Here we go - one more article on organizing! ... Do at least one thing you like to do every day...

I guess it is a paradox of our time. On the one hand we have computers that were to eliminate most of the paper we had to deal with. On the other hand, we are receiving a blizzard of paper work in our offices and homes from faxes, scanners, mail, and email that we print out. When we go out into the world we receive business cards, brochures, newsletters, product information, etc. And - lets not forget all of the books, binders, cd's and instructional pamphlets in connection with our computers and software programs!

The demand for paper-based information has increased substantially - approximately 25% each year! And there is no slowing down in sight. An recent article in The Los Angeles Times states "'Electronic communications have tremendous potential to reduce paper consumption in the future, but unfortunately there's been no noticeable change in our paper consumption and wood-product consumption to date. It continues to increase'"

"One reason could be that environmental gains from the use of technology are offset by the tendency to print things out."

FACTS:
"One(Canadian) paper mill produces paper onto rolls at 75 miles an hour and then fly through a gantlet of sheeters and slitters, emerging at the rate of 53,000 sheets, or l06 packaged reams, (500 sheets to a ream) a minute.

"Hewlett-Packard, the printer manufacturer, forecasts that North American laser printers will spew out 1.2 trillion sheets this year - a jump of more than 50% in five years. Fax machines, photocopiers and other devices add to that.

"Canada's paper mills … exporting a record 31.5 million tons of white, largely to the United States.

"'Just about every innovation in the digital revolution was supposed to cut out more paper .. Precisely the opposite continues to happen.'"

"And new paper-hungry appliances are coming. Hewlett-Packard, for instance, has a new interactive television printer that it has styled to complement living room decors.

"Manufacturers of filing cabinets also report no slump … as office workers routinely print out paper backups, .. fearing the loss of electronic files to computer viruses or power failures."
The New York Times 4/24/01

We definitely have more paper to deal with and we are requiring more and more space and filing equipment to store all of the information that we are receiving.

There are now well over l,000 professional organizers as well as business coaches, 12-step programs and other services that address the fact that we have purchased, stored, printed, received or otherwise accumulated much more information and stuff that we can get a handle on.

Business productivity depends on how quickly we can access paper-based information. 95% of stored information will continue to be in paper format well into this century.
What is the secret to gaining control over the endless barrage of information? Why is it that we have more conveniences and less time to relax and enjoy our lives? What special talents or skills do some people have that they have been able to attain mastery over this challenge?

For the professional photographer I believe there is even a greater challenge to setting up a comprehensive system for the management of records, equipment and product. The professional photographer not only has business documents, accounting records etc., but has equipment that must be insured, maintained and stored, as well as digital files negatives, prints, contact sheets, slides, paper and copies that are ever-accumulating.

With that being said, many of you may want to take on the challenge of re-organizing your office/work area. The following are suggestions to make the task easier:

Main questions to ask yourself:

1. What are the problem areas? What is not working?
   
2. If you could push a button and have everything be the way you wanted it and run the way you designed it, what would that look like?
   

What this accomplishes is that the problem/challenge is being acknowledged and the vision is brought into focus.

If the commitment is made to revamp the office/work area, a plan of action should be decided upon.

A step-by-step approach should include:

Purging of old papers and files
Cleaning out all desk drawers and other storage areas.
Taking inventory of whatever can be given away or thrown out.
Re-arranging furniture and/or equipment for better work flow and comfort.
Clean anything that requires it.

Set up a color coded filing system, for example one specific color for client files, another for administration, etc.
Adopt a good time electronic or paper-based time management system to help track deadlines, follow up and details.
Be consistent using this tool.
Regularly clean out and organize computer files.
Check all equipment to make sure everything is working properly.
Have backup equipment and supplies.
Determine criteria for records retention.

Incrementally go through and purge old reading material. Determine what articles and books need to be retained for future reference. (Scan table of contents on magazines and cut out the articles that interest you and throw out the rest of the magazine! Get rid of non-essential reading material.

In the setting up of any system, the first step is to define the criteria. For example, how long should negatives be kept? Where and how long should contact sheets be kept? Do I have enough room to store everything? Do I have a schedule as to when certain records can be destroyed? What do I keep in the client files? Is my system uniform?

How should records be cataloged for easy retrieval?

Once the criteria is established for all forms of records and work flow, the second step is to design the system.

Questions to ask re the design of the system:

Are the items that I need often in close proximity to the work area?

Is all equipment in good order, insured and inventoried?

How long do I need to store records, prints, contact sheets, negatives, etc.?

How is the work flow? Is that space planned out for optimum efficiency?

How is the accounting administration being handled and how is it working?

Am I hoarding unnecessary records or items that are no longer needed?

Am I able to delegate?

Once the system is designed, it is suggested that it be reduced to a writing and an office manual be created. It is just as important for a small business as a larger business. All information goes into the office manual - procedures, important numbers, job descriptions, warranty information on equipment, vendors, etc.

A good question to ask is: "If I needed someone to retrieve something from my office or work area with my instruction, how difficult would it be for them to locate what they needed?"

Defining the rules and boundaries of the system will keep everyone on track.

