Robert Catto is a very inspiring and successful man. It was fascinating hearing his story of coming to Sydney and not knowing anyone – to cracking the market as a Performing Arts Photographer. He rocks!
I was very lucky to recently speak to the Australian Commercial + Media Photographers Association (ACMP) on “Sales & Marketing just for photographers”. They were an amazing group of kind people and I have already had some great follow up meetings and I have found them very inspiring.
Today, I was lucky to meet with Robert Catto who is a photographer that specializes in the Performing Arts space. He is a Canadian, that lived in New Zealand for a long time and if I remember correctly – he came to Sydney about 5 – 6 years ago. Robert is one of the Board Members of ACMP helping out other photographers succeed. ** Correction Note: Robert has been in Australia for only 2 years. Makes this story even more powerful!
What I found very impressive about Robert Catto is the space he has carved out a speciality in. I know the “Performing Arts” space and it’s a particular type of area that getting any form of traction in is hard!
Having once arrived in Sydney myself once and not knowing anyone at all, I was very lucky to have the 4Networking Australia Community help me carve out a place for myself in this awesome Town.
For Robert, I was very amazed how he broke into the Sydney market in this area. I can relate too, when I first arrived in this town (like anyone in a new city) – breaking into the market can be one of the purely hardest things that we can do. As I sat down, I asked him straight up:
– Robert, how on earth did you break into the market being an outsider?
Robert is a very cool & expressive type of man with a heart of gold. You can tell him pull back when I asked the question. He was obviously looking within (as I don’t think he has been asked that before) and he gave a very potent and intelligent answer.
– I was able to work my Partners Contacts in that area!
He got some introductions, made contact with lots of people, didn’t go in cold or anything like that and he also told me of a “Marketing Consultant” in that space he met years ago. He once met that person for a coffee and it was his big break. That awesome Marketer (whoever they were I have utmost respect for them) gave him a stack of contacts.
Robert then leveraged those contacts and got into the industry and made tons of great connections and the rest is history.
I quite like this story as a glance at Robert will tell you he is a successful man. It’s also so simple. No websites, Facebook, LinkedIn, Email Marketing – done the real way, “The Old Fashioned Way!” ** Post Addition: He did have a website and all things helped. But Personal Relationships trumped it.
My advice and thinking? Look at Robert’s story and realize that any fancy Social Media Platform can’t replace business relationships. Anyone can do it, with a bit of gusto & drive!
** Post Addition from Robert: To learn more about Awesome Robert & ACMP, visit >> His Awesome Website Here and the >> ACMP Wesbite Right Here!
Love your work, thank you to Robert and have a great one awesome people!
About the Inspired Author:
Edward Zia is a Marketing Mentor and Commentator who is greatly inspired by Entrepreneurs like Robert Catto. He loves helping Small Business Owners master their Sales & Marketing – and to learn more, check out his website and also his Premium Online Course “The Awesome Marketing Vault by Edward Zia” >> Here!
4 Responses
A man I can relate to! Breaking into any new situation isn’t about hiding behind a social media profile, it is all about getting out there and meeting people face to face, calling and getting yourself connected! You wouldnt tell a child to make friends by sitting at home, you would socialise them, take them to clubs, take them to the playground, show them how to communicate and build friendships. Same principle in business in my opinion. Great article Ed 🙂
Thank you Susie! Robert Catto is one inspirational operator and do what he has done too in only 2 years. Impressive I tell you! Very lucky to know him and connect with him. I was the same! I came to Sydney on my own to start again – so know the feeling. Us Ex-Pats huh? x x
Thanks Susie, and thanks Edward for the article!
Good point about making friends sitting at home, that’s certainly no way to do it – but social media does help maintain connections with people (here, and overseas) through the little comments & tweets you make on a daily basis. I do feel like those small interactions, even electronic ones, add up over time.
In some ways, it’s especially good for sole traders – if you work by yourself most of the time, you can almost forget how to chat with people! But nothing beats actually meeting up with someone in person, does it.
It’s funny reading Edward’s impression of meeting with me, I guess I’m one of those people who always looks ahead to the next stage of my work, never feeling like I’ve achieved quite enough yet – so it’s good to look back on how far I have actually come in the last two years! Not bad, I guess – but there’s always more to be done!
R
That is cool Robert and love your work. You may not feel it, but I can tell you one thing – you have achieved more than most in 2 years. Trust me on this one. I work with hundreds and I see the lot!