Here are my suggestions for the First 5 Must-Dos before starting your Professional Photography Business.
Luckily for you, I have already learned many lessons in my 12 years as a photographer and I am sharing my mistakes, I mean knowledge with you!
1. Get an accountant, set up an LLC and protect your liability.
Also, check with your accountant about your state laws on paying sales tax. If you give any type of product such as prints or jump drives, you have to pay sales tax. Don’t be a momtographer that doesn’t do it the legal way and ends up getting in trouble! I know lots of professional photographers who turn in new photographers who aren’t playing by the rules!
2. JOIN PPA- Professional Photographers of America!
For starters, you need a legal contract. These cost a lot of money! There are several contracts available for members to download. Next, you need insurance! With your PPA membership, you have automatic general equipment coverage, liability coverage, and health and disability insurance available to you! They provide you marketing materials and help defend your copyright protection! And the most important reason to join PPA, is the Indemnification Trust.
What is the PPA Indemnification Trust?
The Indemnification Trust is an exclusive PPA member benefit. It’s a trust fund that protects PPA members against allegations of negligence while on a paid assignment, including digital data loss, client dissatisfaction and more. For details, click here. You literally have a legal team devoted to your needs, and I have had to use them before!
You can have all of this for $28.99 a month and don’t forget that is a tax deduction!
Click here to join and tell them I sent you! You will have to say to them Amanda Smith Sumrall, MS sent you.
3. Get a logo.
Your work is unique and one of a kind. You don’t want someone stealing it off of the web! You can find amazing, beautiful pre-made logos on etsy.com or get 20% off your first order on Fiverr.com for very inexpensive! Make sure to put a copyright statement on your website.
4. Set up your business plan & determine how you’ll afford the business.
If you have excellent credit AND you will have the diligence to make the monthly payments, Amazon has a great Credit Card offer to purchase equipment with 0% interest for 12 months! I used Amazon credit several times to upgrade my equipment.
5. Determine your marketing strategy.
Word of mouth is always the best advertising, so perhaps create a referral program. Social Media is the best way to market images. Download my Facebook Cheat Sheet Marketing guide here to help you with your engagement on Facebook and Instagram. If you have some capital you can invest, spend a little on creating a Facebook/Instagram ad campaign. Remember to be yourself and show your personality because people will want to know who they are doing business with.
These tips should help you get started on the right foot! One more very vital word of advice I have for you is to remember Time = Money! Your Time is valuable and you should price it accordingly! It is much easier to reduce a price than to increase it. Even if you think, ” Oh I am just a beginner and I can’t charge that much.” Remember that your time is valuable!
If you would like to learn how to use your digital camera better check out my all online amateur photography course! Be sure to get my photographer cheat sheet to help you learn what combos of Aperture, Shutter, and ISO you need!
Happy Snapping!
Please note that any links below highlighted are affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you click them and make a purchase. This is, of course, at no cost to you, and I only share products that I use and totally love myself.
