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Archive 2014 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer

  
 
savingspaces
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p.3 #1 · p.3 #1 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


If they contacted the OP that they wanted him to do it, as a repeat customer the least they can do is let you know that they are going with someone else. He lost a job, that he counted on.
SGallant wrote:
I think expecting a client to notify you that they decided to go with someone else is just a silly notion. It's business.

I have a client that I photograph her and her family at least once a year. At least once a year she also goes to another photographer. She does it simply because she loves getting her girls photographed, and gets something different than from me as our styles are quite different. When I first heard this I scratched my head, and questioned it too. Then I stepped back and thought about it and realized she just wanted
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May 04, 2014 at 10:52 AM
ricardovaste
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p.3 #2 · p.3 #2 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


savingspaces wrote:
If they contacted the OP that they wanted him to do it, as a repeat customer the least they can do is let you know that they are going with someone else. He lost a job, that he counted on.


We do not know he was counting on this job that didn't happen. And Jesus, if we're all counting on jobs that haven't happened for work and getting upset about such things, we'd all lose the will to live.

But if you want to cry about it, go ahead...



May 04, 2014 at 11:53 AM
savingspaces
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p.3 #3 · p.3 #3 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


If I said to you as a returning client to take my pictures again in a couple of days and you sent me a price quote you will charge me for the session and I went with someone else without canceling the appointment, you say there is nothing wrong with that? You can't tell from the original story that this was going to be a paying job and that the OP "counted" on making that money? AND FYI no one is saying to get all sensitive over "every job" you didn't get. This person was a repeat client. If you do not see the difference, you may lack empathy, and in that case I can see how can't understand someone who has feelings.

ricardovaste wrote:
We do not know he was counting on this job that didn't happen. And Jesus, if we're all counting on jobs that haven't happened for work and getting upset about such things, we'd all lose the will to live.

But if you want to cry about it, go ahead...




May 04, 2014 at 12:44 PM
SGallant
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p.3 #4 · p.3 #4 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


savingspaces wrote:
If they contacted the OP that they wanted him to do it, as a repeat customer the least they can do is let you know that they are going with someone else. He lost a job, that he counted on.


All I know is every time I think about using a new plumber, carpenter, carpet cleaner, or any other professional offering a service, I am sure to call the old one and let them know before I book someone else. Of course this is pure sarcasm. They are a paying client and owe the OP nothing. And if the OP counted on a job without a signed contract and deposit, then that's just silly too. Again, it's business.




May 04, 2014 at 01:47 PM
savingspaces
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p.3 #5 · p.3 #5 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer




SGallant wrote:
All I know is every time I think about using a new plumber, carpenter, carpet cleaner, or any other professional offering a service, I am sure to call the old one and let them know before I book someone else. Of course this is pure sarcasm. They are a paying client and owe the OP nothing. And if the OP counted on a job without a signed contract and deposit, then that's just silly too. Again, it's business.



We must be reading 2 different posts. This was a long time repeat customer who was pretty much setting up another session. How is that the same as thinking about going with a different plumber? If you made an initial contact and you said you wanted the service, is that how YOU conduct business and just go with another one without letting that person know? I hope for your sake that for the rest of this year you don't get a bunch of snakes posing as potential clients and chose another photographer right before signing a contract. But if I think about, I guess in your world it is just business. Wow! As a small business owner I am very surprised how corporate like some of you think. Is that due to too many rejections over the years? Is this attitude specific to wedding photography? I once had a cancellation a few days prior to an appointment with this client ( I detail high end cars) but she reassured me that she would call back to reschedule. She did a year later. I was doing the work at her house and at one point I happened to ask why she waited a whole year. She told me that her husband took his own life the week of the appointment. Think about that! She called to cancel. To cancel a stupid detail of all things. And you are going to tell me that not giving a shit about another human being is just part of doing business?



May 04, 2014 at 02:48 PM
SGallant
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p.3 #6 · p.3 #6 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


savingspaces wrote:
We must be reading 2 different posts. This was a long time repeat customer who was pretty much setting up another session. How is that the same as thinking about going with a different plumber? If you made an initial contact and you said you wanted the service, is that how YOU conduct business and just go with another one without letting that person know? I hope for your sake that for the rest of this year you don't get a bunch of snakes posing as potential clients and chose another photographer right before signing a contract. But if I
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Nope, definitely in the same post. What makes you so sure I haven't been using the same plumber for 20 years? And that I don't have a friendly relationship with them. You actually want the client to make a potentially uncomfortable phone call to the photographer, because it hurts his feelings if you don't...call me corporate all you want if you think that's right, cause I don't. And for the record, I have had many clients that I have worked with in a sales capacity go with other photographers. Some were referrals, some were previously clients, some had strong verbal commitments. It's business.

