Can you recall a treatment that went above and beyond the prerequisites and landed the photographer the job?
I do remember a particular treatment ‘success story.’ My product photographer was up for a Google job, and he tested some comp images to show how he would bring the products to life. Perhaps that showed his enthusiasm or perhaps they saw the lighting they needed. They loved it and he got the job!
When negotiating, always wait for your clients to respond before offering more.
How and when do you get a rep? I’ve heard it’s when you have enough clients, but I think I mostly want one to help me get more clients and the type I want.
You get a rep when you are ready. Is your work marketable? If so, reps will find you. If you need a rep’s help to make yourself marketable, it is a rarity that they will pick you up since it will mean they are working for free. Usually at that stage a consultant is best.
Aside from paying lots of money for companies like Agency Access, which often don’t include smaller up and coming brands, how do you get contact info and addresses of smaller/local companies?
If you can’t find them on Agency Access or Yodelist I would then most likely use LinkedIn, Agency Spy, or Adweek to see what kind of contact info I can find.
How do you know when your book is strong enough to start marketing to potential clients? I’ve heard you only get one shot and only one first impression.
You get more than one shot because clients in larger cities changeover often. When a client sees potential in your book they will often want to witness where you take it and be the one to help launch your career. Your book is strong enough when you start bidding on jobs.
The quickest way to lose a potential client is to spell their name incorrectly.
Always assume your client has less than one second for your email. Include any links they may already know. Write in full sentences that retrace the emails so they don’t need to scroll down and read old ones to understand. Speak in each email as if it’s the first one, gathering all the info. Unless of course, you are responding immediately, then it can be quick “yes” or “no”, etc.
How soon after sending promos is it ok to follow up?
Follow up with the recipients immediately or within a few days. We are all inundated with images so we forget quickly. Our business is based on short term memory.
How does the process of getting a photographer a job happen at an agency?
Guest Post, Mara Serdans: It’s a multi-step process. After I speak with the creatives about their needs, I’ll provide them with a list of recommended photographers. Sometimes the creatives already have a photographer in mind. Oftentimes a few creatives need to approve the short list and it’s common to triple-bid larger projects. When the bidding begins, I schedule calls with the photographer and creative(s) to discuss the project and deliverables. After the calls I follow up with the creatives to find out if they are leaning towards a specific photographer. Once I receive, review and finalize the bids, we award a photographer the job and production begins.
Guest Post: Creative Consultant, Mara Serdans
Your voice is about consistency. Your voice is a promise that when you are hired, you will take an image much like the images on your site. This business is all about risk. You as the artist have to take all the risk. You have to put everything in your voice. You have to stand strong and scream,
“THIS IS WHAT I DO!”
Yes, there will be clients out there that don’t really need your slant on their campaign, but when a client likes your voice… it’s a home run.
Guest Post: Agency Access
The Photographer’s Survival Guide to Marketing
