Inspirations...

Imagination is the air of the mind.
-Philip James Bailey

Image creates desire. You will want what you imagine.
-JG Gallimore

Inspirations...

Photography is to put one's head, one's heart, and one's eye on the same axis. It a way of living.
-Henri Cartier-Bresson

I always thought of photography as a naughty thing to do—that was one of my favorite things about it, and when I first did it, I felt very perverse.
-Attributed to Diane Arbus

Inspirations...

It is art that makes life. And I know of no substitute whatsoever for the force and beauty of its process.
-William James - Philosopher

Inspirations...

Obstacles are these frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals. -Sydney Smith

The Tools for Focus

Accountability 
Keeping your word, being on time, doing what you say you will do. As in The Four Agreements – be impeccable with your word.
Annual Goals 
What you want to achieve within a year from now.
Balance 
Balance is integration of awareness, conscious choice and patience.
Daily/Weekly Actions 
Actions you do daily or a certain number of times per week to support either a goal; a "success ingredient" until completion; a primary focus; the development of a specific habit; or a way of being.
Destiny 
What is bound to happen to you in this lifetime. Information used to create a sense of Purpose, Vision and Mission.
Focus 
The ability to choose to concentrate your attention in a way that serves you. Clarity of purpose used to forward yourself.
Fulfillment 
Those moments which are filled with joy, happiness, love and satisfaction. Living from a personal foundation that supports you most in being fulfilled. Doing and being what you love.
Future Self 
The Self with the wisdom of 20/20 vision, who is already living out your Vision of your life--has a message of getting from here to there.
Intention 
The meaning behind who you are being and doing.
Life Purpose 
The reasons you are here on earth, what gives your life meaning. A common theme, or thread throughout your life.
Life Purpose Statement 
A single statement including two elements: a metaphor for who you need to be to live on purpose; and the impact you want to have on your life and the world.
Mission 
A way you are acting on your Life Purpose--the "doing" part of your Life Purpose, may also be motivated by a specific goal or vision.
Planning 
Taking the time to look at what you want, when you want it, and the appropriate steps as well as pace to getting it.
Primary Focus 
The main project; area of focus; or ultimate goal of getting what you want. Usually defined for a given time period.
Proactive 
Taking responsibility for your beliefs, behaviors and experience. Creating the quality of life you want for your self. Life maintenance--giving up the adrenaline rush of putting out fires.
Quarterly Goals 
Your goals put into perspective based on quarters of an annual schedule.
Single Daily Action 
An action taken daily to reinforce what you want in your life for personal growth and/or business growth.
Special Permission 
Having permission to do or be a certain way during the process of pushing hard towards achieving a goal. It may be a special treat, or a special privilege not often taken; or it may mean allowing yourself to experience things differently.
Values 
Intangible, that which is intrinsically important to you, when honored, your life is fulfilling. What is true to Self. Not morals.
Vision 
The picture in your mind, or a knowingness, that represents where you are going--creates a basis for "being" and "doing" on the way of getting there. The dreams and ambitions which you see out in front of you pulling you forward.
Walk Your Talk 
Guidelines for living your Mission, Vision and Life Purpose. Intentions, commitments, actions, goals, daily habits supporting the process of your life towards balance and fulfillment. Developing methods and behaviors that honor who you really are. "Being" and "doing" in ways that support your Life Purpose, that make your life flow.

Another Tip From Seth Godin

Cliches

When you launch a new idea or project into the world, you'll probably use connections to what has come before as a way to tell your story.
Caribou Coffee, for example, uses all sorts of metaphors and cues and even verbal tropes that we learned from Starbucks. These signals help us understand that the place we're about to enter isn't a steakhouse, isn't a shoeshine stand and isn't a massage parlor. It's a place to get a latte.
Books that want to be bestsellers work hard to look like previous bestsellers, from the store where they are sold to how many pages long they are to how much they cost. These signals help us determine that this object is something worth buying and reading.

Cable TV does this, politicans do this, computer resellers do this.

Here's the thing: you can't stand out if you fit in all the way, and thus the act of deciding which part isn't going to match is the important innovation.

Matching an element almost looks like failure. Matching not-at-all, on the other hand, is the refreshing whack on the side of the head that causes attention to be paid.

When your car looks like a car but the doors are gullwing, we notice them. When your suit looks like a suit but the lining is orange, we notice it. When you apply for a job and you don't have a resume, we notice it.
This was the secret of the golden age of comic books. 90% of every hero was on key, professionally done, easy to understand... which allowed the remarkable parts to stand out.

You can't be offbeat in all ways, because then we won't understand you and we'll reject you. Some of the elements you use should be perfectly aligned with what we're used to.

The others... Not a little off. A lot off.  Seth Godin

--------------------
So the question is as creative people how are you creating your art in your own unique way, by following and staying true to your distinct vision.

Happy Creating! 

Another great posting from Seth Godin...

Watcha gonna do with that duck?

We're surrounded by people who are busy getting their ducks in a row, waiting for just the right moment...
Getting your ducks in a row is a fine thing to do. But deciding what you are you going to do with that duck is a far more important issue.  Seth Godin

Russell Carpenter - Flora at Notion Fine Art Gallery

Congratulations Russell.  If you have a chance check out Russell's beautiful flower images at Notion Fine Art Gallery. 

Press

PDN Photo Annual

Call for Entries
Deadline:  1/25/11
Click here for more info.

Leland Bobbe - The International Aperture Awards 2010

Leland Bobbe garners three wins in the Open Awards!

Paris Photo - Success!

Click here to see video interviews of the recent Paris Photo event.

The 7th Annual Powerhouse Portfolio Review

Registration is officially open.

Check it out!

Inspirations...

An artist cannot fail, it is a success to be one.
-Charles Horton Cooley

From Seth Godin: Why Jazz is More Interesting than Bowling

Why jazz is more interesting than bowling

"Bowling is all about one number: the final score. And great bowlers come whisker-close to hitting the perfect score regularly. Not enough dimensions for me to be fascinated by, and few people pay money to attend bowling matches.

Jazz is practiced over a thousand or perhaps a million dimensions. It's non-linear and non-predictable, and most of all, it's never perfect.

And yet...
when we get to work, most of us choose to bowl."  Seth Godin
 ------------
 So how are you my creative friends going to create some "jazz" today? 

Inspirations...

You must have long term goals to keep you from being frustrated by short term failures. - Unknown

Shots Magazine Call for Work

Shots Magazine Spring 2011 issue
Theme:  The Body
Submission Deadline:  2/1/2011
Check it out!

Young Photographers Under 28

Zoom Magazine Emerging Photographers issue deadline is January 2011.  Send your portfolio to info@zoom-net.com

The Future of Advertising

Great article in Fast Company on the Future of Advertising... and equally insightful info in Forbes Magazine Blog in response to the Fast Company article.

And another great article on the Future of Advertising:  Three Agencies Vision. 

F Stop Magazine

 Call for Submission - Issue #45:  ABSTRACTION - February/March 2011

Deadline:  1/15/2011

Check it out

New York Photo Festival - HUMANKIND

Deadline:  11/28
Now our turn has come: We are looking for images that encompass the experiences of being human in a social, cultural, and personal context. Images that tell the story of what it means to be part of HumanKind - the bad, the good, the beautiful, the ugly, the exotic, the mundane, and everything in between.

