Through a Digital Wedding Forum I came to a useful link about insurance for photographers:
An Insurance Primer for Photographers

since the last time I wrote here. I am sorry.
Recently I was trying to organize some stuff and start the wedding photography business. To do so, I've bought a few books about Business Plan and Marketing. My business plan is still waiting for my attention, meanwhile I am reading about marketing. There are a few books that I think of great interest for those like me (trying to start a new small business).
Here are the links on Amazon:

• The Brand Called You: The Ultimate Brand-Building and Business Development Handbook to Transform Anyone into an Indispensable Personal Brand
  I find the book is very valueable and interesting to read. It tells you how to sell yourself instead of the product or service. Such approach is very useful for small businesses, which are operated by a single person (well maybe with a few employees)
• Professional Marketing & Selling Techniques for Wedding Photographers
  This book will tell you how to run a successful photography studio (oriented for wedding photographers as you see). There are numerous advices on prices, marketing strategy and other techniques.
• Photographer's Guide to Wedding Album Design and Sales
  I thought, in this book I would find detailed explanation how to create a wedding album. But instead I learned how better sell and present the albums, what kind of albums the professional photographers suggest to produce.
• The Art of Wedding Photography: Professional Techniques with Style
  Very inspirational book. Maybe somewhat general, but it will be helpfull to grasp the idea about the wedding photography and understand some of the obligations the photographer should fulfill.
• Power Marketing for Wedding and Portrait PhotographersIt was one of my first books I read about marketing, and, frabkly, it opened my eyes on what the marketing is about and how many mistake people out there (you could count me in).

The are a few books that are waiting to be ordered or read:

• Endless Referrals: Network Your Everyday Contacts Into Sales
• Marketing Without Advertising: Inspire Customers to Rave About Your Business to Create Lasting Success
• Drive a Modest Car & 16 Other Keys to Small Business Success

A corporation, chartered by the state in which it is headquartered, is considered by law to be a unique entity, separate and apart from those who own it. A corporation can be taxed; it can be sued; it can enter into contractual agreements. The owners of a corporation are its shareholders. The shareholders elect a board of directors to oversee the major policies and decisions. The corporation has a life of its own and does not dissolve when ownership changes. See next page.

Pages: 1 2 3

There are several choices to consider when selecting the type of your business. There are two types of corporations: "C" Corporation and "S" Corporation; then there are Partnership. Limited Liability Company and Sole-Proprietorship:

Pages: 1 2 3 4

I had the idea for several month, but there was some resistance to put much effort into it and the thought that actually doing photography as a business will kill the pleasure I have from doing it. So the my way to the business was slow, but yesterday I decided to get a tighter grip on the idea and start doing something in this direction.
My first step was to plan the whole thing, which lead me to creating a business plan. I searched the internet and found several resources to learn about the beast:

• Small Business Administration
• Small Business and Self-Employed One-Stop Resource (IRS) - added
• Business in DC (Washington DC government website) - added
• Dan Heller's Business Articles
• "Focus on Profit" Book and PhotoByte Software
• The Business of Photography - list of interesting books
• Business Articles on NYIP
• The Photographer's Guide to Marketing and Self-Promotion
• Sales and Marketing Articles
• Starting a Home Based Business - articles
• Sample Business Plan for Photography related business

Well, I am just on the second page of my business plan. I will post more of the ideas and thoughts on the topic. I better get back to writing the business plan ;)