Category: How to’s

If you don’t know how to generate clients, there’s a good chance you will never be able to make freelance photography a full-time gig. But if you don’t know anything about client acquisition, reading something like this can be a real downer.

Thankfully, attracting clients to a freelance photography business isn’t as complicated as you might think.

Keep reading and I’ll show you how to get more clients for your freelance photography business. Implement what you learn and it won’t be long before you have to turn people away, as you find yourself overwhelmed with client work.

Let’s begin!

Define Your Ideal Photography Client

Before you do anything else, put some thought into the kind of client you want to work with.

For instance, do you want to work with people who need photographs for their wedding? Or perhaps you want to work with people who want family portraits? Maybe you want to work with publications.

Whoever you want to work with, make sure you define your ideal client in as much detail as possible. Question the demographics of your ideal clients. If you want to work with publications, think about the kinds of publications you want to work with. Once you have this all down on paper, marketing your services is going to be a lot easier.

If you’d like to see an example of a photography business that has niched down you can learn more here. This website will show you what a photography business looks like when it offers wedding photography for Chinese weddings.

Think About Pricing

Before you market your services, you need to also put some thought into pricing. There are a few things you need to do here.

Firstly, you need to define the absolute minimum you’re willing to charge.

You need to make sure you’re not undercharging your services. Doing so will make it hard for you to earn a living from your photography business. If people try to request a lower price than what you’re comfortable with, you need to be okay with turning them away.

Pricing will also have a big impact on the kinds of clients you’re going to work with. There are clients who are willing to pay for quality work. As long as your work is of high quality, you’ll be able to charge a high figure.

It’s also worth mentioning that if you charge a low amount, you’ll find that your workload is going to be difficult to manage. You’ll have a lot of clients to manage and a lot of deadlines to keep track of. But if you charge premium prices and only work with a few clients everything will be a lot easier.

How to Get More Clients Using Paid Ads

One of the fastest ways to attract clients for your photography business is by running some paid ads.

There are three platforms you can focus on –

1. Facebook Ads
2. Instagram Ads
3. AdWords

Facebook Ads and Instagram Ads are essentially the same, as Instagram is owned by Facebook. One of the good things about Facebook Ads is it’s easy to target your ads with precision.

For example, suppose you offer wedding photography services. Using Facebook Ads, you can target your ads so that they’re shown to people who have just gotten engaged. Such individuals are likely searching for wedding photographers. As a result, this form of targeting can be highly effective. You can also do the same for Instagram.

The other option is AdWords. AdWords lets you promote your business in the Google search results. This means that you can advertise your photography business when people are actively looking for a photographer. This is helpful because it puts you in front of people who are ready to spend money.

Succeeding with AdWords comes down to targeting the right keywords. If you want to identify the right keywords think about your ideal client. Then think about the kinds of keywords they’d type into google to find the services you provide. You can also use the Google Keyword Planner to help you find worthwhile keywords.

Word of Mouth

If you want people to recommend your services to other people you need to tell them ahead of time. Even though people might have found you to provide excellent services, they might not think to recommend you. By mentioning it to them, they may make a point to send people your way.

You can also incentivize people to recommend your services by offering a referral fee.

This can be a set figure or a percentage of the amount a new, preferred client generates. By offering a referral fee, people will benefit as a result of recommending people to you. This will, therefore, increase the odds that they send someone your way.

If you’re going to provide a referral fee, make sure you’re aware of your margins. You don’t want to end up in a situation where you’re making a loss, because you’re giving away your profits.

You might also want to think about offering services outside of your standard photography services. This might include printing the photos in a special book. This can help you bolster your profits, thereby making it easier to take the hit on a referral fee.

Photography Profits?

Running a freelance photography business can be incredibly rewarding. But if you don’t know how to get more clients, you won’t be in business for long.

In this post, we’ve taken a look at some of the things you can do to generate clients for your photography business. You can run paid ads. You can also rely on word of mouth to generate business.

Whichever method you adopt, make sure you know who your target audience is first. This’ll make it easier for you to reach people who will be interested in your services. It’ll also make it easier for you to charge premium prices. That’s because people will view you as a specialist and so will be willing to pay higher prices as a result.

Want to learn more about how you can earn some extra money? Check out our ‘earn money’ section to see some of our latest content!

Over 11.6 million firms in the United States have women owners. In 2017, that represented $1.7 trillion in sales.

You could be a business owner too.

