Tracking Image Licenses
by Cradoc Bagshaw
In the middle of the last recession, I asked my friend, photography consultant Mary Virginia Swanson, how her clients were doing in the depressed economy. She shared there’s a group of photographers who typically do better than most. They’re the photographers who create clear, specific licenses for their clients and have a system of following up when the licenses expire.
By tracking image licenses these photographers have found that clients who wouldn’t at that time spend money on assignments were willing to pay renewal fees for work that they were already using.
The way images are used has changed in the last several years. In the past, you might have created ten images for use in a company brochure. Other than the image size, those images all had the same print run and license expiration date. That made the tracking of those ten images easy.
This is no longer the case. The older style licenses that were used in the past don’t accurately describe the new types of uses. Today those ten images might be used not only for a brochure but also on a website, for an annual report, a magazine ad and a trade show, all with different parameters.
Don’t leave money on the table!
The images you license now need to be tracked separately to describe those different parameters and expiration dates for each usage. If you don’t have a tracking system in place that does this, it could mean you’re leaving money on the table when these licenses expire and need to be renewed, or it may mean spending hours researching which of your licenses are about to expire.
Whether you use fotoBiz to create and track your licenses or have your own system, a clear and specific license and timely follow-up of expiring licenses will help you avoid misunderstandings with your clients and help you profit for the work that you do.
Tracking image licenses in fotoBiz X
Here is a license from the new fotoBiz X showing a single image. Multiple images would be listed in the same way on the license, each with their own specific parameters:
For a quick tutorial on license tracking in fotoBiz X click here.
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About fotoBiz X
Cradoc fotoSoftware’s fotoBiz® X is the most comprehensive, powerful, and easy to use photo business management software available for your stock and assignment photography estimating and billing needs.
“I am very impressed with all the little things that I have missed with other programs that say to me you are listening to our needs.”
~ Steven Widoff – Photographer, FL
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