Marketing // a lesson for a beginner

My senior year in High School taught me a few things... first, that being too busy only makes you work against yourself.. and second is that if you're going to learn anything, you have to WANT to learn it first. 

Or else you. will. get. nowhere.

So we had a ridiculously blown out of proportion last project of the year.. that lasted probably over half the year.. called "Senior Projects" Bum bum buuuum! (all highschoolers cringe inside..) Anyways, it was kind of a project of your choice (like choose your death..) but you had to jump through some crazy amount of flaming hoops to get there (there being your death.. okay okay I'll stop..)

Blast to the past.. old photos are so fun.. :")

So I chose my project to be about marketing. I was starting to really get interested in photography and knew if I was ever going to work a business, marketing would need to be at the heart of it. So I began my many many late nights of reading and research. As I searched, I surprisingly became very interested in it! I enjoyed researching and learning about something that I can use to be successful! It was definitely a new experience for me.. you know, liking to read and learn.. haha But after all was said and done I was extremely proud of the amount of information I received through my own hard work!

Studying marketing taught me a lot of different things, but first and foremost it taught me that the relationship you have with your customer is always most important above everything else. As a business person, you need to appreciate each and every client and to show them that. To be honest, genuine, completely real, kind, informative, clear, and always flexible with all clients.

So this past New Year I decided to send out packages to my past 2013 clients! I am so so grateful for all the kind families and couples that have trusted me to capture their memories! What a privilege and delight! I wanted to send them something that really showed I care and how thankful I really am! By sending the packages I wanted to encourage that bond that a business owner should have with their client, a real connection and care.

So I started with a simple Thank You/Happy New Year message and some favorite prints, of course:

This year I hadn't included a printing rights form for my clients with their discs, so I figured now would be a good time to do so. I designed and printed all the papers on my own, cut them all out, threw in some favorite prints and tied it all up with a festive New Year gold ribbon! :D

Once I received my wonderful Moo business cards everything was finally together and perfect!

 

I had some colorful envelopes on hand that tied in pretty well with my color scheme, I filled them up and addressed them all! Ready for the post office!

A quick, fairly cheap, very delightful gift and marketing idea! I loved the response from these packages and hope all my clients enjoyed them! Who doesn't like getting some old fashioned, just for you, thoughtful snail mail?! :D

Hope you enjoyed! See you next time!
Laura Marie

Projects Projects Projects!

Okay, you know its a good thing when February roles around and you're still excited about all the New Years ideas you had on January 1st!! 

I am so excited about what 2014 is bringing! I know God's hand is in all that is happening, even when nothings seems to be going "right". He knows what I need!

I had multiple opportunities for many additional weddings and even a number of January photo shoots all of which were canceled for the snow storms, dates were already taken, or rescheduled to later dates..  As you can imagine I was so bummed! I could have more than double the weddings I currently have booked had dates been different! I couldn't believe it! But as time is rolling by, I am learning to trust God through it and not so easily give up on Him! His plan is perfect!

So no matter what happens, I know I want to always make the best use of my time. Always. My biggest struggle is simply getting up out of bed in the mornings and not working until 3am! (shh.. don't tell anyone.. but seriously.. if you struggle with this you are totally not alone..) Anyways, in order to push myself and to always be moving forward I have started a number of projects that I can hopefully continue as these months go on..

number 1 is traveling.. 

A friend and I did a quick last minute jaunt to Nashville, TN just this past week (post to come). I would love to travel somewhere new once a month! Don't know if that will be possible but it would be so exciting! Plans are already being made! I think this is a way I can spend just a little bit of money for a great experience and an awesome way to improve my photography and refresh my inspiration and motivation. 

number 2 is monthly projects..

I have quite a few goals, projects, DIYs and random ideas that I would like to accomplish each month! I think this will be an awesome way to make sure I don't waste my little bit of free time here and there on social media, movies, etc.. (it all adds up!!) and instead use it on a simple project! It can be as little as making a decorative piece for my bedroom or as complex as painting my bathroom! Which I began this January! As I do these projects I really want to keep everyone updated here on the blog!

(Bathroom preview... emptying, sorting, cleaning, sanding, priming, painting, cleaning, reorganizing.. and we still aren't quite done! (post to come!))

number three is my photo series..

I've mentioned this quite a bit and am truly excited for it! I am going to pick different certain subjects that can be found in different locations and settings and create a collection of photos from that one subject! This will probably last me all year, but I am stoked to be able to push myself in creativity and to teach myself to always keep my eyes open!

First up is Bicycles! (keep up with this project by following me on Instagram! @imlauramarie)

While there are still many many other things I am working on improving in my life these are just a few and I hope you enjoyed! Goals are such a good good thing, I used to be completely afraid of them, now  I try to just except that I am NOT perfect and with God's help and consent I CAN and WILL reach them! 

