The key to a great business is having great clients. Here are some simple rules to ensure that your customers love you and want to use you again and again. And again.

Do find your competitive edge.

What makes you special? What makes you unique? Its not just your passion or your love for the business. It has to be your approach to photography and the way you run your business. Find that one unique thing that sets you apart and use it to bring in a ton of clients.

Don’t badmouth your competition.

You probably have one or two competitors who you think very little of. They run their business completely against your ethics and you know “dirty little secrets” about them that makes you have anything but trust. Don’t tell. As much as you know about them, its important to turn the other way and simply ignore. The clients that are best suited for you will quickly figure that out for themselves if they visit that business. Just stay true to your word and do the best you can do.

Do find ways to build relationships.

The most difficult way to build a business is to focus on bringing in new client after new client. If they’ve never heard of you when they begin their search, it will take time to educate them on who you are. Instead, keep your existing clients happy, and they will refer you to all of their friends and family.

Don’t sell, sell sell.

Your job isn’t to sell what you do. Instead its all about building strong relationship with pillars of the community. If everyone is talking about you, everyone will have to use your services. Avoid the temptation online and off to spread your message as “would you like to buy from me?” They will find you when they are ready.

Do look at every potential client as an equal.

If a potential client loves your ads and your reputation, keep that image up throughout your time together. Every potential client is equal in opportunity, whether they can afford you or not. We once had a potential client who couldn’t afford us, yet she referred us to two friends who could. And at each of the weddings we saw the prospect at, she praised us and let us know she loved what we did. Every referral counts in this business.

Don’t prejudge someone because of a limiting belief.

Does a prospect dress differently than you? Are they holding an event in a location you’ve prejudged? Before you do it, stop. One of our best clients ever held their wedding and reception in a local park – for free – and played volleyball at the reception. Yet photographs meant the world to them, and we built an incredible wedding album set by taking them around time for intimate portraits. The lesson we learned was clear – never judge a book by its cover.

Do have a strong sales presentation that you believe in.

If you don’t like the packages you’ve created, or aren’t sure if they are the best thing for your customers, your customers won’t believe in them either. Everything you create should have a purpose and should be something you believe in and can sell to anyone.

Don’t be afraid to make little changes.

Occasionally you will have a client who doesn’t fit the norm and needs something tweaked. Don’t instantly give in – again, believe in what you have to offer. Yet find ways to make them happy without compromising your profits. If you can’t come up with something immediately, let them know you’ll think about it and get back to them. That gives you time to run the numbers and make sure it doesn’t cut into your bottom line.

Do work to keep your clients happy.

If you are bringing in the right clients, the majority of them will be happy with everything you do. Work hard to keep their trust. Concentrate on giving them what they expect, and throw in a little extra from time to time. These are your best referral sources, so go the extra mile when you can put a smile on their faces.

Don’t assume a client is always right.

Every once in awhile you’ll have a client come in that you simply can’t please. You photography wrong. The photos are wrong. They wore the wrong clothes. The sun was in the wrong position. Stop. You don’t have to take it. Simply walk into your office and grab your checkbook. Refund them their money and take back all of the images – they can’t keep what they haven’t purchased. Don’t think twice – you should be spending your time in positive ways working with people that really love what you do.

Do evaluate every opportunity for what its worth.

When a potential new client comes in and begins describing what they are looking for, you’ll either see yourself working together … or not. Some projects just won’t build up your excitement level, and that’s okay. A consultation works both ways; the client interview you and you interview them. If you don’t have the desire to take on the work, don’t.

Don’t jump at an opportunity just because it seems to be a great one.

The reverse can also be true. In some cases a great opportunity will come your way. It will put you together with industry giants and give you recognition in places you’ve only dreamed of. Before you jump, evaluate if you are ready. Don’t let fear get in the way. You can do it if you are just a little nervous about the situation. Yet if you simply aren’t ready – you don’t have the right equipment, or you haven’t built up your skills enough – then turn it down before you get into something you’ll regret later. Its better to pass now then destroy potential opportunity in the future when you are more comfortable with the situation.

Do show your true personality.

With 7 billion people on earth, there are more than enough potential customers out there that are perfect for you. Don’t jump at the one’s you have questions about simply becaue the checkbook is open. Show who you are. Be honest in the way you show yourself both online and off. If you believe in something, say it. Show your true colors. People will resonate with you and love who you are all that much more.

Don’t be afraid to shine.

