It’s sort of understood that creatives hate to ‘sell’. It is an icky process that involves tricking people into purchasing stuff they don’t need… as in used cars, or bathroom remodeling. Selling is akin to ‘selling out’, to becoming a slave to money, to ignoring art to ‘make a buck’.

After all, shouldn’t our work speak for itself?

Yeah, it should… and it most likely does. But that is not the question. The question we should be asking is “can anyone hear what my work is saying?”

It is not enough to create interesting work, lots of creatives make interesting work. What needs to be done is to get clients to see what that interesting work can do for them.

“What’s in it for me” is as real as it gets when selling creative services. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

What IS in it for the client to pay you a lot of money for your photography or design or words?

Putting the client first, hearing what their challenges are, and helping them find a solution is the way to build a client that simply wants to work with you, and the ‘sales’ part melts away into the ‘here’s how we can make this work’ conversation.

This is how it works when you believe, really believe in what you are – well – selling.

When a creative goes into the world with their work, what they are doing is offering their solution to clients and helping the clients to understand that solution will be of value to them.

And it is not about how much the gear costs, or how long a photographer has been shooting, or the fact that they do not shoot every day, so sad… who cares? Certainly, no one who has their own life going on, they are still wanting to know what is in it for them?

So what if instead of selling, we think of it as helping to get the client committed to the solution you are offering? They want to sell more stuff, be more visible, raise their brand status… whatever the challenge is for them.

Your images will help them sell more, right?

Your images will get them more publicity, more ‘buzz’, more visibility… right?

You can use your photographic skills to help elevate their brand, right?

Right?

(Now here’s the thing… if YOU do not believe your work will change their circumstances for the better, then you are INDEED trying to ‘sell’ them.)

But if you do believe, if you have done the due diligence required and you know your work will increase their chances for a solution, then what you are doing is getting them to see the solution in front of them, and be committed to having that solution for their business.

Your ability to get them excited for something that will work to solve their visual dilemma, or change their bottom line, and help them achieve their own goals will move the conversation toward “when, where, and how’… before the discussion of ‘how much’ even gets going. *

COLLABORATIVE COMMITMENT

When your confidence in your creative work helps the client see new possibilities for their business, the way forward is clear. They will WANT to work with you. The conversations become more collaborative, more detailed, more focused on what YOU can do to help them win. Collaborative commitment is making a client want to continue the relationship beyond the job in front of them.

That’s not ‘sales’, that is you working on someone else’s problem and helping find an outcome that will benefit you both.
Good clients know you have to make a living. Shitheads try to weasel stuff from you. Know the difference, be aware of the difference, and focus your efforts on those who care for you as you care for them.

Lots of those wonderful people out there.

Commit to finding them today.

*Yep, that conversation will come up. And how you handle that is very important as well. 

Next time we talk about how to handle the random “How much do you charge” question without melting down or going blank.