Customers

Relating to customers. A customer is a "paying" customer.

Should I Work For Free?

Every established photographer will tell you that working for free will destroy the world, send them to the breadline, guarantee starvation for their kids and grand kids.

I do some work for free. Something like the help-portrait where photographers take photos and donate a print to the person one day in the year. In 2010, it was in December 3rd. Instead of doing it just one day of the year, I do that every week and I give one or two photos of their pets, cat or dogs. I refuse to take photos of rats or spiders! (Completely irrational fears.)

Jessica Hische is a designer. She does typography, illustrations… She created a flow chart to help you decide if you should work for free. Her website is: http://jessicahische.com

Successful Wedding Photographer FAQ

Lito Sy is a very successful wedding photographer. Not only he does great wedding photos but he also has a fantastic website. What I like most is the FAQ, the Frequently Asked Questions. You can see why he's such a successful photographer.

WORRIED ABOUT WHEN I'M LEAVING?
When you are leaving.
HOW MANY PHOTOS OF THE WEDDING?
There's no set number, but it's usually between 1,000 & 1,500. More for larger weddings, less for more intimate weddings.

80% Cancellations

This morning I was talking with Chris. He's from Australia but his girl friend is from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, so they moved here. Within a couple minutes he was ranting about customers not showing up for their portrait sessions. Not that they would cancel, they made the appointment but didn't show-up.

I do offer a time limited free shoot with $75 towards order of the prints.

What do you expect? No deposit, where's the incentive for them to show up?

  1. Before I reserve the session, I need a 50% payment. No payment, no session.

Free as a Business Model

Often What The Duck as good cartoons. Here's a excellent one:

What The Duck: Free as a business model

What The Duck: Free as a Business Model

I disagree with it when he goes to the sarcasm. The customer claims that the professional photographer that did the previous job for free is out of business. He's not out of business.

Making Money From Xmas Cards

What The Duck: Xmas Cards by Photographers

What The Duck: Xmas Cards by Photographers

It's very true for many people doing photography. In Xmas Cards & Presents, I said that I do not give Xmas cards or Xmas gift anymore. I give them in Mid-January. In January I have no competition. But Martine A. is lot smarter than I am.

Xmas Cards & Presents

It's December. Xmas and New Year are coming. Many suppliers send Xmas cards, food, candies, and chocolates to their customers. Should you do it? For over 15 years, I used to give very elaborate Xmas cards, and cakes or custom chocolates. I use to, up to 3 years ago, now I have stopped giving Xmas cards and cakes…

3 years ago, I was at my largest customer with a $125 trifle, talking to the owner, John, when one of his supplier brought a fully catered meal, including wine and beer! Guess what? Everybody abandoned their work and John went to the kitchen for the food and drinks.

How Much Should I Charge?

Every month I get a couple of emails asking me for advice on “how much to charge for photos”. I'm not the only one to receive these inquiries. Budding photographers are asking the same question on many bulletin boards.

So how much to charge for your photos, for your time?

  1. The so-called “people in the know” say, you find what's your yearly cost, your rent, your hydro… Then divide by how many times you expect to work or sale.

Rupert Murdock & Photography

Rupert Murdoch is the founder, chairman of News Corp. He owns the Times/Sunday Times, the New York Post, Direct TV, the Fox Channel (TV), the Wall Street Journal and dozens of others news organizations. You don't have to agree with his point of view to accept his extraordinary business acumen.

You’ve got to look for a gap, where competitors in a market have grown lazy and lost contact with the readers or the viewers.

Whether your competitors have grown lazy or just frustrated with a lack of new ideas, there’s an opportunity in every community.

They Stole My Photos!

This morning, actually very early this morning, the phone rang. Only 6:30am, I just finished walking my dog. “Must be from my Ontario customers” I said to myself, but usually they wait until 8am or 9am Pacific Standard Time, or 11am or noon Eastern Standard Time, their time, unless there's an emergency.

No, it wasn't. It was Jon, no “h”:

Jon — They stole my photos!
Me — What?
Jon — They stole my photos! You know the ones from …
Me — Who stole your photos?
Jon — The … Magazine!

Real Discounts That People Will Notice

I've always been interested in watches. My existing Seiko is dying and repairing it is too expensive for what it's worth. So I went on Amazon to look at watches and found this watch: a Zenith Tourbillion Titanium. Here's the price because it changes regularly due to the US dollar sinking and the Swiss Franc going up. The list price as of November 2010 is: $145,000 US. Yes, that's one hundred and forty five thousand dollars! But have I got a deal for you! You can save $58 thousand dollars!

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