Frankly, if I act like you are recommending as a small business owner I would probably end up miserable and out of business because I would take every rejection to heart.



May 04, 2014 at 03:41 PM
savingspaces
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p.3 #7 · p.3 #7 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


Why keep mentioning "all" or "every" rejection? This was about 1 specific "long time REPEAT" customer. The OP didn't start this thread about random calls. You can butter it all you want, but common courtesy goes a long way. There is no excuse for such behavior - treat others the way you want to be treated.

SGallant wrote:
Nope, definitely in the same post. What makes you so sure I haven't been using the same plumber for 20 years? And that I don't have a friendly relationship with them. You actually want the client to make a potentially uncomfortable phone call to the photographer, because it hurts his feelings if you don't...call me corporate all you want if you think that's right, cause I don't. And for the record, I have had many clients that I have worked with in a sales capacity go with other photographers. Some were referrals, some were previously clients, some had strong verbal
...Show more



May 04, 2014 at 04:01 PM
SGallant
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p.3 #8 · p.3 #8 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


savingspaces wrote:
Why keep mentioning "all" or "every" rejection? This was about 1 specific "long time REPEAT" customer. The OP didn't start this thread about random calls. You can butter it all you want, but common courtesy goes a long way. There is no excuse for such behavior - treat others the way you want to be treated.


And clearly the client didn't feel the need for common courtesy. Perhaps it's because they felt they hired a service professional.

To the OP: I would not count this as a lost client.



May 04, 2014 at 04:32 PM
ricardovaste
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p.3 #9 · p.3 #9 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


Well I can only hope the OP hasn't even read the tail end of this thread and got the perspective he needed from the likes of Todd on the first page.

We all run our businesses in different ways, I will respect that. What I see in the OP is someone quite down, upset, and however you want to get into that, for me it's just no way to love your life - simple.

SGallant wrote:
Frankly, if I act like you are recommending as a small business owner I would probably end up miserable and out of business because I would take every rejection to heart.




May 05, 2014 at 03:51 AM
dmacmillan
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p.3 #10 · p.3 #10 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


SGallant wrote:
Perhaps it's because they felt they hired a service professional.

If you think professional photographers are any more than service professionals, then you're mistaken.



May 05, 2014 at 07:12 AM
fstopperdown
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p.3 #11 · p.3 #11 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


I've spent 30+ years running a successful business that is not photography related.

My wife has spent 15 years as an esthetician. She has published and unpublished prices for certain clients. Some have been with her 15 years. Loyalty paid the bills when times were meager.

I failed moonlighting as a wedding photographer in 2005-09. (Cheap=burnout=failure)

Customers will come and go for any number of reasons. They can be rude and they can be thoughtless. They can be stupid... they can be in financial stress. Somebody gave them a better deal.

Initially it can be disconcerting.

However, in the end, we have never regretted losing a single customer because of price.

Use it as motivation, and work hard to replace them. Work hard to add a wrinkle to your tool box and step up to another level.

Ya know what... offer three free newborn baby sessions for past clients.

It's likely a topic for another thread, but everyone needs an emergency fund. A single job should not be the difference between Raman noodles and spaghetti dinner.






May 05, 2014 at 12:25 PM
Wobble
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p.3 #12 · p.3 #12 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


You may never know the real reason for them choosing another photographer. Most likely they were referred to them by a friend and someone got a special deal with freebies thrown in.

Like in Real Estate, clients may have no money, no credit, and no urgency. My response: Next!
No is just an answer, not a judgement of you. Move on.

Do your job as well as you can, trying to please your clients. Worry not about what others think of you. If you contact them, just say you are merely keeping in touch, ask if there is anything you can do for them, and ask for 3 referrals.

Now, go buy that new lens you have been longing for...



May 05, 2014 at 01:42 PM
nolaguy
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p.3 #13 · p.3 #13 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


fstopperdown wrote:
It's likely a topic for another thread, but everyone needs an emergency fund. A single job should not be the difference between Raman noodles and spaghetti dinner.


As you say, another topic for another thread. I don't think the OP suggested this matter was anything of the sort.

In any case, Raman noodles are a distressing concept and we shouldn't go there. Ramen, on the other hand... oh so tasty.



May 05, 2014 at 09:47 PM
TimCPhoto
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p.3 #14 · p.3 #14 · dealing with hurt feelings as a photographer


Just try to get em back for the next birth/birthday! Give them an incentive. People go nuts for free prints and stuff.


May 07, 2014 at 12:29 AM
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