Taking the next step to take your photography from a hobby to a business can be daunting. There are so many things to think about and plan. After all, you do not want to set yourself up to fail.

Here is a list of some you need to know to set up your photography business:

• research your idea  
• research your market  
• write a business plan  
• write marketing strategies  
• put a financial plan in place with at least 5 years of financial projections

Planning your Marketing Strategies

Marketing strategies are one of the most important parts of your photography business. It is how people will find you. How you get your product and service into the open marketplace. There may be several areas of photography you specialize in - pet photography and portrait photography - then these are two separate marketing goals and you need separate marketing strategies in your plan.

Your plan should have a list of timelines to achieve milestones towards your goals. There are a number of tools you can use in your marketing plan to help you market your photography business and these may include:

• A website. Websites have become an essential marketing tool. It gets your work into the public arena. Some photographers may think there is not much point in this but clients can come from anywhere.

• Newspaper advertising. Newspaper advertising has long been the traditional form of marketing tool. And it is stall has its value in getting your business message out into your local area.

• Radio and television advertising. While this can be expensive it has value in that it reaches a wider audience and gets your business being seen and talked about.

• Mailbox drops. Mailbox drops are relatively cost-effective and are another way to get your name into the public arena cost-effectively. • Business branding. Brand your business - business cards, brochures, and any other products that promote your business. Give it an image that reflects what you do and your philosophy.

Once you have written your marketing plan continually reassess the strategies are working and be prepared to changed them if they are not. There is no point wasting precious cash and time on things that do not work. This frees up your money and time to use in more productive ways.