Summer is slowly coming to an end. Some are sad to leave the beaches and warm weather, while others are glad to be getting the kids back in school or off to college.

September and the change of seasons brings a sense of renewal. As photographers, we use the month of September to gear up for the busy season and the holidays. Time as we know it will go by quicker than the blink of an eye. In today's feature article, I will give you tips on how to accomplish big things in little time. As you head toward the final quarter of the year, you want to begin planning now for what you want to accomplish by years end.

If you are a PPA member, I am hosting a Business Planning Seminar for Super Monday. The date is October 12th and it will take place in my residential studio in Ashburn, Virginia. We will create a business "spend plan" for 2016 and will break down everything you need to know to determine how much revenue you need in order to be profitable. If you are interested in registering, please head over to PPA's website.

I will also be speaking on Sunday at the VPPA Summer Seminar in Fredericksburg, Virginia. My morning program is "The Secrets to Handling Stalls and Objections over the Phone" and begins at 9:00am. If you want to find out how to respond when people tell you, "I'm just shopping around or I need to talk to my husband" then you don't want to miss this. Send me an email if you need additional information on either of these speaking events.

Finally, I am in the process of upgrading my studio and have children's furniture, props, dresses and backgrounds available for sale at reasonable prices. Everything is in excellent condition and will work great in your studio. Contact me if you are interested in getting some high quality furniture for a fraction of what I paid for it.

Please continue to let me know what topics you are interested in knowing more about so I can address them in upcoming articles. What is keeping you up at night? What is holding you back? Where do you want to be one year from now? Let me know. By letting me know your needs, I can write articles, and blog posts that can address them. Send me an email at dougmattice@o2ecoaching.com

Accomplishing Big Things In Little Time

When I am working with clients and talking about everything they need to do to operate a profitable photography business, they often say, “I don’t have enough TIME to do ______________." I get it, because I have a lot on my plate, too. I work full-time as a manager and instructor of professional development, and then I come home and work with photographers like you a few nights a week and Saturdays. So let’s agree that we ALL are very busy.

I want to help you accomplish those big things even if you only have a small amount of time available to devote to it. In this article, I am going to share with you a few secret tips that will allow you to successfully accomplish big things with little time.

What Matters Most?

We have as much time as we GIVE ourselves to accomplish the things that matter most to us. So before we even dive into the tips that I want to share, I want you to take a moment and reflect on this question:

What matters most to you?

Write a list of the big things you want to accomplish between now and the end of the year. As you’re creating this list, think of the things you’re currently giving your time to that aren’t important to you or that are preventing you from accomplishing your goals. Recognize the things you’re doing – mentally, physically, emotionally – in your every day life that aren’t bringing you one step closer to the big things you want to accomplish in your life and business.

If you take the time to seriously reflect on this, I guarantee that you are going to start freeing up time just by recognizing what you’re currently spending time on could be coming back to yourself to dedicate to the things that matter most.

So you’ve created your list of the BIG THINGS you’re looking to accomplish before the end of the year, right?

This could be anything – it doesn’t necessarily have to be related to your business. It might be:

Finding time to exercise and work on becoming healthier;
Related to the time you spend with your family (and wanting more of that);
Finishing that project that’s been dogging you for months on end…

Once you have your list, here are the secret tips to accomplishing your BIG THINGS.

Big Things Graphic

Take your BIG THING, break it down into smaller pieces, SCHEDULE time to take PURPOSEFUL ACTION on each of those smaller pieces, and TRACK your progress along the way.

Sounds pretty simple, right?

That’s because it is. Doing these simple things WILL help you accomplish big things in little time. If this is so simple, then how come you are not accomplishing more during the year? Ah! That’s because there is one small catch. YOU HAVE TO DO THE WORK!

That’s right, you have to TAKE the time and do the heavy lifting if you want to ultimately succeed in reaching your BIG AUDACIOUS GOALS. My son is in the Marine Corps and he tells me all the time, “No one is going to do your pushups for you Dad. You have to put in the time on the floor in order to get the results you want.”