Drawn from online submissions, 120 images will be selected and exhibited at The powerHouse Arena in Dumbo, Brooklyn.
HumanKind - presented by the New York Photo Festival - will be on show from December 17 to January 20.

Check it Out!

The Center for Fine Art Photography

Calls for Entry - Portraits
Juror:  Rodney Smith
Deadline:  12/1
Check it Out!

5th Annual Photography Masters Cup

Special Entry Packs deadline is Wednesday 11/24 for the PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERS CUP - The International Award Honoring Color Photography.  Check it out and enter!

San Francisco Based Artists

The SFMOMA Artists Gallery features a dynamic exhibition program and represents Bay Area artists at all stages of their careers. As a nonprofit gallery, we make sure that the majority of our proceeds from rentals and sales go directly to our artists. The remainder supports exhibitions and educational programming at the museum.

Inspirations...

Creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.
-Erich Fromm

New Orleans - Call for Volunteer Photographers

The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival
Deadline:  11/30
The Jazz & Heritage Foundation Archive is accepting applications from photographers who wish to document Jazz Fest as part of the Volunteer Photography Program.
Check it Out!

Earth Through a Lens

Earth Through a Lens (ETAL) is a national juried photographic display held annually in Palm Springs and the Desert Cities to commemorate Earth Day. The work of 30-50 finalists are displayed in outstanding public gallery space for the month of April. The images chosen will focus on beauty in the natural environment, the degradation of the environment by human activity, and attempts to reclaim or restore spoiled habitats. In sum, the photographs will highlight the importance of developing a sustainable environment.

Deadline:  1/7/11
Check it out!

Inspirations...

Happiness is not in the mere possession of money; it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative effort.
-Franklin D Roosevelt

Seth Godin - No knight, no shining armor

Another great post from Seth Godin about marketing and his choice to release his new book thru non-traditional channels... Marketing to his "tribe"... This opportunity exists for creative content providers as well... It's a quick and great read... Check it out.

World Photography Gala Award - The Dominant Color

Leland Bobbe has won a Silver Honorable Mention for his image Snow Bench in the World Photography Awards

And it was previously acknowledged by American Photography 26 and won an honorable mention in the ASMPNY Image 10 national competition.

Neo-Burlesque

Albert Cadabra in Chains

Leland Bobbe will have two large scale prints at the Greene Naftali Gallery at 508 West 26th St in West Chelsea in a show

MORE UNSUNG HEROES OF BURLESQUE.

Show opens 11/18 and runs thru 12/18.

Dottie Lux

Studio Manager Responsibilities

Studio Manager Responsibilities
DAILY

• AM meeting for 10 minutes and PM meeting for 20-30mins to recap and structure the next day.
• Update To Do list
• Update Calendar – Post to Wall
• Answer Phones – log all calls
• Supervise Projects
• Maintain and keep client area supplie
• \Receive portfolio requests, prep portfolios, arrange/deliver & track portfolio(s)

SHOOT PREP

• Schedule and Produce Shoots
• Book Freelancers
• Organize Castings
• Liaison to clients and vendors via phone, e-mail, fax
• Prepare Invoices and Estimates
• Package final art for delivery to client
• Lightly prep images in photoshop and send jpegs via e-mail – clean up minor dust.

WEEKLY

• Maintain office and record keeping
• Organize Archive
• Data Entry Contacts and Quicken

MONTHLY

• Update Client List
• Research potential clients

QUARTERLY

• Research Competitors
• Organize tear sheets, libraries, archives

BI-YEARLY

• Fact check contact/client database

MARKETING/SALES

• Sales Calls: Never on a Monday or Friday, this also includes promo pieces, which should be scheduled to be rec’d on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Mondays in-boxes are full from the weekend and Fridays no one will remember the info the next week.
• Calls should be made T-Th starting at 10am – 11:30a – you stand the most chance of catching someone in the office before the day gets too into motion.
• Marketing Plan should be followed and scheduled accordingly. Allow time for preparation of data, design, contact update, printing, postage, etc.

AGENDA ORGANIZATION

• Keep a running list of items to be completed along with an “accomplish by” date. I prefer the term accomplish by as it has a positive connotation.
• List must be prioritized in conjunction with photographer/producer.
• Prioritize via color: Red – Hot
• Yellow – due in 24 hrs
• Blue – due by weeks end
• Green – due by next month
• No Color – accomplish in the quarter/keep on radar

• As tasks are completed – strike thru or check off.
• List must be updated at the end of every day.

CALL LOG

• Must be kept, all calls – incoming and outgoing combined, with date, time, conversation notes.
• When on a project deadline or shooting – calls should only be returned “rolled” from 3pm – 4pm, or when completed.

E-MAIL

• Personal e-mail may be checked in the morning, at lunch and end of day.
• Company e-mail
• Checked on the following schedule:
• First thing in the AM
• 11am – to catch people before lunch
• 3pm – to catch people before they leave for the day
• 5pm – end of the day

Inspirations...

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.
-Edward De Bono

Inspirations...

The creative is the place where no one else has ever been. You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you'll discover will be wonderful. What you'll discover is yourself.
-Alan Alda

New Creative Partnerships

We are delighted to announce several new creative partnerships:

RUSSELL CARPENTER - an Academy Award Winning Cinematographer for Titanic, an esteemed member of the American Society of Cinematographers and Canon Explorer of Light.  Russell photographs with sensitivity, grace and beauty, please check out his work on our website.

MARKKU LAHDESMAKI - a multi award winning photographer, celebrated for his creativity and expertise.  Markku is completing a project ROBOT.

IN THE WORLD OF GAMING - we are proud to announce our association with several outstanding creative minds - Sam Raimi, Grant Curtis, David L. Cunningham, Mary Lambert, amongst others - stay tuned for updates.

Inspirations...

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift.
-Albert Einstein

Time to Get Off the Brandwagon - Seth Godin

Yet another great posting/tip from Seth Godin's blog.  I urge you to sign up for his postings his topics are timely, insightful and valuable!

View the posting

Email Service Providers

www.constantcontact.com
www.myemma.com
www.icontact.com
www.mail-bots.com
www.campaignmonitor.com
www.patronmail.com
www.emailbrain.com
www.fusemail.com
www.verticalresponse.com
www.campaigner.com
www.mailchimp.com

Inspirations...

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity. – Albert Einstein

Another great posting from Seth Godin...

Do you need a permit?  
Where, precisely, do you go in order to get permission to make a dent in the universe?

Check out the posting!

Inspirations...

It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.
– Seneca

In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
– Albert Einstein

Networking Tips

"Networking" is an unfortunate term because it implies connections but ignores the importance of true relationships. Networking isn't about the quantity of contacts you make; it's about the quality of relationships you enjoy. Networking is simply an overused and poorly understood term for exercising good people skills and building good relationships. It isn't something to be whipped out when you need a favor.

