{"id":77660,"date":"2018-02-04T07:24:28","date_gmt":"2018-02-04T15:24:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=77660"},"modified":"2018-02-04T07:24:28","modified_gmt":"2018-02-04T15:24:28","slug":"photography-entrepreneurship-101-influence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/04\/photography-entrepreneurship-101-influence\/","title":{"rendered":"Photography Entrepreneurship 101: INFLUENCE"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dear friend,<\/p>\n

If you want to succeed as an entrepreneur — realize, INFLUENCE is the most important thing to cultivate.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/a><\/h2>\n
\"The<\/a>
MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/a> by HAPTICPRESS<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Succeed in an oversaturated world of photographers with MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What is influence?<\/h2>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

INFLUENCE: ability to change the mind of someone else.<\/p>\n

I believe that influence is more important than money. Why? If you have influence, you can eventually monetize whatever you do.<\/p>\n

Take for example Google: they weren’t profitable for many years. Rather, they worked hard to becoming the #1 search provider, and once they were able to gain 90%+ influential market share, they had enough power and control to monetize their services.<\/p>\n

Thus as a practical entrepreneur strategy:<\/p>\n

\n First seek to gain influence, then monetize later.<\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\n

Create your own culture and trends<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Influence is also being a taste-maker, and being able to create certain trends, concepts, and ideas that will change the minds of others.<\/p>\n

Influence is powerful, because instead of chasing trends, we can create our own trends.<\/p>\n

\n

What do we really want?<\/h2>\n

\"Mannequin<\/p>\n

To me, I think that as entrepreneurs and human beings, people who are money-hungry are actually power-hungry. Money is just a tool to exert power– exerting power over others, and exerting power and control over yourself.<\/p>\n

\n

How to become more influential<\/h2>\n

\"Eric<\/p>\n

To start off, if you want to be an ‘influencer’ or an influential entrepreneur — here are some principles and ideas:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Own your own platform<\/strong>: Build your own website, blog, forum, or community. Don’t be a social-media sharecropper– meaning, don’t just try to become an ‘influencer’ on Facebook, Instagram, or even YouTube. The problem is that these “free” social media platforms are controlled by algorithms, owned by these companies– something we have no control over. By owning your own platform, you are able to have more control.<\/li>\n
  2. Have a grand idea you believe in<\/strong>: To meaningfully differentiate yourself from others, you must have an all-encompassing and grand vision you truly believe in. For example, my passion in life is \u00e2\u20ac\u0153open source photography\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d keeping my information open and free, in order to empower other creatives and artists.<\/li>\n
  3. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t Be boring<\/strong>: It is far better to be controversial and polarizing than to be boring. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re boring, and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have strong opinions, you will lack interest, and it will be difficult to build a loyal following. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t worry about being politically correct, or seeking to make everyone happy. Instead, seek to strongly state your own opinion, be brutally honest, and have the courage to share your own ideas.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    \n

    Influence takes time<\/h2>\n

    \"Selfie<\/p>\n

    For myself, it probably took at least five years of dedicated work before I was able to cultivate a loyal following, and to build influence in the photography world.<\/p>\n

    Influence is more than numbers<\/h2>\n

    \"Xxx<\/p>\n

    The sad truth is that the only reason camera companies and businesses reach out to you for marketing, advertising, or branding ideas is because they know you have a loyal audience \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and they hope to leverage your audience to make them more dollars. This is often manifested through \u00e2\u20ac\u0153social proof\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d companies will judge your influence by how many followers and likes you have.<\/p>\n

    \"Church<\/p>\n

    But realize that influence is more than numbers. To me, I think that it is better to have 1 loyal fan who truly believes in your mission statement than 1,000 fans who only mildly believe in what you believe in.<\/p>\n

    \"Selfie<\/p>\n

    Unfortunately, there is no tool we can use to measure whether someone is a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153true fan\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or not. A \u00e2\u20ac\u0153true fan\u00e2\u20ac\u009d might purchase your products, or spread the news about you with their social circle. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think we can put a dollar amount on the heads of our \u00e2\u20ac\u0153true followers\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, just as we cannot quantify what \u00e2\u20ac\u0153trust\u00e2\u20ac\u009d means.<\/p>\n

    Trust<\/h2>\n

    \"Lisbon<\/p>\n

    But ultimately, the purpose of influence is to build trust. Trust is the timeless ingredient of success in all entrepreneurial endeavors in history.<\/p>\n

    \"Trust<\/p>\n

    In the ancient marketplaces and souks of traditional cultures, or in trade \u00e2\u20ac\u201d you were only able to succeed if you were able to cultivate trust with others. And once again, trust building can take years, sometimes even decades.<\/p>\n

    \"My<\/p>\n

    In today\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s modern world, these \u00e2\u20ac\u0153big brands\u00e2\u20ac\u009d have been able to build a loyal customer base with decades of effective marketing and advertising, and by putting out consistently good quality products.<\/p>\n

    \n

    Conclusion: Play the long game<\/h2>\n

    \"Cyclops<\/p>\n

    So friend, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be in such a rush to quickly monetize your passion in photography. My suggestion is to focus on building your influence, which is manifested through trust.<\/p>\n

    \"Hand<\/p>\n

    Realize it can take years and sometimes even decades to build influence and trust. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be in such a hurry. Just work steadily, gradually, and don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t betray your own inner voice for quick gains.<\/p>\n

    \"Lisbon<\/p>\n

    Aim for the long game.<\/p>\n

    BE STRONG,
    \nERIC<\/p>\n

    \n

    Photography Entrepreneurship 101<\/a><\/h1>\n

    The Modern Photographer: Tips, Strategies, and Tactics to Thrive as a Visual Artist in the Digital Age<\/a><\/h2>\n

    \"THE<\/a><\/p>\n

    Marketing, Branding, Entrepreneurship Principles For Success<\/em><\/p>\n

    MODERN PHOTOGRAPHER<\/strong><\/a> is your new philosophical and practical primer to succeed as a modern photographer in today’s digital world.<\/p>\n