It’s not news. In fact, it pre-dates most of today’s popular marketing vehicles. But that’s the point: in an era when we’re deleting the cruft from our email inboxes and social media streams faster than you can say “kudzu”, a hand-written, hand-addressed note cuts through the clutter like a hot knife through butter.

Even better? Taking the time to personalize it further — with a sketch or an enclosure or the addressee’s name in fancy (or dramatic, or cartoony) lettering on the envelope. The harder your message is to throw away, the longer it will stick around reminding them of you.

Colleen Wainwright is a fan of hand-written notes, embellished envelopes, and other tangible pieces of awesome, some of which she features in her ASMP seminar on non-sucky marketing.

Are you avoiding marketing as though it was a trip to the dentist? There is a way to change that behavior: ANNOY YOURSELF!

First, in December not only do I review my marketing activities for the previous year, I schedule the whole next year.

For example, based on my review, I decide on how often to send postcards during the next year. From there, I work backwards with my milestones. One week for production and shipment to me (or for the printer to ship direct), two weeks before that to design and finalize my postcard (if I don’t already have it ready) to go to production. For my eNewsletter, three business days to write, format, and upload it before it is scheduled to go out. Etc., etc., etc.

Each one of these milestones goes into iCal, (but here’s where you really keep yourself on track) with MULTIPLE REMINDERS. This ensures I give myself plenty of time to complete the milestone in order to keep my marketing schedule in place.

Yes, my iPhone is constantly buzzing with one reminder or another, to the point my husband was thinking I was having a text message conversation with someone. But, by annoying myself, I keep that task in the forefront of my mind, and I get it done on time.

Oh, and it makes sure I don’t miss birthdays either!

Kimberly Blom-Roemer is an architectural photographer based along the Gulf Coast. As she has stated before, she would completely lose her mind (literally) if she were to lose her iPhone because it is the center of her business universe.

I get a lot of email requests for internships and assisting gigs.  The only ones I respond to are those who have obviously taken the time to really look at my work.  Conversely, in my own marketing I try to include a personal note about a campaign I liked or a design layout I found effective.  It leaves a better impression if people know you’ve done your homework.

Jenna Close specializes in photography for the alternative energy industry.  She can be found at www.p2photography.net.  

Clients… we need them.  I like to think that most of the time, they need us as well.  From time to time I ask ‘why me’?  Why do my clients pick me?  My first thought is of the most obvious reason.  The images.  Most of my conversations with perspective clients are a direct response to them seeing my imagery.  Most have looked at my website.  If they didn’t like the imagery, they would not have called/emailed.  But they did.

Yes, they called.  They emailed.  Then we talk.  At this critical moment, it is up to me to sell me. If I don’t knock this one out of the park…. well… no client.

So how do I sell ‘me’?  By quite simply being myself.  I’m not pushy.  I don’t rush the conversation.  I start by listening.  I ask questions.  I try to obtain some information that takes the conversation in a personal direction.  I make the conversation not just about business.  When I can, I inject a little humor.  Lighten the mood.  Put the potential client at ease.

Like it or not these conversations can be intimidating, uncomfortable even awkward.  It is my job to make sure that does not happen.  It is my goal to connect with the client and for them to see me for me. To pick me for me.  After all, we need each other.

Kevin Lock is currently a national director of the ASMP.  While Kevin was never picked first for dodgeball in grade school, he now  occasionally gets picked to be the team photographer.

When it comes to how or why clients choose photographers, there are probably as many answers as there are clients.  What really matters is how your prospective clients view photography and photographers.

Instead of imposing your own values and assumptions, why not go straight to the source?  Depending on your relationship with the people you’re contacting you coul

• pick up the phone and ask
• schedule an informational interview
• conduct a formal or informal survey
• go to an event aimed at your market and ask attendees or the speaker
• post to an appropriate LinkedIn discussion
• bring it up at a networking event
• ask during in-person portfolio reviews
• make it the reason you’re leaving a follow up voice mail

You could even do something creative around it – make it a game, a test, a club – the sky’s the limit.

Every project will have different priorities, but the more you know about what’s important to your prospects and what they want and expect from companies like yours, the more successfully you’ll be able to market your services to the people you want to work with.

Judy Herrmann knows that ignoring reality in photographs is one thing. Ignoring it in  business is another.  You’ll find more of her reality-based advice in her seminars, one-on-one consultations and blog, 2goodthings.com.

