When Mel and I very first got started in the wedding photography business, help from others who had come before us was absolutely key in our ability to grow so quickly and establish ourselves. From software & equipment recommendations to suggestions to read certain books--every little bit was an important piece to us. We’ve always tried to give back in the same way by helping others as well, and this is one of the foundational reasons that it has been so important to us to try and create and foster a great photographic community in Nashville.
In my opinion, the most effective thing you can do to help your business that doesn’t involve direct help/mentoring from someone else is reading good business books. In fact, there is a principle called the “Hawthorne effect.” Basically, the principle states that paying attention to a particular behavior causes you to improve your performance in that area. SO... think about this: On average, Americans read less than one book per year. If you only read 30 to 60 minutes a day, you can finish roughly one book a week—around 50 books per year. Imagine the HUGE competitive advantage you would have simply by changing that one habit?
That brings me to this: Many of you reading this right now are photographers or other wedding vendors from around the world. Mel and I just bought a stack of some of our favorite business books (by Seth Godin, Malcom Gladwell, Robert Kiyosaki, John Maxwell, etc. etc.) and we would like to help you build your business this year by mailing one to you — we also would like to indirectly help other people in your area at the same time. So here’s the idea:
If you have a blog, chances are that in addition to your clients you probably have other photographers/vendors/business owners in your area who read it. Think of something, anything, that has helped you in your business. It doesn’t matter how small or how large it is—if it has helped you, then there is someone else out there that it can help as well. Write up a short post sharing that helpful piece of info, and somewhere in your post, copy and paste the following HTML code:
<a href="http://www.mclellanstyle.com">Nashville wedding photographers</a>, Sean & Mel McLellan of McLellan Style are giving away business books to help you improve your business. Want one of them?—and want to help other people build their businesses at the same time? Visit their <a href="https://mclellanblog.com/?p=3309">business books</a> blog post!
After that, just email the link to your post (along with your mailing address) to sean@mclellanstyle.com). We'll keep shipping them until we run out! We hope to help you out by sending some great business books your way—but you’ll also help your sphere of influence, that we couldn't have reached ourselves, by sharing helpful tips on your own blog!
Every post is better with photos so I thought I would share a few from our latest family shoot while we wish you Season's Greetings.
We take lots of photos of Seven and we try to be conscious about making sure that one of us is in a lot of the photos with him, but images of all three of us together are fewer and farther between. That why we are so grateful to have wonderful friends who just happen to be talented photographers that we can do Christmas card photo swaps with! :0) We went out last month will our friends Phil and Mindy to do a family shoot for our holiday cards and I love the images they created for us! Thank you guys soooo much! Here are a few of our favorites. Hopefully you sent us your address so you can see what we did with them because I have to say, when making that creation I was in rare form if I do say so myself. ;0) ha!
If we didn't have your address to send our Christmas wishes to you personally, we hope you and yours are having a wonderful holiday season and that your Christmas is spectacular! We appreciate you checking in on us on our little blog so much and love hearing from you, or just knowing you've stopped by. :0) We look forward to lots more dialogue and adventures in the year to come!
Merry Christmas Everyone!!
- Sean, Mel, and Seven
Little Ryan Keith entered the world on December 6th and he couldn't have picked a better family to come home to. Sharon, Brian, and Big Sister Georgia are going to give him more love than he knows what to do with! Being there to document the birth of my best friends' babies is so special to me and I'm so glad I was able to be there when Ryan was born. Welcome to the world Little Man! We're so happy you're here!
xoxos,
Your Auntie Mel
