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The Dumbest Questions You Can Ask Your Photography Prospects

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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…]

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Is This What You Are Doing Wrong With Your Sales?

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Are you wondering why sales aren’t where you think they should be? Are you wondering how you can get more people to your site who won’t just look, but will actually buy?

Its hard not to fall into the trap of entitlement. If you look around you, everyone talks about the overnight success stories, and the businesses that have grown from $0 to $1 million in a matter of days. Just yesterday I was emailed a story about a company that is now making $600k a month, though they were almost bankrupt a mere six weeks ago.

Entitlement is a part of our culture. We watch a show or movie and we movie from concept to solution in under two hours. Entire serial killer mysteries can be played out in less than one. So why shouldn’t we be able to build a business in a matter of weeks? We’re entitled to it, right?

The problem with entitlement within our business model is we lose site of what is truly important. Our thoughts drift to:

  • I have the most amazing product/service ever
  • My services deserve attention
  • Nobody is doing anything like me
  • I’m charging less so I should fill up twice as fast
  • Its [insert whatever you choose] fault, not my own [i.e. the economy, my parents, my spouse, my lack of education, etc]

Yet none of that is the real problem. The real problem is we bring all of our focus internally instead of placing it where it belongs … on the consumer.

A few months ago I chatted with a woman who lost her job and was trying to build up her photography business to replace her income. Her goal was to build up a portrait business that consisted of boudoir, maternity and baby portraiture. She had some great work and had a huge potential to make it grow. Where she was lacking was in marketing and sales.

So we began talking about the best way get her work out there into her community. After a little work we decided her best bet would be to get her work on the walls of a local doctor’s office. She sent off a letter and after a week … nothing. To say she was put off by the whole experience was an understatement. She was ready to throw in the towel on the whole project. Until I asked her a few questions. [Read more…]

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10 Ways To Love Your Photography Clients

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“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. [Read more…]

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The Worst Way To Start Your Presentations

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Have you ever thought of why you are closer to some people than others? Chances are it’s the way they interact with you.

Imagine you are out on a date. You sit down at a restaurant and order drinks. Then the conversation begins.

If your date starts out listing his good qualities, what he did today, what his goals are, “blah blah blah”. You’ll quickly find a way to bring this date to a close.

What makes a great date is the interaction and the equal care and concern for you as well. If the same person started with a question instead of listing his good qualities, you’ll be more engaged and more willing to open up and find out more about his person. “How was your day?” can go a long way.

When it comes to dating and building friendships, most people understand the rules of engagement. They understand the give and take concept.

But when it comes to the business world, it quickly falls apart. [Read more…]

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Photographers – Black Friday – Facebook: What Can You Do?

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Tis the week that starts the rush in holiday shopping here in the US. And according to the National Retail Federation, up to 152 million shoppers are expected to head to the stores and shop online for bargains sometime over the coming long weekend.

And while shopping on Thanksgiving weekend is nothing new, how shoppers will track the bargains is – and its changing rapidly with technology.

  • 50.5% will keep up with advertising circulars received in the newspaper and mail
  • 31.7% will watch holiday commercials

All of which is to be expected. But what is new is how we’re now using technology to get the exact information we are looking for.

  • 23.1% will seek out coupon websites – think RetailMeNot.com, FatWallet.com
  • 17.3% will monitor Facebook pages
  • 11.3% will check out group buying sites like Groupon and LivingSocial

And for those people that use tablet devices, over 31 percent will check out retailers’ Facebook pages and 21.3 percent will use the group buying sites.

So for many retailers – BestBuy, Macy’s, Kmart, Sears, etc – they won’t be focusing solely on the customers coming into their stores; they will spend equal time discovering ways to reach out to the people searching online from the comfort of their homes. Many will be participating in “deal of the hour” and other programs that they can release in a variety of ways, including email, Facebook and Twitter.

What Can Photographers Do?

While a photography studio may not be on the top of consumers holiday lists as they hit the stores on Friday morning, that doesn’t mean you can’t learn a thing or two from what the big retailers are doing, and put it into your own business. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Get Clients Tagged With: , , , , ,

Want To Be A Better Photographer? Don’t Get Paid

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As a photographer, you want to create the best photographs possible, have your clients love them, pay you well, and refer you to enough people that you never have to “market” again.

That’s the epitome of a perfect business model. But as you are growing and building, something starts happening. You start questioning just about everything.

  • Am I good enough?
  • Will people like what I do?
  • Do I have something people are willing to pay for?
  • Should I really do this full time?
  • Can I become one of the best in my niche?
  • Will I succeed?

These are all great questions, and ones that are difficult to find the answers to.

But there is one way to gain immediate feedback.

Put yourself on display.

The Street Performer Mentality

Have you ever watched a street performer do what he does best? He knows how to work the crowd. He perfects his skills by practicing and doing it again and again. He tries it out in front of a crowd, and gains instant feedback. If a group doesn’t surround him and have interest in what he’s doing, he knows he needs to move into a new direction. [Read more…]

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7 Tips For Marketing Your Photography To Women

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Is there really a difference in the way men and women shop? Yes. And in most cases they aren’t just subtle differences – they can be extreme. Enough so that entire companies are now devoted to studying sales and spending habits of the two sexes, and have come to distinct patterns to both. If you intend to market predominantly to women (which is probably the case in a variety of photographic niches) don’t just study marketing and sales; study marketing and sales strategies for women. Here are some distinct differences in how women buy.