If you don’t “toot your own horn”, who will? When you run your own business, never be afraid to “brag” about who you are and what you do. Its really not bragging. People want to know what makes you you, what you’ve accomplished and how you got where you are today. That’s what makes you stand out. Its what makes you YOU!

“A customer is the most important visitor on our premises.
He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him.
He is not an interruption in our work – he is the purpose of it.
We are not doing him a favour by serving him.
He is doing us a favour by giving us the opportunity to serve him.”
- Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi spoke those words back in 1890. And in every way they still apply today.

The most important thing within your business is your list – your customers – the people that can give you the opportunity to run a successful business for as long as you choose to stay in business. If you want them to choose to spend their money in your studio, here are 10 ways to stand out from your competition.

1. Don’t set up your packages and promotions based on what you want to sell. Set them up based on what your customers want to buy. Listen to what they say. When you truly listen to your customers and modify things to make your products and services that much better, they will love what you do.

2. Go beyond order taking and showcase your expertise within the industry. Anyone can take orders. But a real professional will prove their artistic talent by building relationships and directing people on what to do next. Collages, albums, montages – you are the artist and show your clients how your vision is put together through your photographs.

3. Make reliability a key ingredient to your mission. When you do as you say and often times go the extra mile without having to be asked, your clients notice.

4. Always meet deadlines. And when you can, come in early. You should quickly be able to figure out your averages. Then add a few days to it for your guarantees. So if you know you can get orders out in 10 days, tell your clients two to three weeks. This will give you plenty of time in the event of a problem, yet guarantee that you’ll be able to surprise most of your clients early. They’ll love it!

5. Show appreciation all the way through. A simple hand written note thanking them for doing business with you goes a long way. And for very low cost, you can even throw in a gift or two for special things – anniversaries, or a great referral, or a special event in their lives. Use your imagination and connect again and again with your best customers.

6. Are you hiring employees? Make sure they understand your commitment to customer service. If they will be dealing with your customers, give them the freedom to make decisions to keep your customers happy. If they are comfortable with your policy, it will shine through to your customers.

7. You are the expert. Let your customers benefit from that knowledge. Direct them on which camera to buy for an upcoming trip. Give them pointers on how to store photographs. The more you showcase your knowledge, the more they will trust you with the big stuff.

8. Go the extra mile in everything you do. If you want to charge “a lot” for your portraits, what can you do to give your clients everything? How about framing every wall portrait that leaves your studio. How about a small hanging kit to go along with it – nails, hammer and maybe a level. Or take it to the next level and show up at your clients home to hang it for them. That’s going the extra mile.

9. Sell the benefits, not the features. Always think about the bottom line and what your client truly wishes to accomplish by using you. They don’t want a photography; they want the experience. If you give them the experience, they will love you forever.

10. Let them invest in your value. Most photographers relate to their customers through their own wallets and pocketbooks. Just because you can’t afford yourself doesn’t mean your customers won’t stretch to book with you. Concentrate on your value – how can you increase it in your customers’ eyes?

What is the first rule of thumb when it comes to marketing your photography?

Never, ever assume anything about anything. Ever.

Because the moment you assume someone knows something, chances are you’ll get your marketing all wrong. Because its almost never true.

Here’s why.

You’ve been dreaming about being a photographer for years. You might even have a strong business, and have been photographing clients for years. But as you live and breathe photography, it becomes a part of who you are. You think in shutter speeds and aperture settings. You look at the world through an imaginary lens – all the time. And you constantly look at how you can gain new clients by the marketing materials you produce.

But your prospects and customers haven’t. They don’t work in your office. They don’t read photography magazines. And chances are they haven’t thought much about the art of photography. She has other priorities. She’s living in her own world 24 hours a day, and that world probably doesn’t involve a lot of research in photography.

Until she’s ready for your services. Then she starts her investigation. But even at that level, every prospect will have a different way of doing things. Some will spend hours researching online. Some will be happy with a flyer they’ve received in the mail.

Which means some will be better educated than others. But the problem is you don’t know which is which.

If you assume she understands more than she does, you’ll lose her attention. She’ll focus in on the technical stuff you provide, and the “mumbo-jumbo” she simply doesn’t understand. She’ll get confused and she’ll walk away.

That’s why its important to translate everything you do into plain English – leave nothing out and give your reader everything they need to fully understand who you are, what they receive, and what to expect.

