Dear community member,

As you know, Dean and I have worked hard over the last couple of years to develop good content for http://www.prosperousartists.com.    In March, we decided to turn our Web site into an educational resource: The Prosperous Artists Academy.

This change will give us the flexibility to create classes and share even more information with you. We are still in the process of producing our classes and deleting and editing our old posts. (They really need it.) Note: Our podcasts always will be free.

Since you are a current member we are automatically upgrading you to the apprentice program free of charge. You may take full advantage of all we create and offer to the apprentice level of enrollment. There is no catch.

Well, there is one thing you need to do. Please send us an e-mail (roshgroup@gmail.com) to confirm your desire to be a part of this new program. If we don’t hear from you,  we will take your name and e-mail off our list before our official launch next week.

If you remain, your user name and password will remain the same.

Check out our new site. If you have any suggestions for the community, classes or content, please let us know.

All the best to you,

Rosh

I received a call the other day for a new project.  Why did they call me?  One of my current clients referred my name to the prospect.  Much of my new work is the result of referrals.  Happy, well-informed clients are the best source of new referrals.

There are a few things you can do to increase the odds of a client referring you.  The best thing to do is ask.  Let your clients know you are always open to new referrals.  Let them know you’re busy, but always ready to serve their associates with the same enthusiasm.

Give your clients the tools they need to share your story.  Cards and brochures are always helpful.  But, make sure they know your story and can repeat it. Here are a few I use:

“If you know my name, you know my e-mail:  rosh@rosh.com”

“Feel free to let people know I’m the low-risk photographer.”

“Let your associates know all I want to do is show my portfolio.”

“My portfolio Web site is www.roshsillars.com.”

“Per-image rates keep our clients in control of their budget.”

Remind them in conversation, but give it to them in pieces over time.

This is a very effective business-building tool.  Test different phrases and listen to what seems to stick.  Don’t forget to ask your clients what referrals they may be looking for, remember they are in business too.

Rosh

Rosh and I offer many ideas on how to better manage your business and career. But, I also want to know: What are you doing effectively in your business?

It’s so easy to listen to the latest guru du jour tell you what you could be or should be doing. The hardest task is to have a sound idea or strategy and stay the course through to completion. Too often, we get lost along the way.

So, today I join you in celebrating what works. Take a moment to accept the things that are effective in your world. These things are the solid foundation on which to build your life as a prosperous artist.  Did you do it? Good, now let’s get back to work!

Question: What’s really working effectively for you in your business?

– Dean L.

A client of mine inspired this post.

This client feels he cannot make a follow-up call until his first phone call is returned. If he sends out an e-mail or proposal, he has to wait for the receiver to respond. He is operating on a  1970s-mindset I call quid pro quo or tit for tat. I am sick of this style of salesmanship.

Quid pro quo is defined roughly as “what for what” or “something for something.” A more legal definition might be when you contract for services, you should get something in return.

This isn’t the Emily Post manners society where you wait for the other party to make an overture. Waiting isn’t an effective business and marketing strategy anymore. It is only if you want to be disappointed, lose bids, and never know where you stand. Everyone is busy. You cannot afford to hold out, waiting endlessly.

Quid pro quo has got to go.

Tit for tat is not where it’s at.

Now, this doesn’t mean I’m encouraging the steamroller approach. Far from it. I’m suggesting that you make follow-up calls, follow-up contacts, ask questions, and place yourself within the radar of someone’s busy schedule.  You can “check on their timetable,” “see if they have unanswered questions,” “look for a decision,” “address something now that you hadn’t earlier” or just “ask for a status report.”

Use a calm, confident voice. This is a reasonable and professional approach. Just hoping they will “let you know” isn’t an option.  Could you lose an opportunity? You could. More likely, you’d lose because of other factors, such as price, perceived value or even (gasp) they went with someone else.  At least you know where you stand. 

