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deborah a kaufman

Happy Talk

by Deborah Kaufman on May 7, 2026

Turning the love fest into cash…

Deborah Kaufman

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.

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Inspire Me!

by Deborah Kaufman on May 5, 2026

Deborah Kaufman

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!

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