Happy Fat Tuesday! Since it is in fact Tuesday and I haven’t had a chance to blog since my last “Get it Together Tuesday” post I figured I’d better get myself in gear and get this post up and outta here. What better topic for Fat Tuesday then cutting the “fat” in your business. If one positive thing has come out of our less than stellar economy it’s been that Americans have returned to the business of saving. Yes it’s true that it takes money to make money. But it’s also true that I want to work smarter, not harder. So what about combining those two ideas? Spend your money smarter so you don’t have to work as hard. Makes sense to me.
So what are some ways you can spend your money smarter in your business?
#1. Actually keep track of what you spend your money on.
#2. Before you buy it, ask yourself, “does my business really need this?”
#3. Invest in items that are good quality and will have a lasting impact on your business.
These may seem like no brainers but sometimes when you’re in the middle of being in business it’s easy to loose sight of the little things that add up. It’s great that you can expense your business lunches but maybe consider just meeting for coffee instead of a meal. You’ll save time and money. When you stop off at Staples to pick up those mailing labels you so desperately need resist the urge to redecorate your desk with the fun little office accents they have in stock this week (this one’s particularly hard for me). Finally, if you’re going to make a significant purchase for your business make sure that you’ve done your research and you’re buying a product that will be long lasting, good quality and have an actual impact on your business.
Doing these three things might just help you save money and eventually leave you basking in the glory of smarter, not harder. But what about that cutting the “fat” piece? How can you actually save money right now and cut out the unnecessary expenses in your business? Start thinking about what you can do without. For a photographer it might be a lens you have in your bag, but you never use it? Why not sell that un-needed lens and put the money in your savings account or back into your business. How about your cell phone plan? Some people have unlimited plans, but others still pay for a set number of months every month. When was the last time you actually looked at your statement to see if you are actually using up the majority of your minutes? If you’re not, see if you can switch to a plan with less minutes and a lower bill per month. Work from home? Consider putting your utilities on an energy savings plan. My utility provider charges me a premium for energy use between 3p and 6p on the weekdays. The rest of the time I enjoy a lower rate. It was a quick and easy way to cut my bill and my energy consumption. Instead of doing laundry between those hours, making dinner, or having every light in the house on… I conserve between 3p and 6p and save on my bill every month.
And because every post needs a picture… my friend Cortney and I at a MORP (backwards PROM) we shot this winter. If you’re looking for a wonderful newborn or maternity photographer, Cortney’s your girl. Check out her site atwww.cortneytalbottphotography.com.
Part of getting your business together is making sure you have your tools at your fingertips. For a photographer, that means having your camera with you. That super fancy, super expensive, love it to death piece of equipment can’t do you any good if it’s sitting in your camera bag at HOME. I can’t count the number of times I wished that I had my camera on me so that I could snap a picture of something… even the most mundane things. Now, with a new camera bag that is essentially the same size as one of my regular, everyday go-to handbags I’ll be able to discreetly and easily carry my camera with me everywhere I go. In my Kelly Moore I’ll be carrying my back-up camera body {Nikon D90} with my 35mm prime lens. If needed the bag has room to carry multiple lenses and even an off-camera flash. There’s also plenty of room for my wallet, my iPhone, my sunglass case, business cards, my hand lotion, lip gloss, etc.. I could probably even fit a diaper or two in there with a case of wipes if needed. {In the first pic above you can see that I put my coffee cup next to the bag to show that it is not an oversized bag but rather similar in size to a standard hand bag you would carry daily}.
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