One Project and Three Interpretations

[by Paul Bartholomew]

We deal with all kinds of potential clients and some give more information than others when it comes to projects they have in mind. We have the highly organized person who provides layouts, usage, digital specs and all sorts of very helpful information.  Then we have the person who calls and asks for your fees without giving much info at all.

Most of my experiences tend to be somewhat in between the two situations and I have noticed some interesting things based on what is provided and what I had to ask for. But what about the other photographers involved with the estimate?  What kind of questions are they asking and are they being told the same details?  Maybe, but don’t count on it.  The possibility of three photographers sending an estimate for the same project and coming up with different interpretations isn’t uncommon. We may actually be sending estimates for three different projects.

What can we do to minimize these situations and help ensure everyone in the process is getting the same specs?  Communication.  Ask about the other photographers involved and see what they may have asked about.  Be honest and say that you wish to provide an estimate based on the same information provided to others.  It’s only reasonable to ask such a question.  I’m an architectural photographer so I ask for a shot list, details about special features, usage and snapshots.  I also ask for a copy of the plans and any descriptions or presentation materials they may have about the project.  I’m also sure to check out the client’s website to see the level of work they commissioned in the past.  Learn about the client’s work and their marketing needs and direction.  The more you can gather the better off you will be, but try your best to get the same info as your competition.  We can’t assume.

Once the estimate/bid is sent be sure to follow-up and see what the situation is.  You still have room to negotiate and make adjustments if needed.  If the client likes your work they will try to make the project happen.  Being active and asking questions can only help the situation and show your professionalism.

As a Fine Artist You are Only Selling the Print

[by Thomas Werner]

Whether selling editioned or uneditioned prints at a gallery, store, or as an individual it is important to remember that when you set the price for your work you are only setting the price for an individual print. Mounting, matting, framing, laminating, shipping, or other expenses should be charged accordingly. This may seem like common sense, but we become so excited about selling our prints that “Sure I’ll put a mat on that for your” or “Sure I can mount that, no problem” slips out without our ever asking for additional funds or explaining the additional cost. This is bad business at best, and at worst undermines the value of your work.

So when someone asks you how much it costs to purchase your artwork, remember to quote them a price for an individual print, and to quote an additional amount for each additional request. Other businesses do it, and you should as well. Your art is a personal expression, but the sale of it is business and if you want to gain respect and turn your art into a revenue stream, it should be treated that way.

Recession-proof Pricing

[by Judy Herrmann]

This recession has hit photographers harder than any that I’ve lived through previously and many are working for lower fees than they’d ever consider accepting before.

Past experience has taught me that quoting lower fees during a recession makes it very difficult to bring those fees back to normal when the crisis ends.  Instead, look for ways to streamline costs or scale back the project to meet client budget requirements.

Non-monetary compensation can be an avenue worth exploring providing the client has something to offer that you really need.  Make sure any trades are based on exchanging equal value – you need to receive tangible benefit, not just promises.
If you feel you have no choice but to reduce your creative fee, don’t just quote a lower price.  Instead, communicate the full value of your fee, verbally and in your estimates and invoices, then extend a courtesy discount to bring the total where it needs to be.  The discount becomes an act of generosity – the tangible expression of your understanding that we’re all in this mess together – rather than a new definition of what your work is truly worth.

Get Powerful Info for Pricing Jobs

[by Blake Discher]

When a new potential client calls on the telephone, one of the first things I do is look up the caller’s website.

What I’m looking for are two things:  their level of design sophistication and how they’re currently using photography.  These two bits of information can give valuable clues to what sort of budget he or she might have for photography.

Lack of pleasing design and imagery might be a good indicator that I am talking with someone who has likely not historically spent money for higher end professional design or art.  It might mean they’re used to working with budgets that are small or doing the work in-house.

Ideally, the client’s website makes good use of color, makes use of an attractive font, and it’s navigation is intuitive.  It will also look as if it was created specifically for them instead of being made from a template.

Most of all, I’m trying to determine to what extent they use excellent photography.  Does it look as though they’ve done a lot of it in house using a point-and-shoot with no lighting?  Does it look professional? Do they credit the photographer?

This analysis takes just seconds and can be done during the initial part of the conversation.  If it appears they haven’t worked with a photographer of your skills, you’ll know you have to spend a lot of time talking about the value you bring to the project.  Put another way, you’ll need to convince them that you’re the correct person for the job and worth the money.

Remember, if you focus the conversation of price, the price will likely go down.  Instead, focus the conversation on value, what you can offer that everyone else cannot, the price will likely go up.

Good luck!

Social Media: Relax…

[by Thomas Werner]

Much has been made of social media and it’s importance in terms of building your market and creating greater visibility for yourself and your business. While I agree social media has become essential to a well-rounded marketing a program, I find the emphasis many have placed on this topic a little extreme.

