But hey, do whatever you want. I have a series of teaser cards printed up that just have a small slice of a photo on one side and a URL on the other. I don't give those to prospective clients, though...those are like little party favors.
emagdnim2100 wrote:
Phone and email – I figure people can figure out my website from the email; if not, they're probably too stupid to sign a check, too.
That's the kind of attitude that turns off a prospective client really, really quickly.
Maybe my thinking is askew but I think I'll start out with only my website and email. That way I have more control about when I do my communication. I prefer not having a cell phone ringing when I'm on the highway, in the grocery store checkout line, whatever. Sure, I could let the caller leave a voice message. I dunno.
If enough complain that they can't reach me by phone, then, of course, I'll change.
DennisC wrote:
Maybe my thinking is askew but I think I'll start out with only my website and email. That way I have more control about when I do my communication. I prefer not having a cell phone ringing when I'm on the highway, in the grocery store checkout line, whatever. Sure, I could let the caller leave a voice message. I dunno.
If enough complain that they can't reach me by phone, then, of course, I'll change.
The customer is always right, right?
Thanks for reading.
99.9% of my contacts are via phone, not email, unless they are an established client. People want to speak to a warm body. Email is too impersonal. I take the call. If I'm doing 70 on the interstate, I explain that, and tell them I'll call them right back, as soon as I get stopped and get out my calendar*. Then I do just that, and take care of business. If I'm in the grocery store, or the like, I let the call go to voice mail, but I make sure I have the caller ID at least. That way, even if they don't leave a message, I can call them back. If they have the caller ID blocked, I'll take the call, and tell them I'll call them back in a few minutes.
* - the advantage to having a separate PDA and phone. I can look at my calendar and talk at the same time. Gonna hate when it quits working, and I have to resort to the speaker phone to look at the calendar.
DennisC wrote:
Maybe my thinking is askew but I think I'll start out with only my website and email. That way I have more control about when I do my communication. I prefer not having a cell phone ringing when I'm on the highway, in the grocery store checkout line, whatever. Sure, I could let the caller leave a voice message. I dunno.
If enough complain that they can't reach me by phone, then, of course, I'll change.
The customer is always right, right?
Thanks for reading.
IMO, there are a couple of flaws with this line of thinking.
First, it is unlikely you will actually receive complaints from people who can't call you. You just won't hear from them.
Second, I've picked up some very good (read: lucrative) projects from calls I got while standing in the line at the grocery store or driving down the highway. And I do sometimes hit the "ignore" button when a call is coming in which sends people right to voice mail.
My thoughts are...if this is your business you want to be as accessible as possible. Given a choice, I'd rather have my phone number on a business card rather than an email.
Like Simon, I also have multiple cards, some are given out like candy at a parade and others are used for more selective purposes. Business cards are one of the least expensive aspect of having a photo biz and there's really not a reason to not have plenty of them and of different types.
Biz name, phone, email, website, my name, address. I'd like to think people want to know right off the bat they're dealing with a real person not living in a car. I could be wrong.
It would seem like whoever you give your business card to, you are interested in having contact with. Why not include your phone number? Even if it is your mobile or home phone, they don't have to know.
Phone number and website. They can find all the other info using those two pathways and that saves room on the card for more important things.
If you have a retail location, maybe put your address on it to avoid countless calls to get that info. Otherwise, if you're home based or operate strictly on appointment, leave the address off. My city prohibits home based businesses from advertising their addresses anyway, and the last thing you want is people showing up at your door unannounced.
Although I greatly prefer email, and I want people to look at my website, the fact is that most people initially phone me.
On more than one occasion, people have phoned me right away after hearing a recommendation from a client...they always have a phone with them.
There have been a couple of times just recently that my phone service has been wonky, and I've gotten email from two people who start out, "I tried to phone you...."
I have purposely left my studio address OFF my business cards. It's no big secret that I have $25-$30K in equipment... anybody who's ever seen me load in to a job, shoot, or possibly even reads this forum. Don't exactly want to have that advertised. Same reason I don't have my studio name or anything referring to photography on the outside of my van - the small amount of advertising I'll get from it isn't worth the potential risk.
I give my full name, cell phone, e-mail, website, and fax. My [home] studio address is available on request.
Most crime is opportunistic - I'm not an opportunity.
but I think I'll start out with only my website and email. That way I have more control about when I do my communication. I prefer not having a cell phone ringing when I'm on the highway, in the grocery store checkout line, whatever. Sure, I could let the caller leave a voice message. I dunno.