Kurtis, I don’t think that sounds the least bit silly. The impermanence of memory, archiving a fleeting moment, sharing with future generations….. that’s a powerful why. It might seem a little “artsy” or “fluffy”, but it doesn’t need to be.
I definitely agree, this is all great food for thought.
I think there are a lot of things being mixed up here in this thread:
A. The "why did I get into the photography biz".
B. The "here is who I am" (hobbies, family, food preferences).
C. The "what is my belief system around my photography/service".
A and B can serve as ice-breakers and it never hurts if you and the client share some interests, but I think C was the point of the TED video. The "belief system" should be something that motivates both you and the client (focuses you on making the service special and transmitting that "specialness" to the client). I think that the Apple example in the video also demonstrates that it is not necessary to hand the client a written explanation of your belief system. You can show them instead of telling them. In fact, I would say that if the only way a client picks up on your "belief system" is by reading your About page, then maybe it isn't as strong as it should be.
One more observation and I'll try to tread lightly. I am not trying to beat up on Richard and maybe it was a just a coincidence but this is the second time in the past few weeks where I have seen a photographer mention the losing of a child as a motivator for their photography. I can certainly understand how such a situation could be a strong motivator but I would encourage anyone to think a bit before actually referring to something like this in their sales pitches or web sites:
- Once I have told that story to 50 prospects (or perhaps many more on a web site), am I going to start to feel that I have desecrated that memory/tragedy by using it as a marketing technique?
- Is it possible that some prospects, particularly via the cold tubes of the internet, could get the impression that I am exploiting a heart-wrenching tragedy as a marketing technique? If so, am I OK with that?
I'm not saying it's wrong and I'm certainly not questioning Richard's sincerity in this particular case but I do think it's worth thinking about. Again, maybe it's better to focus on what you're trying to do with your photography/business rather than what motivated you to do it.
Eyeball wrote:
One more observation and I'll try to tread lightly. I am not trying to beat up on Richard and maybe it was a just a coincidence but this is the second time in the past few weeks where I have seen a photographer mention the losing of a child as a motivator for their photography. I can certainly understand how such a situation could be a strong motivator but I would encourage anyone to think a bit before actually referring to something like this in their sales pitches or web sites:
- Once I have told that story to 50 prospects (or perhaps many more on a web site), am I going to start to feel that I have desecrated that memory/tragedy by using it as a marketing technique?
- Is it possible that some prospects, particularly via the cold tubes of the internet, could get the impression that I am exploiting a heart-wrenching tragedy as a marketing technique? If so, am I OK with that?
I'm not saying it's wrong and I'm certainly not questioning Richard's sincerity in this particular case but I do think it's worth thinking about. Again, maybe it's better to focus on what you're trying to do with your photography/business rather than what motivated you to do it....Show more →
I agree 100%... and I am by no means suggesting that I use this in my sales pitch, nor do I reference it anywhere on my website or blog.... it is something that is deeply personal to me. The story, was merely a background to show the lesson it taught me. Life is fleeting, tomorrow is not promised. Cherish every moment we are given and be full invested in it... cause its is SO important.
