How do you talk about yourself?

[W.Y.Photo]

This topic has been on my mind lately.. How do we go about talking about ourselves and our work when the occasion arises and where is the line drawn between self-expression, self-promotion, and plain old bragging?

Talking about myself and the services I provide is an important part of running a business in photography, at the same time I am conflicted with what to say because on one hand, I want to be like: "Choose me, I'll take better photos than most of these pricks you're thinking of hiring" and on the other hand, even saying I'm a good photographer just seems wrong and self-absorbed... not because I lack skill but because I would rather my photos speak for themselves.

So... when you can't show someone pictures, how do you let people know what you do and how good you are at it?

This is also relatable to "About Me" sections on websites. This one in particular caught my eye so I thought I'd share it: JWJ Ferguson Cinematographer Director

 

[soufiej]

Sort of doesn't matter how you talk about yourself if you begin by calling your competitors "pricks". I ain't gonna hire you.

 

[W.Y.Photo]

That's my whole point of phrasing it like that in this context. To point out that it isn't good practice to do something like that. I don't actually do that.

 

[NancyMoranG]

I get what you are saying W.Y. photo.
I was in independent sales for 15 years. You had to 'tout' yourself but at the same time be a 'diplomat' so to speak. You couldn't trash others but wanted to show you were worth their business.
Lots if real pros here obviously but I usually let my work/clientele list do the talking.

 

[waday]

It's like writing a resume. You "tout" all of your experience. It's not being a prick, it's showing your background and what you're capable of. It's a resume.

You don't have to say, "I'm better than this person because I have X and Y experience and I take better photographs". You just have to say, "I have X and Y experience". Couple that statement with your portfolio, and you're done.

And, frankly, after reading the bio of the person you pointed to, I would never hire them.

 

[astroNikon]

Talk about your accomplishments, how you like to interact and build the relationship with a client, review the detail of the photoshoot (etc) and provide excellent results.

your long term sales are based on your results and word of mouth.

The odd thing with that link is that it wasn't a Bio, it was written in the Third Person. Many "he's" this or that or a mix of everything. I got lost in it as it never defined that person themselves .. or "he".

 

[sm4him]

Well, my tendency is to say, "Don't expect much. If you insist on me taking portraits for you, I'm just going to tell you now that they might all suck."

Yeah. I might need to work on that sales pitch--and the self-esteem--before I hang out my shingle. LOL.

In all seriousness (although actually, I was serious before. I really DO tell people who are just hades-bent on having me do portrait work for them that they might hate them. But my skills have improved enough that I probably need to STOP doing that):
I despise marketing myself. I hate self-promotion, I really do suck at it.

But I think, basically, waday has it right. Don't try to compare yourself to the rest of the market. Don't even try to promise results. Just lay it out there as far as how much experience you have. That and your portfolio are what need to do the talking.

You mention what to do if you can't show someone pictures, but I'm wondering--in this day and age, how often does that happen? It might not be ideal, but you should at least be able to whip out a phone and show some examples of your work. I use my tablet for those spur-of-the-moment needs to show someone my work, and I also keep a folder of portfolio photos separately on my phone and tablet, so that even if I don't have wifi access, I can still show them a few photos.
I also TRY to keep an actual hard-copy portfolio; I don't always have it with me, but I try to carry it anytime I think I *might* need it. I have separate portfolios--one for birds/nature, one for portrait work, and another for other fine art stuff.

 

[soufiej]

That's my whole point of phrasing it like that in this context. To point out that it isn't good practice to do something like that. I don't actually do that.

Well, that's good to know but, as long as you're talking about your competition, you aren't selling yourself. Sell yourself first and only, then your product - only - and then any other reason someone would have for doing business with you, not your competition. Forget the competition. As far as you're concerned, there are no other photographers being interviewed. Some prospective clients might take your words regarding the competition in a manner you do not intend. Some might not have seriously thought of someone else until you bring up the idea.

Sell yourself.

Learn to how to read how people take in information. There are many books written on the subject of selling to a personality type. Learn body language. How someone speaks, their choice of words, how they look up, down or right at you tells you how they want information fed back to them. How they sit or stand all reflects their personality type and you need to know what they are saying when they aren't consciously saying it. It's not being unfair to have knowledge of your client and their motivations in order to assist your client. Selling to your clients "needs and wants" as they have expressed them to you is what you do as a salesperson.

If you are uncomfortable selling yourself and your product, get a job on an assembly line. If you feel sales is a dirty business, get a job as a court stenographer. We all sell ourselves everyday of our life. Take a course in sales. Read a few books on sales. Be a professional.

