Turning the love fest into cash…

You’ve heard it and seen it. The number of followers on Twitter and FaceBook that many photographers have is simply astounding. It always makes me wonder how they manage to find the time. I struggle, like everyone else, with too few hours in the day to accomplish half of what I need to do. So, to say that I’m in awe of their numbers is an understatement.

I do wonder, however, how many of their contacts actually result in increased business for the photographer. I would guess that while their reputation is soaring, the cash register is still a little empty. I know what you’re going to say…it’s the network that will ultimately result in referrals to new clients. But does it? I’m not seeing as much of that as I’m seeing fan clubs that are great for the ego, but do little to help the bottom line. And, in some cases, that is good enough. Many of us post to social media sites for the entertainment and fun associated with staying connected to people we value. If that is the case, then read no further. What I’m talking about is the business use of social media and measuring results.

I know I’m opening up a can of worms when I suggest that if you are going to spend a number of hours doing anything for the purpose of advancing your business…shouldn’t it generate a positive outcome? There is nothing in shorter supply to a small business these days, than time. When your days are spent trying to juggle cash flow, staffing, inventory, taxes and staying ahead of the competition, every hour of time spent must translate into earned income. If not immediately…certainly, within a reasonable amount of time.

The growth of workshops for photographers we’ve seen lately was the subject of conversation over coffee this morning. There are so many great courses out there, one wonders…is it too much for people to digest? Are we, as an industry, experiencing information overload?

My mind wandered back to 2002 and to a workshop Dave and I planned in Costa Rica. It was going to be a fabulous workshop with great guest speakers, hands-on training, and a gorgeous setting to shoot. We planned very structured days of field work, then back to the lab, more shooting, and back to the lab again. The hours began before dawn and ended at 10 PM. It was going to be a very intense 5-day workshop, but by the time they left, they would be stars! Or, so we thought.

What we discovered, after experiencing weak (putting it mildly) results from our marketing initiative was that we had crafted a workshop that involved way too much ‘training’ and not enough ‘fun.’ Our marketing materials were centered on outcomes and how intense this program would be. We forgot one of the basic tenants of any learning experience and that was to ‘inspire’ the person first to want to learn!

Do you ever feel like you’re in idle and can’t seem to get your business moving forward? In this economy, it’s happening to all of us. Yes…you are not alone!

An investor in one of the companies we founded once asked about our revenue projections. When I told him that they were a bit flat, he commented “if you’re not going forward, you are sinking!” The thought scared the hell out of me. There were over 100 people and their families depending on us to meet revenue projections. We were just entering another economic crisis, or at least it was for software companies. It was the beginning of the ‘dotcom’ bust. We were all flying so high that it never occurred to us that revenue would come to a screeching halt when the public market enthusiasm for tech stocks began drying up. We were trying to file our IPO (initial public offering) before the window closed and there was intense pressure on hitting revenue projections to achieve the desired valuation. It was a time when investors, board members and our executive team were not sleeping nights. Contracts that we considered ‘sure bets’ were suddenly delayed or canceled. Everyone from our customers to our vendors was in the same pickle. There was no cash flowing.

While we finally recovered from those days, it got me thinking about the economy today and how many of us who own small businesses are trying to figure out how to keep the ball moving forward. No matter how talented you are as a photographer, the current economy has created some obstacles that are affecting your bottom line.

I guess the good news is that you’re not alone. We are all experiencing the same thing. Knowing that you’re not alone is of little comfort when you’re trying to balance the checkbook. I guess that is equivalent to saying that everyone on the Titanic should have felt better just knowing that they were not alone.

AUSTIN, TEXAS — The recent book release of “Nine Lords of the Night” by E.C. Gibson, is sure to appeal to thriller fans and archaeological aficionados alike…especially those with a penchant for details. Author, E.C. Gibson, masterfully moves the reader through a web of mysterious activities surrounding a murder at an Ivy League college, the inner world of the antiquities trade, and an imminent political uprising positioned to strike a blow to Mexico’s ruling class.

