Thanks for this topic and for advices.
For moment, I think about these:
1. I always have a little perfume with me, and use it.
2. A hood and a UV filter all the time would be a must.
3. Bounce your flash and when you need attach an orange gel for correct WB.
4. Despite what other said to me, I found auto WB sometimes works better.
5. Most of the clients prefer to get their photos faster, no matter you need time to edit them.
6. Shutter burst will fry, in the end, the flash. Don't abuse.
7. A folder with a web version of all photos is necessary. Always.
8. Taiyo Yuden might be the best solution for cd/dvd blanks.
9. If you don't have an event, go with a friend and help him (for free).
10. Be prepared with recovery soft.
11. Read more!
12. Re-read your advices too! I will...

Thanks Gozu some nice tips, I like the idea of a folder for web versions, I'm going to incorporate that into my workflow and completed package

1.I see alot of people with 2.8 or faster prime lenses shoot a subject with a bouquet of flowers or something in the foreground alot and its so far that you cant even make out the subjects. The pictures will look better if you can at least see that its a bride in the background. In these cases shoot at f/4 to f/5.6 even if you have a faster lens.
2. Take IS OFF when on a tripod.
3.(^gozo) orange gel/omni bounce is a must in an orrangey area. Otherwise you will not be able to WB later on
4. Give clients an idea of time. Dont leave them guessing and make sure they understand that quality takes time.
5.When offering incentives or free package add ons, use the most profitable (by margin) items to boost the package. AKA prints only. $200 in prints might cost you about $20 while $200 in framing or canvases might cost you alot more.
6.If you have a facebook make sure you tag your clients when uploading pictures. All of there friends will see them and you will be seen as the photographer.
7. Need to shoot outside @ f/<2.8? Variable-ND filter. Nothing better.
8. Buy Insurence if you are a location photographer. I have hill&usher photographic insurence and for $600/year I am covered for everything. I have $12K in equipment that is covered for theft/damage ect from anyone and anything along with liability and all types of business insurence. If I get sued for anything on a wedding I am covered.
9.Best Cheap Equitment everyone shoud own: A reflector $20,omni bounce $10, and a cheap transmitter set $35-$50
10. I see alot of people just point there flash straight up with no flashcard out or no diffuser. This will cast huge shadows under you subjects eyes and nose. Not flattering at all. Dont do it.
11. When you are ready to upgrade your lighting, buy a ac strobe with a powerpakc and an umbrella. You photos will magically become about 8 times better.
12. Try using a backlight. I have a 5D and fast lenses so i dont need extra light mot of the time but it always makes pictures look better. Go buy a YN-580 speedlight for $80 and hook it up to a cheap transmitter and have an assistant backlight your photos. This is one thing that makes out pictures stand out from P&S's.

Cheers

-Mike

Here are a few tips from me.

1. Learn as much as you an about the technical side of photography and read your camera manual. Learn about shutter speed, iso and aperture and how they function together.
2. If you are a newbie wanting to become a professional, don't undercut professional photographers by offering everything and the kitchen sink for ridiculously low prices. With high quality cameras being easily accessible to consumers, it seems like around every corner someone is now a "professional photographer" and trying to undercut actual professionals by offering a session and pics on disk for $50.
3. It takes more than buying an expensive camera/equipment to become a professional photographer. Consider going back to school to learn the craft. You're photography will improve by leaps and bounds. I'd recommend taking at least a year of classes - a lot of colleges offer professional photography programs and i think that's a good approach rather than piecing together random courses at university or college. A year long program or longer will be designed with specific knowledge you'll obtain by the end of it. In college don't forget about the business side of photography. It is hugely important if you want to run a business!
4. Take heart that those people that don't really know what they are doing and bought a camera and now are trying to be a professional won't last long unless they take the steps to actually learn what they are doing and properly run a business.
5. Don't depend on actions to make your photography look good. They should be something to save time and enhance what is already good in my opinion. It is fun to play in photoshop but when you have 5 shoots to edit you are not going to want to be spending 30 minutes on one image, nor 30 minutes saving one image. Try to get them as good as possible straight out of camera - hence my suggestions about learning the craft.

wow, LOTS of good advice already shared!

One I didn't see...

backup, backup, BACKUP! I can't stress this enough! hard drives are cheap, have more than one ehd backup. AND make sure you've got copies stored off-site whether it be through an online backup service or dvd's you have stored elsewhere! You NEVER KNOW what will happen!

So true, I have an external hard drive with back ups at another persons house, simply because if they take your pc & external drive it wont matter if you backed up.

Another tip I have is to never ever get 'stayed' in your work, ALWAYS play and enjoy experimenting!

I was having dinner the other night and discovered our waiter was in a band, so I asked him about it and set up meeting with the band to discuss doing a shoot. I invited along 2 other photographers for a 'play date' and we will be taking the band into the forest next week (band equipment and all) for some fun shots and to work with off camera flash and do something more dynamic than what our typical day presents

Wow guys you rally impressed me. I'm way out of this league. I , now, hope to get a new camera a Nikon D7000, not even professional, and maybe in the near future a serious photo course. I am an humble amatoer so...I photo and ps as a strong hobby, more like an addiction, in fact....So I thank God, that literally has given me ps in a moment of my life that I was lost and now I realise that even in your second half( ) of your life can discover new passion/s. I stay literally hundreds of hours in front of my computer, learning by myself how to-s and enjoying each and every second of it. And hoping, maybe, some day i will have enought courage to take to the next level....Still, for the time being I have not the gusts, 'cause am an hyper analytical and self criticist person...
All my friendship and my respect,
Lysa

I've always just assumed StealthWeather is a sexy man, until reading this thread now I'm pretty sure you're a sexy woman. Speaking of weather:

Get in the habit of checking the weather forecast if you're shooting on location.

lysaime,

instead of spending hours in front of your computer, try to spend some of those hours outside with your actual camera, you'll be amazed how quickly you can improve

You know I originally used to practice with stock photography on deviant art (it gave me a purpose over and above learning), I'm still an active member but don't contribute like I used to.

On weekends I used to find models in a bar or shopping center, offer them a free shoot in exchange for a release, this was my hobby and play time. Sadly I don't have much time to do this anymore but you learn so much by doing 'playtime shoots' where the people are grateful for the experience and more than happy to experiment with you. Then of course seeing the photo's used in photo manipulations is always good fun for both myself and the models. There have been insane things done with my photo's by some of the top designers and I have won awards for my work too Perhaps look at doing that as a creative outlet and to help yourself grow

This is what I was referring to when I said you could create a lens buddy for $1.

All you need is:
1. a hair 'scrunchie' from any store or you can make your own
2. some bobble eyes from a sewing store
3. a squeaker like the ones you find in toys which you use to get the little ones attention.

Stitch on the eyes, unpick the scrunchie and insert the squeaker. I managed to find the squeakers could be purchased from an online pet supply store, available in different sizes :)

p.s ignore the quality of the photo it really was the last thing I was thinking of or bothered about :P

that is awesome... im definatly making one.

and the quality of the pic is fine :D

thanks so much!

I don't even consider myself a photographer yet. I enjoy shooting my old compact camera as a hobby.

Great tips here! I just didn't found one that came to my mind: Bateries. Always have a spare pack. And when travel abroad, make sure you have the appropiate set of adapters.

Best regards, from Argentina.