While giving lectures I often hear people say they have been told to spend one hour a day on social media. That is an extraordinary amount of time to devote to what should become a consistent but casual interaction in which relationships are developed over the course of time. If you spend a couple of hours a week reaching out, creating new connections, and letting people know what you are doing via Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, you should find your network slowly growing and the benefits to yourself and your business growing as well.

Leave the five or seven hour a week to those who want to become online  “experts” in this field. Get out, create images, have lunch with an old client, find new ways to partner with an expanded network of creatives in your city.  Develop your marketing plan and relax when it comes to social media; grow your social network in a manner that you are comfortable with and your “friends” and “contacts” will be comfortable as well.

Successful Marketing is Not About You, It’s About Them

[by Rosh Sillars]

The truth is your prospects really don’t care about your great photographs, your excellent service, or how long you have been in business.

They want your photography to make them look good. They want to  experience your excellent service. They want to see what exciting images you can create for them now.

Everything you do is marketing. Every element that involves the client has a marketing aspect to it: when you answer the phone, when you show your images, and when you deliver the final product. Let others talk  about your great service. Your photography assignments need to revolve around a great customer experience that makes each one feel like the center of their universe. hero.

When advertising your work, make sure it shows your audience what you can do for them. Design your Web site with clients’ needs in mind, not your own greatness.

Only a select few can get away with playing the role of the aloof, narcissistic or eccentric photographer.  There are too many choices in the market place. This might be hard to swallow for some photographers. If you are going to make a living in an over-supplied industry, you must be able to deliver more than a pretty picture.  Working with you must be an experience that focuses on them.

Why Define Your Ideal Client?

[by Carolyn Potts]

Once you define your ideal client, you will have better focus finding and working with them

The most essential step in creating an effective marketing plan is to first decide who you want to work with. If you don’t have a specific answer to that question, you won’t know where to begin to look for them.

Almost every photographer who calls me for photography marketing help has the same basic issue: “I want more work. How do I get it?” I wish there was a simple solution to offer them; but like any goal worth going after, it first takes some understanding of what the end goal actually looks like.

One of the first things I do is first ask them: “What kind of client do you want to work with? What kind of work brings out the best in you?” or the corollary “What kind of work does NOT inspire you on any level?

Many times I get “I don’t really care. I just want work!” While I totally sympathize with that generalized need (in this economy especially!), any viable photography marketing plan MUST begin with narrowing down what might be the best client/market niche for YOU to pursue.

The narrowing down process I go through with my clients is, of course, far more individualized and in-depth, but here are a few key questions that will go a long way in helping you choose strategies and tactics to reach YOUR ideal prospects. They’re simple questions, not easily answered, but ones which are critical to your success.

When you’ve found the answers to these questions you have the beginnings of a road map that can help you eliminate or avoid marketing activities that will not give you as high a return on your investment of time and money.

•What kind of clients could most benefit from what I bring to the table?
•What do I do that an advanced amateur photographer could not do as well–or at all?
•What market segments will NOT appreciate my level of professionalism?
•If it’s an uneducated market segment, am I willing to do “”whatever it takes” to help those potential clients understand the real value I add to their business?
•What kinds of assignments/projects do I always love doing?

You’ve probably heard the advice “it’s important to first know where you want to go before picking up a map.” Knowing that destination will determine which marketing map you actually use. Many marketing resources discuss this concept in depth, but I prefer the succinct wisdom of Lily Tomlin: “I’ve always wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should have been more specific.”

What’s the Difference?

[by Judy Herrmann]

Focusing on differentiation is a great way to improve your marketing efforts.   Make a list of 10 really good reasons why someone should hire you instead of someone else.  Your images don’t count – producing good images is a given these days – this is all about added value.

While you’re making and prioritizing your list, do some research!  Come up with creative ways to find out what your prospects and clients care about most when hiring a photographer. Incorporate what you learn into this exercise.

Once you have your prioritized list of differentiators, make sure your marketing materials clearly communicate them.  Make a cheat sheet to keep by the phone to remind you what your key selling points are so you don’t forget to bring them up when talking with clients or prospects.  Obviously, you can’t be too heavy-handed here but keeping your value points by your side will make it easier to spot appropriate moments to mention them.

Killer Contradictions

[by Leslie Burns]
You can’t be a high-value (and thus higher priced) photographer if you are cheap and disrespectful to other creatives. Sadly, far too many photographers behave like this. Some squeeze a penny until Lincoln screams and their vendors cringe. They do this under the guise of being wise businesspeople, and while saving money is good, they end up looking low-end to their targets and nasty to other creative pros.