Start at the beginning

Think about the process you go through to market your photography to one person. This person has never heard of you before, and knows nothing about your services. What would you tell them? What would you provide them? It may be a series of things – initial emails, a media kit sent in the mail, a phone conversation, meeting face to face. All of that is used to familiarize the potential client. The more you put into it, the more likely your prospect will become a client.

Always start at the beginning

Once you have your process down, always start at the beginning with every potential customer that comes to you.

As wedding photographers, after a few years the majority of our clients came to us as referrals. In one case we ended up photographing three sisters over a five year period. By the time the third sister called to book our services, we assumed she knew everything about us, and went right to talking about contracts. Until she started asking basic questions. That’s when we realized even though she knew our work, and had worked with us personally at her sisters weddings, this time it was different.It was all about her. She had posed for photographs before, but she didn’t know what to expect as the bride. So we stopped, slowed down, and gave her all the attention she deserved as a brand new bride. She immediately felt more comfortable, and understood everything easier because we did have a strong relationship.

Skip the details

Let me ask you a question. If you were about to head off to surgery, would you care what knife the surgeon was about to use, or what brand of gauze he preferred? Nope, not at all. Instead you care about his background, his skills, his bedside manner. You want to know him as a person, and feel some level of trust as you head down this path together.

That’s why it always surprises me when photographers spend page after page describing the details to their potential clients. They don’t care if you use Canon or Nikon. They don’t care what lens you prefer, or what software you use to create the best image possible. They want results. They need to feel they can trust you to do the job up to their satisfaction level, and will be happy with the outcome. Stories about what lenses you prefer don’t work. Stories about working with clients do.

Are there differences between Mac’s and PC’s? You bet. And I’m sure if I asked each and every one of you, you probably have a strong opinion one way or the other. Everyone knows the two are distinctly different. And while there are some generalizations everyone would probably agree upon, I’m also willing to bet you have your reasons for staying with one or the other.

A few weeks ago I wrote several posts on our recent adventure – downsizing. As a part of our process, we converted from being a PC based home and  business, to a Mac driven home and business. And now after several weeks of running almost exclusively Mac, I have my opinions on the differences between the two. And also have made quite a few correlations towards running a business.

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Price Matters

One of the top reasons people end up with PCs over Macs is cost. If you need to buy several computers and laptops for your small business, plus a variety of software packages, the cost difference can be tremendous. You purchase PCs to save money. And you purchase Macs to own a true work of art. PCs control about 90 percent of the US market share, while Mac’s control about 10 percent. There is a difference.

The same could be said for photographers. Many people want a quick photograph to mark a period of time. They don’t care about the art form; they are looking for representation. They want the smiling faces towards the camera, and artistic expression isn’t in their budget. They shop around for “value” and are happy with more photos for less money.

A smaller portion of people want to create a piece of artwork for their wall.  They want something they could never achieve on their own with a point and shoot. And they want something they won’t see in any of the homes of family and friends. They are willing to pay what its worth in order for the experience.

Sales and Coupons?

If you pull out any ad or head to your favorite electronics store, I’m willing to bet you can find a few PCs that are currently listed on sale, or offer rebates or coupons to lower the price. Its hard to shop for a PC without taking on the bargain mentality. Now walk into an Apple store. You’ll never find a sale on Mac’s. The value of a Mac is always the same, and you understand if you are in the market for a new computer, you can go to any store and get the same product at the same price. No need to bargain hunt – they are already marked at the perfect price, and you’ll have to pay it to get it.

The more generic your photography, the more a person can’t tell the difference between you and the next photographer, the more at risk you are of price shopping. When they can’t tell the difference, it ultimately comes down to price.

But when your product stands on its own, and they can see the difference, they develop a new opinion of it. They want it because its special. They understand that new formats may come out, but the price will never be less than what they can pay for it today. They can’t find what you do anywhere else in the area, so they have to save and plan for the day they can have your work of art. And they do it.

Go After The Masses

One of the reasons we moved from PC to Mac is the virus attack on PCs. In the last year, we replaced a fairly new PC with a new one because a virus attacked it and even with the help of a computer specialist, we couldn’t get it fixed. And over the last few months, that same PC would have to be shut down and rebooted multiple times a day because of the “blue screen of death”. Macs don’t have the virus issue because they are a minor player in the computer world. Why build something to go after such a minor player? Why not spend your time going after something where you can affect a much larger audience?

