Ideas to Start a Successful Online Digital Photography Business

If you have the knack of originality and a proficient hand at handling digital equipments, starting your own photography business would not be a mean feat for you. However, possessing excellent technical and photography skills do not qualify you as a business person capable of sustaining your own photography business. To commence your own new business successfully, you need to have prior knowledge on the legal, financial and management aspects of it. Here are a few tips on starting your new photography business.Learn the kind of photography you would like to specialize in: Understanding your skills and knack is the first important step towards initializing a new business as the field of photography is wide and replete with competitive players. In the field you would meet myriad freelancers working for dailies, weekly supplements earning a handful of 5,000 $ per day. So, realize what kind of activity you want to indulge into. Assignment photography is quite a popular pick by fresher as this type is commissioned by a client. The job includes taking pictures for advertising their products, covering weddings, functions and events etc. Stock photography, on the other hand is opted by several photographers contemplating to make a living out of selling their clicked pictures. These stock photography web sites offer platforms to photographers to market their art work to a wide range of potential online consumers. Photographers get paid some fixed commission amount at every download.Scribble your photography business plan: This is the second step to establishing a successful business. This plan will serve as a road map essential for directing your start-up and business evolving needs. In the plan, try to analyze your financial requirements for starting your business; learn the parameters of your resources, marketing strategies that would lead you to learn the financial standing of your business. As you go further in your photography business, this plan would be your check mark to remind you of the progress of the path you had planned before getting started with the business.Open an account for your new business: Another step is to visit your bank and ask them to open a new checking account pertaining to your business. This is done to avoid intermixing of your personal account with your business account. Deposit the amount / capital you have saved into that account and once the account is established, use the amount to invest in your business. It is advisable to accrue a separate credit card for your business and do not make your personal purchasing from it.Get your photography business set-up insured: This is the most imperative step towards starting a new business. You must sort ways to secure your establishment, regardless of its size right at the stage of commencing it. Most of the photographers derive benefits from the clauses mentioned in liability insurance, especially those who have clients paying visits to their studios. This insurance will offer you protection in case, your studio gets affected or you incur an injury.If you would like to learn more about how to start a photography business and need a digital photography business plan, then make sure that you read this online photography business free report written by Dan Feildman, that will literally show you step by step just how anybody really can start a successful home photography business.

The Value of Higher Education

Have you ever thought about why saving for their children’s college education is such an important part of every parent’s financial plans? Why do so many of them take heavy loans just to put their kids through college?

It’s understandable that parents do it because they have the best interests of their children at heart. They want to see their children succeed in life, and consider a college education fundamental to that success.

But why does our government give out so much money every year in financial aid for college students? How do they possibly benefit from spending billions of dollars in grants, scholarships, and loans, for something that seems to contribute just to an individual’s personal development?

It’s because the value of higher education goes far beyond personal benefits. In addition to contributing to a person’s individual development, higher education also helps in nation building.

According to a study conducted by College Board in 2004 on trends in higher education, college has both individual and societal benefits. Unfortunately, not enough effort has been made to spread awareness about the value of higher education to the society at large.

Benefits of Higher Education: Individual and Societal

The debate about the value of higher education is probably as old as college itself. We have all had animated living-room and classroom discussions about the benefits of higher education to us as individuals. So, in addition to the personal benefits that college has for individuals, it’s important to also focus on the societal benefits of higher education.

For an individual, college education has the potential to impact her personal, professional, financial, and social well-being. Study after study has been conducted to demonstrate that higher education can lead to higher earnings.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), in its 2010 survey, established that professionals with some sort of college education have higher weekly earnings as compared to those who have no post-secondary education. In fact, the higher an individuals level of education, the higher his income. Naturally,

professional or graduate degree programs have higher earning potential as compared to bachelor’s or associate’s programs.

In terms of employment opportunities, college graduates also generally fare much better than their high school counterparts. The DOL survey showed an inverse relationship between higher education and unemployment rates. The rate of unemployment among high school graduates was 10.3 percent in 2010, as compared to just 5.4 percent among those who held a bachelor’s degree, and 4 percent among those who had completed graduate degree programs. (1)

Not just the

number of employment opportunities, but even the nature of jobs available to individuals improves with college education. A number of white-collar jobs, even entry-level ones, are available to college graduates only. Those with no post-secondary education, on the other hand, may get stuck in an endless cycle of minimum wage and low-skill jobs.

On a personal level, college education can build self-confidence and enhance an individual’s position in her community. Plus, some of the bonds formed in college can last a lifetime and can contribute to a person’s overall happiness quotient.

As for the societal benefits of higher education, some of the facts revealed by the College Board study may actually come as a surprise.

Because college education can lead to lower levels of unemployment and poverty, it can result in higher tax revenues and lower dependence on social benefits.
Those who go to college are believed to be better members of society, which is demonstrated by their contributions to their community through volunteer work, blood donation, voting in elections, etc.
College graduates are also less likely to be perpetrators of crime and have lower incarceration rates as compared to those who have never been to college.
And finally, believe it or not, college education leads to lower smoking rates. That may be because college grads have a higher sense of personal health and well-being.