Always remember, people do business with those they like and trust. In every interaction and every conversation BE THAT PERSON!
1. Go it alone. When attending networking functions go by yourself or at least communicate to your buddies that you should all fan out. Moving about a networking event solo encourages people to approach you and makes it easy to mingle and initiate conversations. It may be more comfortable to have a friend right there with you, but remember: you are there to grow your network, not hang with the people already in your network.

2. Stand near the registration table. After you have registered and put on your nametag, take advantage of the many opportunities to make small talk with new arrivals after they have signed in. These are the couple of minutes when most people are alone and interested in someone new to communicate with. Even something really easygoing like, "Looks like a good turnout..." is probably good enough to get a friendly conversation started. Remember that like you, people are there to make new contacts. And if they are not, they are in the wrong place.

3. Study the tags. If nametags are preprinted and on display at the registration table, scan the tags of the other attendees to see what opportunities await you. Here’s something, that I have tried myself, if I spot a nametag on the registration table of someone I would like to meet, I ask the people manning the table if I can clip a note to their tag saying I would like to meet them.

4. Circle and scan. Before diving into the event, try circling the room and checking out the nametags for people or companies you definitely want to make contact with while there.

5. Look for people standing alone. These folks may be nervous, and your initiative will often endear you to them. Plus, one‐on‐one networking is the best networking. It is hard to join a group unless invited.

6. Sit between people you do not know well. If the event is a sit‐down affair, do not sit by a friend or business associate. You already know that person! You might be sitting there a while, so make sure you are going to be sitting by someone you can form a new relationship with. Plan who you want to sit by, but wait until the last minute to actually sit down so you can keep making new contacts.

7. Hang out at the food table. I know it sounds like I’m joking, but people tend to be easily accessible around food. Stand near the food table, but not the bar. People tend to grab their drinks and move away from the bar, but are more likely to linger near the food. As people check out the buffet table, small talk comes more easily. "That Danish looks good..." is as good an opener as any. Once they have their hands full, people often look for a flat surface where they can place their plate and beverage. Take a spot next to them and get to chatting.

8. Appreciation notes. Always send an email and handwritten note of appreciation to any new contact you make. This is rare today and always makes you stand out.

9. Find out about a person's personal interest. When you meet someone new, find out something about what the person enjoys outside of work. Many people have passions they enjoy sharing with others.

10. Ask for the best way to stay in touch. When you meet new people, ask the best way to keep in contact. Many people have definite preferences when it comes to hearing from people by phone versus email.

11. Offer to meet for lunch/coffee after an event. Offering to meet a new contact after a business function is a great way to continue a conversation in a more relaxed and focused atmosphere.

12. Suggest introducing people you know to others who would interest them.
Ask new people you meet, "How will I know when I meet someone that you would like to know?" Then when you know two contacts who would be a good match, set up a time for coffee with the three of you.

13. Research always makes networking better. Before you go to a business function, find out who from the organization will be there. Then drop that person a note saying that you look forward to meeting them and learning more about the group.

14. Find more than one connection point after a first meeting, be sure to not only thank them with a note, but also plant the seed for the next meeting. Ask if they are coming to the next function or consider inviting the person as your guest to another organization meeting.

15. Email website links with helpful information. When you learn of something that interests a new contact, send the person an email with a link to information that will be of interest.

16. Comment specifically on their work. There is a difference between sincere compliments and flattery. Flattery is manipulative; a sincere compliment shows that you have taken a genuine interest in what the person does and demonstrate that you want to build a working relationship.

17. Reconnect with at least three people a week. Every week call a client or prospect you have not been in touch with for at least three months. The reason for contacting them can range from just wanting to say "hello" to inviting them to a specific event that will interest them.

Inspirations...

He who fears he shall suffer, already suffers what he fears.
– Montaigne

The obstacle is the path.
– Zen Saying

Leland Bobbe - Neo Burlesque Portraits featured in Time Out

Leland Bobbe's burlesque portraits featured in Time Out New York.

Inspirations...

Character consists of what you do on the third and forth tries.
– James Michener


Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.
– George S. Patton

Inspirations...

Remember that there is nothing stable in human affairs; therefore, avoid undue elation in prosperity, or undue depression in adversity.
– Socrates

Braving obstacles and hardships is braver than retreat to tranquility.
– Kahlil Gibran

Inspirations...

There’s as much risk in doing nothing as in doing something. –Trammell Crow

Cold Calling 101

Cold Calling Is Still An Effective Sales Tactic If Done Right. These cold calling tips won't eliminate your fear, but they will help you make cold calling a more successful experience.

1. Prepare
A crucial step before making cold calls is setting clear goals. Your main objectives are to make a good first impression and to secure an appointment. Beginners tend to think that cold calling is about making the sale. It's not. It's about getting the chance to make the sale. Specifically, the purpose of a cold call is to set an appointment to make the pitch.
Use the following tips to help you further focus before making your calls:

• Consider what percentage of your revenue you expect cold calling to produce. If you have a realistic estimate in mind, say 25 percent, then you have a clear goal. Having this goal will help keep you motivated, even when you make a few dead-end calls.

• Research & Target your prospect. Work hard to ensure all the people on your call list are potentially interested in your product or service. Avoid making an unwanted phone call, and you will be less likely to waste your time. Find out as much as you possibly can about the company or individual you're going to cold call in advance. This gives you the huge advantage of being able to talk about their business and their needs when you call them.

2. Prepare an opening statement for your cold call.
This lets you organize your thoughts before cold calling, and helps you avoid common mistakes in the cold call opening that would give the person you're calling the chance to terminate the conversation.

• For instance, you should never ask, "Is this a good time to talk?" or "How are you today?" Don't read your opening statement into the phone, but use it as a framework to get the conversation off to a good start.

• Prepare a script for the rest of your cold call. Lay out the benefits of your product or service and the reasons your prospect should buy. Write out possible objections and your answer to them. Without a script, it's too easy to leave something out or meander. Once again, it's not that you'll be reading your script word for word when you call, but that you've prepared the framework of the cold call in advance.

• Implement a schedule for making calls, but remain flexible. Remember that you are initiating a relationship with a potential customer. While it is important to be productive with your time, it is equally important for your potential customers to feel your calls are productive for them.

3. Be Innovative
Offer your prospects what others within your field may be neglecting.
These examples can further inspire you:

• Develop a survey to find out what your prospects want and need. In addition to helping you hone your selling technique and product, a survey can help break the ice on a cold call.

• Write your prospects a letter before making the call. Introduce yourself and outline your services or products. This way, when you call, you can be following up on the information in the letter.

• Smooth the way for your cold call by sending prospects a small, unique promotional item. This helps break the ice and makes your business stand out from the crowd. It's amazing. When you call, they say, "Oh yeah....you were the one that sent me that..."

3. Cold-Calling Techniques
When it comes time to make the call, follow this advice:

• Make certain you are in a quiet area before you make your calls.

• Stand up while you're on the phone, as this allows the blood to flow through your body and may accentuate a tone of authority.

• When leaving a message, follow instructions. For instance, if the person on the recording asks you to leave a brief message, avoid leaving a long message. Speak clearly, and mention your name and phone number at least twice.

