If you want to be successful there is one thing that you must do…never stop learning.  

I am an admitted magazine junkie.  I have collected magazines since I was a kid so this list is by no means the be all end all, but each one has proved helpful to us in building our business in one way or another.  And the best part is you don’t have to subscribe to all of them.  We hit the book store on a regular basis just to drink coffee and read magazines.  We go with a notebook and pen so we can take notes on anything that stands out in the magazines we stack on our table.  Here’s our must read magazine list for the event videographer:

1.  Grace Ormonde Wedding Style.   This magazine is one of the best wedding magazines on the rack.  If you are looking for the latest trends in high-end weddings, this is the place to find them.  This magazine is also a great source for branding ideas as well as a useful resource for locating high-end vendors with whom you want to be associated.  Shoot them an email and introduce yourself!

2.  EventDV.  This magazine is definitely the best source of info for the event videographer.  It keeps its readers up to date on the latest trends & givess practical how-to tutorials on everything from graphics to audio.  In one of the most anticipated announcements, EventDV names the top 25 event videographers in the world every year.  These are some of the studios to watch for inspiration!

3.  Wired.  Not only is this magazine rich in stuff that makes the tech geek in me all warm and fuzzy, but the layouts in this magazine are so different from anything I’ve ever seen.  They took the mold and broke it – we can really learn from this.  What rules are you following, and why???

4.  Inc.  This magazine takes a young and modern approach to entrepreneurship.  They offer practical advice and highlight success stories and they do so in some pretty hip layouts as well. 

Here is a list of books that have greatly contributed to the success of our company. 

1.  Do You! 12 Laws to Access the Power in You to Achieve Happiness and Success by Russell Simmons

2.  Purple Cow by Seth Godin.  If you read only 1 book for the rest of your business-life, make it this one.  It’s that good.  Actually all his books are that good, so make the time and invest in your business brain.  Oh, and his blog is filled with some real make-you-think content. 

Here are some highlights from another one of his books “Meatball Sundae: Is your marketing out of sync?” 

“YouTube now carries more than 7 million videos.  Though the average length of a video on the site is about five minutes, most videos are watched for less than 10 seconds.  Ten seconds is all you get to prove whether the viewer ought to invest another ten seconds, and if you get someone to stick until the end, you’ve hit a home run.  With 7 million to choose from, there’s not alot of reason to persist through something that’s not engaging.

This rapid fire approach to media is important even if you’re not a media company.  It means that the personality of your product on the shelf matters.  It means that every interaction with a consumer is a make-or-break proposition.  You don’t get the chance for a learning curve.  You don’t get the opportunity to have the user overcome initial discomfort.”

4.  The Martha Rules by Martha Stewart

Martha Rule #9 Take Risks, Not Chances.   

“In business, there’s a difference between a risk and a chance.  A well-calculated risk may very well end up as an investment in your business.  A careless chance can cause it to crumble.  And when opportunity presents itself, never assume it will be your last.”

5.   ZAG: The Number One Strategy of High Performance Brands by Marty Neumeier

“An overabundance of look-alike products and me-too services is forcing customers to search for something, anything, to help them separate the winners from the clutter.  The solution? When everybody zigs, zag.”

6. Think Big and Kick Ass in Business and in Life by Donald Trump

“No matter what you do, think big.  Thinking big is the driving force that has forged all the great achievements in modern life…I believe that if you focus on the top, you will get there.”

I’m sure that there are a ton of other mags and books that have helped all of you out in the past.  Leave a comment for us and let us know your must read list!

Oh…big news!  We are restructuring and changing our name from Fairytale Productions to ftpweddings!  You heard it here first! 

Jen & Liz, FTP