The Shake Down

[HotHolly]

OK, I havent had a relative of a client try to bully me in a while, but I have a live one now! I believe she thinks that if she shakes me hard enough photos will come outa my mouth like a Polaroid. Geeze.

What ever happened to you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar? btw - YOU SO TOTALLY CAN! Be nice. Will it really kill you to assume you dont know everything for 5 seconds? And just ask nicely?

And Im not state of the art b/c I do projected proofing.

What ever. This happens when the client is into photography and thinks it worth paying for and someone else has better things to do and better things to buy. They use photos to line their trash can. THEN DONT BUY ANY!!!

OK, Im done now.

[MicWayWal]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

OK, I havent had a relative of a client try to bully me in a while, but I have a live one now!

I really love it when they criticize a very small something in the image and because something is out of place they think I should cut the price in half.

Another one I love is since they are spending $1500 and that is SOOOOOO much money for me, they deserve a discount. I say sure, when you get to the top 25% of my sales. Then they find out my average is $1,875 and to get in the top 25% will be $2,800 they usually settle down.

I find it strange that the people that spend the most almost NEVER ask for a discount.

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

OK, I havent had a relative of a client try to bully me in a while, but I have a live one now! I believe she thinks that if she shakes me hard enough photos will come outa my mouth like a Polaroid. Geeze.......

I used to be intimidated by folks like this, but I had a mentor that told me that it was just a game, like baseball. And I am the pitcher and the client is the batter. I'm trying for a strike out and they want a home run. If I can come away with a walk or a single then I win. When you look at it as a game, you become a great pitcher and it becomes a challenge that you begin to enjoy.

[gregt1310]

That is a very good analogy Don. Can you reveal who your mentor was??

[bondarnes]

His name is Lisle Ramsey.

He went to work for a photography studio 60 something years ago and after a week they decided that he would never make it as a photographer so they "demoted" him to the sales staff. He found his niche there and went on to open a color lab in St. Louis and had around 25 franchise studios working with him.

[HotHolly]

Thanks guys. I repeated a bunch of info about our studio, why we do what we do, and told her yep - we are expensive and we arent for everyone. There is no obligation to buy a thing, and I hope she enjoys her weekend.

Im sure I pissed her off. I was looking for the fastest way to diffuse it. I can see her sucking up a good 10 hours, if I let her. I thought it was better to be blunt, repeat our photography philosophy, and invite her not to buy stuff if that bothers her too much.

I believe I may have 'pitched the ball into my head', b/c she sure wasnt buying and straight throws. Geeze.

[CaptainTom]

I've said this before, so disregard if you are tired of it.

People who can afford to pay the "high dollar" prices for goods and services expect to get first rate products and services. They are used to it. They don't complain that their new Mercedes was made on Monday and they heard that wasn't a good day for the factory. They know they are buying quality.

People who nickel and dime us to death are used to buying from the bottom of the barrel and they want to fight to get a "better deal than they can afford".
They aren't used to going into Neiman Marcus and having a knowledgable and caring sales person greet them and help them select the item they are looking for. They aren't aware that the item is first quality and that they are also paying for the great service they are getting.

The psychology applies when you get these "bottom feeders" to appreciate that they are now dealing with the "cream of the crop" and they are elevating themselves to a new level.

[HotHolly]

I agree with you, and at the same time, when the client is NOT that person Im a little taken aback. The client here values our stuff, time, and studio. She gasped when she walked in, thought everything was stunning, and loved her images. Relative didnt want to get off her butt to come in for proofing. It wasnt worth her time to go schlep it at a photo studio for an hour. Now this relative is fighting for control when the session was contracted with someone else.

Why would a relative decide to commandeer your photographer if you are an adult? The relative assumed they'd been had b/c she knows everything about everything. :Dramatic eye roll:

They are either playing us together - or the relative really thinks this client is a moron. Both cases are equally disturbing. I do not like people who do not respect my time.

So, what would Neiman's do? Tell them to go buy a cookie b/c that's all you can afford here?

[bondarnes]

If you know that the relative has the money, then throw down the gauntlet with this challenge, "We realize that many people are not in a situation to afford our products and we certainly understand if that is your situation, however our studio is committed to certain standards and as artists we cannot deviate from that." Now she either has to admit that she can't afford you or ante up and buy at your prices. Either way you win. Strike three!!

Otherwise totally ignore her and only deal with your client.

[CaptainTom]

Don
That's such a good answer. You ought to be running a photo business or something.....

I especially like the "ignore the relative" part.. I've been ignoring my relatives for decades........or is it the other way around ?

[toverman]

Originally Posted by HotHolly

OK, I havent had a relative of a client try to bully me in a while, but I have a live one now! I believe she thinks that if she shakes me hard enough photos will come outa my mouth like a Polaroid. Geeze.

Stick to your guns when you're right! Besides, no matter how hard they slap you on the back you don't have to worry: Polaroid stopped making that film.

[HotHolly]

Originally Posted by toverman

Stick to your guns when you're right! Besides, no matter how hard they slap you on the back you don't have to worry: Polaroid stopped making that film.

ha ha lol. That was SO funny!

HotHolly added 220 Minutes and 55 Seconds later...Double Post Merged Below

Well, oddly, the whole thing defused. She bought a ton of stuff and thanked me for the beautiful work. That was a 180 from where I thought this was about to go.

Ive never told anyone so bluntly why we do what we do, when they are on their high horse and talking down to photogs like they are trash who cant find a real job. Im afraid I'll come across as mean and short tempered. I guess I didnt. I dont want to be a snob either.

Honestly, Im a perfectionist and when we start out I tell everyone that. I normally dont explain myself to anyone if they disagree with HOW I do stuff as long as they like the end result. If they dont, go somewhere else.

Anyway, she was thinking I was being an ass over people stealing my photos/ copyright crap and was seriously annoyed. I corrected her and said that it was my perfectionism in regard to quality control that I was unwilling to degrade. Our clients pay a pretty penny for what I do and it makes no sense to me to jeopardize that. Anyway, I got an 'oh' a big order, and that appears to be the end of it.