It seems that the mantra of most businesses is “cut costs”. Many companies are not just concerned about controlling their costs but also about reducing costs to the absolute minimum. These companies want to spend less but still, somehow, earn more.
Most companies view a professional photographer as an expense. So they immediately think that photography is a cost like any other and it has to be minimized. This is the barrier that a commercial or corporate photographer has to get around. There are two ways to do this:
1) Be the cheapest photographer in town.
2) Stop being seen as an expense but rather as an investment.
A company never hires a photographer just to get some pictures. Photographs are a business tool; they are a means, not an end point. When a company has a marketing “problem”, it will, hopefully, seek a photographic solution.
At this point, a photographer who has chosen Option 1, from above, will simply ask the customer for the time and date of the planned photography and a list of pictures that are needed. This photographer is offering a basic service which the client sees as a cost to be minimized.
But a photographer who has chosen Option 2 knows that this is the time to prove that they’re not an expense but a business investment.
A company might know, at least in general terms, what end point it would like to reach with a particular photography project. But that doesn’t mean it knows exactly what photography is needed to get there.
A smart photographer will talk with the client about their plans for the photography. For example: how the pictures will be used, what results are expected and, if applicable, how the photos should reflect the client’s corporate culture and brand.
The photographer has to show that they understand the client’s photo needs and that they’re taking an active role towards the success of the client’s photo project. This helps build trust and shows that the photographer is offering more value.
By ensuring the client gets the most effective photography for its needs, the photographer is seen not as an expense but as an investment.
Companies will (almost) always pay more to invest in a successful business solution.