Many photographers feel the same way. They produce average work, and go after the average client. They send out the same postcards, and in many cases use mass produced postcards produced by marketing companies with generic images. They go after the quick buck, and try and bring in as much business as possible in any way they  can. It’s a race to the finish line, and many photographers will do whatever it takes to get a little bit of business through the door.

But when a photographer sits down and defines their business clearly, they know exactly who their customers are. They don’t want the masses, and will try and push the wrong clientele out as fast as possible. The wrong clientele takes time away from working with the best clientele possible – why would you want to work with someone that doesn’t value what you do? They realize they must clearly define their audience, market to them exclusively, and ignore what the big guys are doing. Make your loyal customers into raving fans, and you’ll have a strong business model for life.

Simple To Work With, Simple To Do Business With

Have you ever looked around at what PC to buy? The choices are overwhelming. Processor speed, memory size, software options, hard drive size. You can go back and forth for a long time comparing options with prices. Then you bring your PC home and start loading things. Load and reboot. Have an error, reboot. Have an update, reboot. The compatibility of things is always difficult at best.

But when you head into an Apple store, the options are few. Select the computer table you want – iPhone, iPad, laptop, desktop. Then choose from limited options, usually 3 or less. Bring it home, load it up, and it works. Update (very little) and it works. In this case, you spend more with less choices, but you know exactly what you’re getting into when you walk into the store, and you buy.

Photography can work the same way. When we first started out in weddings, we had four packages. Each added a few more details, we had ala carte pricing, and offered many different options. Yep, it was confusing. And we had questions all the time. Then we simplified. One pricing structure for everyone. No choices. No options. One price, and it was easy to understand. Our clientele went up in stature. And our average sale increased by thousands of dollars per wedding.

People may like a few choices, but give them more than three and they will be lost and confused. If you have one option, you know it’s the best, and you can sell it in an amazing way. When things are simple, you focus in on what’s truly important – the relationship you have with your customers.

Have you ever noticed that people don’t always do what you expect them to do?

Whether its your prospects not following through to sign the contract, or current clients not ordering in a timely manner, there are a variety of things you can do to fix the situation.

1. She misunderstands what the next step is

What makes sense to you might not make sense to your clients. You assume she knows what the next step, yet in her mind it may be anything but clear. Sit down and write down your sales process, with steps for each thing you expect her to do. Then make sure you explain things along the way. Friendly phone calls, or even a postcard in the mail is a great way to remind her of what step is next in line.

2. She is in a hurry

Your client has a lot on her mind. She’s thinking about dozens of things every day. And because she may not realize the next thing she has to do, its up to you to walk her through the steps. Lay out expectations, and add dates when appropriate. For instance when we met with potential wedding clients, we didn’t push sales. If they needed time, we always gave them time to think things over – and gave them a specific date we would hold their date without booking, which was usually around 48 hours. If we didn’t hear within that time frame, we would place a phone call just to check in and remind them their date will be open to other potential customers. Friendly reminders can lead to more business.

3. She is overloaded with information

When you meet with a potential customer for the first time, things can turn overwhelming quickly. There is so much to learn and think about, its easy to forget the important things. Make sure you put your important points in writing, and show her exactly where she can find this information. Put together a package for her to leave with, and circle or highlight important facts. Then follow up with emails, phone calls or even post cards to emphasize what she needs to remember.

4. She doesn’t trust your judgement

When you chat with a potential customer or current client, you’ll be offering a lot of advice. Depending on what point of the process she is in, she may have doubts, and not completely believe or understand everything you have to say. Invite her to check out your resources, talk with other photographers, or even Google the information you provide. The more support she can find on her own based on what you;ve said, the more she’ll become your number one fan.

5. Its complicated

If what you’ve presented is so overwhelming, she’ll choose to ignore everything rather than make a choice. Instead of making your process overwhelming, give choices instead. The human brain tends to think in threes – if you give more than three choices, she’ll move into overwhelm. Look at your choices, and add them up. Is it an endless list of choices? Simplification is the best thing you can do for your clients – and for your sales.

The easier it is to get someone to see what the best step is, the more likely they will be to take it.

What does the term “customer service” mean to you?

According to Wikipedia, the definition is:

The provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase.

That definition is key to understanding why some photography studios are busy, and others aren’t. The difference is in their understanding of what customer service truly is, and how often and when they connect with their loyal customers throughout their business life.

