First day of business, coming to the end of phase one
DAY 97 OF 1825 // MONEY - £2542.70
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NOTE: Cash counter updated, this is now total investment, current rent paid, complete frame order and todays takings. I’ll post a complete break down at the end of my two weeks.
It eventually came, my first day of trading. Despite all my previous work and dealings, I was still quite nervous.
It wasn’t the actual work I was scared of but the chance of failure, though these nerves have subsided slightly due to a minor success, their is a lot of work to be done in a short period of time that will greatly effect my outcome.
This video shows the end of the first day, the overall setup looks O.K, but can look A LOT better, I need a big sign coming out of the top on one of the corners, posters on stands under the security tape thingamajigs, more pictures with more colour, maybe a cut out character from my marketing / brand style stuck around the place.
My first day target was £100, though it isn’t anywhere near my day average target, I was half expecting to take nothing, not many people knew I was there, it’s all about a build up of custom over the two weeks. The first day is really about advertising and telling everyone you’re here.
I sold £130.00 of photographs, one half price frame at £5.50 and got a £4.50 tip, total of £140.00.
Smashing my target was excellent, another thing, trying to keep it positive (though it made me a little uneasy) I found a problem with my setup, the current work flow process from shoot to print is taking FAR to long.
It will naturally get a little bit faster, as we get used to the equipment and the actual process of dealing with real customers. IF we went at the same speed tomorrow, the maximum amount of customers we could serve would be about 7-8, ideally, I need a work flow that could accept 15-20.
The positive is, I know I can reach that, alternatively, I can rise my prices just a touch to give more leeway.
These two weeks are to see the workings of the studio and to perfect and tweak what is necessary, to mould my idea into a profit power house – and I plan on doing just that.
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Phase 1.99 – First two weeks trading, finding the flaws and fixing them.
Things to be done:
1) Make a big sign
2) Make more posters for the other side
3) INCREASE WORK FLOW SPEED, PHOTO TO PRINT IN UNDER AN HOUR
(30min rotation on photography sittings 2 customers per hour, max of 18 customers per day, good enough for now! (7 customers a day at £35.00 = £465.00 net profit per week! (Ouch, I would need like 40 studios to make a million in five years, but hey it’s a start)))
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Other Stuff
Anyone fancy a trip to China? I want to visit a few toy factories and maybe get a few of these babies.
I think i could sell these longside my photography service quite well… (O.K I know it has nothing to do with photography, but man they are so awesome)
2 Comments
Marcus on April 7th, 2009
Congrats man,I think you’ve successfully started your road to victory.
Also, on the helicopters, my personal advice – DON’T DO IT!!! If you start selling novelties that are nothing to do with photography it’ll lessen your reputation (imagine the local hood rats buying these from you while your trying to take professional photographs). However, if you get a couple for the kids to play with while your taking pics of them, that would be quite cute.
But… personal opinion. 
Luca on April 6th, 2009
Good to see you have had a successful first day. Keep up the good work!