One big area where I see this is in their websites. Too many photographers do some form of DIY with their sites and it always, always shows. If you think you are the exception whose site looks and works great, you are not. Sorry to be harsh, but there it is. I see it every day. You are not a designer, and most certainly not a web designer, so stop fooling yourself.

The worst part about this is what it says about respecting other creative professionals. How can you tell your targets that what you do is of great value and that they can’t do it themselves when you are behaving towards other creative professionals (web  design pros) exactly like those who say to you “I shouldn’t have to pay so much for this– I can use a camera and this isn’t that hard”? You can’t. It’s rank hypocrisy.

I hear photographers complain about not owning their sites after they pay for them—this is the same as your targets complaining about not getting the copyright to the images for almost no money. Or photographers saying they shouldn’t have to pay more for design changes or hosting.

If you treat other creative professionals as valued partners, you will not only help their bottom lines, but your own. They are and/or know your targets! They can bring you business. And, in your marketing, you will also elevate your brand perception to everyone because you will be getting better design.

So please, stop being cheap and hypocritical. Instead, be open, treat others as you would like to be treated, and open your wallet in situations like this. A small investment in respect and money will pay for itself in no time.

I’m Gonna Sue!

[by Jim Cavanaugh]

When I was a Chapter President, I would often get calls from angry members who found that one of their photographs had been infringed. They wanted the name of a copyright attorney so they could sue the infringer. I was always stunned when I asked about what the person said after they contacted them about the infringement. In virtually every case, I got the same answer, “Oh, I didn’t contact them, they used my photograph with out permission, I’m gonna sue them!”

Well, in 35 years as a working photographer, I’ve never been in a courtroom except to photograph it. I have made it 35 years without suing anyone. And I have had countless images infringed during the same time. I simply look at situation differently.

If someone “stole” one my images,  it seems to me that they liked my image or they would not have used it. Are they a potential new client? Can a negative be turned into a positive? Filing a law suit certainly will not let that happen.

Before you run to an attorney, contact the company and let them know that you are aware that they have used one of your copyrighted photographs without the required permission and payment and that you would like to resolve the situation fairly so that they may continue to use the image. And, perhaps license more in the future.

Protect Your Assets

[by Judy Herrmann]

In a recent thread on ASMPproAdvice, a photographer asked about the necessity of obtaining releases when photographing his client’s employees. Several members of the listserv pointed out that releases don’t just protect the photographer, they also protect the client – especially if an employee who’s been photographed leaves under bad terms.

The thread made me remember how intimidated I was by paperwork when I first entered the field. I felt uncomfortable asking people to sign assignment confirmations, advance expenses, sign releases and change orders or even pay our bills on time.

Once I realized that using good paperwork protected my clients’ interests as well as my own, it became easier to talk to them about it. As my business grew, I discovered that for many clients, good paperwork is a must – it shows you’re a professional who knows what you’re doing and understands the rules of the game.

Make sure your paperwork keeps up with the times – if you’re thinking of adopting new technologies or diversifying the services you offer, answer these questions before you take the plunge:

• Does this new approach or technology affect my potential liability with my clients, models, locations, vendors or suppliers?
• How do I need to change my terms & conditions or other forms (model releases assignment confirmations, change orders, delivery memos, etc.) to minimize my risks?
• What do I need to communicate verbally as well as in writing to protect myself from any miscommunications?

If your paperwork could use a tune-up, visit the ASMP Forms Tutorial and Terms & Conditions Module for recommended language you can modify for your needs.  ASMP’s dpBestflow project includes a digital file delivery checklist and sample digital file “read me” memo that all photographers should check out.

Equipment Backups

[by Paul Bartholomew]

It kind of goes without saying that having a backup camera is very important. The chances are high that you will eventually run into equipment malfunctions. Try to have a plan B in place. Did you think about a backup tripod? If your work is mostly accomplished on a tripod, everything will come to a halt if a little item such as a lock decides to break. Think through your equipment and be prepared for the smaller items too.

The Winning Path

[by Rosh Sillars]

People generally take the path of least resistance.  Opportunities arise all the time, but we don’t always follow through on them.

Think about the great opportunities you have missed.  What were your excuses? Did you have too much on your plate already? A scheduling conflict? You simply forgot? Most likely the root cause was that you didn’t have the information necessary to follow through quickly. Opportunity lost.

I’ll bet many of the opportunities you let slip away only required a few simple things. Maybe it was a biography, a photograph, pricing information or connections. You didn’t miss the opportunity for  business promotion or a unique job because you didn’t have these things. You lost the opportunity because they weren’t easily available.

Don’t let that happen again. Create a folder on your desktop.  Write three personal biographies.  One should be a quick paragraph, another should be about three paragraphs long and the last should be a full page of highlights about you and your career.

Next, make sure you have a current photograph.  Update it every few years.  It sounds funny to say that to a photographer, but you and I know the reality.

