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by: Grant Photography
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The sign up form below is your last chance to sign up for a free photo session. Sign up below, then check your e-mail for the confirmation link. The deadline to sign up is July 31, 2011. For more details, click here. Evin L Grant by: Grant Photography
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In the attempt to provide the best services that I can there are a number of things I also expect from my clients. Increasing Interaction With all businesses, we want interaction with our clients. We want to know if our ads are being viewed, if our services are being recommended, and if our website is reaching the social world. There are also companies that want to engage with our clients; hold conversations, meet and greet, or get ideas moving, to know that what we are doing is not in vain. Every business has their own way in doing so; from community outreach, school visits, commercials, prints ads, and even door to door sales. Yet, for smaller, privately owned business these approaches may not be beneficial, if even affordable. I've decided to take a small step to increase my interaction with clients by removing the prices from my website. There is no secret or "hiding the truth" practice, it is solely to increase the personal interaction with my clients. By removing the prices from my site, it forces the client to contact me directly and begin the stages of planning and conversation. From the first email or phone call, so many things can be exchanged, learned, and expressed that a person merely can't gain my looking at numbers on a website. Its as simple as sending a message and asking for rates for weddings, event, individual, or family portraits. Will this work? I'm not totally sure, but it's a start. Trial and error. If you don't see my prices pop back up on my website soon, then its working. If they do pop back up, really soon, then I was not receiving the response I anticipated. Collecting Deposits The next order of business is serious business. Many of you "bill paying" people are aware that often there are deposits that have to be paid to either hold a date or start the process of a service. But first, let me clarify some things. Although photographers are people, we provide a service, just like cell phone SERVICE, cable and internet SERVICE, etc; and like those services we require payment for what is rendered. In addition to payment when the service is due, often times a deposit is required to hold the service open for you, like a reservation. Take apartment hunting for example. A deposit to hold a specific slot is required because they are other apartment hunters also looking for that slot. If you don't want someone to take your slot, you put forth an amount of money that holds it for you. If not, it's open for someone else to take. The same thing often goes for photographers, videographers, cake makers, designers, shoe fixers, some repairs and renovations, and a number other services. I've been one to "hope for the good in people" and slacking when it comes to collecting deposits and it has backfired. I've often told clients "I'm booked on such and such day" forcing them to rescdudel or book another photographer. Once that "day" comes and the original client reschedules or cancels, I've now lost 2 opportunities for payment. I am avoiding that by requiring deposits to be made in a timely manner. The amount due and the date due vary per service requested, but it will be due. If the deposit is not paid by the required time, the slot is up for grabs by anyone willing to pay or has paid a deposit for that date. On my calender I do have times blocked off for clients who have scheduled appointments, but upon the passing of your "deposit due date", that information will be deleted from the calender, signifying it as open to other clients. This may sound negative and create a "fear", but in the same manner it is also necessary so that those clients that are serious about receiving the service can do so without dealing with the irresponsibility of others. On the flip side, there are some positives, such as the deposit applies towards your total amount, along with any additional payments. As well as, although the deposit is non-refundable, if you reschedule within 10 days, a the orinigal deposit will count towards the new date and a new deposit will not be required. So these are a few new things I'm testing out over the next few weeks/months to see how they affect my business. If there is any confusion or question, just leave a comment below or contact me. * Side note* If you have a Facebook account, go the the Contact page on the main website, and leave a Comment in the box at the bottom. Just a "hi" or something, leave your mark on my site. And do you like the new logo? Vote Below. Oh yea, and you still have until July 31st to enter the drawing to win a free photo shoot. Click here for details or fill out the form at the bottom of this post. Evin L. Grant www.bygrantphotography.com I've decided to extend the length of time to sign up for a free shoot because I overbooked myself this month and I'm playing a bit of catch up. If you read the last posting, you know about the free photoshoot that I have been offering to people that signed up for my mailing list and READ the articles they were receiving. Due to a number of assignments I've been working on, I have not had the time to set everything up for this free shoot. So, just for you, I'm extending the deadline to enter the drawing. You have until July 31, 2011 to sign up. Now, let me clarify a few things/rules: *You must sign up using the form below OR you can use the "Join Mailing List" link on the by: Grant Photography Facebook page. -Once you fill out the form, you will receive an email that asks you to confirm your subscription-you are not officially entered until you click that link in your email-check your spam folders if you do not receive the confirmation shortly after signing up- *At the end of the month, one name will be chosen at random from subscribers who have been reading the messages they receive. Although you can read them on this site or on Facebook, it only counts if you read/open the messages you receive in your email. I have access to who subscribes, unsubscribes, and read the message they receive. *The winner will receive a free, individual photoshoot (valued at $80). The details for the shoot are listed on my website under "Pricing". So, you have a few more weeks to enter the free drawing. Also, signing up for the mailing list give you exclusive access to discounts, packages, contest, and deals that no one else will receive. Make sure you sign up. Evin L Grant by: Grant Photography I know, I know. Nothing is free. But really, this is. Seriously. Every now and then I like to offer something to my supporters, like a "Thank You". The typical "Like my Facebook page, win a free shoot" is becoming over used and overrated. So I thought of something a bit better. I often write articles, blogs, little "News bits" for people to read, and there are a number of people that take the time to read them. Yet, I'd like to get more people viewing them and sharing them as well. So to promote that, I've decided to give away a free shoot in exchange for reading my postings. But I'm going to make it easy, the postings will come directly to your email inbox. How so? Sign up using the form below. Want to win the free shoot, sign up by July 15th, 2011 and you'll be entered in to win a free photoshoot session. But, you have to actually read the postings you receive. I'll be able to see who signs up for the mailing list, as well as who opens them, so no cheating. So, for a free photoshoot, fill out the form below to sign up for the mailing list by July 15, 2011 and you will automatically be entered into the drawing. Signing up also gives you exclusive access to deals, specials, and coupons they may not appear anywhere else. Like most businesses, I'm always interested in trying out new things as a convenience to my clientele. I'm going to give "payment plans" or a "photoshoot layaway" a try. I've spoken with a number of people who are interested in working with me but did not have the money on hand to pay the full amount for a shoot. To balance this, I've decided to try out payment plans. The ability for a client to pay a deposit to hold a date, then pay the balance for the shoot over time at their pace. This means, the client will need to plan in advance. If you are aware you will need a photographer for an event in August, start planning now. Last minute planning creates last minute results. Plan now, pay the deposit to hold your date, then play $20.00 a week until the balance is paid. Or, pay a lump sum up front, pay the remainder at the time of the session. Payments can be made in cash or by credit card as a convenience to you. Evin L Grant by: Grant Photography |
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