Of groundhogs, insanity and price increases

 

Groundhog Day has come and gone and, as so often happens, the discussion is all about the Groundhog predicting 6 more weeks of winter, despite the fact that he is wrong far more often than right! This time of year does have a sort of déjà vu aspect-the weather goes up and down, with heavy snow followed by melting and mild weather. January is statistically the snowiest month, here in SE Wisconsin and, true to form, we had 7½ inches of snow on the last Saturday. This being Wisconsin, the roads were plowed and in fine shape by Sunday afternoon, when I had to drive to Racine for a job! The weekend just past was above freezing, and I'm sure there were some Wisconsinites out there wearing shorts!

I've been playing catch-up with my business, as well as going through the many photos I took on my recent trip. Next on my list is a review of my goals for 2023 and an update of my price lists. Costs have risen in many areas and it's always a good idea to check my cost of goods from time to time! Like most photographers, I like to feel prepared when I meet with a client or walk into a session. Knowing how much the goods and services I am offering are worth is part of that. Photographers are creative people and we often underestimate what our knowledge is worth. A client that pays me to take their pictures is not just paying me to push a button on my expensive camera; they are paying me for my experience and expertise, my years of education and the infrastructure that enables me to deliver the goods, including software, products and vendors. They are paying me to keep current on photography trends and equipment changes.

Groundhog Day (the movie) was based on the premise of a person being stuck repeating the same day over and over. In many ways, the pandemic was like that. We kept chugging along, doing the same things, hoping to get through. My business was also like that; I kept the same prices and did the same kind of jobs. But, as the quotation goes, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." Now that the pandemic is (maybe?) over, it's time to shake things up. I plan to revamp my pricing and update my web site.  If my business is to thrive in 2023, I need to make changes! Better get started!