Establishing the criteria, setting up the system and implementing the system will yield many benefits.

Some of the benefits include increased focus, defining of goals and business objectives, having a business environment that is satisfying to work in and reduces stress, errors and miscommunications.

Give organization and in particular organization of paper a top priority. Just because something has always been done a certain way does not mean it cannot be revamped or modified.

There is a solution for every problem. Finding solutions will create a happier work environment.

The following are suggestions to reduce business and personal stress factors. Feel free to add your own personal favorites to the list and visit it often until the new habits and thought patterns become engrained:

1. Plan ahead. Buy items before you use up the supply on hand.
   
2. Keep emergency supplies on hand in the office, home and car.
   
3. DON'T PROCRASTINATE! It causes stress.
   
4. Don't tolerate things that are broken. Fix it or replace it.
   
5. Practice preventive maintenance at the office and at home.
   
6. Schedule a "realistic" day.
   
7. Be proactive - solution oriented - not reactive -- in the problem.
   
8. If you are faced with an unpleasant job, get it over with early in the day.
   
9. Keep it simple!
   
10. Practice relaxation. Breathe!
    
11. Do nothing you would need to lie about later
    
12. Do at least one thing you like to do every day.
    
13. Do physical exercise whenever possible. It has a relaxing effect.
    
14. Make promises sparingly and keep them faithfully.
    
15. Have plants or cut flowers in your office.
    
16. Keep clutter away.
    
    

Block out time to read on a weekly basis.

Stop worring. Either do something about it if you can or
LET IT GO!

Dee E. Behrman
Organize Your Space
310-216-6607
800-288-6606
www.organizeyourspace.com
deeclutter@organizeyourspace.com

I started Fresh Lists in 1994, because I was unable to find a company which provided the services I needed for a mailing list and at reasonable prices. At that time I was representing photographers. Within a few years the demand for my lists became a full time business.

The mailing lists are specifically designed for photographers and illustrators. You will be able to reach those individuals who purchase photography, commission photography and illustration services on a consistent basis. I update the lists twice a year in January and July.

Included in these lists are the name, title, address, phone, e-mail and web page. Most of the agency lists are categorized, so you are able to select potential clients faster (e.g. Annual Report, Auto, Food, Travel). The Magazine list I divide into categories as well (e.g. Business, Fashion, Film, Home/Garden, Travel). To see all the categories go to my website at www.freshlists.com.

To make it it easy for you to use Fresh Lists, I deliver the lists on a free database program. With the information provided you can search the list by title, area code, company, categories etc.

It is as easy as 1-2-3 to print labels and prepare for an e-mail campaign. My goal is for you to keep track of your mailing lists with the least amount of effort. I provide unlimited technical support for any questions that may arise.

When I purchased lists as a photographers rep, I couldn't find any lists that would allow me to keep personal notes. It was important for me to keep track of who I mail promo pieces to and also the conversation of each of those phone calls.

I spent endless hours comparing the old list to the new one when I would purchase another list. Fresh Lists has an easy to use update system, so in no time you have updated your lists, kept all your notes and ready for the next campaign.

The lists we currently have available are:
Los Angeles Agency/Design Firm (891 records) $120.00
Chicago Agency/Design Firm (773 records) $120.00
New York Agency (1106 records) $120.00
San Francisco Agency/Design Firm (752 records) $80.00
Nationwide Art Buyers list (363 records) $30.00
Nationwide Magazine (1032 records) $120.00
Record Company (164 records) $30.00

NEW LIST
Agency Broadcast Producers List (847 names) $120.00 (normally 149.95)

We provide unlimited technical support.
For more information see our website at www.freshlists.com.

Mention Women in Photography when you purchase a list to get the special price through February 15, 2002.

Please contact me at 800-322-3985 with any questions you may have. You can also visit our web site at www.freshlists.com.

Karen Hansen

800-322-3985
info@freshlists.com
www.freshlists.com

"Fresh List made the difference Karen Hansen, Fresh List turned my buisness around !
Her software package and client lists are great! You can also add your own clients to the list as I have done for my architectural photography business. Easy to install with great technical support made it an essencial element of my success. Of course you must make your calls and keep in touch with all your potential clients. She's the greatest. If you don't use it...you might loose it"! www.DouglasOlson.com
Douglas Olson Archectural Photography/Los Angeles

WIPI uses Fresh List for our data base, it's easy and convenient for all the information we handle on our members. Karen is there to take your calls and help you whenever you need her. A good investment and Karen will support a discount rate to "WIPI verified" members.

Part TWO of a three part series:

CREATING SUCCESS
© 2001 Selina Oppenheim

Success is not earned, it's created.

EXAMINING YOUR WORK ETHIC

In the first part of Creating Success, I discussed the first step taken by successful creative--setting and committing to reaching your goals. Success looks different to each of us, and the importance of becoming conscious of your own personal set of goals is paramount. After all, how can you be successful if you don't know what success means to you?

We have all heard that success is not given, it is earned. From what I have seen, success is NOT earned, it's created. "Earned" sounds very passive. But "creation," now there's an active word. If you are ready to create success, put your goals in front of you and get ready to do some serious work!

