The secret to success for photographers is not to show their ‘cards’ under pressure. Relax and always remind yourself that everything gets done in the end with a great supportive team. Diva photographers are a thing of the past, and no one wants to work with them, whether they are high-profile and talented or not. People want a light-hearted, fun set with NO DRAMA.
Bidding a job must clearly spell out all the details that our numbers are based on. We risk paying out of our pockets if we ASSUME clients will know our bid-based parameters, such as shot count, the production building time needed to avoid overages, how many rounds of retouching changes are included, etc. Risking miscommunication is our timely responsibility to manage before it occurs.
You can’t be everything to everyone. Success is to have a portfolio that speaks highly to specific clients. Don’t try to bid on every job. Instead, win every job you bid on.
The #1 way to stay in front of clients is free and available at our fingertips, and yet we tend to ignore half of what we need to do- ENGAGEMENT. Sorry, I know it’s time-consuming, but why spend time and money on other marketing resources and ignore the one tool most guaranteed to work? Be your-human-self with comments and views, actively connecting as a real person.
USAGE RENEWAL prices based on duration options are not split perfectly into divided values.
Two reasons:
1. We prefer the client to choose the more expensive, longer-term option.
2. Images may be more powerful, holding higher value when seen for a shorter time.
Don’t take it personally means treating your business like a business. You are a corporate business owner and rather than taking it personally, take it all like a CEO would and ask yourself how you could’ve done it better. See where you can take responsibility and make improvements.
Facing A Fact: Our 3rd party email promos are not getting through due to the client’s email filters.
Lessons to be learned:
-Even though this has been true for a while now, hearing it directly from a client makes it even more real.
-We cannot rely on email promos as our single source of marketing.
-We can use the ‘clicked on’ info as even more valuable to see who is seeing our work.
-Outdated promotion tactics have a place, but we have to stretch out and find less capacity ways to reach out.
As a photographer’s career progresses they must continue to reinvent themselves. A photographer must explore and grow to show what they can bring to the job. This is a young-person’s career unless photographers of every age commit to staying hungry for fresh inspiration and new ways to communicate their vision.
As business owners, we must get our Marketing Plan in place to direct all the potential areas we should spend our time and budget on. Know all available options for crystal clear analysis of what is working, what to try, and what needs our attention. You are a business, so have a plan.
Stay strong in your style. Don’t compromise your voice to be everything to everyone or you will get lost in the mix. It is your unique vision and execution which will set you apart from the pack and get you the job!
