There’s a classic tool that can spell the difference between big success and common failure for photographers. Yet on the whole, today’s shutterbugs avoid it as if it were the plague! Both hobbyists and aspiring professionals seem to demonstrate an uncanny aversion toward it. It’s sad when you think about it. After all, that single, all-important tool that’s being neglected is… you guessed it, the photograph.

I’m not talking about an image floating enigmatically in the digital cloud, made visible momentarily behind the ever-shifting pixels of an impersonal device. I’m talking about a physical, printed heirloom. A photograph is a solid, steady piece of history. Photographs hold immeasurable value for their viewers, both as works of art and heralds of family history. But, make no mistake, a photograph most certainly is a tool as well. For the photographer struggling to go pro, the photograph is often the one element missing from an otherwise successful formula. So why do we all, as photographers, so often resist in-person sales of physical artwork?

As a professional at any level, your studio (read as “meeting space/home/favorite table at Starbucks”) could and should be covered in studio samples. These are physical, printed displays of the very service you offer. Your body of work! They can come in the form of books, canvases, or any other creative products. But you need them.. and NOW!

Why do I feel so strongly about showing your work in a physical form? (Personally, we go so far as never to show digital images or on-screen slideshows to prospective clients, neither in our studio nor at wedding trade shows.) It’s simple. We — like many of you reading this post — started out as “shoot-and-burners.” We took pictures and delivered them on a disk. Our turnaround time was fast. Our clients loved us. But there were two major problems, both of which resulted directly from our shoot-and-burn mentality: 1) We were barely scraping by financially, and 2) Although our newlyweds always loved their photos upon first viewing them, virtually none of these couples was ever looking at their photos again. Skeptical? Don’t be. The broader numbers prove it. And we can all relate to the way “life happens” after a wedding. (Watch the embedded video to hear some unbelievable personal examples of couples neglecting their digital images.) Even more importantly to us, they certainly were not preserving them for future generations. As artists and business owners, we must clearly define our own purpose. Our purpose wasn’t just to make money (although that opportunity was being sacrificed as well). It was to create something meaningful for families, to inspire memory within marriages. Our purpose was going unfulfilled. It was time for change!

We changed our focus. We resolved that all our couples would now enjoy an end-to-end service, with a custom-designed, high quality heirloom wedding book included for every couple. No exceptions. Did we feel nervous making this change? Yes. For one, our prices had to increase. Also we dreaded the idea of tackling in-person sales. (We weren’t salespeople, and we still aren’t.) These are the most common objections, and are likely the mental hurdles keeping many of you from greater success in your business.

As encouragement, let me give you a peek into how our business has changed since we became “makers of art” instead of “clickers of buttons.” Artwork sales now represents 60% of our income. Let me put that another way: Without artwork sales, we would be very poor. By now, our business would have failed, just like the 80% of small businesses that fail within their first 18 months. (It’s why we see so many photography upstarts come and go ever year.) Our children wouldn’t have food on the table, and our current adoption process could not be taking place. Furthermore, the experience our couples now have, with a finished and lasting heirloom placed in their hands, is infinitely better and leads to booming referrals.

ShootProof recently honored us with an interview for the premiere episode of their new video Podcast series! As a core component of our studio’s success, in-person sales was the natural topic. If you need something to lift your business to the next level, we hope you’ll tune in to this candid conversation. (Watch the episode above.) The emails and feedback (see below) we’ve gotten are exciting!

I want to share one of those comments/questions in particular — and my response to it — for your encouragement. After watching this episode, a talented fellow photographer commented:

Q. LP:  “Thanks for sharing! I would love to start doing in-person sales, but I’m not ready to invest in large canvases or even a full, gorgeous wedding album to have in my home studio to show. I’m just starting out and keep debating whether or not I should bite the bullet and just invest, or wait until I’ve saved a bit more. Hard choice. :(” — Laura Pol

A. PB:  “Hey, Laura. As you make your decision about when to make the jump, keep 3 things in mind: 1) You’re right, it’s an ‘investment,’ which must be thought of differently than an ‘expense.’ I’ve never been one to spend on unnecessary gear or services. But I also won’t hesitate to make any investment I know is proven to pay back in dividends. Those are the payouts that make businesses successful, which brings us to point 2) If you don’t show it, you won’t sell it. We personally invested in a high quality wedding book sample before we had even shot a wedding. It was filled with my favorite travel and personal work. Amazing how it helped direct our couples toward getting a book themselves, but we still never sold enlargements even though we ‘offered’ them. As soon as we got the samples, they started selling. That’s an anecdotal example, but it’s also a proven marketing principle across the board. Show it, it sells. Be sure to price it correctly. 3) The truth is, your wholesale price will not be a big investment comparatively. You only need one or two samples to start. Make them BIG sizes of your best work. Many vendors offer even lower prices on your first samples, and some wedding book companies even provide a sample with generic photos (not your work) to start with. I know I’m expected to give a generic ‘you decide and I’m sure you’ll figure it out.’ But I think you just need a little push. If you’re offering services for money now or plan to monetize your photography soon, this is simply a fundamental part of the professional side. Over time, updating and replacing samples will feel like buying printer paper. Elemental! Go get ’em, Laura! ;)”  — Phillip BlumeWe’re so happy this touched a nerve and is already resulting in a tidal shift for many of you in our community!

Cheers,
Phillip and Eileen

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