The business side of photography
A customer may directly or indirectly tell a photographer that their price is too high. When this happens, the photographer has to understand why the customer is saying this.
A customer may say the photographer’s price is too high when, in reality, the customer is undecided or confused about the offer. It’s easier to say, “it’s too expensive” than “I’m not sure how I can benefit from this photography.”
Continue reading →
Every real estate agent knows that a friendly face on a lawn sign or billboard will attract more attention than anything else, except perhaps a picture of a baby.
Every politician knows that a professional business portrait helps build trust. No matter what scandal a politician may have been involved in, a good portrait will be a positive influence on voters.
The marketing power of a well-done business portrait can benefit anyone.
A business headshot with a smile builds trust, indicates friendliness, confidence and politeness, and suggests that you are smart and competent. It has also been shown that smiling can increase your customers’ satisfaction and can even help you live longer and be happier.
Is it worth the trouble to smile?
Yes it is, especially in front of the photographer who’s making your new business headshot.
Would you:
— Buy a pair of shoes based only on price?
— Buy a book based only on price?
— Decide on concert tickets based only on price?
— Choose a restaurant based only on price?
— Plan a vacation based only on price?
Why would anyone choose a photographer based only on price?
A 2013 study by J.D. Power looked at customer satisfaction with North American car rental companies. A key finding was that customers who chose a car rental company based on lowest price were the least satisfied.
This parallels a similar 2013 North American hotel study which found that consumers who chose a hotel based on lowest price were also the least satisfied.
Would any customer be satisfied with the lowest-priced photographer?
“Aren’t your photography prices too high?”
Compared to an amateur photographer, a Craigslist photographer, or an inexperienced photographer then I certainly hope that my prices are much higher than any of those.
But I’m not expensive when compared to a photographer with similar experience and knowledge.
I quoted $1,560 for a job last month that required eight business headshots. A few days later, someone from the company called to let me know that their project was cancelled. She said that she had received quotes from four Toronto photographers, including myself, and all were within $300 of each other. Unfortunately, she continued, “My boss budgeted only $500. I told him it wasn’t enough!”
Continue reading →
Charles Mortimer was the CEO of the former General Foods from 1954 to 1965. During this time he doubled the company’s sales and tripled its earnings. Mortimer’s background was in marketing. He was once quoted as saying:
The surest way to over-spend on advertising is not to spend enough to do a job properly. It’s like buying a ticket three-quarters of the way to Europe; you have spent some money, but you do not arrive.
If you replace the word “advertising” with “professional photography”, the saying would still hold true.
When a company seeks the lowest-cost corporate photography, that company is shooting itself in the foot, or more accurately, in the wallet. When spending on photography for business marketing, it’s not what you pay that’s important but rather it’s what you get.
Cutting corners and paying just enough to get ineffective or low quality business photography is a form of overspending because you’ve bought a ticket to nowhere.
If a job is worth doing then get someone to do it properly. – anonymous
Photographers, why are you in the photography business?
“To take pictures and make money,” I hear someone say.
While walking through a park, a young girl sees a photographer taking pictures of some people and she asks him what he’s doing. The photographer replies, “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m taking pictures.”
She continues her stroll and a few minutes later, the girl sees another photographer taking pictures of people and asks him what he’s doing. The photographer answers, “I’m busy making a living.”
After walking further through the park, the girl finds another photographer taking pictures of some people and asks him the same question. The photographer says, “I’m making a special portrait for this family’s photo album.”
For corporate and commercial photographers, you should be in business to help grow the value of your customer’s business. Your job is to use photography to help their business succeed. If their business doesn’t succeed, neither will yours. You are their business partner just as much as they are yours.
Pictures interest people more than text.
People get information faster from pictures than text.
People can get more information from pictures than text.
People understand pictures better than text.
People remember pictures more than text.
Pictures have greater emotional impact than text.
People trust pictures more than text.
Pictures have more credibility than text.
More emotional impact, more trust, more credibility.
This means pictures influence people more than text.
So what should your company use for your marketing, more pictures or more text?