Motivational HOORAH for the day ;)

Mwaaaah,

Laura Marie

The Business Cards Have Arrived!

Just yesterday my long awaited (seriously, like just under a year of waiting to make these and finally order them...my own fault..) business cards finally arrived!! :D I have been struggling for so long to decide on color schemes, design, logo, etc... Tossing soo many ideas in and out and in and out of my head! Well about a month ago I finally finished the front side for my card design and what I think I am going to stick with as my logo/symbol... 

HUGE shout out to moo.com where I order my cards. I was blown away at their great service, packaging and quality product.

I had tossed and turned about ideas for a name for my business. I knew I loved using my own name, because its me. Its original. You just can't go wrong. But there are seriously SO many Laura Maries. So I tossed that out the window, fretted for a few long months, only to come straight back to my name. I want my business to be personal and something people feel comfortable with coming to. My clients need to know who I am and about me first and foremost before they start diving into hiring me for an event as important as a wedding. So this philosophy brought me to the idea of incorporating my name into some type of phrase that was more unique than the name itself.. ideas popping left and right, hello laura, i'm laura marie, it's me laura marie (hahaha just kidding on that one), laura marie photos, photos by laura, "enter catchy line" by laura marie .. yada yada yada. None of which I was thrilled with except really I'm Laura Marie. It was personal, automatically skipped the introduction ;), had my own name, and really just plainly stated what I want people to know. Im Laura. This is me. This is my work. My art is who I am and my goal is for my work to be produced completely, honestly, whole-heartidly by me. Plain genuine and simple. 

So now that that was finally out of the way, I quickly dove into the design of my brand. (Granted my cards are really only the start of it, I at least began a solid foundation.) I found myself brainstorming ideas all the time. One day I was sitting in church (grunt grunt, nobody judge ;) ) doodling and I came up with the idea that I eventually ended up with now. From the few things I learned through my high school photoshop classes, I knew what I was essentially capable of doing on my own and scribbled down ideas from that. I got home and stayed up until I think 3 am working on it (my brain works best at night...)! Success! I had finally made a design! I quickly put together the back of my cards with my information incorporating the color scheme I decided on and wa-la! They were done!

Moo.com is a printing site that I have been following and getting emails from for nearly over a year now. I have always wanted to try them out but never had a design ready to do so! So finally I logged on and uploaded my designs from photoshop, piece of cake! Easy to use and completely painless! Now, I will say, the prices weren't the cheapest in the book, but I am a firm believer of you get what you paid for and it was totally true here! When I received the package I was so excited! I ordered 200 matte finished, rectangled, square edged cards. And wa-la! They were perfect! Exactly what I expected and more! They are so thick and such sturdy material! They will keep in so much better shape than my old ones and I feel they represent any business wonderfully!! So there is my sales pitch!

Unexpectedly, I also received this adorable business card case as well!! Its perfect to keep the cards nice and throw them straight into my purse!

Hope you enjoyed!! I can't wait to proudly pass them out! ;)

Laura Marie

This Cold Winter Day..

As I cuddled in the fuzziest blanket we own, onto the couch next to our new fireplace, in the coziest room in the house, I convinced my little brother to watch The Lake House with me.. and he actually did! I love him.. :) 

We made some hot cocoa and put 4 little left over Christmas peppermints in it. We watched each peppermint melt while we waited for it to reach 'drinking temperature' and started the movie. He got mad at me coughing too much (this cold weather has not been good to me), I laughed at his sarcasm, we discussed the idea behind the movie and the time laps details like boring nerdy people do, he even talked to the characters like I do.. "Come on Sandra Bullock, thats the tree HE planted for you, and your kissing some other guy beneath it?!?!".. ohh.. I am so proud of the brother he has become... :') 

So according to the weather people and my car thermometer, yesterday got to be to a low of around -11 degrees here... And wow! It was coooold! I can't even imagine what we would be doing if we didn't have electricity! We have it so good! Today I did a lot of house cleaning, everyday duties, some replying to emails and messages, some work on packages I am putting together and a looot of trying to stay warm! 

(aren't moccasins the greatest!? Christmas present from the might-as-well-be-brother Justin! I was sportin' the little brothers genie sweat pants today too, so cozy.. )

I also thought I'd give a little sneak peak of a project I am working on currently, inspired by my 2013 clients! I won't say too much about it, but I can't wait to share it as a full blog post when they are finished and sent out! :) Don't you just love the GOLD sparkle!! Ahh!! I just couldn't resist!

Lastly a verse that I read this afternoon, I believe to be appropriate with the drudging cold and all those New Years Resolutions in the back of our minds... 

James 5:11 "Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful."

Something I should remember this year.. to be steadfast in the Lord.. He is compassionate and merciful. What am I to be BUT steadfast... continually living for Him because He deserves no less. 

Keep safe and warm this week folks, from my heart to yours,

Laura Marie