Just because you have children and are a stay-at-home mom doesn’t mean you cannot be a successful businesswoman. Read this article to learn how to become a ‘mompreneur’ and run your own business out of your home office.

What is Mompreneurship?

When a mother is also an entrepreneur the modern term for her is a mompreneur. It describes someone balancing the demands of childcare and a business startup. It’s empowering and a warning at the same time.

The term “dadpreneur” does not seem to have been coined. Perhaps, with a few exceptions, dads generally don’t have to balance childcare and business commitments. Moms don’t often get the choice.

Whether you are a single mom or in a relationship the demands of motherhood can be huge. Many moms feel like they are doing several jobs even without adding starting and running a business. You’ve got the admire the mompreneurs.

Why Be a Mompreneur?

Moms start businesses for many reasons. Sometimes it’s about finding a way to make money while looking after a family. They start-up an at-home business because there are few other options.

For others, entrepreneurship is an ambition fulfilled. They may have a passion to run their own business and be their own boss. The urge to create a business and grow it does not necessarily stop with motherhood.

Business ideas for stay-at-home moms provide exciting, rewarding and long-term occupations. There is life after children and getting started by running a business from home makes sense.

What Kind of Business Can You Do?

Mom entrepreneurs are creative. Sometimes they have to be organized around childcare so running a business from home is a starting point. Search the internet to learn more about business opportunities.

Get Crafty

Doing something you love is a great place to start when developing a business idea. A passion for crafts or art can be monetized. This kind of work can be done from home and can fit around childcare and the school run.

There are two key things to consider. Is your hobby a viable business? Do you have effective routes to market?

The business cannot be viable if the price you can sell your product at means your hourly rate is too low. When it’s a pastime or hobby you don’t count the hours. When it’s a business don’t make yourself a busy fool, working hard for little reward.

Having an effective route to market is important if you don’t want to spend all your time on sales. Etsy is a well-known option for crafts. Local craft fayres, stores or markets might be useful options.

Is Writing Right for You?

If you have a talent for writing there are a number of ways you can work as a freelancer from home. Blogging is a popular activity but few people successfully make the step to earning significant money from it. It can be done with some knowledge and plenty of persistence.

An alternative way to use your writing talent is to write content for other people. A freelance writer can earn money by writing articles for blog sites, training materials or news sites. Even an advertising copywriter can work on a freelance basis, from home.

Those That Can, Do, Those That Can’t, Teach

Teaching from home can be a viable business. Parents will pay for extra lessons for both able and remedial students. If you have the appropriate qualifications and experience this may be an option for you.

If you play a musical instrument and especially if you have teaching qualifications this can be a business opportunity. Both adults and children could be clients for music tuition in your home.

Make sure you obtain insurance and licensing where required.

Design and Develop Your Home Business

Technology means working from home using a computer and an internet connection is a very popular mompreneur idea. Graphic design, web design, software development and more can be done remotely. A good reliable internet connection and the right software is all you need.

Find work through your existing network or freelancer websites and web design forums. It may take time to develop a client base but if you do good work and are competitive you could join the many successful home-based freelance designers.

Some Tips for Mompreneur Success

Any new business can be very demanding on your time. Being a mom can be equally demanding. You will need awesome time management skills if you don’t want to sink without a trace.

Work out what is important and block time in your calendar for those things. Be brutal about everything else that tries to steal your attention. The interruptions, trivial calls, and time-wasting distractions have to come second to building your business.

Compartmentalize your life so you can balance seeing your kids with making your business a success. Set aside quality time for your children. Plan your business commitments so that you can give them the full attention they need.

Increase your leverage by outsourcing some tasks. This frees you to do the things only you can do best. This could be office administration or it could be a home cleaner or au pair.

Create a support system for you. Have family and friends to help out when needed. Establish the right financial, emotional and practical support to give yourself a chance of success.

Be careful not to overreach yourself. Ambition is fine but it must also be realistic or you will crash and burn. Cash flow problems or physical exhaustion are both fatal for your business.

Be clear what success looks like for you. There may be financial goals but there may also be success criteria about work-life balance too.

Next Steps

Do your research. Write your business plan. Carry out a risk assessment.

Your preparation has to include working out how to balance family and business plans. Learn from others who have made the move to be a mompreneur before you. May you find success.

To learn more about earning money from home, click here.

In 2015, the EEOC received over 28,000 harassment reports. Of those, almost half were related to sexual harassment.

