If Your Pockets Aren’t As Full As You Wish – This Will Really Help!
How many times have you presented your prices to someone only to have her respond back to you by asking you, “Well, what do I get for that?”
If you’re like me, and most other photographers in the world, you’ve had that happen many, many times.
Well, after years of research and testing, I have discovered the very best way to respond to a prospect or client asking you that question – so she ends up HIRING YOU!
Here’s how it goes:
You tell a prospect what your fees are – preferably using the memorized “Volunteer Statement” of course.
Prospect says: “What do I get for that?”
Your response – said with great enthusiasm and passion: ……“I’m so glad you asked me that! You get the most beautiful, the most exciting, the most emotional, the most sensitive, the most wonderful photographs you have ever had created in your lifetime! No one is going to throw their heart and soul into creating these wonderful photographs for you like I am. You will be thrilled – thrilled beyond your wildest dreams – with how wonderful everyone looks in these portraits and how expressive the images are!”
Now let’s talk about what just happened. As you know, when someone asks you “What do I get for that?” – that tells you that they are in “left brain” – that they are looking for how many photographs do they get and what sizes are they.
But we know that people invest in photography for “right brain” emotional reason. We also know that when people are in “left brain” they do not – I repeat - do not – invest in photography – they’ll want to “think about it.”
So instead of answering the question with a bunch of numbers and sizes and finishes and all those left brain, analytical numbers – instead we respond with a very emotional statement said with great enthusiasm about how much they’re going to love the photographs, how emotional the photographs are going to be, how the images will capture the true love and relationships and feelings between all the people in their family (or whatever type of photography you are talking about doing.)
Now, I have tested this over and over, for years, and it’s so powerful! It takes that prospect and puts her onto the right side of her brain – the emotional side of her brain, and that’s the side of the brain where she can actually decide to move forward with hiring you to create the photographs for her.
NOTE: The more enthusiastic you are when you say this, the more effective it is – remember, people invest in photography for EMOTIONAL REASONS – not logical or analytical reasons – and ENTHUSIASM is one of the most powerful human emotions on the planet! Now, you still have to MEAN what you’re saying – and you must be sincere – so don’t go “crazy” and jump up on the tables, etc. That’s NOT what I’m talking about here. But it’s so important to SHOW YOUR PASSION for what you do. So be enthusiastic, but also sincere.
Also, be sure you begin your response with the “I’m so glad you asked me that!” comment – that lets her know you are happy she asked the question, and you are excited about answering it sincerely.
So the next time someone asks you “What do I get for that?” – respond as I revealed above, and you will be thrilled, shocked, and very happy with the results. (And so will your clients!)
All the best,
Charles J. Lewis
