Cheap Eats at WPPI

Since the last time I blogged a lot has changed at the MGM and areas surrounding it so I thought I'd update the cheap eats thread as quite a few of you said that you referred to it when going to WPPI in the past :)

My mind has still yet to grasp how expensive food is in Vegas. I always had this thing in my head where it was soooo cheap to eat at and you got massive steaks for $10 and it was a happy place for food lovers. It is a fantastic place for food lovers but I found out quickly that it'll cost you!

First I recommend that you read the first post and still listen to everything up to the places at MGM. I still find the best way to eat cheaply is to hit a grocery store and pick up some snacks or even hit a nearby convenience store (near M&M world) and pick up some snacks, water and soda to lighten the costs for when you just want a snack or something to drink. It's crazy how vastly the difference in cost is for a bag of chips at the MGM vs. a store! Make sure to take those snacks with you in a bag when over at the convention center so that you aren't tempted by their food carts. They may look good but they are NOT cheap. I think my husband is still recovering from the shock of those prices!

Cheap Eats at MGM Grand

Sadly, the card that was AMAZING that we got the first year at WPPI that got you buy one get one free at almost every place you went is now gone (restaurants AND bars). The card you get now is not nearly so awesome. Generally it makes you eligible for a few restaurants for a prixe fixe menu and a few bars for certain drinks. The only deal I found worth it last year was a cheaper rate for the buffet. Just thought I would make sure to let people know who knew about/read about the original discount card and were banking on that awesome deal. Diego also no longer does lunches and I'm VERY sad about this because that was my favorite place for lunch!

The food court within the MGM is the obvious place to start for a quick and relatively cheap bite to eat. The food court has changed a bit since 2009. Inside the food court you will find: Haagen-Dazs, Nathan's, McDonald's, Bonanno's Pizzeria, Starbucks and Asian Fresh. Everyone was swooning over Asian Fresh last year saying how amazing it was but keep in mind it is not crazy cheap and the food does take a bit of time to make. Avoid the "lunching hour" if you can (11:30-1:00) to avoid the lines and waits. There is also an Auntie Anne's

Also note, while not a deal if you want your morning Starbucks keep in mind EVERYONE does too. The one by the food court is generally the most busy with the one in The Signature picking up behind as staying there has became more popular. You MUST try a TopPot donut if they have them still, they are divine and featured on a ton of food shows. Yum. If you want the shortest line hit up the Starbucks at the "front" of the MGM near the Rainforest Cafe/West Wing. You may think it's a waste of time to walk that way but last year we saw that line, went to the other Starbucks and walked back and the people that would have been ahead of us were still waiting. Insane!

If you want a step above fast food but don't want to go as crazy as Craftsteak, hit up either the buffet (with the discount card it's not much more than McDonalds!), Studio Cafe, Stage Deli, Delights (located in The Signature - my personal favorite cheap-ish eat!), 'witchcraft, or Rainforest Cafe. Here's a tip - if you hit the buffet near the switch over time from one meal to the next (breakfast is best) you get in for a cheaper rate and can then enjoy both meals. Yes, I know this sounds horribly tacky but when you are pinching pennies every penny counts!

Cheap Eats Nearby

There are quite a few options within walking distance of the MGM that are also pretty tasty and on the cheaper side of things. My favorite is still the pizza over at NYNY but now it is called New York Pizzeria. I have tried it since they changed from Sirricos and it is still delicious and open late (1am on weeknights, 4am on weekends).

There is also nearby food courts. The one at Showcase Mall includes Wendy's, Subway, Del Taco, Noble Romans, Panda Express, Weinerschnitzel, Dreyer's Ice Cream and Duffy's Fish Fry. In the same building is a Hard Rock Cafe along with Denny's if you want something a tinge more formal but not expensive. Over at Excalibur you will find Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Krispy Kreme, Popcornopolis, Cold Stone Creamery, McDonald's, Quiznos, Pizza Hut Express and Manchu Wok. Also at Excalibur you will also find Baja Fresh outside of the food court.

Finally, there is the very well known Hooters across the street which I've heard is good but have yet to eat at. They are also open quite late - no end time is listed on their website so just buzz over and find out (directly across the street from the lobby of MGM). They also have a few cheap eats here as well including the Mad Onion which DOES have the mythical $10 steak (prime rib) as well as .25¢ wings after midnight. It's also open 24/7!

Do you have any tips on food for WPPI?

