The Dumbest Questions You Can Ask Your Photography Prospects

As a new business owner, your mind is filled with every last detail of your business. And with so much to learn, you probably don’t spend a lot of time mastering each piece. In many aspects, that comes along the way.

So you jump right in and do things as they happen. When a prospect comes in, you have an honest conversation. You tell them your opinions, your attitudes, and how you really feel. You ask questions and provide the answers you think you would like to hear? What’s wrong with that?

Yet in sales, if you ask the wrong questions, you may not only turn a prospect away, you may alienate future customers as well. Here’s why.

Smart questions build up the relationship you are forming with a prospect. Dumb questions fill a customer with doubt and self-questioning.

Smart questions make a prospect think about the answer and how you fit into it. Dumb questions leave everything open, guaranteeing they will turn to someone else for solid answers.

Here are the dumbest questions you can use to bring in photography clients and why they are dumb. [Read more…]

8 Lies Newbie Photographers May Fall For

Is your client lying to you?

When you are new to the business world, its easy to want to trust everyone that walks through your door. Unfortunately not every client will live by the same ethics you do. Some clients are strictly out for “the deal” and will think nothing of trying to get everything they can.

Unfortunately, “lies” not only will take away the solid income stream you are trying to build to keep yourself in business, but it can also take away your self-confidence as a business owner, wondering who you can trust down the road.

Watch for these 8 lies you may hear from time to time. And if you hear these words coming from your client’s mouth, move forward cautiously.

Lie #1 You’ll Get A Ton Of Exposure From This

This has always been one of my favorites and I’ve probably heard this the most. People want the world given to them even when they don’t have the resources to pay for it. And since you’re just an “artist”, you get that, right? So why don’t you remain a “starving artist” and give me images for free. Then I’ll pass along your name to everyone I know and tell them what a great job you did. The problem is most people won’t follow through on telling their friends. And even if they do, chances are they will throw in a sentence or two about what a deal they got. Then any referral will also expect the deal when they visit you.

Lie #2 You’ll Have Plenty More Work In The Future

You may hear this one a lot in the commercial industry. A new company wants great photos of their current products, and expect to build on their success in the future. So they want a deal today, promising you their future projects – annual reports, model shoots, catalog projects and more. These clients mean well and you have to appreciate their big dreams. Yet in many cases these dreams simply won’t materialize. You have bills to pay. And because they are also a business owner, they should realize that too. If they want to commit to future projects in a contract, you may negotiate a pricing structure built on several shoots. Otherwise stick with your original pricing. [Read more…]

10 Steps To Delivering The Best Customer Service To Your Clients

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. [Read more…]