Networking

Q:

Where do creative directors, art buyers, etc., look for new talent? I would appreciate any advice I can get. 

A:

The business of photography depends on who sees our images; we have to find every potential method to put ourselves out there. Depending on the type of photographer you are, we have some really good options these days, like Komyoon, Workbook, At-Edge, Blvd, Behance, PhotoPolitic, LeBook, Production Paradise, Found, and Wonderful Machine. They all have a different vibe, go through them and see where you fit best. I suggest asking clients you want to work with where they look for new talent. After you give one of these a try, you can optimize your website for SEO and use Google Analytics to see where the traffic is coming from. It’s a timely process with no easy answer, but if you pay attention to your analytics, you can see what works for you. 

A general mass “cold call” of any type usually will lead to a hang-up. Think about this and apply this theory in your business conversations. Address clients by their name. Let’s get back to the basics in our electronic world – whenever possible, a firm handshake, eye contact, and recognizing the person’s name. Human”ify” is the way to make a cold call into a warm call. 

The concept of having a business “elevator pitch” ready to go includes engaging with active listening questions, even though you may be a bit nervous. Being on the hot seat includes showing who you are, and nothing works better to stick in people’s minds than demonstrating true connection with genuine curiosity. 

Personal work should boost the process of getting clients to know who you are. 

Ask yourself, does this image emphasize how I think or what I offer clients when they hire me?

All in all, this is about sharing what runs your creative engine. 

A bit of a personal share, as one major part of my representing world is two other reps with whom I have weekly check-in chats for many years now. I never thought I’d be able to trust others in our business, as I was warned against it. Well, I gotta say this is what gets me through. Not feeling alone in this business may be crossing a risky line, but it may be well worth the investment. 🩷 @bigleoproductions @poppycreative

One of the best professional lessons I learned was to keep negatively emotionally charged reactions in check. 

Frustration is a normal part of our business, but unleashing that onto people we work with is not cool and not professional. Don’t risk it even if it feels rational at the moment. 

We can either respond to our business’s ups and downs with a personal defense or a professional strategic approach. Trust me, be aware of personal reactive emotions, and don’t let that unconsciously close doors by guiding the long-term direction of your career.

Q:

What steps should you take if you failed to fully deliver on a client project, and how do you bounce back?

A:

 I assume an issue arose, and communication had not relayed the proper message. What caused this? How could you have handled this differently? The real fix to this situation is understanding and learning from the experience. React to this client in the manner you wish you had done initially, address this with expertise and professional know-how. Any time we mess up, it can work in your favor by shedding light on an area of our business that needs our attention.

The entrepreneur MYTH that can actually hold us back is thinking we must protectively do this alone! No, not true. I have teamed up with others for NETWORKING portfolio-showing events, and it’s a life changer. Instead of having this sole survival attitude, we can double down by hand-picking the right creative comrades, gaining success in numbers. 

Q:

When you talk about Marketing Outreach, does this include following up with phone calls?

A:

Do unto others as you’d like to be done to you. This sounds biblical but is also very practical in a business sense. I personally do not call clients unless it’s in the heat of the bidding moment when I can hopefully get a sense of the budget for a job. A marketing outreach phone call risks really turning off the potential client, so I would not recommend it.