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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

When it comes to building a great mailing list, size doesn’t matter–engagement does. I should know–last summer, my little list of 2,500 devoted newsletter readers helped me to raise (well) over $50,000 in 50 days, without my ever asking them for a dime.

The open secret to engagement is two-fold: (1) provide the people you want to reach with the content they want to consume; and (2) offer it to them, rather than foisting it upon them.

The first part of the equation means you may have to scale back the “me me me!” talk and concentrate on listening. What problems does your desired audience have? What do you know about that you can share to help them solve these problems? Rather than natter on about this or that fabulous shoot you did, think about sharing some of the problems you helped your clients solve–or better yet, a success they enjoyed as a result of your work.

The second part is often harder, because it involves patience. While the CAN-SPAM Act against unsolicited email does allow you to contact customers, the best lists grow organically, when people come to you for more content because of what they’ve seen or heard from you elsewhere, whether that’s via social media, an article, or an actual in-person interaction.

Be patient, provide awesome content your Right People need, and you’ll attract the audience you really want: engaged, no matter what the size.

via Strictly Business.

Creativity of all types inspires me. My love for art of all kind started when I was quite young. When I was a little girl my grandparents lived in NYC. We ‘d travel in monthly to see them and often my mother had a trip to a museum planned.

While we went to the Museum of The City of New York many times, and to The Natural History Museum countless times, it was The Museum of Modern Art that truly spoke to my mother. She loved all art, but modern art, graphic, bold and colorful work (sometimes not so colorful ) was what she loved most. It was at MOMA that I first felt inspired by creativity.

I was around 7 or 8 when my mother walked me into a gallery at MOMA and stood me across the room from a huge floor to ceiling painting that looked entirely black. She told me to stand there and just look. She was ooohhing and aaahing and could hardly contain her excitement. I had no idea why my mom was making such a big deal out of what looked like to me, to be nothing more then a big, black, boring painting.

Then she told me to very slowly walk toward the painting making sure to not take my eyes off of the canvas. I had learned at any earlier age not to argue with my mother so I followed her words to a T and began to move very slowly toward the painting, keeping my focus on the art.

As I moved closer I began to see that what I thought was one big black square was indeed many, many, individual squares all in different shades of black. It was truly amazing to see that my perception of what was real ,was not. I suddenly laughed and laughed. I was totally blown away by both the concept and the amazing execution. “Where did this idea come from?” I wondered. “How did this artist even begin to think of creating a piece like that?” I asked myself.

And these are questions that I still ask every day when I look at photographs I Iove or see paintings that connect or read great stories that move me or listen to slam poets who totally slay me. Creativity – true, real originality – is totally inspirational to me.

via Strictly Business.

[by Rosh Sillars]

A biography video is a great resource for prospects and to share in the social media.

A biography video should be less than a minute long and should contain more than your portfolio. Make sure you create a personality clip in which you describe your work, experiences and philosophy.

Behind-the-scenes footage is a helpful way for potential photography buyers to get a sense of who you are and what it would be like to work with you.

Post the video on YouTube. Embed it on your website. Keep a link handy to share when someone asks for more information about your services.

via Biography Videos at Strictly Business.

I’ve been building mailing lists since the very start of my career, over 30 years ago. I’ve bought lists, subscribed to lists and built my own over the years. How I target potential clients has changed as technology has enabled other means of accessing information as well as how you reach people, but the underlying principles of building a list, are the same.

Some things I’ve learned:

1. It’s great to buy lists or subscribe to a service like Agency Access, but that is just a start. Remember, you aren’t the only one to have access to these names, your competition has access as well – so don’t stop there.

2. Do your homework – don’t shotgun your promotions to anyone and everyone – you’re wasting time and resources – both yours and potential customers.

3. Determine target markets that your work is a good fit for. If you feel your work is a good fit for non-profits – then do your own research in finding the right ones. It’s easy to find information these days with search engines like Google paving the way.

4. Write a blog or set up a newsletter. Share information that your potential clients may like to have. Get them to subscribe to your blog and/or newsletter so that they “opt in”. Those are your best leads.

5. Go to places where your potential clients will be at and gather names and information. When I speak at events, I always take sign up sheets with me and pass them around. Again, these are great leads.

6. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither a good mailing lists – they accrue over time and they also change as people change positions and jobs. You’ll never be finished with a list – so don’t wait for that day to come. You can start promoting yourself right away and let your list build simultaneously.

7. When building an email list and sending an emailer – never spam folks. Always give them a way to “opt out”.

8. Use your lists – not just for selling – but for sharing. This actually allows your list to grow virally because new people who hear about you come and sign up.

9. Lists are never finished but they do get old – refresh them at least 3 times a year.

10. Try and have some fun. I always try to fantasize on making that “big connection” and how it will play out in my head.

via Strictly Business.

Why do you have to take formal lessons about digital photography? Take note on the first place that the camera you have in your hands today is still a machine or a gadget without a mind of its own. The primary duty that you have acquired after having it is how to care for it to avoid any damage or misfortune to befall. Even if you have your own manual, often, they are too technical and hard to understand. A clear and proper explanation as well as an actual demonstration on how it can be preserved will allow your camera to have a longer life.

Secondly, it is also necessary that you will know the potential of your digital camera. Maybe you know how to take a picture but there are other things that the camera can actually give you, only that you do not know they exist. A lesson on digital photography helps you explore and utilize all the buttons and possibilities that you and your camera can produce together.

Thirdly, as already mentioned, although you may be a photographer for many years already, there is a big difference when you get updated with the new techniques and methods of digital photography. Through the lessons which you will learn, you will be able to apply and produce more beautiful and artistic pictures. Angling, using the light and distance in shooting a landscape, a person or a thing are matters which are slowly changing from time to time in accordance with the additional features of the camera. Learning digital photography can also help you correct common mistakes you have been practicing in taking pictures. A common mistake about photographers is that even basic matters like how to handle a camera are often done in a wrong way.

Lastly, enrolling in schools that teach digital photography gives you a higher chance of getting a professional career. There you will be exposed to different worldwide exhibits. You can also meet famous people indulged in the same field. Furthermore, you can learn how to manage the pictures in your computer for more improvements. You can establish ties and thus can make digital photography a mere work but more of an intense passion.

However, if you think you cannot afford enrolling in schools of photography, then you can satisfy yourself with books and other reading materials. You can also use online resources in learning the different principles and methods of digital photography.