Customer service isn’t just how you handle the customer in a face-to-face conversation. Customer service extends to every point of contact you have with a person, from when they first notice you, until the moment you shut your doors and close down your business.

If you want to move ahead of your competition, make sure you have these 10 steps in place.

1. Have multiple ways to connect with potential customers.

And more importantly, check each source on a regular basis. In today’s world, people can connect with us via phone, email, text, Facebook and Twitter. And that just scratches the surface. While it is important to have multiple ways for a potential customer to connect with you, its even more important that you check each communication source regularly so you can answer questions immediately.

2. Use technology wisely.

If someone leaves you a voice message, let them know what to expect in return. If they send an email, send out an autoresponder message with the details. No matter what tools you use, you have a way of further connecting with your prospects and customers. Use it wisely.

For example, it’s easy to set up different forms and email addresses for different parts of your business. If you have a wedding page, when people fill out the form inquiring about your wedding services, use an autoresponder back to explain your services in more detail, and let them know you’ll be in contact in the next 24 hours to discuss their plans. Easy to do – and puts you one step up on the ladder of professionalism.

3. Show up on time for appointments.

It doesn’t matter how you connect with your prospects and clients, being on time sets the stage for future business. If you set up a phone call, make sure you dial their number on time. If you’re meeting in a coffee shop, be there a few minutes early so you can pick the perfect table, and have your laptop and other materials set up and ready to go. And if you are there for the shoot, be ready to go, camera and ideas in hand at the exact timeframe you selected.

4. Listen first, respond second.

Being in business for yourself means you have to take everything in consideration, and you may not always be right. In order to keep problems from gaining the upper hand, it’s sometimes necessary to give your customers a little more than what you originally intended. That’s not the same as being a pushover. Listen to what they are asking for, and how you may have had a misunderstanding. And if there is anything you can do to make things right and keep the relationship intact, do it. Your business is at stake.

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5. Be polite.

Do you remember the book “All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten”? When you were little, you were constantly reminded to say please, thank you, and your welcome. Just a few little words, and yet they mean so much to the person receiving them. Head back to the basics, and remember to say little things to your customers.

6. Give more than you promise.

This is easy to do, and requires just a bit of planning. Let me give you an example.

If you know your average turnaround on production work for portraits is one week, promise final delivery to your customers in two. This will build a week of buffering into your schedule for the unexpected problems, and will ensure that you can easily get your clients orders out in two weeks. And because you normally can get things out in one week, in most cases you’ll be able to “surprise” your customers with a phone call in one week letting them know everything is ready.

7. Don’t give something you can’t deliver.

Know your limitations, and never agree to something you know will be almost impossible to deliver on.

We would hit this every year around the holidays. Clients would inevitably call a week before Christmas, asking if they could have an enlargement framed and ready for gift giving for the big day. In the early days, we said yes, and struggled night and day to get the image ready for delivery. It wore us out.

Our solution was to pick a date on the calendar, and use that as our “drop dead” date for orders for the holidays. We would create postcards, and send them out to all clients from the previous year that may wish to place an order. We highlighted the date, and said we made no guarantees on delivery on anything placed after that date. It worked like a charm. Our orders went up because it made customers think about gift giving, and they chose to place orders they might not have placed. And if someone called in after the date, they invariably would say, “I know this order is late, so I’ll just give [mom, dad, etc] a card on the big day and they know to expect it a little after the holidays.” You can always look like the “hero” and get the final image to them in time for the holidays – but its your choice, and you don’t look bad if you can’t deliver.

8. Handle disputes quickly.

Occasionally you’ll have a distraught customer that doesn’t understand an invoice or contract, or feels they didn’t get 100 percent of what was coming to them. Handle the situation quickly and efficiently; don’t put it off hoping it will go away. The easiest way to diffuse the situation is with a question: What can I do to make this right? We learned very quickly that customers often require very small things in order to make a situation right. You may be ready to hand over a ton of things – and they simply want a tiny correction. If you give too much, they may begin to think the problem was bigger than it truly was. But if you give them exactly what they want, they’ll be happy.

9. Have a plan for connecting with prospects.

How often do you connect with potential customers when they are in the decision making phase? If you don’t have a plan, sit down and create one. Think about how they connect with you, and what messages they receive. What do you email them? What is in your voice mail? Do you send a thank you note after you visit one on one? Soft selling means establishing a friendship by being there ready to answer questions, not by coming down hard and trying to bring in the sale at every chance you can get. The more you plan for quick messages, the easier the sale will be.