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

It's Not the Economy, It's You - How To Get Unstuck

It's easy to blame the economy when things are going tough.  However, the fact is that there are still people who survive and thrive no matter what the economic circumstances are.  How do they do it?  They revisit, rework, and retool their strategy to fit the changes happening around them.

If you're feeling like you're in a slump, it's because you're resisting changes you need to make, or you're unable to identify where you have opportunities for change.  

If you're resisting change, than you have already identified what change is needed- but now you need to have an honest conversation with yourself (or your business mentor) about why you aren't motivated to make the changes you know will help your business.  However, if you're simply at a loss for ideas to make changes, here are several ways to change and rework your business:

• Service Offerings
• Product Offerings
• Overhead Costs
• Workflow Systems
• Marketing Plan
• Budgeting

Do any of the items above stand out as something you've been neglecting or know needs improvement?  If so, than you know where you need to focus your energy already.  Below I've provided some basic ideas about how to create change in these areas.  This is in no way an exhaustive or complete list of possibilities, but merely a sample of things I've seen work in various businesses that I've worked with.  As you read these, see which one(s) stand out to you as something you need to do and write them down in a list.  I'll share what to do with your list after you've read through them:

SERVICE OFFERINGS

• Change business hours to provide added convenience to clients
• Offer smaller introductory services to allow more people to develop a relationship with your company 
• Pair down services to focus business strategies, or expand services to reach new markets

PRODUCT OFFERINGS

• Simplify your product line to make client decisions easier and to streamline production time
• Expand your product line to offer more customizable, unique, or affordable products for clients
• Eliminate outdated products and introduce innovative products

OVERHEAD COSTS

• Eliminate unused or underutilized assets and services with recurring costs
• Let go of unproductive employees to make room for highly skilled and motivated ones
• Invest in assets or property that will produce ongoing income

WORKFLOW SYSTEMS

• Find automated solutions for common repetitive tasks
• Outsource production or administrative work that is easily reproduced by others
• Streamline workflow process and production schedules to be more efficient

MARKETING PLAN

• Create an annual marketing schedule for promotions, social media communication, and newsletter updates
• Analyze return from previous marketing efforts and eliminate those which do not produce income or measurable results
• Identify strategic relationships with other brands for partnership marketing opportunities

BUDGETING

• Analyze spending habits to get a clear picture of where money is going and when- use this information to create a month to month budget for spending
• Create an annual budget for marketing, equipment, supplies, overhead, labor, etc. to find opportunities to cut back spending or to eliminate unnecessary upgrades
• Work with an accountant or bookkeeper to help you gain control of the numbers and to keep you financially organized

It would be impossible to do all of these at once, so once you've established a list of the things you feel your business needs, prioritize it from most needed to least needed changes.  The key is to pick just ONE thing you want to focus on changing at a time.  Make that change before moving on to the next.  By making one change at a time, you can give each change your full attention.  Once you've completed a change that benefits your clients, spread the news to reinvigorate your brand and demonstrate growth.  Growth and change attracts positive attention and forward momentum, both of which are great for attracting new business!

Once you know what you're going to start working on first, get additional ideas from PhotoLovecat.com by clicking on a category keyword listed on the right of this blog, or try the search box at the top left of the blog for more posts and ideas.

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business.  She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems.  Follow her on Twitter or Facebook to see her daily adventures and thoughts.

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Thank you for your continued support!

Anne Ruthmann is a lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business.  She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems.  Follow her on Twitter to see her daily adventures and thoughts.

WPPI 2012

It's another year and another WPPI, who is going??? Personally, I'm still on the fence but haven't been counted out of the game yet. If you have attended in the past make sure to check your spam folder for a special discount code from WPPI for registration.

I am planning on doing another hotel post (was going to do it now but MGM's site is down!) and an update to cheap eats as the one from a few years ago is out of date... are there any other tips that you guys would like??? Let me know in the comments!!

Below is a review of past articles on PLC regarding WPPI.

WPPI PLC Post Round Up

How to Plan for a Great Tradeshow and Convention Experience

Review: WPPI 2010

Review: WPPI 2009
Survival Tips for WPPI
Tips & Tricks for the Tradeshow

What to Pack/Bring to WPPI

What to Wear to WPPI

COREY ANN

Corey Ann is a wedding & lifestyle photographer from North Canton, OH. She is a mix of everything - fashionista (runs Clothes for Pros, clothing suggestions for photographers), travel guru, deal hound and geek rolled into one. She's had a website online since 1997 and a blog since 1999. When not plotting world domination or her next trip, she can be found reading one of the 100+ books she reads a year. Follow her on Twitter.