• When leaving a message with a receptionist, ask for a specific time your prospect will be available to speak with you and be sure to call at that time. Learn the receptionist's name, and address him/her by name every time you call the prospect. Remember to be courteous to everyone you speak to, as each person is a gatekeeper to your prospect.

• Remember that gatekeepers are your allies not your foes. Be pleasant to whoever picks up the phone or is guarding the inner sanctum when cold calling.

• Develop strategies to get the gatekeeper on your side. Sometimes asking, "I wonder if you could help me?" will help you get the information you need, such as the name of the right person to talk to or when the best time to contact the prospect is. Learning the names of gatekeepers and being friendly when cold calling helps, too.

• When talking to your prospect, make sure you are of assistance; don't leave her feeling that she was giving you her time, but rather with the impression that you may help her solve a problem. Research their client list - thoroughly.

• Befriend your potential customer. Do not attempt to immediately sell your art/skills/product; remember that to the person on the phone, you are a faceless stranger and people are naturally skeptical. Your reasoning for making the call is to make contact, not acquire a job/sale.

• Do your cold calling early in the morning, if possible. That's the best time to reach a decision maker directly, and for most people, the time that they're most energized.

• Be persistent when cold calling. "Eighty percent of new sales are made after the fifth contact, yet the majority of sales people give up after the second call" (AllBusiness.com).

Closing the Call
When your prospective client begins to ask questions, you can start closing the call by setting up an appointment. The following are examples you can use to secure your next meeting:

• “I am going to be in your area this afternoon around 3:15 or 4:30. Which time is best for you?  I can drop off my portfolio if your not available to say hello.”

• “I realize you're concerned about price/quality/my portfolio/art; most of my clients were as well. I have an opening this afternoon to meet with you to discuss this further. How about 5:15 or 5:45?”

• "Would Wednesday at 11 a.m. be a good time to meet?" instead of saying, "Can I meet with you to discuss this next week?"

And above all, practice, practice, practice. While cold calling may never be much fun for you, you can get better at it, and the more you practice cold calling, the more effective a sales tactic it will be. So get your script and your call list together and reach for the phone. The people who want to do business with you are out there - but you have to let them know about you first.

There are plenty of resources out there that address cold calling strategies and techniques. A gentleman I recommend is Jeffrey Gitomer, whose Web site is www.gitomer.com. I know he has resources that address cold-calling strategies that are very, very good.

Pricing

Yet another timely post from Seth Godin about pricing, perception and attitude.  Check it out.

Attitude

Another great post by Seth Godin about attitude, how we approach our work and our individual responsibility to create and increase the energy in our work.

Inspirations...

To be a champion you have to believe in yourself when no one else will.
– Sugar Ray Robinson
Don’t give up at half time. Concentrate on winning the second half.
– Paul “Bear” Bryant

Competitions, Call for Entries and Submissions

LensCulture - deadline 9/18  click here
The New Orleans Photo Alliance Grant - The Clarence John Laughlin Award - deadline 9/15 click here
Capture Brooklyn - deadline 8/29 click here

Good Tips from Seth Godin's Blog

Seth Godin has a great post today entitled "The Blizzard of Noise".  Bottom line is that we're flooded with data and info - and the opportunity here is having face-to-face, person-to-person, artist-to-prospective client conversations are of course more personal, have impact, and build opportunity.  Make those sales calls... even if you get voicemail, smile as you leave a message.  Our human interaction is more important than ever.

Inspirations...

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved. –Helen Keller

Competitions, Call for Entries and Submissions

• Silver Eye extends deadline to 9/3 for Fellowship 2010 click here
• The One Show Interactive extended deadline 9/7 click here
• The Center for Fine Art Photography "New Normal" deadline is 8/31 click here
• The Center for Fine Art Photography "Natural World" deadline is 9/14 click here
• CENTER'S Review LA will be opening up in September click here
• The APA Awards will be opening up in September click here
• The Photography Masters Cup Call for Entries is open click here
• World in Focus Photo Contest extended deadline 9/7 click here

Dan Fenelon - Art Prize Mural interview

Check out Dan on TV!    click here

Inspirations...

In difficult situations when hope seems feeble, the boldest plans are safest. – Lily (29 BC)

Inspirations...

Courage is doing what you're afraid to do.  There can be no courage unless you're scared. - Eddie Rickenbacker

Good Tips from Seth Godin's Blog

Choosing your customers

Yes, you get to choose them, not the other way around. You choose them with your pricing, your content, your promotion, your outreach and your product line.

When choosing, consider:

How much does this type of customer need you

How difficult is this sort of person to find...

and how difficult to reach

How valuable is a customer like this one...

and how demanding?

It's not a matter of who can benefit from what you sell. It's about choosing the customers you'd like to have.

The link above leads you to Seth Godin's Blog where you can sign-up to receive his tips!

Crescenzo Giacomo Notarile - Createasphere Interview

Click here to see Crescenzo's Createsphere Video Interview

Crescenzo Giacomo Notarile - Canon Explorer of Light Interview

Click here to see Crescenzo's Canon Explorer of Light Video Interview

New Printing of Clive Barker's THE THIEF OF ALWAYS available today

IDW publishing is releasing today and all new printing of the classic fantasy tale by Clive Barker - THE THIEF OF ALWAYS.  See the press release here.

Clive Barker featured in LA Magazine

Earlier this summer Clive Barker opened his home for a fundraiser for MOCA Contemporaries.  See the photos here.

Prospecting Sales Calls

Selling is at the very center of every business. To realize consistent sales success you must first set objectives and then focus on achieving those goals for every sales call you make. Preparation is extremely important. Therefore before you begin a sales call consider the following:

Set a daily time and quiet place for prospecting  
You have to establish a habit and engage in the discipline of prospecting on a daily basis and from a controlled environment where your prospecting tools are available and readily accessible. In my private office I set up a prospecting station that includes a stand-up area, a computer and telephone with headset. Tacked to a wall are scripts for use when contacting past clients, potential clients, and cold calling. On another wall I’ve tacked all of my objection-handling scripts, including a few options for each objection. This allows me to be prepared for any dialogue or direction a conversation could take and allows me to avoid fumbles.
Prospects List  
Make sure names, titles and contact details are up-to-date. Be certain that you are making your presentation to a qualified prospect – ex.: You are a car shooter make sure you are not contacting a prospect that has food, or beauty accounts. Gather as much data as necessary – review the company’s website, news releases, clients, etc. – So that you are on top of who they are, what they do and the latest company developments. Do your research. Your potential prospect will recognize and appreciate your time investment in learning about his or her business.
Introduction/Script  
Being on the phone can make your mind go blank, so have relevant information at hand. Practice your verbal marketing message; have your calendar nearby and your portfolio ready to go out. 
Knowing that body language comprises more than half of the power of communication, even when on the phone, I keep my intensity and focus high by standing up and smiling. Good humor can be ‘heard” via the phone, so remember to “smile” before dialing. A good quality headset, which I consider an absolutely essential tool, enables me to keep my hands free, so I can gesture, or accentuate points as if I were speaking to my prospect in person. Practice makes perfect – making calls daily means you are “familiar” with your “script”.  
Be prepared for potential objections. Make a list of reasons why a prospect may be reluctant to do business with you and rehearse responses to them.
 
