You get the call, someone wants to hire a photographer.

What do you do?

Well, the one thing you can count on is that your client has no idea what they really want beyond the desire to have a photographer take great images. What is also probably pretty clear two or three calls later is that you have no idea how to sell your work either.

So there you are like two junior high kids on their first phone date fumbling about—
“What do you wanna do?” “I dunno, what do you wanna do?” “I don’t know.”

Doesn’t sound very impressive does it?

So here are some things to think about when dealing with the sale—

Don’t rely on the customer.

The belief that clients have a high quality decision process often makes photographers timid. Clients frequently miss key elements critical to good shopping sense. It is the photographers job to understand the needs of the client and present all the relevant information as the subject expert.
How often have you gotten the call, “Hi. We are getting married. How much is your package?”
Understand that the client doesn’t care about your packages. They just don’t know what to ask. Take charge of the conversation and show them what they want to know. Be clear, concise, professional and helpful.

Don’t rely on presentation.

Silly putty in a golden egg, is still silly putty. Conversely, don’t think that you can get away with handing your client junk. There is a middle ground. A professional will offer a professional product in an appropriate packaging solution. It is not an upsale to give your client what they deserve. I can’t count how many times people suggest putting pictures in nicer frames or putting in nicer furniture in their storefront gives you the right to add price. The reality is lawn furniture in your office looses customers. So having nice furniture is less about bringing in customers and more about not loosing customers.

Adversary relations

Don’t make your sales presentation so strict that you detach yourself from your client. Hiring a photographer is more than just paying an image-maker. There must be a “warm fuzzy” you give the client that lets him put his trust in you. Sachrine sales pitches distances yourself from your audience and builds distrust where instead of listening to you, they just look for flaws in your work and your business.

The Right Questions—

Like I said, clients rarely know what they are looking for. So it is your job to take charge. Asking the right questions back to your client, not only gives you a better idea of the client needs it frames the needs of the client so that both of you better understand what the client wants. Use the “rule of two” question, which are questions that allow more than one right answer so that your client can answer honestly.
Telemarketers feel they get around this reflex by making sure that all questions allow only one answer. “Wouldn’t you like to make a million dollars for doing absolutely nothing?” Of course the answer is yes. That is the point. They want all of the answer to be predetermined until you just instinctively give in to the sales pitch by exhausting all possible roadblocks you may throw up at them. Moments after the phone call is over, the spell has worn off and the client is unhappy.

Don’t allow people be contrary—

People have a natural reflex to resist sales. That is because want to make their own choices and hate the idea of someone taking charge of their decision making process. By asking more open questions, you bring the client into the decision making process. Creating more conversational dialogue removes the sales aspect of your client dealings and allows you to build credibility with your client. But most of all, your energy should be infectious and allow the client to be curious and ask questions. Answer all of them concisely and honestly and you will turn sales resistance into sales closure.

Use Question Base Sales—

In addition to provocative questions make sure that you share just enough information in your questions to share only enough information to get clients to ask questions, glimpse at the value and worth of your services, and how you provide solutions to the client needs.

ABC and 123—

The phrase all salesmen chant in their mantra is “ABC” (Always Be Closing). If you are a car salesman, then this should be exactly what you should be thinking. But the hard sell is for NEED based items, and photography is perceived as a WANT item. If you find that you like doing the hard sell, then you need to make the 1-2-3.
The 1-2-3 is a process in which you can demonstrate to your client that his WANT item is really a NEED item. If you can get the customer to NEED your photography then you will find the phrase, “So what will it take to get you into this car,” will be received with open arms.

Emotional Reassurance—

Face it, photographers are not cheap and a client’s choice in hiring you is as emotional as it is practical. Empathy goes a long way with making a client with his retaining your services.

For more information read "Mastering the Complex Sale" by Jeff Thull and "Secrets to Question Based Selling" by Thomas A. Freese