f ō t ō r a c l e | the oracle of photography

Lawrence Chan from Tofurious successfully used a combination of marketing techniques (including social media) to become the most inquired wedding photographer in the industry. Lawrence Chan’s LA Smug presentation is for part-time and full-time wedding photographers who want to better understand their target market and to maximize social media to generate more business.

f ō t ō r a c l e . c o m presents 20 Questions with Lawrence Chan of Tofurious…

Peter Garr:  Several months ago I had the pleasure of attending your SEO Workshop and was amazed at what I learned about the marketing power behind Search Engine Optimization.  What can we expect from Tofurious in 2010?

Lawrence Chan:  I will continue blogging and offering digital products, but will focus heavily on social marketing and branding.  I feel that a photographer has to wear many hats when the only one that fits best is shooting.  It takes precision and balance in order to juggle all of them, so I am hoping that my experience in business will offer some guidance.

Peter: WPPI 2010 is coming up right around the corner from March 4th through 11th.  What does Tofurious have in store for people going to WPPI in Las Vegas next month?

Lawrence:  Good question!  I have found great success as a marketing consultant in the wedding industry, so I will continue exercising that muscle.  I will have two items at booth 1240:

1. One on one consultation by me
2. Portfolio review by my guest – Grace Ormonde of Wedding Style Magazine

Peter:  You traveled throughout Europe last year.  Of all the cities you visited, which was the most memorable and why?

Lawrence:  This question just caused a flashback of good memories.  I am leaning towards Nice, France because I found a small business that served, in my opinion, the absolute best and most fluffy mint and chip gelato ever!

Peter: You mentioned in a recent blog post that you recommend “Confessions of a Shopaholic” by Sophie Kinsella as a must-read marketing book.  First, what marketing insight do books like “Shopaholic” and similar offer photographers?

Lawrence:  Quoting from the blog, “Rebecca Bloomwood (protagonist) is the true epitome of a consumer. While she humorously delves into her reasons (or non-reasons) for compulsively buying things, the better we understand how a consumer’s mentality works, the better we can create a marketing campaign for that specific audience (or any audience for that matter).” There are other philosophies that I drew from the series of which I will save for a blog post in the near future

Peter:  What inspired you to read “Shopaholic” in the first place?

Lawrence:  I, too, am a shopaholic.  Here is something else I learned from the book: one has two options in this situation – “make more or spend less.”  Fun philosophies for life!

Peter:  What are some other books you recommend?

Lawrence:  I recommend Dan Brown books, Harry Potter series, and the Twilight Saga.  Although business books offer guidance, I feel that it is equally crucial that we step away from our work and see things through a different lens.  Plus, having a little adventure in our lives cannot hurt.

Peter:  When and how did you get into photography as both an interest and as a business?

Lawrence:  To be completely honest, I started as a business (not of interest).  It’s a numbers game.  However, after the exposure, I came to appreciate the joy of shooting pictures, so the scale has tipped.

Peter:  Tofurious likes tofu.  That’s a no-brainer.  What the world is dying to know is whether Tofurious likes Tofurkey.  Have you ever had Tofurkey?

Lawrence:  Actually, I never tried Tofurkey!  I intend to try it this year.

Peter:  You’re the special guest speaker at the February 2010 L.A. SMUG.  With February being the month we celebrate President’s Day, which historical U.S. President is your favorite and why?

Lawrence:  Benjamin because he’s on the $100 bill.  Just kidding – I don’t want to sound superficial, but I’ve learned to keep politics private hah!

Peter:  February also marks Valentine’s Day.  What was your most memorable Valentine’s Day?

Lawrence:  There was one evening where I took Julie to Stinking Rose and had so much garlic that the evening [and morning] was memorable.

Peter: Your presentation at the L.A. SMUG is about understanding our target audience and maximizing social media to grow our businesses.  What are some benefits photographers can expect by applying your techniques?

Lawrence:  The goal is for photographers to book more weddings!

Peter:  What do you think is the single most important thing photographers should be doing today in order to book more clients?

Lawrence:  Focus less on the art and more on business – specifically marketing oneself.

Peter: I know you recently worked on what sounds like a very interesting project in Denver with some well respected and well-admired people in our industry.  What’s the CxO Fight Club all about?

Lawrence:  The name suggests that five companies will fight against each other.  Instead, we were there to collaborate with each other with the hopes of elevating the industry.

Peter:  In addition to many talents you both have, you and Jasmine Star both share a passion for Chipotle.  What’s your favorite item on their menu?

Lawrence:  I personally favor the chicken salad with black beans, rice, spicy corn, hot chili, a dab of sour cream topped with a pinch of cheese.  However, I do have a hankering for their new chicken pozole, but that’s only offered at their flagship restaurants in Denver.

Peter:  Who’s your greatest influence or inspiration as a photographer and why?

Lawrence:  Gosh there are so many! When I first started, it was Jessica Claire and David Jay.  Now the list is super long.

Peter:  Who’s your greatest influence or inspiration as an entrepreneur and why?

Lawrence: Jeff Jochum – hands down.  He’s just a downright cool guy!  I’ve never had any mentors before him, so I can’t compare, but it’s rare to find someone willing to help without expecting anything in return.  He inspires me to do the same.

Peter:  How would you finish this sentence?  ”To succeed as a photographer, you must …”

Lawrence:  …have clarity in your business model.  With advancement in technology and affordability of DSLRs, the increase of competition is inevitable.

Peter:  What’s a typical workday for Tofurious like?