Given that at least 75 percent of sexual harassment at work goes unreported, that puts an estimated 50,000 instances of workplace harassment happening in 2015.

Sexual harassment at work is an ugly reality of the modern American workplace. If it’s happening to you, knowing what to do can be terrifying. If you’re trying to figure out how to deal with sexual harassment at work, here are some facts that you need to know.

You Are Not Alone

The first thing you should know if you are experiencing sexual harassment at work is that you are not alone. Upwards of 25 percent of women deal with workplace harassment, according to some estimates. The #MeToo hashtag, which refers to those who have experienced sexual harassment, has been tweeted over 1.7 million times worldwide.

Sexual harassment can be embarrassing, isolating, and scary, and doubly so at work. It may feel like you are standing along against someone who has the power to retaliate if you report, or against a company that just doesn’t care. But millions of people worldwide are standing in your same shoes – and chances are, so is someone else at your workplace.

It Is Not Your Fault

Guilt is another feeling commonly associated with sexual harassment. Many victims feel like they provoked the harassment somehow. They may even feel guilty for not reporting the harassment.

No matter how the harassment occurred, whether you reported it or not, or what the other circumstances were, you should know that sexual harassment is never your fault. Harassers will often try to twist the situation to make the victim seem to blame – common excuses include “I know s/he wanted it,” or “Well, s/he shouldn’t have been wearing that!”

Remember, the harasser is solely responsible for their actions, and the victim is never to blame.

Write Everything Down

If you are being harassed, it is important that you keep a careful record of the harassment for when you get ready to report it. This can mean writing down inappropriate or threatening comments, making a note of any bystanders or witnesses that may have seen or heard exchanges, and/or saving any inappropriate photos that you may have been sent. Keep a record of the date on which the harassment occurred, as well as the time if possible.

If you expect the report might wind up in legal proceedings, there are a few extra precautions you’ll want to take. First of all, save all the information on a home computer rather than a work machine. And be sure to write “in consideration of litigation” at the top of your notes so the defense can’t access them as part of a lawsuit (and visit this site if you are looking for a lawyer).

Talk to a Confidante

If possible, find someone you are comfortable with at work and confide in them about the trouble you’ve been having.

First of all, this can be extremely validating, as you’ll be able to hear confirmed that the behavior isn’t appropriate and should be stopped. But having a confidante can also be helpful in a report or lawsuit.

Having someone who can vouch for your character and who can verify your testimony can add a lot of weight to your side of the story. If the person you talk to has witnessed any of the harassment, that can be crucial in an investigation as well. And you may be surprised – perhaps this person has experienced the same sort of harassment as you have.

Bring the Issue to a Supervisor

Oftentimes, a good first step in reporting sexual harassment at work is to talk to your supervisor. For one thing, they may have the power to make the harassment stop. If they don’t, they will be able to take the complaint to the proper authorities.

For another thing, once you report sexual harassment to a supervisor, they are legally and ethically required to handle the issue. An employee or a confidante is not obligated to report workplace harassment. But supervisors must either take steps to prevent the harassment from continuing or move the report up the chain of command.

Talk to Human Resources

In some cases, you may not be able to report the harassment to your supervisor. Maybe your harasser is close enough to your supervisor that you worry your story won’t be believed, or maybe your harasser is your supervisor. In either case, the next step is to report to human resources.

Ninety percent of human resources departments have specific policies dealing with sexual harassment at work. In the post-Weinstein environment, many companies are being vigilant about making sure sexual harassment reports are handled quickly and effectively. They may also be able to handle the process while making sure you remain anonymous.

Report to the EEOC

If you don’t have a human resources department at your job, if someone in upper-level management is harassing you, or if you don’t know who else to turn to, you can always report harassment to the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission. National law under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 states that sexual harassment is a form of sex discrimination. You have a right as a citizen to work in peace, free of workplace harassment.

The first step you’ll want to take in reporting sexual harassment to the EEOC is filing a Charge of Discrimination. This is a formal document stating that your employer has discriminated against you, and it is a crucial step if any lawsuits are going to happen later. You may also want to check if your state has a Fair Employment Practice Agency, and file with them if they do.

More About How to Deal with Sexual Harassment at Work

For more helpful advice on nearly every topic, visit the rest of the Thrifty Momma website. We have articles on deals, earning money, frugal living, family life, and thrifty businesses. Check out these awesome ways on how to live your best life, cause paying full price is for suckers!

