MangoTree Photography Blog

Price vs. Value, or both?

Had this discussion at our last Hawaii Photographer's meeting on Tuesday night.  Today, I stumbled upon this article from Author Seth Godin viewing our friend JSandifers Blog.  This article sums up my thoughts, and our recent discussion exactly.

Two halves of the value fraction

By Seth Godin

In a down economy, marketers fret a lot about price. We think that since times are tough, people care about price and nothing but price.

Of course, people actually care more about value. They care about value more than they used to because they can’t afford to overpay, they don’t want to make a mistake with their money.

Value = benefit/price. That means that one way to make value go up is to lower price, right?

The thing is, there’s another way to make the value go up. Increase what you give. Increase quality and quantity and the unmeasurable pieces that bring confidence and joy to an interaction.

When all of your competitors are busy increasing value by cutting prices, you can actually increase market share by increasing value and raising benefits.

Over the past six months, our studio has increased focus on our customer service and quality products to our clients.  We feel that providing our clients with a even higher quality of Service and products has been the catalyst to our studio's continued growth during this down economy.

A note to photographer's feeling the pressures of the failing economy. Stop playing the pricing game! This only devalues your services, and your livelihood. Take actions to start providing amazing customer service, and the best quality/Value for your clients!  

You owe it to yourself to be paid for your talent, Your clients deserve to have the best Service/Quality/Value your business can provide.

Mike

2009 WPPI Recap

Wow!!! What a whirl wind of events, lectures, live shoots, and networking.  This was my first WPPI, and after many talks from industry leaders about how there first experience of WPPI was a turning point in their carriers, I had to make time in my schedule to see what all the fuss was about.  

I can now say after the last 4 days in Vegas, I have met some of the industries finest photographers, business people, and visionaries in the photographic industry.  For me this experience has been transforming in both my personal and business lives.  I will go back to Maui, and focus on growing my business, my network, and helping teach other photographers, what I have learned over the last few years.  

I want to say thanks the companies and Photographers who helped make this trip so memorable: Pictage, Jason Kiefer, Canon, Doug at Think Tank Photo, Mike and Julie Colon, Ray and Anna Santana, Bob and Dawn Davis, The Edmonson Crew, Jon Lagon, Mera Koh and Brian, you all embody the spirit of community and support.  Mahalo...

Happy New Year

Happy New Year to everyone.  I hope you are spending some quality time with family and friends.  As for me, I am spending my New Year in Thailand with my wife.  Have been here a few days and it's wonderful.  We have been cruising around town in Tukk Tukk's, and the country side via motorcycle. 

I will be out of the office for a few weeks, but will be back in action come late January with some fun lifestyle shoots, and some late winter weddings.

Again, wishing all of you a very safe and Happy Holiday Season. 

A special thanks to all our amazing clients, friends and business partners who helped make 2008 our best year to date.  Many Mahalos, and best of luck in 2009.

Hau'oli Makahiki Hou- Happy New Year

Mike

Tips on Apple's Aperture 2 with Sara France

 

This Thursday, Sara France will be here in Maui going over her Tip's & Tricks on Apple's Aperture 2.0.  Stop by the MacNet store in kahului between 6-8PM to meet Sara, and other photographers.  

Here are the details::

When: Thursday, August 28

Where: MacNet Store 444 Hana Hwy, Kahului

Time: 6pm - 8pm

Cost: FREE

Prizes: Must Be Present To Win

More Info: 893-8484

Please RSVP: Space is Limited

People who are making a difference!

After yesterdays posts, I wanted to bring attention to people who are making a difference. Blake Mycoskie is the owner and founder of Toms shoes. You may have herd of them, they are the new hot item in the shoe world.

Blake started making shoes, and for every shoe he sold he would donate a pair to someone in need. Many people thought he was crazy, but last year he went to Argentina, and donated over 8,000 shoes to people in need. In life and in business if you make people the most important thing you will never lose. Below is a clip of Blake's shoe drop in 2006.

Another organization that is helping people is Thirst Relief International. On the photography side, two photographers from southern California went down to the amazon to take water treatment units to people in need. Mike Colon, and David Jay, both went to support this cause. At the WPPI conference in Las Vegas this year, photographers donated mentoring sessions to Thirst relief International. The Highest bidding photographer was given a one hour mentoring session with a professional, and all the proceeds went to Thirst relief. I am hoping to partner up with Mike Colon, and other photographers while I am in LA for a photography Conference in Sept. Sounds like a great way to help those in need. Continue to help in any way you can to make the world, your country, your state, or your community a better place.
Aloha
Mike

Sicko!

Talking with Guests here in Maui, I here them say how often they feel so overwhelmed by the pace of life, and how outrageous busy and expensive the world is becoming. We are creating this McAmerica at such a furious pace, when will it stop. The answer is NEVER! As long as money is involved we will continue to be victims of the corporate and governments games. Here in Maui, and anywhere in the world for that matter we can make a difference in our future by simply getting involved with the issues that are most important to us. Take time to vote and get involved, even it is through a conversation, or blog post it help bring awareness to greater issues. Awareness is what will change the minds of the masses.

Living here in Maui, I see daily how involved and amazing people can be. We tend to live here in a different mind set and pace of life. There is a bumper sticker here that reads "Slow down, this ain't the mainland"

I Went to see Sicko, the other night. This film does make you think about how much money we pay for health care here in the states...I kind of felt a little bothered by how much money insurance companies and pharmaceuticals make on people in need. The part near the end of the movie when patients went to Cuba for help was really amazing. If you haven't seen the movie I won't ruin it for you, but a very good way to show that people are willing to help one another just for the simple fact that it's our human nature to help others. I give Michael Moore credit for bringing attention to the issues that affect most americans. His films make you think, and thinking is good.