10. Have a plan for connecting with customers for life.

Once the sale is complete, you never have contact with the customer again … right? Nothing could be further from the truth. These are now your best customers, your walking billboards, your raving fans. These are the people that can bring in more people to your business than you know what to do with.

This is what separates the average from the success.

Create emails, newsletters, brochures and postcards. Hold events and parties. Always hold your customers close to your heart, and connect with them every chance you get. They are vital to the future of your business.

Who is your number one client?

Is it the person that has purchased your biggest package this year?

Is it the person that has spent the most with you overall throughout your business life?

Or is it the person that has referred the most clients to you over the years?

While you can argue that they all have the potential of being your number one client, one thing is for sure. You probably treat each of them extra special, spend a little more time with them, spend a little more time on their production work, and maybe even send a gift or two along the way.

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Now let me ask you another question.

What if you spent the same amount of time, care and dedication on your own business, and treated it like it was by far your number one client? What would happen?

Something interesting happens when you start looking at your own business through different eyes. Yes, it’s important to spend time on clients, especially the great ones, and dedicate your energy towards them. But if your energy is gone at the end of the day, and you consistently think, “I’ll create my plan, my goals, or review my direction tomorrow” because you’re too tired, when will it truly happen?

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Ways To Take Care Of Your Own Business

Schedule Time To Work On Your Business
If you truly want to spend quality time on your business, you have to calendar it. Get out your calendar, select some time, and hold that timeframe sacred. That means a potential client can’t sway you into changing your mind because “it’s the only day they can meet”. They will truly find another time if they are interested.

Plan Retreats
Don’t spend an hour here and an hour there. Hours are great, but it’s easy to get distracted. Instead, dedicate a full day, and get away from your normal work environment. Head to your local library, check with your chamber of commerce, or even head to a local coffee shop. Leave your mobile devices at the office, and work uninterrupted for the complete day on nothing but plans. It doesn’t have to be every week – just once or twice per year can do wonders for your business.

Work With A Coach
There are many different types of coaches, and all can offer you valuable insight into your life. Try out different coaches, and use the time to concentrate on building what you truly desire. All of the greatest athletes, the top business owners, and the most successful people in the world use coaches. You can’t get there alone.

Plan Your Personal Life Too
When we think about goals and strategies, we usually think from a business point of view. But how will your business impact your personal life? What are your personal goals? How can your business help you achieve them? If your top goal is to travel the world, how can you change your photography business to help you achieve that? Never forget that the reason you went into business for yourself is to enjoy your life on your terms. That means business, personal, and everything in between. Make sure you look at the two together throughout all of your plans, and you’ll be well on your way to creating the lifestyle you’ve always dreamed of.

If you own a business, you have to deal with the positives and the negatives.

While most of your clients will love what you do, there will be the occasional client that hates everything, and you just can’t please, no matter what. Likewise you’ll get a ton of positive energy and great feedback online and on your social sites. Yet occasionally the negative will pop in there. What do you do? How do you handle the negatives?

1. Change your mindset. The minute you listen to or read a negative comment, you start to feel rattled, and quickly grow from upset to angry. How could this person feel this way? Ultimately it’s a reflection on you, and in many cases it just doesn’t sit well. Take a step back and breathe. Calm yourself down before you act or speak, and look at it through different eyes. Could what they are saying in any way be true? Then approach it in a positive way, and look for a way to re-explain yourself or provide new information.

2. Think first, act second. The easiest way to get into trouble online is to react immediately. We’ve all seen the responses to a negative comment on Facebook or Twitter escalate to where its being retweeted tens of thousands of times. The bantering goes back and forth until it literally goes viral, hurting the business owner much more than if he would have left the original comment alone. The problem stems from quick reaction. Take a step back and count to 10. Go out to lunch. Take a walk around the park. Calm down and think about the negativity. Only after you’ve had time away should you consider responding. And even then, think twice. – See Social Media – Your Best Friend or Your Worst Enemy?

3. Ignore. While ignoring a situation won’t make it go away, it sometimes is the best response. At some point you’ll find a person that loves bantering. They poke and push to see what it takes to get a response from you. They are looking for your breaking point. The key to this type of person is they are looking for the fight. They’ll do anything to invoke a response. But if they don’t get one, they’ll move on. When you discover this type of person, block them from commenting if possible, don’t accept their phone calls, ignore what they are saying, and watch to see if they will go away. Yes, in a few cases they will keep pushing until you have to take more severe action. But in the majority of cases they will simply look for someone else that will take the bait.