Lawrence:

8:00 am – wake up
8:30 am – gym 
10:30 am – answer emails 
12:00 pm – eat lunch  
12:30 pm – work, work work 
6:00 pm – make / eat dinner 
7:00 pm – work, work, work
7:30 pm – Two and a Half Men 
8:00 pm – work, work, work 
12:00 am – sleep

Peter:  Where do you see the photography industry headed over the next 5 years?

Lawrence:  I envision the use of various technologies to captivate clients – videos, iPad portfolios, etc.  Cameras are no longer the only extensions of our businesses.

Peter:  Where do you see yourself headed over the next 5 years?

Lawrence:  Tweeting from France

A big THANK YOU to Lawrence Chan for answering this month’s 20 Questions on…

f ō t ō r a c l e . c o m.

Lawrence Chan from Tofurious is the special guest at this month’s
Los Angeles SmugMug User Group (SMUG) meeting.

LA SMUG

Thursday February 18, 2010

7:00 PM

The Global Cafe
11002 Ventura Blvd
Studio City, CA 91604

FREE and open to ALL photographers.  Tell your friends!

More info at Meetup.com

Today is Friday May 1, 2009 aka — the unofficial start of wedding season. I know many wedding photographers are feeling the pinch of the current economic recession, and as a result have more Saturdays and Sundays open this year than they have in prior years.

If you’re a wedding photographer with more free time on the weekends this summer, here’s a few things you can do to make the best out of this slow season. Best of all, these suggestions are all either free or very inexpensive, and I promise that in the long run, they’ll make you a more complete photographer, businessperson, and community member.

1. Visit a museum
Museums are often free or pretty inexpensive. If you live in a large city that has world-class museums, then take advantage of such a great opportunity that not everybody else has. Even if the town you live in doesn’t have a major museum, most large museums have exhibits and collections you can view online. In any case, whether it’s a photography exhibit, the masterpiece paintings from the Renaissance or Impressionist periods, or a local exhibit by art students, go check it out. Look at how art imitates life and life imitates art – today, 100 years ago, and 500 years ago. Observe how the masters used light, composition, exposure, color, contrast, posing, background, foreground, etc. You’ll learn a lot about your craft, I promise. You’ll see how other artists tell stories, and how you can better tell your client’s story. You may also be allowed to bring your camera to take photos outside of the museum’s architecture, which are often works of art themselves. Plus, it’s really cool to see an original Van Gogh, Renoir, Rembrandt up close and in person. Pay the extra few bucks for the self-guided audio tour if it’s offered. Bring the family or some friends, pack some snacks, and make a day of it! You won’t be disappointed.

If you’re in the Los Angeles area, here are some museums I recommend:

• The Annenberg Space for Photography
• The Getty Center
• Norton Simon Museum
• Los Angeles County Museum of Art

2. Volunteer
For some people, volunteering is a way of life. For the rest of us, it’s something we admire in others, talk about doing ourselves “when we have time”, and then we never have the time. The age-old adage is true, “it’s far better to give than it is to receive”. The reason that cliche is so true for each of us may be just as unique as we all are, but it’s still true nonetheless. Regardless of race, religion (or lake thereof), language, economic status, or life story, when the spirit of giving is exercised sincerely, the rewards in self-esteem, relationships, and success always follow.

There are so many organizations and other ways to volunteer your time, but what better way for a photographer to give of his or her time and talent that with a camera? Here’s a few volunteer opportunities specifically for photographers. If these aren’t interesting too you, go to VolunteerMatch and find an opportunity that is! Do it…. now!

• Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
• Operation: Love ReUnited
• Photographers Without Borders
• VolunteerMatch

3. Join Toastmasters
We all know that good communication is the key to all successful relationships, whether that be with clients, other vendors, or even our friends and families. One way to improve your communication skills is by joining a local Toastmasters International club. Toasmasters International is a worldwide non-profit organization dedicated to helping people develop leadership skills through effective public communication. Meetings are informative and inspiring. They’re also great places to network with potential clients and other local community members. The cost of membership is only $20 plus $27 every six months and well worth it if you really want to improve your public speaking skills.

4. Go to a library
When was the last time you visited your local library? If it’s been years since you’ve had a library card, get one! Your local public library is a great resource for information about photography, marketing, advertising, communication, and most of all, inspiration (creative, business, and personal). You don’t always have to spend your hard-earned cash on a brand-new book you’ll read just once or aren’t even sure you’ll like in the first place (especially if you’re judging it by it’s cover). Almost any book you might want to read is available at your local library; you just might have to wait a few weeks if the title you want is out. But that’s just a great opportunity to find another book you would have otherwise missed. So head over to your local library and check out one of the books on David Jay’s Book List… you’ll be glad you did.

5. Wow someone close
Many of us do something similar with other wedding vendors that we have relationships with or are building relationships with, with the hopes of getting bookings and referals from them. While that’s all fine and dandy, what I’m talking about here is not that. What I am talking about is giving a professionally produced wall photo to someone you care about with nothing expected in return. No bookingss, no referrals; maybe just a thank you and a warm smile. I know we photographers love taking pictures of everybody and everything we come across, but often times those photos just pile up on our hard drives year after year. Well, now’s a great time to go through all those photos of the in-laws from Thanksgivings past, the friends from the last year’s backyard barbecue, or your neighbor’s newborn baby. Run them through the typical post-processing you would for a client’s wall print or album print, send them to your pro lab (especially when they’re running a sale for 8×10 prints), put them in a nice yet inexpensive frame from Costco or Aaron Brothers, and surprise someone close to you with an unexpected gift. We’re told to “wow your customers”, but I think we need to wow our family, friends, and neighbors too. Plus, there’s something special about giving someone a framed print that tagging them in a Facebook gallery just doesn’t seem to match up to.