Some of you may or may not be aware that i've been asked to write a book for our friends at Amherst Media titled "Internet Marketing for Professional Photographers".

Are there issues or obstacles you face on a daily basis when trying to do business online?

Do you want to learn how to use new or emerging technologies to help set you apart from your competitors?

If you answered yes, then Internet Marketing for Professional Photographers is just what the doctor ordered.

PPR Members, I need your help to shape the content of this book and companion blog. To help facilitate your comments, requests or ideas, we have created this new user forum and companion blog which can be found at PhotographersHandbook.com.

At PhotographersHandbook.com, each week i'll share tips, techniques and tools for making your life online life easier.

Thanks for your time, I look forward to seeing you in the forums or on the blog. With your help we can make this a great resource for all photographers.

Sincerely,
Cris Mitchell

The NUMBER ONE issue with internet business is TIMELINESS.

People EXPECT that the internet is fast and so replies to their inquires should be fast. Our business has thrived because we answer all emails daily, We answer our phones when they ring, we process our snail mail promptly.

The feedback we get is unanimous...
"Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly" is the way many of our emails and phonecalls start out.

The impression we get from this is that many photographers get around to potential and actual clients when they feel like it and it comes across as distant, aloof, and rude. If you cannot handle your current business in a timely manner, then ramping up your internet presence will only aggravate your clients.

Paul,

Our message on the phone contains the following:

"Our company policy is to return all phone calls the same day we receive them. If for some reason that can't happen that particular day, we change this message to make you aware of that, and also when we will be able to return your call."

It has garnered so much good will for us, you can't even begin to imagine!

Paul,
Amen Brother, thanks for starting this forum off with such a great post.

This is a great lead in to something that I am seeing as starting to be a big problem in our industry and that is the proliferation of the email auto responder. I know who you are, i get hundreds of them whenever i send out an email newsletter

In all seriousness, I think auto responders have there place and that is to let clients and friends know you are out of town on vacation or away at a workshop. But that isn't the case for what i've been seeing lately. I get everything from "We are really busy in the studio" to "We only check email once a day..." You may as well have an auto responder that says "Sorry we are to busy to bother with you, please visit our competitor at www."

The simple fact is if you wait more than 24 hours to respond, the customer is going elsewhere, plain and simple!

In my opinion and again this is just my opinion all email should be responded to in no more than 24 hours, less is possible. If you are doing that, than there is no need to send an auto responder to let me know that, i get enough junk email as it is!

Email can be a powerful tool if used properly and destroy your business if not. As Paul stated in his earlier post, if you can't handle your current email load than you should possibly rethink your online marketing strategy.

For what it's worth!
Cris . . .

Moving large files

My problem is usually moving large files to clients.

Even some of the publishers have issues with this, but it is even more so of an issue with occasional customers.

Obviously emailing 1 small image is not a problem. But get anywhere over 10 megabytes and a lot of email systems choke.

I've changed the hosting on my website from Windows to Linux so that I can create individual ftp accounts for customers. Even with that solution, some buyers just don't understand how to login.

So I think moving large files electronically should be a topic in the Photographers Handbook

NOTE ON CDROM / DVDROM
In some jurisdictions, like California, providing a physical media, such as prints or a CDROM can make the entire transaction subject to SALES TAX. In California (currently), electronic delivery is exempt.

Hey Duane,
I'll be covering this topic in greater detail shortly over at the

PhotographersHandbook.com

blog.

There are a few services that i use all the time for moving large files back and forth to clients.

In the meantime try checking out both: www.yousendit.com
and
dropsend.com

Cris...