Wednesday Wisdoms

Don’t let the term – “SALES” stop you or get in your way. 

It’s actually a simple process of sharing our well-researched knowledge through these 3 steps:

1. Honesty – believe in what you put out there.
2. Empathy – anticipate and address the challenges your clients are up against.
3. Listen – use your time wisely by asking the right questions and allowing space for the answers.

To make the most out of your instagram you must use highlights. You knew I was going to say that. These are your categories or your projects like on your website, because instagram is like your second website. You must use highlights. Make it quick and fast for clients who have 2 seconds to figure out who you are and what you do and to make you find-able if they’re looking for sports or like athleisure or still life for beverages, something like that. Make it really fast because you don’t want them to have to scroll down your whole feed. They could do that if they have time but if they don’t, highlights make it very quick for them to find you.

As a freelancer, how do we go to work each day when we aren’t “going” to work?

Truth is, we have to stay plugged in to stay on track. 

Use our industry resources to keep as actively involved as if you were punching the time card.

The TREATMENT webinar gives us the story behind the words and visuals needed to get us the job and why we need to take this seriously. Templates need a slice of who we are in them, personalized to stand out, illuminating you are the right choice for the project. Don’t settle with your treatments; take them further; use what is revealed in this webinar to make your template YOURS!

Last week, my webinar was on treatments—the one unspoken big mystery of how to create a treatment, why to do it, and what’s needed to get the job. We covered a lot, but there were several key points that stood out to me that I want to highlight.

We had two guests: Scott Rickels, a treatment writer, and Mary Dail, a good friend of mine and rep at Big Leo Productions. Mary created a fictitious layout for us as an example of a treatment. Her design included the scope of the job, which I’d never thought to include in a treatment before—it was very smart. She also added a small copyright notice in the bottom left corner, not too large but useful for protecting against unauthorized use for comps. Her design effectively replicated the feel of the fictitious client we were targeting, making it a perfect example of a treatment.

Scott Rickles addressed a common concern: What if they don’t read the treatment? He pointed out that the words have to be engaging and not just a page after page of text, which can be intimidating. He emphasized that the real goal of the treatment is to add personality and flavor to what you bring to the job technically.

There were so many nuggets of wisdom shared. To fully understand the purpose of a treatment and how to use it to get the job, I recommend checking out the webinar.

“I noticed that the photographers we work with that we see getting rehired again and again are great problem solvers. They find creative solutions and freely offer their perspective and opinion in a way that instills confidence in the client. We often see when a big project of importance comes around, the agency art directors will want to speak with us from the very beginning, and it becomes clear that their level of comfort and confidence is with a trusted creative partner.”

Guest Post: Executive Producer, Michael Horta

Some photographers get the job over and over. The client keeps going back to them. Why is that? How do we do that? They want a problem solver, they want a partnership. If someone can bring up issues that the client might not even know of yet and become a resource to them to make their job even better to make them look better than they even are, they will hire you. Learn how to be their partner in this, not just for that one job, but the long term.

Treatment Final Edit Checklist:

1. SPELLING and GRAMMAR mistakes are more damaging than you may think. 
2. Use every opportunity to use SPECIFIC words/concepts relating to this client and project in particular. 
3. Consistency of the organized structure through similar placement, layouts, titles, fonts, etc., to make it easy for them to follow.

Treatments are so important. When you are bidding for a job, you should always do one. Even if you think it’s too small of a job or the client doesn’t need it. Always do a treatment. There are three things to watch out for. The first is spelling and grammar. We know it seems little, but it really stands out if you have mistakes on your treatment. You’re a director, your attention to detail is important. The second is to be specific. You’re probably working off of a template. Make sure that the general lines that describe who you are and how you shoot always include the specifics on that job. That client is wanting to hear how you will shoot their job and not just how you shoot in general. The last one is consistency. Your style and how you set up the content in your treatment should always be consistent. Don’t jump around, make sure the treatment reads smoothly. You’re giving them something that can help you get the job. Remember that. Put time into this.

The one job requirement for our creative careers is that we continuously stay inspired. 

To be a creative means you have to be creative. Mix it up, try new things, and even when they fail, who cares; you are following the buzz that will take you places.

