Wednesday Wisdoms

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. 

Proofread your emails. Use spell-check. Double-check that you’ve addressed your email to the correct person. Professionalism will take you to the next level.

For photographers who are assistants, something to note is how this ongoing job-to-job life can potentially take you off your own creative path. Our industry is one where the support staff can depend on intense job-to-job work with little time to focus on the original purpose of developing their own career. Remember why you are doing this; keep sight of valuable time and why you are doing what you are doing.

Always address a person by their name in an email. Do not approach a rep or a client with a mass email if you want a response.

Marketing outreach has no set plan for success, and we can take all those closed doors as a deterrent, or we can keep showing up—trying new ways, knowing the right moment could arise. But we must be actively out there; it’s up to us if we want the doors to open. Be in it to win it!

Ask for help and delegate. If there’s something you don’t know how to do, Google it, search forums, ask a colleague, or reach out to an expert in the field. You’ll be surprised by how many people are willing to help. There is an abundance of resources at your fingertips.

FACT: “Producer” is one of the fastest-changing bidding roles I’ve seen. Nowadays, jobs can come from producers, as clients hire them directly to do the bidding. Producers may also be one of the bidders on the job themselves, so it’s hard to track where we stand automatically. Refrain from anticipating or assuming anything about the structure when you hear the term – Producer. 

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. 

Trick of the trade- be smart when needing quick answers from your clients! Fully spell out questions/topics without assuming clients remember the topic details. Unlike us, they usually have 5 or more other jobs happening simultaneously. Be the support staff, and understand their situation by repeating the details back to them with your full question so they don’t have to search through previous emails. Assume they are off-the-charts busy!

What a rep needs from you is something to say. Tests, new work, content, a story, anything to give us something to share about you.