Making the Best of a Deal that Doesn’t Close

May 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment

[by Jenna Close]

Closing the deal feels great. It’s one of the best parts of being a photographer. What’s harder to think about are the times when the deal falls through. Even when I don’t take the job, I do my best to leave a positive impression.

Saying No. It’s difficult, but sometimes the job is not appropriate. Whether it’s the type of job, budget limitations or scheduling, explain your reasons in a honest and informative way. Don’t take it personally, and even if you do, don’t let it show. This is business.

Offer recommendations. If I turn down a job, I always try to recommend someone else who might be a good fit. That way, the person looking for a photographer doesn’t necessarily have to go back to square one. They have taken time to negotiate with me, and in return I take a little time to send them off with a few possibilities.

Stick to your guns. The most common reason I do not close a deal is price. I know that I am not the cheapest photographer in the area and I am OK with that. If the negotiation is unsuccessful, I explain very clearly the work involved in the type of images I make, from pre-planning to post-production. I always leave the door open for the person to contact me again if their needs change. Usually at this point they take their search elsewhere. Sometimes they come back and end up hiring me after all. In other instances, they contact me when they have another shoot with a larger budget. Even if I never hear from them again, I feel secure that I have made the best impression possible.

via Strictly Business.

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Photographers Stop Guessing

May 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment

[by Judy Herrmann]

When it comes to how or why clients choose photographers, there are probably as many answers as there are clients. What really matters is how your prospective clients view photography and photographers.

Instead of imposing your own values and assumptions, why not go straight to the source? Depending on your relationship with the people you’re contacting,  you could pick up the phone and ask schedule an informational interview, conduct a formal or informal survey, go to an event aimed at your market and ask attendees or the speaker, post to an appropriate LinkedIn discussion, bring it up at a networking event, ask during in-person portfolio reviews, make it the reason you’re leaving a follow up voice mail.

You could even do something creative around it – make it a game, a test, a club – the sky’s the limit.

Every project will have different priorities, but the more you know about what’s important to your prospects and what they want and expect from companies like yours, the more successfully you’ll be able to market your services to the people you want to work with.

via Strictly Business.

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Photography! It’s Not Always About Price.

May 14, 2012 by Leave a Comment

[by Todd Joyce]

Here is a short list of why you may have lost that job…

  • Hard to work with
  • Not a problem solver
  • Not fun
  • Style is wrong for the job
  • Not good with clients
  • Reminds the buyer of someone they hated in High School… (it happens)
  • Quality of work isn’t as good
  • Too many issues in dealing with
  • Just didn’t have a good feeling on the phone
  • Too expensive
  • Unprofessional
  • Style doesn’t fit as well w company look
  • Inconsistent style
  • Not convenient location
  • Initial client didn’t know enough about you to put you in front of their client

And, the short list of why you may have gotten the job (and there are more):

  • Good listener
  • They liked you
  • Problem solver
  • Convenient
  • Fun to work with
  • Felt comfortable with
  • Good work
  • Style fits company look
  • Professional
  • Reminds them of best friend growing up
  • Affordable (worth the price)
  • Problem solver
  • Fast/efficient
  • Experienced
  • Reliable
  • Highly recommended by colleague/s

Now look at the list of why you can be hired and think about everything from your first question on the phone call to your LinkedIn profile recommendations.

Do you ask good questions and offer solutions or do you raise issues and ask for the client to solve the problems… like asking them “who will take care of lunch?” vs “can I take care of having lunch delivered for us during the shoot to save time?” What they hear in the first question is “we have a problem, can you solve it?” The second one says “can I take care of something you may never have seen as a problem?” Hiring you or not might have more to do with what you exude on the phone – that you are reliable, a problem solver, easy to work with, experienced, fun and “worth the price.” It may be about how they perceive you, rather than the cost.

Sometimes it is about price… not always though. Look at everything you do as being just as important. I’ve hired many assistants, stylists, production people, etc because they were good, reliable and fun over being cheaper. It’s not always about price.

via Strictly Business.

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Why Getting a Meeting is Like Internet Dating

May 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment

[by Barry Schwartz]

For a huge number of very complicated reasons, some years back I developed an expertise in internet dating. OK, it’s because I was single.
Since then, I’ve counseled many of my (anxious) friends in how the thing works. It’s pretty straightforward.
You get online, do some research, and look for potential dates.
You put together a profile to represent yourself.
You contact potential dates and wait for a response. And wait. And wait.
You give up waiting and look for someone else.
When someone finally responds, you have a conversation by email, then by phone, then you meet.
You get cleaned up, present your best game and listen to them present their best game.
After that, it’s fate, luck, timing, whatever.

Getting meetings with clients is no different. Substitute “clients” for dates, substitute “website” for profile. You get the idea.

Just like dating, failure is the typical result. But don’t give up hope – if dating always failed, the world would be filled with self-replicating one-celled microbes and there would be no reality television. (Hey, maybe not so bad, but we’re not going to talk about that now.)

The failure thing is important to understand; it’s mostly what happens, and maintaining low expectations means you’re not demoralized when it doesn’t work out – making it so much easier to try again.

The good news about internet dating is that it works, and your chances of having a relationship are vastly improved once you meet. Business meetings are no different – except you’re more likely to go home alone after.

via Strictly Business.

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Getting Photography Job Appointments

May 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

[by Judy Herrmann]

In today’s fast-paced work environment, convincing prospective clients to carve out face-time is harder than ever. With fewer hours to spare and more photographers clamoring for attention, these tips can help you stand out from the crowd:

Do your homework. Make sure the people you’re calling really need what you sell. I will never forget our studio manager getting a prospect on the phone after 3 years of sending him mailers featuring our still life work only to hear him say – “I love their work but I’m on the Hertz account. Unless they shoot cars, I can’t use them.” Oops!

Give them something to remember you by. Sending several visuals before calling for an appointment improves your chances of triggering some name recognition or at least some recollection of seeing your images.

But don’t assume they’ll remember you. Whether someone picks up or you’re leaving a voice mail, don’t just give your name and expect them to connect it to your images. In the same breath, provide your name and a description of the most recent visuals you’ve sent them. If they don’t interrupt to say they remember, add a brief but descriptive summary of the kind of work you do.

Turn cold calls into warm calls. Nobody likes to feel like a number. Before you pick up the phone, spend some time learning about your prospect. By bringing specific details about their work, their company, their values or goals into the conversation, you show that they are more than just another prospect on your list.

Know what you’re after. Have a specific call to action in mind. Get to the point of your call quickly and ask for what you want without hemming and hawing. If you’re coming to their town for a limited time, give plenty of advance notice and let them know the exact window of availability you have.

Don’t guilt trip: Most buyers of photography are nice people who wish they could give out more assignments. Putting them on the spot about things like why they’re using stock or why they haven’t hired you yet, usually won’t entice them to spend more time with you.

Be prepared: Chances are you’re going to get someone’s voicemail. Practice your message so it doesn’t sound overly canned. Keeping a separate list of key talking points handy can help you avoid getting flustered on those rare occasions when someone actually picks up the phone.

via Strictly Business.

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