Be proactive, but not obnoxious, in your follow-ups. Don’t assume that others will work on your timetable. Be professional and talk to people. Those you will want to work with will tell you their needs and where they are in the process. You will find some who you won’t want to work with because they can’t make a decision, aren’t comfortable moving forward,  or just don’t want to do anything.

Question: What  bids, jobs or proposals do I need to have a better dialogue on and stop waiting for quid pro quo?

– Dean L.

Where has this guy been all my life?

As you may know from my last post I fired the dead weight in my company.   On Monday, I hired a new guy. So far, he’s doing a great job.  He starts work early in the morning and is solidly productive throughout the day until at least 6 p.m. or later. Coincidentally, the phone has been ringing off the hook.

I talked with a fellow photographer about this yesterday.  He said that he started working hard on his marketing for new clients a couple days ago and his phone magically started ringing too.  The crazy thing in all this: The work was not necessarily coming from the same target sources.

I told him the same thing is happening at the Rosh Group.  It seems that our universe works this way.  Take action and results will occur. 

A few weeks ago, I was waiting for money.  A client was extremely late with their promised check.  My books were not in the best of order. I figured when the money came in, I would address the issue.  Nothing happened day after day.

Finally, it hit me. I need to take care of my books. I spent an entire day cleaning up the mess. Amazingly, all my overdue checks came the next day.  Really.

Once I got serious about my company, I rehired myself the following Monday. I promised a new era, new work ethic and schedule.  The phone immediately began to ring and great opportunities continue to appear daily.

Did I just discover a mystical, universal truth?  No. I’ve known about  and have practiced these laws of action for more than 20 years.  I have amazing stories that will knock your socks off.   So, why did I fall off the wagon?  I’m human.

Once I get comfortable, I often leave the path, relax and even take a few short cuts.  Life is good, why not reward myself by making it easier?

But, within months of following this path it all crashes.

So, I reboot. Focus. Start over.  Just like last week when I fired myself and when I waited to clean up my books, the universe also waited.  If I’m not doing what it takes to earn new business, the universe is happy to wait, again.

Unfortunately for me, the universe has more time than I do when it comes to the waiting game.  I know there are laws to follow. When I do follow them everything seems to click into place.

Who creates and controls these laws? God? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.  I know the laws work and following them keeps my life moving forward positively.  When I stray, I feel the pain and restart the actions necessary to get back on the winning path. 

Do these laws of the universe apply to you? They seem to be universal, so I assume they do. But, don’t ask me to prove it. 

You will have to prove them to yourself.  I assure you, you will not always know what to do first, but don’t let that stop you.  Just start.  Take action. Do something. Don’t dismiss results from directions other than the one you are facing.  Do follow the paths and opportunities that are offered.

I’ve had an amazing week and I think my new hire gets it.

Rosh

I sent a treatment for a book and a Web site idea to four of my supporters. I did this, in part, because I’d lost momentum on the project. One of the four recipients sent back a strong suggestion on how I could move forward.  He suggested that I look at all my value judgments about the project and confront them.

Value judgment is an assessment or judgment someone makes about a idea, belief or project based on who they are rather than on the reality of the project.  We all make value judgments. These can be grounded in what we expect for ourselves or how we envision our outcomes. Have you ever caught yourself saying, “I’m a professional. I should be able to …”

That’s a value judgment

Here’s another one: “It’s supposed to be like this …”

My favorite? When I think because I’ve demonstrated a certain degree of experience and accomplishment, my efforts should be simple, natural or perfect.

There is a difference between your expectations and your value judgments. You expect to mix blue and red and get purple every time. If you change the medium, you may not get the exact shade of purple. 

If you and I learn to give up value judgments, we can be open to getting past our barriers and into new outcomes. It doesn’t matter if this is in our creative output or our business processes. Each of us need to be open to learning and growing. If you can’t move past blocks and delays, you’ll never move into new areas and ideas.  Join me this week in making it a game to catch ourselves in value judgments. Let’s then allow ourselves to be open to both a lesson and a possibility that it will teach us.

Question: Where am I making value judgments and what can I learn from dropping them?

– Dean L.