Photographers, stop calling yourself a freelance photographer. “Freelance” suggests temporary and, perhaps in the worst case, even fly-by-night.
Always refer to yourself as a professional photographer. It creates a much better image in a customer’s mind. For better or worse, titles are important in business.
So while “freelancer” may be more akin to how you see what you do, it might be selling you short. After all, your livelihood doesn’t depend on your own self-perception, but on how potential clients see you and your work.
You never hear about freelance doctors, freelance lawyers, freelance electricians, freelance gardeners, freelance film directors, freelance singers, freelance book authors, freelance limo drivers, etc. But you always hear the phrase, “freelance photographer.”
“You’re a professional photographer? So you’re a freelancer, right?”
“I own a photography business that works with other businesses to enhance their marketing.”
“But you’re still a freelancer.”
“My business provides visual marketing services to a variety of customers. I’m a freelancer as much as your dentist is a freelancer.”
The perception is that freelancers charge for their time. How often do you get asked for your hourly rate or day rate? On the other hand, businesses charge for their products and services.
Everyone knows a business has to charge enough to cover its overhead and also make a profit. No one tries to negotiate a lower price with Home Depot, Apple, Staples, Loblaws, their dentist or most other businesses.
The more you think of yourself as a business that produces professional photography, and not simply as a freelancer, the more you might act like a business. The more you act like a business, the more a customer will (hopefully) treat you as a business rather than as a temporary worker.
