesn't like. So what will be the last one you ever take? Its okay. And trust me, I've lived long enough. And you probably saw a few pictures yesterday that took that. Aren't all that great. It's okay. And I guess the one great thing about growing older is that you just learned that there are some things that just not worth getting your panties all in a wad over. You know, it's, just not all that exciting. So here's the area in the salon that has, like, where the hair dryers are. So everybody has to walk past them. They see these pictures of these cute little babies and little kids. And some of the pictures are done in my studio area. This is doubt right in the hallway. This one right here, that's down in the hallway of our space right here. Um and then, ah, these are some of the photographs that I did for hair wars as well. And then these were too. So, um, are there any questions else about hair works before we move on? We do have a couple just a little bit of clarity for l thompson, for they say, I'm confused is what's in it for the individual stylist I get to the salon would want you to refer new clients and buy more gift certificates from the salon, but other than the big files, if they do hair wars with you, what is in it for an individual stylist to want to promote you to there? Great question. Well, you see, here's the deal, those hair stylist, many, many hair stylist, they work in a salon, but their self employed and that's. What you need to think about is that many of them are self employed on dh if they're not self employed, let's say they do work for a salon, then work it out with the salon owner that if that if that they get a gift card from a certain person, will say it's it's, a particular person works in there. It's gonna have not the salon's name it has that stylist's name on it. Then maybe you make some sort of a gift reference back to that particular stylus individually, so there's a great incentive for them? Not only that, but you see, every time a hairstylist comes in and does work for me, guess who I'm promoting, I'm going promote them the person that they do hair for promotes them so it is a total circle it's not just one sided it's not just what's in it for me and many young stylist today, even if they work for a salon they'll still develop their own brand. They'll develop their own style will put their images on the salon's website. Well, were they going to get those images to put up? Well, hello. There we go. So there is a great deal of incentive for the stylist whether they work for a salon or their self employed working out of a salon. Did that answer the question? Okay, just a few more clarification positions because people are really into this good, and they're loving the big prince. And so questions around putting those in the salon just ah, rapid fire them. What is the information that you have put underneath the photo? Okay, great question. Ok. For instance, with this, when the title of the photograph is I titled them, I title all my prints that going to salon it's titled tiny dancer this young lady is a ballet dancer with the ballet and the what that big ballet company in new york city that, you know, joffrey ballet or something like that very, very famous ballet company hair stylist was miriam rua's on dh arianna borrow haas so it has the name of the stylist that worked on her the makeup artist that did the work for her so it's a great way so that that's the nice way to do it and this is what's cool about that so when somebody comes into that beauty salon and they see these beautiful prints on the wall on dh they see that stylist name oh miriam did your hair or you know are one of the other girls did your hair well that's really special I like that you know you have your own poster in this in the salon so I'll tell you you can't even put a price tag on how powerful this kind of marketing is for you and it's the gift that keeps on giving it's not super expensive I just have I created a template in photo shop that is this is ah forty inch print are forty inch canvas we take the print itself and we we mounted we use a very inexpensive just a simple black frame I know simply canvas does you could do you could do framing and you can order the print right from and then we'll frame it right for you it's released you know very very easy to do it's not super expensive but I will tell you I feel that this is an important place to put your dollars so I don't have a problem with spending a few bucks on having it framed one of the other things, too, is that we don't put glass in these, we don't put the glass in front of them for two reasons. Number one, I don't like the glare, I want to keep the glare down, but the other reason is that if I get tired of the picture guest one, just pop it out of the frame and put another one in because the outside dimensions of the of the print are thirty by forty, then I don't have to worry about just popped the new and and bend those little tabs back on the inside, and I'm good to go ready to go for the next session. Great, you covered a ton of those questions that were in final one is do you pay for those two? Get done to put in there. Oh, yes, absolutely. I pay for those prints to go in there. I sure do. But again, when I think about where my marketing dollars have to go in my mind I'm always thinking, when it comes to spending money how what's where I get the biggest bang for my buck what is it that I can do? That is the that's, the most cost effective that gives me huge results, like I could do an ad in a newspaper, right? We could all do an ad in the newspaper we could do an ad in a magazine or something and we might have a lot of people that that will see that ad but not necessarily people that are right in our backyard see to me this is much more cost effective it's way more cost effective because not only do you have the printed piece that's hanging in a salon, but you also have people themselves gabbing about you, which validates you so it's very, very it's really a powerful tool, so whatever I do, I always consider in my mind okay, how much? How much I'm going to get out of this here's another idea for you before we move on to auctions and might tell you this has absolutely worked for me let's say you're a new photographer that's trying to just you're you've been around for a while and you're trying to get you want to get your name out there? Well, here's, what I would do is I would find I would go to a your favorite or something I would target some salon, some beauty salon center in your community that air in areas that would cater to younger families or those that you want to target okay maybe it's high school seniors, whatever young families, whatever the case may be, find a time of the day that's the least busy for them? Maybe it's when they first opened in the morning on dh then call and make it a party say, hey, you know, I'm a local photographer in town and I'd love to just take a few minutes and I'd love to just talk to you just a few minutes and and maybe pick your brain do a little short interview would that be okay? I'm working on some cross promoting ideas, and I'd love to maybe consider if there's a way for me to promote your business. No, you don't there's no money involved, this is just, you know, just for us girls to get together or whatever, whatever the cases I've done this, I did it with a bridal salon in in walnut creek, california, and I'm telling you it works. So what I did is I went in and I met the owner of this bridal salon I said hi and bmb control. I went dressed very nicely addressed as though I was going to a wedding, so they look dry very professional. I walked in and met kathleen issa. Hi, kathy on bambi control, I'm a local photographer in town, I said, if you have a few minutes, I'd love to make an appointment with you to come back and I'd love to take you to lunch and I just want to pick your brain about the trends you can also use this same line and I'm not saying lying to be disrespectful but the same kind of thought process to say with your hair stylist as well I'd love to know about the transits a photographer I'm interested and where the market is going from a fashion standpoint with a bridal salon or with a the fashion sense what colors are going to be in this year because it really helps me photographically is there a time when I could take you to lunch? Now make sure if you are a gentleman doing this, make sure that you have that you are dressed as a business person and I would definitely bring maybe a significant other of female with you if you're going to be dealing with woman and that where she would feel comfortable going to lunch with not not feeling like just to go to lunch with a guy you know and feeling like maybe you're coming on to her even though john you would never do that so that's where I would start, I would take them to lunch at a very nice place this again is where I spend my marketing dollars anything that can that can get me in the door and create relationships, I'm about creating relationships, this is so huge, so we go and during that lunch it's all about her or that stylists. Because they tell me how you got started. I just want to know about them. I'm going to just say, you know what? Your thoughts on the trends, you know? Tell me what you think, what's. Your favorite hairstyle. What's your favorite thing to do hair. Do you like to cut hair? Or you do like to color, which are the craziest thing you ever did. You no. Hear so and make friends then once that happens afterwards, maybe a week later, you sent her a little. Thank you. Say thanks so much for taking the time to meet with me. I really appreciate I got a lot out of it. You know, I started thinking about ways that you and I could possibly work together. And if you have some time, maybe, you know, in the next week, is there a day next week that we could get together and I could talk to you about some ways that I'd love to cross promote. There you go. You've got a friend now, it's. Not just some stranger walking in the door of a salon to figure them trying to sell you something.