4. Delete. If you run a blog, you know how upsetting those occasional comments can be. I love disagreement, and love when people post their own ideas on a topic. But disagreement is completely different from rudeness. If someone adds their own opinion, even if its different than yours, its fun to take the conversation down different paths. But if all a comment does is slam you, with nothing constructive to add, delete. Then don’t think twice about it.

5. Accept it. There are more than 6 billion people on earth. There is always going to be a few that you have absolutely nothing in common with, and would disagree on just about every topic covered. Accept it. You don’t see eye to eye. Never will. So find the audience that loves what you do and focus your energy on them.

6. Move on. Don’t dwell on the negative. It’s easy to do – how can you not focus on something that hits right at your heart? But the more time you spend dwelling on the negative means you aren’t focusing on what will truly help you – the positive. The more a negative touches you, the more you should back away, take some time off, and concentrate on how you can turn it back into a positive.

7. Refocus. Always look for the origination of the problem. Why did the client not like your work? How did they find you? If you continually have problems from one source, it may be the source. Maybe your style doesn’t fit within the core beliefs of that group. Maybe its time to back away from that source, and look for other ways of bringing in clients. The same applies online. Maybe you are writing posts that don’t fit in with the beliefs of your readers. Does that bother you? Or do you feel strongly about what you are writing, and are just as happy alienating some of your current readers in order to move into a new direction?

Business is always about moving forward, testing, and refocusing. As we change and grow, we discover things we love and things we hate. Just because you love something today doesn’t mean it won’t lose its luster a few months from now. That’s okay. Stay true to your own purpose, and find people that align with your thinking. You’ll love the results.

Who’s value system are you selling by?

One of the biggest reasons photographers fail at business is because they never learn the golden rule of a photography business.

Price it at its true value.

I’ve heard all kinds of excuses.

“Money isn’t important; I just love to shoot.”

“I pay $xx for an 8×10, how can I charge my client THAT much?”

“I hate sales.”
You probably have said something similar along the way.

Last night I was watching a travel show on Tokyo. One of the highlights was on the new malls being built throughout the city. They showcased a variety of products being sold to consumers, including fruit picked at the peak of perfection – and being sold for hundreds of U.S. dollars. A cantaloupe with perfect skin with zero flaws or marks, and just the right amount of sugar density was on display – and of course could be yours for several hundred dollars. Really?

Now think about that. Would you pay hundreds of dollars for one cantaloupe? You buy it and you take it home and eat it. That’s it. Yet it has perfect flavor. So why not?

You do it with wine. Sure, you can head in and buy a great $10 wine for dinner. But what if you are really celebrating something special? What if you are a wine connoisseur? You can easily spend hundreds, even thousands on the perfect wine. And because the creator knows exactly why a wine is special, he will have no trouble bottling it up and selling it for its true worth. And people will buy it. Because they know the value.

The true value of your photography isn’t the price of the paper it’s printed on. It’s the value you put behind being a photographer. It’s your education. It’s your ability. It’s the way you work with people. It’s your reputation. It’s the amount of PR you’ve done for your business. It’s the investment you’ve put into becoming who you are today as a photographer. It’s the show you put on for your clients. It’s the customer service skills you present. It’s the final product. It’s the joy you bring into people’s lives.

If you’re just shooting for fun and have no desire to turn it into a career, keep giving away your images. But if you want to “get known” for your work, you have to add in value. People have to look at your work, and say “that’s a [your name here] image”. They do that with Annie Leibovitz. And they can do it with you – IF you choose to work for it.

I signed up today for a virtual conference on the Future of Marketing. This conference will take place on November 16th, and if you sign up, you’ll receive the MP3 and transcript, and learn what 60 great marketing giants have to say on where marketing is heading.

So it got me to thinking about how I would answer that same question, and since its blogging versus talking, what would I say in 60 words or less? Here we go:

Marketing is no longer about selling to your clients. It’s about engaging your clients. Instead of force-feeding messages, we’ll control the streams of media, and ask our customers for opinions. It’s all about great communication. Listen to what they have to say. Spark a common interest. Let them talk. Respond by providing them with the items they want the most.

How would you respond to the same question? What is your take on the future of marketing? Comment below, I’d love to hear your thoughts.