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Archive 2013 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?

  
 
sherijohnson
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p.2 #1 · p.2 #1 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


I thought it was an interesting question that they asked you since you were clearly at a bridal show in their area that you serve the area where the show was. I am curious what lead them to ask the question whether you were local. Is it normal for people from far away to participate in bridal shows? I try to only participate in marketing that is in my immediate area.


Feb 18, 2013 at 07:41 PM
ckhagen
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p.2 #2 · p.2 #2 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


Around here, half the people who shoot here live 2-3 hours away and consider themselves local.


Feb 18, 2013 at 08:10 PM
Nikon_14
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p.2 #3 · p.2 #3 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


oldrattler wrote:
"I do not mind traveling and there is no additional fee."


Maybe this is a good approach... keep the response short and simple. Then proceed based upon reaction.



Feb 18, 2013 at 08:37 PM
Nikon_14
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p.2 #4 · p.2 #4 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


jared_irl wrote:
you could simply say "I don't live here, but I'm in the area often enough and shoot here enough that I consider myself a local."


I kind of tried that by pointing to images shot at local venues. Maybe I should have put in more local venue images and left the DC ones at home.



Feb 18, 2013 at 08:40 PM
Nikon_14
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p.2 #5 · p.2 #5 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


TheGE wrote:
They ask, "are you local?" for a reason, which by the way, you can't always assume you know why that is exactly in every case.

But don't throw ready made answers at them. Instead, find out why that's important for them to ask. Then you'll get to the real question. Are they asking because a friend got burned dealing with someone out of town? Are they asking because they don't want to travel? Is it that the last guy told them it would be $500 for travel?

So ask why first.



Makes sense... I suppose next time I'll try a balance of this + Deep Blue's observation that if someone's mind is set that only 1 of their neighbors can help them, well, just let 'em go.



Feb 18, 2013 at 08:42 PM
Nikon_14
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p.2 #6 · p.2 #6 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


sherijohnson wrote:
I try to only participate in marketing that is in my immediate area.


I'm beginning to see the wisdom of this.



Feb 18, 2013 at 08:44 PM
Jamesbjenkins
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p.2 #7 · p.2 #7 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


"No, but we shoot all over the place. We're here at least X times a year. (Insert one or two sentences regarding your travel policy.)"

Is this really a question worth 20+ replies?



Feb 19, 2013 at 10:25 AM
TheGE
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p.2 #8 · p.2 #8 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


Nikon_14 wrote:
Makes sense... I suppose next time I'll try a balance of this + Deep Blue's observation that if someone's mind is set that only 1 of their neighbors can help them, well, just let 'em go.


Well, the reason I say not to throw ready made answers at them (about how you're not that far away/how you don't charge for travel/etc) is twofold:

You don't know if you're actually addressing their real concern (which is why I wrote you need to ask why they're asking the question to find out what their real concern actually is) AND when you have a ready made answer fired right back, it sends the signals that A. other people have this same objection about you - and that's not a good message to send, plus B. you don't care about them, you care about saving the sale.

It's true that you can't convince people of something against their will. The idea is to give them reasons to convince themselves. Sometimes you'll find they talk themselves out of their own objection when you ask them why they ask. Other times when you hear their actual reasoning you can point out something they're not aware of and haven't considered that has them changing their mind.

For example, with travel, sometimes people want to book someone local because they don't want to do a lot of running around and they imagine they'll have to travel to your location to select images and/or pick up albums or whatever and they view it as a hassle. In a case like that, you might point out how much of the process is online, and that you ship albums, or come to them, factors which don't require them to step outside their home. Maybe it turns out the local guy has people come to him, and so, dealing locally actually would require them to do more traveling than with you.

A response like that shows you listened and involved yourself with their actual concerns rather than throwing set answers at them hoping one will do the trick. And that may be all you need to say. Again, the key is to deal with their actual thinking.



Feb 19, 2013 at 10:49 AM
Nikon_14
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p.2 #9 · p.2 #9 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


TheGE wrote:
For example, with travel, sometimes people want to book someone local because they don't want to do a lot of running around and they imagine they'll have to travel to your location to select images and/or pick up albums or whatever and they view it as a hassle. In a case like that, you might point out how much of the process is online, and that you ship albums, or come to them, factors which don't require them to step outside their home. Maybe it turns out the local guy has people come to him, and so, dealing locally actually
...Show more


I hadn't considered the issue of traveling to view proofs and other factors you and others mentioned. Now I'm beginning to understand why clients are asking this question.



Feb 19, 2013 at 12:22 PM
kwhaley29
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p.2 #10 · p.2 #10 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


This is just speculation but could it be that having a "local" photographer just feels less risky to the bride? With events this important a lot of people tend to think about the worst case scenarios and even have nightmares about all that can go wrong. "Well I hired an out of town photographer and he/she is stuck in traffic is going to be an hour late." I can see that being a fear of many brides. Granted, we all know that traffic issues can happen to any photographer but there may be a perception that the farther that someone has to travel, the greater the likelihood of something going wrong.

I don't know if that was the case here but it certainly doesn't hurt to anticipate these types of concerns and be prepared to address it in the discussion if needed.




Feb 19, 2013 at 02:35 PM
Nikon_14
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p.2 #11 · p.2 #11 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


kwhaley29 wrote:
"Well I hired an out of town photographer and he/she is stuck in traffic is going to be an hour late." I can see that being a fear of many brides. Granted, we all know that traffic issues can happen to any photographer but there may be a perception that the farther that someone has to travel, the greater the likelihood of something going wrong.

I don't know if that was the case here but it certainly doesn't hurt to anticipate these types of concerns and be prepared to address it in the discussion if needed.



This is a concern here more than any other part of the country. I agree w/ a recent news article that awarded the metro DC area as having the worst traffic in the U.S.

Thanks for pointing this out- one more objection to be prepared to overcome...



Feb 19, 2013 at 10:00 PM
joshmitchell
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p.2 #12 · p.2 #12 · "Are you local?"- how do you respond to this @ bridal shows?


Some potential clients are afraid of everything. We do sort of live in a fear driven society, and most have no clue what to even ask about wedding photography. There are going to be clients who think they have to hire someone super close to them that has shot at their venue a million times, regardless of how many talented people they will miss out on by thinking that way, or how creatively burnt out a photographer may be from shooting the same thing over and over again.

We shoot weddings all over the country and our travel fees are inclusive. Our rates may or may not compete with local photographers because as we have to remain profitable, but if you like us and our work it will be worth it to you to have us there. If they understand that you are a pro at traveling and you have done it before it may ease their fears. Or you just have to chalk it up to them not being your client.



Feb 20, 2013 at 03:15 PM
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