I've spent decades in high end electronics sales and 95% of the people I've worked with were professional sales people who felt their job was to assist the client. So do your job by selling a benefit to the client and you'll be ahead of the game. But learn how to sell.

There's a process to sales that follows a simple plan of one after the other stages. If you skip one, then you've probably lost the sale because you aren't paying attention to the client. Sales is largely listening. You are going to say mostly the same thing to every client day in and day out. Prepare your words in advance. Know how to say the same thing in different words. How to place your client's desires into your answers. You simply need to know what they say so you can respond in a manner appropriate to their wishes.

If someone says they've had a bad experience with another photographer, don't run down your competition even at the prompting of the client. You don't know what the other situation was, who was right and who was wrong, you only know how you intend to go about the upcoming situation. Stay with selling yourself and being attentive to what problems your clients claims to have had with another business person and explain how you will solve their previous problems.

IMO the two most important rules of sales are; 1) you can't close anything you don't open and, 2) you won't get anything you don't ask for. Ask for their business.

If you're that damned good, then you shouldn't have a problem with that. It's as they say, it's not bragging if you can back it up. If your product isn't what the client needs, you need to be up front but you also need determine whether they can be brought around to what you can provide. Or else, just walk away. If you truly cannot get enough enthusiasm for your product to sell it, then you need a different line of work. It's not selling ice to an eskimo, it's finding out what the client desires and knowing what you have in stock which would supply a fulfillment of that desire.

In between opening the sale and closing the sale there's a lot you need to pay attention to. The client is telling you what they want. Pay attention. Repeat words back to them so there is an agreement on what has been said as you understand the ideas and what your answers are to what has been said. Some times it's what you have and some times it's not. If it's not and you can't deliver the goods, don't tell the client you can. A single dissatisfied client will tell ten times the number of people about you vs a satisfied client.

If you feel your product and your work ethic can satisfy the client, then you need to present your ideas in a way that clicks with that specific client. That can be difficult if you are selling yourself to a couple where one is this personality type and the partner is another. Which is almost always the case, opposites do attract. But the basics of how people look, talk and handle information are what you must respond to. It's all available for study, you just need to put forth the effort to become a sales person proud of what they are selling.

But, how, in today's world, do you ever not have examples to show someone? That says you really don't think very much of your work.

A business person carries their cards with them to every event and non-event in their day. You don't gladhand people. But you, at the very least, have your cards - your advertising - with you. People will not remember your name or your business' name. Have a professional looking card and some examples you can show at all times. Even if it's just a web page someone can check at their leisure. One rule though is, once you have allowed a client to look elsewhere, your chances of getting that business have depreciated by at least half. So carry your sales tools with you - period!

If you sell cars or HVAC systems, OK, you don't carry those with you. But carrying photos is pretty easy today. If you don't have at least a few examples with you, that's like the used car salesperson who says, "Trust me, I can get you the car you want in no time." If you can't prove to the client that you can back up your words, most will go with the person who can.

Even if you're the superior photographer, most people won't give a flip about that. They aren't looking for the sort of things a photographer sees in a photo. So you need to listen to your clients and respond to what they say they want. Carry your card and don't be afraid or embarrassed to hand it out. And certainly don't think asking your satisfied clients for referrals is bad for business. Neither is asking other photographers for tips on doing good business. Just don't talk out of school.

Like Angie's List, people will do business with people who have satisfied their neighbors and friends and people they feel are like them in needs and wants. If you are proud of your work and you've satisfied the clients needs and desires, ask for a referral or, at the least, ask if someone would mind answering questions from a prospective client on your behalf. If you can't be comfortable selling to a satisfied client, then you do really need a different profession. If you feel you must, offer them a discount on their next job with you for every referral they give. Word of mouth is your best sales representative.

If you can't sell yourself, find someone who can and give them 50% of your fees. I don't know a lot of people who like to give away money so you'll learn to do your own selling or you'll be content working for 50% less.

Sales is a profession. Learn it and practice good sales techniques. Clients respond to honesty and they will respond to someone who is obviously listening to them rather than that prick who can't stop running down his competition.

And, if you lose a sale you thought you should have, remember it's simply a business deal. Walk away with no hard feelings.

 

[Overread]

I never like those personal Bios that are written in the 3rd person like the one linked. A personal bio should always be in the first person. You're not selling someone else; you're not selling an imaginary person, you are selling yourself and your services. You.

