1.

STEP ONE: SELECTING A FOCUS

Photography is too broad of a topic to jump into without a focus. Competing in quality,
branding, marketing and pricing across multiple disciplines is nigh impossible. Start by
selecting a focus and then outlining that focus here.

SAMPLE: Our aim is to be a boutique studio offering [GENRE] photography to

[INCOME BRACKET] clients within the [LOCATION / DESTINATION].

2. STEP TWO: BASIC MARKET RESEARCH

First complete 0
​ 2_CA​ in the W
​ ORKBOOK

2.1 MARKET DEMAND

Define evidence of market demand for your product. The easiest evidence is in the
existence of s​ uccessful direct competitors​. Industry statistics is another good measure for
existing demand.

SAMPLE: Lin and Jirsa Photography has proven a significant market for
“modern/dramatic imagery” in the Southern California region with a yearly
estimated shoot count of 350+ weddings. By averaging their Starting Tier 1 Price
of $8,000 and Tier 2 Price of $4,000, we can estimate revenues at $1.8 million (300
x $6,000).

2.2 DIRECT COMPETITORS

From 0
​ 2_CA​ Identify your four most ​direct competitors​ within your niche and geographic
region. Finding the information needed to populate ​02_CA w
​ ill require a little bit of
digging, but most of the information is available or can be approximated. Direct
competitor information will be used to populate ​03_SWOT​. You may also list them below
for reference purposes.

[DIRECT COMPETITOR 1]
[DIRECT COMPETITOR 2]
[DIRECT COMPETITOR 3]
[DIRECT COMPETITOR 4]
3. STEP THREE: SWOT ANALYSIS + PLAN

3.1 SWOT ANALYSIS OVERVIEW

SAMPLE: Most of our Direct Competitors listed above have average to above
average image quality within their portfolio. However, across the board we can
note issues in consistency when it comes to the overall image delivery shown on
their blog. In addition, two of the four direct competitors are not properly utilizing
blog posts in terms of social credit (linking other vendors) and all four direct
competitors are lacking in the area of website SEO.

3.2 PLAN OF ACTION

SAMPLE: On the product side, we will compete with a superior product in overall
consistency. While our portfolio may look similar, we will tout the fact that every
image we deliver is of the same quality as what we show on our portfolio and blog.
At a price that is right in the middle of the pack, we will aim for a quality and value
of product that is significantly greater.

In addition, we will place a heavy emphasis on SEO through the generation of

backlinks and properly keyworded content marketing. Every blog entry will also
credit all vendors, and we will provide each vendor with the blog entry and images
once completed. We desire all vendors to share freely, while simply providing
backlinks to the primary home page.

Cont…

4. STEP FOUR: IDENTIFY TARGET MARKET

Define the typical client seeking your services in ​05_PERSONA i​ n the ​WORKBOOK​.
These should be fictitious people that fit the typical profile/lifestyle of someone who
might seek your services. Complete anywhere between 1-5 personas to have an ongoing
guide as to who you are servicing and marketing to. We must continually test the
product, experience and marketing approach to ensure that it fits within our target
market’s needs/wants. Personas should be re-evaluated on a yearly basis. Once
completed, paste your completed profiles below for easy reference.
5. STEP FIVE: VALUES. VISION. MISSION.

5.1 - CORE VALUES

Core Values are simple words that dictate who you are, what you believe, and what you
strive for as an individual, team or company. After completing the
VALUES.VISION.MISSION exercise within the course, write each of the Core Value words
as shown below:

SAMPLE: LIN + JIRSA

1. Hardworking
2. Supportive
3. Driven
4. Ambitious
5. Example
6. Talented

Next, form these simple words into “we” statements encapsulating your beliefs and
ambitions as shown below:

SAMPLE: We Adopt Extreme Ownership. We understand that leadership is a two

way street going up and down the chain of command. Each individual of the team
takes ownership over their own actions as well as the actions of the team. We
practice the principle of looking out the window with success, and into the mirror
 with each failure.