Sell With Emotions

Even the title says it all. Women are simply more emotional than men, and tie their purchasing decisions to things that feed their emotions. Women love stories and happy endings. They love to be led along a storyline, and be kept in waiting to find out how situations will play out. Old Spice ads? You bet. We couldn’t wait to see the next one in the series and find out what crazy thing would happen next. Stories give us a few seconds to step away from our busy lives, and focus in on something that is completely irrelevant to our current situations, yet has impact on what we are thinking and doing.

Ask For Opinions

What do women like doing more than hearing a great story? Talking about it of course. We like to tell our friends, mention it in a group we belong to, share it on Facebook, and leave our comments on a blog post. When we don’t have time to chat with our best friends every day, logging into our Facebook accounts at 10 pm before we turn in can be just as rewarding. Don’t just leave it to chance; make the request. Tell people exactly what you want them to do and they will more likely follow through.

Build Time Into Your Sales Process

Women typically take a longer period of time to settle in on a purchase. They do more research, ask more questions, and spend more time thinking about the purchase before they actually sign on the dotted line. Build that into your sales process. Don’t expect an immediate sale; instead add in techniques that build up confidence in your relationship. Send thank you notes. Build an FAQ page online to address any concerns she may have. Direct her to that page on a follow up email. Mail out additional support for your products and services, such as testimonials and more in-depth descriptions. It may take a little more time and effort, but having a raving fan to help you sell on the other end is worth it. [Read more…]

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Do You Make These 10 Mistakes When You Sell Your Photography?

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Are you a natural at selling?

Don’t worry. Very few of us are.

Selling isn’t something you have to fear, or even avoid. It’s a natural part of owning and operating your business.

While focusing on what you should do has its benefits; sometimes it’s easier to learn what to avoid, and simply incorporate those tips into your sales presentation. It can help you see what you are potentially doing wrong, and how its impacting you, your business and your potential clients. If you see yourself in any of these mistakes, use them as a strategy for improving your sales presentations.

Think your client knows more than they do

You live with photography every day. You are entrenched in the culture, and have a true love for everything camera related. While your customers may have an appreciation for great art, they probably don’t have the same passion you do for the photographic industry. Never assume anything – always tell them why you are doing everything.

For example, they probably won’t care that you are using a Canon DSLR EOS 5D Mark II, with a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. But they will care that you are using professional equipment, and you have multiple bodies and lens options to capture every moment, and be available at all times, even if one of your bodies or lenses fail. That also arms them with knowledge, and they can take that to the next photographer they interview. “Do you carry multiple bodies and lenses?” You would be surprised at the number of photographers that don’t. And it also puts you in a better light with the potential client. [Read more…]

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Is Generosity Killing Your Photography Business?

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Everyone today seems to have a story. And I’ll admit some of them are good … REALLY good. So much so that you really want to hand over your photography for free in order to help the cause.

But the problem with one is it quickly becomes two. And two becomes four. And so on.

Pretty soon you’re doing all of your work for free, barter, or at a discount, and you barely have enough to survive on your own.

Sometimes generosity can become extremely challenging, and have you start questioning why you’re in business in the first place. But how do you stop it? How do you know what causes to take on, and which one’s to pass by? How can you strike a balance between running a business, and still being generous in the process?

What Is Your Policy?

A few years ago I had a real problem.

I would be approached by dozens of different businesses and non-profits, asking if I would provide my services in exchange for “something”. It could be the opportunity to promote to their group, for charitable reasons, for exposure, and a host of other reasons. [Read more…]

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3 Mistakes Photographers Make When Selling Wedding Albums

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If you photograph weddings, you probably have a package or two in which you offer an album. And in many cases, your package probably looks something like this:

  • Up to 5 hours of photography
  • Over 200 images on copyright-free CD
  • 20 page bridal album
  • 11×14 Portrait Print
  • Online gallery of your wedding photos to share with friends and family worldwide

The bride knows she will receive a CD full of images, and be able to view the images online, and share them with her family and friends from around the world.

She also knows she can take weeks or even months to select a few of her favorites, and have them put into a bridal album.

But it doesn’t matter what photos she selects, how they fit together, or how the will look side by side. She simply selects her favorites, and you as the photographer will force them into some type of order, and create an album from the final selection.

I’ve seen books like this.

An image of the bride walking down the aisle is set next to a formal of the bride outside at the reception. The first dance is placed along side of the couple kissing by the limo.

In other words, there is no rhyme or reason to the way the album is put together; it’s simply a hodgepodge of images thrown together to form a book of pictures.

Wedding albums aren’t meant to be a book of pictures. They are meant to be the story of the wedding day.

First Mistake: The Photographer Lets The Bride Make The Selection

If you allow a bride to choose her favorite images, she thinks from an individual level, not from a cumulative factor. She can’t see an album because it hasn’t happened yet. She doesn’t imagine how they will look together side by side; she simply chooses based on her best expressions, and her favorite moments.

When she receives the album, it will simply go on the shelf because it’s a book of pictures. It has no meaning – its just 20+ large images from her event.

As a photographer, you should be photographing a wedding to tell the story of the day. With wedding photography, photos work together in order to bring you back to the memories of the event itself. A formal out in the gardens is great, but it’s “just” a photo of the bride and groom. But when you have a series of images of the bride and groom walking through the gardens, talking with their flower girl, sneaking kisses along the way, it becomes a story – and a memory.

As a photographer, you need to think in story format. You need to take one photograph, and then another, and another – all to work together and provide an intimate look into the event itself. Its up to you to tell the story, and present the images in such a way that the bride and groom relive the wedding again and again. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Wedding Photography Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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