Thus it should be in the first person.


I also agree with what's stated; its about promoting your best sides whilst at the same time having the humility not to overly brag about yourself too much. Further I agree with the comments regarding the rest of the market; don't talk about your competition. The only time you should mention others is if you were part of good collaborations with them (eg I worked on the film Avatar with so and so doing such and such etc...); otherwise don't mention them.
If your pitch has parts that slag off others or insult/undervalue other professionals then that's what a reader will lock onto fast and they'll think "well they can't be all that good if their only way to promote themselves is to slag off the competition".

It's your bio - you - all about yourself so focus it in on that. I'd also second the comment regarding tablets -a tablet with a quick portfolio of your work on a folder I think is a must for any pro today in the photo world for occasions where you won't have the ability to bring your hard-portfolio of prints. Tablets/hybrid laptops or even a laptop can be multifunctional and at least have a screen size of decent dimensions to show something in detail.

In the end you can talk all you want; but as an artist the proof is in the pudding. Your portfolio is what is going to sell you more than anything - not your bio, not your degrees, not your personality - its your portfolio. The other parts will get you noticed; they will get you attention and give some context to yourself; but its your work that will make or break you.

 

[Derrel]

"Jimmy thinks Elaine is kinda' cute."

" Jimmy think's he'd like to go out with Elaine sometime."

 

[rexbobcat]

I never like those personal Bios that are written in the 3rd person like the one linked. A personal bio should always be in the first person. You're not selling someone else; you're not selling an imaginary person, you are selling yourself and your services. You.

Thus it should be in the first person.

This ^

Personal portfolios that are written in 3rd person are weird because it's almost always obvious that the photographer wrote it themselves.

I would try to personalize it as much as possible without falling into the pitfalls of cliched About Me pages. IE: "I've always had a passion for photography as long as I can remember and I want to capture those precious moments that will last a lifetime!"

This doesn't tell me anything about you. It's more schmoozy than personal, and unless your portfolio is spectacular, it's more than likely just going to blend in with the hundreds of other photographers who basically have the same copy-paste bio.

 

[vintagesnaps]

I'd be specific and accurate in describing what photography work you've done. I wouldn't be likely to read anything too long and drawn out (and I don't care for the use of third person for writing a bio either). The example linked lost me fast as to what the person actually does since it seems to go off topic (I quit reading wondering does he know anything about cinematography? telling me fantasies didn't tell me what I'd want to know).

Try having a few of your photos available on whatever type device to be able to show something to any prospective clients you might meet. Maybe try taking an adult continuing ed class in public speaking or a related topic to learn how to interact with clients and how to present yourself so you become confident. Write up what you might say and practice or think thru it so you have something in mind and you're prepared.

I've found for me it's been a matter of seeing a potential opportunity when it comes up and making the most of it. Be friendly, respectful, courteous, and sincere; treat the person in a way that shows your personality and your professionalism.


But don't be like Jimmy! lol funny episode though.

 

[AlanKlein]

It's always better when others broadcast your qualities. Referrals are worth their weight in gold.

 

[rlemert]

You don't have to say, "I'm better than this person because I have X and Y experience and I take better photographs". You just have to say, "I have X and Y experience". Couple that statement with your portfolio, and you're done.

The problem with comparing yourself to the competition is that you're planting their name in the client's mind. You may be trying to say "I'm so much better than this other guy," but the customer hears "hey, here's another name we hadn't heard of before." You want their focus to be on YOU.

The only time you would want to mention someone else is when you've determined that - for whatever reason - you are unable and/or unwilling to take on the project. Maybe it requires skill or equipment you don't have and cannot easily obtain. Maybe it's just not the type of business you're taking on at the moment. Even here, though, you're maximizing your favorable exposure. "I can't help you with this, but here's someone who can. In the meantime, keep me in mind if you have a project I can help you with."

 

[Overread]

Good local networking is also great when things go wrong.
Because there will be time when you can't make a date. In that situation if you've slagged off your competition you won't have anyone to turn to locally to replace you; however if you've networked well and remained respectful you can go "I'm very sorry, I can't make it to you event. However I've managed to arrange for "so and so" to cover your event instead; he/she is a person I respect blah blah etc..."

The upshot is yes you've lost that sale; but you've sorted the problem out and still gained good local reputation. Of course pick your replacement well and sometimes you might want to go "I'm sorry I can't cover, but here is a full refund and the contact details of several other local pros who I'm sure would be more than happy to cover this event for you. Because if anything goes wrong you will still be to blame.