Start by examining your work ethic. Look at your commitment to others and to yourself. Do you finish assignments on time? Or, are you pushing deadlines further and further back? Do you put everything you have into each assignment, or do you simply go through the motions?

Successful creatives have learned to meet deadlines and keep commitments. They put over 100% into all of their assignments, self as well as client-generated. In short, they have a strong work ethic. Shocking but true, none of us are perfect. In order to see where YOU need to improve, start by answering the following questions:

1. How many assignments in the last 6 months did you give 100% of your effort to? 120%?
2. How do you approach assignments? Do you listen to your client's needs carefully and then offer your creative thoughts? Or do you take the information supplied by your clients and only provide what they ask for?
3. How many times in the last 6 months did you commit to shooting for your portfolio? How many times did you meet that commitment?
4. How often have you said, "I have to put time aside to create a new ad for my business." How many ads have you created?
5. How frequently do you utter the words, "Next time I'm going to do things differently..." Do things ever change?

If you have answered these questions honestly and find that deadlines pose a problem for you, commit to change and start to brainstorm. What actions could you take to change your behavior? Start projects earlier might help, do a little at a time, and break down large projects into smaller tasks.

What you are doing is changing a habit and it takes time for your new mode to settle in. Make sure you work at it every day. The repetition is what creates the change in your behavior. Before you know it your habit of procrastination will be a part of the past.

If deadlines are not a problem for you, but you realize that you are simply going through the motions, WAKE UP! We only get to go around on this level of reality once, so we need to put everything we have into each and every action.

Clients welcome creative input from photographers. A photographer who listens carefully to a client's needs and then gently adds his or her suggestions is a valuable supplier. Don't assume that your clients know what they want or have all the answers. People hire you to know what will work technically, but they are also hiring you for your creative input. Successful creatives know this and they bring all areas of their expertise to the table.

Do you find that you have no trouble meeting your client's needs, but somehow you never meet your own? If you have endless ideas but no follow-through, it's time to change your behavior. All professionals need to create marketing campaigns for their business. Every photographer should be shooting for her/his portfolio monthly. Are you? One of the most common complaints that I continue to hear from my clients is, "I can't find the time to shoot for my book." The truth is we don't find time, we make it.

The next time you sit down to spend time on your business, start out by spending an hour listing what actions will be a part of your yearly marketing plan. After you have listed your ideas, expand on them or call it a day. Sit down the next evening for one hour and start to brainstorm ideas for the first action. Follow this pattern for one week and you will have invested seven hours on marketing your business!

The same pattern can be used for portfolio shots. Start by listing ideas, then start to expand or draw out your initial visual ideas. Spend an hour a night for a week and then schedule in time to shoot. Consider booking portfolio shots into your schedule on a Monday. Write the shot in on your calendar and if a client calls for that day, explain that you have a tentative shoot already booked. Ask the client if the shot can be photographed the following day. If the client agrees, you have met the client's needs and your own. If the client cannot move the day, ask the client if you can get back to them in 5 minutes. Call them back and immediately book them in.

The ideas listed above are only the beginning. Sit down and examine your own work ethic. Look at your answers to the questions asked in the beginning of this article. Ask yourself some more. Honestly evaluate your commitment to excellence. If you feel that you are there, CONGRATULATIONS! If you need to improve, don't wait. Start now. Set an alarm for one hour and spend your first 60 minutes deciding which habit you are going to change. Three simple words say it all: Just do it!

Selina Oppenheim Biography
email: selina@1portauthority.com

Having begun her professional career as a representative for some of Boston's leading photographers, Selina has spent the last 20 years as a consultant to creative professionals, as a nationally acclaimed lecturer and as the developer of several professional workshops, the most popular being "CREATING YOUR OWN DESTINY." She has served on the Board of Directors of the Boston Graphic Artists' Guild and is a former correspondent for Photo District News. She has been profiled by Boston Magazine, ADWEEK, The Boston Globe Magazine, Photo District News, ADCOM, and Capital District Business Review.

Port Authority, Inc.
25A Stow Road, Boxborough MA 01719
Phone: 978.263.6822 Fax: 978.263.6439
e-mail: info@1portauthority.com

For your Reading Library: WIPI recommends:

Pricing Photography
The Complete Guide to Assignment and Stock Prices
Third Edition

by Michal Heron and David MacTavish

This classic trade reference tool provides photographers with a wealth of time-tested information on everything from estimating prices, identifying pricing factors, negotiating fair deals, and much more. Chapters include practical information on the economics of photography, cutting-edge negotiation techniques, and the specifics of pricing electronic media. Over fifty pages of at-a-glance pricing charts help photographers tailor their pricing to suit any sales situation. Plus, readers will also find a complete “buyer’s guide” for art directors and editors, a comprehensive glossary, and dozens of ready-to-use worksheets and forms for even more instant help. A must-have addition to every photographer’s bookshelf.

Allworth Press
11 x 8 1/2, 160 pages; Paperback, ISBN 1-58115-207-8;
List Price  $24.95    SAVE 20%    You Pay $19.95   
Publication Date: January 2002\