Should you be sad about losing the client? Only if _________________ photography she went with has the same style and pricing as you. If not, she's just looking to buy any blouse, just as long as it's at Nordstrom's.
Not just a blank contract...the client was talking about the overall customer service.
Every business has the right to deny service to anyone. No shoes, no shirt, no service...Sure. However, when your clients find the value in paying thousands for photography, it should come as no surprise a certain level service is expected and should be provided.
If you're not taking care of your customers, someone else will.
Why leave it chance? Use beautiful letterheads, charming letters, clear as crystal packages and easy-to-sign contracts. Few businesses do not have optimal standards of presentation and communication so you can easily steal a march on them, whether you're starting out or a seasoned pro.
Rick Rosen wrote:
I'd take her comments, reflect on them and change my business practices to try and eliminate the possibility of the same reservations from the next client. You should send her a nice "thank you" letter for her taking the time to try and help you build your business.
Rick
I'll add to Rick's great idea. I'd also send her a nice token gift. If you listen, really listen to her, she gave you feedback that may be worth thousands of dollars in the future.
I feel it wasn't the blank contract, but the reasons it was blank was the problem. As she mentioned, there was no followup. A call saying "I was getting ready to send you a contract, but I know there were some decisions that hadn't been made at our last meeting. I'd like to discuss just how I can serve you."
She took the time to kindly tell you why she chose another. That's very rare. The first step in changing your business practices for the better is to take Rick's advice.
Wow, what an answer. I am another newbie on this block, and I really appreciate this kind of response from your client. Lost? The value of this information in incredible and won't be lost on me. I have taken the content of this information and translated it to a number of interviews that I have had with potential clients and I can more clearly see/hear what were some of the reasons that I didn't get called back. Hummm...I have already printed the letter you provided and intend to use it as part of my todo list for ways to improve my marketing package and interview skills in presenting myself/my studio in a better way. I believe that she has done you and all of us an invaluable service in providing such clear feedback. Thank you for sharing this with me and everyone. I am sorry that you lost this client, but I can really use this type of feedback. Wow! Wakeup call type of information...
ShutterLover wrote:
Why leave it chance? Use beautiful letterheads, charming letters, clear as crystal packages and easy-to-sign contracts. Few businesses do not have optimal standards of presentation and communication so you can easily steal a march on them, whether you're starting out or a seasoned pro.
DRebelGirl wrote:
We met with a couple a few months ago and they emailed us to say they wanted to go with our services.They weren't sure which package they were going to go with so we mailed them a blank contract. Needless to say we never recieved a contract or retainer. We eventually got an email saying they changed their minds about booking us. I ask politely for an explaination and I got the response below this evening.
I'm not sure what to make of it since we've never had a complaint from other possible clients and this is the 1st time anyone has ever backed out on our services. Do you provide these "little service touches" to your clients?
" We decided to go with ________________. We were very impressed with your work. However, it was little service touches that sold us. When we met with other photographers, they had a preformatted sheet with questions. Having that upfront made it easier after. When your contract was sent to me, it was sent without my first name listed on the envelope. I was a bit taken aback that it didn’t show my name but figured that it was forgotten. Also, the contract wasn’t completed at all. We were expected to do all the calculations and determine the down payment. We could easily do that but didn’t feel that we needed to especially when other photographers did that automatically. All the other photographers contacted us after our visit just to touch base. That was a nice service touch that they did but unfortunately, we did not get from you. The down payment was also higher than others. I think I was ok with that knowing the work that you were going to do but it was a bit more. I do understand that being younger into the photography business that maybe that too made a difference. I was also caught a bit off guard when I called and ________ answered just like calling a home rather than a business. So, given all that, we felt a better sense of comfort going with another photographer that had more experience. I do wish you all the best. Your work is truly tremendous and I was very much impressed. Thanks for taking the time to meet with us and to respond to our questions via e-mail."...Show more →
Do you have a dedicated business phone line or do you just your your home phone to conduct business ?
If you use your home line, change that immediately.
Nothing worse than when a potential client calls a supposed business and hears " Hello"....
If there is not one thing, there is another. Sure, the lil things count a whole lot, but never every little thing mean the same to us all.
Although I do agree some of the things the missed client was good, it still does not cover some of the things others will complain about. Learn from this and possibly add more small things to the process.
Lukiedukie wrote:
I have to respond to this comments becasue I too don't fill out the contract for the client when I send it to them. During the meeting I give them the price list and tell them to take it home and look it over and make their decision there about which package they want to go with with no pressure. When I mail them the contract I do not know what package they have in mind so how can I fill in numbers when I don't know what they want. (god forbid someone do some simple math on their calculator).
But having read the post and seeing that this is a business practice some of you use-do you ask the client what package they have chosen before you sent the contract out? I guess my thinking is that it is a little pushy. ...Show more →
+1 here. I have 3 contracts and while most go with the middle package how are we to know what package they will choose. I do however have a deposit amount calculated on the contract in advance.
trillium wrote:
Maybe she dumped you because you shoot with a digital Rebel?
Just kidding. I thought her reasons were valid, and she was very nice taking the time to outline the reasons she went with something else. Her response was not worth the price of a booking, but it was very valuable. Learn from it.
You do nice work by the way.
Thanks for the comments about my work. While I use the 20 for mostly everything these days, the Rebel comes in quite handy when the 20 poops the bed.
I have sent clients contacts where they have to fill in what package they want as they havent quite decided yet. I also get clients to fill out their own details on forms if we are in person so I dont make a mistake with numbers and addresses etc.
I think you are better off without them as clients.
The woman took the time to lay out her complaints. I would suggest that you listen closely. Especially the comment about the telephone. That is all it would take for me to move on.
She has little experience choosing a photographer. She just picked some non-photo related reasons to choose someone for her photographs. It's a likely side-effect from an industry that spends a lot of time in the magazines telling brides to Beware of the Photographers that seem Unprofessional...so they tend to read into the smallest things sometimes....
I wouldn't sweat it. Nice of her to give detailed feedback, but nothing in what she said would scream "change it" to me.... (except for maybe your complex deposit system...how about just a flat deposit?)
Personally, I DO know a few couples who chose the "photographers with the best presentation"...instead of the guy working out of his garage in a back alley where he sleeps too.
Presentation is key... pretend you're a tourist in a foreign country where the restaurants have NO grading system and the restaurant areas all look like hole in the walls. Would you go for the delicious looking Asian food being cooked on a street corner right next to a bum with live chickens in cages on the side? Or the McDonalds next door knowing you can get a Big Mac? (assuming it's clean) I mean... may not taste as good as the authentic street corner stuff... might not be too satisfied... but you do know, you took a safe route of a place, knowing you were buying something reputable.
And that's what you didn't show in that paper. You needed to show you were reputable.... more important.... dependable and ready.
My point...
Take this letter in good stride. She was diplomatic... $#$@ happens for a reason. Just copy and paste her suggestions into your form
Doesn't anyone use the distinctive ring feature of your landline service?
One ringy dingy for you...two short ringy dingies for your business. You get two phone numbers and the cost is around $5 a month, which is a lot cheaper than a second dedicated line. I believe you can get up to three numbers, each with it's own ring. Ideal for a personal line, a fax line and a business line.
As far as the issue of this client going to be trouble, well we'll never know for sure, but I can tell you one thing...we all make decisions when sourcing vendors and sometimes those decisions may feel right to us, but may be silly or frivolous to the losing vendor. So never underestimate the power of professionalism and good client care.