Do you know the basics of designing a logo?

If your answer is no, then this article is a must-read.

Understanding the rules of design allow you to use–and sometimes bend–them to your advantage. It’s an important skill. One that defines the difference between a lukewarm logo and a killer design destined to turn heads.

That’s why we’ve put together 9 of the most important tips for logo design.

9 Crucial Tips for Logo Design

There are numerous ways to go about designing a logo. From Logo Maker software to whipping one up from scratch on your own or through a graphic designer, the approach can vary based on your budget and skill sets.

However, the thought process behind the design should always be the same.

These 9 tidbits of advice are geared toward helping you or your business achieve an attractive design for your brand that sets you apart from your competition.

1. Keep it Simple

Simplicity is the cornerstone of logo design. A logo isn’t an illustration, and overdoing it can lead to a busy design that clutters up your brand instead of making it pop.

Think of today’s most popular logos, such as Nike, Facebook, Adidas, Mercedes, and Twitter. In fact, take some time to really study them.

Can you pinpoint their commonalities?

None of these logos are in any way excessive. From their shape to their color scheme, they strip their design down to the bare minimum, while still making a big impression.

2. Keep it Evergreen

While you want to stand out, it’s also important for your logo to be just as relevant today as it will be five or ten years down the road. It can be a real pain having to rebrand your logo after your business is established, which is why this tip is so high on the list.

Ensure your logo withstands the test of time by creating a sensible design.

We mentioned simplicity previously. BMW, Volkswagon, and Nike are all examples of evergreen designs that have barely changed throughout the decades. They remain consistent because they convey their brand in a way that remains relevant to their target demographic years later.

So as you design, think ahead. Aim for a logo that will remain just as relevant for the next generation as it is for your current market.

3. Know the Process

Whether you’re creating the logo yourself or hiring someone to do it for you, make it a point to know all of the steps within the design process ahead of time.

The ability to plan ahead will save you time and money in the long run. You’ll be able to research all of the elements necessary from ideation to creation so you know exactly what you want and are prepared by the time the process begins.

Being clear on what you want will also save you time and money by reducing the number of revisions needed.

4. Think Outside the Box

It’s easy to fall into the usual “go-to” designs:

• A pen and inkwell for writers
• A fish on a hook for fishing charters
• A cup of coffee for a small cafe

However, cookie-cutter designs don’t stand out.

Aim to think outside of the box. Consider your brand and expand on any themes that may go along with it. When you define an image that is unique to your business, you give consumers a reason to view you differently.

5. Have Your Brand Already Defined

Speaking of brands, do you know yours? If not, stop what you’re doing and start brainstorming.

Before you choose and finalize a logo, you need to define your target audience and established the various brand elements associated with your business.

This includes:

• Brand colors
• The overall style or theme
• Your brand’s voice
• Your brand’s font

All of these things will play a distinct role in the creation of a killer logo that matches your marketing collateral, website design, and overall brand impression.

6. Don’t Shy Away from Text-Based Logos

Sometimes the most powerful logos are made up of just text. Facebook is a famous example. It’s simple, all-lower-case sans serif font has become a global icon.

However, these logos can be tricky. Text-only logos have to work harder to stand out.

Often, businesses will create their own unique font specifically for their company, while pairing it with brand colors to help it feel uniform.

7. Capture the Purpose of Your Business

This may feel like common sense, but sometimes businesses focus so much on creating an appealing logo that they forget to capture the purpose of their business.

What does your business offer its consumers?

Make sure you capture this in the design itself. Allow users to interpret just by glancing at your logo what your business has to offer them.

8. A Killer Logo Design Looks Good on Any Scale

You’d be surprised how flexible a logo has to be. It will take on multiple forms during its lifetime as it’s integrated into:

• Your website design
• Business cards
• Brochures and rack cards
• Flyers
• Email blasts
• Press releases
• Digital and print articles
• Promotional products
• Trade show tents and banners
• And more…

This kind of exposure requires flexibility and scalability. As you design a stunning logo, make sure it is recognizable and legible in various sizes, from a large banner to a 1 cubic inch label.

9. Don’t Neglect Grayscale Variations

Lastly, never forget to consider grayscale variations. Even if your brand’s colors are a major element in your logo design, it’s important to keep in mind that color won’t always be an option.

