Are People Really Still Making Calls?

[by Suzanne Sease and Amanda Sosa-Stone]

A mutual client of ours recently worked on her brand, portfolio and marketing strategy (with Suzanne).  Then she came to Agency Access to work on implementing her marketing through Campaign Manager (with Amanda – a year long plan to make sure marketing is being done).  After getting her beautiful portfolio printed, through PushDotStudio.com, she was ready to start showing her book.  She was ready to tackle her local market first.  We trained her to make the calls using a dialog that has been perfected over the last couple of years (available on AgnecyAccess.com).  After her first attempt of calling, this was her report:

First attempt: local market
-called & emailed 11 contacts today
-had a response (within 10 minutes) saying ‘nice work, what’s your day rate’
-had 2 more responses in the next hour:
1: scheduled an appointment with an art buyer in her local market (NOT NYC)
2: scheduled a meeting for the next week with a very popular Magazine in her local market

Second attempt: trip to the South:
-8 calls to South Advertising Agencies today
-2 meetings set up for next week

Things to focus on when attempting to make these calls:
-Despite the fear of rejection, it feels SO GOOD to be making these calls and actually ‘doing’ something.
-Having a beautiful well thought out book gives you the confidence to make these calls!

Our client emailed last week with her final report and said “THANK YOU, your Your magic formula is working!”  Nothing feels better than knowing that a client is working hard and it’s paying off.

So the answer is YES there are still meetings that are happening – it’s just a matter of how much energy are you willing to put into the calls.  It’s a numbers game.

We also prepared our client for those UNCOMFORTABLE questions (like who have you worked for in the past, etc…) and after her trip to the South, we followed up and she said having those UNCOMFORTABLE situations planned out had her prepared and she felt confident going into those meetings.  You have to be honest, but put a positive spin on your greenness, your lack of commercial work, your fear of location shooting, major productions or whatever your concern is. Remember we all fear something, look it directly in the face and tackled it.  What do you have to lose?  You don’t have this client now,  so go in and conquer!

GOOD LUCK!

‘Stop telephonin’ Me

[by Ellen Boughn]

Lady Gaga has it right when it comes to the interrupting phone call:
‘Stop telephonin’, me. Stop telephonin’, me.
(I’m busy). (I’m busy)’, she sings.

When you pick up the phone to call a client, it had better be about something they want to hear.  And cold calls? If the reception on the other end is closer to freezing than in the past, there is a reason.

Our means of communication have greatly expanded in the past decade. At the same time, most people are doing the work of the two or three of their colleagues that have been laid off. Nothing starts a conversation off on a worst foot than an insistent ring tone that has shattered one’s concentration.

I talk to photographers every week but I do it at a time that is mutually agreeable and established previously via email. We generally speak via SKYPE as I often have clients in other countries. We have the added advantage of being able to see each other via SKYPE video.

I like keeping up with the industry via blogs like this one and keeping track of my colleagues via twitter and facebook. I use email mainly for important communications with businesses other than individual photographers.

I can’t say how many art buyers feel the same as I do but for me the office telephone is obsolete and its ring makes me want to scream.

Ellen Boughn is a consultant and writer. She offers one-time mini-consults to photographers for $39.00 here: www.ellenboughn.com/ask-ellen

Getting and Using Referrals

[by Todd Joyce]

“Nice day we’re having”  “How about those cubs”  yeah, it’s hard to start the conversation, but I still make calls to new ADs etc to get to know them.   I like to mention a person who referred me to get things started.   “Hi (AD), (Other person at agency) mentioned I should call you to get to know you…”  Of course you need to get that referral, which may be tough.   The problem is that you likely aren’t asking.

When I talk with any AD or designer, I ask them who else I might talk to either at their agency or another agency.   Ask, you might be surprised at what they’ll tell you.   “Sure, you should talk to Jenna in our design dept.”   The next step is to call Jenna and tell her that (previous AD) suggested you call her.   It’s a good way to get a conversation started.

The dreaded voice mail.   Try a few times and if you can’t get hold of who you’re calling, leave a message.   Make it upbeat and mention the reason for the call.  Introduction, portfolio appointment, maybe lunch.  Don’t leave more than one message.   Several messages gets you that “stalker” status at the agency and nobody there will ever answer your calls.  Be careful that with caller ID, many calls and hang ups at the launch of voice mail may get you “stalker” status too.  If you don’t get hold of them, don’t leave another message for a few more weeks.

There’s info that suggests that a buyer needs contact 7 times before they recognize you.   A voice mail may get them one of those seven.   Hey, It’s a contact.  Don’t be afraid to use it.  And don’t abuse it either.  One more thing.  Don’t give up.   Nobody said this was easy.