Place a least two lists in your folder. One list should contain your basic pricing for most expenses and every type of job you would accept.  This way you have a reference and will not procrastinate or delay trying to figure out where to start.  Most importantly, you don’t want to undervalue your work.

The other list should contain names and phone numbers of people you’ve met with specialized services that may be of benefit when a unique job becomes available.

Last, create a folder within your folder of images for both Web and print of your best photographs for promotion.  Make sure you have at least five to share.

Knowing you have this information will give you the confidence to act quickly. Now, when opportunities arise, you will be prepared to respond immediately.  Don’t give your prospects the chance to take the path of least resistance and call on someone else who is prepared.

Private Disability Insurance

[by Jim Cavanaugh]

Insurance statistics tell us that we are seven times more likely to become disabled than die during our work life. Many folks have life insurance but far fewer independent photographers have private disability insurance. Many assume, if they become disabled, that they will be taken care of by Workers Comp or State Disability Insurance. But in some cases, independent business owners are not covered at all. And if covered, the amounts may be insufficient to cover your income needs and may only last a matter of months.

Private Disability Insurance can provide income to cover your salary and business overhead until you reach retirement age. It is reasonably priced for the peace of mind it can bring. The cost depends on your age, your specific job responsibilities and the amount of coverage and the length of time it will be paid. Shop carefully, some policies may provide income for a few years, others until retirement age when you would be eligible for Social Security.

Private disability insurance can be deducted on your Federal income tax returns. However, if you deduct the premium, your benefits are taxable. If you do not deduct your premiums, your disability income is not subject to Federal income taxes.

If you are not covered, look into it today. You don’t want to lose everything you have worked for due to an unforeseen accident or health crisis.

Please Release Me

[by Blake Discher]

Many photographers forget  that their websites are a form of advertising and as such the individuals in the images must be released.  ASMP has Property and Model Releases on it’s site, available to anyone, at www.asmp.org/releases.  I keep copies of the simplified release in my camera bag and in my car’s glovebox.  That way, even if I’m carrying a point and shoot while visiting a park with my son, I have releases handy.

Do You Have a Voice Mail Problem?

[by Jim Cavanaugh]

How many times have you heard people lament “I can’t get a hold of anybody. All I ever get is voice mail”. It can be frustrating until you realize that voice mail is really a perfect way for you to get your message to a client in a clear, concise manner. Just be mentally prepared with your best “elevator briefing” if you get dropped into voice mail. Keep it brief, who, what, why, where, when and how. Make sure you speak clearly and be sure to repeat your phone number.

Save Time Getting Paid

[by Paul Bartholomew]

Sometimes an invoice payment is delayed because a W-9 form may be required by the client.  Whenever working with new clients you can send a filled out W-9 form along with the invoice or you can check with their accounts payable if one is required. This can also reduce the hassle of last minute requests at the end of the year.

Use a Validated Transfer

[by Peter Krogh]

Whenever you move the primary copy of your images from one drive to another, you should perform a validated transfer. This makes sure that all files are transferred, and that every bit in the original is also in the copy. Read about the process and watch a movie of it in action at dpBestflow.org.

Video Quick Tip

[by Gail Mooney]

Watch TV commercials with the sound off. You’ll quickly see how the footage was cut together in the editing room.

Take Back Your Power

[by Judy Herrmann]

At the SB2 conferences a couple of years ago, I noticed that many photographers were exhibiting the classic signs of mourning.  Back then, most were still in denial but many were grappling with a sense of helplessness, paralysis and loss as they faced what they perceived as the death of a profession they loved.

Today, it’s clear that far too many of my colleagues have graduated to the anger phase and that anger is doing as much damage to our profession as the recession, changing technologies and changing markets combined.
In Vein of Gold, her 1996 sequel to The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron wrote: “When we are angry or depressed in our creativity, we have misplaced our power. We have allowed someone else to determine our worth, and then we are angry at being undervalued.” I’m willing to bet that every single one of us either is that person or knows that person.

Looking for a silver bullet?  The magic answer?  Here it is:  the one thing that’s going to help you survive as a professional visual communicator is your creativity.  I can’t tell you what your career is going to look like – that’s up to you – but I can tell you that without creative vision, creative thinking, creative problem solving, creative strategies and creative approaches to building your business in the “new economy” you’re not going to make it in this field.

If you’re one of the angry ones, all I can say is Get Over It.  Find help, find hope, find whatever shot in the arm you need because if you allow your anger at these irrevocable changes to get in the way of your creativity, you are walking roadkill. If you’re not one of the angry ones, if you’re still hopeful, still open, still looking for what’s possible, I congratulate you.  Foster your creativity – nourish it, protect it and don’t let the kill-joys near it – for it is the key to your future.

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