Photography Sales

[PB&J photography]

It is baffling to me how one that wishes to have a succesful photography business not enjoy sales. Yet, I run into this time and time again talking with photographers as well as other business owners. How then would one expect to be successful? It takes more than creating pretty pictures. You have to sell those pictures. And, you have to sell yourself to the client. Yet, many people are so afraid to do this. Why?

[ChrisPerry]

Rejection. Fear of rejection. "Salesman" has a bad connotation to many people, aka used car salesman, etc. Most photographers are just that - photographers, not salesman. They get into the photography business for the photography, not the business.

I'm different than the average photographer in that my backrground and college degree are in business and in many forums get tarred and feathered for much of what I say. I've worked almost exclusively for 30 years for small, family businesses - from one person tiny deals to one of the largest in their industry in the US. I've done sales - even sold used cars.

What I've found with my photography business is that it's more business than photography - if you look at the number of hours spent on the various tasks one does. I'm not into the hard sell but when I explain sales 'techniques' in a post I get accused of it. That tells me photographers don't understand the sales process, psychology, etc. I find the psychology of it rather fascinating actually.

[ChrisPurves]

I've been in sales almost as long as I have been a photographer. It was only natural for me to start selling pictures. Now, many years later, as I build this business to become fulltime, my sales abilities are getting me the jobs over competitors. Like Chris says most photographers are photographers and are afraid of the sales process. I really think a lot of the fulltime studio people have a "build it and they will come" attitude. They just wait for someone to come in the door. It is really easy to sell against most of them.

Right now we are only shooting dog shows, but are building a studio so we can expand into portraits, mainly babies and pets. At the shows I spend a portion of my time there selling to the show people because they are the ones to say we can keep coming back and to the show people because they are the ones buying. I shamelessly promote our technology and why we are better than the rest. An integral part of my marketing is raising the bar and keeping it up there on the service, technology, and quality of our product. I add new products as I can and constantly talk up us and what we do. It's all part of the sales process. Proper sales is an integral part of keeping a business but more so it is essential to grow a business.

Cheers
Chris

[PB&J photography]

I've always found it amusing for those that get into any type of business not enjoying sales yet complain about not making a profit. Sales is everywhere. Not matter WHAT you do. Don't like sales? Okay, use the term marketing. Same thing. You have to get your name in front of people and get them to use your service or product.

Even the medical field utilizes marketing.

Getting bashed in other forums. Jealousy. I would laugh all the way to the bank, as your efforts will win over your competitor all day long.

[Jerry Skrocki]

The photographer and the sales & marketing person do not have to be one and the same. Behind every successful artist is a marketing team that works to promote the product.

I take photographs and create design because it is what I enjoy. I do not like the business side of things, never have. I would rather have someone else take care of that end.

My degree is in Graphic Design and I have never taken a business course. I prefer to stay on the creative and technical end of things.

Jerry

[PB&J photography]

If you have that set up, great. Look at Jeff & Kathleen Hawkins. He photographs, she does the marketing. I beleive it works well for them due to their relationship to one another.