Business Forum Survival Guide — Time to Think About PETS!

The economy is bad, layoffs abound and no two economists agree on what small business owners should be doing to protect themselves in these challenging times. At least on the photographic side there are some points we all agree on, one of them being diversity.

There are some logical spin-offs. If you’re a wedding photographer then it’s a logical step to contact your brides within a year or two of the wedding—the time frame when people usually start families. As the family grows, the demand for family portraiture comes into play and a few years later they’re ready for senior portraits.

Within most families with kids, there’s a good chance there’s a dog or cat involved, an opportunity too many photographers miss!

Three-quarters of dog owners consider their dog like a child or family member and more than half of cat owners say the same.*

Let’s take a look at pet photography, third behind brides and babies as the most popular subjects matters to be photographed professionally. A 2005–2006 survey on PetPlace.com stated:
“…Americans own approximately 73 million dogs, 90 million cats, 139 million freshwater fish, 9 million saltwater fish, 16 million birds, 18 million small animals and 11 million reptiles.”*
The market potential is huge.
“…gift giving to pets continues to rise with eight out of 10 dog owners buying dog gifts and 63 percent of cat owners purchasing gifts for the family feline.”*

I already take the heat at the office for Molly the Wonder Dog, so I might as well use her as a prime example. To date she’s been photographed by Bambi Cantrell, Judy Host, Carey Schumacher, Kenny Kim and Stephen Ditoro. She’s definitely a member of the family and the images have been used on stationery, holiday cards, calendars, a watch, the Internet and a coffee mug.

For the last two summers, Vicki Taufer, primarily known for her children’s photography, has done a pet promotion in Illinois. It’s a fundraiser for the Peoria Animal Shelter—bring a donation of pet food, treats etc. for the shelter and get a free sitting for your pet and a 5 x 7 print. The first year of the program, she had a 150 sittings and 40 people on the waitlist—all in one day! The goodwill Vicki was able to build for her business is incalculable.

Looking for help on how to get started? There are all kinds of resources out there, including WPPI programs with Ann Hamilton (www.annhamilton.com) and websites like Barbara Bower (www.barbarasvisions.com) just to name a few. Take a fast trip to Amazon.com and type in the words “pet photography” and you’ll get hit with dozens titles on the subject and a wealth of
good information.

Think back over the last few years and how many weddings, events, families have you photographed? Now, how about the big question: “How many of them had pets?”

The economy isn’t going to change, but just because everyone says 2009 is going to be a bad year, doesn’t mean it has to be that way! If you sit and wait for business to come back and just land on your door step you’re in trouble, but get creative and diversify and you just might start heading towards your strongest year in business!

Skip Cohen is the president of Rangefinder Publishing Co. Inc. He frequently lectures on marketing and business principles throughout the United States.