Quoting myself from part one of an interview I did with Ellen Boughn about photography, business models, social media, and how to “be a hub”. Part two is about how photographers can market authentically by creating stories and “embedding humanity” into their businesses.
From Part 1 of an interview I did with Ellen Boughn about photography, business models and social media, “Be a Hub” – Taylor Davidson:
“The economics of new technologies gave anyone the tools to create, but didn’t guarantee that they would profit from creating. While the activity is in the long tail, profits flow to the aggregators [of] the tail.”
… Taylor points out that the economics of the hub have been changed by many factors, one of which is social media. He explains that electronic word of mouth has given power to smaller hubs. By being a specialty destination, your website/blog can become the hub for that subject or story. You can operate in smaller niches but you MUST be the hub in the niche. You must be really good at (your niche). You must be the top choice in the subject.
“Being a hub” is a grand idea, but how can one create a hub? Start by telling stories and creating conversations to connect people:
“I have a strong belief that successful businesses need to be more like people. Individuals want to connect to the people behind a business.” He suggests that a photographer that only shows photos on his/her website is missing opportunities to connect with their audience. “People want to see more than a series of images. Photographers should use all the tools available to them to tell a story. Be a hub of information about not just yourself and your work but about a story that you have created.”
On that note, I’m a huge fan of efforts like Help-Portrait (led by Jeremy Cowart) and Images Without Borders. But more on that later.
While it’s important to focus your time, energy, passion to create stories, experiences and assets that build on each other, it’s important to test and learn as you build:
“Don’t put yourself in a situation where the only experiments you try are the ones that could wipe you out. Try little experiments. Try one a day, one a week even if the burden of mid-career responsibilities keep you focused on getting through the demands of running an established business. These small experiences will sometimes create opportunities. (But don’t expect them all to.)”
Part two of the interview was posted March 22nd, focusing on how photographers can market themselves and their work authentically by creating stories and “embedding humanity” into their businesses.
More? Dip into the deep end of posts about the evolving business models in the photography industry.