This riveting journey by a group of archaeologists is set against the background of the Zapatista uprising in Chiapas, Mexico in the early 90s. Betrayals, disappearances, murders, and a labyrinth-like conspiracy reaching from academia to Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico, gradually unravel as the protagonists apply their professional skills to solving larger mysteries.

This is non-fiction writer E.C. Gibson’s, debut into fiction writing. Gibson, a Harvard trained Ph.D. in anthropology, has directed archaeological research projects in Central America, France, Polynesia, and North America and authored over fifty scientific papers; blogs, book reviews, technical monographs and papers presented at scientific society meetings. “Gibson’s first-hand knowledge of archaeological digs and the political climate of Mexico and Central America bring depth and credibility to the characters,” stated David E. Warner, CEO of Embella, Inc. “Gibson is a master storyteller,” added Warner. “He balances the creative interpretation of events with factual details that archeological buffs will really appreciate,” concluded Warner.

“Nine Lords of the Night” is available in paperback through Embella, Inc. at www.ninelords.com/ and www.amazon.com/ websites. “Nine Lords of the Night”; E.C. Gibson; Paperback; 416 pages; ISBN 0-1890184160; 6” x 9”; $24.95; Fiction; Publication Date: April, 2008.

Reviews:
“The characters are intelligent and interesting. The plot is possible and complex. The dialogue is actually speakable and the scenes are from real places accurately portrayed. The bad guys are very real – they are modeled after the bad guys that are every archaeologist’s real nemesis in professional life. These are the evil doers who will sacrifice anything for a trinket or a chance to get rich – or famous. I have met them and I know the names of several. Most of them think they have every right to do what they do. After all, what are a few laws, or even a few lives, where “art” is at stake?” Karen Anne Pyburn, Professor of Anthropology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.

An “archaeology thriller that follows the adventures of several young Harvard doctoral students through a thicket of intrigue that takes them from the ivy-covered environs of Harvard to Florida to Belize, Guatemala and Chiapas State in Mexico. Against a background of the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas in 1993 and 1994, the young archaeologists face a brutal band of antiquities smugglers whose tentacles stretch back to the hallowed ground of Harvard Yard. He artfully weaves throughout the story the brooding presence of the ancient gods of the Mayan peoples, particularly the Nine Lords of the Night, who rule Xibalba, the Mayan underworld.

Gibson is a Ph.D. anthropologist from Harvard with excavation experience in Central America, France, Polynesia and North America. His technical expertise in archaeology is evident throughout the story…. His descriptions of various locales are vivid and true to life, whether it is Cambridge, Massachusetts, or its working class and student affordable sister city, Somerville, or more exotic environs like Belize or archaeological sites like Yaxchilan in Chiapas State or Tikal in Guatemala.” Bill Gresens, Chair, Mississippi Valley Archaeology Center, At the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.

“Exciting, interesting, a good read for the true mystery lover! The next John Grisham? Written in the tradition of J. A. Jance, learning (about Maya civilization and archaeology) served up in a good thriller. Those in academia will enjoy the inside look at teaching and tenure.” Brenda S. Nichols, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, Lamar University.

About E. C. Gibson

E. C. Gibson grew up on Air Force bases in Tennessee, Maine, Oklahoma, and Arizona. He was educated at the University of Oregon, University of Kentucky, University of Bordeaux, and Harvard University where he obtained his Ph.D. in anthropology. He has directed archaeological research projects in Central America, France, Polynesia, and North America (Massachusetts, Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, California, Nevada, Oregon and Washington). He has authored over fifty scientific papers; blogs, book reviews, technical monographs and papers presented at scientific society meetings. The Nine Lords of the Night is his fictional novel.

About Embella, Inc.

Embella, Inc. is a communications company representing emerging fiction and non-fiction authors who are looking to get their books into the hands of readers and reviewers. Embella offers a variety of services to authors, from non-traditional marketing, manuscript development, book tours, and book publishing. Embella provides expertise in marketing, branding, product positioning, collateral, Web site development, advertising, publishing, and press review package design. For more information, contact David E. Warner at 866-505-3400.