Call to Action/Sales Objectives
What’s your call to action – getting a meeting, getting a portfolio drop off, making a different contact within the company? It is unrealistic to expect a single call or meeting to result in a bid or job. Your objective on each of the multiple calls you’ll make will be to get the prospect one step closer to working with you.
Use the multiple sales calls to accomplish objectives such as:

• Introduction, establishing a rapport
• Making an appointment for a portfolio drop off or review
• Finding out your prospect’s specific needs
• Discovering who is part of the team and decision making process
• Meeting new people within your prospects organization – ask for referrals
• Supplying your prospect with new info about you
• Checking to see if prospect’s clients have changed since your last contact
• Supplying prospect with references and info from previous clients and jobs
• Determining whom the competition is

Fight off distractions
The truth is most of us welcome distractions that take us away from our prospecting obligations. An incoming phone call, e-mail, and the files that need organizing, the pile of papers we’ve been meaning to get to, - anything will do. It’s called creative avoidance.
Whether you are just starting out or you’re at the top of your field, distractions never just go away. In fact the busier you are, the more potential distractions you have because of the volume of business, the number of staff people, the number of clients, and the scope of responsibility.
The difference between prospecting success and prospecting avoidance comes down to the question, what do you do when the distractions hit? Do you postpone prospecting while you put out the fire? Do you decide to return a few phone calls? Do you justify not starting the prospecting at the appointed time? If you said yes, you are practicing creative avoidance.

To fight off distractions, impede their success:

• Turn off your e-mail indicator – visual and auditory – so it doesn’t tempt you
• Allow incoming calls to go to voicemail, or have your studio manager take messages
• Turn off your cell phone
• Virtually put a sign on the “door” that says – Don’t bother me I’m prospecting

Follow the Plan
Success comes down to taking the right steps in the proper order. You must know who you are going to call and for what reason. The best approach is to set up each day’s prospecting plan a day in advance. 
If you wait to put your prospecting plan together at the beginning of your session, chances are that you will talk yourself out of making the calls in the first place. If you establish a plan in advance, you’ll be ready for action, rather than for avoidance of second guessing yourself.  
Before you leave your office for the day, determine the prospecting calls you are going to make the next day. Assemble everything you need and put the information on your desk, so it is ready as you walk in the door.  
In the morning, quickly review your calls and goals – don’t take to long – you could be setting yourself up for creative avoidance.
Spend 15 minutes prior to the first call practicing your verbal marketing message, scripts, dialogues and objection handling techniques. Establish a routine, create a plan that you repeat again and again before each prospecting session. Think about how actors warm up before a performance, or a singer vocalizing, or an athlete stretching out – you expect them to be prepared. Follow the same rule – warm up in advance.
Keep good records  
Keep good records of calls, note bits of conversation, any important references, and follow-up promptly. Call when you say you are going to call, send the portfolio when agreed to. Always include your contact details.
Keep in Touch  
Perfecting the art of keeping in touch is also key to your success. Call prospects on a regular basis – use the opportunity to ask what they are working on. Send a handwritten note after your contact – whether a phone call, bid or estimate – even if you don’t get the job – send a note of appreciation for the consideration and hope to do business in the future.
Don’t Take Rejection Personally  
One of the most important things to remember is not to take rejection personally. Think about this – the more rejected you are the more successful you will become. You have more opportunity to practice what works and know what doesn’t when you fail. Get out there.
Be true to yourself and finish what you start  - Don’t drop out early; when you are running a race, you have to run the distance.

Being prepared and planning ahead will help you feel assured that you know exactly what you plan to do at every point of the call – and you also show your prospect that you understand the value of his/her time. Clients will appreciate doing business with someone who respects their time and conducts sales calls in a productive, efficient and professional manner.

Angela Krass is the founder of www.fotoprojx.com.

The Value of Networking

This morning I gained even further knowledge of the power of networking and social media, by visiting my Facebook page. A Facebook friend, and arts colleague, Everard Williams had a post that lead me, on a Sunday morning, on an informative trip. I thoroughly enjoyed the knowledge I gained and explored further the source.

I've always been a fan of TED, weekly, I download talks and presentations to watch on my iPod, gaining insight, knowledge, and ideas. And now another resource: RSA 21st Century Enlightenment.

Paying it forward - I share with you...

Dan Fenelon - ART PRIZE

Dan Fenelon is pleased to announce that he has been accepted to participate in the prestigious ART PRIZE contest held in the city of Grand Rapids Michigan. The venue at 101 Sheldon Blvd also known as the Witter Building, has accepted his proposal to create a 120'x30' mural on the side of their building which houses two non-profit organizations, The Dwelling Place and the Dental Clinic for Cherry Street Health Services.

Congratulations Dan!

Click here for more details.

Attitude

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, gifted ability, or skill. It will make or break a company, a church, a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace from that day. We cannot change our past, we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing that we can do is play on the one string that we have and this string is, Attitude. I am convinced that life is ten percent what happens to me and ninety percent how I react to it. And so it is with you….We are in charge of our Attitudes.” - Charles Swindoll

Clive Barker's Dark Bazaar Debut

Disguise has released a "making of" video of the creation of Clive's line of costumes and accessories available for Halloween 2010.

Visit the official website to see how Clive's art is imagined as costumes.

Inspirations...

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. "
~Steve Jobs

"In a time of drastic change, it is the LEARNERS who inherit the future. The LEARNED usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists."
~Eric Hoffer

“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
~T.S. Eliot

"Habit, laziness, and fear conspire to keep us comfortably within the familiar."
~Jane Hirshfield

Why Am I an Artist?

“I’ve met every enemy and it is me.” ~ Ben Franklin

“Cherish your vision and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements."~ Napoleon Hill  

Why Am I an Artist?  Good question – right? Finding time to be truly creative is something everybody struggles with. When we’re in business mode, it’s hard to remember why we chose the creative life. Along with marketing plans, portfolio edits, sales, production and the demands of running our business, it’s equally important to make time for creativity.

I’d like to challenge everyone to set a creative goal and take steps towards it.

§ Be prepared for inspiration. See something cool – carry a notebook, or use your cell phone camera to take a reference photo, or store a location in your GPS.

§ Follow your natural rhythms – pay attention to when you’re feeling your most creative, and honor your patterns.

§ Creativity takes time and is best realized in a quiet space. This needs to be a commitment you make and keep with yourself, whether you take 15 minutes everyday or spend 10 hours a week. Set aside the time and book it.

§ Creativity comes in cycles. Like gardens, creativity needs preparing, planting, nurturing, waiting and harvesting – and even a dormant period.

§ Utilize your colleagues to receive and give unconditional constructive feedback.

§ Commit to your self – set a goal and take steps toward it.

§ Set boundaries – it’s where your responsibilities start and end.

§ Work from your strengths. If you spend the majority of your time focused on overcoming a weakness you might improve a little bit – if you spent that same amount of time advancing an area of strength you’d increase that strength ten-fold.

