Public relations is the backbone of our marketing. Curating connections comes from listening, asking questions, and relating to those we want to remember us. Where are they from? Is there anything interesting on their LinkedIn or IG? Comment with interest as a part of your brand.
We can get “ghosted” after investing time in bidding for a job. What are some signs that we were never seriously up for this job?
Potential Bid GHOSTING Signs:
•Receive an email bid request with no phone or Zoom call
•No actual bid spec sheet with all the bidding/job details
•Casual instructions for us to “call for more info” as they are the ones who should know all the information
•A client who doesn’t look like they fit into our portfolio style
•The job title of the person contacting us does not sound like someone we normally deal with
On a creative call make sure to wait after you speak, hearing the creatives’ response.
The purpose is not only to get your questions answered or get your message across, but also to connect. It’s not a show, it’s a conversation.
You speak, and then they may have a response, so allow for that as the connection may be more important than what you are saying.
Portfolio perspective has to be our main #1 focus! How do we get our industries’ perspectives on our portfolio, as this is the core truth that will make or break our careers? Even if we are busy for the moment, this curious process of listening to those who hire us has to be a non-stop occurrence. It’s awkward, but continue asking the right people you can trust by CONFIDENTLY requesting their perspective.
As important as marketing is for all of us, it does not come close to the importance of having an A+ portfolio. Spend 75% of your budget on upgrading your portfolio of images, such as testing.
You’ve chosen a career that zooms rapidly into ‘what is next.’ We can either stay on top of refreshing our brand to continue being relevant or we will fall behind the times quickly. Incorporating ‘creative business growth’ is not just a key to success; it’s a necessity in your business plan. Without it, you could up the odds of becoming a one-hit wonder.
DO NOT send any promos to a client’s personal email, unless they have given you permission. Doing this crosses a professional boundary and could affect potential future work.
Photographers, what extras are you bringing to the job? Think about it. What is your contribution that extends beyond your client’s expectations? Reach further by offering more than completing the expected shot list. Build up your reputation to win you the jobs.
The secret formula to get bidding financial feedback:
When bidding on a job, clients won’t usually respond with the exact budget numbers; we have to ask with specific amounts, allowing them to respond with “yes, no, more, less…” etc.
Outreach is simultaneously one of the most necessary aspects of our career and one of the most uncertain pathways. There is no one absolute, consistent way to do this, but the foundation of our business depends on it. As Nike said, Just Do It.