During difficult economic times it is easy to become frustrated as you work to hold onto existing clients while growing and changing your business. Do your best not to let your frustration enter into your work or your conversations, the end result will only be detrimental to yourself and your business.

Clients choose photographers, videographers, editors and artists based not only on their ability to problem solve and deliver an outcome that meets their needs, but to do so in a manner that is as problem free as possible. Personal vision, creative ability, pre and post production, professionalism, good business practices, experience, and technical acumen are integral, but they are just part of the problem solving package that we bring to the table as creative entities. Remember that the person hiring you also works for someone else. Their job may depend on not only on the quality of work that you deliver but also the manner in which you create and deliver it.

The next time that a client emails, calls, texts, facebooks, tweets, or invites you to a meeting, take a minute, clear your head, remove your emotions, and focus on the visual and production issues that the client is bringing to the table. Let them know how your unique skill set will solve their problem in the manner that best fits their needs. Then ask yourself how you can do so while making the project and everyone’s life as problem free as possible, while being paid fairly.

The challenges of a shifting a business climate can be frustrating. Don’t let manifestations of your frustration be your downfall.  Remember, we are not entitled to success, we have to earn it, and working with your clients in a positive manner is one of the keys to that success.

Thomas Werner; Educator, Lecturer, Curator.  Please see Thomas Werner Projects on Facebook and Thomaswernerprojects.wordpress.com  for more information.

My observations about selecting photographers for assignments goes back to my time as director of photography at National Geographic.  Fundamentally, I saw it as my role to identify photographers who could contribute to the magazine on the basis of their talent, creative vision, and passion for particular genres that would be useful to us.

I looked for evidences of those qualities in their portfolio.  Specifically, I was looking for consistent, high quality execution of a particular kind of aesthetic vision put in the service of telling stories that might matter to our audience and be in our “sweet spot” as a publication.

In addition, I wanted to establish a relationship that might bear fruit over many years and multiple assignments.  I wanted to know them as people and understand how they viewed their careers and what ambitions they had for exercising their creative talents as  visual journalists.  I still employ those fundamental criteria today in discussions with my students or in working with professionals.

I believe trust is the essential ingredient to the relationship.  As a photo editor looking for long-term relationships with talented photographers, I want to understand how I can work with a potential contributor to fully harness and utilize their current abilities, while also helping them to further grow their creative skills.  This requires full disclosure on both sides.  I have to explain what I’m looking for in their work, and why I am reacting to their current work as I am.  I have to explain how I would work with them in the future, and what the payoff might be for continued collaboration.   At the same time they have to be willing to fully express to me what their aims are for the future, particularly if they were to work with me regularly.

I have to be able to glean from them whether or not they are problem-solvers, capable and willing of putting forward maximum effort every day to solve the creative problems that my assignments might pose.  I have to know if they are willing to take intelligent risks to do the kind of intimate, in-depth storytelling I seek, and whether or not they’d be good representatives of my organization as they carry out assignments.

These questions can only come from honest, open conversation.  While a portfolio may tell me some basic facts about aesthetic and story-telling capability, the deeper conversations, focused on developing mutual interest and mutual trust, are the critical ones for a successful creative relationship.  I don’t want to invest time in photographers who aren’t willing and able to see the relationship in that light.

Formerly with National Geographic and the Washington Post, Tom Kennedy, http://kennedymedia.net, now serves as the Alexia Chair for Documentary Photography at Syracuse University.  A Keynote Speaker for ASMP’s SB3 conferences, his seminar, Understanding the Changing Media Landscape, is traveling to ASMP chapters around the country.

Here is a short list of why you may have lost that job…

Hard to work with
Not a problem solver
Not fun
Style is wrong for the job
Not good with clients
Reminds the buyer of someone they hated in High School…  (it happens)
Quality of work isn’t as good
Too many issues in dealing with
Just didn’t have a good feeling on the phone
Too expensive
Unprofessional
Style doesn’t fit as well w company look
Inconsistent style
Not convenient location
Initial client didn’t know enough about you to put you in front of their client

And, the short list of why you may have gotten the job (and there are more):

Good listener
They liked you
Problem solver
Convenient
Fun to work with
Felt comfortable with
Good work
Style fits company look
Professional
Reminds them of best friend growing up
Affordable (worth the price)
Problem solver
Fast/efficient
Experienced
Reliable
Highly recommended by colleague/s

Now look at the list of why you can be hired and think about everything from your first question on the phone call to your linkedin profile recommendations.   Do you ask good questions and offer solutions or do you raise issues and ask for the client to solve the problems… like asking them “who will take care of lunch?” vs “can I take care of having lunch delivered for us during the shoot to save time?”  What they hear in the first question is “we have a problem, can you solve it?”   The second one says “can I take care of something you may never have seen as a problem?”  Hiring you or not might have more to do with what you exude on the phone – that you are reliable, a problem solver, easy to work with, experienced, fun and “worth the price.”   It may be about how they perceive you, rather than the cost.

