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Does your studio make a good first impression?
Recently I visited the home of a young woman I do not know very well. As I entered, I immediately formed an impression of her: from the huge turn-of-the-century French bicycle poster on the wall, to the extensive collection of hardcover books, to the Santa Claus on a Harley Davidson statuette, I felt I was in the home of an educated “free spirit” with a style all her own.
My impression was correct. I learned she was a professor of literature at the local college, only recently having completed her master’s degree. Although she did not have expensive furnishings, her unique sense of style created an “experience” that I will remember when I meet her again.
All of us are aware of the importance of first impressions and the impact they have on others. However, this is especially important for photographers who must first sell themselves before they can sell their artwork. The experience your customers receive when they enter your studio has a direct impact on the amount they spend.
Take a five-second tour of your studio - or better yet, ask someone to do it for you. Open the door, walk in, look around, and walk out.
- What was the first impression you received?
- Was the feeling warm and inviting, or old and cluttered?
- Did you notice at least one major piece of photography that said, “Wow - this is a great photographer”?
- Did you feel like you were in the studio of an artist who commands thousands of dollars for their work?
If not, I urge you to work on the first impression your business makes. It does not need to cost much, but it will add directly to your bottom line.
Tags: selling
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AlliedMedia.net
June 14th, 2009 at 11:17 am
I couldn’t agree more.
And it is something we need to do on a monthly basis, especially for those of us who work from their homes.
I’ve had some who said they would only go to someone’s home studio for their portraits, and one who arrived and said “Oh, I thought you had a real studio” and declined to have here work done.
Yeah, 45% of my home for the studio, a couple hundred thousand dollars of equipent, & 30 years of experience but she didn’t consider us “real”. That was a tough one to smile about and thank them for stopping by anyway.
REMEMBER: You learn little from those who always agree with you.
To impress all who walk through your door, it should be something you would appreciate if you were going to someone else for portraits. You will never get them all, but you need your fair share.