I was approached about giving away three developer accounts by Elegant Themes. Taking one look at them and specifically their latest, Divi 2, I couldn't pass it up. Before you enter this contest, do take a look at what Elegant Themes can do for you and your photography business. If you are considering revamping your site, Elegant Themes is one of a handful of companies I would suggest to you.

True to their name, I think their themes are indeed elegant. Check these out:

So, you want to win one a developer account worth $69? Just follow the steps below. The 3 winners will be notified on May 31st. Thank you!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Imagine being able to build your WordPress based portfolio website in a couple of days, just by dragging and dropping modules. That's exactly what you get using Divi 2. Would you be better off presenting your work in an elegant manner that's responsive, mobile friendly and SEO ready?

Even if you don't win this giveaway, I would strongly recommend you consider Elegant Themes.

In this world there are dreamers, planners and doers. For most of my life, I belonged to the first group. You can still find me spacing out. My kids sometimes have to come right up to me and shake me back into the present. Funny as that may be, I know I've lost a good amount of time producing work and growing a business.

While I have become better at planning and making to-do-lists, what stifled me in the past was not having a road map to run a photography business. What are steps one, two and three to get to step 10? I wasn't and am not now looking for any short cuts. I expect there to be a good amount of work involved but when things are fuzzy, most people tend to simply stop doing. This is perhaps the worst thing one can do for oneself, but starting and stopping and starting up again aren't anything new for me. It's how I've done things. Perhaps you are in the same situation?

What if there was the option to start and keep going? That's where the Business Planning Cookbook comes in. Angela Pointon of Steel Toe Images and Zach Prez of Photography Spark, two people I hold in high regard for their long history in helping photographers and business acumen, have teamed up to bring us a new and necessary resource for photographers who are serious about staying the course.

They begin with an exercise in defining your vision. Get the free PDF that walks you through your business vision statement. This resource also gives you an idea of what to expect in the Business Planning Cookbook; worksheets and videos to guide you every step of the way.

Here's what you receive when you buy Business Planning Cookbook:

Goal-setting guidance and direction for building targets for your business you’ll be motivated to hit

A crash course in writing a vision statement — one that challenges you to think bigger, reach higher, and achieve greater success

Serious focus to the business objectives and tasks that matter, reducing the distracting, ineffective stuff most photographers waste time on

A killer, proven formula for determining which marketing channels will work and inspiration for rocking your marketing and sales

A simple guide to financial goals and predictions that anyone can use to plan out their revenue and income, even if numbers aren’t your thing

Confused about how to run your business, stressed out about money or anxious about when the next client will come walking through the door? Consider buying the Business Planning Cookbook today.

Special bonuses when you decide to invest in your business:

12 videos to expand on key business topics

10 worksheets to help you brainstorm, plan, and practice the lessons

Exclusive business planning community membership, led by Angela & Zach

It's on sale through May 20th for only $79. Isn't peace of mind worth that small price? Price bumps up to $99 after that date.

I posted the sales link to Salesographer on Facebook a few days ago and one photographer who took me up on it said this:

Hi Seshu, I followed your link to Salesographer. Bought it and really like his straight forward approach to pricing and sales!

You are probably wondering what Salesographer is all about. Fair question!

“Salesographer is a pricing and profit-boosting sales strategy for photographers lacking the cash flow mojo. You will learn pure, not-from-concentrate sales & pricing education that will take you step-by-step on how to price, present, and sell your photography, without feeling like a salesman.”

Yep, that's straight from the Salesographer website. I couldn't say it any more simply so I figured I would just quote from it.

This guide and set of step-by-step helpful videos were initially produced by Spencer Boerup (who went on to become the genius behind MagMod). Chris and Adrienne Scott, the folks behind the incredible Preveal iPad application bought Salesographer a few months ago from Spencer, as it complements their original mission to empower wedding and portrait photographers make a sustainable living through tools, applications and now resources.

One photographer asked me: “Have you used this Seshu? Did it change your business dramatically?”

Again, a fair question. Whether Salesographer is $74 (as it will be till April 28th, Monday evening) or $349, when it was first offered by Spencer, one absolutely needs to know whether a product, service or resource is going to help our bottom line.

So here is my response to that photographer:

“Yes, I have used it. I have adapted a great many of the steps included in this guide to make it my own process. In my experience, there is no cookie-cutter solution out there. One absolutely must adapt it one's unique business condition. What Salesographer does is give you a great foundation to begin to do just that. Also, I wouldn't be promoting it if I didn't believe strongly in this resource for photographers.”

My recommendation? Buy it before Monday and save some money. Read the guide. Watch the videos. Take notes. Put it all into action and then make a decision. If you are actively working as a photographer, you shouldn't have any trouble seeing whether this works for you or not. The Scotts are also offering a 30-day money back guarantee.

When you buy Salesographer now you'll receive:

90 minutes of video education

an e-book guide

access to a private community to discuss the teachings

a $50 gift card from ProDPI (the best printing lab I know)

a custom pricing sheet

a sales & order form that you can customize and use with your clients

a consultation form that you can customize and use with your clients

All this for $74? I think that's an incredible deal that you can't afford to pass up.

Give it a shot before April 28th because I know you are a savvy photographer who seizes opportunities like this to run your business.

If you have any questions, please holler below. I am happy to answer them to the best of my ability or ask Chris Scott to chime in. How does that sound to you?

I am thrilled to announce a new partnership between Tiffinbox and Inspire Photo Retreats.

After attending the annual gathering for the last three or four years, I was impressed by how and why the organizers emphasize fostering a community of photographers. Indeed, the very idea of working together came about because it was clear to me that Inspire's vision matched that of Tiffinbox; to inspire photographers by elevating their craft and business skills through education, practice and honest feedback.

What is Inspire?

Inspire is a retreat-style conference for professional wedding and portrait photographers. The conference is comprised of sessions on a variety of subjects, from business practices to shooting techniques, to artistry and personal vision. Inspire retreats are structured to enhance opportunities to foster deep relationships with other attendees, build community, and create a culture of ongoing peer-to-peer mentoring and support in our industry.

Inspire's Mission:

The Mission of Inspire is to invigorate photographers of any level with vision, ideas, and a community of support through intensive workshops focusing on vision, craft, and business.

The next Inspire Photo Retreats takes place in Portland, Maine, from February 9th through February 11th, 2015. Some of the speakers have already been announced. If you would like to submit a proposal to speak at Inspire, do so before the deadline on May 9th.

Curious to know what the Inspire Photo Retreats feel like? Check out these videos from 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.

And, lastly, here is a slideshow of images by Kate McElwee, an awesome Boston wedding photographer.

What Can You Expect?

At past Inspire gatherings, I have really enjoyed speaking with the organizers and speakers who put their heart and soul into this intimate gathering. It struck me that we should record our conversations and make them available to you. So, while we are working on a slew of neat surprises between now and February 2015, I hope to part the curtain a bit through a series of co-branded interviews.

These short clips will give you a chance to better understand how you too can be a part of this inclusive annual gathering. I hope you will join me and Inspire Photo Retreats on this journey to improve your/our photography craft and photography business in a radically new way. For good measure, bookmark and visit the Inspire Photo Retreats blog as well so you don't miss anything.

Also, if you are an Inspire alum or considering attending in 2015, please sign up for my weekly newsletter in the blue box above! I have begun canvassing deep discounts on high-quality photography products and or services, just for photographers like you. Right now, the second you opt-in, you'll see a special 25% off code for Zack Arias' OneLight 2.0 lighting workshop. Look out for other such offers in your inbox!