SAMPLE: We Embrace Creativity. We believe creativity is heightened through

thinking differently and embracing diversity. We continually expand our creativity,
not only in your photography and cinema but also in our everyday approach to
solving problems.

SAMPLE: We are Client Obsessed. We succeed when our clients are happy. Our
clients are our true North, those who make it possible to make a living doing what
we love.

SAMPLE: We Support and Empower.We believe that family is a verb, it's defined by
actions not by words. We invest in each other through sacrifice, support,
compassion, and love. We create a safe, non-judgmental, family environment
focused on the betterment of each other. "Coming together is a beginning. Keeping
together is progress. Working together is success." — Henry Ford

SAMPLE: We Sharpen the Axe. We are a passionate group of creatives that believe
success occurs at the intersection of talent, hard work and humility. We embrace
new challenges, humbly seek out learning opportunities, and continue to grow in
your personal and professional lives. "The best things in life are on the other side
of fear." — Will Smith

SAMPLE: We are Industry Leaders. We set the standard everyone aspires to

become through example. Beyond consistently delivering high quality experiences
and products, we continue to innovate in each of our areas, never settling for "good
enough."

5.2 - VISION STATEMENT

Your Vision Statement takes into consideration your Core Values and paints an
aspirational picture of the desired future of your company. It contains your broad
reaching goals and purpose and is designed to be something to inspire and aspire to.
Write your Vision Statement below:

SAMPLE: “We are the world’s foremost creative family historians, artfully
documenting moments through our lens.” — Lin and Jirsa
 5.3 - MISSION STATEMENT
Your Mission Statement should capture your Vision Statement and Core Values. It should
be a statement of “commander’s intent” regarding your business, it’s objectives and the
approach you wish your team to take.

SAMPLE: “We are a family of passionate and hard-working creatives striving to

artfully document the history of our client’s families as if they were our own.” — Lin
and Jirsa

6. STEP SIX: CREATING GOALS

At this point, you’ve selected a focus. You’ve gained an understanding of your market,
competitors and the clients that you are seeking. You’ve created Values, Vision and
Mission Statements that will guide your actions. Now it’s time to create your goals.
Remember the S.M.A.R.T. framework in the creation of all goals.

6.1 - LONG-TERM/ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS (1-2 YEARS)

Long-term goals are generally organizational goals that you and your company aspire to
reach over time. Think of broader goals such as overall revenue generation, market
positioning and reach. This is where your Vision Statement will primarily be taken into
consideration in creating goals that help you to reach the aspirational statement of your
company’s future.

SAMPLE - Become the most successful [GENRE] studio in [REGION] as determined

by number of overall yearly revenue.

SAMPLE - Become the most prestigious [GENRE] studio in [REGION] as

determined by number of reviews, awards and publications.

6.2 - MEDIUM-TERM/ANNUAL GOALS (WITHIN 1 YEAR)

Medium-term goals are designed to be intermediary steps to organizational goals that
are set within your Long-Term Goals. They are goals that can generally be accomplished
within the year.
 SAMPLE - Increase revenue by 20% this year in order to reach $2.0 million in gross
sales revenue.

SAMPLE - Book 30 total client commissions at an average of $3,000 per client.

SAMPLE - Reach out to all clients during the year via phone or personalized text to
request a review on Yelp.

6.3 - SHORT-TERM/WORKING GOALS (1-3 MONTHS)

Short-term goals are your “what do I focus on now” type goals that are set in order to
reach your Medium-Term Goals above. Keep in mind that

SAMPLE - Reduce friction in the booking process by completely transitioning to

TAVE by [DATE].

SAMPLE - Email all past clients regarding upcoming [GENRE] portrait promotional
event.

7. STEP SEVEN: DEVELOPING THE PRODUCT

As you hone and develop your experience document it. Standardizing processes through documentation
is the only way we can make experiences repeatable. The goal here is to create a consistent experience for
each client that walks through your door. Keep in mind, this doesn’t mean that your images should be
identical or lack artistic variety. It means each client that hires you should receive the same (or better)
level of service and experience of those that came prior. The only way to create a consistent experience is
to document it in its entirety.