§ Do something that scares the hell out of you – repeat. Push the limits, give yourself a challenge – redefine fear as performance energy and move forward.

§ Quiet your inner critic – stay positive.

§ Get over perfectionism – do good work, but don’t hold onto it until its perfect… by the time it’s perfect there’s a good chance it’s out of date!

§ Play, have fun and let the energy flow. You know your “in the zone” when you lose track of time doing what you love – you’ve found your highest creative expression. When blocked work backwards – start by identifying the end goal, and work from the end of the process and develop each step from there.

Inspirations...

Luck happens where preparation meets opportunity"
`Seneca 300BC


“Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.”
`Peter Drucker

"Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you choose to react to it."

"Failing to plan is planning to fail!"

"There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle. "
`Albert Einstein

Clive Barker on Craig Ferguson

Click here to see Clive on Craig Ferguson

Inspirations...

"And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
— Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom

"Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they've been given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a fact. It's an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It's a dare. Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary. Impossible is nothing."
— Muhammad Ali



There is no need for temples, no need for complicated philosophies. My brain and my heart are my temples; my philosophy is kindness.
— Dalai Lama

Crescenzo Giacomo Notarile - Canon Explorer of Light

Recently Crescenzo was honored to become one of the first cinematographers to become a Canon Explorer of Light.  See his interview here.

Benefits of Working with a Coach or Consultant

Coaching is proven to work when two factors are present:

• The client is willing to grow

• There is a gap between where you are now and where you want to be.

Really this is all that is necessary for us to solve problems, create a new life, turn your business around, increase sales and profitability, and design and implement a plan of action. Or, whatever else is called for to ensure that you have what you need to get more of what you want.

WITH A COACH, YOU WILL:  
Take more, better and smarter action ~ Because you set the goals you really want.

Our first task together is to find out exactly what you want for yourself. Once you create objectives that are clearly in line with your values and professional vision, you are much more likely to naturally and consistently take actions to reach them.

• Have a balanced life ~ Because you designed it

Professional success is maximized when you enjoy a sense of personal fulfillment and life balance. We will discuss how to focus on your particular personal goals and how to carve out enough time so your life outside of work is exactly the way you want to be. 

• Reach for more, much more ~ And not be consumed by the process

When you have a partner you trust, you will reach for much more because you can afford to. Are you ready to think big and really love your life fully? A coach is a partner who will enable you to take your life where you want it to go.

• Make better decisions for yourself and your business ~ Because your focus is clear

We will help you become focused as you share ideas with us. We will understand you and be subjective enough to want a lot for you, yet objective enough to not be biased or self serving. Just talking about your options with someone who really listens is often not enough to clarify things.

• Have a lot more sustainable energy ~ No more chugging along alone

We will help you identify the things that drain your energy and create a long-term strategy to eliminate them. In addition, we will focus on things that give you energy and explore how to maximize their impact. When you’re happy, productive, and free from tolerations and problems, life is a lot more fun!

We are…
Your partner in achieving your business goals
Your champion during a turnaround
Your trainer in communication and marketing skills
Your sounding board when making choices
Your motivation when strong actions are needed
Your unconditional support when you need it
Your mentor in business and artistic development
Your partner in helping you have all of what matters most to you. 

Introducing Tim Clarke

We are delighted to be managing the art of Tim Clarke - a talented young artist from London.  Check out his outstanding art here, here and here too. 

Inspirations....

"It's not the time to be fearful it's the time to be full of courage."

Shared with me by my friend and former client Heather Walsh after she heard it last weekend... good advice!

Competitions for Young People

Know anyone from 11-25 years old? Great photo competition: click here.

Mona illustrates Music Video

Mona Shafer Edwards illustrated a video for The Airborne Toxic Event - the song is based on the events surrounding the death of Neda Agha-Soltan, the Iranian student who has become an honored symbol of Human Rights.

The one year anniversary of Neda's death is approaching ans we're looking to raise awareness with the help of Amnesty International and you we can create change! Mona was honored to be involved with this project and grateful to be included in this world-wide event.

I AM NEDA

Watch Video

Power of Dreams

Honda will activate its sponsorship at the corporate level under its "Power of Dreams" platform. The effort, extending the "Dream the Impossible" via Honda's creative agency, Santa Monica-based RPA, includes its own documentary about engineers who work in the automaker's vehicle development system.

It includes people like race driver Danica Patrick, film director Christopher Guest, Tony Hawk, film director Clive Barker and renowned leader in mind-body medicine Dr. Deepak Chopra. The latest short documentary installment will be shown during this autumn's debut of "Great Migrations."

Honda says it will also get marketing space through National Geographic's brand extensions on the Web through mobile channels, video on demand, home video, licensed products, educational outreach, and consumer events.

Honda has produced six "Dream" videos, all of them at Dreams.Honda.com.

How To Select a Consultant

You’ve reached a point in your career where you need some assistance in refining your direction? Edited and re-edited your portfolio… Postponed creating a marketing plan … Thinking about changing your creative direction, struggling with your vision. Where are you now? Where do you want to go/be? How are you going to get there? How badly do you want to get there? Hiring a Consultant may be your best most effective solution.

The Consultant’s job, as an advisor, is to identify opportunities, problems and recommend strategies to improve your business offering a fresh, unbiased view of your organization. A Consultant should provide an independent perspective, knowledge and judgment developed from hands-on experience. Their role is to supplement your knowledge so you can make better, more informed decisions.

The Process For Selecting a Consultant is Made up of 4 Major Steps:  

Step 1
Define how you see the Consultant role. Know your target goals and available budget. Consultants generally fall into broad categories: Operational – focus on the business side of your company; Creative – focus on building, fine tuning and editing your portfolio; Strategic – focus on defining your market and creating action and marketing plans.

Prepare a written description of the scope of the work, defining the problems. Spend time outlining the issues you want help with. Identifying the scope of the work needed will help narrow the list of possible candidates. Be clear about why you are looking for a Consultant and what you want the Consultant to assist you with. Be specific about what you want the Consultant to do. What is the Consultant’s special area of expertise? Does it match what you want them to do for you? What is the Consultant’s knowledge of the industry?

Step 2  
Assemble a list of possible candidates. Ask people you respect for the name of a Consultant they trust. Find out what they experienced in working with their Consultant and how they were helped. Look most carefully at Consultants that have worked with photographers you respect. You are looking for familiarity with the issues you need assistance with and “fit”. That is, do you think you will work well together? Your gut instinct on fit is probably correct, so don’t deny it.

The Screening Process Contact the Consultants that look promising based on recommendations of your colleagues. Start with an exploratory phone call.

Step 3  
Make direct inquiries with prepared list of questions.

Inquire about:

• if consultant is interested in working with you
• availability and schedule
• qualifications and past relevant experience
• key skills and approach
• fees
• a pre-meeting before deciding whether to hire the consultant - is there a charge for this meeting?

