It's that time of year when we take stock, make resolutions and ask questions ... like how can we make this year a winner? Are there too many photographers? Why do we ask our competitors for advice? What can we learn from musicians? And the big one: How much are our images worth? Sadly, that's not just about how good they are or how much time we spend on them in post-production. Our latest client newsletter is below. Let us know what you think by leaving a comment here or emailing Ian directly. Cheers, Nigel

How much are your images worth?

We received this present from our design consultants, Alt Group. It marked the end of a pretty ordinary 2009 for many of us. A "lean year" indeed. But now it's 2010, and that time of year when we take stock, make resolutions and ask questions: How can we make this year a winner? Are there too many photographers? Why do we ask our competitors for advice? What can we learn from musicians? How much are our images worth? We could also ask if the recession is over ... but we're sick of it so let's not! (there's a post coming though). Actually the year started well. SWPP holds a trade show each January in London and this year a "very tired but happy" crew were talked hoarse on the Queensberry stand. (A thousand thanks to Jo and Rebecca.) Overall there was a much more positive, up-beat feeling than 2009, with some clients still concerned about bookings for 2010 but others already fully booked. And there's more optimism in this story, which suggests there'll be more weddings in the UK this year than last. Underlying that is the interesting notion that there tend to be more weddings in recession years as people seek greater stability in times of uncertainty. Pity it's over! But for what it's worth, all the above simply reflects the positive vibe Sonya's account reps report. Having said that not everyone is likely to prosper. Recently David Ziser asked, are there too many wedding photographers these days? (Check out the series on DigitalProTalk, rolling out now.) I’d say of course there are. We've been in this business for forty years. All that time we’ve been told there are too many photographers, and it's always been true. Here are my most confident predictions for the next five years:

• The death rate will continue at an appalling 100% (actually I stole that one).

• Many of your backyard/weekend warrior competitors will have given up.

• They will have been replaced by a new lot.

• New cameras will make it easier for anyone to take a half-decent picture.

• Many people will make a good living using skills they share with most people on the planet (writing, cooking, music, photography).

So there is nothing new under the sun. The real question is, in a competitive universe what do you need to do to end up among the winners? [caption id="attachment_6528" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Google maps - "photographers" NYC"][/caption] Most people respond to their competitors by copying them, and I’ve never understood why (it means you're always just another little red dot). "Copying" shows up two ways. The first is just that - copying - everything from pricing and "packages" to choice of albums and the latest money shots and Photoshop tricks. The second is asking your competitors for advice. And isn’t that what we're doing when we do as they say on the online forums? What’s wrong with that? Well again, there are too many photographers. Many, maybe even most, of those around you today will either give up or struggle on making an inadequate living. Chances are good that what most people are doing is the wrong thing to do if you want a long and successful career. In my opinion you need a better idea, not someone else’s idea. Take Alt again. The leaning bottle presentation is Alt personified, a simple, witty idea beautifully executed. Zero branding yet it screams their name. And deservedly wins them international recognition. In business there are two options, differentiate or drop your prices. If you copy, you're going with option two … and an average income. Who needs that? The US Wedding Report said encouragingly, "Couples spent 16% more on a wedding photographer in 2009 ($1,740) compared to 2008 ($1,500)". Well the trend's in the right direction but my immediate reaction was, Gee I hope our clients are doing better than that! And since it's an average, doesn't it mean a few photographers earned a lot more … and most somewhat less? If you can't think of five things that differentiate you, there's probably only one. You're cheaper. Respond to your competitors but don’t let them define you. If you have a great idea your clients love, why spread it around? Not in your own neighbourhood anyway. I reckon photographers could learn something from musicians. We all know paying for your music these days is voluntary. Files can be downloaded and copied ad infinitum ... which is why in 2008 Nine Inch Nails allowed their new album to be downloaded legally for free. That same album was the best-selling MP3 album of 2008 at Amazon.com, and the band made a fortune selling limited edition sets with extras like Blu-ray discs and deluxe packaging. For photographers and musicians digital changes everything because the marginal cost of digital objects (music files, image files) is Zero. Which is why the default price on the Internet is Free. Like your local singer-songwriter we have to learn to give stuff away to make money. The good news is that you don't have the same problem as NIN because your photographs aren't out there until you say so. Which hopefully is after you get paid. If I was a photographer I'd want a reputation for being really good, really engaging, really understanding and really generous. Once I've been paid. I’d offer my clients and show my work in something out of the ordinary and undeniably desirable: a Queensberry for example, to project and reinforce my high-end status (because I need to achieve a high average sale per client). I wouldn’t post any (many) photos online until I’d been paid (musicians don't have that luxury). But once I had my money I’d be really generous. Files, slideshows, DVDs whatever. Those things that everybody wants but nobody wants to pay much for because their default price is Free. How generous I was would depend on how generous they were. Bought well? Stand back, here come the goodies! I (might) make my Queensberry an optional extra. Selling one would make my day - but even without a sale it would have helped justify my prices. Let’s face it, high prices mean less potential customers. But down in the scrum there’s more competition, more work and less money, unless you are one of the few who can play and enjoy the volume game.

We eat our own cooking here

We have similar competitive challenges. I could even try the line on you that it's tougher than ever out there! According to Jo there were a "ridiculous number" of digital and coffee table book companies at SWPP (same old same old) and some new matted album products, some of them "really awful". You can see Jo has a clear idea of what we stand for, and hopefully you do too.

• We can't help striving to be the best (we're very serious about that).

• We're OK with questions like this, off Twitter: "Anyone know where to go for a good wedding book, better than blurb and not as pricey as Queensberry?"

• We believe in timeless classics not three-month taste. Restrained not fabulicious. Clean design not faux traditional.

• We believe your photos are the stars, not us, and really, not your photos but the stories they tell.

• We're comfortable that most people don't have a Queensberry. If they did our albums would have less value. And that's critical because something's broken if our albums don't, directly or indirectly, add to your bottom line.

Bottom line

Sadly, how much your images are worth does not depend on their quality or how much time you spend on them in post-production. Instead it depends on how you market and sell them. Follow the crowd (be a little red dot) and you're a price taker not a price setter. Stand out from the crowd, be noteworthy, and you have a chance of doing better. This year, as for the last forty, helping you to stand out is exactly what we’ll be striving to do. We'd love to hear from you, whether you agree or disagree with what I'm saying. Please comment on the blog or leave me an email. And of course if you need any help with sales or marketing do contact your account manager. Cheers, Ian