Why Travel Agents & Tour Operators Need To Focus On Authentic Local Experiences To Stay Competitive

The major elements comprising the generic destination competitiveness model helps to identify the key success factors of destination marketing. Among the many approximate set of indicators used to determine destination competitiveness, local experiences is one of the key points. Elaborate empirical as well as conceptual research points out the relative strengths and weaknesses of different tourism destinations, which can then be used to study the impact of local experiences on the travelers and vice versa.

The discerning travelers of today’s world love exploring unique experiences each destination has to offer and go much beyond staying in the top suite of hotels. Choosing the best dining options and spas has otherwise become passe. No online portal can take you to the hidden nuggets of the destination except the native folks. So, to match up with the millennials’ definition of travel, you need to indulge with the locals which is way beyond any packaged holiday or cookie-cutter options.

Blurring the borders of traditional definition of travel
It’s important for Travel Agents to realize that selling travel is actually selling happiness. Imbuing travel goals based on interaction with local people makes travel more meaningful than ever. Authenticity, simplicity, and culture are the new watchwords driving the growth of the travel tourism sector internationally. The evolution of the whole new travel genre is based entirely on indulging in local experiences. It is not about the best luxury experience but the intrinsic local touch will definitely add magic to the holiday memory. Remember that the most valued luxury is experience.

Present-day culture travelers have moved beyond the familiar environs and revel in the experience in itself. Clearly enough, tourists that like to break the mold are more interactive with local residents. This paradigm shift has not however, completely caught up with everyone yet. The focus of investments still remains on the traditional tourism-related components.

To create a layered travel experience, the hospitality industry is gradually promoting themselves as the portals for the local community. Although that might not be a necessity but local experience will definitely give a competitive advantage.

Blending national culture and heritage into luxury travel tours need careful planning and is bound to enhance tourist’s experience. Getting certified from the government tourism policies which include inter-cultural education policy helps to makes the travel agents’ outset more impressive.

Counter homogenization of the travel experience is the new clause of the tourism authorities. Embracing local cultural tourism will have an impressive lasting impact on travelers with like-minded outlook. Traditional vertical distribution chains among the travel providers has given way to complex value chains and thus in this increasingly competitive marketplace, providers need to seize every opportunity for competitive advantage. Collaborative advantage through local and government partnership is thus a new norm. Local culture and society has become an essential part of tourism value chain. The integrated inter-relationships between travel and other socio-economic sectors are now conceived as a ‘value network’.

Promoting Local Cuisine
Sustainable tourism, which is tantamount to responsible tourism, has been a major concern in the travel industry for the past couple of years. Experiencing the local culture largely contours around the traditional gourmet industry. Trying traditional food completes the cultural experience of the place. Talking of the economic aspect, if you are eating at McDonald’s, instead of benefiting the local community, a major chunk of it leaves the local socio-economic circle. The international traveler’s gang consist majorly the Western tourists and without much doubt, the need for Western food is always higher than the local recipes.

While traveling for a single night’s stay, people might think it not important enough to connect to the local traditions. However, pennies in the pocket of the local cuisine industry help to uplift the local tourism industry on a larger picture. Walking into a McDonald’s or a KFC might fill your tummy but will neither add to the local tourism sector nor enhance your experience. For instance, Vietnamese pho is now a big pull for travelers in Vietnam and when in Costa Rica, do not miss gallo pinto. Building connections with the local folks is not always the only token you get in return but you actually help to build a perception about your nationality as a whole. A country’s heritage is strongly rooted within the memories of the local people and as the old folks say, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!

Experiential travel – creating a deeper connect
The demand for ‘experiential travel’ is arguably the most significant as well as systematic trend in worldwide tourism. The term typically defines immersive, authentic, local, and more active travel trend. While some travel enthusiasts would like to argue that travel is inherently ‘experiential’ by nature and that the term is overused, the idea is to make it more mainstream. Travel consumer attitude has varied wildly when it comes to local tourism and it is its degree of definition varies widely how the overall trend is approached.

On a deeper emotional and more personal level, people want to travel better at the end of the day. Growing numbers of travelers shying away from the traditional packaged travel brochure is definitely a valid evidence of how local experiences matter for the new age travelers.

Going Social
Relying on technology and global networks of small and individual travel providers, travel brands are offering more connected experiences. Almost infinite online matrix of social media networks keep us connected no matter where we travel. But ironically enough these social networks are gradually isolating people in real life than helping them make closer to human connections. The online sharing portal pair travelers with the local citizen network and offer experience to travel like local.

With packaged tourism losing its appeal among modern day travelers digs the question of what exactly is authentic travel. Consumer data might reveal a section of these answers but tracking social media will give an organic result. For travel brands targeting specific niches, evaluating and adapting to the changing travel behavior is much important.

Tech tools
Undoubtedly, the most influential and dependable tech tool for millennials is the smartphone. Mobile phone location technology has made connection right. On niche apps, review-stuffed maps by Google etc. have made planning for set-piece events easier than ever before. The transparency of peer-to-peer accommodation and transportation services like Airbnb and BlaBlaCar add to the authenticity of the travel experiences and their reviews. The underbelly of a place can only be offered by the natives of the place and thus creates difference in the authenticity of the travel experience.

Large industry players have also chosen to go down to local level. The Instagrammable ideas and images of the less explored destinations is fun in itself. With a series of themed guides and commissioned travel advice by savvy locals has found intense popularity amongst the new age travelers. The aim is for travelers to get a genuine local experience of the destination. Travel Companies can do well to follow the adage – Think global, act local!