Notice whether he or she:

• is a clear and direct communicator
• seems genuinely interested in you and your situation
• listens to you and understands what you are saying
• talks more about you and your needs rather than himself or herself
• is positive, confident and pragmatic

Step 4  
Check references. Ask candidates to give you 3-5 names of past clients for whom they have done similar work. Then call the clients and ask how satisfied they were with the Consultant. The best question you can ask is, “Would you hire this person again?” Specifically ask what the Consultant did for the client. Was the Consultant’s work the same work you want the Consultant to do for you? If it matches, the client can provide valuable info about the Consultant’s work.

Once selection is made

Great care should be exercised when choosing a Consultant. The chemistry must be right. Take the initiative and stay involved, discuss your needs, problems, and parameters in candid terms from the start. They are not a substitute for your responsibility. The ultimate decision-making and approval stays with you. Don’t abdicate decision-making to the Consultant. Set a budget and/or schedule upfront.

Most Consultants agree that restructuring involves two phases: a design phase, in which new ways of doing work are produced, and an implementation phase, in which the new ways of doing work actually are put in place. Avoid misunderstandings, request a letter of agreement determining the length of your association alongside the fee, as well as what services you expect.

Finally, say thank you to all the candidates for their time and effort. Be gracious to those you do not select – you may need them in the future. If the Consultant you select was referred to you, thank the person who made the referral.

“You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don’t have that kind of feeling for what it is you are doing, you’ll stop at the first giant hurdle.” -- George Lucas

Angela Krass is the founder of fotoprojx.com.

Home page?

Everyone’s home page is not located on their website, it’s actually Google. We go there for reputational searches and for social search looking for info, content on blogs, twitter, etc.

This is about perception and it’s vital to build your brand/presence in all relative networks. Controlling and optimizing your visibility is smart business and intelligent branding – building credibility. Here is a democratic opportunity to be garnered.

Networked relationships via social relationships, sharing quality content and connecting that to your website is the goal. More and more inquiries are coming from inside online communities. Example – the latest news spreads quicker and is available faster via Twitter than Google news.
Compile a list of keywords, phrases that truthfully reflect how people speak and search, are unique and don’t have a lot of competition (Ex: photography or art) and generate search volume. Once you have compiled a strong list of keywords incorporate them into press releases, emailers, your website, your blog. Highlight keywords up front in a press release – they become “tags”.

Content and relationships are what social networking appealing. Utilize all methods to polish your brand.

For further info: Angela Krass - founder www.fotoprojx.com

Crescenzo Giacomo Notarile participates in Createasphere

Cinematographer and Fine Art Photographer Crescenzo participated in the EOS Moving Image Workshop in May.

The boundaries between motion and still photography no longer exist. Canon HD SLR technology empowers you to capture video and still photography with a single camera and a vast selection of accessory options.

See and hear what Crescenzo has to say about the workshop.  Click here to view his video interview

Gremlin Taming Tips from Rick Carson

In keeping with an earlier post, here are some Gremlin Taming Tips from Rick Carson

Breathe! Your breathing is both a barometer and a regulator of your level of contentment.

Stay aware of your skin. It's both a wonderfully sensitive receptor and a miraculous sheath that separates you from the rest of the world.

Remember that feeling good is primarily an inside job. Events occur around you. Your experience of those events occurs within the boundary defined by your skin.

Simply Notice. Notice your thoughts, feelings, fantasies, memories and assumptions and notice that these are all different processes.

Play with options.

Relax your pact to keep your act intact. In the words of Terry Allen, "Your ego may not be your amigo."

Think of your awareness as a spotlight that you control.

Change for a change.

In every moment you are a devotee. You devote your awareness to something. Choose with care, breath to breath, what you devote your awareness to and devote fully.

Breathe! Remember to take in all of the air you want and to exhale fully.

The key is choice. Don't grapple with your gremlin. Simply notice him or her fully, and then choose to redirect your awareness - or not.

Worry is a cerebral house of mirrors into which your gremlin ushers you. Worry and constructive thought are different processes. Worry is fraught with anguish, feels lousy and results in shallow breathing. Constructive thought involves knowing where you want to be, and taking the steps to get there.

Your past is not attached to you. You may be holding onto it. But it is not holding on to you.

A belief is just an opinion to which you've developed loyalty. Notice your opinions.

When you're not sure what to say, consider saying, "I'm not sure what to say."

Your existence has been a series of precious moments leading you right here, right now. What's next is up to you.

Remember where you end and all else begins and leap off into the future.

Consider the notion that you and the world were created 2 seconds ago complete with history, props, and players.

Center yourself.

Be at choice with what you're attending to.

Inspirations....

"The price of being a sheep is boredom. The price of being a wolf is loneliness. Choose one or the other with great care."

Hugh MacLeod

Competitions, Portfolio Reviews, Calls for Entry

MPLS Photo Center
Black & White People, Places and Things - Deadline 7/23

PCNW - Photographic Center Northwest
Present Tense: 15th Annual Photographic Competition Exhibition - Deadline 6/12

Descry Magazine
Catalogue of the Night - Deadline 7/30

F Stop Magazine : Portfolio Issue - Deadline 7/01
GUEST EDITOR AMBER TERRANOVA

Competitions, Portfolio Reviews, Calls for Entry

APA/NY Photo Contest Early Bird Deadline extended to 5/14

Photographer's Forum 30th Annual Spring Photography Contest Final Deadline 5/17

Black and White Spider Awards Deadline Special Entry Packs 5/28

Picture of the Year International - a program of the Reynolds Journalism Institute (RJI)
The incentive will fund and showcase documentary work on social issues or political trends by aspiring documentary photographers. Application Deadline: 5/31
Download pdf here

Exhibit A Final Deadline 6/1

The Gala Awards
The 2010 WPGA Annual Competition Deadline 6/29
The Invisible World Early Bird Deadline 5/30, Final Deadline 7/25
Black & White Early Bird Deadline 5/30, Final Deadline 7/25

Center for Photography
Strange Beauty Deadline 5/18
Jurors: Darren Ching and Debra Klomp Ching
Black and White Deadline 6/15
Juror: Andrea Modica

RayKo Photo Center
Call for Entry: Portrait photography Deadline 6/5

Les Rencontres d'Arles Photo Folio Review
7/4 - 7/13 Arles, France Registration closes: 6/20

Inspiring...

"Our dreams carry with them the energy for their achievement; our fears carry with them the energy of our defeat." M. Neill - SuperCoach

Procrastination and Creative Avoidance

As a consultant I often hear from clients that “there isn’t enough time in a day” or “I’m so stressed out” or “the day got away from me” or “I’m stuck and I don’t know where to go next”. We’re talking about procrastination, fear and time management – and recognizing this is the first step to achieving your goals.

I’m presupposing that you’ve done the work on your mission, priorities, and actually have a focused To Do List. If you do not have a focused list, take a few moments to identify one objective you’ve had for yourself but have not completed. The message of this article is focusing your activities in such a way as to get done the things that need to be done – without interruptions. It takes discipline and practice.

How do you currently spend your time? It’s often very hard to examine how you spend your time – it’s an eye-opening experience. To accomplish this, track your time in one hour intervals. Be honest about the time you are idle, or are filling time but are not working towards your principal goals. Write it down – do this over the course of a week.

