1 Question to improve your business |
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ricardovaste ![]() Senior Member ![]() Joined: 08 August 2007 Country: United Kingdom Location: Shropshire Status: Offline Posts: 10076 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Posted: 08 February 2018 at 12:43 |
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But I'm genuinely surprised to learn that so few photographers do this.
I read this quote yesterday and it reminded me of a teachable moment I experienced in my business. "Left alone, copywriters write house ads to impress other copywriters, and art directors make layouts to impress other art directors. But trendy layouts and fancy copy don't impress prospective clients..." - David Ogilvy Photographs taken almost purely to impress other photographers isn't something people like to speak about - but let me tell you, it definitely exists. Widely. And I'm sure these people aren't bad people, as people are basically good, they're just a bit misguided. Now if you have a strategy for marketing and selling your services, when you come to deliver your work to the clients, everything about the work itself and how it's delivered will be part of a whole. It'll mean everything that your marketing has pointed towards. They'll love it for exactly the reasons they commissioned you (and might even get more than they expected, too). But if we assume for a moment you haven't quite worked out that perfect strategy yet, here's one question you can ask to help improve this part of your business: Ask your clients why they commissioned you. It's that simple! When they've signed and they're happy moving forward, ask them why they've chosen you, and over anyone else. And the answer might surprise you if you're first starting out, but it's nothing to be scared of. This is something you can use in your marketing, and filter it down into how you operate. p.s. just to add, ask as many people for an extended period to build up a map of why people hired you. Then look for trends and try to build something around that. |
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I photograph the moments in people's lives that mean the most to them: Richard Harris Photography
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WilmarcoImaging ![]() Newbie ![]() Joined: 12 January 2018 Country: United States Location: Indiana Status: Offline Posts: 36 |
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This is interesting, I have not done this before, and will give it some thought. What are some of the responses you have received?
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Miranda F ![]() Senior Member ![]() Joined: 11 January 2014 Country: United Kingdom Location: Bristol Status: Offline Posts: 4019 |
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Does it bother you if they say something like 'I just liked the sound of your name'?
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Miranda F & Sensorex, Sony A7Rii, A58, Nex-6, Dynax 4, 5, 60, 500si/600si/700si/800si, various Sony & Minolta lenses, several Tamrons, lots of MF primes and *far* too many old film cameras ...
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ricardovaste ![]() Senior Member ![]() Joined: 08 August 2007 Country: United Kingdom Location: Shropshire Status: Offline Posts: 10076 |
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Give it thought...? Why not DO something? My responses are in my testimonials: http://www.rharris-images.com/reviews/ If you don't know through natural conversation or through a review, then you need to ASK people directly.
No one would ever get that far along with me, to actually pay and sign, for them to only want to work with me "because they like the sound of my name". It's a separate discussion but you obviously need a process for taking on work which naturally reveals why people want to work with you. And it's not about ego (though someone telling they love your work will obviously inflate that, and for good reasons). If someone just wants to work with you "because you have a nice name or you have nice shoes" then they're going to be BAD to work with for a whole host of reasons before, during and after. |
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I photograph the moments in people's lives that mean the most to them: Richard Harris Photography
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