Sometimes it is about price… not always though.   Look at everything you do as being just as important.   I’ve hired many assistants, stylists, production people, etc because they were good, reliable and fun over being cheaper.  It’s not always about price.

Todd Joyce – Todd captures people to help his clients sell things.   joycephotography.com

Years ago I  was an agent, and repped a  top photographer in Boston.  I was in my game going on 40 portfolio appointments a month.  Early on in the process I got very frustrated as ad’s would quickly look through my talent’s portfolio, flipping pages fast. I was usually in and out in 15 minutes.

One day after yet another quick meeting with a prospect that netted little connection and even less attention to the portfolio  I left the office. I immediately  turned around and went right back in. I plopped myself into a chair, and proceeded to ask  my contact every question I’d ever wanted to ask. He was kind and helpful and from that very rocky beginning a new process for in-person visits was birthed. It’s one I share with my 1 on 1 clients every day. Its honest, impactful, service oriented and very quickly creates connection.

It also requires a bit of  bravery, has been described as “out of the box” and I guarantee you, may make you stop and think twice. BUT…if you utilize this idea and make it your own, I  guarantee you your appointments will last longer, you will gain  more understanding of your client and their needs and you will make more of a connection with your contact.

When you call for your appointment communicate to your contact that you are interested in seeing them as you’d like to talk about what a valuable relationship with a photographer looks like to them, and that you’d like to discuss their photo needs and show them your work.  When you are in their office, start by reminding them that you know that valuable relationships with photographers look different to different people and that you would like to know what value looks like to them.

Be sincere. You should want to know the answer to this question. You cant provide good service to your clients if you don’t know what that looks like to them.

If this process sounds like a stretch for you….stretch.  Give it a try. In today’s competitive world, excellent service speaks volumes. My clients report that when they start their appointments this way, clients open up to them, they learn a lot and by the time they are sharing their work, contacts are engaged. They leave knowing much more about their clients, and their clients know that they truly care about them as well.

Selina Maitreya has been a consultant to photographers for over 30 years.  Go here now and sign up for a free mp3 where Selina discusses “The Clients Perspective” Listen  to invaluable information that will help you effectively sell your photography services.

In today’s fast-paced work environment, convincing prospective clients to carve out face-time is harder than ever.  With fewer hours to spare and more photographers clamoring for attention, these tips can help you stand out from the crowd:

• Do your homework. Make sure the people you’re calling really need what you sell.  I will never forget our studio manager getting a prospect on the phone after 3 years of sending him mailers featuring our still life work only to hear him say – “I love their work but I’m on the Hertz account. Unless they shoot cars, I can’t use them.”  Oops!

• Give them something to remember you by. Sending several visuals before calling for an appointment improves your chances of triggering some name recognition or at least some recollection of seeing your images.

•  But don’t assume they’ll remember you. Whether someone picks up or you’re leaving a voice mail, don’t just give your name and expect them to connect it to your images.  In the same breath, provide your name and a description of the most recent visuals you’ve sent them.  If they don’t interrupt to say they remember, add a brief but descriptive summary of the kind of work you do.

• Turn cold calls into warm calls. Nobody likes to feel like a number.  Before you pick up the phone, spend some time learning about your prospect. By bringing specific details about their work, their company, their values or goals into the conversation, you show that they are more than just another prospect on your list.

•  Know what you’re after.  Have a specific call to action in mind. Get to the point of your call quickly and ask for what you want without hemming and hawing.  If you’re coming to their town for a limited time, give plenty of advance notice and let them know the exact window of availability you have.

• Don’t guilt trip: Most buyers of photography are nice people who wish they could give out more assignments.  Putting them on the spot about things like why they’re using stock or why they haven’t hired you yet, usually won’t entice them to spend more time with you.

• Be prepared: Chances are you’re going to get someone’s voicemail.  Practice your message so it doesn’t sound overly canned. Keeping a separate list of key talking points handy can help you avoid getting flustered on those rare occasions when someone actually picks up the phone.

Judy Herrmann helps people grow businesses through distinctive imagery, seminars, one-on-one consultations and her blog, 2goodthings.com.