7.1 CLARIFIED MESSAGE

A simple statement regarding what you do and who you serve. A statement that can pass
the “grunt test.”

SAMPLE - “I travel the world creating epic portraits of people in love.”

7.2 BRAND MESSAGING

Personas as documented within the WORKBOOK > 06_PERSONAS is your detailed view
of your potential clients. Document here a summary of the type of client you are trying to
reach and the experience you wish to provide them.
 SAMPLE - Lin and Jirsa Photography is a luxury service aiming to create a product
that is refined in nature. We want our imagery to be authentic representations of
the best moments in life. Our goal is to create an experiential product that appeals
to women, but doesn’t exclude men. We seek to establish a brand that is more
conservative and traditional in nature in order to appeal to a broader audience that
includes the parents of our clients.

7.3 - DEFINE THE CLIENT “WHY”

This “WHY” is what will drive your overall client experience. Spend some time thinking of
a message that’s both meaningful to you and your clients. Your “WHY” can be a
summarized phrase/paragraph that you describe in detail to your clients (like the one we
have below). It can also be something simple, that stands without explanation.

SAMPLE (LIN AND JIRSA PHOTOGRAPHY). “Stop. Breathe. Friends, Family, Love,
Experiences, Memories. Lost in a Digital World. Life Belongs in Print.”

7.4 - DOCUMENT THE “WHY” EXPERIENCE

Detail out what your experience means and how you or your sales managers should
convey that “WHY” to your clients.

SAMPLE - See (3) Crafting the “WHY” Experience in COURSE TWO:

PHOTOGRAPHY PRICING & PRODUCT DESIGN. Also shown in the SALES
HANDBOOK DOWNLOAD.

8. STEP EIGHT: KEYWORD STRATEGY

Your Keyword Strategy will define the content throughout your site. From the copy/text that you write,
through to the actual image names themselves, all of this will be dependent on your Keyword Strategy.
Summarize your Keyword Strategy here for simple reference going forward.

8.1 DEFINE MAIN KEYWORD GOAL

This is your broad, highly searched and highly competitive keyword goal that will require
a significant amount of time and effort to achieve. This should be finalized early within
establishing your website and remain relatively constant. Only to change with a
significant shift in your overall business services and strategy.
 SAMPLE - “Los Angeles Newborn Photographer”
SAMPLE - “New York Senior Photographer”
SAMPLE - “Salt Lake City Headshot Photography”
SAMPLE - “Nevada Wedding and Elopement Photographer”
SAMPLE - “Austin Wedding Photography”
SAMPLE - “Seattle Maternity and Newborn Photography”

8.2 DEFINE NICHE KEYWORDS

Niche keywords will be used throughout your tier-2 and tier-3 pages. Generally, content
for a single page will follow a single keyword phrase. Start by defining 5-10 Niche
keyword phrases. Once you have written content for those pages, then move on to define
5-10 more. Continue until you’ve created an entire library of Niche keyword driven
content that focusing on local venues, tutorials, tips, advice, guidance, FAQs, etc.

SAMPLE - “San Francisco City Hall Wedding Photography”

SAMPLE - “Newborn Photography Tips”
SAMPLE - “Ritz Carlton New York Wedding Photos”
SAMPLE - “Our Favorite Wedding Venues South Carolina”
SAMPLE - “Jewish Orthodox Wedding Photography in NYC”
SAMPLE - “Maternity Photography Posing”
SAMPLE - “Mormon Wedding Photography Tips”
SAMPLE - “How to Pose for Engagement Photos”

8.3 LIST TIER-2/TIER-3 CONTENT IDEAS

Using the Niche keywords above, list out your Tier-2/Tier-3 content page ideas here. Set
your goals and tackle the list. Once you have completed, create more!