Getting into action alleviates the stress of procrastination. Ask yourself why you’ve been putting off these goals. Put emotions aside and look at this situation as logically as possible. Your next steps are to complete a list of your creative avoidances and a separate list for your procrastinations. The difference between the two are that procrastinations are the things you need to do that you’re not doing – your goals; and creative avoidances are the things you are doing - the distractions - that are keeping you from doing the things you need to be doing.

When it comes to procrastinating, many of us are experts – personally I weigh every option and “think everything through” – when often all I need to do is take the leap of faith, push past the fear, make a decision and move forward. We justify, rationalize, and redirect our focus to avoid the “difficult” tasks. Creative avoidances include organizing and reorganizing; preparing and repairing; diversions – telephone, e-mail, etc. All of these can take you away from your key goal, and often keep you spinning in a circle and never achieving your goals. Whether it is fear of success, failure, vulnerability, others reaction, or lack of “how to” skills, or lack of belief in yourself, fear can and will get in the way of attaining your goals. Procrastination is just a way to cover up your fears about a certain goal. This procrastination is always some justification and rationalization that seem right at the time. To prevent this justification and rationalization from occurring it’s important to get a reality check on the task at hand.

Once you’ve completed your lists of your creative avoidances and procrastinations it will give you a chance to finally think out and list all those things you really need to do to move yourself forward. And a good place to begin is with what you envision yourself accomplishing by a certain point in time. Write it down, and create the list of tasks required to move you toward that vision. Identify the first or next step towards accomplishing the goal, and commit to a time to start.

The rest is truly a matter of being self-aware – catching yourself when you lean towards a creative avoidance, when you should be focused on the procrastination list. To Do lists help tremendously especially if you can get outside feedback from friends, coaches, consultants, peers, and spouses, they can be helpful in holding you accountable.

Steps:

• Admit that your time needs to be utilized better.
• Honestly log your current time use.
• List your creative avoidances.
• List your procrastinations.
• Create a future vision – where do you see yourself in six months, a year, three years, 5 years?
• Commit to a TO DO LIST that supports your vision.
• Hone the TO DO LIST into a daily task list if it’s overwhelming.
• Select a goal and identify the first or next step to accomplish the goal.
• Commit to a time when you will begin the first step.
• Stay self aware – recognize your pattern of excuses, and don’t get bogged down in an activity that doesn’t support your end goal
• Partner with someone – Joining together with a colleague will keep you focused and on track.

Angela Krass is the founder of fotoprojx.com.

Thoughts...

Continuing along with last week's post I recently read this tidbit and wanted to share. Michael Neill is a super-coach to coaches and shares great insight...

Enjoy...

"The worst thing that can ever happen to you is a thought - generally speaking, a thought about whatever you think is the worst thing that could ever happen to you. But just because a thought pops into your head doesn’t mean it will immediately manifest in your life. (If it did, there would be more deaths by roller coasters going off their tracks, people falling from very high places, and heads exploding due to stress than any other cause.)

That’s because in and of themselves, thoughts have no power. It’s only when you invest your own energy and consciousness into them that they begin to become real.

A thought without your personal investment is no more powerful than a tea bag without boiling water. It’s only after you add the water that the tea begins to infuse and create the flavor, and it’s only after you add your agreement and energy to a thought that it begins to impact your life."

CAN AND CAN'T

I recently re-read TAMING YOUR GREMLIN, and found this excerpt from the writer Rick Carson which got me thinking about how we set ourselves up for not being able to change, for failure and with a simple change of mindset we can effect positive change in reaching our goals.

It's an interesting read...

CAN AND CAN'T - Rick Carson - The Gremlin Tamer

"There's a not-so-old adage that says, “some people think they can, and some people think they can't, and they're both right.” It's a good adage. You may have some “I can'ts” floating around in your head that you're not even aware of, or that you haven't been aware of until now. Until now you may have been, and forgive me for abusing another old adage, “too close to the forest to see the trees.” But I tell you, a little awareness goes a long way. As you begin to notice the “I can'ts” you live your life by, you may find some of them are accurate. I mean, it's true, you can't fly, you can't grow taller on the spot, and you can't walk on water. A lot of your “I can'ts”, however, may be subtle and yet powerfully self-limiting, like “I can't change,“I can't commit to a relationship,” “I can't remember names” or “I can't fix anything with my hands,” or “I can't relax,” or the grand-daddy of all “I can't” Myths: “I can't handle it.” The “I can't handle it” myth gets applied in all sorts of circumstances. I never know what people mean when they say I can't handle it. Do they mean that if they handle it they'll explode, or melt maybe? Next time you hear an “I can't” rumbling around in your head or coming out of your mouth, I want you to notice it. Consider replacing the words, “I can't,” with the phrase, “I won't,” instead of “I can't,” or better yet, “I don't want to,” or better yet, “I choose not to,” or even better yet, “Until now I've chosen not to.” These words will remind you of your responsibility for your part of the limitation. They'll remind you of your choice in the matter. They'll remind you that your “I can't”, in most cases, is no more than a belief, a hypnotic belief that you've been carrying around, probably outside of your awareness. Until now, that is. And a belief is, after all, no more than an opinion thatyou've developed loyalty to."

Targeted Emails

There is so much information about e-mail marketing; here are four key things you should consider before planning your next campaign.

What is Targeted Marketing?
Targeted marketing is, according to the text books, "the process of distinguishing the different groups that make up a market, and developing appropriate products and marketing mixes for each target market involved."

Know your Recipients.
In today’s technology driven media it is easy to acquire listings of potential clients and blanket wide sectors with your promotional message, with the hope that some of the messages might be received, read and responded to. This is not only a waste of your resources, and your recipient’s too, but it can work against your image as well.

Thoroughly research your prospects – if you are a car shooter you should only be marketing to agencies, design firms and corporations who are in the auto industry – potential prospects who advertise food, apparel or pharmaceuticals will not be interested in your promos and in all likelihood will treat your promotional messages as spam. Make sure your promotional message is relevant to your prospects.

Break your list into manageable segments – one specific industry, or a geographical area, or demographic profile. List research via a subscription service should be followed by telephone research to ensure the information gathered from the list is accurate and to get any additional information. From this research create a sub-list, eliminating any inappropriate prospects.

The All Important Subject Line.
Once you’ve targeted your list, next in importance is your subject line. The words used there will motivate your recipient to click on it – either to hopefully read it, or hit the delete button, a very attractive option as time is so important. Your role is to stand apart and be noticed, think of the subject line as a headline – spend considerable time and thought composing it.

The Body of the E-mail
A well written intro should motivate your recipient to continue to read the rest of your e-mail. Don’t exaggerate, don’t hype – the opening sentence should be relevant to your recipient. And lastly, keep it short – less than a paragraph at most, accompanied by imagery, and a link/click-thru to your website.

Follow-up
This is where you really go for what you want … to arrange a meeting, drop off your portfolio, renew an old working relationship … whatever your objective is. Record, measure and monitor your stats – who opened your e-mail, who clicked through to your website, who reported you as spam, etc. This way you know what worked, what has not, who to call, who to delete and what actions you need to take next.

Angela Krass is the founder of fotoprojx.com.

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