Author Topic: What's the worst month of the year for sales - based on INCOME (Read 25967 times)

RacePhoto · « **on:** April 23, 2012, 15:24 »

Had to do this because it comes up every few months, and I always wondered, what month is it really? If you keep data, or have an opinion from memory, what month is your personal worst for income total?

ShadySue · « **Reply #1 on:** April 23, 2012, 17:46 »

No definite pattern.
Not counting my first full year: June; July & August equal; July; February (2011).

rubyroo · « **Reply #2 on:** April 23, 2012, 17:59 »

Every year, without fail, January is one big slump.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 23, 2012, 20:27 »

you should take away December

Microbius · « **Reply #4 on:** April 24, 2012, 03:15 »

December, see here:
http://www.microstockgroup.com/general-stock-discussion/seasonal-variations

traveler1116 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 24, 2012, 09:07 »

Who knows? I voted for April just because that was my lowest last year, this year it could be my best month ever.

JPSDK · « **Reply #6 on:** April 24, 2012, 09:22 »

July is the worst.
Due to all the vacations.
Graphic designers and picture buyers should never be on vacation.
They should work hard every day, so that I can go on vacation.

RacePhoto · « **Reply #7 on:** April 24, 2012, 11:11 »

Quote from: rubyroo on April 23, 2012, 17:59

Every year, without fail, January is one big slump.

Yes, I was trying not to sway any votes by posting my personal answer to start with, but looking back Jan. is my personal worst month. Maybe I need more Winter and Spring images.

Quote from: JPSDK on April 24, 2012, 09:22

July is the worst.
Due to all the vacations.

Looks that way doesn't it? Like there's a slow period mid-year.

Quote from: traveler1116 on April 24, 2012, 09:07

Who knows? I voted for April just because that was my lowest last year, this year it could be my best month ever.

Also true, Easter and other holidays.

I did flat out worst month ever in the last three years. It was easily half, of the next income month. But by next year, I doubt that any month will equal Jan. 2011 for worst month ever (adjusted by portfolio size) since I started.

I have dropped the other agencies except SS and IS (and their Sisters) and I make more every month than when I had everything spread out across ten places. Strange.

Interesting pattern emerging. Vacations make for slow sales?

Ed · « **Reply #8 on:** April 24, 2012, 14:01 »

This month has been absolutely brutal for me. Extremely slow at the micros and extremely slow at the trads. I think this is the slowest month I have EVER experienced.

I've licensed 15 images at all of the micros I submit to COMBINED...and not a single image licensed at any of my traditional agencies (a couple report quarterly so I'm holding out a little hope).

It's like I've fallen off the end of the earth. For the moment, I've stopped processing images and am concentrating on uploading to all agencies through the end of the month. This is insane.

cascoly · « **Reply #9 on:** April 24, 2012, 15:41 »

i just did my calcs and may & july come in as my lowest whehter looking at last 4 or 5 years. the numbers are hard to intepret though, since there's a steady background increase overall of 15-20% per year.

the 2 months are almost the same - 20% under average, but thwe poll only allows 1 vote

also, since ELs are extremely variable, those alone can throw off the entire calc - eg, i had a $300 EL last dec which makes Dec my best month

RacePhoto · « **Reply #10 on:** April 25, 2012, 13:41 »

Quote from: cascoly on April 24, 2012, 15:41

i just did my calcs and may & july come in as my lowest whehter looking at last 4 or 5 years. the numbers are hard to intepret though, since there's a steady background increase overall of 15-20% per year.

the 2 months are almost the same - 20% under average, but thwe poll only allows 1 vote

also, since ELs are extremely variable, those alone can throw off the entire calc - eg, i had a $300 EL last dec which makes Dec my best month

Yes, if the polls allowed for 1st, 2nd and 3rd, I would have done that, but since it doesn't, what can happen is say your worst is July and second is June and last is April. Then someone else says Dec, Jun, and Nov. And someone else says, April, Jun, and December. Jun will appear as the worst month, when it's the second worst on average.

So for now. There Can Be Only One. (for you Highlander fans)

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #11 on:** January 15, 2014, 09:45 »

Anyone new want to add a vote for 2013 income?

Right now Dec is worst, Jan following behind that.

Jan
11 (21.2%)
Feb
0 (0%)
Mar
1 (1.9%)
Apr
7 (13.5%)
May
1 (1.9%)
Jun
1 (1.9%)
Jul
4 (7.7%)
Aug
4 (7.7%)
Sep
0 (0%)
Oct
0 (0%)
Nov
0 (0%)
Dec
23 (44.2%)

ShadySue · « **Reply #12 on:** January 15, 2014, 10:09 »

I don't have a set pattern other than November seems best every year.

