Charles Lewis - Does He EXIST?

[maderemark]

Many of you know of Charles Lewis - the sales/marketing guru for professional photographers for several years.

He teaches the importance of having a website that is search engine optimized. Curiously, I Googled "Charles Lewis Photography" and all that comes up are pages promoting his sales/marketing materials to photographers. I can't find his website that markets to prospective wedding and portrait clients. I would think that that would be search engine optimized as well! Does anyone know what the URL is to that site?

Thanks,

Mark Madere

[Jerry Skrocki]

I checked out the website you mentioned and it is one the sleaziest looking sites that I encountered. I would not buy anything from this man and have never heard of him. It appears he makes money by selling how to tips and not from his photography.

There is an old quote from George Bernard Shaw that states:

"He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches"- Man and Superman (1903) "Maxims for Revolutionists"

Jerry

[jeffcable]

Originally Posted by maderemark

He teaches the importance of having a website that is search engine optimized.

Who doesn't?
SEO is a lucrative scam (business?) and to climb the page rankings in Google, you have to consider what creates interest in your web site.

To put it simply... sadly, it is not your site content that matters (in many cases) but how many links you make with other well-visited sites and how many times that site will reciprocate. Can one climb the page rankings? Yes if you have unique content, which almost all of us do not, and can link to well visited sites so that every visit to the busy site, will net you a visit by extension if you have mutual site links.

Otherwise steer clear of making large payments to anyone claiming they can improve your SEO because it will, generally speaking, not make much difference to you. Having a page ranking of 2,485,916.284 is just as bad (effectively) as having a page ranking somewhere down in the hojillions. YMMV... but not by very much.

[DougAxford]

I've met Charles Lewis, probably back in the '80s - last century. His photo makes that obvious.

He is/was one of the premium speakers on the circuit and I certainly remember being inspired by his business expertise. No idea of his studio web page but if you're in PPA, they will have it in their listings. My guess is that he prefers to sell his knowledge rather than his photography at this stage in life. Can't say that I blame him.

I've got a whole lesson I bought on web page optimization from ebay. Unfortunately, I can find the print-out but not the original file. Try a google search or wiki for info., lots of info everywhere.

[Ed Gerson]

Charles Lewis was/is very well known. He was a highly emotional speaker to put it mildly! Let's just say you'd best have decaffeinated coffee before the morning class.

He was legit, a bit bizarre in his enthusiasm, not my piece of cake, but he was one of your 80's motivational guys and he actually did some very nice photography as well. Remember the 80's? "I'm putting your money into my pocket where it so rightly belongs?"

[maderemark]

I e-mailed Mr. Lewis my question about why I couldn't find his studio website. His reply follows:

Hi Mark,

Thanks for your question about looking for my studio website.

I no longer have an active website for the studio - I am in the great position to be only working with my VIP's now. That's what happens if you do the right marketing for over 30 years - you can end up just working with people who you have worked with before! It's great!

[DougAxford]

That sounds exactly like the reply I would expect. I recall he was a big proponent of maxing sales from minimal client base. Not so bad an idea as long as the clients don't die before you do.

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