So here is a summary of the four secret steps to accomplishing BIG THINGS

Identify your ONE BIG THING. Remember Curly in the movie City Slickers? His famous quote was, “Remember to keep the ONE THING the ONE THING.” Look for things that you have previously dedicated your time to that aren’t as important as the things on your list, and cut those out (or delegate them) so you can gain back more of your time.
Break it down. Chunking your BIG THING down allows you to start working on the individual steps so you can acquire momentum. Having a plan in place and a clear picture of the individual steps it’s going to take to accomplish something is integral to your success. Each little step will lead you closer to your big goal.
Schedule Time - SPECIFIC time in your calendar to work on each of the smaller steps. This step is very important, because this is what’s going to allow you to take PURPOSEFUL ACTION towards accomplishing your big thing. Every time you accomplish an individual step, you’re going to be bringing yourself one step closer to your big thing, giving you the necessary momentum to continue making progress.
Track progress so you can make corrections along the way. If you don’t track your progress, you will likely find yourself at the end of the year wondering whatever happened to that project you wanted to accomplish.

I want to help you accomplish BIG THINGS even if you feel like you only have a little amount of time available. I hope these tips will help move you and your business Onward to Excellence!

I write these articles knowing that they may cause you some discomfort, however my intent is to get you thinking like the CEO of your company instead of just being a photographer who is trying to scratch out a living. As always, I welcome your thoughts and opinions. Please send me an email anytime.

Need help on a project? Would you like someone to partner with and hold you accountable?

I can help you break through the barriers that are keeping you from achieving the success that you want in your photography business. Whether you need assistance on a particular project - like pricing, how to handle client objections, sales tips, studio design ideas etc. or want help becoming a better business person, I can assist you!

Send me an email at dougmattice@o2ecoaching.com or call me (703) 505-6766 and I will be happy to give you a proposal. My rates are very affordable and the results you will get will be life changing!

Think about the question below and get in touch with me!

What is it costing you by NOT doing what needs to be done?

If you think you can't make money and live life on your terms, I would like you to "think again". I specialize in teaching photographers how to make more money more easily while enjoying a business and lifestyle that they desire.

As a photographer myself, I know all to well that too many photographers today are working themselves to death in order to achieve the business success that's going to allow them to have a comfortable life. That's why I have dedicated myself to helping my clients in the fastest and most strategic methods in business building so they can Be Financially Profitable, Live Fully, and continue to Pursue the Passion they LOVE!

I offer a variety of business development and coaching services to meet your needs. To learn more CLICK HERE to be taken to my website and see how you can quickly grow your photography business! There will be a free gift waiting for you when you do!

Quotes from clients who are moving "Onward to Excellence"

"I have increased my business revenues substantially since I started working with Doug. He has helped me focus and now I am more organized then ever before." Pam D.

"My client load has more than tripled! (not to mention my income!) My life has gone from reaction-based confusion to on purpose creation. Working with you as my coach has made all the difference in the world!" Stacey P.

"Doug has helped me increase my sales in just two sessions..I would highly recommend him to help your business grow." Sharon M.

"I have been doing photography for over 25 years. To be honest, I have had a difficult time remaining profitable since 2008 due to the recession and increased competition. Doug has really helped me get over my barriers and negative mindset. Business is improving and I am regaining my "creative" spirit. I encourage you to give him a try because his coaching really helps!" Gary J.

Let Me Help...

There is no better time than NOW to begin growing your photography business. You work too hard to let your dream of creating beautiful photographs DIE because you couldn't effectively manage your business. I am here to help you in whatever way I can. Reach out to me at dougmattice@o2ecoaching.com and let's work together to create the business of your dreams!

THE BUSINESS BAGEL "MORNING BREAK" NEWSLETTER

Business Building Tips and Strategies

FOR PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO WANT TO

MAKE A PROFIT IN A WORLD WHERE EVERYONE OWNS A CAMERA!