Worst months for income (excluding 2007 as it was my first year)
2008: June
2009: August
2010: July
2011: January
2012: April
2013: July

KB · « **Reply #13 on:** January 15, 2014, 11:18 »

I voted Dec. The last 2 years, it's been Dec. The 2 years before that, it's been Jan.

We're halfway through Jan this year, and it's well behind (1/2 of) last month's total.

Goofy · « **Reply #14 on:** January 15, 2014, 11:45 »

good thoughts on the poll but lot's of variables to consider. For example, some folks are top heavy in Xmas images and other in summer time images. Where others have a more balance portfolio will not experience huge dips....

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #15 on:** January 16, 2014, 02:59 »

Don't over think it. The question is for whoever answers it and for their portfolio. It's just a poll, not a scientifically significant document that's important. Kind of like every simple poll here.

Yes, of course, many people will have different answers, based on content. People with locations and models that appeal to Summer might have a different subjects than people in Greenland.

It's just a general poll.

You can also argue (or I could) that because the people who respond are volunteers, and there's no control over who that is, it's unreliable. Probably true.

Quote from: Goofy on January 15, 2014, 11:45

good thoughts on the poll but lot's of variables to consider. For example, some folks are top heavy in Xmas images and other in summer time images. Where others have a more balance portfolio will not experience huge dips....

Beppe Grillo · « **Reply #16 on:** January 16, 2014, 06:11 »

"January Seems To Be The Hardest Month"*

Well, I begun with microstocks last year, so January was my worst 2013 month, in great part because I have not had the time to upload all the images that I had at this time.

This year January is obviously better than last year (today my January growth is already 340% - but it does not mean a lot…)
If I compare january 2014 to december 2013 I can foretell that the full January month income will be around half the December one, so definitely January seems to be the worst month for me.

* Any reference to a famous Elton John song is purely coincidental.

Rinderart · « **Reply #17 on:** January 17, 2014, 00:16 »

Every Month since march 20th 2013.

wordplanet · « **Reply #18 on:** January 17, 2014, 00:47 »

February was my worst month in 2013. In 2012 March was the worst - so definitely some sort of winter slump going on for me. It's the same whether I just count micro sites or count my traditional licenses too. September and November have tended to be my best months over the last few years - a nice pick me up heading into the end of the year. Probably because by then I've added a lot of new photos to my portfolio as I tend to do a huge percentage of my shooting over the summer when it is warm and sunny here on the east coast of the US - my portfolio is heavily travel and nature, with some Christmas and New Year's holiday images thrown in. Very unscientific.

Uncle Pete · « **Reply #19 on:** January 17, 2014, 10:06 »

Something else to consider about the end of the year. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. Three US Holidays. More days off, less work, less demand. Hard negative effect on Dec. DLs. Fine.

People who are using images the most for Nov./Dec. will be DLing them in October, not December. So if the thought is that people with Christmas images make more in Dec., I'd doubt that. More like they will get more sales in Oct. and Nov.

But what's wrong with January?

Here's the catch though. If it's EOY and budgets are used up and it's holidays and vacations. Why doesn't January suddenly jump way up, with sales to fill in for all the work that got put on the back burner? Anyone have ideas?

Oh I get it, Super Bowl. (not really) But I wonder what's wrong with January which should be a big kick off for the new year and marketing?

ps If you don't have your Valentine's images already reviewed, being searched... someone else is beating you to most of the sales.

dingles · « **Reply #20 on:** January 17, 2014, 11:46 »

January seems to always be a dead month at IS for me, however SS seems to be going along as normal.

robhainer · « **Reply #21 on:** January 19, 2014, 17:45 »

December is always the worst for me. Summer months and November are usually the best.

SNod · « **Reply #22 on:** January 19, 2014, 17:59 »

By far the worst month for me, is January

ArenaCreative · « **Reply #23 on:** February 03, 2014, 21:20 »

December by far. January was up 40% for me compared to last month. Worst December EVER. Maybe I need to kick my production game up a notch. Either way, those types of months are healthy once in a while because the motivate the crap out of you to stop being such a lazy schlub

Goofy · « **Reply #24 on:** February 03, 2014, 21:49 »

Looks like December and January are the pits- The holidays play a major rule say from Dec 23rd to January 5th is a dead zone! A good time to say, 'Screw it! I am going on a nice vacation!'

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Author Topic: What's the worst month of the year for sales - based on INCOME (Read 25967 times)

RacePhoto

ShadySue

rubyroo

luissantos84

Microbius

traveler1116

JPSDK

RacePhoto

Ed

cascoly

RacePhoto

Uncle Pete

ShadySue

KB

Goofy

Uncle Pete

Beppe Grillo

Rinderart

wordplanet

Uncle Pete

dingles

robhainer

SNod

ArenaCreative

Goofy

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