How do we stay inspired? The main part of our business is as creatives we have to keep the creative juices flowing. We can’t just get stuck in the ways that we already know. This is a constant throughout your career. Try something new, shake it up, even schedule yourself for it. Try something new on this date, every month. It doesn’t have to be a success, but think about things you haven’t tried before. You don’t have to know how it’s going to end up, to begin.

Give everything you’ve got on these video ‘Creative Calls’ by being fully present. 

Let the client feel like they know who you are with a bit of warmth in your facial reactions. 

Be prepared with ideas or comments, mentioning their website to show you are their ultimate team player whom they can count on to understand their branding goals. 

Have questions ready to go that will suggest your production strategies and game-plan, all to help them get a sense of what you offer.

I was just on a video creative call and came up with some tips to help you secure the job from these calls. Video calls can often feel stiff and awkward, so it’s important to create a sense of warmth and presence. Make sure to maintain direct eye contact and avoid positioning your camera off to the side, as this can make it harder to connect.

Do your homework by researching their website and mentioning specific details on the call. This shows how serious you are and demonstrates that you understand their brand. Reference something from their website or the call—such as the shot list or details about the talent—to show your comprehension of their needs.

Prepare some questions in advance, whether they relate to talent, color retouching, the shot list, or lighting. These questions don’t necessarily have to be literal questions but can serve as opportunities to showcase your strategy and production ideas. Be yourself and give them a sense of how you’ll solve their problems effectively when they hire you.

The best way to do better at our jobs is to know where we stand now. Look at what isn’t going your way and own it, use that info to get better instead of wasting your time blaming anyone/anything else. 

The best way to grow and stay successful is to know where we are right now. It’s a little hard in our bubbles to know where we are when others don’t really tell us. It’s a bit awkward to get that information from people in the industry. We have to look at the things that happen that might make us angry. Like blaming the trends of the day, or clients, or budgets. The more we blame the less we’re looking at what we need to be looking at in order to grow. When we’re competing against someone for a job, can we find out who gets the job if we lost? Can we look at their work and see they got it because they’re better at that. Do I want to get better at that thing? Do I need to work on that?

How do you not waste any precious time with your portfolio reviews?

1. Tell the reviewer your review purpose.
2. Prep your questions and topics. 
3. Be open to hearing, listen instead of talking. 
4. Review your website + IG instead of prepared PDF. 
5. Move through your site swiftly because we don’t have that much bandwidth review after review.

I just did a portfolio review with ASMP on the East Coast, and it was really interesting to find some ways to get the most value out of these reviews. Time goes quickly, so it’s important to have a clear introduction and purpose. Let the reviewer know your intent, why you are there, and what you hope to get from the review.

Have your questions and topics prepared in advance. Know what you want to discuss, and if there’s time, decide which questions to ask and which parts of your website or business marketing you want to focus on. Be open to feedback; I found that I sometimes dominated the conversation and didn’t get as much out of it because the other person wasn’t talking as much. Listen carefully and be receptive to their contributions.

When it comes to presenting your work, consider using a website over a PDF. A website provides a comprehensive view of who you are and what you do, which is important for marketing and ensuring that reviewers remember you. A PDF might be useful if you are showing a specific portfolio or book to a particular client.

Finally, if you are sharing your screen, move through your website quickly to keep the review engaging. Reviewers may be tired, having seen many portfolios, whether in person or on Zoom. If you can find a way to engage the reviewer, help them relax, take a breath, and rejuvenate, it will make the experience better for everyone. I highly recommend it.

So simple sometimes. Wanna break the ice fast? Be really kind and nice and complimentary but mean it.

One thing I learned when I started being a rep, back in Seattle with thanks to Doug Landreth, is the importance of scheduling. Doug introduced me to Maria Piscopo, a consultant who focuses on scheduling. Her approach hit me hard, emphasizing the need to have a structured schedule to keep track of tasks. When I didn’t have a proper system, I struggled significantly. Time management became crucial for me, and it’s something I learned to value deeply. Consultants can be incredibly helpful, and there are many out there. If you ever need advice or recommendations, feel free to ask me, and I’ll point you in the right direction.