If your logo is featured in a black and white print publication or greyscale copies, you want to make sure it remains distinguishable. For that reason, you’ll want to test your logo in both black and white and color before approving it to ensure it will work in all formats.

Think Smart, Work Thrifty

These tips for logo design will help you design a killer logo for your business, but what about other projects? Are you thinking smart?

Grow your profit by taking advantage of our library of thrifty business tips! They’re free to read, and your business will thank you.

Do you dream of building your own basement wine cellar?

If you’ve finally gotten to the point where you can make that dream a reality, you might not know how to get started. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can follow to get you going in the right direction.

In fact, if you keep reading, you’ll learn exactly what you need to think about if you want to build a basement wine cellar of your own. Read on to learn more.

Start Planning Your Basement Wine Cellar

You might not realize it, but building a wine cellar is very complicated. There are many factors you need to take into account if you want to do things the right way.

First, you need to decide whether you are going to be doing the work or if you will be hiring someone else to do it for you. If you do not have a lot of experience with DIY, it is a good idea to hire a professional company.

You also need to assess the state of your basement. If it is in bad shape, you will need to spend some money restoring it before you can turn it into a wine cellar.

One of the main things you will want to look out for is dampness. A lot of basements tend to become the victims of water damage. You might also want to look out for issues regarding pests.

You also need to think about how much you can budget. You then need to price everything so you can figure out if your budget will let you complete the project.

If your basement has a lot of stuff in it, you will need to spend some time removing the excess items.

Invest in an HVAC System

If you are going to be storing wine, you need to make sure you are storing it within a controlled temperature range. If you can’t do this, your wine is going to go bad.

The easiest way to do this is by investing in an HVAC system. You will likely need to hire a company to help you install this HVAC system.

When you are working with an HVAC company, make sure you check their paperwork. It is important that the HVAC company is certified and licensed. You can check if they have valid credentials by inputting their details into relevant state-owned websites.

Make sure you tell the HVAC company what your requirements are.

It is important you tell them what level of humidity you want to achieve as well as the ideal temperature range. For most basement wine cellars, a temperature range of 55-59 degrees Fahrenheit is ideal. In terms of humidity, you should aim for around 60% and 70% humidity.

Does Your Basement Need Electricity?

If there is no electricity in your basement, you will need to get this taken care of.

Pay the money needed to hire a professional electrician. Again, make sure you do your due diligence when hiring an electrician.

It’s worth mentioning that you shouldn’t hire an electrician until you have planned out the layout of your wine cellar. Once you have planned out where everything is going to go, you will know where the power outlets need to go.

If you do not plan this properly, there will be wires trailing around your basement. This looks untidy and also represents a trip hazard.

Invest in the Floors and Walls

You will also need to make sure your walls and floors are up to standard. If your basement does not have a good floor, install a new one.

This floor needs to be insulated and it needs to be moisture resistant. Specially treated hardwood tends to work well here. You can also use porcelain tiles.

You will also need to do the same for the walls. You might need to install a vapor barrier within your walls. You will also need to install insulation that has a high “r” value.

All this work will ensure that the temperature within your wine cellar remains consistent. It will also reduce the amount of work the HVAC system needs to do. This can help keep energy bills under control.

Install the Right Type of Door

You also need to install a door that will help keep your wine cellar the right temperature. Ideally, this will be a door that forms a tight air seal. This will help keep moisture at a consistent level too.

If you need help sourcing or installing a door like this, speak to a specialist door company.

Moving Past the Technical Details

Once you’ve taken care of all the technical details, you need to think about other parts of your wine cellar.

For instance, you might want to invest in some wine racks. The kind of wine racks you buy will depend on the kind of design you want in your wine cellar.

If you’re nearing the end of your budget, you can always buy second-hand wine racks on eBay or Facebook Marketplace.

If you want somewhere to sit in your wine cellar, you might want to get furniture too. If you don’t have a theme in mind, consider investing in some wine barrel furniture. That way, your wine cellar becomes a place to enjoy wine, not just to store it.

Build a Beautiful Wine Cellar

A basement wine cellar is something a lot of people want in their home. Building a wine cellar, however, isn’t always easy.

In this post, we’ve taken a look at some of the things you can do to build a basement wine cellar of your own. You need to decide if you are going to hire a contractor to do the whole job for you.

Even if you are going to do things on your own, make sure you hire people for specific jobs. You should also think about investing in some furniture too.

Want to learn more about working on DIY projects? Check out our DIY section to see our latest content.