Bound By Grace Ministries Thrift Store

A couple weeks back I went to a seminar on Internet marketing for small businesses, and it gave me an idea for a service I could provide (see that post here). Just the other day, I went to a Tallassee Chamber of Commerce event (see that post here), and there I ran into Debbie Lusk of Bound By Grace Ministries which runs a thrift store in Tallassee.

I said to myself, "Self, that's a store that could use a better Internet presence." And as often happens, I agreed. So I told Mrs. Lusk that I was going to come take pictures of her store, and that I was going to do it for free. She felt quite special. Then I told her that I was using their store as a guinea pig, and she didn't feel so special anymore. Oops. You should always err on the side of leaving people feeling special.

These pics are now visible in their Google+ Local listing. I've posted my top five here, go see the rest on there. I have also posted them on my @PEaCe Photography Facebook page.

They have a lot of really interesting stuff. I was there half an hour longer than I had intended to be because I keep getting distracted by looking at their wide variety of...well...everything. Thanks Mike and Debbie for letting me shoot some sample pics in your store. I hope it helps us both.

At PEaCe Photography Learns about the Alabama Small BusinessDevelopment Center

The Tallassee Chamber of Commerce hosted a "lunch and learn" for Chamber members to hear from the Alabama State University chapter/office/branch/whatever-is-appropriate of the Alabama Small Business Development Center. 1220 Cafe provided the food (the chicken salad sandwiches were a little mayonnaisey for me, but the BBQ was AMAZING, and they have the best cookies anywhere).

As I told my wife, it wasn't very educational, but it was very informative. The ASBDC provides a wide range of services to help small businesses get started out well, achieve growth, obtain loans, and plan for the future. The best part is that their services are free with the exception of a few long-term classes. I say "free," but I should say tax-payer funded. Which is to say, I'm already paying for it, so I might as well make use of it. If nothing else, it'd be a good idea to have a formal business plan and well thought out accounting system. They also help businesses get in the system for government contracts. Now I don't know if I'm ready for that, but it couldn't hurt to look into it. March is pretty busy for me, but I will very likely be going to see them in April.

My thanks go out to the Tallassee Chamber, 1220, and the ASBDC. I enjoyed the lunch, got some info, and met some folks. I look forward to seeing some profit from it down the line.

Business Photography for Digital Marketing and Social Media

*** UPDATED SLIGHTLY***

Hey small business owners and local managers, I've got a few questions for you.

Have you ever Googled your business? If you have, did you find your business? Chances are good that your website, if you have one, wasn't among the top results. There are all sorts of people who can help you with that, that's not my angle.

It's also likely that you found what's called a "stub" for your business in Google+ Pages or Google+ Local and a number of other marketing directories (Merchant Circle, Super Pages, etc.). These directories are designed to show up in search results higher and more frequently than your actual website. Google+ Pages are given extra-special treatment because it is a Google service. Basically, they take whatever info that is publicly available about your business, church, school, or what have you, and they list that info in their directory--kind of like the old yellow pages, but better and free-er

In almost all of these directories, Google+ in particular, the public is allowed to submit reviews and images to add useful (to other consumers, at least) information about your business. Google+ Local listings are especially significant, because they are integrated into Google Maps and regular old Google searches. That's where I can help you.

For anyone in the Tallassee area, I'll come to your place of business and shoot 5-10 quality, unique photographs that display where you are, who you are, what you do, and what you offer. I'll be in and out in a matter of minutes, and won't disrupt your business (except for a staff picture if you want one). I'll process the images, upload them to your Google+ Page, link to you from my Google+ Page, post them here on my blog, link back to your website/Facebook page, "like" you on Facebook, share your images on Facebook, Tweet about it, (all of these things improving your Internet visibility) and email the images to you for any and all future use. And I'll do it all for only $50. I'll do it for Chamber of Commerce members for $40. In fact, I'll do a free set for the first business to contact me.

***This is an introductory rate. My advertising guru brother-in-law thinks I should be charging $250 as a minimum and that I'd get upwards of $1000 per shoot in a high density market like Birmingham.***

Now, maybe you're thinking "I can take my own pictures." Sure you can, and I could change my own oil; but it's easier to pay a pro with the tools and experience to do it right, and I get better results when I do. What are you waiting for?

I posted 3 shots of my church, Liberty Baptist Church, as an early sample. ***I've just done a pro bono set for the Bound By Grace Ministries Thrift Store.*** Check them out.

Contact me via my At PEaCe Photography Facebook page, email [pecaspers(at)gmail(dot)com], or phone [334-452-3PEC]. Let's get Tallassee small businesses on the map! ...Google Maps that is.