Where to Find Great Free Photo Business Education

Learning about photography is often the work of amateur photographers, while learning how to run a business is often the work of professionals photographers. Unfortunately, no matter how creative you are, if you want to make a living from your photography, you must understand the business side as well as you understand the photography. For that reason, I'm pretty jazzed about some great and FREE opportunities to learn more about the business of professional photography. If being a professional photographer or working for yourself is one of your new year resolutions, than check out these great opportunities to learn for free:

1. CHASE JARVIS LIVE
This is one of my favorite new additions to the world of professional photography education. Chase Jarvis Live is sponsored by Polaroid, which means he doesn't have to charge you for the content he's creating. He's recorded live interviews and ARCHIVED them for your FREE viewing pleasure to revisit whenever you have time. I've seen three so far and I have to say it's well worth your time to sit down with some morning coffee once a week to check it out. What's great about Chase is that he pulls in people from outside of the photography world- people who approach business and entrepreneurship from many different perspectives. I'm confident you won't be disappointed and you'll learn at least one new thing from each episode, even if you've been in the business for a while. If I could give Chase an official Photo Lovecat stamp- I would, because he's nailed the lovecat way. Visit the link below to check out the series:
http://blog.chasejarvis.com/live/

2. THE JOY OF MARKETING
I went back and forth about including this as a resource because the free content is a marketing pull to bring you into paid content options, however, I figure you're a smart cookie and if you should be applying money to your credit cards instead of accumulating more debt, than you'll resist the temptation to get the paid content until your finances are in order. That being said, the FREE offerings are so good that I HAD to mention it. Solid, direct, concise material for building your business, your brand, and your marketing strategies. Way to go Sarah Petty! Most of the stuff that you might want to pay for is actually available for free during the "live events." So, watch out for those and put time aside in your calendar to keep the livecast on in the background while you edit. Sarah's program has been around for more than a year now, so there are some real gems that you can access right now on the website before the next live event. Check it out on:
http://www.thejoyofmarketing.com/free

3. PUG, SMUG, ASMP, AND MEET-UP
After moving my business three times, I can definitely say that meeting other photographers in your local area and developing a local support network of colleagues is a key to running a successful business. In the Boston area, we have a lot of photography and meet-up groups, each one with their own particular flavor. All of the ones I've mentioned are free to join and are worth investigating to find out what's available in your local area. Here's a way to figure out which one is best for you:

PUG Meetings- sponsored by Pictage but open to everyone, these are great for meeting your local wedding & portrait photography community, sharing business ideas, and connecting with other professional photographers for assisting or second shooting trades. Each local PUG has a different feeling and community, which you'll learn more about after visiting a couple times. If you're a wedding or portrait photographer, this is a great free resource and way to connect with other professionals in your area:
http://www.pictage.com/thephotolife/pugs

SMUG Meetings- sponsored by SmugMug and open to everyone, the SmugMug community is generally made of amateur, part-time, sports, and fine art photographers. Since I still have yet to attend one, I can only imagine that it's very similar to the PUG meetings in that it's a great place to connect with other like-minded photographers and to learn a little something new at each meeting. Here's a link to find Smugs in your area:
http://www.smugmug.com/smugs/info/

ASMP Meetings- the American Society of Media Photographers is generally geared toward established professional commercial photographers and photojournalists. Unlike PUGs and SMUGs, there is a fee to be a regular member of a local ASMP chapter (much like PPA), however it's minimal compared to other memberships and it generally includes perks and discounts that you wouldn't get otherwise. I included it on this list as a FREE resource because there are generally plenty of informal get-together events happening on a weekly or monthly basis where you can meet the group and find out if it's the right fit for you. Since many of these people are established professionals with strong opinions, tread lightly and figure out the personalities and politics before asking too many questions, but don't let that stop you from checking out whatever they have to offer for free. Find your closest chapter here:
http://asmp.org/chapters/your-local-chapter


Now that you're armed with some great options for improving your business in the next year- I hope you'll let us know what you've found useful and if there are any resources we should add to our list! Check out the ones we've already listed in the past as well:
MORE Great Photographer Resources

Anne Ruthmann is a documentary lifestyle & wedding photographer from Boston, MA. She spent 10 years practicing marketing & management in corporate and non-profit businesses before pursuing her passion for photography as an independent small business. She loves helping others find creative and low-cost solutions to business problems. Follow her on Twitter to see her daily adventures and thoughts.