Todd Joyce is a recent Past President of ASMP and specializes in conceptual people photography for advertising. See Todd’s work at joycephotography.com and contact him at todd@joycephotography.com

Why Continuing Ed Matters: beyond camera gear and PhotoShop tutorials

[by Carolyn Potts]

Last week was filled with the energy of students returning to classrooms across the country. It was only for a couple of hours, but, I, too, got a taste of the September excitement when I dropped in at Columbia College and attended the Columbia/ASMP Midwest co-hosted event: PDN’s 30 – Strategies for Young Working Photographers

Photography students filled the CC lecture hall to capacity and were studiously taking notes–especially when the evening’s panel of working photographers and a local art buyer, was asked the perennial question ”How do I get work?”

One answer that the pro photographers, art buyer, and the panel’s moderator, all agreed on was: “Create a portfolio of images that show your unique vision or voice.”

When then asked “How can I best develop my unique vision or voice?” the panelists again agreed: They all acknowledged that to create interesting and unique imagery, you have to BE an interesting and unique person. And becoming an interesting person is most often the result of being interested in, and curious about, the world around you–not just the world of photography.

While technical skill and business smarts are essential for success, your unique vision is still your most valuable business asset. Time spent in the exploration of the world outside photography can add real fuel to developing your vision. Think of outside exploration as your CEU’s (continuing education units) that other professions, such as health care and accounting, require for their members to maintain licensed status.

My personal “CEU courses” are chosen to feed both the analytical/business and the intuitive/creative sides of my brain. I like to mix it up with books, magazines, and podcasts. Here are some of my personal favorites.

For re-charging your creativity, a book I always recommend is The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. On the audio front, one of my fave inspirational shows is “How beauty will save the world” from CBC Radio’s intriguing series called, IDEAS.

For left-brain inspiration, I like listening to NPR’s On the Media which covers all things media-related. I like the FCC and Media law segments as many of the issues they cover effect me as a U.S. citizen and will also eventually affect the photography business.

I also like to read what our clients are reading. E.g. here’s a book that many members on the account teams at ad agencies have read. Groundswell: Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies

And finally, since so many photographers already have iTunes–either on their desktop or in their pockets–my newest continuing education fave resource is: Apple iTunes U. Amazingly, over 600 institutions of higher learning such as SVA, Harvard, Yale, MIT, and UC Berkeley have posted free content for your downloading pleasure and further education. Additionally, you can download free content from MoMA, Public Radio International, PBS, the Library Of Congress, and so many others.

Be Cool. Stay in school.

Carolyn Potts, perpetual photo evangelist; international consultant & speaker; and former rep, shows seasoned & proactive photographers how to get more work. Find her at www.cpotts.com , http://bit.ly/FaceBookPottsConsulting and http://carolynpotts.net

Emotionally Intelligent Marketing

[by Judy Herrmann]

A last minute gate change at LAX and I’m caught in a crowd stampeding down a long narrow corridor from Gate 1 to Gate 2 (which appear to be about half a mile apart, go figure) when I spy a lone figure in a pinstriped suit swimming against the current.  “If you’re flying to Phoenix,” I call, “there’s a gate change.”  The man notes he’d already passed at least 50 people, none of whom had said a word, and falls in step with me.

I quickly learn that my companion is a big investment guy, working with families whose net worth is greater than 100 million dollars.  That’s $100,000,000.00 minimum!  I ask him how he promotes his business and he says “I’ve always had a good story.”

He launches into his pitch, delivers it with charm and panache and I find myself thinking, ‘ya know, if I had that kind of money, I’d probably hire this guy.’  Not because of his credentials – which I’m still ignorant of – but because his story made it clear that he gets what parents worry about, is sympathetic to bizarre family dynamics and passionately believes in what his business does.   Since I don’t have that kind of money, I settled for proffering my business card along with some insights on how the right visual communications would support his efforts.

Dan Pink, former white-house speechwriter, author and contributor to Wired, Fast Company and the New York Times would like this guy, too.  In his book A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, he notes how the forces of Abundance (consumers have too many choices), Asia (anything that can be outsourced, will be) and Automation (anything that can be done through technology, will be) have led to commoditization, fierce competition, price undercutting and a loss of customer loyalty throughout nearly every industry in this country.

And we thought it was just us.
The solution, he argues, lies in creativity and emotionally intelligent communications, which lead to increased value and effective differentiation.  He identifies 6 lenses for exploring creativity and differentiation:  Design, Story, Symphony (big picture thinking), Empathy, Play and Meaning.

First published in 2005, the book rings startlingly true 5 years later.  Reading it has definitely expanded how I look at my work as a visual communicator and how I approach my business.

Judy Herrmann uses skills gained over 21 years as an award-winning photographer, small business owner and creative problem solver to help companies grow. Judy@HSstudio.com

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