Gathering Information
A phone call. A live one, I have a "could be customer" on the other side. They are interested in my work, they want to do a photo shoot. The keywords are '''they want''' to do a photo shoot with me. It doesn't mean that it will happen. There are those little pesky details like rates, rights... It's so easy to forget an item that I made a spreadsheet. Here's my form:
| Comment | Actual | |
|---|---|---|
| Date & Time | ||
| Client company | Who will pays | |
| End user | Final user | |
| Client contact | ||
| Client decision maker | Often not the same person | |
| Local client | Local or out of town | |
| Referred from | ||
| Description of work | ||
| Capability needed | ||
| Due date | ||
| Shooting days | ||
| Client's special concerns | ||
| Client budget | His bottom line | |
| Rights wanted | ||
| Rights needed | ||
| Worth it? | Will client pay on time? | |
| Competitors/Others | ||
| Competitors/Others why? | ||
| Why me? | ||
| My fee | What I'd like | |
| My fee | Lowest amount I will accept | |
| Advance on fees | ||
| Advance on expenses | ||
| Payment schedule | .................................................... |
This form is a mixture of my experience and of the ASMP, the American Society of Media Photographers. Why do I use this form? Because I often forget, and then later "Oh s..t, I forgot to ask..." I don't always fill all the entries. The "worth it" entry is always filled afterward. I often do not hold the conversation in that order, but this form reminds me on how to steer the conversation.